Anybody going snowboarding soon?

[jontz01]

Any kind of drag lift on a board is a nightmare... I try to relax my knees slightly and keep my weight on the back foot, I don't know if this is the correct way to do it but it works for me.... Sometimes for a bit of fun on long runs, you can lean right backwards and 'manual' on the back tip of the board for a bit.

Luckily abroad, they're mostly chair lifts although I do seem to remember being on a 30 minute drag to top the very top of the peak in Bulgaria, Bansko probably... Every time we got over the brow of a hill, I'd think - cmon, let this be it, only to see another hill and another half mile of drag...

I'm gonna try Scotland this year. I'm not looking forward to getting off that very first chair, lifting the bar, hitting the off ramp and falling over in a pile.

 

[pk]

yep - we are off for new year to finland - OH snowboards and I ski

as for the snowboard lessons - OH did 5 days of lessons - 1.5 hours each day

Finland rocks - and reindeer is tasty eating!

 

[Space Girl]

the kids and OH love reindeer - the liked the sauteed reindeer and smoked ham pizza best - not for me though being vegi

can't wait to go now - got my skis, OH has his board, kids have their ski boots and yllas has got 50cms of natural snow so far, here's hoping for a meter when we go - everywhere seems to have loads of snow

 

[chilango]

Just got back from La Thuile (on the Italian/French border). Conditions were excellent. It dumped Thurs, Fri and Saturday. At one point there was over a foot of powder even on the blue runs. Sunday and Monday, bright blue skys and tonnes of fresh snow. Despite it being a holiday weekend, not too busy. Rarely queued for lifts, had some pistes more or less to myself, great food.



Locals were saying they haven't had this much snow at this time of year for years and years, and that snow conditions are already better then at any point last season.



More snow forecast for the end of the week.

Have a week in feb coming up, and a couple of possible eekends before then.

 

[Pie 1]

Big dump due this way for the end of the week.
Keeping my eye on the Flumserberg web cams so I can jump in the car & go for a quick day.
Doesn't look great 'till after the dumps though.

 

[Adrenalinmonkey]

for all you boarders with drag/button lift issues... what you need to do is put your back arm out above the tail of your board, it acts just like the tiller/rudder on a boat keeping your board and body strait as you go up the hill. if you try and hold the lift with both hands your body faces flat up the hill and your board will naturaly move to one side or the other depending on your stance, making you swerve and increase your chances of stacking it. keep your body weight slightly back, but not so far as to butter (bring the front of your board off the floor) as this reduces your (limeted) controll.
im both a ski and snowboard instructor who failed to get sponsorship to return to whistler this season... if only i had fallen in love with someone to marry out there all of this would not be an issue...
if anyone has any other basic issues fire away, i might as well use this proffesional knowledge somehow....
man i miss the snow

 

[chilango]

Several inches of snow in Milan city centre this morning. Bodes well for the Alps.

Looks like some of the Scottish slopes are open too.

 

[Space Girl]

just over two weeks before we get to the snow and can't wait - pissed off with the cost of taking the board and skis out though !

 

[Me76]

At my last lesson did quite well. Was leaf falling down the slope like a goodun. Didn't stress about learning turning as was concentrating on the lift. Got over half way up to the top of the slope in the end, after some spectacular rolls down the hilly bit next to it, but I reckon it will be much easier on the snow anyway. I was falling off the little strip of dry ski stuff and the snow won;t only be in a little strip so that is cool.

Am going to a different dry slope on Sunday so that will be good practice - out of familiar surroundings and all that!!

 

[chilango]

Half term prices!!

Grrr.

I don't need a flight.

I don't need to rent gear.

...and its still coming in at 150 quid or so PER DAY.

Hotels have in a lot cases doubled or tripled their rates.

Lift passes are crazy.

Even car hire has gone up 50%.

Its not looking good. I can't afford these prices. So ski season could be over before its properly begun for me.

Best snow for a generation n all.

 

[Leafster]

I'm off to Lech next weekend. Anyone been there this season? If you have what's the snow been like?

If anyone has any recommendations for bars or other things to entertain me when I'm not actually skiing, I'd be grateful.

 

[Wintermute]

I was in St Anton the week before Christmas and did a day over in Lech. Very impressed with it. Good range of reds and blues, immaculately groomed. You can tell it's a place where the seriously rich go to ski. The snow was ok - not great, I'm a boarder and would have liked a bit more powder - but a decent coverage. I don't know if I'd go back for a week, it's not the biggest of places and we managed a sizeable chunk of it in a day, but it's excellent as a day or two out from St Anton. It's about a 45 min drive IIRC. Don't know about bars, we just got back on the bus and left, but the ones I saw looked pricey.

I'd avoided button lifts for years, it wasn't until I was really comfortable getting my front knee down and pointing it down a red run that I was happy about getting on them. And I still remember one in... Kaprun?... we'd get pinged out of there like a paper clip in an elastic band, and land in a heap about six feet up the run. Even the skiers were wary of that one.

I'm off to Chamonix for a long weekend in March, but the big one is two weeks in Whistler at the start of April. I'm already getting excited about that one, never been to Canada before. And the peak-to-peak gondola looks mental

I do have a couple of questions for Adrenalinmonkey though, if you're about:

1. Foot cramp. From poking around on goneboarding forums it seems to be either too-tight boots, or dehydration. I only get it on the first two or three runs of the day so that doesn't sound like dehydration, and my boots feel pretty loose; I even worry I'm getting a bit too much heel lift. And it's happened in several pairs of boots. Could it be just that the soles of my feet aren't warmed up, and if so, any suggestion how I can loosen them up?
2. Whistler in early April. I'm assuming there's still gonna be loads of coverage up top, but any guess what the conditions down the bottom of the mountain are going to be like? Slush? Bare? Will we be able to board right down to the bottom?

 

[chilango]

Whistler in early April. I'm assuming there's still gonna be loads of coverage up top, but any guess what the conditions down the bottom of the mountain are going to be like? Slush? Bare? Will we be able to board right down to the bottom?

I was in Whistler for the last two weeks of March last year.

The conditions were great.

Plenty of snowfall. Fresh powder some days.

The very last stretch on the village run was slushy at the end of the day, but only the last couple of hundred metres most days. It was no problem to board right down into the village.

Where you staying in Whistler?

If you want any tips/recomendations let me know, I loved it there.

 

[Leafster]

I was in St Anton the week before Christmas and did a day over in Lech. Very impressed with it. Good range of reds and blues, immaculately groomed. You can tell it's a place where the seriously rich go to ski. The snow was ok - not great, I'm a boarder and would have liked a bit more powder - but a decent coverage. I don't know if I'd go back for a week, it's not the biggest of places and we managed a sizeable chunk of it in a day, but it's excellent as a day or two out from St Anton. It's about a 45 min drive IIRC. Don't know about bars, we just got back on the bus and left, but the ones I saw looked pricey.

Cheers Wintermute!

I'm a bit apprehensive about the bars etc as the place has got a reputation for being an up-market resort. Even our chalet looks too bloody posh...

We went to Val D'Isere a couple of years back and some of the bars there seems very cliquey and a bit on the expensive side. Hope it's not the same in Lech.

Enjoy your trip to Whistler... I'm very jealous!

 

[chilango]

Off to the Vallee d'Aosta for a few days soon. But half-term prices have pretty much wrecked my plans. Grrr

 

[Wintermute]

Yeah the Inghams girl in Lech was going on about all these royalty who stay there, pointing out the hotel that Princess Di stayed in, the chalet that Robbie Williams booked for a season, stuff like that. Lots of Prada ski gear Muppets. And this hotel that's about thirty grand a night, or something. But I think food prices and stuff up the mountain weren't too bad. And pretty much all the chairlifts had heated seats

Good news about Whistler, though. Cheers. I shall report back We're staying in the big hotel, the Fairmont I think? It's supposed to be a bit snazzy and TBF it fucking should be for what we're paying.

 

[chilango]

Good news about Whistler, though. Cheers. I shall report back We're staying in the big hotel, the Fairmont I think? It's supposed to be a bit snazzy and TBF it fucking should be for what we're paying.

Enjoy.

 

[rubbershoes]

i was snowboarding yesterday

in the field over the road from my house

no draglift either

no lift at all

 

[Me76]

I really wish I had my own board, I would have had a whale of a time on Monday and Tuesday.

The annoying thing is that before I went away there were loads of really good deals on e-bay, but I didn't buy because I wasn't sure I would like t.

Now I am back and am sure that I like it, all the good stuff has gone!!

 

[chilango]

Just come back from Pila. GREAT snow, fresh powder, first tracks the works. Blue skies too.

Cheap prices on the slopes for drinks etc which was a bonus.

No drag lifts at all.

Only slight downside was the number of british school parties there, but still hardly any queues and the slopes weren't too crowded.

 

[paolo]

I'm off to Chamonix for a long weekend in March

Been before?

I think Cham is the biz. 3km vertical, if you measure it from the village to the Aguille du Midi lift. More off piste than you shake an avalanche-shovel at. And a nice little town, although sadly the days of it being normal bar prices seem long gone.

 

[Spymaster]

This thread's making me jealous as my skiing plans for this year got credit-crunched .

I was going to give boarding another go this year too. I gave it a go for a few days after skiing in Cham last year and got on pretty well.

Have fun.

Bastards.

 

[Adrenalinmonkey]

Wintermute, foot cramp issues suck, i used to get them worse in ski boots than i do in my boardwear but the main reason will be that your poor old feet havnt had the chance to warm up. Although they are in there in your toasty socks and seemingly insulated boots they will be cold and just take a wile to warm up. id say your walk to the lifts should help but if your in the fairmont in whistler then you havnt got far to go at all. many happy memories of that place... i once met this sexy cougar on buisness... but anyhow there is also a slight chance that your boots are too loose, i ride on custom insoles that you can get from almost any board store, they are really sympathetic to the arches of my feet (my feet are weird shapes) and they pretty much eliminated my cramps by putting pressure on my arches. they only cost 20 bucks so it might be worth the experiment.
im also in whis for the begining of april, spring riding kicks ass out there, the parks have softer landings and the sun on 7th heaven makes it one of the most beautifull bits of pisted terrain arround and this years late snow means that no one can predict what the conditions will be at this point. the spring ride out is ususaly fine, but you will notice the change in the consistancy of the snow below mid station. feels like mashed potato.
key tips-
at all costs avoid falling after midstation, you get wet, a nasty fake snow residue gets all over your gear and you end up wet at apres.....
cinnamon bear bar in the hilton, best wings in town, nice vibe and free pool
and if its open, there is any fresh snow while your out there and your standard of riding is good enough HIKE SPANKY'S LADDER a short traverse from the top of Glacier express on blackcomb- if you can handle the hike, which is only about 15 mins, Rubybowl is one of the most amazing runs you will ever ride. ever.

 

[Pie 1]

Was up at Corviglia (St Moritz) last week for a couple of days. Great boarding but fucking nut crunchingly cold.
- 9 to -17ºC with a stiff wind to boot. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Off to Les Arcs next weekend for a few days & hopefully a bit milder temp

 

[Wintermute]

Been before?

Not to Cham. I'm looking forward to it; couple of the guys I'm going with have been and say it's got some nice terrain. Only six sleeps to go....

Wintermute, foot cramp issues suck, i used to get them worse in ski boots than i do in my boardwear but the main reason will be that your poor old feet havnt had the chance to warm up. Although they are in there in your toasty socks and seemingly insulated boots they will be cold and just take a wile to warm up. id say your walk to the lifts should help but if your in the fairmont in whistler then you havnt got far to go at all. many happy memories of that place... i once met this sexy cougar on buisness... but anyhow there is also a slight chance that your boots are too loose, i ride on custom insoles that you can get from almost any board store, they are really sympathetic to the arches of my feet (my feet are weird shapes) and they pretty much eliminated my cramps by putting pressure on my arches. they only cost 20 bucks so it might be worth the experiment.
im also in whis for the begining of april, spring riding kicks ass out there, the parks have softer landings and the sun on 7th heaven makes it one of the most beautifull bits of pisted terrain arround and this years late snow means that no one can predict what the conditions will be at this point. the spring ride out is ususaly fine, but you will notice the change in the consistancy of the snow below mid station. feels like mashed potato.
key tips-
at all costs avoid falling after midstation, you get wet, a nasty fake snow residue gets all over your gear and you end up wet at apres.....
cinnamon bear bar in the hilton, best wings in town, nice vibe and free pool
and if its open, there is any fresh snow while your out there and your standard of riding is good enough HIKE SPANKY'S LADDER a short traverse from the top of Glacier express on blackcomb- if you can handle the hike, which is only about 15 mins, Rubybowl is one of the most amazing runs you will ever ride. ever.

Advice noted - thanks Am hoping to get a guide for a couple of days and go off into the backcountry a bit, but I've been trying to get as many tips as possible, both for good lesser-know runs, and where to go drinking...
The foot thing.... yeah, it's got to be warmth. It's only the first few runs. And my (Vans) boots have got moulded insoles so I don't think it's the fit. I'll try and do some star jumps in the lift queue

 

[chilango]

Almost that time of year again. It's already been snowing in Austria and Whistler. Some early season places are gearing up. I'm planning already. Torn between Italy and Austria in March, maybe a few days in Italy in December, the odd day trip and maybe, just maybe Morrocco (if the snow is there).

Anyone else urging Winter on?

 

[kropotkin]

Almost that time of year again. It's already been snowing in Austria and Whistler. Some early season places are gearing up. I'm planning already. Torn between Italy and Austria in March, maybe a few days in Italy in December, the odd day trip and maybe, just maybe Morrocco (if the snow is there).

Anyone else urging Winter on?

Would love to go riding this year- my wife bought me a new burton farm 156 last year and I loved it, especially after the 164 I'd been riding for the previous 7 years.

Unfortunately I've got to have spinal surgery in December so will be out of action for a year (note: don't ride in whiteouts)

Where in Italy do you go?

 

[chilango]

Pila quite often. It's cheap(ish) and I can get to it on the train. So its good for a few days here or there.

La Thuile is quite nice, but the snow wasn't so good when I went last year and I end up spend a LOT of money on food, albeit amazing food, up there.

There are some small local pistes up near Domodossola that are really nice for day trips.

I quite fancy the Dolomites this year for my main trip. But am on a pretty tight budget...

...so to hear about your back, tis a bummer. Missed on trip last year with a bad back and it's twinging today....

 

[chilango]

Looking at Arlberg/Lech/Zurs/St Anton for early Dec. Anyone been there?

 

[crustychick]

I'm planning on going on my first ski trip in early 2011. thinking of heading east to poland, or slovakia, or somewhere like that, since we'll already be in Berlin!