Anyone planning a ski or snowboard trip this winter?
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Commentary on the Olympic moguls is always annoying. They get really excited by speed (worth 15%) and the jumps (worth 25%) and largely don't comment on the bit worth 60%.0
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Another skiing annoyance. Why is it that in North America, they can stick a sign up that says "experts only" and everyone stays away and yet in Europe the same sign actually attracts people, specifically the people that don't meet the description.
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Is it because in the USA, some of the expert only routes are more of a thin path of snow that's stuck to the side of a shear clif, whereas in (some) European resorts, the sign can mean slightly steep piste*.TheBigBean said:Another skiing annoyance. Why is it that in North America, they can stick a sign up that says "experts only" and everyone stays away and yet in Europe the same sign actually attracts people, specifically the people that don't meet the description.
*and in Bankso means, lovely wide steep and quiet piste!0 -
Tip #3 - Don't even attempt to try and ski them like the guys on the telly. It's a whole other technique to ski the "Zipper Line".
Bean's tip is a good one. Turn on the top when the tips and tails are not actually on the snow and you're pivoting on the ski under your feet.
Also - forget about carving. You are doing the opposite. If you look at the skis on the telly they're virtually straight becasue they just flick the tips round/push with the heels etc.
(hard to explain by text :P)We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
That's kind of the point. If you want to ski something fun in North America you follow the signs. In Europe, you have to hire a guide to prevent the idiots being idiots. That said, I don't recognise your description - the really dangerous things will be protected.Jezyboy said:
Is it because in the USA, some of the expert only routes are more of a thin path of snow that's stuck to the side of a shear clif, whereas in (some) European resorts, the sign can mean slightly steep piste*.TheBigBean said:Another skiing annoyance. Why is it that in North America, they can stick a sign up that says "experts only" and everyone stays away and yet in Europe the same sign actually attracts people, specifically the people that don't meet the description.
*and in Banks means, lovely wide steep and quiet piste!0 -
I was going to add this.ddraver said:Tip #3 - Don't even attempt to try and ski them like the guys on the telly. It's a whole other technique to ski the "Zipper Line".
One of things people don't realise is that when it goes slightly wrong for pros it usually ends up with a spectacular crash just like amateurs, but of course with far less frequency. Nonetheless it is the style that is going to hurt at some point, so a more leisurely style is going to be more rewarding long term. That and I like to be able to breathe.0 -
Thanks for the tips everyone!
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Don't forget the pros are skiing perfect bumps that have been 'hand made'. However the bumps tend to be huge and the slopes steep. Incredible skiers.
The bumps you find on a piste will be irregular with the bottom side carved away by not very good bump skiers who have slid down that side.
I'd also add, aim to ski 3-5 bumps, take a breather, and so on. You can then focus on skiing those well. If you have time to build your bumps fitness you can gradually build that up. You can then be picking your line over those few turns.0 -
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Three certainties in life: death, taxes and back pain.0
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BTW, anyone who is out there this season, are you using paper vaccine passes or phone apps? Thinking paper might be easier, and less of a panic if phone runs out of juice a million miles away from home.
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We printed off the most recent QR code and laminated it to keep in the arm pocket so more easily accessible than phone.Jezyboy said:BTW, anyone who is out there this season, are you using paper vaccine passes or phone apps? Thinking paper might be easier, and less of a panic if phone runs out of juice a million miles away from home.
Others have made the QR code the screensaver on their phones. Even heard of people putting the QR code on their lids.0 -
Dorset_Boy said:
We printed off the most recent QR code and laminated it to keep in the arm pocket so more easily accessible than phone.Jezyboy said:BTW, anyone who is out there this season, are you using paper vaccine passes or phone apps? Thinking paper might be easier, and less of a panic if phone runs out of juice a million miles away from home.
Others have made the QR code the screensaver on their phones. Even heard of people putting the QR code on their lids.
Was that from the NHS app, or the French TAC app? My NHS one worked last summer.0 -
NHS app, but also had it on the French app, and I downloaded the Swiss app too as France had to be binned and we ended up in Switzerland and across the border to Italia. Worked fine in both CH and I.
You can download the French app that checks the codes (TAC Verif) if you want.0 -
Thanks. I'll probably install TAC anyway (I'll need it to use the TGV, for starters), just curious if the bare NHS QR code works by itself.Dorset_Boy said:NHS app, but also had it on the French app, and I downloaded the Swiss app too as France had to be binned and we ended up in Switzerland and across the border to Italia. Worked fine in both CH and I.
You can download the French app that checks the codes (TAC Verif) if you want.0 -
Yes it does as all you are loading into the app is the QR code and that's all the reader reads.briantrumpet said:
Thanks. I'll probably install TAC anyway (I'll need it to use the TGV, for starters), just curious if the bare NHS QR code works by itself.Dorset_Boy said:NHS app, but also had it on the French app, and I downloaded the Swiss app too as France had to be binned and we ended up in Switzerland and across the border to Italia. Worked fine in both CH and I.
You can download the French app that checks the codes (TAC Verif) if you want.1 -
Do they usually have snow at this time where the Olympic skiing is being held or were they always going to end up on artificial snow?0
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No idea. Certainly the Big Air on the industrial estate was always going to be artificial.Pross said:Do they usually have snow at this time where the Olympic skiing is being held or were they always going to end up on artificial snow?
Not sure many westerners will have skied in China so probably little knowledge of skiing areas and weather there.
Can't be too many cities to have hosted both summer and winter games.0 -
First time apparently.Dorset_Boy said:
No idea. Certainly the Big Air on the industrial estate was always going to be artificial.Pross said:Do they usually have snow at this time where the Olympic skiing is being held or were they always going to end up on artificial snow?
Not sure many westerners will have skied in China so probably little knowledge of skiing areas and weather there.
Can't be too many cities to have hosted both summer and winter games.
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The backdrop to the big air must be one of the most ugly in Olympic history. It was no Montjuic diving board!0
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Weird choice of venue for a Winter Olympics then. I thought it was supposed to be all about sustainability these days. I guess they're re-using some of the summer games venues though.0
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Got back from Geneva last night after 3 days of skiing.
Regarding the Tous Anti Covid app, every restaurant asked to see and scan it before they took our order. We all had it in our phones though people at tables nearby showed the QR code on the NHS app which also worked fine.
Yesterday the gendarmes were also checking everyone’s Tous Anti Covid QR codes before getting on lifts. I believe it is because school holidays in France have started and they wanted to make a point. It wasn’t a hassle though, really didn’t cause any delay.
For the journey to your destination I would suggest printing all the various documents, especially if you are a family travelling - with 2 kids in tow it made it so much easier being able to hand over the documents in paper form rather than open each individually on my phone. If I was travelling alone I might just go via the paperless route.
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kingstonian said:
Got back from Geneva last night after 3 days of skiing.
Regarding the Tous Anti Covid app, every restaurant asked to see and scan it before they took our order. We all had it in our phones though people at tables nearby showed the QR code on the NHS app which also worked fine.
Yesterday the gendarmes were also checking everyone’s Tous Anti Covid QR codes before getting on lifts. I believe it is because school holidays in France have started and they wanted to make a point. It wasn’t a hassle though, really didn’t cause any delay.
For the journey to your destination I would suggest printing all the various documents, especially if you are a family travelling - with 2 kids in tow it made it so much easier being able to hand over the documents in paper form rather than open each individually on my phone. If I was travelling alone I might just go via the paperless route.
Hope you had a good time. I'll just screencap the NHS QR code, I think.0 -
https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/snow-sports/vail-resorts-record-ski-passes-overcrowding/
Interesting article about what is happening over there this winter...We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0
