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How to get Painlessly Off Piste?
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead

DB,

Don't know about the US as have only been once and I was amazed that the ski resort is roped, very small and they could not use a t-bar. Admittedly, this was probably one of the very few in use but it was funny to see good skiers heading upto a bowl and couldn't cope with the lift. I thought the standard of skier was very good. My friends went to Alaska, I couldn't go, and they said the standard was very very good so I am surprised about the deep snow comment. Maybe they are fed-up with being hemmed in and go back-country so we don't see them.
I don't think in Europe people are too fazed by going off-piste or rather are more willing do so with all that entails.

I have done 6 heli trips all in Italy in the resorts of Cervinia and Gressoney. Most ended up on the MonteRosa.

How about you?
snow conditions
snow conditions
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person

JT,

I'm not knocking the American standards of off-piste skiing, just saying that I suspect Americans are more likely to ski the off-piste in a less disciplined fashion. Afterall, never seen boarders put tracks down one next to the other and sometimes wonder íf in mixed areas whether we skiers should still bother.

Only done one day heliskiing on the Swiss / French boarder near to Morzine. Prefer to hike for my turns (environmental and ski budget concerns). St Anton is only a cheap train ticket away where fresh tracks have always been found for me todate.
snow report
snow report
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I'm not a great hiker but I would like to do that. I thought the Americans should be applauded for opening up a bowl but have not lift-linked it. it takes a 20 mins walk or so. Strange...!!! with their liabilty laws that we hear of.
Funnily enough Alagna are decommissioning an old lift upto Punta Indren and not replacing it and the only way to it will be a dedicated walk. This is good in some respects but they have apparently bullbozed Olen which is an off-piste link to do it.
I have not seen the long term plans but the guides don't say good things about it all as it will destroy the wild feel of a lot of there skiing.
It is all EU money as the area can in no way support the costs of the new lifts and may never look likely to unless they market it really big....!!!

To the first point, I would like to think ettiquette should prevail and you should try and not trash the slope if possible.

I mean, whats wrong with nice S's side by side and you know one of them is yours and can see them from a distant lift.
I must admit if I can do that it gives me a bit of a buzz. Your signature of the mountain..!!!
snow conditions
snow conditions
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.

I Saques wrote:


What do I need to know to crack it?


Toofy Grin Learn to Board Toofy Grin Toofy Grin Toofy Grin

Sorry couldnt resist Very Happy

That is why I learned to board.
Girlfriend is Basi3 level, and for me to get up to the same terrain ability as her would have taken me years.
on a board I was starting to venture off piste / pisteside powder inside a week.

I do want to learn to ski, as I see there being benefits to both......Frozen cordrouy (sp)? or Ice of any description really is not fun on a board. But Off Piste, Powder and slush are far easier.

We were in whistler a couple of years ago, and there was a resort guide there, a very nice Woman in her 50`s (But really didnt look it) who was a Doctor in Pemberton by Day. She was on skis that day but had learnt to Board at 53 Very Happy Because "It looked so much fun off piste on a Board". she now still skis but at the first sign of Powder she grabs her board Cool Cool Excellent woman, really good fun with a great outlook.

On the same Trip, I taught 2 Guys in our Chalet to Board..... one was 65 the other 66 Shocked Eddie`s knees were shot from years of Hard Skiing abd he really struggled to ski powder now (Which he loved) and was in pain for days afterwards.
He viewed learning Boarding as maybe being able to extend his time in the mountains.
I`m not sure if they ever did it again, but I got them going and linking turns, and they caused such a laugh on the nursery slope as well Very Happy Very Happy

Cheers
Dom
latest report
latest report
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

cr500dom,
I have a friend who boards and he can go anywhere I go and some....But he can't get around the mountain as well.
We took a guide out in Zermatt and he allowed a mixed group....surprise really as some will not...and it was quite evident from the first couple of runs why... The guide asked for warm-up...so he could see what we could do and then cut into some off-piste. As we were close to the glacier he asked us to ski close...and the boarder started to loose height straight away... we got around this but in a more differcult area you can see why the guide doesn't like it or will not do it. Anyway after that day my friend gave up boarding for two reasons
a) we started to look at more adventurous terrain and guides don't like mixed parties
and
b) The boarder always had to walk out because the skier can skate but the boader can't... Not too far anyway..
He was so knackered that day from the walking I don't think he has been on a board since in ernest.

And as part of the story, we hired a guide to go off the back of the Valluga in St Anton and the office said a mixed group was fine. Once the guide was assigned he and the Office Dir or whatever had a real arguement...in German so we didn't get all of it...about the mixed group..and basically the guide was MADE to take us..... Looking back on this, this was not at all right...!!! Anyway the day got cancelled due to high winds which was kind of true but I am too sure if it was the guide pulling out or the weather. Nthe mountain as well.
We took a guide out in Zermatt and he allowed a mixed group....surprise really as some will not...and it was quite evident from the first couple of runs why... The guide asked for warm-up...so he could see what we could do and then cut into some off-piste. As we were close to the glacier he asked us to ski close...and the boarder started to loose height straight away... we got around this but in a more differcult area you can see why the guide doesn't like it or will not do it. Anyway after that day my friend gave up boarding for two reasons
a) we started to look at more adventurous terrain and guides don't like mixed parties
and
b) The boarder always had to walk out because the skier can skate but the boader can't... Not too far anyway..
He was so knackered that day from the walking I don't think he has been on a board since in ernest.

And as part of the story, we hired a guide to go off the back of the Valluga in St Anton and the office said a mixed group was fine. Once the guide was assigned he and the Office Dir or whatever had a real arguement...in German so we didn't get all of it...about the mixed group..and basically the guide was MADE to take us..... Looking back on this, this was not at all right...!!! Anyway the day got cancelled due to high winds which was kind of true but I am too sure if it was the guide pulling out or the weather. Needless to say it isn't something I would go along with now. If you ski, go with skiers and if you board, then go with boarders...But for guided stuff they probably don't mix...!!

But back to the thread, if you want to learn to ski off-piste, you are going to have to get in there and do it ....and fall over again and again..!! The next time it rains/snows in the resort, stop drinking, go to bed, get up early and hit the highest lift and find the bits just off the side...And keep on going back in it. New snow is the easiest...it's even fun falling over..!!
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