Scary ski-ing/boarding

I was reading Dids' report on Chamonix and it made me start thinking about how we all have different standards when it comes to judging pistes/off-piste areas, for how difficult and scary they are.

What do you reckon is the scariest piste/off-piste you've even been down? This is mine:

A year ago I was ski-ing at Courchevel with my daughter, my friend, and her son, and all of us (except my friend) were in a group ski lesson together.

During the morning of the last day our instructor nearly scared me to death by taking us off piste and down what felt (to me) like a precipice. He took us up the Creux Noirs chairlift to the top (at 2700m) and then proceeded to take us down the beginning of the red towards Meribel, and I was worrying about this because we only had lift passes for Courchevel (and our instructor knew this).

There was, however, something much worse in store for me because all of a sudden he just leaped down the side of this piste onto what appeared to me to be a 'precipice', clearly expecting the rest of us to follow

So, over we went, like a bunch of lemmings, and I don't know about everyone else but I was praying that I'd survive

It was the hardest, and scariest, bit of ski-ing I have ever done. It was very steep, with rocks, and pockets of deep powder, and I can remember at one point jumping as high as I could so that I could pivot my skis around without hitting a rock (whilst still following everyone else in the same line).

And at one point I misjudged one of my bouncy powder turns and catapulted forwards (luckily not hitting a rock) and landed flat on my face in a pile of powder and everyone had to wait whilst I cleaned my glasses.

And when we eventually got back onto a piste I was so relieved, until I started laughing at myself because I realized that we were on a black mogully piste, but even that was a relief. Surprisingly enough, I managed to ski down this okay, although one member of our class found it so difficult that he was about to take off his skis and walk until our instructor stopped him.

And afterwards, back in the apartment, I was telling my friend all about our morning exploits and how we'd skied down a precipice, and my daughter said I was talking total nonsense and it hadn't been at all difficult.

So, during the afternoon, whilst I stuck to blue runs in 1650 with my friend, her son and my daughter went back to the Creux Noirs and took these photos (to prove to me how flat and easy it had been). They didn't do the off-piste section at the beginning of course (because they knew I wouldn't allow them off-piste on their own) but they went down the piste and took a photo of the side of the piste (which was all tracked out by then because a load of people saw where our instructor had taken us off the piste and had followed us).

I have to admit that the photos do make it look a lot easier than I remember it, and the 'precipice' seems to have disappeared

Here are the photos:

I think you persception of what's scary changes all the time. It's all about doing it over and over. Pistes seemed scary once. Then they became Ok but depending on conditions, then conditions became irrelevant. I used to ask people "Is it icy there" but I've stopped quite a while ago, though my friend still does, but it's only up to her. My first time on Mont Gele I was so scared, I was still on traverse and I made silent promise to myself to stick to groomers if I don't finish the day in the body bag Even when skills go up (and it's hard work and investment) when I am somewhere for the first time I tense up, but couple turns in I start relaxing. It's all about trusting your instructor/guide, they won't take you anywhere unless they think you can do it. My firs time on Mont Fort took me about couple hours to get down and I was certain I would injure myself in the process, I don't even ski front side of Mt. Fort anymore unlesss it's a powder day - it's simply not worth it anymore to queue up for the tram for up to 30 min in busy periods only to get down very quickly. Objectively the most scared I've ever been was on Vallee Blanche in bad weather. I mean scared all the way, not when dropping in, not when making a first turn, but consistently scared and wishing I was elsewhere. Just not a pleasant experience when weather closed in with everyone trapped on a mountain and having to make your way down. the only time I've ever seen a single line of maybe 150 skiers following each other - no-one wanted to be the first one in a crevasse. Then it was high traverse to Rocky Garden in Verbier. IMO totally not worth saving 20 minutes of bootbpack. When snow ends and you are on a narrow ledge it's not fun at all. And climbing back up on the back side of Mt. Fort was scary. My friend who was leading me lost his ski when we were maybe third of the way into the route. And we had to turn back after failing to find it. It took us forever and lifts were closed when we finally made it. In the couloir we thought the snow was giving in and tried to call the rescue but didn't get the signal so had no choice but continue. But I am bored out of my head on groomers. I can spend there an hour per day max. I just don't feel it's getting me anywhere, I would rather be little bit scared, especially knowing that for the most part the fear is mainly in my head.

Hi Verbier_ski_bum,
Your sort of ski-ing sounds seriously scary to me

I guess you must count as one of the 'elite' now, if you can survive that sort of ski-ing

I had a look on http://www.verbierswitzerland.com/english/engedx.htm

to see what they said about Mont Fort:

Mont Fort, The Face
Some skiers prefer to ski the face of Mt. Fort. This Challenging bump run is one of the steepest in the Alps; and, as such, it attracts some of the best skiers in Europe. Unfortunately, on the same runs, you will also frequently see skiers that are totally out of their depth; either tumbling down the slopes or standing still, paralyzed by fear. Very often well meaning friends can be blamed for this predicament. Overconfidence is also another reason. Far, far better to join those in the cable car who know their limits and have wisely left their skis at the base. Come on up and enjoy the ride and the staggering view that takes in every mountain from The Matterhorn to Mont Blanc.

I am quite sure, if I ever ski Verbier, I will be taking the cable car back down

Haa good to see we have some adventurous skiers.

Just for note if you are in Chamonix rescue services are free. Any time weather is bad and helicopter cannot fly severity of any accident or incident offpiste is therefore much more serious. One number you should have in your phone before venturing off.

Its only in the past 4 years I've got into off piste. I did my first in Verbier, and Mont Fort was definitely hard at the time. I also found the runs from Tortin tough, at the top particularly, really steep at the drop in.
The start of La Sarenne seemed really hard first time, but this year I went back and it was comfortable for me, but my mate literally poohed himself. Like Verbs says, its all about what seems scary at the time.
I found parts of The Tunnel in ADH really difficult, but I did it along and didnt have to help others down it which meant I probably skied it differently to how I would have done with Mrs H for example, but the others all refused to do it as it made them feel sick just looking at it.
Theres a brilliant ski route in St Anton where you can bob off the edges for steep stuff.
I dont find it scary, I see it as exciting and a challenge these days. It tests your ability to handle it physically and mentally which I like.
I would like to do the valley blanche though.

AllyG wrote:
[i]Mont Fort, The Face
Unfortunately, on the same runs, you will also frequently see skiers that are totally out of their depth; either tumbling down the slopes or standing still, paralyzed by fear.

That was me

Locked solid with "disco legs" - trembling with terror. And I was with an instructor!

I have been scared many times skiing but less so as the years go on. This isn't necessarily a sign of vastly improving technique and skill and confidence but more a healthy dose of cowardice.


Icy bumps were my main problem - now I simply avoid them like the plague.

But, recently, I was pretty damned terrified on a blue run above Morzine somewhere. It was like a natural half pipe and due to the wet weather there had been a sheet of ice from top to bottom and side to side.

I had two sproglings in my care, both reasonable skiers, and I had no idea what we would be faced with as we came around the corner.

Best description would be something from a war movie with bodies absolutely everywhere, sliding down, with skis, without skis ....
Totally frozen stuck people, groups all collected together trying to help one of their number - even ski instructors were really struggling with their crododiles (which suggests to me unusual circumstances).

I got run into, but not knocked over, one of my chaps slid most of the way down on his bum (good idea!!), the other froze, which is where I got hit - keeping just above him to try to protect him.

There were at least two injuries while we were trying to get past this bit of only a 100m or so.

Not fun, not good - and terrifying!

Thanks Verbier_ski_bum, Ranchero_1979, Tony H and Old Andy

Has anyone got any photos of really scary stuff

I find it's very difficult to get the adrenaline levels just right - I like to be a tiny bit scared but not totally petrified, because otherwise of course I find I can't move (like Andy on The Face!)

Mt Fort definitely scary. Tortin, whilst we are there, is long, steep and usually icy. The Grand Couloir at Courchavel had me nearly pooping myself. The Swiss Wall is scary just because of its reputation, although a necessary rite of passage. An obscure resort called Stoos in Switzerland has a ridiculously wonderful views and, off the Klingenstock, some really steep pistes and safe, lift-accessible but steep off-piste. The red run is definitely the steepest red I know of (http://www.swisswintersports.co.uk/stoos.php).