St Gervais this Weekend

AllyG wrote:Hi Eggman and Salski,
What's a crash mat for?

I'm not too sure I'd want to go to the mountains in the summer - I'd be looking everywhere for some snow

Ally

Hi AllyG, a "crash mat" is plastic covered mat filled with foam, to be used when "bouldering" or climbing complex routes not very high above the ground, if you fall or slip your mates makes sure you fall onto the crash mat which they should be holding.

Ian Wickham wrote:

AllyG wrote:Hi Eggman and Salski,
What's a crash mat for?

I'm not too sure I'd want to go to the mountains in the summer - I'd be looking everywhere for some snow

Ally

Ally your far too busy in the summer....... but the mountains are just as beautiful in the summer as they are in the winter

Too true, we will be walking up a lot the ski slopes which are just as pretty in the summer, it just takes longer to get down them )

Thanks Eggman for the info. and if you're making some sort of deal with the weather please make sure there's plenty of snow for when I finally get there

Ian - you're quite right I am too busy during the summer for a holiday.

Ally

Hi Ally, have just been rereading you boot buying report as I might have a look for some new boots next week. Depends on the weather, if its good no time for shopping if its bad well you got to keep out of the rain. I saw a boot fitter's in Chamonix last time we were over, might pop in )

Hi Eggman,
I'm glad my report is being useful

I'm sure someone was told not to buy boots in the summer because the shops run the stock down, and there won't be much of a choice. I would guess the shops buy new stock in the autumn. When I got mine there were a lot of boot sales on, but even then there was a shortage of stock across the country. You had to be lucky to get cheap boots on sale that fitted. I had to pay full price for mine.

Ally

Hi Ally, I took your advice and only tried on one pair of boots, you were right there weren't many in my size. €60 for servicing three pairs of skis is that cheap/mid price or exspensive? at my local Twinner.

Whilst watching our Son and his mate get set up to climb a popular crag, I saw a guy take a very bad fall off the same crags near Chamonix not 50ft away from them, he was just round a corner out of their eyeline. Poor bloke had to lifted away on stretcher, neck brace the lot The rescue services were very prompt. Only his own mates stopped climbing everyone else carried on, if a little bit subdued.

Weather was superb, did a lot of walking in the mountians, asked a local guide who said "that the snow would come early and be deep", well he would wouldn't he )

Eggman wrote: €60 for servicing three pairs of skis is that cheap/mid price or exspensive? at my local Twinner.

It depends on what level of service you had on the skis, for an edge and wax in France it is about average but to add some balance for just an edge and wax in a resort in Italy last year 10€

Cheers Ian, thought it was about average for France, we had it done cheaper at Intersport in St G. last year but the shop shuts in the Summer Italy now thats cheap.