J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by chrisn_28

Well its been a while since i have posted on here, but i am truely feeling that i am missing something now that i have had my first skiing holiday! In January i went with some experienced friends and 3 of us were begginers to St Anton, and i have to admit as a first timer on the slopes it was extremely hard and pushed me to the very edge of what i thought i could do or handle! But thanks to my instructor and my "classmates" we really bonded and made progress, and by the end of the week i was taking on St Antons blues and loving it with the support of my friends!
however i now have a problem, i miss it terribly! My partner did not take to it as i did, although she is willing to try one more time! However we need a resort with easy greens to build her confidence up! (any suggestions??)
All i want to do now is ski again! I play rugby, work as a paramedic but i have to admit skiing my first run was liberating and i want more!!!! i constantly think bak to how i felt when i took on my first blue down to the KK with the group and then on the last day ski with my friends! what a ultimate rush!!

Chris! (one truely addicted skier!)

I thought that as well Tony!! shame we didnt meet for a jar or two!! I could of picked your skiing brain at the same time!
That air ambulance was a busy little thing! We had a girl in our group in ski school who damaged her kneee on the first day vut was skied off the mountain. Although later in the day another women wiped out on the Gampen and had to be airlifted also.
I have to admit that skiing is by far and away the hardest sport to do! There is so much to learn in terms of just body position, stances, eg basic alpine position and carving, paralell sliding and thats even before having to think about the line to take down the mountain. My instructor was brilliant at that and by the end of the trip i was happpy to navigate down a blue (accompanied by one of my experienced friends though)
As a beginner i felt we did stick out. St Anton does seem to attract the most experienced skiers! But that to can be a blessing, As my friends who are all black run off pisters said they can spot a beginners group a mile off and especially if we have a teacher from the ski school with us, so than can give a wide bearth. I found that all we had to worry about was our skiing and following the instructors lines whilst in the safe knowledge that the more experienced skiers would give us the snow to learn in.
In terms of next ski resort, well i'm not yet sure. What we're after is a place that challenges my experienced friends with lots of red and black runs for them. Yet that has a large beginners area with a good ski school, gentle greens and cruisy blues so we can continue to develop. nd as my partner is a very nervous skier, allow her to gain confidence and get a run or 10 in!!!
What are your thoughts???


Ps noticed that i wrote Rainbow room in my last post, i meant piccadilly, In my drunken haze in St Anton that evening i must have read another sign!!! :shock:

Well ive just got back from my first ski trip and i have to say it was absolutely fantastic! The weather was perfect! Although we could of done with a fall or two as by Saturday the slopes were icing up a little, and it was getting patchy in places! But here is my thoughts.

PRICES: WOW!!!! i have to admit it is expensive! I live in Surrey which is one of the most expensive areas in the country and even i found it pricey! 4-5 euros per beer (not full pint), meals out expensive, ski hire pricey and lessons the same. Be prepared if you go out to be seperated with at least 100 euros at least if you have to buy dinner as well as drinking apres ski. But what i can say is that the locations and bars and quality of the food make it worthwhile! The KK and Moose were awesome to mention just two. Rainbow room in the town was awesome to with live music! Musician knew just which legendary rock songs to play and play them DAMN WELL!!!!

TOWN AND NIGHT LIFE: Awesome!!!! only word for it!!! KK highly recommended as is Moose and most other bars!! Plus underground bar is great!!!

SKI SCHOOL: As a beginner i cannot rate the school highly enough, A must for beginner to intermediate to advanced skiers! Ali P my instructor was legendary! Had us doing challenging blue runs by the end of my first week skiing! And as he expained St Anton is by far and away a tough place for beginners nad as Pisting is so individual a blue run at St anton is a red most other places.

FOR BEGINNERS: Has to be amoung the worst for beginners. Very little places to learn. No Green runs so steep learning curve required! Beginners must be prepared to struggle and wipe out often! (I wiped out on blue 23 and my knee is black and blue) As skiing is so mental if the nerve goes it will become massively hard. BUT if you ride it out the learning curve and improvement is steep and so rewarding!!! But i would of thought a resort with gentler introductions to skiing would be better! My partner is a beginner to and she found it very very hard! If i was to be honest i would not recommend St Anton to beginners at all, Build confidence at other resorts and when intermediate then go to St Anton.

FOR INTERMEDIATES AND ADVANCED: Awesome! My friends are all black run skiers and we're challenged daily massive choice of runs.

SKI HIRE: Great!!! good equipment. damaged my skis on my wipe out but they just changed the skis no questions asked, no charge and were more concerned that i was ok and was not going to stop skiing!!!

AREA: Breathtaking!!! no other words for it!!

Overall though i loved it!! am definately hooked! :D

Thankyou for the last minute advice. i have to admit im hoping that we can negotiate a few discounts. Last time i calculated the cost of ski hire, lift pass and 3 day ski school it is going to cost £526 full wack! Ive budgeted for it but any saving would be lovely to put to the expensive beer! :shock: How much is a jar of ale in st Anton?? does anyone know???

:D

Hello all!
Well our first ski trip is upon us, we are all off tomorrow morning to Gatwick to get the plane to St anton and i could not be more excited!!!!!
I do however have one more request, any last minute advice??? We have not got our ski passes yet or ski hire, the company we are going with (skival) have supplied taxis to the shop to get the ski hire, but will they guide us through the lift pass hire and ski school registration????
Im a little confuzzled about it all still!!!

First off, welcome to the site! I'm very much a beginner myself, So far myself and my girlfriend have completed our gaurantee to ski course and our working on our snow plow turns. We're off on our first ski holiday on Sunday to St Anton. From what i can make out on here your first ski trip is fantastic and not to be forgotten! I'm very much like you and am already completely hooked to skiing so cannot wait!!!!
In terms of advice there are many people on here that can offer tons of useful hints and tips! (TonyH for one!). My one though, Definately go to a ski school. If you can afford it private lessons, but they are mightily expensive. But apparently from everything i've been told they will bring your skiing techniques and competacny on leaps and bounds!!!!
Have a great trip when you go!!! I'll be writing my reports on my first ski trip on here after the 10th of Jan, But I CANNOT WAIT!!!!!! :D

Chris

Heres a thought, how much is a good ale in St Anton??? I've seen on posts answers ranging from 3 to 7 euros!!!! personally im hoping 3!!! Its only just over a week to go now and i cannot wait!! :mrgreen: