Ski-ing here at Tignes

Hi Everyone,
We have been here for 2 days now, at the Edge to Edge ski camp in Tignes, and we have only tomorrow left.

The weather is amazingly hot and sunny - 12 degrees, but the piste is incredibly icy, especially in the afternoon. At the moment, the whole available ski area is like a black piste.

You go up to the glacier in a funicular, and then there are only 4 more lifts running - one gondola, one chair, and two T-bars, and there are no blue pistes at all, apart from one that is like an Alpine ski exercise where you ski and walk in loops (which we haven't tried doing).

They were true to their word, and we did get transers from Geneva, our skis and lift passes, and catered accommodation for 3 days, and a shuttle bus to and from the funicular, all for the amazing bargain price of about £110 per person.

BUT - I'm very sorry to say that I haven't been able to make use of all the equipment on offer because I seem to be OK with the skis and boots they gave me in the beginning, and I haven't bothered to change them.

They also arrange lessons, so my daughter and I had a private 3 hour lesson this morning, and I discovered that my worst fault is leaning up the slope, so I have been trying to dare to lean downwards in spite of the steepness and the ice.

There are lots of national ski teams here training. We have seen the French, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, the British Mogul ski team, and lots of resort and regional teams. They have their own area and are whizzing through slalem gates.

All in all, it is a lot of fun, and it was thanks to this website and Admin that I knew it was on, so thank you very much. There is plenty of piste to ski on, and it is very challenging ski-ing, so there is no chance of getting bored, plus it is fun watching all these fantastic skiers in action.

Ally

Brilliant, wish I was there. I would have tried out 4 or 5 pairs of skis though.

I'm pleased your have a great time 8)

Tony_H wrote:Brilliant, wish I was there. I would have tried out 4 or 5 pairs of skis though.

Me too, bet Allys glad we're not though.

Nelly,
It would have been nice to have been with some people I 'know'. The chalet is mostly full of people in large groups of 8 or so, and I do feel a bit lonely (although people have been talking to me), so you would all have been very welcome to have been here with us.

Tony, I'm sorry I can't be bothered with trying out different skis. I have enough to cope with just trying to ski to the bottom without falling over. I fell over twice today (maybe I have the 'wrong' skis?).

And yet again I have been having trouble with French toilets. It's totally unbelievable, but the mountain cafe has toilets and they've shut the womens' ones to save cleaning them (I think) so all the women have to go into the men's and it's really embarassing seeing all these men with their private bits hanging out while I'm trying to wash my hands. And the men of course can't understand what the women are doing in their toilets. I have managed to ski on this really hard, green glacier ice without hurting myself but I have injured my head while squatting over the mens toilets without seats when I was trying to stand up afterwards and I hit my head on the door lock.

They still have a few vacancies for the weeks ahead if anyone else wants to come here. It is very good value - the food is great and the staff are very hard working and friendly. And it's bound to snow soon so the problems with ski-ing on the glacier ice will end.

I will never complain about ice again. This green stuff is something entirely different. It's rock hard - something like marble - and you can't even get a ski pole in it, and I can hardly traverse across it and I certainly can't turn on it. The only thing I can do is look desperately for a patch of snow to turn on and then try to cross the ice without falling over.

I meant Nordic ski-ing on that strange circuit. They have very odd looking skis which look like ski poles with tips and boots which look like trainers and they seem to be walking down to the circuit.

And the national ski teams all wear the most peculiar looking ski gear and the kids look like reptiles with rubber spikes, and they all seem to use the funicular as a mobile changing room and strip off during the journey down.

Apparently there is a 150 yard beginner's run somewhere at the top to replace the one they had to close at the bottom when the pylons fell over. I will have a look tomorrow, and I will also have a look at the snow park and see the English kids mogul team in action on the jumps (there are no moguls because there isn't enough snow).

It is certainly a new experience for me, and I think my ski-ing has improved.

How did the meet-up go (or is a report somewhere on another thread?).

The glacial ice beside the black run at Tignes.



Ally

AllyG wrote:

I will never complain about ice again. This green stuff is something entirely different. It's rock hard - something like marble - and you can't even get a ski pole in it, and I can hardly traverse across it and I certainly can't turn on it. The only thing I can do is look desperately for a patch of snow to turn on and then try to cross the ice without falling over.

Trust me, you will learn a lot from this. I know its not great, but use this is practise to improve your technique. I had an awful 3 days in BKK on icy hard pack, hated it, but was determined to get to the bottom without falling over, and I did. If you can work on your technique, maybe more aggressive turns and getting over on your edges more, you will really benefit from your next visit onto good snow. You wont thank me now, but you might later.

Hy Ally,

Good to hear some feedback on this trip as I had considered it, sadly my schedule is full niow till Xmas except a short dash to Kaprun in early December, but I'll certainly consider it for next year if it's running afetr your report.

Cheers

Dave

AllyG wrote:I have managed to ski on this really hard, green glacier ice

We shall now refer to you as the Ice Maiden... 8)

But worth noting that what you have come across really is ice. What most skiing folk usually refer to as "ice" is actually just hard-pack (being pedantic).

You can get an edge on hard-pack if you try hard enough, but you'd need to be on ice skates to grip on real ice (like blue / green glacier ice). The best (only?) way to tackle ice, as you've probably figured out, is to stay absolutely balanced as you cross it - anything else and you fall - and then turn or stop on the snow / hard-pack the other side.

But better a day skiing on ice than a day, er, not skiing. I think. Hmm.

Anyway, big us (J2Ski) up to the folk at Edge2Edge - I had a chat to Marc (their owner) at the ski show last week and hope it's all going well for them.