J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by felthorpe

I have boots with fold out grippy things incorporated into the sole. Work great in the snow/ice but as soon as you go indoors its like tap dancing. They are also difficult to convert from tap shoe to normal wear without breaking your finger nails!

I bumped into my optician once in a bar in Les Deux Alpes but I don't think this counts as he is only famous in Newmarket!

It's always a worry, especially when your stuff is brand new. After a couple of uses or seasons, ski's/snowboards are not so attactive to thieves.

I was completely paranoid the first time I used my new skis but now I know they are not the latest thing, I worry less. I do have a lock but rarely use it (it will serve me right if I do lose them). Sometimes we mix the ski's up a bit so they are not in pairs but this option is not available to boarders!

My OH lost his brand new ski's after just 2 days using them, he now says he will only rent in future. It's such a shame the honest majority have their fun ruined by a few scumbags.

Many tour operators will allow you to deselect the flights which then gives you a price just for accommodation.

Well it was all going so well yesterday. Mr F and I were in a group of 6 who decided that the off piste lesson was too much like hard work. We went off to cruise the blues and reds.

It was absolutely freezing and I mean FREEZING out on the chair lifts. We didn't go too high as a result because none of us could feel our fingers and toes. I think it said -19 on one thermometer. I had 4 layers on and it still wasn't enough.

On one chair lift I managed to walk out of my right ski when shuffling forwards to wait for the chair (I have been having a bit of trouble with it and despite adjustment by the local fitters, it was still happening). So the chair lift operator woman hit the stop button but it was an old lift and didn't stop in time before sweeping me off my feel so that I was laying across the chair a bit and by the time I managed to sit up it swept poor Brooksy off his feet so he was sitting on my lap :shock: He had to drop off the chair and I had to follow. Sorry Brooksy :oops:

So we continued with a few more stops to warm up and then headed home. Again all was calm until I tried to go down a particularly steep and narrow bit of piste on the way home (allegedly blue) and got a bit too close to the edge. The edge gave way and I shot into the net. However the net wasn't secured low enough and there was a big gap underneath where the snow had been packed before I stood on it and guess what..... yes I went straight through the gap. Fortunately I managed to get one leg either side of the rope securing the net and I ended up dangling by one leg upside down over a small cliff face.

My fellow J2Skiers were brilliant and rescued me because I was so stuck I could not move. My skis were still on and were wedged against the net tensioners. Once I had been released from my ski I was able to slide down the 20ft or so of the cliff onto the piste below and guess who broke my fall.... poor old Brooksy once again. I owe that man big time.

I also owe my fellow skier Sinbad14 who ran (yes ran) up the slope to free me and ended up sliding down the cliff after me to get down. Thanks to him and to Old Andy and Far Queue and a slightly flattened Brooksy for looking after me all day and rescuing me in my hour of need.

Anyway, no one was hurt I am glad to report but I have a bruise to be proud of with lovely criss cross marks where I dangled from the rope. I shall not be posting a pic.

The lesson I have learnt from this is that the edges may look pretty stable but they can be deceptive and just consist of a pile of snow over a hole! I am also cross with the resort and piste preparers for not fixing that net low enough to do it's job.

Off out again now :mrgreen:

Hi guys, there are pictures being taken but not as many as we would like due to the appalling light. Hope to post some later in the week.

Yesterday was a real trial with the flat light and slow steady snow which pretty much wiped out visibility beyond the bottom of the slope we were on and sometimes not even that far.

Ally and a few very keen others went off with the ski host and roared about all over the place again. The rest of us (not in lessons) took it easier and cruised the blues all day. We went over to the Val area and managed not to get lost.

We got down to La Daille to pick up the Funival to meet up with the others for lunch up near the snow park and came across a horrible blue run which suddenly went very narrow a bit like a half pipe and was steep and icy. There were bodies everywhere. We all agreed that was no way a blue but with virtually all of us side slipping the whole way down, we made it! I have been trying to identify it on the map to put a big beware sticker on it for future reference but I am not 100% sure which one it is. I will ask the others before I post the wrong one!

Tignes Les Brevieres is a lovely little village but it is such a long way home from the rest of the resort, so you have to allow a bit of extra left in your legs at the end of the day to make it back. There is always the option to cheat and take the bubble back once you have made it back across to Tignes Le Lac and then up over into the next valley where you can cheat on the Sache bubble or ski down red or blue back to Les Brev.

We don't get much sun down here in the village either and there is little to do. So if you like it quiet it is great but otherwise a bit of a backwater. The chalet is very good though, clean and friendly with good food.

I am cheating today and taking it easy (mainly because I overdid it on Sunday and have a hurty leg for my troubles). I hope that this will mean I can go back to skiing on two legs tomorrow. More snow predicted this week but not as much as in the UK!

We have had out first official day of skiing, went off in 2 groups. Mad people and seriously mad people. We lost a couple along the way but we are all present and correct now. Several tried the hot tub, Pics have been censored!!

We have boarders on this years holiday too Oldboarder. So you are very welcome.