J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by LOTA

verbier_ski_bum wrote:

alexa wrote:Thank you both for your advice. My plane will arrive on Saturday, 8 am, so I will have a full day to get to Val Thorens. But, if I go with a train, will I have to change the train in Paris first, then Lyon, then take bus/cab in Moutiers? It is minimum 3 transfers in unfamiliar territory and with no knowledge of French! Yesterday I checked another option: to fly from CDG to Geneve and take direct bus from Geneve airport to Val Thorens, the total cost about 130 euro one way. Will it make more sense (even if it might cost a little more than train option)? Please correct me if I am wrong.

You don't need to change the train in Lyon, there is a direct train from Paris to Moutiers, but you will need to get from CDG to the train station in Paris (gare de Lyon). I know that TGV also stops at CDG, but I don't think that it will bring you to the right train station in Paris as there are a few.

Railway station! :roll:

Tony_H wrote:I'll have one of those Brucie. Too trendy for Mac though.

LOTA - I was always told ski trousers should be called Salopettes - ones with braces are called Bib Pants. Are you telling me my friend was wrong all along?

Yes, your friend was incorrect and Volf's explanation is spot on. Bib pants was the US description of what were called sallopetted (dungaree bib, hence bib pants).

A little history lesson. Way back in the early 1970s when I started ski running, there was one main type of ski trousers: tight fitting ones that had a loop that went around your foot and inside your low leather boot. These evolved into racing pants, obligatory red stripe down the legs, with a hook and hole-for-your-top-boot buckle, that went outside the boot. Later, there were ski pants with flares added to straight trousers that still retained the foot loop. These were followed by quasi racing pants with padded knees and waterproof gaiters. The came the dungaree-style sallopette, beloved by 'hot dog' specialists in the US!

Happy memories! :D

Might be too late at Sierra who said yesterday:

Storm Update: It's been coming down here at the mountain! Is it enough to open? Probably not, here's why...
- Prior to this storm, we had lost just about all the snow connecting the trails to the Grandview, Nob Hill, and Broadway lifts. What you're seeing here is a few inches of pow sitting on nothing but bare ground.
- In order to open we are going to need a sizable amount of snow in order to groom it down to a solid base so we can connect trails to the lifts / base. Pretend it's opening weekend all over again, we need a base!
- Is there a magic number needed to reopen? No. While we wish it were that simple, our mountain operations and patrol staff need to determine what it will take in order to open back up with a safe and enjoyable surface.
- If we get enough snow will we make every effort to reopen? You bet.
We'll be watching the storm with our fingers crossed and will keep you updated if any situations change up here at Sierra. C'mon, Mother Nature - hook it up!

Interesting stuff, Tone. I actually think the Head 120 Challenger is a striking looking boot! It has very good reviews. Not surprised you didn't get on with Dalbellos. The people in the trade I know don't have much positive to say about them.

Back to trousers. I now have some that are less than one day old! I was very tempted by some Hagloffs at half price but even they were double the price of some 2117 of Sweden trousers. Reduced by £130, they are well made, with plenty of technical features and fit very well. Nice colour, too! And definitely not sallopettes - not a dungaree bib in sight...

Just you and I left for this season then, Mr Hull!

Volf wrote:I don't think conditions anywhere in the Alps will be good after mid April this year. Snow cover is relatively sparse and now that the ground is warming up, lower slopes will suffer everywhere. LDA goes high and has the Glacier, but skiing will be limited.... Unless there's a cold spell and a lot more snow.

Exactly what has happened!

Specially developed for Down Under where, of course, everything is the other way round and you ski uphill rather than downhill.

Perisher is one of the quirkiest places I've skied - from the London Underground ski tube to get there and the unusual experience of skiing through the gum trees. The linked resort of Mount Blue Cow is excellent, too!