J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Brimster

Thats an impressive account for a season Tino!! :shock:

My skiing year looks like this:
Jan to March 2009 - Mont-Sainte-Anne - 76 days
July 2009 - Chile - a couple of days whilst backpacking around S. America
August 2009 - New Zealand - another couple of days whilst backpacking
December 2009 - a return to Canada

:D

Ian Wickham wrote: Wrong, wrong, wrong my advice has always been is that if you have not skied before you will save a couple of days on the snow by having a couple of lessons back home, you may be the rare exception but to Mr and Mrs average this is defiantly the way to go. 8) 8)

Hence why I said there are conflicting views and my personal stance is.....!!!! :wink: :twisted:

Personally I would agree with the others on this forum and advise you to avoid going to Whistler. The prices will definitely be increased and you are likely to be facing a fight on the slopes. :(

Unlike others I wouldn't write off going to Canada as there are plenty of other resorts to choose from that will offer you fab skiing. Yes Europe is on your doorstep but then again you could say that about any holiday summer or winter one you take. Personally I have fallen in love with Canada having just spent the season out there so would thoroughly recommend it.

As for you being a complete beginner I am aware that there are conflicting views on this front however my personal stance is that you don't need to take any lessons before you get out to resort as what you learn on a course in the UK is what you will learn in your first day/s in resort without the added cost. I went skiing for the first time two years ago in Cervinia, Italy and had never put a pair of skis on before I arrived and by the end of the week I was happily skiing down red runs. Yes you have to appreciate that people learn at different rates but I do not think that having had a few lessons in the UK beforehand would have helped me and would only have lightened my pocket of a few £'s. :roll:

Black

If you could go anywhere in the world on holiday for free for a month where would you go and why?

Snow & Rock at the Chill Factore definitely do or I think their shop in Didsbury may but don't quote me.....

Hi Tony

I went to Cervinia two years ago and have to say that it is the place where I fell in love with skiing and have never looked back.

In answer to your questions:

a) is it right that there are new chair lifts up the mountain?
There are chair lifts up the mountain from the bottom of the resort however they do not take you directly to Plan Maison which is the main area where the gondola goes into and where ski school meets. Yes there are steps up to the gondola unless you are staying next door to it (which we did however that meant we had to walk up and down the steps at night if we wanted to go drinking in the town) Yes the steps are a pain however they wouldn't put me off from going back to the resort.

b) what's it like for beginners?
I was an absolute beginner when we went to the resort and I didn't have any difficulties and was more than happy skiing the blues that run down to Plan Maison and by the end of the week was skiing down the reds from Plateau Rosa. The pistes were all quite wide and not too busy so as to put you off.

c) What facilities are there in the village - shops, cafes etc.
Its quite a busy resort with a few shops and its fair share of cafes and bars.

d) What are the runs back to the village like? Are they blue? red?
The runs back to the village are mainly red and the one blue that does go down is quite steep in places and personally I would classify it more as a red in parts. It is however more than standard practice to get the gondola back down at the end of the day (just in case your wife isn't too confident)

If you want anymore info just give me a shout.

Tony_H wrote:Have you all gone mad?

I thought that was a prerequisite for this site!? :oops:

When you go to the rental shop just tell them you are an intermediate skier and what you are planing on doing and they should give you the appropriate ski for your level and needs.

You can always go back and ask for different skis mid week as this will give you more of an idea of what you do ad don't like in skis for the next time around.....