J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by steverandomno

I'm sure you would find a lot of people within the very small skiing community who would support keeping dry slopes open, but I think it is reasonable to draw the line at forcing the wider community to pay for it, most of whom, have no interest in the sport.

Maybe we disagree on this?

Weekend in Val Thorens - just before Christmas. Can't wait.

A lot of the parents cannot afford a lot of things for their kids. Why should they be forced to afford even less to pay for the minority interests of the very few people who are interested in skiing?

If you were talking about food, healthcare, education, housing, swimming pools and playing fields then I would agree with you.

Why should a kid in Hackney be forced to repay the debt incurred in ensuring that a kid in Edinburgh can go to a dry ski slope? That is exactly what is happening at the moment.

Skiing, whilst I love it, is not a necessity for which other people should be force to pay.

There are plenty of wealthy and influential skiers who are able to support non-government organisations that can keep these slopes open for those few people who are interested.

There are many local hills in North America that are supported by local government. The difference, is that they tend to be in very small municipalities in which there are a large proportion of skiers and where the policy of supporting the hill is much more closely linked with the democratic power of the local community, typically being a small town.

Many of the UK's artificial surface slopes are operated by local councils, often at a loss, and so are finding themselves on the front line in the current scenario of swathing cuts that councils are being forced to make across the country.

I'm shocked that there are councils using taxpayer money to run ski slopes for the benefit of the relatively few people interested in skiing. If these are being shut down, or turned into organisations financed only by members and customers, then it is a good thing.

Reductions for Christmas week. No chance!

I would book now.

Thanks Bandit. Having done a bit of research, I think we will be OK with our regular boots. Not ideal, but good enough if we take it easy.

Good advice about renting skis/skins/bindings at first. Even the 2nd hand stuff I've seen is quite expensive.

Thanks.

As a gentle introduction to back-country touring we were planning (well before last week :roll: .) on trying a trip to Skoki lodge next season.

I know we will need touring binding adapters (for downhill bindings) and some touring skins. However, I'm not sure if we would need different boots?

Is the done thing to use normal downhill boots, or do we really need some other type of boot?

Any advice from somebody who regularly tours using skins would be greatly appreciated.

Ohhh I see - thanks. Have heard good things about Alpe d'Huez. Never been though.