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J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Dave Mac

Messages posted by : Dave Mac

For those of you going to Niederau soon.....
Started by User in Austria, 139 Replies
SkiGirl wrote:That stuff is vile.... my hubby inadvertently spat it over a few kids in the irish bar a couple of years ago, following a karaoke number - that was his prize (must have been really bad singing) )

And awfully bad breath, for at least two days!
One of my best pals lives in Oberau, and every time I visit there is a most solemn ceremony, where the 80 Euros a bottle Krautinger is reverently poured. And equally revererently tipped into the plantpot, when mine host is not looking!
How do you handle skiing on ICE?
Started by User in Ski Technique, 80 Replies
OldAndy wrote:I think that 90% (ish, about etc) of handling ice is in our heads. Its the fear of being out of control that causes most problems.
And ...
We probably all work out our own way to handle ice. A mixture of kit (nice and sharp edges as Emma says), preparation - knowing the mountain and ice blackspots, how to avoid them (I'll ski a black rather than a busy, icy blue anyday), time of day etc etc.
And then when we get to an icy patch each to their own on survival strategy.

Mine is; speed control - if it's icy keep the speed down so I don't find myself arriving on an icy bit too fast.
If I know I'm going to ski an icy piste,pause at the top and see what other people are doing - to avoid them!! My bete noir of ice is other people, so I'll wait a bit if necessary and find a gap so I don't get tangled up with others.
Look for soft snow to turn on and check speed - sides of piste best.
Finally; don't give a s*** what I look like, sideslipping, stopping, survival skiing - get past it and enjoy the next bit of good snow.
It's all in the head - got to stay as relaxed as possible; locking up, stiffening legs and knees, "hanging" onto the hill, will all cause grief.
Don't be scared of ice - coz fear is your killer. Just work out your own survival tactics!

This is the best post, except that I don't agree that it is all in the head. No, for most people, it is a real and justified fear. When you have skiied as long as Andy and I have, you just deal with it. I would also add that in the majority of cases, we are not dealing with ice, but more like hard packed snow. It still has to be treated with respect. In a previous similar thread, one J2 clown of a poster suggested being "aggressive" on ice, and was swiftly, and rightly, taken to task by Admin.
bandit wrote:
OldAndy wrote:
AllyG wrote:the next step will be when his jacket gets full of holes and everyone tells him to pack inside it with old newspaper :lol: :lol: :lol:
Ally

Ask DaveMac - bound to be something better than newspaper - half his landladies pillow stuffing or something.
:lol:

More Carpet Tiles probably :D

I confess to having a bad jacket experience. My lovely red jacket, practically brand noo, only 15 seasons, 75 weeks skiing old, was inadvertantly left in the carhire area at Munich Airport.
As luck would have it, my OH had FORCED me to be an expensive TK max jacket. In BLUE.
Niederau info.....
Started by User in Austria, 173 Replies
Just to add to the store of knowledge about visits to the skiwelt, if you are guests of the Hotels Sonnschein, or Harfenwirt, there is free coach transport to the Hopfgarten Gondel at 9.00am every Thursday and Friday. Return at 4.30pm. Buy a pass at the lift office.
wax or not wax!
Started by User in Ski Chatter, 9 Replies
I wax my skis every night. And then, I wax my frau's skis every 2nd or 3rd night, just in case she decides to have a good day! - )
I can assure that the old primary server has already done the appropriate stuff in Niederau! So good luck, and the same continuing fortune to the new server!
Hot shot statistics, Admin! Of which, 231 countries was very interesting~ that must include most of the non-skiing world. How influential is that!
Well, the conditions are perfect. Has been powder snow every day. Not too many people, because it is January. Temp is -5 to -12, so the snow quality is superb. It is lovely, easy moving skiing, as good as it gets. Had several good runs down with old Austrian ski instructor mates, then caught up with my frau, and attempted to repair my marriage!
This afternoon, had a great off piste run from Niederau to Oberau, down the Katzenberg. Most people in the group had limited off piste experience, but the Katz is a great run, and we had a lot of fun.
There are a number of international teams training in the village, and I was chatting to some of the guys from the Polish team. I have really got to find the guy who did the speed gun. He egged from the top of the T bar, and must have been hitting 70kph before he entered the speed gun!
A Burns supper at chez nous tonight, must go and practice my "Ode to a mouse"!
Saalbach/Hinterglemm trip, 8-15 January
Started by User in Austria, 4 Replies
We had one difficult day with snow conditions, but still quite skiable. After that, the snow improved every day. As mentioned the north facing retains good conditions down to village level.
The most positive aspect was the run over to Leogang village. OK, it wasn't steep, but it was lovely meadow skiing. Cheap to eat at village level.
Some interesting traditional stubles to drink/eat on the mountain. We had a fair bit of nebel, fog, but that is a feature above 2000m in many resorts.
Met up with an old fell running mate, who is a good standard skier, so we had a blast.
We stayed in Hinterglemm, but viewed it as expensive, and visited/did Skiset ski hire in Saalbach. We thought this a more interesting village, retaining some of it's old character.
Having said that, the skiing is much better, now that we are in Niederau. Outside of the USA, I have never experienced such good mountain management.