J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Dave Mac

Then I arrive, just as you all leave.....Ce la vie....

Hi Darcicles. It is probably too late for this season, but Niederau is one of the main centres that Disability Snowsport utilise. I ski with many of them every season. They were there last week, and will be there this week and next week. Worth bearing in mind for next year. They use a high quality hotel, the Sonnschein.

DS are a well organised lot. I think they fly into Salzburg. Each disabled person has a qualified adaptive skier, and a volunteer ski assistant. All the lift attendants are trained to operate the lifts to suit the particular needs, may it be a sit ski or other need.

Post Script: I have put a note on BASI, will just see if there is a response.


I would check to see if Seefeld has an adaptive instructor. You might also phone DS, based in Aviemore who seem to do most of the organising. They may be aware of someone to meet your needs. I will put a message on the BASI website, and see if it comes up with anything.

I just got back from 10 days in Niederau, (shorter visit than normal, but we have a biggish winter). The snow is fine, Tennladen draglift is open.
I went over to Westendorf, but it was very busy, hence on this particular week, Niederau was much more sympathetic to my knees ~ I could let rip in Niederau.

There are very few places in Niederau now that allow smoking. Even the bars at the top of the mountain have banned it. Also most of the village bars are smoke free.

Next season it will be gone everywhere in Austria.

John, that I do find it shocking that Tennladen lift has been slow to open over the past two seasons. Last seasons, I cannot recall the speed track being open.

This is an area that was re-designed as a race arena, with sections on runs being cut to emulate 3 world cup runs, including the Hahnemkamm. For over 15 years, I skied with/spoke with/drank with members of many international ski teams. These included the Austrian, Canadian, Japanese, Norwegian and other teams,and this was particularly around the weeks surrounding the Hahnemkamm. In recent years, the Austrian team relocated their practice area, but many teams continued to come here. The American team was never here, they base themselves in Hochgurgl.

The lead for this was given by a local who works for the lift company, but who had, in his younger days been a racer and a coach in Colorado. The race arena has been popular for years with league race teams.

Maybe there is some senior management dictat, now there is an Alpbach link up to reduce the resources in Niederau.

To be fair, when they had that great set up, with international basing at Tennladen, I don't think they maximised the publicity opportunity.

Ho hey, I will be on the Marbachjoch on Saturday morning.....

Towards the end of the week ~ just in case the answer is no.......

There are three main elements that will assist with skiing, fitness, strength and mobility.

Less experienced and improving skiers tend to find fitness an issue, mainly because they are fighting the turn. As technique improves, and also confidence, we remain far more relaxed when skiing. Hence, we need to use much less energy, and the demand for fitness recedes. Having said that, it does none of us any harm to remain fit. (During my athletics career, I ran over 20,000 miles).

Strength is very important in skiing. We have all leaned back in our boots, heading for some kind of potential disaster, and strength will enable you to haul yourself forwards. Then someone skis out in front of you, and it is strength that will enable the quick turn required. Keeping your strength up is a safety issue. Cycling, on the road or in the gym, is excellent for strengthening the quads. Add to that some home exercises, single leg squats, 100 a day on each leg. You don't go the full squat, one third of a squat does it. Until 2 years ago, I carried out 500 per day but one of my physios said this was too many.

Mobility is important for minimising/eliminating muscles strains. Adding a few stretches after the strength exercises is easily done.

Important is that the first couple of hours of your ski holiday should be on a slope well within capability. Even after nearly 50 years of skiing, I still give a little time each day to practising drills on easy slopes ~ I'm still looking to improve!

The only issue with Zermatt are the over crowded Gondelas, sometimes unpleasant, just with skis, but with a bump, it could be awful. Also, outside of ski shops there is not a great deal else.

You could stay in Innsbruck. This would offer endless opportunities for the good lady, not just shops but art galleries, folk museum, beautiful buildings and history, great cafes. A quick journey from Innsbruck airport.

There is a lift directly out of Innsbruck, and several resorts within striking distance.

I can only find this on Facebook, maybe someone else can post an original site address.
https://www.facebook.com/Extreme/videos/1028405347216676/?fref=nf