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J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by DaveW

Messages posted by : DaveW

Longest trails in the US
Started by User in Ski Chatter, 5 Replies
Elanboy385 wrote:i knew stratton was good, and same with smugglers notch but never thought of those, and colorado is a good place to look, but were all college kids, so our budgets are limited
thanks for the tips


OK guys, as students we're skint is it?? I see you like Bristol Mountain and that is a great intermediate facility. If that's your general location and NY State, you could do Killington etc and then drive up through the old boot-legging route via Lake Champlain to Montreal/Quebec Tremblant Range.

Gray Rocks and close by resorts sure ain't long but depending on time of season can be as 'tuff' as a 2000M drop at Chamonix.
Longest trails in the US
Started by User in Ski Chatter, 5 Replies
Elanboy385 wrote: hey guys
my friends and i were looking at places to go skiing, and we wanna go somewhere that has some long trails..............along the lines of black diamonds.........Killington.....etc.

Have you thought about Winter Park? Couple of thousand inter-linked acres, off-piste bowls and long linked (8-10Km)'single' black-runs with A1 watering holes. Also the extreme off piste is (usually) the lightest and greatest as you would expect at that elevation/latitude Stateside.

It's less than a couple of hours transfer from Denver. Direct flight to Denver.
Can't recommend hotel as I was in condo's with friends. Usual caution about car inclusive deals and room-only pricing, as you may know.

Killington is fine but very cold at times and too limited for your standard. Same for all of Vermont that I've seen when living in Montreal. You could check out Stratton or Stowe/Smugglers Notch (children everywhere during Hols). Keep in mind that all that snow depth has to fall sometime and it's no fun to lose 3days(plus 'settling' for off piste) out of 7 days, so go 10/11 days min., if affordable!

If you know all that already that,sorry, it's just my enthusiasm!

DaveW
Pole position (excuse the pun)
Started by User in Ski Technique, 63 Replies
carona wrote:

only thing i can add to such a technical discussion is that my left pole came in very useful when i was sliding down a mountain head first on my back unable to stop -)
caron

[Boy(girl?) are you right about that! I,ve checked out some of these posters' blogs etc such as Ise's...we're getting the very best of advice here on this topic.
With trepidation I suggest the pole goes-in when the next turn requires to be started. Then the body transitions (CofG) across the skis such that the skis turn on one radius but the mass of the body continues (more or less) down the slope is straighter line?

Yeah I know it's old shool but I've still got the old legs.

Seriously, Corona, your emergency use of the pole in a runnaway slide will work in some situations only.

Mountaineering technique by Greene is much more reliable. Worst case scenario on your back, heading down the slope:

1 Immediately swing legs hard into down-hill position
2 Flip over on to your torso-front
3 Spread legs and dig boot toes in hard
4 GENTLY, pushup with arms extended to raise body.
5 By now on frozen/steep slopes you are likely to be accelerating rapidly, Hold that until coming to a stop

NB The reason for gentle arms extension is that on severe slopes(or hard ice) you can catapult yourself into space as the boot toes grip or hit ridges. If that happens, you're a gonner.

Practice this on short slopes until it becomes instinctive.

All of this follows first trying to retain Ski(s) as a brake and playing the stay-in the centre of the ski game.
Chances are the skis release early anyway!
Pole position (excuse the pun)
Started by User in Ski Technique, 63 Replies
pole planting posters: your a tough lot I must say!

I can tell you that when your hips are whittled away and ankles so worn you fall about the bedroom putting your socks on, the last thing you look for is extensive 'carving'.

Carving throws powerfull forces back into the hips/knees. I've known BASI Teachers advocate caution in teaching young children carving for that very reason. Immature joints still forming etc.

All that seems to have been forgotten due to the ease carving can be done on modern gear. Time will tell on that one.
Of couse, I'm talking about extreme angles of carve on that one. I also recognise that today's angles are less of a loading due to current designs of ski when skied at less than expert pace
JUMPS THAT LOOK GOOD!!
Started by User in Ski Technique, 7 Replies
souldrive wrote:Hello there, just recently i've been trying to dabble in some freestyle, love it! but what i was after is some tips for some jumps that look a bit cooler.

I'm confident enough in the air can do the odd star jump, can get quite high and am ok landing but I seem to be lacking the courage to do anything more daring.

I'd like to start doing 180's and 360's and so on. Any tips for technique take off and landing turning etc etc....

Regards

Brez


Well you're obviously on twin tips and happy to pop the star-jumps.

start with 180's. Set-up same speed on any bump you would normally get good height for a star-jump. Pop hard and swing trailing arm up and around your head, keeping as vertical as possible keep looking into the turn and wait for the torque to get you around. Always think to keep looking in advance of the leading shoulder ( looking for the turn).

On twin tips you are unlikely to have a disaster (famous last words).

360's take a meter drop-off minimum. never land on a flatsurface and always pop hard!

In short' low height means slower speed and pop hard.
Higher means faster and pop hard (always pop hard as this ensures proper flight).

No buckling or looking down, that will stall the turn.

I assume you already land 4-point? Pikeing slightly on landing poles and FEET. Think FEET and remember, where the toes point so do the skies.

I can see you doing it ! go for it.

One tip more do not try 360's on plastic slopes until you're confident landing on snow.

By the way I learned on the stairs, but look after those ankles!!

DaveW
skiing in Mont Tremblant
Started by User in Ski Chatter, 8 Replies
Michele Lalo wrote:I am planning to go skiing in Mont Tremblant for the third week of March. Can anyone tell me how are conditions at that time? and the weather?
Thanks
ML


Great advice from " Pavelski" earlier.

I lived in Montreal for a year and skied gray rocks etc, regularly.

I didn't know half of what Pavelski advised you!
twirler wrote:Looking for resort relatively close to Basle or Zurich and informed Flims Laax is ok. Anyone any info on this resort if any good for intermediate boarders.


Laax is the Mecca for boarders of all standards.
Flims is linked and also great for skiers and boarders.

The train trip from Zurich is a second 'glacier express'
Beautifull!!

Some tour-groups now list it, but for years it was a secret venue for Germans the Swiss and ME
Vertigo
Started by User in Ski Chatter, 14 Replies
GOOD LUCK WITH THE TRIP AND HOPE FAMILIARITY WILL PROVIDE CONFIDENCE, EVENTUALLY.

IF NOT, CHECK THE EYESIGHT AND EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM TO THE OPTICIAN.

THAT WAS MY PROBLEM YEARS AGO. NOW I SKI-MOUNTAINEER.

YOUR WIFE DID THE ANAPURNA BASE-TRECK???

I'M GOING GREEN LIKE SHE DOES OVER VERTIGO.

BUT MINE'S ENVY !