J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by dixie dean

Thanks Ian

Could anyone give me an idea as to how often should I get my skis waxed in terms of hours on piste?

Thanks Chris - is it you who lives in Wengen? - If so, perhaps I could pm you nearer the time?

Anyone out there at the moment who could give me an update on the condition of the snow around Jungfrau area?

This year's season extends to April 25th due to late Easter Hols.

Thinking of passing through around 10th April for a week - do you think that there will still be snow at Winteregg and whether it will still be possible to ski down to Brandegg and Wengen by then? (wife's favourite skiing areas)

Cheers Dixie

Hi Dan, if you have a few minutes, there's a great set of videos on You Tube "Learn to Ski". This link takes you to the main page. Watch 3, 4 and particularly 5. As you improve watch the next few.

http://www.youtube.com/user/LasseLyck

We all have difficulty turning in one direction, when I was having lessons I couldn't turn left, only right. One thing nobody explained to me was that the key things are i. to get your stance right - the goal keeper, and ii. that turns are made simply by applying pressure to what is going to be your downhill or outside ski in each turn. So when you are ploughing, try doing the cross slope sections more in parallel and consciously begin your turn by pressing harder on the left ski for a right turn and the right ski for a left turn, and you'll start to a make a nice neat turn. Don't stand back in your skis, you should be leaning forward onto the front of your boots and keep your weight low and forward.

Have a great time!

Snow is forecast next week 3cm on Sunday, 4cm Tuesday, 7cm Wednesday and 1cm on Thursday. There is a good webcam at Les Coches, fairly low down, to keep an eye on: http://www.webcam-ski.com/interfaces/montchavin/interface.php?pk_interface=65&m=images&r=panoramique&pk_pano=6826

It looks like the snow is still OK, no signs of brown patches anywhere.

This is further up: http://webcam-ski.com/webcams/interfaces/montchavin_piscine/interface.php?pk_interface=63&m=images&r=panoramique#depart

Looks pretty good!

I've been looking around the web at ski injuries and remembered a site I came across last year http://www.ski-injury.com/injury-statistics/stats1#location

It lists ski injuries in order of prevalence, but there is no mention of back injuries, which pretty much must indicate that the likelihood of injuring your back is next to zero. I have emailed the doctor who runs the site to see if this is a reasonable conclusion.

Once again, thanks for your support ladies and gents. Emma I too spotted the ski divas, so some ladies are obviously continuing. My wife has been through a lot to learn to ski so proficiently, and it would be fair to say that when she started it was full on fear factor. It took 12 months of going to the Chill Factore every fortnight until she felt in charge of her skis when pushing off at the top. Last September she did her first reds at Zermatt on the glacier and over the last few weeks was transitioning to becoming a really proficient carving type skier with minimum upper body movement and a very nice style.

The problem for her now is that the initial fear factor is back with a vengeance in the form of the possibilities for collisions and the like occurring as soon as she sets foot on the piste.

I was a bobby until I retired a few years ago and you get taught to constantly risk assess as you work, you get a raised awareness about all that it going on around you and you are always looking for danger and threats, whether they be with hooligans, villains or other road users.

So I'm constantly scanning all around for problems when I ski. Mostly there are none, but I very quickly spot potential issues. My wife has never had to do this and so the whole concept of being risk aware is alien to her and is something she is going to have to learn.

Regrettably I think in the short term the whole matter is just too big to get her head around. Already she has said she couldn't bear going on holiday with the rest of us in 2 weeks time and that it will be less torture to stay at home.