J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by admin

Ranchero_1979 wrote:To clarify am planning on touring up Mt Blanc (summit) and skiing down.

Fantastic - but probably beyond the experience of most of us on here (self included) so you might need some more specialist advice.

How long is your March trip? skiing above the mid-station at the Grands Montets will allow you to stay over 2,000 metres all day - which should help.

Make sure you post a full report here though! Sounds like an epic trip.

Where are you based when not in the mountains? I know there's at least one gym in London (Third Space in Soho) that has an "altitude" chamber so you can do CV training in thin air. Might be something like that near you?

Ian Wickham wrote:Yippppeeeeee

Have an excellent time Wickers, and all who are bound for St.Anton - please leave it as you found it... bon ski!

Dids1 wrote:I reckon the figure on the right is female. Slight curve to the hips.

:lol: :lol: :lol: definitely looks like they're wearing a skirt to me too... 8)

Iceman wrote:guesses the people in the picture below and also the resort

Edmund Blackadder and Baldrick in Acapulco - what do I win?

If you're doing the Vallee Blanche then you're probably fine with your current level of training - but check with your doctor if you're in any doubt, or have / had any fitness issues in the past.

Although some people are affected by the altitude at the top of the Aiguille du Midi (3,842m), most are not and you don't spend a great deal of time at the top anyway. Suffering vertigo on the arrete can be "interesting" but, again, that's over and done with quite quickly.

You lose a fair amount of altitude in the first half hour of skiing and I think you're down below 3,000 metres relatively quickly.

Of course, if you're talking about climbing to the summit and spending some time up there then some specific altitude training might be a good idea... 8)

LOTA wrote:the injury passed its pre-holiday fitness test at the Sno!Zone at Milton Keynes today.

Excellent! :thumbup:

LOTA wrote:dropped in

In a fridge? Awesome!

I hope you thoroughly assessed aspect, exposure and snowpack evolution... :wink: 8)

But seriously... glad to hear all is well; I'd guess a nice, supportive ski boot is a good place for a recovering Achilles tendon.

Here is the competition Quiz... it has a topical theme, given current conditions in The Alps, and you need to get all 10 answers correct to enter...

1. How many Levels are there in the standard Avalanche Risk Scale?
a - 1
b - 9
c - 5

2. What are the three essentials of avalanche safety equipment?
a - a transceiver, a whistle and a red flag
b - a transceiver, a shovel and a probe
c - a GPS, a pocket-knife and some Kendal Mint Cake

3. When is it advisable to wear a transceiver?
a - standing at the bar after skiing
b - on chairlifts
c - whenever skiing off-piste or "out of bounds"

4. A "glide crack" is often an early warning sign of what?
a - a wardrobe malfunction
b - ski delamination
c - a full-depth avalanche

5. One cubic metre of snow usually weighs...
a - 10kg
b - anywhere between 150kg and 400kg
c - 1.5 tonnes

6. At the start of a day off-piste, everyone in your group should...
a - perform a snow dance
b - stretch their thyroids
c - check their transceiver works in both transmit and search modes.

7. If a slope is already well-tracked, then it won't avalanche?
TRUE or FALSE

8. If a slope has already avalanched, it's safe to ski on?
TRUE or FALSE

9. If it's more than a week since the last snow, then the slope is safe?
TRUE or FALSE

10. At which Avalanche Risk Level do statistics show that most fatal avalanches occur?
a - Level 3
b - Level 4
c - Level 5



Send your answers via Private Message to Admin

Today's competition will be a quick quiz...

...and we'll put it online, as a reply to this post, at 13:00 UK time.

Answers will need to be sent by Private Message (PM) to me (Admin).

The competition will close at midnight (UK time) on Sunday 4th March.

Prizes will be awarded as follows, to entries with all answers correct :-

- The First Three correct Entries received will each win a Pole Position!

- Three more winners will be chosen at random from all entries received by the close. Each will win One Week of Ski Hire (at the "Discovery" level) in a French Ski Resort* AND a Pole Position.

*Any French Ski Resort covered by the SkiSet network

Our competition is supported by our partners...

and