J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Ranchero_1979

Am not sure I really like this trend of linking everything to make a 'mega resort'.
1) Unnecessary, nobody can ski out an area bigger than about 50km in a day.
2) Degrades the very thing that makes skiing in the Alps so much better than the rest of the world. All the hamlets, villages have a different feel and that is the way it should be.
3) Ethically is pretty questionable to be ruining the mountain landscape for something so pointless. Essentially a ski lift is no more attractive than a wind turbine and a lot more polluting.

Really struggle to think of even one benefit of this trend.

Some days you are allowed to smile and be a little smug.

Huge skin (5hrs of trail breaking)

Top out on a Aguille


800m of pure joy on 40 deg Pow








Another 1200m on tracked powder. Time for a well deserved beer.

Weather insurance at a ski resort. Must be some decent padding in original ticket prices to pay for this one.

Just to add to above. If they are a second ski or you are mainly spending time in park then go for it.

If they are your main ski and you are trying to improve your skiing then they will be huge compromise onpiste; just like any specialist ski.

In my opinion All Mountain is marketing speak for compromise. 80 % of my skiing is done on a Head Magnum (piste ski). Nearly all of what I would call in bounds offpiste (I can see a lift) being done on them. Simply unless you have >15 cm of powder a piste ski is easier and more fun to ski on. Better edge grip, faster in moguls, bring your feet together and work in powder, ski hard and you go through anything. No all mountain, ski twin tip or not will give me that. Fat skis only come out for biggest of days and light skis for touring.

If the park is where your time is being spent go for it. For odd jump here or there think about the good stuff you are missing out on.

Never been but is the resort people always point out when your skiing Italian side of Mont Blanc.

"Italian N facing skiing at its best", "Brilliant resort" etc.

Basically snow sure, Italian food, great value and confidence building terrain.

NW Alps = First to receive the snow and wow is there a lot now. Those smiles are genuine, plenty of terrain available in the valley for even the biggest snow days. Epic day in the trees!

Next you will find yourself sitting next to a group of borders waiting for a jump or watching others for 1/2 the day. Try and get some time in on a trampoline before you head out and go light on the din setting until you have nailed it.

Massive 48hrs in Chamonix, well over 50cm of cold light POW has come down at 2000m. Must be close to ~1m on the top lifts. Yesterday was great day in the trees although visibility was terrible in the afternoon for those who couldn't find them :-).