J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by offpisteskiing

A quick day hit in Chamonix last weekend... a combination of a niggly knee & boot problems following a big day on the SW face of the Grande Casse (me), and coming from 3 weeks at sea level stuck in meetings in the US (Oli) meant we went for a gentle day with not too much up and a mellow ski down...

Mont Blanc looking rather fine:



Business as usual on the arete:



3 snow bikers, one of whom was shortly to try & knock me off the ridge when he turned round to chat to his mate...



Oli on the ridge up to the Noire shoulder:



A short ski down some nice pow, then a short but exposed scramble up to the main pitch:



Nice chalky snow all the way:







La face:



A few holes on the way back down the Periades Glacier:



The bottom of the VB was the usual circus, complete with skiing dwarf...


Big thanks to Damien at Sanglard/Boot Locker for finally sorting my boot issues - Merci!!

I certainly hope to for a few more weeks! Though this week may be written off due to work :(.

AllyG wrote:

And as I said some time ago, I don't know how to carve in powder. All I do is very gently slide round, both skis pretty flat and parallel, on the surface, and pray that one ski doesn't sink and throw me over the front of my skis (again!)

Ally

Bear in mind that this is actually probably a good plan...!

To explain (and I am always wary of getting techy on the internet as people often interpret things the wrong way..! (as per me above)):
If you 'carve' in powder then you are going to go fast (as 'carvy' skiing by its nature involves speed). Do you want to ski fast in powder (to start with) or do you want to cruise at a mellow pace?
If you are going fast round curves in powder then there tends to be greater pressure build-up which you have to be able to deal with to stop one (or both) skis sinking (un)predictably. This needs very quick reactions (unless you are on uber-fat "cheat-sticks"). Also extra speed mean any changes in terrain/snow consistency etc come at you faster, so unless your reactions/agility can keep up with this then life will be 'interesting'.
Powder skiing does require a minimum amount of momentum, but in reality a 'skiddy' turn s often the best way to come at it until you really start to develop the 'feel' for skiing on a soft platform...

Ian Wickham ignore me... just being overly sensitive... :) (some might say thats a first!).

Ian Wickham

Not sure if that is a subtle dig at me or if I'm being overly sensitive, but if it is then I will quite happily not take the time to post any further videos/pics here... you just say the word.

(Although in reality there was no choice in there as the only snow supportive enough to boot-pack up was right in the runnel... - c'est la vie)

Pablo Escobar, wouldn't want to make life too easy for anyone else now.. )

Still a good month left at least (as long as you're happy to walk a bit...):

Near the 3V, last week:



Most definitely still snowy!!