J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by andyoneil

AllyG wrote:

Andy, I think some ski hosts will take you down black runs. I know the Ski Club of GB will even take you off piste,

But when they do they use a local guide who's qualified to go off piste, the ski club don't claim to be:

"Participation statement: Ski Club Leaders are trained volunteers, not qualified instructors or mountain guides. By choosing to ski with a Leader, we ask that you accept responsibility for your own safety, and the safety of your environment. If you feel that a route may be too difficult, you must make your Leader aware of this."

bedrock barney wrote:La face doesn't need to be hosted. It's very obvious where you have to go!

Straight down!!!!

Then into the pub, sharpish!

Hope Bananas is back for this year!

AllyG wrote:

Personally, I think the ski hosting should be allowed to continue, because I reckon the sort of people that use ski hosts wouldn't employ ski guides instead if the service was withdrawn - they'd simply struggle on alone and be in far greater danger than they would with the ski hosts.

Absolutely - hosting to show me round a resort I don't know (especially one with such a huge variety of slopes as 3V, EK etc)is a great service that I appreciate but dont treat as being "in charge of me" during that time

Guiding (off piste) I would and would expect to pay for if I wanted to go that extra level

I know the Crystal reps aren't allowed to wear their black gear whilst guiding for fear that people will think they are the ESF and are teaching.

Any "hosting" I've ever had has always been at pains to say that they don't teach and they don't go down anything stronger than reds (for insurance apparently)

Had a couple of great days skiing last year with guides from Inghams

Someone sent me this though - apologies if it's been posted before and apologies that I don't have the original provenence of the article to establish its veracity:

HUNDREDS of guides who show British skiers around French resorts face being banned and even arrested under new rules.

The "ski hosts", employed by British companies, fall foul of a requirement that only qualified instructors can take visitors around the local pistes.

French police and the Ecole du Ski Francaise (ESF), the official training body, are to bring a test case against Nick Morgan, co-owner of Le Ski, a chalet company based in Huddersfield which operates out of Courchevel and Méribel in the Trois Vallées area of Savoy.

Other British companies, including Crystal, Inghams, Skiworld and Mark Warner, fear that a conviction would leave them open to prosecution if they continue to offer a ski escort service to their guests.

The companies believe they are being targeted because highly qualified and well paid French alpine guides fear their jobs are threatened.

But they argue that in large ski areas such as the Trois Vallées, with 370 miles of pistes, guests coming for a week have little hope of finding the best runs and restaurants without help.

The hosts usually have other duties including airport runs and are not specifically employed as ski guides. Brochures state clearly that they are there only to orientate guests. They do not usually have any mountain qualifications.

Andy Perrin, managing director of Inghams, said: "Far from taking jobs away from locals, they actually provide work.

"They'll give information on ski schools and types of lesson to anyone who feels they might benefit from some instruction. Ski hosting is an important free service to our guests and we will be continuing to provide it this winter."

The Ski Club of Great Britain also has about 70 ski leaders based in French resorts, who take members around the mountains. They are also anxiously awaiting the outcome of the court case.

Jean-Marc Simon, administrative director of the ESF in Grenoble, said: "This is purely about ski safety. We cannot have unqualified people taking groups of skiers around the mountain.

"We did not instigate this investigation, but as people responsible for mountain safety we must support the authorities."

The ESF viewpoint is supported by the British Association of Snowsports Instructors.

Dave Renous, its corporate affairs manager, said: "Our job as responsible ski instructors is to try and lower the risk factor on the mountain.

"Having unqualified escorts in charge of groups of skiers is inevitably raising that risk factor."

One large travel company has privately threatened to boycott Méribel, also in the Trois Vallées, if the prosecution is successful and others could follow.

The region's linked resorts attract more British skiers than anywhere else and any boycott would severely damage the local economy.

legend he is

However midweek in London is not exactly user friendly for those of us who don't live within the M25....

And I know its half term but all the more reason to avoid the Capital if you ask me...

Tony_H wrote:My word, that actually manages to make Tignes look almost attractive, and not the Stalag Space Station it really is :wink:

I think the low angle of the photo makes Das Huts look far less foreboding than they do from the top of the mountain as you drop over from Val d'Isere.....

AllyG wrote:

andyoneil wrote:

Then I shall tell you tales of VDI on 19/1/2013 (and a cheeky second week to come....)

Thanks Andy - I've addded you to the list now (on the previous page). Excel reckons you only have 85 days to wait :D

Are you going to be with a group, or do you fancy meeting up on Sunday 20th, my 8th day of ski-ing? As you know, I will be based in Tignes Les Brevieres, but I can move (albeit rather slowly compared with you, I'm sure!). I think Catp and I will be the only ones ski-ing on the 8th day.

One of the reasons for this list is to make it easier for J2Skiers to meet up, once they can see that they're going to be in the same resort at the same time as someone else.

There's a bunch of 8 us going including 2 absolute novices so anything can and probably will happen. Always happy to meet fellow loons for a chocolat chaud or something stronger....

NellyPS wrote:

Back to VDI again? Marsala? Might have to head back there next winter, it's my favourite :)

Went last year as well Nelly :-)

Found a great chalet with Inghams that is ski in/out (or near as makes no difference) by the old church near the nursery slope so we are going back there this year with a real mixed group!

See you and Mr Nelly there next winter (and bread man no doubt...)