J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Dave Mac

Couple of thoughts.

Bandit raised the point about P tex falling out. I once watched a guy do a repair, and have used the same method since. Go round the edges of the gouge and undercut. I have used a wood chisel for this. Then warm the ski, and the candle should get into the undercut. Ensure that the undercut at the raer of the gouge, (towards the back of the ski), is sound. This takes the most ground pressure.

Waxing. This happened at the same time as my Austrian carpet boot inner soles. I cut a piece of metal tube, about 20mm OD, and about 3mm wall thickness. This was cut to ski width, at the widest. Get a nut and bolt, about half an inch longer, pass through the tube, so as to be a good rolling fit. Make a metal fork that captures the tube, when the bolt is passed through the fork and the tube. The narrow end of the fork is forged into a handle. I used a file handle. So effectively, you now have a roller.

Put the roller tube onto the hotplate on your kitchen hob. Then roll the wax onto the ski, in one quick pass. No need to scrape, it's a perfect finish.

Then scrape the worst of the wax up off the kitchen floor, and go to the pub. When you get back, half slam the door shut, and roar ~ "Wow, I feel sexy!" There will be an instant sound of snoring from the bedroom.

So there you have it, skis all waxed, a good night out at the pub, and you are in no trouble.

It's a result, innit!

Ian Wickham wrote:

If you want to save a couple of quid take a kid with you.....

Errm, OK Ian, sounds good advice. These things, er kids. How do you get those then?

Tony-H wrote:

Anyone who has been taught at least a weeks skiing could get down that,

Tony, I know that you qualified this statement, but you should know better! Some people only read parts of what is said, so may not read your qualification. I have known hundreds of people that needed 4 or 6 weeks skiing before they can ski that run. Some who will never ski it. Others were capable after 3 or 4 days. Everyone is different.

This is particularly important when someone is asking for specific information in a resort for a certain standard of skier.

Oh, Caron, you set me a test, and I confess to multiple failure. Firstly, I don't really know run numbers, because they were invented after my time! Of course, I have got used to people talking about run 19, (Merkenwiess), and run 24, (Tennladen), so I do know these.

But my descriptions of the Lanerkopfl and Hochberg apply to black runs 16 and 15. So apologies Padge.

And yes red 17 is quite steep. And also, at the end, it does require you to either ski down the mountain, Red 19, or to walk uphill to the Gondola, 80 metres.

And to answer your query Caron, at the top of the Gondola, where we go left, past the small chapel, the run down from the cross is blue 21, and is the Kropfraderjoch. If you remember, there is the Kropfraderjochalm, (cafe) at the bottom. Then further on, down the link path, is Red 23, the Mittermoose.

If you recall, the top part of the blue is actually steeper than any part of the red, it is just that there are less steep ways to go down. In imparting this little gem of information to you in practise, I do recall being awarded the Right Order of the B.....d! For which I was justifiably proud.

So when are you there Padge5000?

caron-a wrote:

by the way, would you have the time and inclination Dave/anyone to give us a list of the piste names against the numbers? I'd love to know for future reference

Mmm, I think that you might find that I did, Caron, just after the run numbers.

Only one missed out is the top section of run 17, which is called the Lanerkopfl. I havn't named the off-pistes.

The top section of the Red 17 has steep sections, and an awkward camber. It can be quite difficult later in the day, when the surface gets glassy. It is possible to get onto the lower main part of the run, by going on a path through the trees. The lower part, (Hochberg), although steepish, is fairly wide. It is a very enjoyable run.

Run 19, (Merkenwiess), has the easiest ways of getting down, but it does help to know them, so that you can avoid the difficult bits.

Runs 23 & 24, (Tennladen) are great, there is a steep, but wide face.

Providing that your wife can negotiate the steeper faces of the top two intermediate T bars, this is usually a good guide for the capability of carrying out runs 29 & 23.

What date are you going?

Hi Ellestine,

Was interested enough in this to have a squint on Auto Europe, my usual hiring agent. I was surprised that they indicated that the car hire area was closed or had restricted openings on Saturdays and Sundays, the two principle arrival days.

I can't believe that this is correct, it would be commercially unwise?

Would be interested in how you get on.

Innsbruck would be preferred arrival airport for me, but we don't yet have the low cost flights from Scotland.

Oh, general tips, repeating myself. If you have airmiles, you can get your car hire for nothing, providing they make an offer from Innsbruck. If not, hire through the quidco site and get a discount, (8% as of last week)

Great place Innsbruck.

Iceghost,

The issue with applying for work as a lift operator is that the work is seasonal, winter and summer. In between seasons, many people work in building, agriculture, timber.

In the area that I ski in, the tourist office might give you pointers ~
http://www.wildschoenau.com/home/winter/en/default.aspx

In addition, the lift company website for the valley is:
www.schatzbergerbahn.at

I am sure that the lift company will carry out maintenance work out of season.

One language issue is that many places, including the Wildschoenau, have a strong local dialect. They will understand your deutsch, but will you understand the reply?!!! Don't worry, people adjust to your level of ability, and you soon get used to asking people to explain things differently!

You could also research the lift company, do they offer site jobs? Do they give a list of resorts in Austria that have their lifts installed?

Hats off to you!

From the postings, visitors that are there on March 7, are:

Skifun
Msmagib, Simmelwirt
AmandaN, Schneeburger
Avalaon, Hotel Austria
Col, Schneeburger
Dave Mac, on the Gondola