J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by verbier_ski_bum

Daved, I don't think it's going to affect you. You should park your car as usual and go meet your friend at the arrivals.

I think unless you have an option of moving the trip later in the year, you should all go. Being in the mountains is great in any case. I spend quite a few weekends on crutches last season, it sucked not to be able to ski, but I would rather take a gondola every morning and sit on terrace with a book enjoying the scenery than stay in town during the ski season. Also made myself useful in the chalet, getting dinner ready etc., and going to apres ski with my friends knowing that we don't need to watch shops closing times.

I didn't find the snow less thick than at the same time last year. Last season there was barely enough snow to keep 2 runs open, and a lot was open this season. I don't remember ever skiing Tortin and Mt Fort on the opening weekend. It was a nice surprise from televerbier.

1 sleep only till I hit the slopes.

I bought a onesie couple years ago for a "One-piece descent" - an event organised in resort every season, when you go all the way up and then ski down stopping at bars for a shot wearing a one piece suit. Also bobble hats, silly sunglasses, wigs, some people take out their mono-ski or old skinny skis... Very retro and great fun! Sometimes I see groups of people doing the same, clearly for a stag do or some other event. I wouldn't wear a onesie any other time. There are better, more comfortable ski clothes these days.

The North Face makes ski pants in different lengths - short, regular and long

The problem with many small-sized boots is that they are not small at all, i.e. even when they have size 22, the BSL will be the same as for the size 23-23.5 of the same boot. There is a chart I found on line, it's not complete, but at least it gives you an idea what to avoid because I don't think you can find a bootfitter able to work on a boot which is not .5 but 2 actual sizes bigger than needed. http://www.evo.com/ski-boot-sole-length-bsl-size-chart.aspx
Junior race boots is probably your best bet, but research bindings compatibility. I knew someone skiing in Technica Race Jr. and the bindings were Rossi Axial, normal model. They will be stiff though, but stiffness is secondary, fit is more important. In any case find a good bootfitter who would know what's in the market at present.

Stop for drink or two on the way to chalet, then have dinner either at home or out, then go out but usually back by midnight. Unless it's during half-terms and conditions are not great - skied out off-piste and very busy pistes, then we can hit a night club. Also during holidays we take a break after first four days and also may go out till later. We do massive apres ski session once a month too, back by nine... But if it's snowing no-one goes out. Few seasons ago I was ready to go out but it started snowing so I got changed and went to bed to make the first lift...