J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Dave Mac

Check out the history on:

http://www.igluski.com/snow-history

Choose your resort

What's the cost of the lift pass?

Is it ski in/ski out?

Do they serve Zipfer marzen?

Oui, je pense ce la .... ermm

Well I think that it doesn't matter where you go, there are lovely interesting people.

On the occasions that my OH and I travel through la France, we make a point of going at least one way cross country, ie avoiding autoroutes.

So you get to see the old way of life, old farmhouses, chateaus, unbeatable architecture. In Paris there are some of the world's best paintings. In general, the food is varied but interesting. Varied, by region.

The attitude to life is different from that in the UK, but who is to say, right/wrong. The French people are, like the Scots, a proud race. If you are rude to the French, then you deserve the baton that is shoved up your derriere.

Coming to skiing, there are two minuses, lack of village architecture, and the mountain costs, ie food and drink. The pluss points are, ski in/ski out, good lift systems, big mountains.

I love Austria for it's old village feeling, and friendlyness, I like Switzerland for it's big mountains, Italy because they love families, mais Vivre la France!

RoseR wrote

I have always supported Arsenal because my son has since he was little. His absolute idol was Sol Campbell, he idolised him. Now 15 years later he plays for Pompey and my son coachs him twice a week for tennis. He says at first it was so scary, he was in absolute awe of him.

Well done your young man, Sol Campbell is one of nature's gentlemen. He scored the goal that would have put England through, but Shearer fouled the keeper, and Beckham got the blame for England going out.

Couple of weeks ago, my No 1 son interviewed Smokin' Joe Frazier. I can tell you he was certainly in awe of SJF!

It largely depends on how many there are of you. For instance, if there are just two of you, it is surely worth leaving until a few weeks before you want to go, then look at where the good snow is. Choose an area that has a good base and a good late season record, like the Arlberg, or the Tignes/Val d'Isere area.

Davidmpires,

As you can see from the comments here, views of specific conditions can be as varied as the conditions!

Go with Ise for the most accurate. Ise, you should not be showing these pictures with 3 months to go to the start of the season, (for most of us). If I didn't know you had a 3000m climb to do prior to taking the photos... That's a great pic of the guy with the white cap.

caron-a wrote

my physio has told me that spring snow is acl injury territory.
do you agree and, if you do, what's the reasoning?

There are a number of issues that all add in in the same unfortunately, wrong direction.

1. First thing in the morning, the snow will replicate the tracks left by the piste machines during the night, when the snow is still soft. The surface hardens significantly overnight, due to a temp change that might be + 10C to -10C. So you ski at 90 deg to frozen tracks. If you start off at the top with a hangover, it is gone by the time you reach the bottom.

2. Depending of the weather and slope direction, by mid-morning the snow is soft on a hard base, beautiful skiing, until lunchtime. Keep skiing, don't think about lunch, don't make any plans. Wait until the conditions change.

3.After the sun has hit the slope for several hours, the base starts to go soft. At the same time, the top layer goes very heavy, often referred to as porrage. This starts to present problems, particularly if you do not have strong thighs, or are recovering from injury.

3a. The reason that the condition change presents problems is partly real and partly psychological. Conditions 1 and 2 above, are both predictable, ie pretty uniform. However, in condition 3, the terrain affects the predictability. Where there is a bump in the slope, there is a sunny side, and a shadow. Yes, I know it may not be an actual shadow, but the suns heat cast upon the snow will vary with angle of the sun's rays upon the snow. So, where the sun is more direct, the snow is softer. Where the ray angle is more obtuse, the snow has started to crystalise.

Now, this is the condition for a "bump". But 99% of slopes are comprised of undulating slopes, in different direction, so I am not just talking about mogul fields, but all slopes.

Then of course, on the backs of bumps, the soft snow depth accumulates, but wipes off in front of the bump, creating more variation.

There is another aspect to this period. If you are in an area where you are skiing on pistes cut through trees, like many tyrolean resorts, in the sun, the snow is soft, in the trees, the snow remains crystalised.

Then occasionally, a small stream will run across the piste, and the skis will brake like crazy.

Hence you get an accumulation of variabilities, and on most days, by 1.00pm/2.00pm, the snow is quite unpredeictable. Hence, if you can ski "relaxed/strong". ie, ready to react, then it is difficult, but skiiable. This is the time to take lunch, enjoy the views, sort out the world's problems, da-di-da.

It can be extremely tiring to maintain a full days skiing in these conditions even, when strong and fully fit. But then, I am happy to finish at 3.00 pm. and go sit on the bacony and paint the views.....

Whoops, just realised that it was 1970. I was probably just out of nappies, when I started working with the red ski school.

AJ wrote:

Dave Mac wrote:freezywater wrote

So, who's going to sponsor me first then

freezy, I have a 10 groschen piece that i'm very happy to chuck into the cause. After all, it is for charity. Come on the rest of you.

100 groschen = 1 Austrian schilling
72 Austrian schilling = £1

Jesus Dave what year did you get 72 schilling to the £ ? The most i can remember was about 35.


AJ Adele

Not sure I should answer this Adele, on the grounds that it impinges on my possible age. But the answer is 1972. Which, of course means that I was the world's youngest ski instructor, at the age of 2. :shock: