J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Dave Mac

I think most of us have had a great winter, and we should be grateful for that. The season enders all had good finishing weeks. I always end up with mixed feelings, sadness for the end of skiing, and the saying good bye to Austrian friends, and joy for most of the runs down this season.

Sincere thanks to Admin for keeping us all posted with ski forecasts, ~ including those that were accurate!!

Thanks to Bandit and Ise for their sharing of ski gear knowledge.

Many thanks to Pavel for stimulating ski debate.

Thanks to AJ, Swal and others that share my love of Niederau.

Now next season..... Niederau, Utah, Niederau. Hmmm, that means cutting back on my skiing for next year....

My wife says no one will ever pich my skis and sticks. Can't think what she means.

Whistler,

Strengths are numerous, great snow, not bad lift queues, well managed mountain,awesome glacier skiing. Interesting locals. Ski buses from anywhere in the town to both areas, every 10 minutes, and only 5 minutes to the slope.

Weakness, and it destroyed the second week of a two week stay, is the mountain mist that descends, you are skiing in total whiteout.

Would not consider going to Canada before March because of low temperature.

But while Whistler/Blackcomb was good. I still give the edge to Colorado, Breckenridge, Vail, Beaver Creek, A Basin, Keystone.

Central Canada still on my hitlist, so cannot comment.

Oh Trencher, what makes you think that we have reached technology & technique limits?

Since I started skiing I have passed through:
1) Snow plough, (Yeah I know)
2) Stem Christie
3) Perfect Parallels (sic)~ old equivalent to carving, hardly any ski radius, c/w modern skis. Oh, and carried out on 210 ski length
4) Upward unweight technique
5) Wedel, (Short swings) you might identify as tight turns, with skidding
6) Downward unweight, (Avalament, Grundschwung)
7) Jet
8) Open Knee Swing
9) Carving
10) Death-defying, one ski on the ground, the other over your shoulder, weight going right round the wrong way, I will not fall at any cost, technique.

In the same period, boots have been lace, multi-clips, short, long, short, rear entry, multi-clips, rear entry.

I won't go far into the so-called ski changes. The biggest benefit to skiers was reducing the length of skis from extended wrist to just below chin level.

Biggest change in hassle reduction was from retainer straps to ski brakes.

Not qualified to comment on binding technology. But there has been a significant structural industry change as ski manufacturers have captured bindings as part of the ski design.

What on earth makes you think change suddenly stops?

We certainly have noticed ski trenches appearing this year. It seems particularly bad in spring snow, when ruts are deep, and the snow is more dense. For an experienced skier, it is more of an irritation than a hazard. You can ski across or round the ruts. More of a hazard for those who have not yet developed the capability to take quick action, or who are only planning one turn ahead.

The ruts offer an edge-catching situation, so have to be managed.

I have little issue with boarding lines, my experience is that they do not present the carve ski risk. The 99% statistic is interesting. I would relate the percentage deep rutters to be correlated to the percentage of very fast carve skiers. Hence in a resort with fast runs/good local skiers, I would reckon the that more than 10% of ski carvers would be creating some hazard.

Having lived through several changes in ski styles, it amuses me to be classified as "an old style skier". How do you think the next generation will label you trencher, in forty years time?

http://www.disabilitysnowsport.org.uk/

This organisation used to be called the"Uphill Ski Club. Like Adele, I have seen these folk in Niederau, and felt very cheered by their presence and effort. In January, watching I said to my ski buddy Mel, I would like to know what it felt like to be on the sit ski.

Having looked at the website, I developed a feeling of self-centredness. I am sure I have the the requirements, and yet it has never crossed my mind to consider assisting. Watch this space.

Age or not, Adele, I'm still pretty nifty down the Mercanwiess and the Tennladen, or Runs 19 and 23 as you would know them.

Unfortunately, the spiders now have 9 months or so to regrow the cobwebs, .........while I plan a trip to Utah!!

Sorry Adele, you are the last person I would over egg Niederau, I know how much you love the place.

Sorry caron-a, you cannot encapsulate Niederau in a brochure, you have to experience it, get the different life flavours.

Herbert Thaler and I used to play harp and banjo together, when Herbert was just a farm boy. Now he owns several hotels, he doesn't need to play harp every night, but he does do it.

Sepp Schellhorn operates one of the best ski schools, with high standards.

The skiing is limited but fairly challenging.

The views from the top out to the Kitzbuhle Alps are terrific.

The Wildschoenau valley was formed when an angry dragon bit out a huge chunk of ground, thereby releasing a vast lake, forming the Kundle Klamm, and also forming the valley now containing Niederau, Oberau, Muhtal, Thierbach and Auffach.

In 1809, the Wildsconeau Sturmloden troop led by Major Jacob Margreiter led a series of fierce battles against Napoleons' troops, in the Inn Valley, winning several against impossible odds.

Have just re-read this, I think I should get out more.