J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by verbier_ski_bum

I am with Icy on Boardman. Not funny. Generally a bit apprehensive of "comedy" as lot of comedians are more rude than funny and don't seem to have much to say apart from below the belt jokes. Lot of things are happening in the world, but they seem to be just uneducated or cater for uneducated audience, going on and on about the boozer, the missus etc. Not many people will notice the difference between one or the other. Eddie Izzard rocks though, and I am trying not to miss his shows. This guy os both funny and clever and doesn't insult people's intelligence.

Off-piste is exceptional in Chamonix but your best bet would be to get a guide. Some exits can be tricky and you don't want to take many wrong turns there - we had to side step up for almost 30 minutes once. Everything depends on your level of skiing and if you hire a guide for say a couple of days, he'll start relatively mellow so that to assess where he can take you, and if you are up for it your second day can be a really good adventure, if you like steeps you can get proper scared:) He'll also know where the best conditions can be found in the area. Vallee Blanche is a must. Technically for the most popular classic route you don't need a guide - it's like a motorway, skiing is easier than on Chamonix red slopes and you can't get lost. Arete is the hardest and scariest part but this is before you even put your skis on and you can't avoid it unless you are coming from the Italian side. I would recommend to hire crampons for the arete, as in this case you don't need to get roped up, and I find walking by myself over 2.5 thousand meters drop less scary with a good traction than tied to the rope and sliding. There are variations to the classic route where snow is often better due to less traffic and you need a guide or someone who knows the place really well. If you are vertigo sufferer a guide can also drive you to the Italian side and ski the Vallee Blanche from there.

I bumped into Richard Branson jogging on a street a few times. Laurence Dallaglio and James Blunt are other two faces I see fairly often.

The same as last year and 9 years ago over here. Actually cheaper in Verbier than in Geneva.

I don't like skiing in sunglasses. Goggles all the way for me. I keep sunglasses in the backpack in case we stop for a beer/snack on a terrace.

Blizzards are getting rave reviews and this is the ski I am seriously considering to buy for next season provided I can find them here in Switzerland (I don't see many Blizzards on the rack let alone in ski shops here). I am the same height as you are and all my current skis are in the 163-175 range. I think if you are looking at BP 166 will be a good length. Generally if you are finishing your turns rather than twist the tails you will find longer length quite easy to adjust. 162 or even 166 is only 4-5 inches longer than what you've skied before. Twin tips are very easy to ski. They are easier to turn due to reduced contact surface. Can be pain in the behind to fit in ski bins in gondolas though. I separate mine.

Tony_H wrote:Those first skis you got really weren't any good for off piste at all at 73 underfoot, strange advice that.
You should have been looking at all mountain skis with something between 78 and 85mm underfoot really for being mainly on piste but with the option to buzz about elsewhere.

The stopping process should actually be easier on piste in wider skis as you're going edge to edge quicker and there's much less sidecut so you ought to be able to engage the full edge easier. Maybe it was just your legs tiring?

You are going slower edge to edge on wider skis, not quicker, and for hockey stops you need to set edges more aggressively to get the same result as on more narrow skis. So on piste longer + fatter = more legwork.

A friend broke her ankle couple years back and she was back on skis in less than 2 months. I am not sure what type of fracture she had though, and you need to get all clear from your doctor. Generally ski boots should protect your ankles from excessive twisting.