J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Dave Mac

Jan,

Max freezing is when there is frost on your beard.

Min is when the beard frost melts.

Or is it the other way round..?

See you last week in March!

Aye Trencher, but I think the difference is far more pronounced with boarders, because of the "lean". (Don't know if that is the correct expression, have never boarded and never will)

In a way though, it may be the same body rejection of an uncomfortable stance.

My ski buddy Mel is there this week, Had a txt from him, there was some new snow. Skiable down to the village. Very good at the top.

The snow holds well in Niederau, until the final schuss where in the hot weather, we may have to skirt round a wet bit. All part of the fun.

I'm off to Saas Fee next week, but will be in Niederau on 23rd March, pretty confident of some great spring snow skiing.

Ise wrote

51% of skiers are afraid of speeding skiers and 45% think skiers have got more dangerous. Both figures are wrong, in fact there's not even more accidents, but they're getting more serious, more spinal, neck and head injuries are happening.

I think this is spot on. In early Niederau days, fixed heaps of leg splints to folk, and helped bring them down on the ackier. Now, there are fewer leg/ankle breaks and more wrists/arms, but overall, as a percentage of skier numbers, I believe the incident rate is lower.

But I agree that accidents have got more serious. In Niederau, January, two helicopters turned out on the same day. Both were high speed hits on protective fences. One was a concussion/fitting, one a loss of feeling in the lower limbs. Fortunately, it appears that both guys may be OK. A helmet would not have affected the outcome in either case.

Much gondola discussion with experienced skiing buddies suggests that the advent of "easier to turn skis" allows people to ski beyond their true ability at an earlier stage.

Like Tony, I have been hit from behind, and I agree with all his "slope rules". There is certainly a concensus among the j2ski respondents, that inexperienced skiers do not look up the hill, prior to setting off.

So:

Should European ski schools be mandated to ensure that slope rules are part of the ski lesson?

Should all skiers have to pass an oral/written safety test? After all, we are obliged to do this in a car travelling more slowly than some inexperienced skiers.

Should European ski areas follow the American lead, and consficate lift passes from people who are deemed to be skiing too quickly/out of their ability range?

I have to say, that if I had been the recipient of Tony's accident, I might have been inclined to remove the guy's lift pass and ski off with it.

Just about everyone goes through an intermediate phase of turning more easily to one side or the other. Had to do a mental throw back, but my weak turn was left, strong one right. Don't know why, I am right handed.

Have previously suggested that our learning manifests in plateaus, ie a year comes around when we take a noticable step in capability. So I am fairly sure that there is a confidence/capability/speed level, where the difference disappears to the point where it cannot be noticed.

Then age steps in.

The bad news is, that when the knee joints start to fail, then for different reasons, a weak turn may appear. For normal skiing, I still display no difference in L/R turns, on steeper/fast/heavy deep/unpredictable slopes, my dodgy right knee leads to a weaker right turn.

I knew I should have kept the exercises going.......

The big issue is the number of people. Tony talked about good prices, and mentioned a couple of websites. However, if you are 18 folk, you need certainty, and that is different from a 2/4 folk doing a last minute deal.

Equally, Tony is right about Andorra. That is one place that I would only go to on a last minute deal, for conditions, not for price reasons.

What puzzles me is that if you have been to Ellmau that often, can your regular place make you an offer?

Wow, you are the man Admin, I presume "eastern Swiss alps" includes Saas Fee? Be there on Saturday, (8th march).

Yodelodiao

AJ, what a bundle of surprises you are. I bet you know all the Andy Hinterseer songs?