J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by andyoneil

Sauze d'oux in 2002 (I think) - snow was practically non-existent and what there was was so icy that beginners classes were suspended...

I'll try and find a photo Ive got of us all on a drag lift that was still moving despite there being no snow underneath it - we took skis off, yomped over there, put skis on for effect and took photo

Best snow was probably New Year's Day in Verbier 2009. We'd got a sensibly reasonable amount's kip in so were up for first lift which was deserted. 4 inches of fresh snow overnight was sat on the pistes, practically untracked for most of the morning!

daved wrote:What we should be debating is not be who wears helmets but whether the statistics justify the press's banner headlines and biased reporting

Good point - went a bit off topic myself :oops:

Yes - this is "Daily Mail" journalism at its worst - no doubt non-ski helmet wearers are all immigrants on benefits..... )

As I've posted before on this subject - my wife won't go out on the slopes without one:

VT 4 years ago - out of control fat Italian on a blue run into village (in sight of the magic carpet if you know VT). She was knocked out, had a broken nose and cheekbone in 3 places that needed surgery on her return to UK. The angle of impact on her goggles meant she could have lost an eye.

No I don't think they should be compulsory (I wear one sometimes and grumble, when I wear a hat I miss the extra warmth...) but I think that anyone who dismisses them as pointless and causing accidents in and of themselves by people thinking they are invincible can come and explain that view to my beautiful wife: why her nose is no longet straight and why she has 3 pieces of titanium in her skull for the rest of her life... She wasnt wearing one, the idiot wasnt either. If they both had they'd've bounced and she'd have had a ringing headache at worst, if she had and he hadn't then he'd be the one with a smashed skull.

Its a choice pure and simple - but don't deride anyone who's choices are different from yours peeps

Oh and Ive seen plenty of instructors wearing one in France, Austria and US

Its worth a go!!!

I'll cover Newcastle for you (but some half witted makkem will no doubt ruin it and send more snow to US as they dont know left from right much less east from west)

I love a good dump......

andyhull wrote:

The Face isn't always icy. I've also skied it with perfect 8 inch deep fluffy snow on it. Incredible.

Please let that happen to me this year - I'd love to try it but am simply not good enough / fit enough to run ice for that long without becomaing a huge snowball and ending up head first into "Bananas" - every cloud mind you.....

Cheers FQ

Golf was something that crossed my mind but on a 3 week train journey I think carrying golf shoes etc may be excess weight thats not worth the trouble (pity as we're keen golfers both - played a stunning course in Las Vegas on hols last month)

Sulphur Moauntain is a great tip - I assumed they used the gondolas in Summer too but good to hear thats the one to go for

Tony_H wrote:Take a good book as mountains without snow are a waste of time

hardly - we'll be seeing bears, moose, caribou as well as breathtaking scenery such as the view over the lake from the Fairmont at Lake Louise.

We'll ski that area at some point I'm sure but simply wanted hints from anyone that's actually been to these places....

Hi All

My wife and I are off to Canada next year but not for skiing (sadly the budget had to bend somewhere and having 3 months off work would have been the last straw)

BUT

We are going to Jasper, Lake Louise and Bannf on our travels (Candian train toJjasper from Toronto, few days in National Park and then Rocky Mountaineer from Bannf to Vancouver)

So my question to the good and ever knowledgeable J2Ski crowd is: what shoud we planning on seeing / doing in these resorts in September (any thoughts on Toronto, Vancouver or Victoria gratefully acccepted too)

All suggestions (well, most of them - knowing you lot) welcomed 8)