J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Ranchero_1979

Looks like Leechie picked a good week, good falls over the weekend and a big week of snow ahead. Surely this time Chamonix will get a good review.

Meteo France has a 14 days outlook. Basically big snow for the next 10 days then then clear and sunny for a few days. With all of N Alps due to get well in excess of 50m during that period, anyone with plans for March should have no concerns. Just booked a week with a guide for Mid April, we are only at 1/2 point of season.

Have to say we are over thinking this, do have any video from ski holiday as this will reveal all you need to know. However the most likely causes are:

1) New ski shapes do not work especially well for people who cannot put a ski on the edge and feel very unstable if you don't. Really reads to me that this is your issue and is exacerbated as you lose confidence and go on less steep slopes as you end up needing to really work hard to get ski on an edge. Simple solution is a ski lesson. I have some fat straight Kastle for offpiste and you don't engage the tip of the outside ski when onpiste then that one is just not following you. Having feet too close together is one of the root cause of this as basically no space to create an angle.

2)You are less fit than last year, skiing less dynamic and hence above.

3)Boot is a bit sloppy but really this alone does not explain what you described. Skiing with your boots unbuckled is an art but you can ski.

Completed, but don't really get it. On cold days I would always end up still using a buff to cover ear and provide insulation around neck area. Pulling buff and down is a simple and effective solution.

Below is just to stimulate discussion as I quite often find myself 'off-piste' with no associated equipment when I take piste skis out.

Given that you were expecting to remain largely on-piste hence ski choice, what were your considerations for off-piste equipment i.e. shovel, probe, transceiver. As shown by picture on another post even areas right next to piste have slid this year. NB terrain looked like there had been some good decision making in terms of gradient. It did however appear that you were jumping off a small cornice, so wind slab must have been possible at least on some aspects.

Fantastic morning other side of mountain, no wind below 1800m and 10cm of powder. Basically the conditions that make everyone smile.

>50KPH on a NE, guess having MT Blanc in the way helps

"weather conditions delayed recovery". Remember that you have ~15min to dig someone out assuming that they have not received fatal injuries from avalanche itself. Group is therefore relying heavily on self rescue with outside assistance typically being a body recovery exercise. Seems that this year a lot of groups have been all caught together, with the wind slab conditions it seems that you really need to keep 50M+ apart when traversing slopes and really consider where to stop.

Interesting yesterday was at AL 2 in Balme but right after start of chair you could see a clear fracture. Anywhere that is not skied regularly will likely have some sort of wind slab which is poorly bonded to snow layer below or even ground itself this year.