J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by verbier_ski_bum

We skied on Saturday and snow was knee deep even on pistes. We went off-piste for a little while to shallow-sloped terrain but visibility was really bad, getting out of snow was super-hard so we gave up and stayed on piste which was great fun. We skied off-piste yesterday, but again chose easier angled terrain, trees etc. Why people are going steep on "deep days" when you also can see FA from 3m distance is beyond me. There are places to safely ski pretty much in every resort, so no reason to go the obvious avalanches hot spots.

We heard this avalanche when skiing yesterday and saw helicopters flying. I agree - what on Earth were they thinking, but in terms of being there when they were, not in terms of having or not the equipment. Equipment is by and large for searching for the bodies, hoping that someone will be found alive, good judgement is for avoiding becoming one. Emphasis on equipment is dangerous as it may mislead people to believe it somehow affect their chances of being buried by a slide. Chance of survival is quite small and will largely depend on luck (size and depth of avalanche, location etc.), equipment only marginally increase this nonetheless marginal chance. These guys were buried because they didn't follow the warning signs not because they didn't have the equipment and got away easily because they were lucky. Had they had the equipment the outcome would have likely been the same. Also, there could be a confusion since Col des Mines is not an official 'off-piste', but a marked itinerary. Most of the time people ski it without avy kit. But still all itineraries are closed at the moment and slab accumulations have been reported at certain aspects and altitude - which has to be respected regardless of the equipment.

Well CEO of a travel comapny is not exactly a meteorologist, so he can't make any predictions. It looks good so far, and those who booked for Christmas have nothing to worry about. Epic season? I'll tell you in May. P.S. Gentianes were tall this summer so I am keeping fingers crossed:)

It's snowing buckets! Taking a train as it will be a carnage on the road.

It's snowing buckets. Powder day tomorrow.

one more night at home:)

2 nights:)

With proper instruction children typically learn quicker and progress much faster. Your wife will be holding their progress back and struggle herself to keep up. There is also a possibility that she will hold herself back by worrying about them instead of focusing on her own skiing. I think children learn better together with other children so they can go to a ski school and your wife will benefit from private lessons. Parents taking lessons together with children sounds very sweet, but I doubt it's very practical. Private lessons are not cheap, so they need to bring best possible results.