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J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Ranchero_1979

Messages posted by : Ranchero_1979

Italy - where to go?
Started by User in Italy, 36 Replies
Back to your original resort of Cervinia, it has more than enough skiing for a week and is certainly better than Passo Tonale, Livigno, Courmayeur in this respect. Also benefits from short transfer times and being a pleasant ski village.
Gentle but snow sure glacier skiing at top, perfect for improving your carving. Nice blues and reds back down to resort, great thing here is that slopes are all in fall line. This makes them perfect for improving your skiing. No silly paths or pistes at strange angles that prevent you working on making even turns (see latest picture from Saux D'Oulx, to me that is just adding pisted KM and mountain would have been better left un-pisted so you can ski the fall line). Lastly some harder skiing towards Zermatt.
First time to snowboard. Iceland
Started by User in Scandinavia, 2 Replies
Definitely a fun country to visit, even if a little pricey. Not so sure about snowboarding/skiing though, visited in Winter before and was not something I saw advertised or even considered. Internal part of country if pretty flat, although I assume that there must be something in the North that comes down towards sea.
Where to ski next
Started by User in Ski Chatter, 17 Replies
I think my point is that apart from the 2 previously mentioned, Italian resorts tend me be perfectly forgettable. Good food, wine and steady skiing but nothing magical. Am not sure any Italian resort would make an European top 20 resort alone. Change your mindset slightly and you can have some amazing experiences in Italy. Imagine a vacation where you are based in Aosta (fantastic historic town) and ski Pila, La Thuile, Courmayeur, Cervinia, Chamonix. That is a mixture that North America cannot offer.

Where to ski next
Started by User in Ski Chatter, 17 Replies
My wildcard is Pila and base yourself in Aosta with a car. Would be a true Italian experience, great little ski resort, and endless skiing options for the week.

http://www.aosta-valley.co.uk/destinations/pila/

If not to be honest I would not look beyond.
Cortina for Italian chic
Cervinia or Courmayeur for classic apline scenery i.e. Matterhorn and Mt Blanc

Individually a lot of Italian resorts are sort of average. Add them together in a Valley i.e. Aosta or Area like Monterosa and you have something really special.
New helmet
Started by User in Ski Chatter, 43 Replies
Other option for those who require prescription glasses is inserts for your goggles (fit all brands and models). These worked very well during my last trip and are a good option if you aren't keen on using contact lenses.

Hemsedal - Quick Review
Started by User in Scandinavia, 3 Replies
All Norwegian resorts suffer from a lack of vertical. Makes for nice ski touring but you can feel like you are continually on a lift if you are sticking to pistes. Still super long season and if you like your drinking you will never be short of friends in Norway.
New Ski Boots
Started by User in Ski Hardware, 30 Replies
Remember to tape them, love my Lange but no idea why they haven't figured out that the small shell overlap near the toes results in wet and hence cold feet.
Well Chamonix had 70cm last week, 50cm in forecast for this week and 50cm for week after. Conditions are epic at moment. Completely different experience to 3 Valleys but if you like offpiste then probably no better place on earth for next 2 weeks. Also much more appropriate for 4 days given the one hr transfer from Geneva.