J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by verbier_ski_bum

The most important characterists of a ski jacket is its waterproof rating and of course the quality of zips. For a jacket it might be worth it to pay a bit more but have a quality material that will keep you dry.

On the shoulder - mine or someone else's:) There is a way to carry them on the shoulder and prevent them from sliding apart sideways. It's easy to show but not so to explain but basically you end up with the top ski sliding a bit forward and down and just stopping there. Don't carry them parallel to the ground, always tilted downwards. I carry poles in my hands. Overall I don't find carrying skis tiring, and look at it as the integral part of the sport. It's walking in ski boots that I dislike. Last season my flat was quite far from lifts (about 1300m) with some uphill stretches and ski bus only going one way on my street so I rented the boot locker for the year - it aslo saved me from carrying them back to Geneva when season ended and they will be waiting for me there when I return in December.

I've learned from experience that the best way to get fit for skiing is to ski, but I understand that it's not an option for many people who ski on their holidays. After my first weekend typically I can barely walk the following Monday, but by Christmas I am back on skiing form. Also as the season moves into the second month with more terrain and respective technique to ski it, more muscle groups activate so there are still occasional aches here and there but they also disappear after couple weekends. Last summer was the first time ever that I started some regular and fairly intensive physical activity (although I go to the swimming pool for an hour on my lunch breaks pretty much every day unless too busy I don't consider it intensive) with the purpose of being fully fit for beginning of December. I hiked up and down Saleve every week, biked about 10 km daily and even went around the Lake on a bike, and also played tennis regularly. On top of it in 6 years of having an office on the 6th floor I haven't used the lift once and leaving in Geneva I mostly walk unless I have to go quite far (over 30 min), the bus is there and I am running late or it rains heavily. AND after my first skiing weekend I didn't notice any difference. If anything I was actually aching more:) For this summer I initially planned to do a bit of mountaineering but with two business trips to Asia, one wedding in Spain and one in the States to go to, my summer unfolds differently now, but based on my past year experience I am very relaxed about it.
All I need is a good snow season and ski fitness will come.

Interesting about course de godille. Apparently it's run by Swiss Ski School, but unfortunately even that skiing is in Verbier, all meetings are in Tzoumaz as the course is run by the school in Tzoumaz, so may not be suitable for those staying on Verbier side.

In any case, you may try a regular ski school first on your next ski vacation, they usually run for half a day and you can ski by yourself after lunch. You should typically be able to ski parallel in the end of the course on pretty much any groomed terrain. But if you want to spend a summer holiday skiing - why not? Warren Smith's courses are designed for all levels, though some basics can be probably learned cheaper.

I am planning to do a week-long course with them the following season. I heard tons of good stuff about them and looking forward to it. The course is supposedly very intensive but there is usually a day break in the middle of the course to help with recuperation.

I think you persception of what's scary changes all the time. It's all about doing it over and over. Pistes seemed scary once. Then they became Ok but depending on conditions, then conditions became irrelevant. I used to ask people "Is it icy there" but I've stopped quite a while ago, though my friend still does, but it's only up to her. My first time on Mont Gele I was so scared, I was still on traverse and I made silent promise to myself to stick to groomers if I don't finish the day in the body bag:) Even when skills go up (and it's hard work and investment) when I am somewhere for the first time I tense up, but couple turns in I start relaxing. It's all about trusting your instructor/guide, they won't take you anywhere unless they think you can do it. My firs time on Mont Fort took me about couple hours to get down and I was certain I would injure myself in the process, I don't even ski front side of Mt. Fort anymore unlesss it's a powder day - it's simply not worth it anymore to queue up for the tram for up to 30 min in busy periods only to get down very quickly. Objectively the most scared I've ever been was on Vallee Blanche in bad weather. I mean scared all the way, not when dropping in, not when making a first turn, but consistently scared and wishing I was elsewhere. Just not a pleasant experience when weather closed in with everyone trapped on a mountain and having to make your way down. the only time I've ever seen a single line of maybe 150 skiers following each other - no-one wanted to be the first one in a crevasse. Then it was high traverse to Rocky Garden in Verbier. IMO totally not worth saving 20 minutes of bootbpack. When snow ends and you are on a narrow ledge it's not fun at all. And climbing back up on the back side of Mt. Fort was scary. My friend who was leading me lost his ski when we were maybe third of the way into the route. And we had to turn back after failing to find it. It took us forever and lifts were closed when we finally made it. In the couloir we thought the snow was giving in and tried to call the rescue but didn't get the signal so had no choice but continue. But I am bored out of my head on groomers. I can spend there an hour per day max. I just don't feel it's getting me anywhere, I would rather be little bit scared, especially knowing that for the most part the fear is mainly in my head.

This is not true. Cats don't stink. They leave lot of fluff though:) But it's not about the smell or fluff or who brings more dirt in the house. As much as I love dogs it's just too much hassle, you can't leave them. We go away, we leave the key to the neighbour and ask her to clean cat's litter box. Done. Try leaving the key to the neighbour and ask her to take your dog out for a walk three times a day. Huge difference. Cats are significantly lower maintainance, dogs are a serious commitment. Like little children that never grow up.

Planning Pas des Chevre might be a bit pushing it:) Start with skiing Argentier for a day or two, just marked black runs from the top of GM where you don't need the guide. This will give you a general idea what to expect and also understanding where you are skill-wise, which is normal as no-one born an expert skier. Pas de Chevre will be harder and - IMO - scarier (though apparently next three couloirs are even steeper, but I had my "are you kidding me?" moment despite the lessons and good build-up), classic VB will be much easier than Argentier but still breathtaking and you must be able to ski in someone's tracks, plus it's long and you can't stop where you want, only where your guide tells you can stop. If classic route works fine do another route the next day. If you hire a guide for a few days, after classic VB he'll also be able to access you and take you where he thinks you will cope fine and you will be able to work your way up from there. And save yourself for future visits - there are definitely enough tours in the area. I don't think being disjoined is an issue in Chamonix. The runs in Argentier are hard enough to occupy most skiers for a week - if they really want to improve. Brevent/Flegere are somewhat easier but the area is also bigger. Chamonix is definitely not the place where you can get bored and need hundreds miles of interlinked runs. I've never had this feeling that I wished the area was bigger. Looping miles of endless red runs will never get you far despite the apparent variety. You don't want Le Tour to be linked to Argentier if it's Argentier where you need to improve. It can be very unflattering in the beginning (I guess it's part of the reason people dislike it sometimes) but very beneficial in the end. Ranchero is right and Chamonix may change your perception of resorts and skiing. And bars, restaurants and nightclubs in town are great.