J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by verbier_ski_bum

Ranchero_1979 wrote:Am going to try and hold out this year. Want new piste skis and boots but will difficult to justify this year as doesn't look like I will be getting much skiing done. Head Supershape I.Speed 170cm, 68mm underfoot are definitely the next purchase. Look the bomb to me.

Are you going to replace your Magnums?

If your mid-December dates are before December 17 and don't fall on weekends Chamonix won't be open. As for snow, it has already started to fall and what is more important it's actually cold outside, so there is a chance that this snow will stay.

It all depends on early season snowfall and weather. You have to realize that in mid-December "perfect skiing experience" may be all about lapping a handful of runs on man-made snow, last year's snow or on a flat as pancake glacier. Alternatively conditions can be amazing with lot of fresh snow accumulating on slopes, in which case it doesn't matter that much where to go. In case of a poor start I think Zermatt wins because it's higher. It also has glacier, but being higher means that even when it's fairly warm elsewhere it can be just cold enough in Zermatt to make snow.

Why by train? No idea about the costs, but it seems like the least convenient way of getting there, when you can just fly to Geneva and be in Les Gets 1.5 hours after landing... You go via Paris and change trains (and stations) there to go to either Geneva or alternatively to Cluses or Thonon, and then you will need a transfer, a taxi or a bus, to your final destination. Either way is appears more stressful then just hopping on a flight and will take longer...

It doesn't even make sense what she said. If I think of anybody going away on a holiday blah-blah my chances of getting injured on that holiday is high... How on Earth is this even supposed to work?

The truth is that one can get injured on a ski holiday, it sucks but it happens and this risk can only be completely eliminated by not skiing... Still no need to overdramatize it, many people manage to ski for years without ever getting injured, some might wipe out on the first day, have an unfortunate fall and break the wrist etc. Not very different from most other sporting activities and statistically risk is not even that high. My friend broke her ankle last January by watching TV on her couch. Her foot went a little numb and when she got up it just folded under her. She was back on skis by March :)

I have Dynafits on my Scott Powd'Airs that I use for long tours, but I don't have much confidence in them in steeps etc. - somehow I feel the balance is off and I always have to watch my weight distribution etc. I need to take this set-up and my touring boots to the shop and see if we can figure it out, maybe shims under toe pieces or something like that, but I always forget. So just in case I won't get it done this season I have a second touring set-up I can trust more for shorter climbs.

There are definitely worse places to learn than Zermatt. For once, flatter areas are higher up the mountain so they are snow sure compared to many obvious from town beginners areas that tend to be useless at Christmas and Easter - when they would be in most demand. I often watch lessons early and late season - on flatter sections of red slopes, sidestepping back up every time. Inconvenient and tiring for both a student and an instructor. Zermatt beats this experience hands down. Plus mountains look like mountains and from their day one skiers can have this great experience, even if they spend the whole week on learning slopes they can say that they've skied in the mountains, not on a bunny hill in the village :)

Ranchero_1979 wrote:If people do get some powder I would suggest trying dome Dynasatar Cham 97 2.0 or Mythic 97. For sort of old school powder skiers who want to put in a few turns these were an absolute pleasure. Plenty of float, good width & sidecut to keep responsive and stiff tales provide you some power. I could barely stop laughing the two times have taken them out this season. Forgot how much I had missed the POP having mainly skied Kastle 108 offpiste.

Turn and extend (wait 1, 2) for pressure to build
Boom retract under body
Turn and extend (wait 1, 2) for pressure to build

Serious amount of fun and a little bit old school!

I concur. I just bought Dynastar Cham 97 2.0 and spent last two days skiing them. My new go-to ski I think. I put marker F10 bindings so that to use them for shorter tours with more downhill bias.