J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by LOTA

I wouldn't admit it, even if I knew what it was!!!

The Hotel Grand Metropol is excellent as well! I've been to Saas several times - the weather can be fickle and can close what are high and exposed slopes.

However, it's more snowsure than parts of the Jungfrau. Both are spectacular, but the train up from Interlaken might be a bore. However, staying in town gives you options of easily choosing between Grindelwald, Wengen or Murren.

It's a nice dilemma, but I think I'd just go for Saas Fee,,,,

Here's another whiteout story from two seasons ago - was in Engelberg with my brother in March. Excellent morning, but the weather closed in, and we decided to head down. Ski-ing along the home run, I became completely disorientated and mistook the piste markers, which were running vertically, to be horizontal.

Result: yours truly buried off the track up to my chest.

My brother couldn't see me - but luckily he heard my feeble cries for help and stopped! It was funny, in retrospect....

Managed to struggle out and 100 yards further on, there were some trees and orange fences, that made skiing much more fun again....

You don't need a car to do either Sierra or Kirkwood - both are connected by buses to South Lake (Heavenly).

I went to a show in Harvey's Casino Hotel one night; not the sort of show you'd necessarily take the mrs to!

The first day of the new millennium in St Anton. Somewhere on the Schindlerkahr, no idea which way was up, down, or round-about! Stayed put for a very nervy 10 minutes or so, which felt like three hours, and eventually followed a group who were crawling along from piste marker to piste marker.

Very scary, called it a day, spent the rest of the afternoon in the Hospiz Alm!

In contrast, I loved the casinos for apres ski. Limited myself to $100 stake every night and finished about even on the fortnight. The bonus was they brought beer and sandwiches to those playing the roulette tables!

I think day tickets, with special offers, are a good idea. If staying in South Lake Tahoe, don't overlook Sierra and Kirkwood. Sierra is small, but uncrowded and with lots of tree skiing is excellent on a snowy day.

Kirkwood, however, is just brilliant. Steep and deep but all within bounds. Had two truly great days there!

Strangely, it's never been very painful - just unbelievably awkward and weak. Calf muscle now getting stronger every day after wasting away inside plaster cast and orthopaedic boot!

Trust me, Icey, tendonitis is nothing like a ripped tendon!!!

If I hadn't been a a highly-tuned athlete in the first place, I wouldn't have done it!

Hoping to have a test slide at Milton K, Hemel or Gloucester (at a push in the next three weeks)