J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by andyhull

jocrad74 wrote:Hi all

First time to VDI in January, looking for some good restaurant suggestions for the lodge staff's night off.

Skiworld's Ski Lodge? If so you'll love it, stayed there last December.

Loads a great places to eat in the town, depends what you want.
La Cassorole for superb French meal, not expensive either.
The Sports Bar for a great pizza, or Quicksilver for a burger.

Santons is such a fun run, often spoiled by people being there that wish they weren't. Agree it should be red.
It's the one run I expect to see skiers scared stiff, having been flying down blues all week they suddenly find themselves in a narrow chute and freeze.
Now if it was red at least people wouldn't expect a big wide easy run.
It's not difficult, the gradient is blue, but the narrowness and the steep walls intimidates 'blue' skiers.
Find this run empty with fresh snow and it's a blast, fast and furious. Find it busy, icy and it's a nightmare, having to pick your way through the carnage.

Perhaps they've been targeted because they recommend Next Generation, Top Ski and The Development Centre ski schools and not ESF?

smartski wrote:

AllyG wrote:
And as for myself and the group I've been organizing - I've got no intention of going off-piste, or encouraging anyone else to do so. And to be quite truthful I don't think any of us are intending to go off-piste - I mean it's too much hassle hiring all the gear and carrying it and worrying about the state of the snow, the weather, the avalanche warnings etc. etc.

If anyone does decide they want to go off-piste I will advise them to hire a guide.

But if I understand correctly, the test case is not about going 'off-piste'. It is even about being a "Host" on-piste.

So if somebody goes out with a group (friends, uni students, met down the pub, met on a website :shock: ); and that person decides where the group goes, then to my mind they are doing exactly the same as a "Host".

It's a mine field!

The difference seems to be getting paid for it. Anyone leading the way but not getting paid for it isn't doing anything wrong.

This is all a bit crazy, ski hosts do a different job entirely to a guide. They don't teach or go off piste so they compliment the ski schools of guiding services not compete with them.
What's more they will be the same people who book ski school or a guide for their clients, so they risk biting the hand that feeds by stopping hosting.
I suspect that this companies hosting went far beyond orientation.

If anyone does want an off piste guide in Espace Killy, I can recommend a superb one.

Skiworld offer ski hosting, excellent it is too.
Usually 3 times a week, but that will include days for different levels.
I remember one advanced day, one of the best days skiing I've ever had, we skiing just about every black run in 3V.

http://www.skiworld.co.uk/ski-holidays/ski-hosting

They also specialise in single skiers: http://www.skiworld.co.uk/single-travellers

Silly grin time!

Love this:



From Salomon YouTube channel.