J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by verbier_ski_bum

There are many skis out there now that feature a tip rocker. I think you should choose one of those. Rocker will make the skis turn easier. However the main investment should be made in lessons. Maybe private lessons will be better than a school if she's lacking confidence?

Le Tour or Les Houches would be good, but it will involve commuting.

Choose the resort, google transfer companies operating in this resort, start applying. Or google big chalet companies in the same resort - they might need drivers too. My friend used to live in Chamonix and worked for Altibus. During season demand for drivers is high. You probably don't need to be fluent in French, but still should have some knowledge of it. It's polite if nothing else.

How the ski will turn depends on the ski sidecut, not the length. My 175 JJ has 12m radius turn and literally turn themselves, but my other shorter ski is more demanding in this respect as its sidecut is 20m. So to make it turn tighter I need to work harder.
You should be fine on 178 - it's not that the ski will be towering over you or that it's a superstiff charger. It's only about 5cm longer than your regular ski and twin-tip will shorten the contact area some, so essentially length-wise they will feel very similar.

It is so because grading is done relative to the particular mountain and slopes are harder or easier relatively to one another on this mountain. But red in one resort can be marked black in another one, just because there can be harder runs in the first instance and it can be the hardest in the second. hence there is hardly any consistency accross resorts but at leastt some within one resort. There are numerous factors taken into account during grading too - pitch, exposure, traffic, grooming. I think accross the ocean grading goes like green, blue, black and double black. I also heard some resorts have double blue or blue/black runs but there is a pressure to upgrade those due to a higher possibility of law suits.

Whether you get a good value for money really depends on your definition of "value". IMHO skiing in Zermatt is a good experience. Lot of cruising for intermetdiates and steeper blacks and itineraries for advanced skiers. Large ski area, possibility of skiing down for lunch to Italy. Engineering masterpiece. Fantastic views, quality food, very good and friendly service. Moutaineers descending on town after having done the Haute route. Good apres, good night life. And this year great snow beginning of March is garantied as Zermatt received a lot. It's not cheap, but usually you have to pay for all good things... Switzerland is expensive country in general but it delivers. I would say, go for it. Should be a good experience.

Yes, it can be evil. I saw a group of blind skiers at the bottom of Tortin - the only way to get there is by skis - and it made me think which way I'd prefer to get in if I was blind? Traverse or this. They must be really awesome skiers.

The entry to Tortin in its left corner is very steep if you want to avoid the traverse, even in a good year bumps are big at this place too. Quite narrow too, first 4 turns are stressful, if you fall in this place you can roll all the way to the bottom, then it's possible to get out of that part and traverse little bit to where it's nicer. It's not the steepness but the size of the bumps which can be the problem, after the top 50-100 meters the rest is 'gentle' (relatively speeking). But there is always a way to navigate them. They did something with Mont-Fort this season - they used to groom the path in previous seasons, but they let it bump up now. quite a horrible ride and very discouraging before the actual run even starts.