Top Ten Toughest Ski Runs In The World

Quote from the Hari Kiri page for Mayrhofen. Never skied it, not likely to but thought the info may be of interest.

Sportive skiers and snowboarders can prove their skills on Austria's steepest ski slope here in Mayrhofen. This steep slope has an average incline of unbelievable 78 per cent(!) making a jack and special groomers indispensable for grooming.

getjim, any resort will use anchored piste bashers if a slope is 30 degrees+. Most of the extreme skiers tackling open mountain faces did not get much grip beyond 55 degrees. Folks such as Patrick Vallencant, and Sylvain Saudain, who were at the top of their game. Degrees and percent are different animals, and get muddled up.

Theobane, Le Mur (aka Chavanette) in the Portes du Soleil is about 37 to 38 degrees, which felt steep enough to me when I skied it. It's the moguls that make it hard work.



http://www.champery.com/Images/Chavanette_small.jpg

what a picture-I have a photo of me after doing that for the first time leaning on my poles absolutely shattered with the lift and bumps behind-unfortunately it is an actual kodak and I dont have a scanner

If anyone wants to go and have a look at the Hari Kiri (from a safe distance preferably), Inghams have a cheap holiday to Mayrhofen over Christmas, if you don't mind staying in a 2 star B&B snow house - £312-50 each for the week, for 2 people flying from Gatwick on the 19th December.

And, I don't 'get' this percent and degree of slope business. Presumably 100% slope means totally vertical, but what is it in degrees - 180 degrees?

http://www.hixoxih.com/skiing/SkiSlopeRatingSystem.htm

Edit - Had another look - vertical is 90 degrees?

Ally

I went to Maryhofen last season and I skied down this.
When you pass it in the lift you appreciate how steep it is.
That and seeing someone fall over and then slide all the way to the bottom of the steep part minus skis and poles.

It was our last day and the weather wasn't that great (They closed a lot of the lifts about 5 minutes after I got down).
I was the only one that did it but it was really busy.
I got tired of waiting for the many people who were falling and hanging around and just went for it.
The first couple of turns were a bit hairy but asfter that I really enjoyed it.
it was probably the best I'd skied a black run.

If you're confident enough to go down most runs and capable of control and stopping quickly if needed then I'd say go for it.
If you're not sure then DON'T DO IT.

bandit wrote:

I have a number of photos similar to this of slopes I skied in Verbier. I have to say that the very first time I got to the top (too late to turn back) I really wondered what my purpose on this planet was, but when I got to the bottom I realised what it was. Technically difficult in terms of never having been taught to ski on this kind of terrain but a massive sense of achievement having done so. I promptly went back to the top and did it again.
Verbier has lots of linked runs and itinery routes like this, very much the same in St Anton. My wife nearly killed me when I persuaded her to tackle some runs like this, but I knew she was competent enough to handle it and she was better than me!
I think this kind of stuff is why I bought fatter skis.....

Tony_H wrote:

bandit wrote:

I have a number of photos similar to this of slopes I skied in Verbier. I have to say that the very first time I got to the top (too late to turn back) I really wondered what my purpose on this planet was, but when I got to the bottom I realised what it was. Technically difficult in terms of never having been taught to ski on this kind of terrain but a massive sense of achievement having done so. I promptly went back to the top and did it again.
Verbier has lots of linked runs and itinery routes like this, very much the same in St Anton. My wife nearly killed me when I persuaded her to tackle some runs like this, but I knew she was competent enough to handle it and she was better than me!
I think this kind of stuff is why I bought fatter skis.....

I'd give it a go. :D

You will be in January....... or something similar anyway )