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I can't believe you read that far down the page!
More misery in the Alps
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Pistes are definitely firm, but they're very skiable.
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First clouds in a while too.
If it goes on like this DD will have to leave the country. I give him less than a week before he does a runner.
I can't believe you read that far down the page!
Neither can I! Just glad I've made everybody else read it as well now. 😀
It's been a lovely day here, haven't seen the piemonster, but have stacked a good few times, first day over exuberance and I'm really not as good as I like to think I am! No long term injury though so it's all been in the name if fun. My face is tingling too, despite the factor 50 being lathered on this morning.
Toby, head to 1800 tomorrow at 10:45
Then look to the skies and be afraid, very afraid 😈
piemonster - you're trying too hard.
Which run is the middle pic, PM?
20°C this afternoon in Pau, sunbathing after a poddle on the tandem in Summer cycling kit. Meanwhile the snow is at November altitudes. And the daffodils are out.
Spring has arrived. Feels like about 4-5C with Bourg at 8C.
Another absolutely glorious sunshine day with the pistes softening up beautifully. I'd post a photo, but how many fracking photos of a snow covered alp in the sun do you really want to see.
Right...have tried the Oakley Airbrake vs Smith I/OX
First impressions on un-boxing - Oakleys much better presentation with a carry case to give some protection in luggage and a microfibre carry/wipe bag. The Smith bag had a nice touch in that it has a separation within the bag to save contact between the goggles and spare lens, if you want to take them off and put in your jacket in the pub afterwards. The Oakley bag has just the one compartment. Both come with spare low-light lens.
I thought lens change was easier with the Airbrakes. Flip a lever, hinge lens out, pop new one in. Takes a few seconds. The Smith lens change was a bit faffier, with 6 points of contact (two on nose, two across top (hinged) and two outriggers (hinged)). There was a slightly nervous squeezing-the-lens-out-of-shape to get it out of the nose-bridge moments. (Especially as I'm going to be returning one of these.) I'm sure it would take less time with practice but definitely took longer than the Oakleys.
Comfort-wise, there's not much between them. The Smiths feel like they sit lower on the nose. Due to the size (and they are frickin massive...both of them!!), it seems I won't be suffering with gaper-gap too much. Field of vision slightly better with Smiths (just from looking around...the frame is less visible in periphery). Looks wise, think I prefer the "frameless" look of the Smiths and not keen on the outside of the frame of the Oakleys being proud of the sides of my helmet (Anon Blitz).
Anyway...it's a Monday, you all need a laugh. 😀
Airbrakes:
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I/OX:
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The display on the Carreley lift above Arc1800 was reading 11C at 12 today. Doesn't feel quite that warm but still not very typical for Jan!
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(Oakley, DD.)
Smith - the Oakleys cause your halo to slip.
Blue steel!
Bugger off wallop... 😀
I was wavering towards the Smiths, and Flashy's advice has cemented it. Seems to be a better field of vision and not quite as "in your face" white as the Oakleys.
Smiths it is then...
Or maybe the Oakleys...
Get the Oakleys. In black.
No time now...
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I'd go Oakley - if only for the prizm lenses (which are amazing)
These ones aren't Prizm lenses (which I've heard aren't great in low light...)
Anyway, Oakleys are boxed up and on their way back to Amazon.
*Despairs*
😉
I like the Smiths better but both look okay to me (Note: I have the fashion sense of a goat).
Hard to tell from the photo, but are you Strap Inside or Strap Outside?
Strap-on!
EDIT: Strap Outside. My head seems to fit somewhere between M & L in most helmets, so I'm going with the M Blitz (helmet) which is too snug to try and get the goggles inside. The insert that comes with it is lovely and comfy anyway, so the straps are staying outside. I've never felt the need for a beanie inside a helmet anyway - they've always been warm enough for me if the fit is snug.
Strap-on!
That explains the pout. 😉
Yeah I've never seen the appeal of putting the goggle strap inside, it's nice and comfy on the outside.
I think it is purely driven by fashion as the competition riders sometimes do it (shows off their sponsor's stickers on the helmet, hides non-sponsor logos on the straps, and means they can quickly whip the helmet off at the finish)
Prizm lens is great in low light. Sorry DD
No need to apologise, it's only a pair of goggles! Maybe it was in bright light...can't quite remember. Anyway, something, not least the price, put me off them... In the end, it came down to comfort and how they felt with the helmet, and that the Smiths make me look like more of a fighter pilot. 🙂
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Quick takes your clothes off, oil up and let's play some volleyball.
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whatnobeer and anyone else out in Whistler may appreciate this:
DD - you suit the Smiths.
Piemonster - thank you so much for posting the photos, it's seriously cheering an unhappy bunnyhop up 🙂
in the end, it came down to comfort and how they felt with the helmet
Hehehehehehe
This really is a very good holiday day 😀
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Anyway, off out for a meal. Fuelling up for La Plagne tomorrow!
Lots of pics of LP tomorrow please!
I did a tandem paraglide in the Alps once. It's up there alongside gliding as one of the most boring things I've ever done. Landing on the town football pitch on skis was fun though.
I can't imagine it being boring in Les Arcs - that valley is packed with rivers, train lines, bridges, power lines - the lot!
I couldn't either. Nearly fell asleep. 🙂
I like those Smiths good choice. What helmet do you have? (S****) no seriously
😀
No seriously...
It's an Anon Blitz (in same colourway as image below...)
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Which I really like apart from two niggles...the goggle strap clasp at the back isn't up to much. The ear pads feel like they're really squashing your ears until you take the removable pads out...don't think I'll be putting any music stuff in there (rarely boarding on my own anyway and even if I was, I'd prefer to be able to hear somebody shouting me).
EDIT: another nice touch on the Smiths is the silicone on the inside of the strap which grips my helmet 😀 nicely.
Ah ok the goggle clasp on my helmet is toast, i had to tug my helmet hard 😀 to get them off . That's why I need a new one , but if your helmet isnt better than my helmet I might need to look at someone else's helmet . 😀
Ah, and another nice thing about my helmet is a (removable) fleece liner which sits over your forehead in case you get a gaper-gap. You can just see it (in black) at 11 o'clock from the right ear pad vents. It's height adjustable.
Have been enjoying the pictures and links to get me in the mood for my trip out to Morzine.
Never boarded there before but reckon it looks pretty good at the moment.
Only problem is I got a call yesterday to tell me that crystal ski (why oh why did I do that) have overbooked my hotel and they are offering me an alternative... unfortunately it isn't in the village and we've booked B&B... they have offered to upgrade to half board but our friends are staying in the village as well so don't really want to be stuck out in the sticks.
Anyone ever had any of this nonsense? Worried for our holiday now... just want to get out there. Give me tales of incredible upgrades that kept you happy... please?
Good luck e-worry. It'll be fine, we were stuck out with a 2.8km walk from the centre - walk home was a bit of a drag, but a bit of low-impact exercise at the end of the evening probably did us good!
And I had a flipping brilliant time riding in Morzine and Les Gets - loads of really fun riding off piste and lots of it directly under the lifts so you can pick your lines beforehand. I love that!
Enjoy!
Electric Worry - where are they putting you up? A few good spots that aren't in Morzine itself but have a few bars etc but I'd push hard to be either in LG or Morzine unless you;ve got a car. Feel from to email me if you want some more advice / info about where you're staying 🙂
ps. Take your suncream - looking mild out there at there at the minute!
We got back from St Anton last night.
Nearly went horribly wrong from the start with the baggage belts at Gatwick being out of action and thousands of bags backed up. Luckily a mate was picking us up the other end, so we had the flexibility to hang about and wait for the next couple of flights - they turned up about 6 hours later. Memo to self - pack ski trousers, goggles and gloves in hand luggage at the very least - everything else is easy enough to hire or make do without.
- 1st day: Rendl. Found some great powder runs on the far right of the area. Spotting lines from the lift. Great fun.
- 2nd day: hungover scratching round on the pistes in low vis, finding bumps with our knees and ice with our arses. Not far off being minus fun. Following a mate who knows his way around the restaurants, pistes, lifts and bars. Nice lunch.
- 3rd day: Zurs, on the St Anton side of the valley - more great powder from the top of the gondola, making our way further over with each run. Really fun, varied terrain, best turns of the trip, I reckon. Alarming grated cheese/grated horseradish mix-up at lunch.
- Last day: hot and sunny half day (flying home in the evening). Drove to Lech, ended up riding the off piste itineraries and variants on the far left of Zug, then carving creamy pistes back to Lech again. - managed a few proper eurocarves, Stevo! No documentary evidence, though. Probably a good thing, too. I'd only be disappointed with how far off the horizontal I was. I'll stick with self delusion!
Mate booked this one, and wanted to stay in St Anton cos he's well into the Apres - and covering the miles on the pistes, big multi-valley circuits - pretty much the exact opposite of my idea of a good time! 3 of us had different ideas and split off for a decent chunk of the time.
I would definitely go back. So much there. Would like to stay further over, round Lech/Warth (budget dependent!) eat in more, drink far less and spend the savings on a guide.
Happened us a few years ago (Inghams IIRC). We were booked into stay in the same village (Kaprun) as friends but got bumped to Zell. Ended up in an amazing hotel on the edge of a frozen lake. Mrs DD was booked into ski lessons, so I decided after a horrible week's boarding in Montgenevre a few years previous, given that the snow was powdery, that I'd give boarding another go. Instructor figured out I shouldn't have been riding goofy, switched me around, which sorted me right out...and I never set foot in skis again. Met some amazing new people that we eneded up holidaying with for a good few years after.
So you never know, it might be the best holiday you'll ever have.
Or it might be shittily lonely.
Have a good one whatever! 😀
Hi dashed.
They are currently trying to stick us in the viking - which in itself wouldn't be the worst thing but the pleney gondola only runs until 20.00. Also return flight requires us to be down the mountain before the gondola opens in the morning... so not really great. Especially as I finally convinced some mates to head out and stay in the village with us.
Thing is I've checked a few websites today and there's very little alternative accommodation available.. really just want what we booked - especially as the microbrewery bar over the road is nice.
Sure it will still be cool DD - stayed in Saalbach before and boarded Zell Am See. It's nice down there, and the area links up quite well with buses and lifts.
Always good to meet new people, but not so keen on the weird isolationist hotel at the top of the pleney lift!
Hopefully they'll come back to me with a better offer this afternoon.... we shall see.
Crack out the Jägermeister as it's the Schladming Night Slalom tonight on iplayer and the red button if such a thing still exists.
First run at 1640, Second run at 1940
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/winter-sports/35348455
Could be worse than the Viking - ski-in, ski-out! Never stayed there though, so don't know what it's like inside, and not sure how they're going to manage to get you down before the lift opens - personal skidoo shuttle? 😉
To be honest, I've always found Morzine more of an "apres" place; so beers straight off the slopes (busy bar at the bottom of Pleney for example - can't remember the name, but very obvious and very handy for you) as well as Bec Jaune microbrewery you mentioned. Tends to be much quieter, families, food etc in town by 8pm. So I'd have no issues with a few beers after boarding then back in the lift and up to the hotel for dinner but the problem would be if you wanted to eat out in the town in the evening.
I'd see what else they offer you, but might be further out in one of the other towns such as St Jean or Montriond and a right faff as bus ride away...
Yeah, not keen on being too far out. Ideal would be somewhere with at least an option of an evening or 2 out in the week. Fair point on the apres thing - usually too knackered to actually have a night out but feel that having convinced people to come out as well it would be a bit of a gip not to socialise.
Viking- although it's in a great location for the slopes I've heard pretty bad things about the food and we had planned for eating out.
Personal skidoo might be necessary... or an early morning snowboard run with suitcases would be on the cards I guess.... in the dark....
No car unfortunately, I usually don't do the package thing but thought it would be easier to bundle it all.... not gonna do that again.
No car unfortunately, I usually don't do the package thing but thought it would be easier to bundle it all.... not gonna do that again.
I've use Crystal (and some of the other package operators) a few times and never had any issues - got some crazy bargains too. Think you've just been unlucky.
My main irritation with Crystal is being forced to get up at **** o'clock to arrive 3hrs early for the flight.
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Spring snow conditions especially in the afternoon.
Glad I've not booked for Easter 😈
I've booked Les Gets for Easter.
Easter skiing in slush is cool 🙂
PM - I find the ridiculously early collection time, then trailing around other hotels to arrive at the hotel 30 mins before the fight more of a problem.
EW - I wouldn't worry too much about having to get your luggage down. It should really be Crystal's responsibility to sort it. We've had various taxis, skidoos and golf buggies carting luggage around pedestrian village centres or up hills while we walk to our accommodation. Never had to organise it though.
igm - which week, first or second?
We're out Tue29th - Thur7th
whatnobeer and anyone else out in Whistler may appreciate this:
Yeah, I remember hearing about this from last year - If I remember rightly the women in the video was arrested but the bloke managed to get out of the country before being arrested.
This is one of my favourite Whistler videos:
Whatnobeer that is GOLD thanks for posting
Thanks PM!
Stoner - 1st. Keep telling myself it's early this year.
Note to the organised. Next year (2017) Easter is late, but Feb half term is split over two weeks depending on where you are. We're in the cheaper of the two weeks and getting it for less than the same holiday at Easter this year.
Will see if we can't link up on plenney then one day
With regards to the viking in moraine.
I have been twice with the wife. Couldn't praise it more. Food might not be to 5 star standard but there is plenty of it. They are not even bothered about you making a packet lunch from the breakfast buffet.
The gondola runs late nights so you can still spend the evenings chasing chalet maids. As for the early morning transfer, you luggage is transferred to the top of the gondola by the hotels ski doo. The gondola will open for you we had a 6am transfer last Jan.
Sunrise breakfasts and first cuts in the corduroy are worth it. Trust me.
Certainly all the photos I am seeing look very Spring like as does Les Arcs (@piemonster)
Just booked myself flights to calgary. Last 2 weeks in March. I have skied banff and lake louise before but does anyone have any advice on revelstoke? Anyone been heli skiing? With 2 dollers to the pound it's not the stupid money it use to be. Big bucket list one that.
I went to Revy a couple of years ago, and really enjoyed it. It reminded me of my favourite (and secret) Canadian resort, but with more modern lifts.
It's a very modern development with good lifts (gondolas with mid-stations) and posh eateries and condos at the bottom. The mountain is pretty 'volcano-shaped' so once you're at the top, you can go pretty much anywhere and end up getting a cat track back to the lift. The mid station means you can stay high also.
It's a very long vertical drop, you can really stack up the km's
Lift queues on powder days may look bad at the bottom (for Canada), but people disperse quickly at the top. There's also some good off-piste available a short hike from the top. I didn't get to experience the Cat/Heli skiing, but it's all serviced from the Resort base so very simple.
I stayed in town (10 min drive) and it's great. Go and eat in the Village Idiot, it's absolutely brilliant (and gets busy, so go early or book).
From Calgary, I would recommend a stop off if you're driving yourself. I was knackered by the time I got to Golden. Plus, you have to get over the Roger's Pass which is sometimes closed for avalanche control. The good news is you'll gain an hour from Golden to Revy.
Good info on the Viking dair86. Perhaps its not as much doom and gloom as I was thinking. So long as I get some boarding done, perhaps some earlier nights might be better for us anyway! Glad the food at the Viking isn't as bed as the Trip advisor whingers were making out.
Getting excited again now... will see what the next phone call from crystal brings...
The early morning flight out there might get me an extra afternoon on the slopes as well!
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Oh dear me these are beautiful. Wood grain and mad shapes . 2017 want
I want thone Powder Wolf graphics on skis! Lovely.
After dithering so much about the goggles, I had to make an emergency bindings purchase on Tuesday. 😡
(note to self...check hardware at least a few weeks before packing 😳 )