ยฃ4.50 WHERE SOLD
OCT17 Action shots + News + Ski technique on artificial snow + Off-piste tips + Ski fitness + Snow wear + Resort insider + Dates for your diary + Web news
OFF-PISTE ODYSSEYS
AMERICA... BY BUS
HOT STUFF
We try four freeride experiences to transform your powder performance
It will save you cash, but will this road trip in the Rockies mean roughing it?
We discover the snowmaking machines that can work at +32ยบC
LA GRAVE
SAVED SAVED SAVED
SKIS, BOOTS, BOARDS
Freeride issue publication
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Photo: David Le Guen/TGM
EDITOR’S NOTE
EDITOR Colin Nicholson colin.nicholson@skiclub.co.uk
I
t’s easy to be wise after the event, but for many years the future of the French resort of La Grave hung in the balance. This mecca for freeride (that’s the trendy term for off-piste, by the way) could easily have closed. So it is wonderful news that this unique ski area on the fearsome La Meije mountain has
in hotels, apartments and restaurants rather than in snowmaking factories, which are often remarkably energy-efficient. That is not to let the winter sports industry off the hook. The energy wastage in hotels can be huge, as anyone who has stayed in an overheated room will testify.
been saved and that its iconic gondola has been given a new lease of life — a new lease that lasts 30 years, to be precise. The investment reflects the enduring appeal and resilience of snowsports. It is this popularity that confounds critics of skiing, who would have us believe that skiing is elitist, not eco-friendly and more dangerous than it is. In truth, you are far more likely to get hurt playing rugby or even five-a-side football. As for the elitist tag, the package prices you find online quickly put paid to that idea. If you book one of those £440 deals expecting to join a bunch of old Etonians you’re in for quite a surprise. But the most common criticism of skiing is an environmental one. Snowmaking gets some campaigners het up because it further warms the planet. (Though curiously nobody seems to find it perverse to have airconditioning in their villas and cars on their summer holidays by the Mediterranean.) What Ski+board has uncovered is that the energy required for snowmaking represents a tiny percentage of a town’s requirements. So our main focus should be on energy wastage
In January, I spent much of my ski holiday under the basin in the hotel bathroom. Days of conversations with hotel managers, electricians and plumbers had failed to find a way of cooling our room. We left the window open day and night; we kept the bathroom door closed. In the end, we found the only way to keep the room at a bearable temperature was to switch off the hot water supply under the basin and only turn it on as needed. (Ironically the controls were under a notice that said we could save the planet by not leaving used towels on the floor.) So perhaps before we all engage in another bout of soul-searching about artificial snow we should set about tackling 95 per cent of the problem, not the five per cent.
Skiing’s enduring appeal confounds its critics, who would have us believe that it is elitist, not eco-friendly and more dangerous than it is
The cover shot by Kene Ezeji-Okoye is of the glacier at La Grave. The French resort’s historic gondola, top, was recently saved — Page 18
Colin Nicholson Ski+board Editor Ski+board
October 2017
skiclub.co.uk
DEPUTY EDITOR Harriet Johnston harriet.johnston@skiclub.co.uk DESIGNER Amanda Barks MEDIA SALES Madison Bell madisonbell.com jack.daly@madisonbell.com 020 7389 0859 OVERSEAS MEDIA SALES Martina Diez-Routh martina.diez-routh@skiclub.co.uk +44 (0) 7508 382 781 PUBLISHER Ski Club of Great Britain London SW19 5SB skiclub.co.uk | 020 8410 2000 DISTRIBUTION Jellyfish Print Solutions Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Independently audited circulation of 19,907 (January to December 2016) Issue 197 © Ski Club of Great Britain 2017 ISSN 1369-8826 Ski+board is printed by Precision Colour Printing, Telford TF7 4QQ All material is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the prior written permission of the publisher. All prices are based on information available at the time of going to press. Opinions expressed in Ski+board are not necessarily those of the Ski Club of Great Britain, nor does the publisher accept responsibility for advertising content.
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CONTENTS
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6 EXPOSURE Rediscover the mountains in winter by immersing yourself in action shots of epic beauty
10 YOU SAY Resorts make lakes, survey results revealed, flights of fantasy and your Ski+board survey comments
11 SKI CLUB NEWS A tribute to Frank McCusker, the chief executive of the Ski Club, who died unexpectedly this summer
13 NEWS Inghams’ ski hosts return to Italy, snowboarding sees a revival and tour operator prices rise less than expected
18 LA GRAVE SAVED Ski+board travels to La Grave for one final fling before it closes for ever — only to hear news of its salvation
26 FEEL FREE... Four writers learn the secrets of skiing off-piste, from signing up to boot camps to going back stage at pro comps
32 AN ALL-AMERICAN BUS TRIP Ski pass, check, bus pass, check — we attempt the ultimate road trip through the resorts of the Rockies... without a car
38 BLOWING HOT AND COLD Discover the remarkable story of how a snowmaking machine that works at +32°C was created in a South African gold mine
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Photo: Breckenridge
FEATURES
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THE INSIDE EDGE 44 TECHNIQUE We give you the drills that can improve your skiing, whether you’re on a dry slope in the UK or on artificial snow
47 OFF-PISTE Our resident expert looks at what we can expect of the coming winter snow-wise and assesses avalanche risks
48 FITNESS Start your skiing day with exercises that open up your hips and you will find you expand your skiing potential
50 SNOW WEAR
Photo:
Embrace the fun side of skiing by catching up with the latest fashion trends — including the return of the salopette
58 SKI TESTS
Photo: Chamonix/Pascal Pellet Doyen
Photo: TGM/T Lamiche
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Elite athletes, top instructors and kit experts bring you unbiased reviews of the 25 best freeride skis on the market
68 BOOTS Tackle sheer faces, then stroll to your favourite restaurant — we bring you the freeride boots that can do both with ease
72 GEAR Get hold of the latest gloves to eliminate faff and keep your digits comfy and cosy on even the coldest days
74 SNOWBOARDS From tip to tail — these freestyle sticks are shaping up to be unique with creative changes across the board
78 RESORT INSIDER We cover six ski areas, all with new lifts for this season, that will give you access to some amazing freeride experiences Ski+board
October 2017
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LOCATION Whistler, Canada PHOTOGRAPHER
Guy Fattal SKIER
Robert Aaring Some days are full of surprises. Guy Fattal and Robert Aaring were frustrated when, in an otherwise perfect March, clouds rolled in as they were touring Whistler’s backcountry. So they checked out the ice cave on the Decker glacier. They couldn't believe it when they saw that the snow and wind had created the chance to ski into and jump out of the cave. Performing and shooting the flat spin 360 was a surreal experience for skier and photographer alike. Afterwards, they picked up some blue ice from the cave and enjoyed it in their drinks that evening, as they celebrated the unique opportunity.
Ski+board
October 2017
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LOCATION
Chamonix, France PHOTOGRAPHER
Jeremy Bernard When you’re off-piste you don’t want to take a wrong turn, as this photo from the Freeride World Tour shows. In fact, behind all the seemingly effortless squiggles that competitors carve in the powder, lies months of planning that may even involve studying photos of how snow has fallen over the season. Ski+board’s Harriet Johnston joined the athletes on tour to find out their secrets and reveals all on page 30.
Ski+board
October 2017
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YOU SAY
Our desire to reach for the skies while skiing is clearly nothing new
Photo: George Bliss
The third print issue of Ski+board last season covered ways to combine skiing and flying including the new WingJump, pictured right. But Switzerland Tourism’s image bank reminds us that nothing is ever new. It provided this photo by Karl Meuser, dating from
The Swiss resort of Lenzerheide is creating lakes to ensure its snow cannons don’t need mains water
around 1960, taken in Engelberg. Talk about bringing us down to earth with a bump!
Your survey comments: I would be interested to see cheaper holidays itemised and commented on, plus how to get reasonably priced off-piste guiding for, say, two days of a holiday. But maybe these would conflict with the Freshtracks programme. Ski+board writes: The ‘dynamic pricing’ tour operators use makes it impossible to list deals in advance, but we offer tips on page 15. For off-piste guiding in France it is hard to beat the Ski Club’s own Instructor-led Guiding programme. I wanted to advertise a flat in a resort but saw there were no longer any ‘small ads’. Are they not economical any more? Ski+board writes: Not at all. We welcome adverts of all sizes. Call 020 7389 0859 or email jack.daly@madisonbell.com
Got something to say? Share it with us at: @TheSkiClub
/theskiclub
skiclub.co.uk Ski Club of Great Britain, The White House, 57-63 Church Road, Wimbledon Village, London SW19 5SB email: colin.nicholson@skiclub.co.uk
Do resorts do enough to ensure they’re not left high and dry? I read with interest the news item in the February/March 2017 issue of Ski+board about the row in France about using mains water to make artificial snow. We were skiing in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, at Christmas, and were surprised to find that my son had vanished on the run back from Arosa. When he re-appeared he told us he had discovered the most beautiful lake. So on the next run down we all stopped, took off our skis and walked over the little ridge to see it for ourselves. We then saw the noticeboard that told us it had been created to save water and was used to make artificial snow. We also found a lake on the other side
of the resort which was not there when we last visited. We wonder how many other resorts have been as efficient as Lenzerheide, given the huge number of snowmaking machines every resort now uses. While artificial snow is fine, it does get very icy. And when the pistes are narrow, there is no run-off, which became nervewracking with the Christmas crowds. Could you provide tips on skiing on artificial snow? I am a competent skier but found that often I was just sliding around on the ice, and seemed only able to ski properly once I reached real snow.
Veronica Bliss Ski technique — Page 44
Thank you for giving us feedback Every year, Ski+board asks a randomly picked group of readers what they thought of last season’s magazines. Some 2,000 members were sent questionnaires and 149 replied, for which many thanks. Similar to last year, 88 per cent agreed with the statement that Ski+board was a valuable part of their membership. Readers were then asked to rate (from nought to ten) how interesting they found the sections. The average rating for features this year was steady at 6.2, and for regulars it rose to 6.7. Features rated most interesting were ‘Lessons in fair play’ about instructors
in France, which scored 7.6, ‘On patrol with the mountain’s guardian angels’ — 7.2, ‘May the piste be with you’ about snowmaking — 6.8, and ‘The Olympics to be held in the shadow of the bomb’ and the feature on new lifts — both 6.6. The most popular regulars were: News 7.9, Resort insider 7.7, Technique 7.6, Off-piste and fitness 7.4, Ski tests 7.3, Boots 7.1, Exposure 6.8, Gear 6.7, Snow wear 5.9 and Snowboards 2.3.
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SKI CLUB NEWS
A personal tribute to Ski Club chief executive Frank McCusker
New office space secured in Wimbledon for club’s operations
Colin Nicholson
The Ski Club has found a new base. It will rent office space in Connect House, Alexandra Road, near Wimbledon Station. The club’s operations will take up most of the purpose-built office building’s ground floor. The space is being prepared for the club, and a move is pencilled in for mid-November. Ski+board will keep readers updated through the season. The club’s old base, the White House, needs major work, due to its age. The Ski Club’s Council wants to focus resources on services and benefits, not property, and sold it for £3,875,000 in December 2016.
Frank McCusker, who died of a heart attack on a cycling trip near his home in June, had a reputation in the ski industry as a tough-talking Glaswegian. But this does little credit to his charm and perseverance — he was also a good listener and critical thinker. He joined the Ski Club as its chief executive in 2012 on a mission to rethink how things were done, and fair play was his motto. So he overhauled the Ski Club’s insurance policies, offering marketleading prices while still catering to older skiers and those with existing health conditions. The result was a huge increase in demand and income for the club. With the new Platinum membership, which includes insurance, he brought new and lapsed members into the fold, raising membership levels once more. He also persuaded key figures in the ski industry to set up the British Snowsports Fund to back British athletes and encourage wider participation in skiing. Not all his projects came to fruition. In one case a would-be partner was found to have been ‘economical’ with the truth. Sorting out the fallout, he was heard on the phone to his children, Archie, 14, and Molly, 12, explaining why he was working late, finishing with the words: “You see, that is why we must always be honest.” He was brought up on a farm in SouthWest Scotland, the fourth of five children. His oldest sister, Maureen, recalls how their father Jack, who took over the farm after returning from the War, got the boys to mow and roll the lawn, while the girls went out with scissors to tackle any dandelions that had escaped the chop. Rebellious years followed at university in Glasgow, where he studied agricultural economics, when not waylaid by sport. A Celtic fan and rugby player, he hobbled into an interview at Christian Salvesen. He got the job and it was working there that he met his wife Stephanie. He went on to Carlson Marketing Group, where he specialised in loyalty marketing, and it was here his reformist zeal came out. One of my close friends,
Date set for annual general meeting Frank McCusker brought charisma to his role
who also worked there, once famously pinned him up against a wall with a complaint about his appointees. I only admitted this to Frank recently, but he was never one to bear a grudge, going all misty-eyed and recalling my friend with the words: “Oh yes, what a lovely lady.” He meant it. Frank was a ‘people’ person and, after a stint at running a consultancy from his home near Banbury, Oxfordshire, was glad to join the Ski Club. But in 2013 he suffered a heart attack, after which he had a stent fitted and made changes to his lifestyle. Out went the biscuits in the office and pizza at Council meetings, in came fruit and salad. Indeed, my abiding recollection of Frank was of him munching an apple as I raised some issue relating to Ski+board. It was as if he was digesting my words with every crunch. When I had finished, he would invariably begin: “Why...?” He often terrified me with his ambition for the club, coming in like a typhoon and turning everything upside down, even selling its Wimbledon headquarters. But having fought my own battles to reform the way things were done on the magazine — especially when the reason was “we’ve always done things like that” — I developed a better understanding of Frank. He will be missed. Ski+board
October 2017
skiclub.co.uk
The Ski Club’s 110th annual general meeting will take place at 6pm on Thursday November 16 this year. The venue will be the City of London Club, at 19 Old Broad Street. More details will be in the next issue of Ski+board, due to be with members by October 28. Names of those standing for election to the two available places on the Council will be included in the annual report and accounts, a link to which will also be emailed to members in October. If you wish to attend, or have any questions you would like to see raised, please email agm@skiclub.co.uk.
The search begins to find a new leader Following the sad and unexpected passing of Frank McCusker, the Ski Club is seeking a new chief executive to lead the club and drive it forward, building on the successes achieved so far. The club is keen to continue to raise its profile at home and abroad, so is seeking a bold, dynamic leader to shape and execute the next stage of growth, while continuing to promote the club as the UK’s independent voice of snowsports. The search is being run by Warren Partners, a well-established executive recruitment agency based in Pall Mall.
schoeffel.de For stockists information call:
01572 770900
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NEWS
Snowmaking responsible for less than 5% of a resort’s energy use
British athletes given £200,000 lottery cash for Winter Olympics
Colin Nicholson
Harriet Johnston
Snowmaking accounts for no more than five per cent of a resort’s electricity use, Ski+board has discovered. Zermatt has revealed that covering its 200km of pistes used 4.8, 4.6 and 6 Gigawatt-hours in 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively. By contrast, the Swiss town as a whole uses about 100GWh a year. The weather in all three years was challenging and the figure for 2016 is high because most snow production for 2015-16 was done in January 2016, while most for the 2016-17 season was done in November and December of the same calendar year. Another Swiss resort, Laax, also with 200km of pistes, uses 2GWh a year on snowmaking. Unlike Zermatt it does not offer summer skiing. But the proportion of this against the overall usage of a resort has proved remarkably hard to ascertain. Some environmental campaigners point to snowmaking as an example of the ‘unsustainable’ nature of downhill skiing. But Ski+board’s findings suggest they should rather focus on energy saving in the resorts and villages themselves, which consume vastly more electricity. The technology behind snowmaking
British skiers and snowboarders will receive an extra £211,567 of National Lottery money ahead of this February’s Winter Olympics in Korea. The new money will help fund not just ‘slopestyle’ competitors, but also Slalom athlete Dave Ryding (pictured) and cross-country skier Andrew Musgrave, as last season’s results mean both are in the running for a medal in PyeongChang. How Ski+board covered the workings of the giant snowmaking factory in Val d’Isère last year
continues to evolve rapidly. As Ski+board reveals on page 38, Zermatt has an installation that can create snow at +32°C — and it has a remarkable history. Meanwhile, an Italian firm that makes portable snow machines that can work at the same temperature has won contracts in Norway and Alpe d’Huez. Glencoe has launched a £500,000 crowdfunding bid to buy one (see bit.ly/glencoesnowmaking). The machines, made by TechnoAlpin in Bolzano, were initially used to let racers train and compete in low season. But their usage is growing. The one in Alpe d’Huez means it can open its 11-16km ‘black’ Sarenne run without natural snowfall.
Inghams resumes hosting in Italy Inghams is reintroducing its popular hosting service in Italy. Also known as social skiing, this involves hosts — the tour operator’s resort reps — showing guests around the pistes for free. Though no teaching is involved, the instructors’ association in Piedmont challenged the legality of hosting, so Inghams, along with Crystal and Neilson, withdrew hosts across Italy in late 2014. Inghams, and sister brands Ski Total and Esprit, will offer hosts in 12 Italian resorts not in Piedmont. A spokeswoman said: “With the weak pound, guests are looking for added value and this is ideal
The orientation days are very popular with guests
for friends, couples or single travellers who are red-run competent and want to make the most of time on the mountain.” The legal challenge to the hosting ban in France continues to be fought by Le Ski, backed by larger tour operators. Ski+board
October 2017
skiclub.co.uk
Roam in Switzerland for free but not Andorra As Elevation reported in May, the European Union ban on roaming charges does not cover Andorra and Switzerland. But major networks have now included Switzerland in the deal, with calls, texts and data usage abroad treated as part of a mobile phone user’s monthly allowance. The EU directive came into force in June, covering the 28 members of the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. But networks such as BT and EE have included 17 more territories, mostly EU dependencies, plus Switzerland. Calls can still cost £1 a minute in Andorra.
... and pick up a cheap Swiss lift pass too It has long been the case that skiers in the US are best off buying a season pass, if they stay more than a week. But now Swiss ski areas are offering cut-price season tickets to lure skiers daunted by the high value of the Swiss Franc. The 4 Vallées area, which includes Verbier and Nendaz, has cut the price of its season ticket from CHF1,402 (£1,124) to CHF400 (£320) for under-25s who sign up before November 30. A few weeks ago, Saas-Fee was offering a season pass for CHF233 (£180) for skiers of any age.
Resort insider — Page 78
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N EWS
Support is growing for a regular Sunday Ski Train to the Alps
Skiplex hits the end of the conveyor belt Skiplex, which ran treadmill-style ski slopes in Reading, Basingstoke and Chiswick, has gone into liquidation. The advantage of such slopes, where it is not the skier but a carpet under them that moves, is they take up little space, and there is no need for a ski lift. Also the inclination of the slope can be altered. Ski+board tried it out last season and found it worked fine for snowploughs. But parallel turns are tricky as you have no momentum to balance the centripetal force. For good skiers, most of the UK’s scores of artificial slopes prove better.
Club strong in Tignes despite loss of Alpaca The Alpaca hotel in Tignes, a popular hang-out for Ski Club members, is to be demolished to make way for a new hotel. Jill and Sander Carling, who owned the Alpaca for more than 30 years, have sold it to developers, who plan to build a 180-bed spa-hotel. But the club remains strong in Tignes and Val d’Isère, which have the most active Facebook groups. Some members post all summer long to give updates on events such as skiing on Bastille Day, while others organise the legendary Ski Club Christmas dinner, even uploading the (optional) song sheet.
Our appetite for skiing and snowboarding is undimmed, with resorts such as Saalbach rated highly
Snowboarding makes comeback as winter sports hold their appeal Daniel Loots Snowboarding is rising in popularity again after years of decline, according to the Ski Club’s Consumer Research Survey. The club sent its questionnaire to more than a million Britons via 34 organisations, such as tour operators, airlines, retailers and other snowsports partners. It received 12,000 replies. Of those, 17 per cent had snowboarded on their last winter holiday, up on 12 per cent last year. Clearly many are also skiers, as the figure for skiing was 88 per cent, down from 92 per cent. Freestyle skiing was up from four to eight per cent. The study, also found that despite
the uncertainty around Brexit and the resulting plunge in the pound, 52 per cent of respondents said it wouldn’t affect their holiday plans for the coming season. Andorra and Eastern Europe were the two areas to improve retention rates, the latter probably due to a poor winter before last. Andorra, which has had a spate of good seasons, saw its retention rise from 46 to 52 per cent. Soldeu/El Tartar was also ranked among the 15 most popular resorts — a list that includes Whistler and Banff, in Canada, and Saalbach, Austria. France maintains the highest retention rate with 69 per cent planning to return.
Briton, 62, sets snowboard record A Briton has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for a snowboarding endurance feat — at the tender age of 62. Keith Hayes, from Northampton, achieved the greatest vertical distance snowboarded in a resort in 12 hours using only ski lifts — 19,000 metres. The taxman did it on March 12 when visiting his son Kai, 21, a Ski Club member doing a season in Sun Peaks, Canada. He raised £600 for the Epilepsy Foundation. Keith said: “I had my first lessons at the Milton Keynes snowdome in my early 40s. I’m a windsurfer so travelling sideways on was always easier for me.”
A fast lift carried Keith Hayes to the Sundance run
Photo: Österreich Werbung/Dietmar Sochor
A petition has been launched at bit.ly/ sundayskitrain for a regular Sunday Ski Train to the Alps. Eurostar’s first Sunday Ski Trains ran last winter for the two half-term weeks. But this season only the week of February 10 is covered. It says more are “not feasible”. Friday night and Saturday trains run all winter. But James Box at travel agent Iglu said: “Back in the 1990s, when Eurostar launched the Ski Train, almost all ski trips were Saturday to Saturday, but last season it just was 63 per cent. That’s a large potential market for Eurostar.”
Photo:
Daniel Elkan
N EWS
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Holiday prices rise but not as fast as the euro
Photo:
Colin Nicholson
Tour operators are holding back from passing on all costs to skiers, given the euro’s 20 per cent rise
Tour operator prices for this season are seven to eight per cent higher than last winter, according to a financial researcher. Bernstein, which monitors holiday firms, said that while Tui, which owns Crystal, and Thomas Cook had ‘hedged’ currencies and fuel before the Brexit vote, that advantage was lost this season. But it also said the price rise covered just half the increase in cost for tour operators. Indeed, Bernstein said that after signs of an attempt to raise prices by 12 to 13 per cent, tour operators relented for fear of losing customers. It concluded that from an investor’s point of view this was “unsustainable”. A few weeks ago the euro was 20 per cent higher against sterling than on referendum day on June 23, 2016. Comparing tour operators’ prices has become harder since they introduced ‘dynamic pricing’ — where prices online vary according to demand, rather than being fixed in a brochure at the start of the
season. So Bernstein’s research is one of the few indicators, though it has its flaws from a skier’s point of view, as it includes summer sun holidays, but not the trips offered by Neilson and Inghams. A study by Ski+board of trips offered by Inghams, which still prints a brochure, as well as offering dynamic pricing online, suggests the rise is typically five per cent. Crystal confirmed prices were going up, but a spokeswoman said: “Bookings for this winter are well ahead of last.” Neilson pointed to the popularity of chalet hotels, where afternoon tea and wine is included. With British staff, these have seen some of the lowest price rises — some of just £10 in the Inghams brochure. Those without children should avoid school holidays, when prices can double. Because foreign school dates can be hard to determine, Ski+board has once again compiled holiday dates for the major European skiing nations below.
Principal school holiday dates by country Week starting Dec 9 Dec 16 Dec 23 Dec 30 Jan 6 Jan 13 Jan 20 Jan 27 Feb 3 Feb 10 Feb 17 Feb 24 Mar 3 Mar 10 Mar 17 Mar 24 Mar 31 Apr 7 Apr 14
GB
France
Germany
Netherlands
Spain
Italy
Belgium
Switzerland
One of America’s giant ski areas restricts entry — ‘due to the crowds’ Alf Alderson Utah’s Powder Mountain is one of the biggest ski areas in the US, with more than 8,000 skiable acres (3,250 hectares). But until now it has limited the number of lift tickets sold each day to 2,000. When Ski+board visited in February half-term, the slopes were deserted, the 12.5 metres of annual powder untouched and the longest lift ‘queue’ consisted of just five people. But now the resort has decided that even this is too much, and this season is dropping the limit to 1,500 lift tickets a day.
Now that really is a mammoth winter The 2016-17 ski season at Mammoth Mountain has finally ended. Despite having no glacier, the Californian resort only stopped its lifts on August 6, In marked contrast to the Alps, the Sierra Nevadan resort’s record 270-day season saw 16 metres of snowfall, with the snowpack standing at 7.6 metres. Conditions on the last day in the resort, which is part of the Mountain Collective (see below), were good, with skiers and snowboarders in T-shirts and shorts. They’ll be back soon. Mammoth plans to reopen on November 9.
When will the snow arrive? — Page 47
£365 lift pass spanning five continents grows Niseko has signed up to the Mountain Collective pass, which gives holders 40 days’ skiing at 20 resorts in the Americas, Australasia, Europe and Japan. It joins Hakuba, also in Japan, Chamonix, and 15 North American resorts, such as Aspen. Also new this year are Sugarbush, in Vermont, and Snowbasin, in Utah. Passes cost $469 (£365) in early September. Its rival, the Epic Pass, gives unlimited access to 12 North American resorts, including Vail and Whistler, for $859 (£665). Discounts also apply in the Alps.
Ski America on the cheap — Page 32 Ski+board
October 2017
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It’s not just me freeriding. My skis are too.
swiss.com 1 pair of skis or 1 snowboard, 1 pair of ski poles, 1 pair of ski boots or 1 pair of snowboard boots travel free of charge, in addition to standard baggage allowance and subject to availability.
Free ski transport
Made of Switzerland.
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LA GRAVE
SAVED SAVED SAVED
Ski+board visited the unique freeride area of La Grave on what was due to be one of the last days its venerable lift would run Words by Alf Alderson
TT
here’s always a certain melancholy to the last run of the season, but for me a deeper sense of gloom hung over last winter’s final descent. I was on an Easter weekend break to La Grave on what was due to be the last time anyone skied this iconic freeride resort. La Grave’s venerable Téléphérique des Glaciers de la Meije was due to close in a few days and all bids for a new 30-year lease on the gondola seemed to have come to nought. Rumours were still flying around that it might be saved, but after so many false dawns it seemed likely that the lift was destined to close for good on April 23, effectively bringing to an end skiing at this one-of-akind French resort. That would be a shame as La Grave really is a unique place. In every other resort in Europe, piste skiing is the bread and butter of the operation. Some make concessions to off-piste skiers with dedicated freeride areas here and there; others positively discourage it. But, save
for a couple of short pistes, La Grave is freeride-only, top to bottom. I, like the fellow last-minute desperadoes who had joined the Ski Club’s Freshtracks trip to the resort, was hoping against hope to find a hidden stash of powder under the mighty 3,984 metre high peak of La Meije — after all, it could be our last ever visit here. But lady luck was against us. When conditions are fickle in any other resort, you are still pretty much guaranteed decent piste skiing. On the vast, open, ungroomed slopes of the Vallons de la Meije and Vallons de Chancel we were sent bouncing, clattering and skidding down on the hard snow. At its best, La Grave will lure you in with deep, dry powder. But you may also catch it as we did — when it tests you with warm spring sunshine under clear, cobalt blue skies, with ice in the morning and slush in the afternoon. However, the main thing was that we were skiing La Grave, surrounded by the magnificent terrain that makes it so special. As one of our guides, Max,
“IN EVERY
OTHER RESORT IN EUROPE PISTE SKIING IS THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF
Photo: Tristan Shu
OPERATIONS”
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October 2017
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Photo: Tristan Shu
Photo: Alf Alderson
pointed out: “At least it’s sunny. I know people who have skied here three times and have yet to see the top of La Meije.” After our helter-skelter run to the lift station, we could see another reason why corporate buyers weren’t queuing up with open wallets to take over the resort. As we languidly climbed the mountainside in the tiny, cramped téléphérique cabin, I casually remarked that it would be nice if it could speed up — even just a bit. Another of our guides, Philippe, glanced across at me with the look of a man who had heard this a thousand times before. He smiled and advised me: “Towards the end of the day you’ll be glad of the rest it provides.” For those not au fait with La Grave’s gondola, it is one of those endangered species — a ‘pulse’ lift, where the 1970s-vintage, sunset-red and bananayellow cabins are arranged in batches of five. The entire system slows for loading and unloading every time a ‘pulse’ reaches the top, bottom or midstations. So if your pulse is halfway up the mountain when another reaches a station, you wait, dangling, while passengers above and below you load and unload, before you continue your journey towards the heavens. As a result, there was plenty of time on the 45-minute journey to contemplate the dark firs and pines below, which rise into a giant, overawing array of foreboding cliffs and crags, broken and splintered by aeons of frost and heat, with the folds and crevasses of glaciers tumbling beneath. Finally, we spilt out of the cabin at a breathtaking altitude of 3,200 metres to encounter the glacierdraped peak of La Meije glowering over us in all its uncompromising majesty. We felt we had been teleported in time and space to near the top of the world, which made the threat of closure even more heart-wrenching. Ironically, as is so often the case in the
Photo: Kene Ezeji-Okoye
From its medieval village to its rustic refuges, La Grave has the comfortable feeling of a resort that time forgot. However, its vertiginous couloirs can be treacherous
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Alps, it is when you feel sure that you are in the middle of nowhere, that the nearest resort is not far away. From the highest point of La Grave, the resort of Les Deux Alpes is just a 15-minute hike. This detail was not lost on Compagnie des Alpes, which operates the lifts at Les Deux Alpes (as well as Val d’Isère, Tignes, Les Arcs and Méribel, among others). The corporation put in a multi-million euro bid to take over the lease of its near neighbour, which would have guaranteed its future. Already intermediate skiers with a six-day pass for Les Deux Alpes can come over and take a peek at treacherous La Grave. Its six-day pass gives unlimited access to the area if you are prepared to wait for a snowcat to take you to the top and, of course, if you are prepared to do the 15-minute hike back to Les Deux Alpes. However, there were concerns in La Grave that such a major lift company would want to piste over the freeride terrain. The deal finally fell through when, exasperated, the Compagnie des Alpes reportedly said it was unable to reach “calm collaboration” with the commune and its municipal council, which demanded the ski area was kept pretty much as it was. And this not only reflected the feeling of locals, but also skiers worldwide who love this resort and the unique challenges it offers. Indeed the 2,150 metres of vertical includes some of the most challenging off-piste terrain in the world and, for myself, I soon began to fall in love with
the creaking old téléphérique, even if only because it allowed me to savour the 45-minute journey back up, just as Philippe had suggested. At the day’s end, tired, sunburnt and happy, I hobbled up to the bar in my accommodation at the Auberge Edelweiss in the medieval mountain village. There, I got chatting to the owner, Robin Gray, who has skied here since 1993 and has grown to love the place so much that he moved here with his wife Marlon in 2003. He explained the attraction of La Grave simply saying: “It’s small, unpolished and the skiing is demanding. As such it will always attract a limited number of skiers.” Day two of the Freshtracks programme should have seen us skiing La Grave again. It has a mass of couloirs and other challenging terrain, of which we had barely scratched the ice-covered surface. But with conditions so tough, our guides decided we would drive to nearby Serre Chevalier instead, where they reckoned the skiing would be less taxing. ‘Serre Che’ proved to be an absolute hoot. Its vast network of (fast) lifts and pistes meant we spent all day hooning at top speed down a succession of sunny slopes, both on and off-piste, all offering perfect spring snow. Our guide Jean-Yves knew how to follow the sun around the slopes to perfection, so that every run saw us slicing through butter-smooth snow, grinning from ear to ear. I learnt afterwards that we skied a selection of off-piste areas called Cibouit, Jackson, Couloir la Balme (nice and steep at the top, almost like La Grave…), l’Isolée, finishing on the vast, open slopes of Les Montagnolles, though with the luxury of two guides I didn’t have to care what slopes we were on, I was having so much fun. But we were here to ski La Grave. So
“LA GRAVE IS SMALL, UNPOLISHED AND THE SKIING IS DEMANDING. AS SUCH IT WILL ALWAYS ATTRACT A LIMITED NUMBER OF SKIERS”
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despite the temptation to return to Serre Che the next day for more of the same, we stayed in La Grave. After skiing a big, commercial resort like Serre Che, La Grave had the feel of a ski resort gone feral. The village is undeveloped, there are no high-rise apartments, no throbbing nightclubs or expensive ski wear boutiques. And most noticeable is the essence of La Grave’s appeal — the wild, uncompromising nature of the skiing. The slopes are bare of high-tech ski lifts, magic carpets, Mickey Mouse trails winding beneath blow-up arches and upmarket mountain restaurants. After riding Serre Che’s 62 lifts, it seemed odd to return to a resort with just three — the legendary téléphérique, and the two drag lifts at the top. These serve a couple of easy blue glacier runs, which are used mainly for locals’ race training and by those intermediate skiers venturing over from Les Deux Alpes. Both of the drag lifts take you a thighburning 400 metres in elevation to the resort’s highest point. By the time we got to the top I was beginning to wonder if my 50-something legs weren’t ready for a trade-in, so I was relieved when others in our group also complained of the strain of riding the drag. But having made it to the top, and hiking over to neighbouring Les Deux Alpes, we were at least in a position to see if conditions were better there. They weren’t. On our brief foray, the snow was so hard and my suspension so shot that my fillings almost rattled out of my teeth. We retreated to La Grave and as the day progressed the snow softened in the baking sunshine. I was glad we were with a guide. With no markers or signs, no avalanche blasting of couloirs, but cliffs and steeps aplenty, half of the people who ski here do so with a qualified mountain guide. And wisely so. Locals call it ski sauvage — wild skiing — and with reason. It has changed little over the decades. Therein lies its attraction. Which begs the question as to why, if locals and visitors are in accord, they shouldn’t band together to save the resort themselves, without the need to co-opt a corporation. That idea did gain traction — for a while. Earlier in the season it seemed the resort was about to be saved by Signal de la Grave, a crowdfunding campaign to take over the lease of the lift, which received enthusiastic support from La Grave’s fans. But though it reached its funding target in pledges, the bid was rejected by the commune on the grounds
that it preferred to look at bids from established lift operators, with all the financial security that brings. And, for all their commitment, La Grave’s regulars are few in number. By the time we stopped for lunch at the rustic and homely Refuge Evariste Chancel, we had enjoyed weaving down hundreds of metres of smooth spring
La Grave’s glacier tempts the brave
snow that, despite it being the Easter weekend, was bereft of other skiers. I sat in a T-shirt and sunglasses between Ski Club Leader Per Brunkstedt and club member Peter Norris, and together we gazed across to two of La Grave’s signature descents, the 40-degree-plus couloirs of La Banane and Patou. The slopes we had been skiing on were benign in comparison to the possibilities we were contemplating. “Would you...?” I began as I sipped an ice-cold beer, but no one volunteered to back me. “I reckon I would in good conditions,” I added, to fill the silence. Maybe it was the bravado that comes from considering a challenge from a position of comfort. Or maybe it is just that La Grave, even in sketchy conditions, can inspire the average skier to push themselves just a little bit harder than usual. But I felt a frisson. Would I ever experience this excitement again? It was several days later when I was unpacking my bags that I distractedly heard the ‘ping’ on my phone that announced an email from my friend James. I glanced at the subject line casually and did a double-take. “La Grave saved!” read the monochrome text. At first, I thought James was just messing around, then I checked the link he had sent and, sure enough, Sata, the lift company that runs Alpe d’Huez, had agreed terms with the municipal council to take on the operation for the next 30 years. The offer had been in the air for months, but on paper seemed even less promising in certain
respects than the other two bids. Why would a big company agree to the exacting demands of a tiny commune that was not even a close neighbour? Even when the proposed link between Alpe d’Huez and Les Deux Alpes is completed, which is unlikely to happen before 2021, La Grave and Alpe d’Huez will be cousins once removed. But agree they did, in a deal which stipulates that La Grave will retain its almost complete lack of groomed pistes, there will be no snowmaking, and of high-speed lifts there will be none – all requirements laid down by the commune for any successful takeover.
WHY I’VE NEVER REVISITED LA GRAVE AFTER IT ROBBED ME OF MY LOVER Few people can claim a more torrid relationship with La Grave than Arnie Wilson, who edited Ski+board for 13 years. On April 6, 1995, it claimed the life of his then partner, Lucy Dicker, just four months after they had achieved a world first — skiing every day of the year in a different resort, a feat still recorded in Guinness World Records. The current staff of Ski+board caught up with him to find out what he thought of the news that La Grave had been saved. He told them: “I’m delighted, though I’ve never been back to La Grave since 1995. I’ve only looked across at the distinctive shape of La Meije with mixed emotions. “It was probably my favourite Alpine haunt. It’s wild, challenging and unspoilt. But it doesn’t have to be dangerous. If you take the central route down, avoiding couloirs, some of which are cruelly deceptive, there’s nothing chillingly steep to worry about.” But the couloirs claimed the life of even expert of experts Doug Coombs, who twice won the World Extreme Skiing Championship. He died in the Couloir
Photo: Kene Ezeji-Okoye
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When the news was made public on May 5 it seemed almost too good to be true. Yet there it was in the contract, clearly stating among other things that “…the first and second stages of the lift will continue to lead to an unsecured off-piste area with no groomed slopes”. Furthermore, the only groomed terrain would remain those two short blue pistes on the glacier. But there will be much-needed improvements too. Under the 30-year lease, Sata has agreed to modernise the téléphérique, as well as build a new gondola, if funding can be obtained, to replace the current third stage of the pulse lift. This would take you to 3,600 metres in altitude, rather than 3,200 metres, which would do away with the long, thigh-straining ascent on what must be the world’s slowest draglift. This is a serious consideration, as
the drag really does take it out of your legs, which you need to keep as fresh as possible to take on the resort’s demanding terrain. The basic restaurants at the top and mid-station will also be improved (let’s just hope they don’t get too glitzy or expensive — my preference will always be for places like the Refuge Evariste Chancel). And, importantly for locals, many of whom work on the mountain in winter, existing staff will be kept on. Remarkably, lift ticket prices haven’t risen, which is something that often happens when a resort invests in major infrastructure improvements. A two-day pass this season will still cost €96 (the days don’t need to be consecutive), while a six-day pass will remain €258 and will still entitle you to 25 per cent off day passes at Alpe d’Huez and Serre Che. So that idiosyncratic old téléphérique
de Polichinelle with a friend on April 3, 2006. Wilson said: “It doesn’t make sense for a guy of his talent. It has never been resolved why it happened.” Wilson was, however, able to recount his own experience in an epilogue to the book he wrote about the round-the-world trip Tears in the Snow, an excerpt of which is reproduced below:
side of the funnel wall. Far away, small figures. My lover and a close friend. But something’s wrong. They’re falling. It takes my brain a few seconds to catch up with my eyes. They’re falling, tumbling, hopelessly, against the rock face at the bottom of the dog-leg. Even now, I cannot comprehend that after Lucy’s 180 falls during our round-theworld trip, this is the fall that would end it all. One moment normality, laughter, light banter. The next chaos, despair and a darkness over my soul that may never lift. Behind Lucy and our friend, our guide Olivier had tried his best to grab them, but one of his skis had been knocked off and he was helpless to stop the terrible sequence of events unfolding in front of us. She and the friend slithered into the jagged fangs of rock, and unbelievably went on falling. Towards me. I dived to catch Lucy. It wasn’t a courageous act, simply instinct borne of desperation. Together we fell down that white corridor like two rag dolls entwined in a grotesque ballet scene. We kept bouncing. First, two feet into the air. Hit the hard snow, bounced again, higher. I hung on desperately to Lucy. I felt the smooth fabric of her ski suit clutched in my hands, and the whiplash of her hair against my face as my cheek was pressed tightly against hers. I had Lucy in an iron grip, and I was never going to let her go. Two rag dolls. Juddering and thudding. Two clowns
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e had been skiing in early summer conditions all day. Fantastic powder. Soft, yielding. But the couloir we are about to attempt had been sheltered from the sun. The cold is beginning to bite, gnawing at our exposed skin with tiny rapacious teeth, and it is late afternoon with the temperature dropping by the minute. Half way down lies a sharp dog-leg. Then follows more than a thousand feet of virtually sheer drop — and these are just the early stages of the Couloir des Trifides. I knew the slope was in my capability, except it was much icier than I expected. The first drop is 300ft, rocks rushing up at me, then a frantic skitter round the bend to the right in the dog-leg, with its sharp fangs showing. And suddenly I’m going just a little too fast, using all my strength to slither to an undignified stop to save me from the plunge. “Lucy is not going to like this at all,” I think to myself. I have descended further than I realised in that helter-skelter run. But I can make her out round the
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has survived to go up and down, up and down for another three decades. It’s great to know that fears for the future of one of the most unique ski areas on the planet can now be laid to rest. The local tourist office declared itself “relieved” at the news. So am I. If the press releases are to be believed, La Grave will be pretty much the same in 30 years, as it was for my ‘last’ visit.
Alf travelled as a guest of Freshtracks (skiclub.co.uk/freshtracks; 020 8410 2022), which offers four nights half-board at the Auberge Edelweiss from £899 per person, based on two sharing, including flights from London, transfers and three full days with a local mountain guide. Trips depart on February 1, March 8 and 29. A week with six full days’ guiding starts at £1,199, with departures on January 20, February 24 and March 17.
at a circus. Tumbling for the crowds. Sometimes I was above her, sometimes beneath her. The giddy images flashed through my mind as we fell hundreds of feet, locked in our last embrace. At that speed and on that incline, there is nothing we can do as we bound ever higher and I try to cushion her against the hard-packed snow. Finally, as the giant slope flattens out, there is one huge bounce too many and we are flung apart. I lie on my face in the snow, unable to move, looking at her. I don’t think she can see me. The obscene trickle of blood bubbles from her left ear, staining the snow crimson. Frenetic activity on the mountain. Paramedics with stretchers and blankets. From two helicopters, that had come clattering over the jagged peaks. I am bleeding too. But it’s a scratch compared with Lucy. My friend is up the hill. His thigh is shattered, and one knee, too. A year later he would still be on crutches. They take him away first, under a grey blanket, to the hospital in Briançon. The second helicopter takes Lucy in the opposite direction down towards Grenoble. I would have gone with her, but with the stretcher and the paramedics there is no room. So I kneel in the snow, watching them go. Watching Lucy disappear into the late afternoon, where the sun’s crimson rays are streaking across the sky, racing into infinity. I never saw her again.
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ON COURSE TO HEAD OFF THE BEATEN TRACK Photos: Chamonix/Pascal Pellet-Doyen
Four writers go on a mission to improve their off-piste skills, starting by going back to basics Words by Susannah Osborne Chamonix, in France, offers some excellent terrain for skiers to learn — or relearn — the off-piste skills that will keep them safe
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n my 20s I lived the dream, spending two seasons snowboarding in the French Alps. My skills developed fast, especially off-piste, and I remember thinking nothing of diving into narrownecked gullies, or hucking off windlips into fields of pristine powder. That all changed with children. Chasing a pair of tykes when you’re strapped in and travelling sideways is tough. And by the time I turned 40, I had barely ventured off-piste on skis. Gone was that youthful confidence. So I signed up for the Ski Club’s All Mountain Development course in Chamonix. The week-long course tackles a range of terrain — not just feather-light powder, but slushy, chopped-up pistes too. As an intermediate skier, I still lack basic skills. I can carve, but only on long turns. I don’t always face down the hill (I blame the snowboarding) and I sit back on my heels. In short, any instructor has their work cut out for them. Happily, the course is run by Rachel Kerr, a Scottish superwoman known for her coaching skills. If anyone can make
me an off-piste skier, it’s her. The ability of our group of eight varies widely. Mark learnt to ski by following his mates down the piste. Retired Naval officer Colin has spent the last decade — and much of his pension — on ski trips. Linda and Tony have been on more courses than they care to recall. It’s +20°C in the valley, but at the top of the Plan Joran cablecar in Argentière the piste resembles an ice rink. As we warm up it’s clear most of the group, especially Colin, have far more experience than I. I’m already falling behind. Hm, perhaps I’ll engage Colin on how he outwitted Chinese security officials again. On Pylônes, a steep black run, Rachel
gets us to practise hockey stops. I stare down the fall line, let my skis go, then force my feet round to dig in my edges. My arms swing wildly and I judder to a halt. It takes a dozen tries for me to stop with a modicum of control. But it’s progress. Over lunch we watch the videos Rachel took. Colin skis with chutzpah, Tony and Linda look like ballerinas, with delicate
Photo: Chamonix/Tim Hughes
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The descent down the Vallée Blanche from the Aiguille du Midi to the train station back to Chamonix takes in the spectacular formations of the Mer de Glace — or Sea of Ice
technique. But then, what’s this? A hunched gorilla is entering the frame, its backside sticking out. Oh no, that’s me! In the afternoon, the focus shifts to pole plants and linking short turns. I try it and Rachel laughs. My idea of myself as a dainty, tidy skier is further eroded as I am told I am “tickling the snow” and “shopping for turns” — creating erratic zig-zags. Rachel urges me to use my wrists more and my shoulders less. Finally, I am not hogging every inch of the piste. Back at Chalet Shiraz, in Les Hoches, the fire is lit and cream teas are served. I’m tired, achy, but have made progress. From the terrace, after dinner, I watch the setting sun cast a peachy glow over the Mont Blanc massif. I’ll conquer you yet! It’s April, and the snow is melting fast, so the next day we do the hour’s drive to La Thuile, in Italy, where conditions are better. Rachel starts by making us ski on one leg to improve balance and steering. I manage on my right, but on the left my foot shakes, the ski wobbles, and I fall. “Stand up tall, move your weight forward, angulate at the waist,” Rachel
calls out. I do as she says and, as if by magic, I manage three linked turns. That afternoon we search for different terrain. There follow short-lived sorties off the piste, on a patchwork of powder, slush, hardpack and ice. But I’m covering ground I would previously have avoided. A relaxed, supportive camaraderie has developed and over dinner there’s geeky chat about equipment, but also mutual admiration for what we’ve all achieved. Day three, and over breakfast my heart is racing at what lies ahead. Today Jake Gough, who like Rachel has the highest Basi Level 4 qualification, is taking four of us up the Grand Montets cable car in Argentière to the ungroomed black that descends from 3,275m to the mid-station at 1,972m. My last experience of Grand Montets involved moguls the size of cars, sheet ice, tears, tantrums and a lot of time on my backside, so I’m nervous. As we ski down the Rognons glacier I try to remember what I’ve learnt so far. Crud, crust and concrete-like ice have already been on the menu, but Jake is adding steeps to the mix. It’s scary, but I Ski+board
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pluck up the courage to reach down the slope, plant my pole and turn. I stop to pat myself on the back. I’m upright and not flopping down the run. I try another turn, then another, slowly but surely. The snow is icy, choppy and hard on top, but soft underneath like a meringue — yet I make it down. “Nice job,” says Jake. By the final afternoon, we are darting on and off-piste, skiing round moguls, down narrow gullies, over tracked-out powder, using short turns one minute, carving the next. My legs are weary, but I no longer have my heart in my mouth and mostly feel in control. What’s more, the video shows progress. And I’m beginning to look human again.
Susannah travelled as a guest of Ski Club Freshtracks (skiclub.co.uk/freshtracks; 020 8410 2022), which offers the week-long, halfboard All Mountain Development course at the Chalet Shiraz in Chamonix on December 23, January 20, February 3 and March 10 and 24. It includes six full days of instruction (but not airport transfers or flights) from £999 per person based on two sharing.
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TEST YOURSELF WITHOUT THE TESTOSTERONE Photos: Element/Melody Sky
A female-only freeride camp replaces bravado with bravura performances Words by Leslie Woit
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f an instructor asks you to rate your off-piste ability on a scale of one to three before assigning you to a group, be warned. Rumour has it that some deduct one if you’re a man, and add one if you’re a woman. Many women find skiing off-piste more intimidating than they should, fearing they will keep others waiting — particularly if those others are men. As a result they sell themselves short. So I’m on a two-day, women-only camp in Verbier, run by Element Concept, one of the newer ski schools in the Swiss resort. The principle is that women learn differently from men, so leaving the men behind lets us focus on our different mental and physical needs. If men like it fast, we like it technical — the why, where, what and how. “Slightly round your back and tuck in your tail bone,” says our bubbly instructor Emma Cairns. She explains that we women tend to ski with a hollow in our back owing to the shape of our pelvis. Our technique should also allow for how different our core muscles are to men’s. That’s not all. We have a tendency to pronate, putting our weight on the inside of our feet. But this puts strain on our ligaments, meaning we must work harder to keep our knees over our feet. So the six of us are off, skiing the fabulous January snow and putting
Emma Cairns, below, leads the women-only course, taking skiers through the powder delights around Verbier
Emma’s tips into action. We range in age from 20s to 50s and the pace is brisk, but we regroup for recaps, with Emma encouraging questions and feedback. After lunch on the sun-soaked terrace at Dahu, surrounded by Verbier’s beautiful people, we watch ourselves on video. Only positive comments first, followed by constructive critique. Emma gets to the heart of what each of us needs to improve on piste — to prepare us for tackling the varied conditions off-piste. It’s followed by a breakthrough for Mel, who is able to enjoy her turns despite the ice and skier traffic. My own challenge — tucking in my tail and engaging what core muscles I can muster — is a work in progress, but I’m getting there. The camp also provides two off-snow life coaching sessions led by Elaine France to help us break the mould of negative self-perception. This helps quieten Mel’s soundtrack of fear.
It turns out lots of women worry about being slow. Guess what? Let the others wait. Lest we forget, we pen a postcard to remind ourselves of our goals. My fear of being the butt of jokes for being slow must be receding — that night I order snails at the classic brasserie Le Bec. Day two starts with coffee and sharing after a night at the cosy Hotel Montpelier. Emma recaps the strategy of feeling with our feet rather than relying solely on our eyes, then leads us to Savoleyres. This is ideal terrain for gentle forays off-piste. It’s a quiet, sunny spot with good visibility, keeping intimidation low and spirits high. In bumpy powder, we feel with
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GO ON, DIG YOURSELF OUT OF THIS ONE An avalanche safety course proves great fun as it involves skiing as well as transceiver training Words by Alf Alderson
our feet, flex our ankles, and engage our cores. But the biggest challenge to cap our weekend is a final, intrepid descent down an itinerary off the La Pasay chair at Bruson — Verbier’s still secret but now connected far side of the valley. Emma hand-holds where needed and previews every bump and lump. Hailing from Glenshee, she’s proof of the adage that if you can ski in Scotland you can ski anywhere. But she is also able to share her expertise. She explains: “If you can explain not only what someone should do but why, they will improve faster.” As we head into the great unknown of trees, chopped snow and the odd patch of dirt, for many of us this is our first real attempt off-piste and represents a leap of faith. But it’s a leap that we land safely, with high fives and high spirits all round. From day one of being challenged by red runs to the off-piste adventure, it’s the best on-snow coaching I’ve had. And when, a few weeks later, I receive a postcard with my messily written instruction “Ski like a girl” I take it as the compliment it should be.
Leslie travelled as a guest of Verbier tourist office (verbier.ch) and Element Concept (elementconcept.com), which offers a twoday weekend course for 300CHF, including two life-coaching sessions. For more travel details visit myswitzerland.co.uk
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here’s a sprinkling of fresh powder, and the sun is shining brightly in a dazzlingly blue sky. My breath bursts into the sub-zero air like steam from the funnel of train. I’m taking part in an International Snow Training Academy avalanche safety course. And I’m pleased to find this involves a good deal of skiing, rather than just tramping around staring at transceivers and digging in the snow. Given that 90 per cent of avalanches affecting skiers are triggered by the skiers themselves, it’s prevention that’s our focus. And since 80 per cent of the 200 skiers who die each year in avalanches are men aged 35 to 55, I’m listening. Mountain guides Dominique Perret, who founded the Ista collective just three years ago, and Emmanuel Trollet, introduce us to the basics of travelling in avalanche country. We start by assessing the competence and ability of our group (seven Brits and one German) in off-piste terrain, then assess the snowpack for stability, and the effect of sun, wind and terrain on it as we ski around Verbier. We are not all high-risk individuals. Men and women, we range in age from late 20s to over 60. We learn safety essentials, from how to measure slope angle using our ski poles, to how to dig a snow pit to assess the snowpack. We even consider our impact on the flora and Ski+board
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Learning to lessen risk is more vital than search techniques
fauna. This is a course with a conscience. Dom set up Ista in 2014 after a spate of avalanche deaths in the Alps triggered media accusations of irresponsibility among freeriders. In 2000 Dom had been voted ‘freeride skier of the century’ by his peers. The programme was developed in Lausanne by 40 experts in everything from snow science and mountain rescue to education and communication. It’s only at the end of the day that transceivers, probes and shovels are put to work — we have 15 minutes to locate and dig out a hidden transceiver. Any longer and survival rates drop drastically. Despite temperatures of -10°C we are all sweating, puffing and panting by the time we have succeeded in our task. But if this were the real thing — with the panic, confusion and stress involved — the chances are we wouldn’t have done it in time. Which adds weight to Dom’s comment that: “This is a situation you never, ever want to find yourself in.” It’s been a fun, but serious day in the mountains, in which I’ve learnt a lot, with the bonus that I’ve skied a bit too. Most important, I’ve learnt that the best way to survive an avalanche is to avoid getting caught in one in the first place.
Alf travelled as a guest of Ista, which runs 70 courses across Europe. The Discovery day starts at CHF229. See ista-education.com/en
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FOR A SOFTER LANDING, LEARN FROM THE PROS Photo: Jeremy Bernard
The Freeride World Tour offers lessons in the meticulous planning behind those epic photos Words by Harriet Johnston
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f you think the eye-catching stunts photographed for this magazine look spontaneous, think again. The riders on the Freeride World Tour spend days picking spots to do cliff drop-offs, perform tricks or carve perfect turns, to be awarded points by judges on their art. Given no competitor is allowed to ski a face for a month before an event, how do they manage it? I resolved to find out. My planned visit to the first leg of the tour in Chamonix in January was scuppered by lack of snow. So I head for the rescheduled event in Andorra in February. I arrive in the rustic village of Ordino to find several competitors laughing and sharing stories from their first day riding in the Arcalís ski area. On closer inspection, I realise they are studying digital libraries of thousands of high definition images and drone footage of the face they’ll tackle to assess conditions and suss out potential lines. With some of the world’s top freeriders present, you might think competitors would guard their secrets as closely as mountain guides, who famously keep quiet about their favourite powder stashes. But it’s a very communal experience, Jackie Passo tells me. One of the tour’s most established female skiers, she says: “Everyone chats, asks for advice, some working together, scoping out lines. You’re friends with
Competitors share information on snowfall and terrain before attempting the descents and jumps on which they are judged
everyone — you want everyone to be safe and not to give bad advice.” So together they look to see how snow has built up through the season, and are watching videos to see how athletes have dealt with such harsh faces in the past. The next day, the guides who rode the face earlier that morning found the snow unsteady — and thus unsafe. So they announce at the riders’ meeting that the first day must be delayed. I take the chance to go off for a day’s skiing in this remote part of Andorra’s Vallnord sector. With my newfound knowledge, I find myself gazing from a chairlift down at both pistes and off-piste runs below, assessing where best to go. Often what appears to be a pristine piece of off-piste from the top of a chairlift looks very different when seen from a lift on the way up, when the snow capped rocks and tree stumps are clearly visible. So even without video and photo footage, many of us can get a preview of off-piste runs. Duly warned, after a few runs I head back for an update on the tour. The weather and snow is always under assessment. If the wait runs past ten days the leg is postponed or cancelled. The athletes respect the decision. This is despite the fact that tour newcomers like Alaskan Davey Baird spent summers working on fishing boats to afford to take part. He will go on to win silver.
On the day of a competition, athletes travel to the mountain to study it with binoculars. Even after this, plans may have to change. Snow will shift as other competitors pass; some may take your line. But everyone has several options. “It’s about snow sense,” says Drew Tabke, a tour veteran. “The snow conditions, your expertise — all skiers have this to some degree. They can look at a piste and think that was great, or that was trash. This competition is just the pinnacle of that snow sense.” Some improvisation is always needed. Once, Jackie dropped off a cliff to find a huge rock in place of her landing. She won commentators’ praise by putting a ski each side, but still fell. Luck has a part to play — but mine had run out. Having witnessed the whirlwind of the tour — the frenzied preparations, slightly chaotic organisation, and amazing parties — I am denied the chance to see its conclusion by Mother Nature. The snow has not arrived. Unable to change my flight, I moan bitterly to the Uber driver. But his stoicism reminds me that there will always be another year of the tour. Perhaps I could make it third time lucky.
arriet travelled as a guest of the Freeride H World Tour (freerideworldtour.com), which is back in Vallnord-Arcalís on March 1-7, 2018.
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American A North
road trip… by bus Could the car-loving continent cater for a couple travelling to its top ski resorts by public transport? Words by Chris Madoc-Jones
T
he border guard at Denver airport furrowed his brow: “How are you going to get around this country without a car?” he asked. “We’re travelling by bus and train,” my girlfriend Cesca replied brightly. The lines on his brow deepened. America isn’t known for its public transport system, especially in the mountains. We’d opted to do the classic American road trip — lapping up the long straight roads, diners and stunning scenery — just without a car. But public transport wasn’t our only worry. We wanted to ski as many resorts as possible on a budget. Flying direct to Denver, just two hours from Beaver Creek, should have made for an easy start. But the first of many big snowstorms struck as we were landing. The delay meant we ran to customs, forgetting Denver is known as the ‘mile high city’. Our cabin bags were groaning with everything we hadn’t been able to stuff into our 23kg hold allowance for our five-month trip, so we arrived panting. No wonder we were called in for a grilling. It was early January, days before Donald Trump’s inauguration, and border controls had been tightened. But Cesca’s optimism and the hours I had spent looking up timetables convinced
our man that the goal was viable. So he let us through with a smile. We rushed for the downtown train and made it to the bus station with minutes to spare, hot and sweaty despite the raging blizzard. Only to find our bus was cancelled, like the one the next morning, and the next afternoon. Cesca’s optimism drained away. Cue meltdown number one. Oh, how we longed for a car...
Beaver Creek Faced with two costly nights in a city centre hotel, I frantically rang every transfer company in town to see if they had two spare seats. Our saviour was the Colorado Mountain Express. Within four hours we were in Beaver Creek, minutes before the road was closed by avalanches. On the shuttle, I pointed out to Cesca the benefits of not hiring a car. Would we have wanted to drive, sleep-deprived, on unfamiliar roads in such treacherous conditions? We flopped into our Airbnb exhausted, but smiling. The rest of the trip could only run more smoothly... We awoke with that excitement all of us feel when the trees outside are laden with snow. Hopping on to the free shuttle bus, we collected our Epic Pass by the lifts. This gave us a winter’s unlimited Ski+board
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skiing at ten of North America’s biggest resorts for just $900 (almost the same as a six-day pass). Our only gripe was we would have to live with that awful, jet-lagged photo for the next few months. But when you’re floating through a foot of dry ‘champagne powder’ most worries dissipate. We celebrated the day with our wonderful Airbnb hosts and their friends, who adopted us as their children, with a dip in the hot tub, followed by margaritas as we partied way into the night. New snow fell that evening, then each day after, and we soon found our rhythm. We would grab a free hot chocolate at the lift station each morning and set off to a different part of the mountain. (Friendly, red-jacketed volunteer ‘ambassadors’ will take you for free.) On one day, we weaved through Larkspur glades, on another we plunged down Stone Creek chutes, and on another tore down the World Cup Downhill course, getting our ski (or for Cesca board) legs back in double quick time. Our foster parents called it the best week in over a decade. But we’d not only been lucky with the snow, we’d been lucky with our hosts, too, as we were soon to discover. By joining all ten of the Epic Pass resorts our route from Beaver Creek was
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pretty much made. We’d move on to Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin, before leaving Colorado for Utah, then Canada, to finish off in California.
Vail
Photo: Breckenridge
Photo: Cesca Louveaux
We feared glamorous Vail would stretch our budget. Happily, a competition I entered in the UK won us free lodging. What did stretch us was ticking off Vail’s slopes. Covering 5,289 acres, Vail is three times the size of Beaver Creek. We checked the online grooming map each morning and got to the Eagle Bahn Gondola before nine to avoid the bottlenecks that form further up the mountain. Past the maze of groomed, north-facing slopes winding their way through pines and aspens, you reach the Back Bowls. Steep, deep and bumpy, they stretched as far as the eye could see. The cornice drop on the Lovers’ Leap run was a must, though perhaps the flat, narrow cat tracks out to Blue Sky Basin should be called Lovers’ Tiff, so frustrating are they for snowboarders. When we did share a lift, the local info we gleaned was invaluable. Happy hours meant we could eat and drink for $30 each a day. Add to this a daily saving of $25 in car park fees, and travelling by bus felt like a luxury. We can’t have indulged too much as, after three days, the resort’s EpicMix app told us we had skied 48,000 vertical feet or 15,000 metres. Not bad.
Breckenridge
Photo: Breckenridge
Breckenridge was just a $15 Greyhound coach away, with a free bus from the valley town of Frisco taking us to our hostel in the heart of town. The resort is a favourite among Brits and we spent ten days securing over 100,000 vertical feet (30,000 metres) on our apps. Impressive, given temperatures as low as -25°C, bouts of altitude sickness (the town is at nearly 10,000ft or 3,000m) and ski lifts hazy with marijuana smoke. We also made the 25-minute trip to the steeper, tree-lined slopes of Keystone for night skiing, and hopped on the free bus to the gnarly, old school ski area of Arapahoe Basin. If we’d had a car, we would have doubtless driven, but the bus did away with de-icing windows, tackling snow-packed roads and finding parking.
Aspen At the end of January, we left for Aspen. But here our love-in with American buses was to be sorely tested. The first
Chris Madoc-Jones in Beaver Creek, top, on his epic journey, which included visits to Breckenridge
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leg to Glenwood Springs was fine, but the Greyhound stopped a mile from the bus stop for Aspen. With rucksacks on our front and back we looked like oversized turtles panting up the hill. The only locals not amused by us were the ones so engrossed in their phones they tripped over our bags. We knew how they felt when we slipped ourselves. But pride and economy meant I didn’t call a taxi. When we finally arrived at our Airbnb apartment, our host flung open the door to envelope us in vodka fumes — clearly not everyone waits till cocktail hour. We spent as little time in the flat as possible, exploring Aspen’s vast bowls and deserted pistes. And though the resort’s four mountains aren’t linked, they are connected by a free, efficient bus service, so on one day we even skied all four. And on Buttermilk Mountain we watched Sheffield boy James Woods take a gold at the X-Games, while we stood next to snowboarding legend Shaun White. Aspen had another lure for us. It is part of the Mountain Collective, which offers a rival to the Epic Pass for $379 if bought early. It gave us two days’ skiing free at a host of resorts and we would get 11 days out of it, effectively skiing for $35 a day.
Salt Lake City
Snowbird and alta Keen to escape and finding Salt Lake City underwhelming, I left Cesca to make a solo venture to Snowbird and Alta, both on the Mountain Collective Pass. An easy half-hour drive by car, for me this was a complex bus-train-bus combo. I got some looks from the train’s suited commuters, kitted as I was in full ski gear. But the $6.50 I spent was worth every cent, as I was on skis within an hour and a half. And the snow on Snowbird’s famously steep terrain was in
incredible condition — the resort stayed open well into June. If I was missing Cesca, I could console myself with the knowledge she couldn’t join me at my next stop as she was banned from Alta. This was not the result of some youthful misadventure or drunken indiscretion — the resort bans all snowboarders. Its slopes were a great challenge, but should I have boycotted it on principle? On the train back I reflected I might be as ‘establishment’ as my fellow commuters.
Park City The 7am departure to Park City the next day was designed for day-tripping skiers but for us was far from ideal with our 3pm Airbnb check-in. The first of several long coffee shop stakeouts ensued. But the private apartment was worth the wait. At just $50 a night, those hours of research had paid off. Created from a storage room under a house, it had a double bed, kitchen, bathroom and living room. Though tiny, it was our own space. By contrast, the ski area, a stone’s throw away, was huge. We had ten days to explore the area Park City shares with Canyons, but didn’t manage it all. A highlight was snaking through fresh powder between the $20 million mansions littered across the mountain. None seemed to be occupied. What a waste! The one let-down was the après-ski.
Photo: Chris Madoc-Jones
Photo: Park City
After a month in liberal Colorado, the Mountain Collective Pass was beckoning
us to conservative, Mormon Utah, also known for its powder. After four weeks of buses, we would go by train to Salt Lake City. The California Zephyr Express proved to be a loose use of the word express, but the scenery was spectacular, especially when viewed from our wide seats. The railway follows canyons slicing through the desert, which as the sun dipped in the sky turned an incredible orange, followed by a deep red as the sun disappeared. Nine hours passed in what felt like half the time. We had set aside a few days R&R in Salt Lake City, but at our third Airbnb of the trip we weren’t the only new arrivals. The owner’s dog had just given birth to a litter, so the house was puppy action, day and night. It had cost us just $25 a night, but how we wished we’d spent a bit more.
When Park City was linked to Canyons a few seasons ago it created a huge ski area
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Skiing to work — joining commuters on the train to Snowbird
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A change of culture was on the cards. After six weeks in the US, we would head over the border for four weeks in Canada (the most our US tourist visas allowed). Instead of the 1,200-mile drive (which would have let us stop at Jackson Hole and Big Sky — both part of the Mountain Collective) we flew. Our flight was routed via San Francisco, which challenged the green credentials of our trip, but our decision was vindicated when we arrived in Banff in bright sunshine to the news that a huge storm had wiped out Jackson Hole’s power supply for five days. What we’d missed in après in Utah, we soon made up for in Banff. The Samesun Hostel was full of skiers like us and once again, we took advantage of happy hour to score a huge calzone and stein of beer for C$15 at the Bear Street Tavern before heading to Wild Bills, where the bucking bronco on the dance floor was centre stage in rodeo-loving Alberta. It was blearily that we clambered on to the free bus to Sunshine Village, but it was our favourite of Banff’s three areas. Lake Louise would have been a close second, had a rock lurking under new snow not ripped out my ski’s edge. A C$250 bill and several days rental cost us a week of spending money.
Revelstoke After four days, we wheeled our bags to Banff’s Greyhound station bound for Revelstoke to be met by a surly ticket agent demanding to weigh our bags. Knowing mine was at least 10kg over, I stuck my boot under one end when it was on the scales, while gazing into the distance. After my repair bill, I didn’t want to be hit with excess baggage fees. What followed were three of the best days of skiing of our lives. Revelstoke has the biggest vertical drop on the continent, and we put in fresh turns through trees all day long, with not a queue in sight, only stunning views over the mighty Columbia River.
Whistler Our next stop was Whistler, but that meant a nine-hour Greyhound journey to Vancouver. Cesca was not amused,
UK. But even then I realised there was a point I would have to admit defeat and hire a car. After all we had California to visit and I was not going to pass that up. Would we do those ten car-free weeks all over again? Yes. Despite a few wobblies, not least on day one, we had saved thousands, and found what was for the most part a quick, comfortable, reliable and stress-free option. It’s just a shame we couldn’t go back and tell the border guard in Denver just that.
Chris travelled independently. For more on lift pass deals, which vary through the season, see epicmix.com and mountaincollective.com
Photo: Paul Morrison/Whistler
Banff
and for once I found little to console her. Not only did the man opposite change his baby’s nappy three times, leaving the full ones on the floor as he got off, but the two teenagers in front of us spent the whole trip trying (and failing) to chat up a passenger next to them. After that, we were lucky to get a lift from Vancouver to Whistler with a ski instructor friend. An even greater stroke of luck was that Vail Resorts had just taken over Whistler, giving us five free skiing days plus the two on our Mountain Collective Pass — and we were crashing on my friends’ sofa bed. For cheap après drinks, we had to rely
on ski instructor discounts. But Whistler delivered on the skiing front. Yes we had to queue, but my friends took us to all their favourite spots, so we put in lines off Spanky’s Ladder and to the sides of Couloir Extreme. Our final day was one of the biggest powder days of the season, with some of the best tree-skiing of the trip — worth the 25-minute wait for lifts to open in pouring rain at the bottom.
Vancouver After our big week in Whistler, a shuttle deposited us for a week-long break in Vancouver to recuperate — even me, who would always rather be on snow. The C$100 we saved in parking fees went to visiting the great seafood restaurants, whose ‘buck-a-shuck’ oyster happy hours meant six fresh Pacific oysters cost C$6. All-in-all our car-free trip had gone remarkably smoothly, thanks in no small part to hours on the computer back in the
Photo: David McColm/Whistler
Even on Superbowl night, the busiest bar was two-thirds full and we doubled the occupancy at the one club in town. We found ourselves pining for Europe.
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THE HOTTEST SECRET IN Snow machines that can operate at temperatures of up to +32°C are popping up all over Europe. Ski+board travelled to Zermatt to learn the remarkable story of their development Words by Colin Nicholson
“W
hen I was a boy, we were able to ski all the way to the gondola on the glacier in summer,” our ski instructor Lars tells us. “Now it stops 500 metres short.” That is the sad story being told all over the Alps. But its poignancy is that Lars, our guide to Zermatt, is just 28 years old. The Swiss resort’s solution is ingenious — and all the more so when you hear the extraordinary tale of its development. Snow cannons are wonderful things, but they have their limits. On the highest slopes, where we ski under the Matterhorn into Italy on the 300kmplus network that Zermatt shares with Cervinia, we barely have need of them. And, on the neighbouring Gornergrat mountain, the only breaks in the
snow are where the cog railway climbs incongruously between the pistes. But on the lower slopes it is a different story. The ribbons of snow we follow down the valley towards the slate roofs of the historic town below become ever narrower in the spring sunshine. And the snow around them turns ever more patchy before disappearing altogether. Yet the strips of artificial snow continue to wend their way between the mountain bars and restaurants that line the home run to deposit us in the centre of town. There the piste is no wider than the white waters of the river beside it, which look so temptingly fresh in the warmth we want to jump straight in. Such is the joy of snow cannons — but they come with a drawback. They can
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“ AUTUMN IS
only operate at below freezing point. So while they can prolong the season well into May, come autumn it is back to square one. Until the first, sharp, nighttime frosts, they must stand idle. This is a problem for the Swiss resort, as September and October are when it wants to host skiers — mostly racers in training — on its Theodul glacier. But how to get there when the Matterhorn Express gondola station is 500 metres away? Arriving to fill this void is a new generation of machines that can make snow at +32°C, albeit in quantities only sufficient to cover small areas. The latest of these, called the Snowfactory, is transportable and was introduced in 2014 by the Italian firm TechnoAlpin. There were 16 in operation last season. But the first snowmakers that could work in summer temperatures were invented by Israelis. Now Israel doesn’t sound the most likely place to develop snow machines, but the story of the discovery grows ever more bizarre. And Raoul Biner, head of Zermatt’s snowmaking operation, is opening the doors of a large building on the Trockener Steg to shed light on it. In the 1970s, Israeli engineers at the firm IDE came up with a machine to help
WHEN THE RESORT WANTS TO HOST RACERS, BUT THE GLACIER ENDS 500M SHORT OF THE LIFT
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Photo: Freeride World Tour/Jeremy Bernard
Zermatt offers year-round skiing and is popular among freeriders for its glaciers and unpisted terrain
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solve the country’s water shortage by pumping seawater into a near vacuum. At such low pressure the water vaporises into very fine ice crystals, leaving behind the salt. But the technique was only able to generate 3,000 cubic metres of fresh water a day, while other methods the company used produced a hundred times as much, so IDE dropped the idea. It was only in 1992 that IDE revisited the concept for a South African client. But rather than seeing applications at 4km above sea level, like the slopes of Zermatt, Anglo Gold Ashanti, the biggest gold miner in South Africa, was thinking of its 4km-deep mines, where temperatures range from +60°C to +70°C. Anglo Gold was cooling its mines by sending down water and pumping it back up. But the miners realised that if they could send the water down as ice, they would need to pump only a fifth of the amount to achieve the same drop in temperature. So together Anglo Gold and IDE worked on the idea of using an energy-efficient heat pump, with the first machines installed in 1995. Even then IDE and the miners were unaware of the other potential use of the ‘white gold’ they were producing. Then a Russian engineer working on the project said: “Hey, this is just like snow!” So IDE invited some rather sceptical ski resort representatives to Johannesburg,
Photo: Switzerland Tourism/Martin Mägli
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The IDE All-Weather Snowmaker can produce 40 cubic metres of snow an hour, which is deposited just outside the building in which it is housed
with the result that, as the doors open, Lars and I are surveying a machine that looks not unlike a space rocket. Raoul explains how it works. The water comes from a nearby reservoir, which in summer earns its keep in environmental terms by generating hydro-electricity for the town. Some of the water from this is pumped into a near vacuum, with the rest pumped into a sleeve around the cylinder to cool it. At this pressure the vapour rises and is converted directly into a solid, bypassing the liquid stage. It falls back into the water, forming a cocktail-like mix. This is then pumped into another vat, where it is skimmed by something much like a cheese-maker to deposit a pile of fresh snow outside the building. All this is done without the addition of any chemicals. (Some Swiss resorts inject ‘nucleating agents’ into conventional snow cannons to allow ice crystals to form at higher temperatures, though the temperature still needs to be below freezing.) However, it is an energy intensive process and, going at full blast, the All-Weather Snowmaker produces just 40 cubic metres of snow an hour. This is why the machine, one of only two in the world, is used for just four weeks in September and October (aside from a maintenance run once a week to
The Israeli engineers behind the machine showed it off to ski resort representatives in Johannesburg — and Zermatt bought one
prevent corrosion) to create those allimportant snow bridges to the glacier. The fact that such a huge installation is used less than ten per cent of the year in a resort that never closes is testament to how sparing ski areas are in producing snow. A common misconception is that resorts start desperately pumping out snow as soon as they can. In fact, artificial snow costs £2 to £3 per cubic metre to produce, depending on the temperature, and with IDE’s machine it costs far more. So snow cannons are used economically. Nor is it the case that resorts are engaged in a vicious circle of using more energy as winters get warmer. The energy consumption of Zermatt’s snowmaking is just five per cent that of the town itself. So one could reasonably expect the increase in energy usage by the lift operator in a warm winter to be offset by the reduction in energy costs of heating hotels, chalets and restaurants. And much of Zermatt’s charm lies in the thought given to preserving the Alpine environment. So no cars are allowed in town — instead tiny electric taxis whiz around us at worrying speeds. New hotels have been built on the outskirts, but the ancient barns in the centre of town have been kept. And on our way to the gondola in this famously expensive resort, we pass a shepherd
tending his flock on land so valuable it could be paved with gold. We are off for our last day’s skiing of the season, trying to put all Lars’s ski tips into practice on Zermatt’s third mountain, the Rothorn. But I am distracted on the lower slopes by the fantastic view of the Matterhorn framed by the trees. The last time I was in Zermatt was during the fabulously snowy winter of ten years ago. So I did wonder if I hadn’t left my return too late, given the conditions. Could this last sortie of the season match my trip ten years ago? In fact, I enjoyed it even more. Whether, at the start of this season, I will remember any of Lars’s tips I do not know. But if I do need reminding, I can be sure Lars will have been honing his instructing skills — skiing all the way to the gondola, just as he did as a boy.
Colin travelled as a guest of Zermatt (zermatt.ch) and Switzerland Tourism (see myswitzerland.com or call international freephone 00800 100 200 30). He flew to Zurich with Swiss (swiss.com; 0845 601 0956). Flights from Heathrow currently start at £71 one-way, including food, drink, luggage and ski carriage. You can also fly from City, Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester or Edinburgh. A return rail trip from the airport to any Swiss destination costs £115.
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THE INSIDE EDGE 44 TECHNIQUE From snow domes to sprinklings in resort, Mark Jones gives you the inside scoop on skiing the fake stuff
47 OFF-PISTE They say looking to the past can help predict the future — our expert tests the theory with snowfall and avalanche risk
48 FITNESS Open up your skiing with these morning exercises, plus we try out a high-altitude training centre... in central London
50 SNOW WEAR
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We reveal this season’s snow wear trends, offering detailed and impartial reviews of the latest jackets and mid-layers
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SKI TESTS
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Take 12 great skiers, give them 799 skis to try on a dump of Austrian powder and you’ve got the best freeride ski tests ever
68 BOOTS The freeride boots that are so light and comfy they serve both hardened skiers and hard-core après-skiers
72 GEAR
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Put your hand up if you need new mitts! Our reviewer de-ices his freezer in a test to find top performers this coming season
74 SNOWBOARDS Let these crazily asymmetrical freestyle boards whip you into shape on the rails and kickers of the snowpark
78 RESORTS This season we cover resorts with new lifts, in this issue focusing on those accessing some great off-piste terrain Ski+board
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TECHNIQUE
To make real progress practise on fake snow Don’t wait until after Christmas to expand your skiing repertoire — snow domes and narrow, early season pistes are the ideal place to hone skills You may fear that with the recent spate of slow starts to the season your first chance to get some real practice in will be in the New Year. If so, think again. Autumn is a key time to develop your skiing skills. It’s obviously limited in terms of the terrain, but all of Europe’s glaciers will be open, while closer to home snow domes and artificial slopes are in abundance. It is easy to overlook the scores of UK ski centres, but even for seasoned skiers they offer a great way to get some turns in. They are the training ground of many top British athletes now preparing to head off to the Winter Olympics, such as Dave Ryding and James ‘Woodsy’ Woods. As a young racer, I myself had put in huge mileage doing slalom on dry slopes before competing on snow. Because the conditions and terrain are so stable, this is ideal territory to get your body back into ski mode by repeating runs to iron out habitual errors. If you are in the Alps, the chances are you’ll come across artificial snow on the pistes, many of which will be a lot narrower. Readers ask: “How do I ski on artificial snow?” or “How am I expected to cope on such narrow strips of piste?”
Mark Jones is director of ICE (icesi.org), a training centre for keen skiers and instructors in Val d’Isère, France. He’s also a trainer and assessor for Basi, and has represented Great Britain four times with the British demo team at the Interski Congress.
By doing the drills below and following my suggestions, you should hopefully be able to manage such conditions better. But not only that — they should also help you tighten up your technique overall. Artificial snow in resort can feel very different to normal, and may vary from scarily bullet-proof ice, through to soft piles of powder. Most of the time it is quite granular and very sensitive to edge angles from a ski. To ski it well, you need to be precise and accurate at foot level. Take your time and ease yourself into turns, focusing on bringing accuracy into your performance before tackling more challenging turns. Start as you mean to go on throughout the season. If you’re sloppy now, you’ll stay sloppy. Repeat drills and exercises when your body is fresh and you’re mentally sharp. Don’t overdo it and take your time to revisit the feelings you get from skiing. THINK ON YOUR FEET One of the best ways to rediscover your feel for skiing is to focus on your feet before zeroing in on the rest of your body for movement and balance. So: l Focus on your soles. What do they tell you about your point of balance? You should be able to feel the pressure through both the ball and heel of your foot as you turn. Don’t lever yourself against the front or back of your boot. You should feel the tongue of the boot against your shin, but your body weight shouldn’t be leaning against it. l Once you feel balanced, think about the tension in your feet. When making early season turns, a natural reaction is to tense your feet in an effort to ‘grip’ the snow with them. When this happens, you restrict your body’s ability to balance. If your feet are relaxed and open, your balance — and sensitivity to what’s going on underfoot — will be vastly improved. l Feel your feet roll from edge to edge. Do both feet roll simultaneously, or does the outside foot roll first? Do a few runs on the easiest of slopes until you are sure you’re rolling both feet in unison. l Find a comfortable stance — your feet should be about hip-width apart to give
In this image, I show how to tackle a steep, narrow, early-season gully with obstacles around
Try to turn the skis fast into the new direction, to avoid picking up speed
you good stability and help you roll both feet at the same time. This warm-up will help you tune into your feet and rely on feedback from them. Many recreational skiers underrate this kinesthetic feedback, but any strong skier will rely greatly on their ability to respond to their feelings underfoot. NARROW IT DOWN On narrow pistes you will be restricted to short turns, and for this your movements need to change. You’ll need to separate the rotation of your legs from your upper body. This separation — which we all
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As you turn the skis, remain balanced and stay centred over your feet
Use a solid pole plant for extra balance on the steepest runs
Focus on the terrain ahead of you, looking up rather than at your skis
Photo: Chris Haworth/vanessafry.com
As your skis make solid contact scrape them over the snow to control speed
Make sure your speed is completely controlled before preparing for the new turn
admire in good skiers — allows you to change direction rapidly. If your whole body turns as a unit without separation it’s far harder to move fast as more body mass must be shifted. This is a vital skill to possess in tight spots, such as narrow pistes or mogul runs. Here’s a drill to help: l Lay both poles together over the top of your thighs, so they face across your body. This should put you in a low position, flexing your hips. l On fairly flat runs make short, skidded turns. Keep the poles perpendicular to your direction of travel, pressing down. l In this position you’ll feel your legs
rotating separately from your upper body — it should feel as if the top of your femur is rotating within your hip socket. BALANCING ACT That drill is very physical, so after a few runs move on to something easier: l In each hand, hold a pole in the middle rather than by the handle, up in front of you vertically. It should feel as if you’re looking through a picture frame. l Keep the frame ahead of you, facing down the slope while making short turns. This will develop your rotary separation while you stand in a more natural stance. Ski+board
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Now make short turns while focusing on the feelings you got from those drills. Short turns are more physical than long turns, so go for quality not quantity. Also try to make smooth, round arcs. It will make it easier to balance, which in turn, will allow you to move more accurately. Once you’ve learnt these routines, get into the habit of employing them at the start of each skiing day. This will ensure you have set up the right feelings before going full blast on more demanding runs.
WANT TO FIND A UK SLOPE NEAR YOU?
SKI CLUB PROMOTION
Quite honestly my holiday was made by our Leader John - his enthusiasm and leadership were faultless
Ski with the Club One of the great things about being part of a club is getting together with others and doing what you love best. And in the case of the Ski Club that means being in the mountains and having a great time on the snow with fellow members. SKI CLUB LEADERS
INSTRUCTOR-LED GUIDING
If you’re tired of looking at your piste map, join a Ski Club Leader group and get straight to the best slopes the mountain has to offer. Our volunteer Leaders can take you to the best snow, and help you meet people of similar ability to ski with. Leaders also host a social hour each evening, where you can relax with other members and recount your stories of a hard day’s skiing. Pick the days and times which suit you best, as each weekly programme includes a variety of options for skiers of different abilities.
NEW for this season: • Instuctor-Led guiding in St Anton • Additional off piste day in Tignes Val d’Isère • Half-day off piste introduction in all resorts
Ski Club Leaders are in 18 resorts in Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Andorra, USA and Canada. Find out more at skiclub.co.uk/leaders
Instructor-led Guiding is running in 11 major French resorts plus St Anton in Austria – with full-day and half-day sessions each week to suit different skiing abilities. We’ve teamed up with top ski schools, so that you can ski with qualified instructors and discover more of the mountain. The instructors will be operating in resorts from January to April. Advance online bookings:
NEW for this season – non-members can also use the ILG service, at an additional cost. So if you’re on holiday with someone who’s not a member of the Ski Club, they can still join you on an ILG session. Find out more at skiclub.co.uk/instructors
Full Day £35 members / £70 non-members Half Day £20 mambers / £40 non-members Direct bookings with instructor in resort: Full Day €45 members / €80 non-members Half Day €30 mambers / €40 non-members
Photo: Ross Woodhall
Rob Parkynn
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OFF-PISTE
Photo: Switzerland Tourism/Simon Starkl
Gaze into a crystal ball Understanding how snowflakes have formed and landed is as vital as knowing when they will arrive So, what does for the coming season hold for us snow-wise? Can we rely on the old saying that cold winters follow hot summers? Or given the snowfall pattern of the past three winters, should we now go as late as mid-April if it’s off-piste thrills and spills we’re seeking? Sadly, the first adage is probably an old wives’ tale. And even the trend to late snow of the past three winters is not enough to base firm judgments on. Should we instead keep a weather eye on current snow reports? Yes, but within reason. November 2016 started with great promise, with heavy snowfall across the Alps. Such was the desire for good news in the industry after two late starts to the season that some holiday firms wildly predicted ‘the best winter in a decade’. Whoa! Such predictions in autumn are foolish. And so it came to pass, with no
Nigel Shepherd is safety adviser to the Ski Club. He qualified as a full guide in 1979 and was president of British Mountain Guides from 1993 to 1996. He has climbed, skied, taken photographs and guided all over the world and has contributed to several books.
Switzerland recorded fewer avalanche deaths last year, but lower snowfall doesn’t equal lower risk
further significant snowfall until almost mid-February. For piste skiers this isn’t a problem if temperatures stay low, as so many resorts have excellent snowmaking facilities. But if you prefer off-piste, the snow was very poor to start, better in the middle and good at the end. A temptation when snow comes late is to throw caution to the wind, such is the relief that it has finally arrived. But don’t assume less snow means less avalanche risk — 2016-17 saw the usual number of tragedies, with the exception of Switzerland, where just seven deaths were recorded, and Utah, which recorded its first winter with no avalanche deaths. It would be nice to think that in those areas riders were taking due note of the conditions and heeding snow reports. A glance at when the avalanche deaths occurred suggests most happened early to mid-season. Usually in a lean and cold winter many hoar crystals form at depth, giving rise to weakness in the snowpack when heavy deposits of fresh snow come. Last winter was no exception. In many areas I visited we encountered not only depth hoar but a lot of surface hoar too. Ski+board
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By late January, some slopes we skied in Austria consisted almost entirely of depth and surface hoar. They looked well covered, but the fragility of the crystals meant the snow couldn’t bear our weight and on almost every turn we would push through to ground. Our skis suffered too. Two weeks later, small, but welcome, flurries brought some relief. However, it wasn’t until early March that significant quantities began to fall. Happily, in areas with a concentration of depth hoar, the high temperatures helped melt the ice crystals, stabilising the snowpack a little. Heavy snowstorms continued in many regions right up to mid-April. Sadly, the high air temperature that is the norm in spring meant such big falls did not linger long in powder form, though on north facing slopes at least a couple of days could be savoured. Personally, I had some great experiences, more than could be expected from a season that felt like it had the fewest powder days for 20 years. Maybe this season will be better…
READ SNOW REPORTS THAT ARE UPDATED DAILY HERE
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FITNESS
Are you so hip that it hurts? By doing exercises that open up your hips in the morning you’ll free up your skiing (and some of the drills aren’t even that embarrassing) There’s nothing quite like the first run of the day to remind you of all those muscles you’d forgotten you even had. Given you’ll feel stiff, this issue will focus on morning exercises to open your hips and free up your skiing. Try the smaller stretches waiting for a lift and the more dynamic ones after a first run. All can be done in ski boots, using poles for support, in three sets of ten.
1 LEG SWING
As the season progresses, we’ll cover exercises that work throughout the skiing day, from getting the blood flowing to your legs again after lunch, to après-ski moves to prevent your body tightening up after skiing, and evening stretches to guarantee a good night’s kip.
READ MORE OF CRAIG’S TIPS IN BACK ISSUES HERE
A
Craig McLean is a chiropractor and fitness expert. He has worked in the ski industry for over 15 years, helping Olympians such as Chemmy Alcott and Graham Bell recover from injury without surgery. He also consults for the Warren Smith Ski Academy.
B
A This is a standing dynamic stretch to work the top half of legs, especially the muscles from the buttock to the knee. B Standing on one leg, swing the leg backwards to also get a stretch in the front of the hip and upper thigh. You’re doing it wrong if… Your spine is curving. Keep upright and don’t bend the knees too far when swinging.
2 HIP OPENING
A
B
A Lift one foot off the ground, bending your knee 90 degrees with your thigh parallel to the ground. B Open your hips so your leg rotates sideways, then drop your foot back to the start. You can do repetitions fast. You’re doing it wrong if… You notice you’re leaning too heavily on your ski poles, and your spine is curving.
What’s it like to do...? altitude training
My head is spinning, my lungs are screaming, my legs are burning and I feel strangely high — as if I’m at 2,710 metres, to be precise. Yet I’m not up a mountain. I’m in an oxygenreduced gym on the first floor of an unimposing 1960s block in London. I’m ‘high altitude’ training. A study found this was seen by 95 per cent
of Olympians as the best legal way to improve performance; another that it dramatically increases ski fitness. I’m not off to PyeongChang, but I am in training for a Mountain Tracks trip to climb Mont Blanc and ski down from the top at 4,807m. So here I am, at the Altitude Centre near Bank, in an extreme spin class, with sculpted
F ITN ESS
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B
A
3 SIDEWAYS LEG SWING A Lift up one leg and swing it out to the side, keeping it fairly straight. You’ll feel a small pull in the thigh and groin. B When you reach your upper limit of the stretch, let the leg swing back and pass in front of the other leg. You’re doing it wrong if… You feel yourself tipping over. Don’t let your torso act as counterweight to your leg.
4 LUNGE TWIST
A
A Position yourself in a lunge with one foot forward and one back. Now hold your ski poles together at hip height.
B
A
B Rotate away from your back leg, keeping your poles at hip level and feeling the gentle stretch in your back. You’re doing it wrong if… You bend your front leg too much or twist your lower back. Don’t overstretch.
5 WINDSCREEN WIPER A Lie flat on the snow bringing your knees up so they are at 90 degrees. Lay your arms out straight.
B
A
B Lower your knees to the snow on one side. You should be able to feel the gentle stretch in your lower back. You’re doing it wrong if… You lift your head up. Try to keep your shoulders flat on the ground.
City boys training for Everest and a recent influx of saisonaires. Behind sealed glass doors we do bursts of resistance, speed and cardio exercises, breathing 15 per cent oxygen and the rest nitrogen, rather than the usual 20/80 mix. “It makes your body work harder to deliver enough oxygen to muscles,”
explains trainer Ellie Dolbear, who at 22 is half my age. Easy for her to say, and I’m about to go even higher. A mountaineering consultation sees how my body reacts to 11 per cent oxygen — or being at 5,000m. I sit, breathing deeply through a mask, while an infra-red fingertip device shows my oxygen saturation level. It Ski+board
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can go down to 94 per cent, at which point you may suffer altitude sickness. “If it rebounds at rest, it’s a sign of acclimatisation,” says Ellie. Mine does just that. So I now feel better prepared for my big adventure. Lou Hall Sessions at the Altitude Centre (020 7193 1626; altitudecentre.com) start at £20.
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PLANKS GOOD TIMES PANTS £160
PICTURE WELCOME BIB PANTS £240
These have all the essentials — zipped front, rear and cargo pockets, zipped thigh vents, Velcro-adjustable, high waist, adjustable hems with boot gaiters and a high level of waterproofing and breathability. Their loose fit, durable nylon outer and solvent-free coating round the Good Times off nicely.
A removable bib, thigh vents and Coremax insulation make these versatile shell pants. Features include two zipped hand pockets, adjustable hems and an eco-friendly waterresistant coating on a waterproof and breathable fabric, although the edge protection is quite minimal.
All the essential features Not everyone will want stacks of pockets
Red wears Burton Midweight Crew Base Layer (£45) with Burton AK Gore-Tex 3L Freebird Bib Pants (£460)
Anna wears Planks Good Times Pants (£160) with Bawbags Tropical Base Layer (£30)
Versatile design Limited pockets and edge protection
Tom wears Picture Welcome Bib Pants (£240) with Bawbags Tartan Base Layer Top (£30)
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SNOW WEAR
Salopettes are making a slope style comeback Bright, fun, colourful, snow wear this season is adding a little more playfulness to last winter‘s move to earthy hues Words by Harriet Johnston and Alf Alderson Most of us haven’t worn dungarees since the 80s or early 90s — whether as traditional salopettes in ski resorts... or to kindergarten. But bib pants, as they are known in the industry, are making a comeback as part of a feel-good factor to snow wear this season, with brands becoming bolder and more playful. Bib pants have practical benefits too. They keep snow and drafts out, lessening the need for a powder skirt. The fun feel is also reflected in the bright berry tones of jackets and pants. Last season the trend was to earthy hues, and this continues with bib pants like the Oakley pair on page 54. But other brands have gone for a bright, poppy look, like the Burton bib pants opposite. You will also find coverage of jackets and base layers overleaf, as Ski+board this season aims to include more independent and impartial reviews of items. Perhaps if pink bib pants feel a little too strident, restrict the brighter colours to your base layers. No longer are inners confined to monochrome, they can be bright and eye-catching, from Burton’s camouflage, Bawbags' checks to the nostalgic prints of Picture. Louisa Smith, textile trend consultant for outdoors gear trade show Ispo, says: “There is a definite push in colours coming through, with brands becoming more experimental. This season we are expecting classic bestselling tones, teamed with contrasting brights.” The next issue of Ski+board will focus on this trend in more classic skiwear lines, while in December/ January we will look at advances in fabric technology. In the February/March issue, we’ll cover the trend to sustainability and how brands are making sure that your clothes last for longer.
Rosie wears Burton Avalon Bib Pants (£200) and Burton Power Stretch Crew (£80)
READ MORE OF OUR REVIEWS HERE
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SNO W W EA R
Annie wears Burton Mossy Maze Jacket (£170) with Planks Trousers and Bern Helmet and Dragon X2 Ink goggles (£185)
BURTON MOSSY MAZE JACKET £170 This varsity-style jacket is a hoodieinsulator-shell hybrid, with breathable and waterproof fabric. It comes in a multitude of colours, but is good value for the price. The powder skirt makes it practical, but some may find its long line style and embroidery more street style than slopestyle. Good transitional piece from slope to street Only waterproof up to a point
SNO W W EA R
Rosie wears Picture Lander Jacket (£230) with Picture Spread Helmet (£150) and Dragon NFX2 Mill goggles (£150)
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PICTURE LANDER JACKET £230 Well-insulated and well-built (thus quite weighty and bulky), the Lander’s heavily logoed design may not appeal to all. But those who do like the eco-friendly brand will also find a good range of inner and outer pockets, armpit zips, adjustable hood, powder skirt and more. Lots of pockets and zips Quite bulky and heavy
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SNO W W EA R
686 KNOCK OUT BONDED CAMO CREW £70 This heavy duty mid-layer is weatherproof enough to be used as an outer layer for sunny days in the park. Its soft, brushed inner feels snug, and little touches such as thumb loops, a front pouch with hidden Velcro pocket and burly build all look and feel great. Looks good, feels good No hood
Tom wears 686 Knock Out Bonded Camo Crew (£70) and Oakley Timber Pants (£240)
SNO W W EA R
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ARC’TERYX AIRAH £460 Lightweight yet very well insulated, this jacket is one for serious riders. Features are restricted to the essentials, such as an adjustable, lined hood, two zipped hand pockets and two inner pockets, a powder skirt and armpit zips — essentially everything you need and nothing you don’t. Good quality; great design; great looks Powder skirt not removable; expensive
MAJOR BRITISH RETAILERS Snow+Rock: snowandrock.com Cotswold Outdoor: cotswoldoutdoor.com Ellis Brigham: ellis-brigham.com Surfdome: surfdome.com TSA: snowboard-asylum.com The retailers above offer Ski Club members ten per cent off full-priced products, apart from Snow+Rock and Cotswold Outdoor, which offer 15 per cent CONTACTS 686: 686.com Anon: anonoptics.com Arc’teryx: arcteryx.com Atomic: atomic.com Barts: barts.eu Bawbags: bawbags.com Bern: bernunlimited.com Burton: burton.com CLWR: snowtraxstore.co.uk Dragon: dragonalliance.com Oakley: oakley.com Ortovox: ortovox.com Picture: ellis-brigham.com Planks: planksclothing.com Scott: ellis-brigham.com
Fashion editor Harriet Johnston Photoshoot director and illustrator Amanda Barks Assistants Rebeca Gonzalez Jonny Cass Photography Steven Haddock Hair and make-up Naomi Serene Models Red Rainey Rosie Nelson Anna Tanton Tom Ashton
Anna wears Arc’teryx Airah Jacket (£460), Planks Yeti Hunter Pants (£190) and Barts hat
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Get to know...
Andrea Enzio
Andrea Enzio IFMGA leads Freshtracks holidays across Italy, specialising in Ponte di Legno, Alagna, Andermatt and Roccaraso. He has introduced Ski Club Freshtracks to a number of resorts in the 20 years he’s worked with the club. Get to know him a little better below...
How many years have you spent on the mountain as a guide and instructor? It’s been many years! I first became a ski instructor in 1990, and a mountain guide in 1991. I’ve worked with the Ski Club as a guide in Italy since 1996! So over 20 years.
What’s your first memory in the mountains? Even further back than that – my father ran a mountain hut. When I was 14, I stayed there for a week. It’s one of my best memories and is one of the main reasons I started thinking about becoming a guide later.
What’s your favourite thing about your job? Oh that’s difficult! Everything about winter is my favourite - when you have a chance to guide on a sunny day, good snow, everyone is happy. Then come back and have a beer and everyone is laughing. It’s the best payment you could ever get for the job.
Can you let us in on your favourite resort to ski in? I like many resorts – the snow is what makes it. My philosophy is where the best snow is – that’s the best resort. The Alps are full of great places to ski. Every resort can have good off piste skiing if there is good snow.
Who would you have in your dream group? I don’t really have a dream group – any group can be a dream group when you’ve got good snow, off piste. It’s also always fantastic showing beginners the mountain – you are giving them a whole new world to discover and showing them what off piste can give you emotionally and in terms of fun.
What’s your gnarliest story from your years on the mountain? I have plenty – my career is nearly 30 years long. When I started working for the Ski Club in 1996, I was much younger and something happened which, thank goodness, has never happened again. On the last run from Alagna, one of the guests wasn’t paying attention to where the group was standing and skied off with another group. We spent hours searching with the ski patrol, out on the mountain. It was beginning to get dark and I was really worried. She just popped up back at the hotel. She had gotten off on the wrong side of the lift, thinking she’d spotted our group, but when she’d caught up with them she realised it was these two French guys and they were at the top of a very steep couloir. They helped her down and were really cool about it, using a rope and showing her the way, before bringing her back to the hotel. I was so relieved – I brought them all beers to say thank you for bringing her back. When she got back she was smiling – so happy that she’d managed one of the hardest runs in the whole resort. I was not! That day was the day I got my first white hair. That has never happened again!
If you could be teleported anywhere to ski for a day, where would it be? Haines in Alaska. I have been for one week and it’s one of the best places I’ve ever been – no lifts, the runs are so wide, you need to use a helicopter every day. No rules. You just choose a mountain and choose a line. The pilot will drop you there. It’s a real place for freeride. Everyone should try it once in their life. I went with friends, and we were like four kids in a candy shop.
What’s your all time best achievement? Personally, skiing in Haines was a huge achievement for me.
Tell us your favourite bit of kit?
What’s your favourite animal to spot from the slopes?
Really long skis. I like my skis really long. In my home, with my father and my brother, we have a theory – skis are from 190cm. Anything below 190cm is something else.
I like the eagles because I like flying myself. I love paragliding, and the eagle is the picture of absolute freedom. The way they fly – we have a word in Italian – elegante.
SKI CLUB PROMOTION
My philosophy is where the best snow is - that’s the best resort You can find me here... Guides like Andrea do more than just show Ski Club members the mountains. In the 20 plus years he’s worked for the Club, his knowledge and expertise has helped shape and build Freshtracks holidays. While Alagna is his home, over the years he has introduced many new resorts to our programme – including Andermatt, Ponte di Legno, Macugnaga and, new for this year, Roccaraso in the Abruzzo Apennines in central Italy.
His real enthusiasm in working with Freshtracks is to share that experience with others, whether they’re old hands at freeriding or completely new to it. Andrea runs holidays with Freshtracks over the entire winter season to a variety of resorts. The season kicks off with an off piste weekend to Andermatt in December and finishes up with the Alagna Freeride weekend in mid April.
Holiday details can be found online at skiclub.co.uk/freshtracks or in your Freshtracks brochure.
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SKI TESTS
SIDECUT
Powder skis are given the light touch Freeride fans will find subtle improvements in design this season improve their time on piste as well as off Words by Mark Jones Most of us hope for fresh snow when we ski. But when Ski+board’s testers arrived in Kühtai, Austria, earlier this year, they found that a two-day storm had delivered waist-deep powder, giving them a unique opportunity to try out the 25 top off-piste skis in ideal conditions. The week-long test is organised by Snowsport Industries of Great Britain, which represents British ski retailers. Also present were 19 ski brands, which brought with them the 799 different types of ski available to UK buyers for
This is the width of the tip, waist and tail of the ski, given in that order. A wider ski floats better off-piste, while a narrower ski will grip better on piste
the 2017-18 season. Of these, the Ski Club’s experts weed out the 100 best for testing, including 25 freeride models. This year the testers noted how the addition of lightweight materials, which began in earnest a couple of years ago, has been better integrated with the overall construction, flex and profile of freeride skis. The result is skis that have a lightness of touch in powder, but also the all-round balance to deliver a strong performance on groomed runs too. We’ll cover dedicated all-mountain skis in the next issue. The December/ January magazine will focus on piste performance skis for near-exclusive use on groomed runs, while the February/ March issue will cover freetour skis for those who like to hike up the mountain for their turns.
SEE VIDEO FOOTAGE OF OUR TESTERS ON TOP SKIS
CAMBER
Traditional camber effective edge
If a cambered ski is laid on a flat surface its centre will be raised. Camber is now often combined with some level of rocker. Reverse camber (full rocker) is where a ski curves up from the centre to tip and tail
Camber with front rocker effective edge
Camber with front and tail rocker effective edge
TAPER This is when the widest point of the ski is brought back from the tip or tail, reducing weight and making the skis easier to handle off-piste. On a tapered ski you may feel like you are using a shorter length
Reverse camber (full rocker) effective edge
E A I B
We rate each ski by the type of skier it would suit. So in the example on the left, the ski would suit upper intermediate to advanced skiers, but it’s not so well suited to beginners or all experts. Generally, the skis tested are aimed at those who have skied before.
ROCKER Rocker, or early rise, is where the ski has a slight rise before it gets to the tip or tail. Off-piste, this helps lift and floatation. On piste, it aids turn initiation and release
S KI TESTS: F R EER ID E SKIS
Meet the jury
SKI CORES RADIUS This is the radius of the theoretical circle that a ski will naturally make in the snow when tilted on its edge. A small radius produces tight turns. The radius varies with ski length: the length tested is given in bold
A ski’s performance is affected by the materials used and how they are arranged in the core. Cores are normally wood or synthetic, combined with other layers, such as resin (usually epoxy), fibreglass, basalt, carbon, aramid and metal
Synthetic or foam cores are traditionally used in lower end skis, being cheaper, lighter and more forgiving than wood. We are now seeing more hightech synthetics in upper end skis to keep weight low and enhance performance
WOOD CORES
MARK JONES Director of ICE training centre in Val d’Isère, France, and trainer for Basi icesi.org
EILIDH MCLEOD Former British Ski Team member coaching under16s for international races kandaharracing.com JOHN TAYLOR An experienced instructor with Stoked in Zermatt, he runs its corporate events stoked.ch SAM PARKES Instructor with Summit Ski School, in Zermatt, who just passed the Basi Level 4 exam summitskischool.com
Wood cores tend to be made from strips of wood, glued side by side in a laminate construction. Their characteristics vary greatly: paulownia is light; beech can deliver power; poplar offers a smooth flex, and there are many others
PETE DAVISON Ex-action model who now owns retailer LD Mountain Centre ldmountaincentre.com TESS SWALLOW Independent Basi Level 4 instructor in Val d’Isère, and Basi trainer. See page 64 tradski.com
SIDEWALL A wall of plastic, typically ABS (the stuff Lego is made of), running from the metal base edge of the ski to the topsheet. It drives power to the metal edges, protects the core and can also help absorb vibrations
LYNN MILL Ex-British champion who instructs in Val d’Isère and is a coach for British Parasport valdskiinstructors.com ROWENA PHILLIPS Basi Level 4 instructor at Matterhorn Diamonds in Zermatt, Switzerland matterhorn-diamonds.com
CAP Sidewall construction
NICKO BRAXTON Basi Level 4 instructor with TDC in Val d’Isère who runs telemark courses. See page 60 tdcski.com
Cap construction
BELLA SEEL Fully certified in the French, Swiss and UK systems, she runs concierge service ALS alsprivate.com
COMBO Cap and sidewall can be combined in several ways, by having sidewall underfoot with cap at tip and tail, say, or cap rolling down to meet sidewall for the length of the ski. Each affects the ski’s performance
The Ski Club’s test team is made up of top skiers who can offer unparalleled insights into a ski’s performance.
AL MORGAN Ski Club head of Member Services and former ski service manager skiclub.co.uk
SYNTHETIC CORES
This is where the topsheet and other layers roll down over the side of the ski to the metal edge. The benefit of caps over sidewalls is they often make skis lighter, more forgiving and more resistant to damage
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Core Topsheet Reinforcement Edges Sidewall Base
Ski+board
October 2017
NATASHA EDWARDS Basi Level 3 and ISIA rated instructor who is based in Val d’Isère natasha_edwards@outlook.com
skiclub.co.uk
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Photo: Ross Woodhall
MEN’S F REERID E SKIS: INTER M ED IATE TO A DVA NC ED
What’s new in men’s freeride skis? The integration of new, lightweight materials in the overall construction, flex and profile of this season’s skis is making itself felt in the men’s freeride sector. The upshot is there are three winners of the Ski Club’s prestigious ‘top performer’ award on these
pages, compared with two last year. What is also noticeable is the spread of characteristics within the men’s freeride category. Some of the skis tested are focused on delivering high end, powerful turns at speed. Others are clearly more about fun and playfulness. Do be realistic about the type of skier you are in powder before making your choice. As Ski+board warned last season,
price rises this autumn were inevitable, given the euro’s 20 per cent rise following the vote to leave the European Union, where most skis are made. However, many increases are modest. Four of the six pairs of skis we featured a year ago cost just £25 or £30 more this year. So, if you were contemplating buying a pair of off-piste skis last season, there’s little to stop you now.
Blizzard Rustler 10 £520 without bindings
Armada Tracer 98 £500 without bindings
BUILD Cap & sidewall combo/carbon, Titanal
BUILD Cap & sidewall combo/carbon & light
& light wood core/tip & tail rocker SIDECUT (mm) 133-102-123 RADIUS 17.5m (180cm) LENGTHS (cm) 164, 172, 180, 188 WEIGHT (per ski) Not available
THEY SAY The new Blizzard Rustler 10 is a great choice for any skier looking for versatility and power in one lightweight package. WE SAY The new Rustler delivers a smooth ride that works well in all backcountry conditions, especially chopped up, variable snow where it floats up fast and is forgiving through turns. The new construction is lighter and easier to handle than previous Blizzard freeride skis, catering to a wider range of skiers. But it can feel less powerful and secure on hard snow at speed with big edge angles.
TESTER PROFILE
Nicko Braxton Nicko is a tester who loves his offpiste. This passion has expanded into touring and he now regularly competes in ski mountaineering races, one of them being the worldfamous Patrouille des Glaciers. As well as being an avid ski tourer, he is a very strong all-mountain skier. He works as an instructor in Val d’Isère, France, with The Development Centre and holds the highest Level 4 qualification from Basi, the British Association of Snowsport Instructors. Nicko also runs his own telemark courses. tdcski.com
SIDECUT (mm) RADIUS LENGTHS (cm) WEIGHT (per ski)
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wood core/tip rocker 132-98-123 18m (180cm) 164, 172, 180, 188 1,800g (180cm)
THEY SAY The new Armada Tracer 98 is a light freeride ski that can handle even tough conditions, and is lighter for climbs. WE SAY This playful, smeary ski makes its lightweight construction felt. Nimble and responsive, it will make any level of skier feel at home. It’s very simple to use and great fun in easy powder and variable backcountry conditions. Being a light ski, it could work well with a touring binding. At higher speeds in more challenging conditions, the lack of weight makes it feel less stable.
Sluggish on firm snow, better off piste than on (Pete Davison) A smooth ski, great for those who’ve done a little off piste and want more (Al Morgan)
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Easy to use, light, smooth, forgiving Less powerful on the edge at speed
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Great for skiers who see the mountain as a playground, making you hunt lips and rollers (Al Morgan) Fun but lacks highend performance (Sam Parkes) A light, fun and easy to use Less solid at speed in harder snow
MEN’S F REER ID E SKIS: INTER M ED IATE TO EX PERT
Atomic Backland FR 102 £350 without bindings
Head Kore 93 £645 with bindings
Völkl 90Eight £495 without bindings
BUILD Cap & sidewall combo/carbon & light
BUILD Sidewall/honeycomb, carbon and light wood core/tip & tail rocker SIDECUT (mm) 133-93-115 RADIUS 16.4m (180cm) LENGTHS (cm) 153, 162, 171, 180, 189 WEIGHT (per ski) 1,587g (180cm)
BUILD
Sidewall/carbon & light wood core/tip & tail rocker SIDECUT (mm) 133-98-116 RADIUS 20.1m (177cm) LENGTHS (cm) 163, 170, 177, 184 WEIGHT (per ski) 1,750g (177cm)
THEY SAY With its great performance-to-weight ratio, the hybrid Backland is ideal for powder skiing and freeride touring. WE SAY The Backland’s rockered tip floats up quickly and its tail allows easy adjustment when finishing off arcs. This makes the ski forgiving in deep powder, so inspiring confidence in any backcountry snow. On groomed runs it has a reactive sidecut and can give solid grip, but it’s limited at speed. It’s one of the better skis in the group — add in the value price and you’ve got a winner.
THEY SAY Sometimes it’s deep, sometimes it’s tracked or bumped; lots of times it’s groomed. If this is where you ski, the 93 is for thee. WE SAY Head’s Kore 93 is TOP SKI a brand new product and R FOR M creates an impact as it feels lighter than other skis in the group. This makes it easy at slow speed and, from the first turn, gives any skier confidence. It feels wide in powder and variable snow, and its nimble character allows it to float up quickly. Easy to use, it combines light weight with a strong all-mountain performance.
THEY SAY The new 90Eight is an all-mountain ski that can handle anything from bumps to trees and groomers, even powder and crud. WE SAY Like most of TOP SKI the new skis tested this RF OR M year, the well-balanced 90Eight has a light construction that makes it effortless to use, especially at low speeds. Its smooth flex makes it predictable to read through arcs and allows it to adapt to the contours of the slope well. In powder, it floats with ease and, as it’s light, could work well with a touring binding.
B
Forgiving in deep snow, rockered tip and tail float well (Pete Davison) Great price to get skiers into freeride, tuning needed more base bevel (Sam Parkes)
A
Great float and no effort to manoeuvre Less secure and smooth on hard snow
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Easy to use, very lightweight Some freeriders will want more width
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core honeycomb tip & tail/tip & tail rocker
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Floats well in powder and quick on the edges on groomers. A great all-mountain ski (Pete Davison) Very playful, effortless, loved it (Mark Jones) Light, easy to use, playful Fast, heavier skiers may find it too light
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Well balanced, smooth flex, light and easy. Feels like a high quality ski (Mark Jones) Light underfoot yet powerful. Fun and easy in powder (Nicko Braxton) Smooth flex, well balanced, light to use Not as stable in long fast turns
Where can I buy a pair of those?
THEY SAY The world’s most celebrated freeride ski, the Soul 7, returns in force this season, more playful and alluring than ever. WE SAY Compared with last year’s model, the new Soul 7 feels as if it has a smoother, more progressive flex. This makes a big difference on variable, chopped up snow where it feels balanced and easy to read. In deep powder it still has those awesome floating abilities, as if it’s surfing rather than driving through snow. In the backcountry this makes it playful, easy to use and fun.
Several retailers attend the ski tests and many offer Ski Club members savings on full-price items. They include: Absolute Snow: 15 per cent off absolute-snow.co.uk Craigdon Mountain Sports: 15 per cent off craigdonmountainsports.com Ellis Brigham: 10 per cent off ellis-brigham.com Freeze Pro Shop: 10 per cent off freezeproshop.com Glisshop: 10 per cent off glisshop.co.uk Lockwoods: various discounts lockwoods.com Ski Bartlett: 10 per cent off skibartlett.com Snow+Rock: 15 per cent off snowandrock.com
A classic has been refined to reduce tip chatter and give a better damped ride (Al Morgan) A pure powder ski, great float in deep snow, forgiving (Pete Davison)
Snow Lab: 10 per cent off, 15 per cent off for servicing snowlab.co.uk Surfdome: 10 per cent off surfdome.com Finches Emporium: 10 per cent off finchesemporium.com
SIDECUT (mm) 136-106-126 RADIUS 18m (180cm) LENGTHS (cm) 156, 164, 172, 180, 188 WEIGHT (per ski) 1,900g (180cm)
2015
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What a great ski! Loads of life and pop in deep snow. Great for all-mountain freeride (Pete Davison) Light, quick and nimble. Alive under your feet (John Taylor)
BUILD Sidewall/carbon, basalt & light wood
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BUILD Sidewall/carbon, flax & titanium wood
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Rossignol Soul 7 HD £665 with bindings
THEY SAY Get ready to charge with the QST 99: laps in back bowl powder, flying down your favourite runs. It excels in all playgrounds. WE SAY The QST is one of TOP SKI the most playful skis we RF OR M tried in this group. Its flex, weight and shape is so balanced it’s easy to use, and allows you to enjoy the terrain and mixed snow. A good all-mountain ski, it is light and nimble on groomed runs but still feels solid on the edges. Hard to fault, it has many abilities and its ease of use will make skiers feel confident in all conditions.
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Salomon QST 99 £430 without bindings core with honeycomb tip/tip & tail rocker SIDECUT (mm) 138-99-120 RADIUS 19m (181cm) LENGTHS (cm) 167, 174, 181,188 WEIGHT (per ski) 1,825g (181cm)
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wood core/tip & tail rocker SIDECUT (mm) 131-102-122 RADIUS 19m (180cm) LENGTHS (cm) 164, 172, 180, 188 WEIGHT (per ski) 1,750g (180cm)
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Floaty, smooth, awesome in powder Holds on piste, but limited at speed
Ski+board
October 2017
skiclub.co.uk
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MEN’S F REER ID E SKIS: INTER M ED IATE TO EX PERT
Dynastar Legend X 96 £490 without bindings
Fischer Ranger 98 Ti £460 without bindings
Movement Go 100 £549 without bindings
BUILD Sidewall/Titanal & light wood core/tip
BUILD Cap & sidewall combo/carbon, Titanal
BUILD Cap & sidewall combo/carbon & light
SIDECUT (mm) RADIUS LENGTHS (cm) WEIGHT (per ski)
& tail rocker 132-96-112 17m (178cm) 165, 171, 178, 186 Not available
& light wood core/tip rocker SIDECUT (mm) 132-98-122 RADIUS 18m (180cm) LENGTHS (cm) 172, 180, 188 WEIGHT (per ski) 1,700g (180cm)
THEY SAY Part of the new innovative Legend X series, this range is packed with awardwinning technologies. WE SAY A perfect combination of performance and ease of use, the Legend is very smooth on hardpack and feels well balanced at all times. On piste, you get a smooth ride and high levels of grip. In deeper powder off piste, the pin tail allows you to finish the turn with ease, while the early rise tip gives fantastic floating abilities. This all-round freeride ski is hard to fault. E A I B
Strong and powerful, weighted for smooth turns. Needs skiing with confidence to reap rewards (John Taylor) Stable, balanced, a powerful charger (Nicko Braxton) Strong edge hold; easy in powder Bit heavy and stiff for lighter skiers
wood core/tip & tail rocker 132-100-120 20m (185cm) 170, 177, 185 Not available
SIDECUT (mm) RADIUS LENGTHS (cm) WEIGHT (per ski)
THEY SAY With its carbon nose, the Ranger 98Ti offers easy manoeuvrability; Air Tec Ti and Aeroshape give that light feeling. WE SAY The same ski as last year, the Ranger gives a classy, smooth ride, making even chopped up snow feel like silk underfoot. Its light construction gives you great sensitivity so you can feel exactly what type of snow you’re on, which makes a difference when skiing challenging backcountry conditions. This great ski has a strong character that handles all conditions with ease. E A I B
Handled heavy snow really well, strong and powerful (Nicko Braxton) Very smooth, light and easy, great touch with the snow (Mark Jones) Smooth ride, lightweight Hard to fault
THEY SAY Made for engaged freeskiers, its wide progressive tip and tail absorb shocks, providing stability in all terrains at speed. WE SAY Movement has focused on reducing weight while retaining performance with the new Go 100. Light underfoot, it’s quick, nimble and easy to use, despite its width. The upside is it’s great in powder and deep backcountry snow, where it floats up quickly and feels adjustable through the arc. The downside is it that feels hollow and ‘tinny’ underfoot on harder pistes. E A I B
This ski is a solid performer but tinkly light in bumpier conditions (John Taylor) Though light and nimble, it broke down at higher speeds (Nicko Braxton) Light and fat, ideal for deep powder Inspired less confidence on hardpack
ONE OF THE
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DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR
OVER 800 MODELS / 30 BRANDS OF SKIS AVAILABLE
FREE DELIVERY For orders over £130
10% DISCOUNT
Available for all SkiClub of Great Britain members with the code provided in your SkiClub account under the ‘‘Discount’’ menu
GLISSHOP.CO.UK /// INFOLINE +44(0)20 3129 3301
MEN’S F REER ID E SKIS: A DVA NC ED TO EX PERT
Scott Punisher 105 £500 without bindings
Black Crows Atris £570 without bindings
Nordica Enforcer 100 £550 without bindings
BUILD Cap & sidewall combo/carbon, aramid
BUILD
Cap & sidewall combo/light wood core/tip & tail rocker SIDECUT (mm) 139-108-126 RADIUS 20m (184cm) LENGTHS (cm) 178, 184, 189 WEIGHT (per ski) 2,000g (184cm)
BUILD
THEY SAY The Punisher 105 has been re-engineered to shed weight and increase stability. It’s at home in the park and backcountry. WE SAY The Punisher feels more hard charging than many of the lighter models tested. At speed, it feels stable, letting you drive through variable off-piste snow confidently. On hardpack it grips well and the stiff flex makes it feel solid through turns. In powder, it’s most at home when slashing out big, fast turns. But at a slower pace and in shorter turns it’s hard work due to its width and strength.
THEY SAY If you like a ski that’s loaded with power yet playful as well, this flagship all-mountain ripper is the one for you. WE SAY The Atris loves speed! It feels solid and its wide platform can blast through any snow with ease. This quality ski delivers a well-balanced flex and smooth ride, making it strong in unpredictable snow and easy to read through the turn. But its width makes it feels sluggish from edge to edge and it will be a challenge when going slower. If you like speed and big turns this is a great choice.
THEY SAY The Enforcer is one of the greatest all-mountain skis. It’s versatile with a wood core for power and stability at speed. WE SAY Suitable for confident, fast skiers, the beefy Enforcer feels stable and solid on the edge when laying out big arcs. It’s great for busting through crud, and it’s reliable at speed and with big edge angles. On the piste it performed well, being one of the stronger skis for making big arcs. But it feels less forgiving at slower speeds and is harder to pivot and smear in confined situations.
& light wood core/tip & tail rocker SIDECUT (mm) 138-103-126 RADIUS 22m (183cm) LENGTHS (cm) 173, 183, 189 WEIGHT (per ski) 1,700g (183cm)
E A I B
Strong and stable at speed. Powerful through the turn (Mark Jones) Grippy on piste, it’s a strong charger but felt stiff and heavy underfoot (Nicko Braxton)
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Powerful; width gives plenty of float Less forgiving in shorter turns
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Faction Dictator 3.0 £559 without bindings BUILD
Sidewall/Titanal & light wood core/tip & tail rocker SIDECUT (mm) 132-105-121 RADIUS 20m (178cm) LENGTHS (cm) 174, 178, 182, 186, 192 WEIGHT (per ski) 1,950g (178cm)
THEY SAY Faction’s new Dictator series ups the ante with its focus on charging freeride flat tail skis. WE SAY As expected, the new Dictator feels like a classic hard charging freeride ski. Stable, it can blast through crud and chopped up snow with impunity. On the edge, it feels direct, giving you confidence to push hard on speed, while being able to exit turns easily. In deep snow, it floats instantly and is perfect for big, fast, freeride turns. This strong ski is for skiers who love to push it. E A I B
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A high-speed, stable charger with good float in the deep (Pete Davison) Strong, agile when you increase the speed. Stable when opened up (Al Morgan) Stable and powerful at speed Hard for lighter skiers at slower speeds
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Off-piste, this is great with lots of float. Great for big, fast turns (Sam Parkes) Stable, but definitely more of a big mountain ski (Al Morgan) Fast, stable, exceptional float in powder Harder work at lower speeds
Sponsors With thanks to Monarch, which supplied flights, and Planks and Salomon, which provided clothes. and Scott, which also supplied goggles and poles.
Sidewall/Titanium & light wood core/tip & tail rocker SIDECUT (mm) 133-100-121 RADIUS 18.5m (185cm) LENGTHS (cm) 169, 177, 185, 193 WEIGHT (per ski) 2,150g (185cm)
E A I B
Pretty strong and solid, you can rely on it at speed (Mark Jones) An old school charger, it’s a solid ski, but never comes alive at slower speeds (John Taylor) Strong, inspires confidence at speed Less forgiving at shorter turns
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WOMEN’S F REER ID E SKIS: INTER M ED IATE TO EX PERT
Ski+board’s six female testers found a wide range of characteristics in the women’s freeride skis. Although there are hard chargers in the category, others are feather light and effortless to use, benefiting from new materials, such as graphene, Koroyd, and carbon and flax fibres. Weights vary from 1.5kg to 2kg per ski (without bindings), which may inform your choice. But bear in mind the type of turns you make in powder before buying. The big new arrivals are the Head Kore and Blizzard Rustler, but most of the skis have seen changes to their construction, shape and profile, as brands continue to integrate new technology into their models. Again, some of the price increases are modest, with the Salomon QST Lux 92 just £10 a pair more than last year, and winning the Ski Club’s highly prized ‘best value’ award.
TESTER PROFILE
Tess Swallow Tess is based in Val d’Isère, France, and works as an independent instructor holding the highest Basi Level 4 qualification. She is also a trainer for Basi, the British Association of Snowsport Instructors, and regularly runs instructor courses. Tess skis expertly on any terrain and in any conditions, and is another skier who loves ski touring. This year was a great opportunity for Tess to try out the big freeride skis in the powdery conditions for which they were built. tradski.com
E A I B
Nordica Santa Ana 93 £520 without bindings
Head Wild Joy £645 with bindings
BUILD
BUILD
Sidewall/titanium & light wood core/tip & tail rocker SIDECUT (mm) 124-93-112 RADIUS 15.5m (169cm) LENGTHS (cm) 153, 161, 169, 177 WEIGHT (per ski) 1,500g (169cm)
Cap & sidewall combo/honeycomb, carbon & light wood core/tip rocker SIDECUT (mm) 138-90-119 RADIUS 14.4m (168cm) LENGTHS (cm) 153, 158, 163, 168, 173
THEY SAY For women who want hard snow performance and soft snow floatation, this lively ski is sure to make you smile. WE SAY The powerful Santa Ana has a stiff flex making it consistent and solid when on the edge in longer turns. In shorter turns its rocker profile allows it to pivot and rotate with ease. The ski strikes a good balance between feeling solid at higher speeds, while being easy to use at lower speeds. But it lacks life and pop through medium to long turns, which can make it feel laboured.
THEY SAY Every woman has a wild side. Be wild and find joy around every bend, mogul and tree on the new Wild Joy. WE SAY This ski floats nicely in powder and its light weight helps make it nimble and easy to use. On groomed runs it grips well and is quick from edge to edge, giving the feeling it’s more suited to the piste. Strong at speed, it’s also responsive. However, you don’t get a very smooth ride and the flex feels stiff. You need to manage it through the turn and it feels happier on hardpack.
WEIGHT (per ski)
When skied with confidence it will be as good on piste as off (Lynn Mill) It turns well in lighter snow, but is more laboured in heavy snow (Natasha Edwards)
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Solid on the edge, easy at slower speed Could be more reactive in heavy snow
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Not available
It floats relatively well in powder and feels like a piste ski on groomed runs (Rowena Phillips) Nimble and easy to turn on piste (Natasha Edwards) Quick on the edges. Good grip on piste Stiff, needed to be worked on the turn
Photo: Ross Woodhall
What’s new in women’s freeride skis?
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WOMEN’S F RE ER ID E SKIS: INTER M ED IATE TO EX PERT
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Völkl 90Eight W £495 without bindings
BUILD
Cap & sidewall combo/Light wood core/tip & tail rocker SIDECUT (mm) 138-108-125 RADIUS 20m (178cm) LENGTHS (cm) 169, 178 WEIGHT (per ski) 1,775g (178cm)
BUILD Sidewall/carbon & flax wood core with
BUILD
THEY SAY Lighter and softer than its unisex version, the Birdie has the same aspects: stability, pivot and medium turning radius. WE SAY This ski is awesome in powder — it’s wide underfoot and surfs on any off-piste snow, while its smooth flex gives a silky ride. This adds up to a great companion for making big turns in the backcountry. For a ski of this size it can seem ponderous from edge to edge on hardpack and handles like a big ski but the high quality construction allows it to feel smooth and solid on the edge.
THEY SAY Built on a spaceframe construction with wood core, the QST balances piste power and soft snow floatation. WE SAY For its price, TOP SKI the new QST is a great VA E LU performer. Its shape and build create a fun and exciting ski, feeling strong and stable on piste while being nice to smear powder. It’s easy to use and most skiers will feel comfortable on it. The narrow platform of 92mm means it’s reactive in short turns on hardpack, but some skiers will need more instant float in powder.
THEY SAY The new 90Eight is an all-mountain ski that can handle anything from bumps to trees and groomers, even powder and crud. WE SAY Striking a TOP SKI balance between being RF OR M wide enough to deal with backcountry snow yet achieving good edge grip, this ski handles all conditions. It’s playful, reactive and fun all over the mountain. It irons out tricky conditions with ease and gives a butter-smooth ride through any snow types. Might work well as an all-mountain as well as pure powder ski.
Good looking ski! Smooth and bouncy (Natasha Edwards) Floaty, easy to rotate on and off piste. Copes with undulating terrain (Rowena Phillips) Floaty, quality construction Less nimble in shorter turns
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Stiff enough to give a good reaction, but light enough to play on (Tess Swallow) Holds the piste well with lively turns. Also comes alive off piste (Lynn Mill) Fun, playful, adaptable. Great value Some will want more width for freeride
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This ski adapts to you rather than the other way round (Rowena Phillips) I loved it. Easy to manoeuvre — great for short, quick turns (Natasha Edwards) Shines in all conditions Hard to fault, but could float better
Atomic Backland FR 102 W £350 without bindings
Blizzard Sheeva 10 £470 without bindings
BUILD Cap & sidewall combo/carbon, Titanal
BUILD Cap & sidewall combo/carbon & light
BUILD Cap & sidewall combo/carbon, Titanal
wood core/tip & tail rocker SIDECUT (mm) 130-102-121 RADIUS 18m (172cm) LENGTHS (cm) 156, 164, 172 WEIGHT (per ski) 1,590g (172cm)
& light wood core/tip & tail rocker 132-102-122 14.5m (164cm) 156, 164, 172 Not available
SIDECUT (mm) RADIUS LENGTHS (cm) WEIGHT (per ski)
THEY SAY The successor to the Century 102, this is an easy-going ski that rips in powder but also performs on hardpack. WE SAY When going for speed, the FR 102 is a comfortable ski. Its solid construction through the middle, especially underfoot, gives strong levels of grip. The shovel area is softer, though, and with a wider surface area, helps lift it in deep snow. This adds up to a ski that copes with both piste and powder. But the difference in flex between front and middle makes it hard to predict.
Narrow but still performs in powder. For experts due to its stiffness (Bella Seel) Skis well on piste, good bounce in powder if you work on it (Natasha Edwards)
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Agile on piste, effective in powder Stiff, some will want a wider platform
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THEY SAY Created for women hunting softer snow, the Sheeva’s technology and construction offers a fun and playful ski. WE SAY The Sheeva is TOP SKI responsive underfoot RF OR M making quick changes of direction easy. It’s a light ski making it nippy, fun and playful, and any skier popping on a pair will feel at once they’re in for an easy ride. This means it holds up well on piste with a easy entry into the turn. It also switches easily from piste to powder, with enough width to float up in the deep stuff. PE
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Fischer My Ranger W 89 £630 with bindings
THEY SAY The My Ranger W 89 is designed for women who want a high performer they can ski across the whole mountain. WE SAY The Ranger performs well in deep snow despite being a fairly narrow 89mm underfoot and floats in variable off-piste snow due to its rockered profile. It feels stiff but with its narrow platform you get a lively, fun ski for groomed runs, and plenty of energy when turning. It also has a smooth flex, which gives a forgiving ride. The Ranger would work well as an all-mountain ski.
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& light wood core/tip rocker SIDECUT (mm) 119-88-108 RADIUS 17m (172cm) LENGTHS (cm) 157, 165, 172 WEIGHT (per ski) 1,520g (172cm)
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Sidewall/carbon & light wood core/tip & tail rocker SIDECUT (mm) 133-98-116 RADIUS 15.9m (163cm) LENGTHS (cm) 156, 163, 170 WEIGHT (per ski) 1,550g (163cm)
honeycomb tip/tip & tail rocker SIDECUT (mm) 128-92-111 RADIUS 16m (161cm) LENGTHS (cm) 153, 161, 169 WEIGHT (per ski) 1,460g (161cm)
SK
It likes big, fast turns. Catches if turned quickly (Bella Seel) Feels like a race ski with a freeride tip. It works well in medium turns on and off piste (Rowena Phillips)
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Solid, works well in chopped up snow Flex pattern could be more progressive
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Salomon QST Lux 92 £360 without bindings
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Black Crows Atris Birdie £570 without bindings
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Loved it! Responded well to different speeds (Natasha Edwards) Quick reaction under foot. Easy to change direction and playful off piste (Eilidh McLeod) Great all rounder, light and playful Could be more stable at high speed
WOMEN’S F R EER ID E SKIS: A DVA NC ED TO EX PERT
Movement Go 100 W £549 without bindings
Kästle BMX 105 £805 with bindings
Rossignol Soul 7 HD W £665 with bindings
BUILD Cap & sidewall combo/carbon & light
BUILD
Cap & sidewall combo/wood core/tip & tail rocker SIDECUT (mm) 134-105-123 RADIUS 19m (173cm) LENGTHS (cm) 165, 173, 181, 189 WEIGHT (per ski) 1,990g (173cm)
BUILD Sidewall/carbon, basalt & light wood
THEY SAY An extra-powerful freeride ski that can cope with anything. The mountain is your canvas, here’s your brush. WE SAY With its bold graphics the BMX makes a strong statement. Off piste it has plenty of float while feeling secure underfoot and it’s manoeuvrable so you feel you’ll get out of a tight spot easily. Its 105mm waist means it can be slow on the edges in short turns. But it’s always trustworthy and playful in backcountry conditions. This is a versatile freeride ski that won’t let you down off-piste.
THEY SAY The redesigned all-new Soul 7 HD W is now amplified with Rossignol’s Carbon Alloy Matrix. WE SAY The Soul 7’s wide tip allows good float without feeling too heavy up front. So in powder you can go fast in big turns knowing it can steer quickly out of its line when needed. For its size it’s surprisingly nippy from turn to turn and a quick pivoting action makes it easy to change direction. It feels wide and heavy on piste, so it’s less reactive and slower on to the edge.
wood core/tip & tail rocker SIDECUT (mm) 132-100-120 RADIUS 19m (177cm) LENGTHS (cm) 170, 177 WEIGHT (per ski) Not available
THEY SAY Thanks to its long rocker tip and 100mm waist the Go 100 has easy float for women who love powder and big terrain. WE SAY With its rockered tip that gives amazing floating properties, even at slower speeds, the Go suits powder best. And at 100mm underfoot, it’s one of the widest skis tested in this group. For getting stuck into deep powder and big open faces, it’s hard to beat. On piste it can hold an edge and arc out long turns, but its width and construction makes it feel heavier and less responsive. E A I B
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This weighty ski suits powder over all. Its shape promotes good float even at slower speeds (Lynn Mill) Cool pink bases, catchy in the tips (Eilidh McLeod) Floats well in powder, strong build Less nimble on hardpack
E A I B
Stable and playful, it has great manoeuvrability off piste (Eilidh McLeod) A versatile ski that won’t let you down in any backcountry terrain (Lynn Mill) Floaty, manoeuvrable, great in deeps Binding was mounted too far back
core honeycomb tip & tail/tip & tail rocker 136-106-126 18m (180cm) 156, 164, 172, 180 1,900g (180cm)
SIDECUT (mm) RADIUS LENGTHS (cm) WEIGHT (per ski)
E A I B
Well suited to off piste due to its wide but light tip (Lynn Mill) Great stability and movement in steep and deep. Fun for long and short turns (Eilidh McLeod) Floaty, easy to adjust in the backcountry Slow on the edge, heavier on hardpack
Your favourite European ski slopes await… Fly from Southampton to Chambery, Geneva or Sion and maximise your fun at Zermatt, Saas Fee, Verbier, Portes du Soleil, Tignes, Three Valleys and many more!
Breeze through... to the slopes southamptonairport.com
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B O OTS
LINER
TONGUE
Designed to keep your feet warm and comfortable, almost all those that come with modern boots can be custom-fitted to adopt the shape of your calves and feet
Look at the top of your foot and you will see a maze of blood vessels and tendons. A badly shaped tongue compresses these… and that’s painful
FLEX Boots come in a range of flexes. The flex is the theoretical force in Newtons needed to decrease the angle between cuff and clog by ten degrees, and is given after the name of the boot. High performance boots are stiffer, but often less comfortable. The flex reviewed is given in bold, with the price of that flex also given in bold. Generally the higher the flex the higher the price
PRICE Generally, the higher the flex index, the more expensive the boot, which is why some prices are given as ranges. Models made with more lighter, more high-tech materials will be more costly
POWER STRAP The power strap acts as a vital extra buckle around your leg, and is usually closed with Velcro, but some high performance boots use a metal closure. Don’t forget to do it up!
SHELL Most shells are two-piece and combine a cuff, on top, attached by a hinge to a lower part, often called a clog, below. Three-piece models also have an external tongue
WALK MODE This is also known as climb mode and cuff release. The stiff back of ski boots, vital for performance, makes them no fun to walk in. So a walk switch releases the cuff to allow it to move forwards or backwards, with most models specifying by how many degrees
BUCKLES These are used to fasten the boot. Buckles should wrap the shell evenly around the foot, keeping it snug without creating pressure points
BINDING COMPATIBILITY Most of the boots on these pages have inserts that mean they can be used with certain types of touring binding, but do check compatibility before you buy. All are compatible with traditional alpine bindings
SIZE All sizes are given in Mondopoint — the length of your foot in centimetres. Men’s boots usually come in sizes 24.5 to 30.5, or roughly UK sizes 5.5 to 11.5. Women’s boots usually come in 22 to 27.5, which is 5 to 10.5
FOOTBED
BOOTBOARD
This is a trainer-type insole that comes with the boot and sits inside the liner. A customised footbed is recommended to improve stability and give better foot-to-boot contact
LAST
Hidden in the shell, it sits under the liner and acts as a shock absorber. Harder bootboards gives more control, but a harsher ride. Angled bootboards raise the heel in the shell
This is the template around which the plastic shell of boots is shaped. It is measured in millimetres across the widest part of the foot, and typically ranges from 96mm to 104mm. The figure quoted is typically for a UK size 8 foot, but in practice will be higher for bigger feet. Generally the narrower the last, the higher the performance
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BOOTS
Now you can walk the walk and talk the talk Freeride boots are not just for pros — they are popular with lots of busy skiers Freeride boots have seen a surge in sales in recent years, and not just because more of us are going off-piste. With their lighter weight, more grippy soles and improved walk (or hike) modes, they’re gaining traction among skiers who walk a lot in resort, such as parents taking children to ski school, who find them practical. All except the Nordica Strider have a dedicated women’s equivalent. Many freeride shells use lightweight
contours of your foot and leg. The walk mode gives 40 to 67 degrees of movement between cuff and clog, so you shouldn’t have to tackle staircases sideways. And Nordica uses the same rubber on its soles as Michelin’s X-Ice tyres, making icecovered rocks and pavements easier. For those who eschew lifts for hikes up the mountain, all these models bar the AllTrack Pro take pin-tech inserts. But Ski+board will cover freetour boots
Grilamid, as it’s stiff enough to offer good performance on piste at a fraction of the weight of traditional polyurethane. But, as with more piste-orientated boots, almost all have a shell and liner that can be heated in-store to soften and mould to the
in full in the February/March issue, after featuring all-mountain in the next issue, and piste boots in December/January.
RECEIVE UP TO 20% OFF FULLPRICE BOOTS HERE
Chris Exall (skipress.co.uk) describes himself as being 40 years into an 80-year apprenticeship in skiing. He is a member of the governing body of the International Federation of Ski Instructors and has written widely on snowsports safety
Rosie Young graduated from Loughborough University with a degree in sport biomechanics and — having spent a season working in France — now works as a ski boot technician at specialist ski boot fitter Profeet (020 7736 0046; profeet.co.uk)
Nordica Strider
Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD
Tecnica Cochise
FLEX 110, 120, 130 PRICE £350, £450, £560
FLEX 100, 120, 130 PRICE £450, £500, £550 FLEX 90, 110 PRICE £470, £500
FLEX 100, 110, 120, 130 PRICE £320, £350 £440,£490
Atomic claims the XTD skis like the piste-orientated Hawx Ultra, despite being 20 per cent lighter. The liner has been shaved to do this yet, it still has the Ultra’s great fit. The XTD’s light, smooth-flexing Grilamid shell and low-friction hinge and girder-like metal backbone provide support for descents and 54 degrees of cuff motion for climbs — it comes with metal tech binding inserts. The Memory Fit option makes the women-specific shell and liner easy to adapt. The liner is breathable and washable — handy after long uphills!
The lightweight Cochise favours offpiste use, but is a great performer as it uses polyether and ‘Triax’ (both lighter than Grilamid) to cut its weight by a third. Dimpled areas make the shell give by around 5mm when heated in-store, but the 99mm last is snug. Don’t go for too high a flex, as the shell feels softer in a warm shop than on a cold slope. The lift-lock buckles, which swing away from the shell, make it easier to put on. This year’s light shell gets a new, softer Women 2 Women liner that gives a good fit and more natural balance, reducing fatigue and increasing performance.
Unusually for this category, the new Nordica Strider has a race background. The liner fits superbly with Nordica’s trademark cork and oil flo, a putty like gel that slowly takes the shape of your foot. And the option to lace up the liner like race boots provides an even snugger fit. The boot also features Primaloft insulation. Weight is cut down with super-light wire buckles and a mesh powerstrap. The extra-sticky sole is made from the same rubber as X-Ice Michelin tyres, making walking on ice easier. The tech binding inserts and a cuff release that gives about 40 degrees of movement prepare you for all but the hairiest of ascents. Full on piste performance anywhere No women’s version
Fits like the Ultra, but is touring boot weight Versatile, but it’s a tourer at heart
Ski+board
October 2017
skiclub.co.uk
FLEX 85, 95, 105 PRICE £295, £340, £400
You won’t hobble about the boot room Rear foot and instep need customisation
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B O OTS
Dalbello Lupo AX/ Chakra 115, 120, 125,130 PRICE £450, £500, £620, £620 FLEX
K2 Pinnacle/Minaret
Rossignol AllTrack Pro
FLEX 110, 130 PRICE £460, £480
FLEX 100, 120, 130 PRICE £260, £335, £425
FLEX 100 PRICE £460
FLEX 80, 100, 120 PRICE £255, £305, £335
FLEX 85, 95, 95ID PRICE £350, £385, £445
The Lupo AX has a touring bias with a new hike mode offering 67 degrees of motion in its lightweight shell. Dalbello’s trademark middle buckle pulls the foot into the heel pocket while a fibrereinforced rear spoiler gives it power. The wide shell with a 100mm last has a roomy toebox, but the liner and open throat shell can be adjusted in-store. Its Grilamid clog has Dalbello’s GripWalk rockered soles with tech inserts. The lower cuff fits
With its low cuff, the Pinnacle 110 suits shorter skiers and those with big calves. K2’s cuff system means the harder you push the more tightly the cuff and clog connect. The boot becomes stiffer the more you flex and, as it skis softer than indicated, a stiffer model might be an idea. A medium-to-wide fit and benchmark Intuition liner means that once the boot has been oven heated even chunky feet can slip in easily. The Minaret 100 is a bit
an athletic calf, and the Thinsulate ‘Lady Liner’ is warm and can be heat moulded to give a close fit. Great heel hold Needs tweaks for very narrow feet
heavy, but has a cuff for women. The Intuition liner is warm and customisable, and comes in narrow (98mm) and medium (100mm) fit. Choice of normal or wide fitting for all flexes… … but there’s a limited array of flexes
The AllTrack Pro is almost as comfy on piste as off, but it’s not the lightest, doesn’t have much cuff travel, and there are no tech binding inserts. It has great fit though. There’s no unnecessary material on the Sensor Grid shell and it feels a little softer in the shop than on the mountain. The OptiSensor Thinsulate liner, which can be customised, makes for a snug toebox and heel pocket and would suit a medium width forefoot. Not the lightest boot, but the women-specific OptiSensor 3D Thinsulate liner is warm and comfortable, and there is a walk-toride sole for extra grip. Close to alpine piste performance Can’t take pin bindings; less suited to hiking
The Ski Club Leaders’ Course Zermatt, Switzerland 2 – 15 December 2017 Whether you’re interested in becoming a Ski Club Leader, or you’re simply keen to improve your skiing and mountain-craft skills, this tailored two-week long training programme run by experienced mountain guides, instructors and Ski Club staff is a fantastic experience.
Course Content • On-snow leading – groups of all standards • Technique – on and off-piste • Ski standards – familiarisation with Ski Club profiles • Snowcraft – understanding and recognising different and changing snow structures • Safety – understanding transceivers and avalanche safety procedures • Promoting the Ski Club and resort PR
Course price includes Return rail transfers to/from Geneva or Zurich Airport • 4* half-board accommodation – twin share basis • Performance clinic – three half days skiing/snowboarding technique instruction by BASI instructors • Further training by mountain guides and BASI instructors • Leaders’ uniform – blue Ski Club jacket • Lift pass for duration of course
Not included Flights • Personal insurance • Equipment as per Leaders’ equipment list – rucksack and contents • Two-day BASP First Aid Course in the UK (prior to Leaders’ course)
If you’d like to book a place on the Leaders’ Course, or need more information, email Owen Chapman at leaders@skiclub.co.uk or call 020 8410 2011
B O OTS
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Don’t get cold feet about asking for warmer boots If comfort is your main focus, you’ll want a pair of boots that will keep your feet warm — cold feet are one of the problems most often raised with bootfitters. But first you need to avoid simple errors. Buy boots that fit as pressure points and poorly fitted boots equal cold feet. Dress warmly — if you don’t, your feet cool down with the rest of your body. And keep your boots somewhere warm overnight, preferably using a boot dryer. They will be easier to put on in the morning and you’ll start the day as you mean to go on — with toasty toes. Caffeine can reduce blood flow to your extremities, as will a second pair of socks. Modern liners should be both comfortable and warm without the need for such primitive measures. Many modern liners are made from a variation of EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate) foam. This is similar to the mid-sole material in running shoes and can be moulded to the shape of your foot, with the added benefit of being super warm. If your heart lies with a pair of boots that doesn’t have an EVA
liner, you can buy a replacement and have it fitted. Companies, such as Intuition, which makes the liner for K2’s Pinnacle and Minaret, sell them. Some boot makers add branded insulation, such as the Nordica Strider, which comes with a Primaloft liner, and the Rossignol AllTrack Pro, which has a Thinsulate liner. For some skiers, no amount of insulation will warm their feet so they need extra help. Therm-Ic’s powersocks (£165) gently cook your toes until the rechargeable battery runs out of life after about 14 hours. This is good if you rent boots. Therm-Ic and Hotrontic can also warm your foot from below with a heated footbed. But these systems, costing about £120, require drilling and cables, so you’ll need to visit a bootfitter. They also subtly change the fit of your boots. Salomon’s Quest Access Custom Heat boot (pictured, costing £385) takes heating to the next stage by doing away with bulky external battery packs and cables. After charging you’ll have up to 18 hours of cosy feet, providing more consistent heat. It’s a niche product, but another integrated system is available in some of Alpina’s ski boots. Intemp is a thermostatically-controlled flexible heating grid wrapping around the entire forefoot. Alpina even offers the system in its walking boots, which you can wear on cold après-ski evenings. Chris Exall
...keeps you skiing longer IMPROVES SKI POSTURE
Olympic Mogul Skier Laura Donaldson with her ski~mojo
Tel. +44 (0)7786 753267 | info@skimojo.com | www.skimojo.com
SHOCK ABSORBERS FOR KNEES
POWERFUL SPRINGS OFFLOad WEIGht FROm kNEES
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GEAR
The faff of reaching into pockets and sending texts has been lessened with this season’s designs It’s one of the golden rules of skiing that the moment we put on a pair of gloves we need to take them off again — to unfold a piste map, answer the phone, put on sun screen, or hunt for tissues or credit cards. So manufacturers have been aiming to simplify this never-ending charade (see below). Some add a loop to a finger to assist in pulling them off — sparing us using our teeth. Others design gloves that follow the curvature of the human hand, making them easier to take off than those
that lie flat. And Leki has come up with a system to make pole strap scraps a thing of the past. Some liners (see below, right) work with touch-screen phones. For me a ‘must-have’ is wrist loops, which allow you to remove your gloves without fear of losing them. This is especially useful on ski lifts, if you don’t want to see your glove disappearing into the void. But they may take a bit of getting used to if the last time you used them was on the way to school. Other things to consider are whether you prefer gauntlet-style cuffs which fit over your jacket sleeve, or shorter, narrower cuffs that go under the sleeve. The latter can be more elegant, but often make removing your gloves more fiddly.
READ MORE GLOVE REVIEWS HERE
Photo: O’Neill
The gloves are off (and on, and off…)
Alf Alderson is an award-winning adventure travel writer who divides his time between the Alps and Pembrokeshire. He is co-author of the Rough Guide to the Rocky Mountains and other ski guides. He is an experienced gear tester for the ski press.
£85
£85
£80
Mammut Stoney Advanced
Ortovox Tour
Leki Scale S GTX
The Stoney features super-soft leather on the palms and fingers from established Yeovil-based manufacturer Pittards, which made gloves for Spitfire pilots. It is very dexterous, considering the high level of insulation. Often well-insulated gloves are bulky, but not in this case. The lack of bulk is also helped by a preshaped hand that has the natural angle of a human hand, while a microfleece lining helps with heat retention. Mammut’s DRYtec membrane keeps your hands dry in sleet or rain and is breathable. The cuffs have an easy-touse one-handed adjustment — just pull to tighten or loosen. My only quibble was the gauntlet could have been wider to fit over my jacket cuff easier — it was narrow enough to fit under my sleeve, which may suit some.
The Tour features a Natur-Tec soft shell outer from well-respected outdoor brand Schoeller that is wind- and waterresistant. Inside is a snug merino wool lining which is membrane-free, meaning
The Scale S has a Gore-Tex lining so your hands stay dry, and comes with Leki’s Trigger Loop, designed to work with its Trigger S poles. This consists of a small loop between the thumb and forefinger
it will wick away sweat and is breathable. Plus merino wool is very warm and doesn’t retain odours. Soft, flexible goatskin is used on the palms and fingers, with a reinforced wear point around forefinger and thumb. This is the part that gets most wear from pole handles, and which can tear when yanked by an old-fashioned draglift. There’s a useful ‘pull-on aid’ on one of the middle fingers that allows the gloves to be taken off easily, even with damp hands. A one-handed elasticated adjustment tightens the cuff and there’s also an elasticated security loop.
which attaches to the poles with a click, and releases with the push of a button. It makes getting your hands in and out of the pole straps easier, and in a big spill the pole will become detached from your glove to reduce the chance of painful ‘skier’s thumb’, or twisting or even breaking your wrist or arm. But you do need the appropriate Leki poles to benefit, which start at about £80 a pair. The gloves feature a durable goatskin leather palm and insulation is provided through Micro Bemberg Hyperloft combined with a fleece lining. The cuff closure is via a one-handed cord lock.
Provides good dexterity Security loops fiddly and a bit short
Simple design; feels great May not work if you like a big gauntlet
Trigger Loop (if you have Trigger S ski poles) Bulky
G EA R : G LOVES
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£60
£80
From £200
Helly Hansen Rogue HT
Hestra All Mountain CZone
Therm-ic PowerGlove IC-1300
Excellent build quality is a feature of Hestra gloves, and the All Mountain is no exception. Fiberfill insulation and a snug, breathable and wicking Bembergpolyester lining keep your hands warm without too much bulk. The durable leather on the palm and fingers should stand the test of time. The CZone membrane is windproof, waterproof and breathable, and provides further protection against water and the cold. Its back is also windproof, waterproof and breathable. The All Mountain features a zipped pocket that will hold a small heat pack on cold days, though this will have limited impact on the ends of your fingers. The cuffs have a one-handed pull strap closure as well as a Velcro one lower on the wrist. Pity there are no security loops.
Yes, these gloves do cost 200 nicker, but for anyone who feels the cold they’re a godsend. The lightweight Therm-ic lithium-ion battery system provides up to ten hours of heat, depending on which of three settings you choose. Two small rechargeable batteries sit inside a small zipped pouch on the inside of the wrists of each glove. The level of heat is controlled by two small push buttons on the back of the hand, with the heat mainly directed to the fingertips, which is precisely where you need it. Leather palms and fingers are combined with a soft lining and Primaloft insulation, which isn’t too bulky. A breathable and impermeable Dryzone membrane keeps your hands dry. On the cuffs a one-handed drawstring allows for easy adjustment and there are also elasticated security loops.
The Rogue is a good budget option, especially on warmer days, as it’s not as well insulated as some of the gloves reviewed here. The upside is that it has a lower profile, which means your hands feel less confined in them. The shell and palm are made of waterrepellent goatskin leather, with a Helly Tech waterproof and breathable insert and 3M Thinsulate 40g insulation. This is at the lower end of the insulation scale but makes the glove lighter. Add to this the Rogue’s anti-pilling polyester micro fleece lining and it makes a good option for spring skiing. A stretchy, Velcro-style cuff retains the low profile, which means you need to wear it under your jacket cuffs. The Rogue’s understated yet stylish look rounds off a decent ski glove. Low profile, low bulk design Not as warm as some
Great build quality Zipped heater pocket of limited use
Will keep the coldest of hands warm Expensive
These innovations won’t leave you numb Few things spoil a good day’s skiing as quickly as cold, numb fingers. Fortunately, this needn’t be a problem with this season’s range of gloves and inserts. Most ski glove insulation comes in the form of manmade materials, such as Primaloft and polyesters. You should also look for waterproof and breathable linings — if your hands become damp, whether from sleet or sweat, they’ll soon start to feel cold. Those who most feel the cold can get heated gloves such as the Therm-ic PowerGlove IC-1300, which we feature here. But there are cheaper options. The most obvious of these is inner gloves. If part of the problem is that you take off your gloves often to use your phone, try ‘touch screen’ inners with textured pads on thumb and forefinger, which are widely available. Silk and Ski+board
merino inners are thin, light, effective and will help people with sensitive skin, who react to fleece liners. They needn’t be expensive either. Decathlon sells a pair of silk inner gloves for £5.99 under its Quechua label. An alternative solution is heat packs. The disposable type cost from £3.50 to £6 a pair. A chemical reaction in the pad is started either when you open the packet, or peel off a paper strip, or shake the pad. You then slip the handwarmer into your glove to get up to ten hours of continuous warmth — though when it’s very cold you will notice the heat fade faster. You can buy them from any decent outdoors store or order them online. Look for bulk packs, which tend to be cheaper. You can also get reusable gel packs, sometimes for as little as £2.29. Inside these is a small metal disc. You bend this and it activates the gel to produce heat for several hours. The pack can be reactivated by placing it in a pan of boiling water for 15 minutes or so at the end of the day. While this is a more environmentallyfriendly solution to cold fingers than disposable packs, the problem with reusable heat packs is that they are bulky. You will find they work best with mittens, which are anyway more effective at keeping your hands warm, as your fingers are together. Down-filled mittens are some of the warmest. Alf Alderson
October 2017
skiclub.co.uk
74
SNO W B OA R D S
LENGTH
Construction
EFFECTIVE EDGE
Topsheet Core Edges Sidewall
Reinforcement Base
Board lengths are measured in centimetres from tip to tail. Longer boards suit powder; shorter ones are best for freestyle
The distance between the two contact points on either side of the snowboard
BASE Extruded bases are cheap, easy to repair, and ideal for beginners. Sintered bases need more care and cost more, but are faster when waxed
FLEX
CAMBER
This is graded from one to five, with one being soft — making a board easy to turn — and five being stiff, for high-speed piste performance
A board with a camber profile rises up between the rider’s feet and has contact points at each end — at the nose and tail ends of the effective edge
WIDTH A ’W‘ following a length means the board comes in wide, and so is suitable for riders with larger feet — UK size 11 and over
ROCKER A board with a rocker profile has its main contact point between the rider’s feet, while the ends of the effective edge are lifted
SHAPE Directional boards have a setback stance, twin boards have a centred stance and an identical nose and tail, while directional twin boards combine elements of both
FLAT PROFILE A board with a flat profile is flat under the feet, with the board rising only at the tip and tail
Camber effective edge
Rocker effective edge
COMBO A board with a combo profile combines elements of both rocker and camber boards
Flat profile effective edge
Camber and rocker combo* *Camber and rocker combo profiles vary
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SNOWBOARDS
Learn the tricks of the trade Brands are playing in the park, trying out different shapes for this season’s freestyle boards This season’s freestyle snowboards may have you rubbing your eyes. A few years ago, the only oddity in boards for tricks in the park was K2’s Happy Hour, with its pointed tip and tail. Today, experimenting with form is the new norm. The shape of the nose, sidecut, waist and tail of a board have become four more parameters for manufacturers to play with, and vary from model to model, just like profile, flex and length. All this can be overwhelming, but as more designers try different shapes — and more non-professional snowboarders ride
their creations — a consensus is emerging on what works best. It’s generally accepted that edges with multiple facets grip icy halfpipes better. This is when, rather than being a single, continuous curve, the edge has angular or wavy sections that help bite into icy snow a bit like the serrations on a bread knife. Other areas of consensus are that noses and tails can be blunted or trimmed down to reduce swing weight without affecting piste performance. If you want a pure piste/entry level board, check out the December/January issue. Wider waists, increasingly seen on powder boards (covered in the November issue), aren’t necessarily best for freestyle sticks. Split and big mountain boards will be in the February/March issue. If you want to try tricks, and move your riding up to advanced level with a focus on park life, these boards are for you.
The Ski Club has copies of its DVD Snowboarding Skills: Beginners & Beyond to give away. To receive a copy, simply email your postal address to events@skiclub.co.uk, putting ”Snowboarding DVD” in the subject line.
Tristan Kennedy is editor of action sports and adventure website mpora.com and former deputy editor of Whitelines snowboarding magazine. He tested these boards exclusively for Ski+board at the Snowboard Spring Break event in Kaunertal, Austria.
Burton Free Thinker £490
Yes Jackpot
FLEX PROFILE SHAPE LENGTHS (cm)
FLEX PROFILE Combo SHAPE True Twin LENGTHS (cm) 149, 152, 154, 156, 158 — 156W
FLEX PROFILE SHAPE LENGTHS (cm)
PISTES POWDER JUMPS RAILS
PISTES POWDER JUMPS RAILS
Camber True Twin
150, 154, 157, 160
PISTES POWDER JUMPS RAILS
For years Burton’s top pro Danny Davis has ridden its Easy Livin’ board. But that model has been replaced this year by two boards — the powderfocused Deep Thinker, and this freestyle machine. With its medium flex, true twin shape and camber profile, this is perfect for riding laps in the park and handling boxes, rails and kickers with ease. It’s packed with tech too: as well as a carbon layer to add extra pop, the core boasts ‘Dualzone EGD’, whereby the grain of the wood is arranged differently along the toe and heel edges to help it bite better in icy halfpipes, but also on the piste. Excels in the snowpark and on pistes A bit too stiff for beginners
£410
Founded a decade ago by three former Burton pros, Yes Snowboards was one of the first to try new shapes. It launched its 420 model, a short stubby board with a super-wide waist, six years ago. This year’s freestyle-focused Jackpot, which also has an interesting waist shape, builds on previous models. The ‘Mindbite’ sidecut steps inwards by 1.5mm between the two sets of inserts, so the board feels more responsive edge-toedge, making it better for the pipe and easier to carve. Balancing is easy on the wide nose and tail — essential for tricks like butters (pressing into the snow). Waist shape makes it great for quick turns Not the best performer in powder
Ski+board
October 2017
skiclub.co.uk
Bataleon Evil Twin £425 Camber True Twin 153, 156
The classic Bataleon Evil Twin sells well, so it’s no surprise that it features this year. The 2018 model has an interesting update in the form of ‘Sidekick Tips’, which lifts the edges at the nose and tail, making it easier to perform nose presses. Elsewhere Bataleon has stuck to the maxim of ‘if it ain’t broke, don't fix it’. This features the brand’s patented Triple Base Technology, which lifts the edges, making them harder to catch. It’s got a mid-stiff flex, basalt stringers in the core and a fast sintered base. This means it’s as good on rails as it is on jumps, and it flies down the piste. An all-round freestyle beast Beginners would find it too stiff
SNO W B OA R D S
Dinosaurs Will Die Bogart
£375
FLEX PROFILE Flat SHAPE True Twin LENGTHS (cm) 146, 149, 152
Burton Lipstick
Women’s boards
FLEX PROFILE SHAPE LENGTHS (cm)
PISTES POWDER JUMPS RAILS
The Lipstick has been in Burton’s line-up for years and has deservedly proved very popular. It’s designed as an all-round freestyle machine that will let you take your riding and tricks anywhere on the mountain. The 2018 model has a brand new shape, with a slightly more pointed nose and tail. This helps the board float better in soft snow while reducing the swing weight so you can spin more easily. The flat profile between the feet is combined with what Burton calls an ‘Early Rise’ towards the ends which makes it harder to catch an edge and easier to do rail tricks.
Great on rails and jumps Heavier riders will struggle in powder
£520 FLEX PROFILE Camber SHAPE True Twin LENGTHS (cm) 154, 157, 160
PISTES POWDER JUMPS RAILS
Why Arbor have called this board Sin Nombre (Spanish for ‘nameless’) is a mystery, because the test team found it anything but an anonymous alsoran. Its unusual shape makes it stand out for a start. Arbor calls it the ‘Steelhead’ after a type of trout, because it helps you swim like a fish when you go off piste. But it’s not just about charging through powder — as a true twin, the tip and tail are identical, so it works equally well when you’re riding switch, which is great for tricks. If you want a freestyle board that lets you take your moves from the park to the mountain, this is it. Performs well in powder — and on jumps Stiffer flex means it’s harder to ride on rails
Flat True Twin 141, 145, 149
PISTES POWDER JUMPS RAILS
If the Sin Nombre is stiffer than most of the boards here, this is the opposite. Dinosaurs Will Die is an independent brand from Canada whose boards are almost exclusively for park and rail. The Bogart, named after pro rider Ben Bogart, has a soft flex, making it perfect for presses and butters, which rail riders will love. But it’s stiff enough to feel solid on sizeable jumps too. The flat camber also helps, making it feel stable and predictable under foot. With only three short lengths and a regularsized waist, it doesn’t float brilliantly in powder, but it’s excellent for freestyle.
Arbor Sin Nombre
£410
Great all over the mountain Not necessarily a board for beginners
Arbor Cadence
£480
Yes Emoticon
FLEX PROFILE Rocker SHAPE True Twin LENGTHS (cm) 139, 143, 147, 151, 155
FLEX PROFILE SHAPE LENGTHS (cm)
PISTES POWDER JUMPS RAILS
PISTES POWDER JUMPS RAILS
The Cadence has been around for a long time and the shape is much the same for the 2018 model. It's called the ‘Panhead’ shape, but it has a classic, rounded tip and tail. The core is made entirely of poplar (normally snowboard cores are a mixture of poplar and ash), all sourced from sustainably-grown trees. The fibreglass weave is biaxial, rather than triaxial and it’s got an extruded base rather than a faster, sintered one. All this helps keep the price down, and while it’s not the most high performance board on piste, you could do a lot worse than the Cadence. Simple, solid and great for tricks Weak on piste. For powder try a longer length
£345 Combo True Twin 143, 146, 149, 152
Introduced two years ago, the Emoticon was a welcome addition to the Yes range, taking its popular Basic men’s freestyle board and tailoring it for women. Along with the slimmer waist width and shorter length, this has a softer flex than the basic board, so female riders — who are usually lighter — can pop ollies (jumps) and perform nose presses just as easily. The shape is slightly unusual in that the sidecut dips inwards slightly underneath the bindings, which increases the edge hold. Otherwise this is a no-frills board, made for playing all over the mountain. Inexpensive, but excellent quality Not the best performer in powder
Photo: O'Neill
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Photo: Monica Dalmasso Cham 3s
SKI CLUB PROMOTION
H
AVE YOU DREAMED OF ADVENTURES OFF PISTE, BUT STRUGGLED WITH QUESTIONS LIKE...
Will I be fit enough? What if it’s really extreme? Or what if everyone is a much better skier than me? Booking an adventure holiday can feel intimidating - but stepping out of your comfort zone can be a necessary part of reaching your goals, such as improving your ski touring to attempt the Haute Route, or simply keeping up with your partner off piste. For those new to Mountain Tracks holidays, one of the team will call you to say hello - and it's very likely it’ll be Susie Burt’s voice you hear on the end of the phone. Susie has worked for the company for over 10 years from her base in Chamonix. As Operations and Sales manager, she can answer any questions you have about a trip. Susie tells us how to know if you’re ready for the challenge. “I ask people about their experience and level of skiing, then point them to a trip which would be for them. I ask for their aims and aspirations. I don’t grill anyone but I don’t want to lead anyone down the garden path. We don’t want people to come on a holiday and not have a great time. Nobody needs to be scared - it’s just a new step for people who need to understand
the facts of what a Mountain Tracks trip is. "I just ask a few simple questions, and if the answers are all yes, it's very likely the person's ready for a Mountain Tracks holiday." Susie's questions... Have you dabbled in off piste before? Can you do 12-15 controlled parallel turns offpiste on a slope that is as steep as a red run? Have you done another course, such as a Ski Club Freshtracks programme? Are you above average in fitness and exercise? Do you perform cardio - like running, swimming, cycling, team sport - 2 or more times a week? If the answer is yes to all of these questions, then you could be ready for most Mountain Tracks trips to some degree. Look at mountaintracks.co.uk to see what’s on offer, or give Mountain Tracks a call on 020 8123 2978
Photo: Les Arcs/Tristan Shu
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RESORT INSIDER
Take the fast track to powder Words By Ben Clatworthy, Harriet Johnston, Joe Troman, Chris Madoc-Jones, Alf Alderson Forget economic woes and the spate of late starts to the season — investment in new chairlifts and gondolas continues apace. The mountains have been hives of lift-building activity over the summer, so expect shorter queues and fewer slow, rickety old lifts this winter. In recognition of this, Ski+board will be focusing its resort insider series this season on areas with new lifts. In this issue, we focus on those that cater best for freeriders looking for the soft stuff (who will doubtless also appreciate the extra-wide ski holders on new gondolas to accommodate fat skis). In many cases the new lifts open up extra terrain, and more resorts are creating patrolled or avalanchemanaged freeride zones. Others are leaving certain pistes ungroomed, to give you an extra challenge. If you are a tad unsure of your ability off-piste, ever more ski schools are launching freeride-specific courses that will give you a good introduction, and take you to places you might otherwise not discover. Nobody wants to do the same runs all day and, in the next issue, we will focus on resorts that make a good base to explore nearby areas on an away day. In the December/January issue, we’ll cover resorts with a great network of pisted runs, while in the February/March issue we’ll offer a selection of budget-friendly resorts — all with new lifts this winter. There are so many projects
that it would be impossible to cover all resorts with new lifts on our resort insider pages. However, look out for our annual feature in the next issue of Ski+board, which aims to list all the developments in resorts in the Alps, Pyrenees, Rockies and Scandinavia, no matter how remote the location or how small the lift.
FIND REVIEWS OF RESORTS WORLDWIDE
HOW OUR GUIDE WORKS CHALLENGE Our infographic shows how resorts
grade pistes according to difficulty, showing what percentage, are black, red, blue or green. However, note that Austrian, Swiss and some Italian areas don’t have green runs. Also some list the percentage by kilometre, while others look at the number of runs. PISTES We list the combined length of all the resort’s
pistes, as claimed by the tourist office. We include linked areas that are also covered by the lift pass. LIFT PASS Lift pass prices are for a six-day adult pass
during high season.
R ESORT I N SI DER
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Les Arcs
Photo: Les Arcs/Andy Parant
Piste height 1,200m-3,226m / Lift pass £275 / Lifts 52 / Pistes 425km
Why there? If you like skiing, but dislike airports, flying and transfers, Les Arcs has your name on it. Eurostar’s Ski Train picks passengers up from London and Kent and drops them off at Bourg-St Maurice, where a funicular takes them to Arc 1600 in seven minutes. Les Arcs is made up of several villages and, following the ‘Mille 8’ project to redesign Arc 1800, the focus is on Arc 1950. Here, the resort has built a luxury replacement for the Pré St Esprit chairlift, with heated seats and bubbles. It will run from the old base below 1950, but extend almost twice as far into the main Arc 2000 bowl. For piste skiers the big attraction is the 425km of slopes that Les Arcs shares with La Plagne, which form the Paradiski area (the connection is via the Vanoise Express double-decker cablecar). Freeride fans can drop off the side of the piste for some easily accessible pockets of ‘side country’. Try the area around the village of Villaroger. With its single bar, two restaurants and no shops this traditional village is set for a makeover in the next two years. Les Arcs’ trees provide great terrain, especially when conditions close in. They often offer untracked pockets of powder above PeiseyVallandry and Arc 1600, even days after the last snowfall. Can’t ski, won’t ski: Les Arcs was built for downhill skiers, so options are limited. Arc 1600 offers the best access to the sizeable town of Bourg-St Maurice, and the new Arc 1950 complex has the Deep Nature spa, plus cafés in its streets, where pedestrians rub shoulders with those on skis in its slightly Disney-esque village centre.
46%
37% 15%
Lots of good quality selfcatering accommodation
2%
Lots of ski-in, ski-out properties
Snow
Good snow reliability with high slopes
Lifts Queue-free Food Charisma Ski schools Low budget Off-piste
Feels very busy during school holiday weeks Villages lack charm and are largely purpose-built Little proper après-ski as villages quite calm
Whitewater
Samnaun
Piste height 1,646m-2,024m / Lift pass £386 / Lifts 3 / Area 1,184 acres
Piste height 1,400m-2,872m / Lift pass £266 / Lifts 45 / Pistes 163km
Why there? Whitewater holds cult status among powder fans, with ten metres of snow a year. The three lifts serve 1,184 acres (479 hectares) of terrain, and the new quad replacing the two-person Summit lift should alleviate weekend queues. Each lift offers ungroomed routes and tree skiing aplenty. The Silver King is best for easy terrain, while the Summit and Glory Ridge have the best steeps. It’s a popular warm-up spot for heliskiers heading to the Kootenay Rockies. Can’t ski, won’t ski: All lodging is 20km away in Nelson, which has cafés, art galleries and cute boutiques — it was a settling point for hippies fleeing the Vietnam War draft. There are also walking trails around the lake.
Why there? Want to ski Ischgl’s popular slopes, without a nightly dose of thumping Europop? Try sleepy Samnaun in a Swiss corner of the Austrian area. It has a nice mix of red and black pistes and there’s good off-piste in the Velilltal area, and the freeride zone served by the Piz Val Gronda cable car, which opened in 2013. New lifts have been springing up all over Ischgl in recent years, and this year sees the new Palinkopfbahn, equipped with bubbles and heated leather seats. Can’t ski, won’t ski: The small town has some plush hotels and boutiques, and the popular AlpenQuell spa has a pool and fitness centre. Best of all, its border status means all purchases are duty-free.
32% 11%
47% 10%
Snow Lifts Queue-free Food Charisma Ski schools Low budget Off-piste A local’s resort and popular stop on the Powder Highway Hard to reach, you’ll need to fly to Spokane and hire a car
Ski+board
October 2017
skiclub.co.uk
62% 20%
18%
Snow Lifts Queue-free Food Charisma Ski schools Low budget Off-piste Ski Ischgl’s slopes without the crowds Access is tricky because of its out-the-way location
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R ESORT I N SI DER
Nendaz Why there? Situated on a sunny terrace near Sion, Nendaz has a more traditional feel than its upmarket neighbour, Verbier, with which it shares a claimed 412km of pistes (though independent estimates put the figure rather lower). Most of the 17,000 tourist beds are in self-catered apartments, often in traditional timber houses, barns and grain stores. However, Nendaz may be thrown into the spotlight, with regular flights to Sion from several UK airports arriving from the start of this season. The village is less than half an hour from the airport. Its local runs are accessible by the 12-person gondola that takes you to the top of the slopes at Tracouet. For piste skiers, these offer a good choice of soft blues and winding reds, as well as tricky blacks, like many runs in the rest of the 4 Vallées. The area favours the brave, and intermediates will want to avoid the many unpisted mogul runs and the tricky return into Nendaz, which are a delight for more intrepid skiers. For them, Nendaz is the back door to the impressive freeride terrain of the area, with its dizzying heights, rocky outcrops, cliffs and narrow gorges. The Mont Gelé cable car saw a total refit over the summer — with new cabins now serving the notoriously challenging itineraries from the top. The area hosts the finale of the Freeride World Tour every March. Can’t ski, won’t ski: There are more than 100km of winter walking paths, plus about 12km of cross-country skiing trails and 40km of snowshoe tracks, plus an ice rink and a fitness centre.
Photo: Nendaz/Etienne Bornet
Piste height 1,500m-3,300m / Lift pass £287 / Lifts 92 / Pistes 412km
41%
54% More charm, and fewer toffs than in neighbour Verbier
5%
Village feel with great views across the valley Good variety of local slopes and access to lots more
Snow Lifts Queue-free
Far-flung chalets can mean a long walk to the lifts
Food Charisma
Access to Verbier’s slopes can be slow
Ski schools Low budget
Long lift queues form during peak weeks
Off-piste
Rosa Khutor Piste height 940m-2,320m / Lift pass £120 / Lifts 13 / Pistes 72km
• All policies cover off piste without a guide • Single trip policies up to the age of 85 (75 for multi-trip) • Children under 18 covered for FREE on family policies
15% OFF for Ski Club Members
Why there? Rosa Khutor was built for the 2014 Olympics and sceptics said it would soon be a white elephant. But then the rouble halved in value, and Russians flocked to it, fleeing the Alps. Today, building in Putin‘s playground continues, with the new Dafna six-pack serving some nice tree-lined slopes that are popular in bad weather. There are some steep runs from the top of the main gondola, and a good back section with often ungroomed blacks, plus there are heliski operations nearby. Can’t ski, won’t ski: Top hotels have spas and masseurs, and there is an ice rink. But the Black Sea resort of Sochi is the biggest attraction for nonskiers — it is 80 minutes by train from Rosa Khutor.
39%
34%
27%
Snow Lifts Queue-free Food Charisma Ski schools Low budget Off-piste An Olympic quality ski area with continued investment Limited terrain, peculiar ambience of a new resort
Les Gets
Why there? The cute, chalet-style village of Les Gets makes a charming base for exploring the vast Portes du Soleil area and has fewer crowds than its larger neighbour, Morzine. Just over an hour’s drive from Geneva, the resort is popular with weekenders, and in recent years the ski area has courted offpiste skiers by marking freeride areas on the piste map (see also en.portesdusoleil.com/winter/freeride). High-mileage intermediates who want to tackle the whole of the Franco-Swiss network may find the Les Gets gondola slow, so should start early. But for less ambitious skiers, the shared slopes with Morzine are enough. They will be even better this season thanks to the replacement of the old Ranfoilly chairlift after 30 years with a high-speed six-pack. After heavy snowfall most off-piste fans gravitate to the Chamossière area, which Les Gets shares with Morzine. But there are some pockets of powder in Les Gets itself. Try off the sides of La Rosta chair, or on Les Gets‘ own Mont Chéry, which is usually less crowded. Piste-wise it‘s not a challenging mountain, but has a good number of fun tree runs and new this year is a timed parallel slalom run. Relax at the highly rated Grande Ourse restaurant at the summit. Can’t ski, won’t ski: Amble along the pretty high street with its cafés, food shops and restaurants, or visit the Mechanical Music Museum. Après-ski is based around the pretty outdoor ice rink, in the car-free centre of the village and for children there is a new electric snowmobile circuit, plus the oldest wooden merry-go-round in France, newly restored. There's a spa and pool at the Hotel La Marmotte, plus a cinema and bowling alley. 39%
Snow
Food Charisma Ski schools Low budget Off-piste
Since its inception in 2001, the European Outdoor Film Tour has presented exclusive and hand-selected documentary films featuring outdoor sports, adventure, and travel. Stories of real people who live out their adventurous dreams, taking viewers along on the journey.
L A CONG ENIALITÀ PORTRAIT
Simone Moro and Tamara Lunger are an odd pair. As an alpinist, Simone prefers the hard way and has nearly 30 years of winter climbing experience. Tamara, on her way to achieving a long and successful career in ski mountaineering, is just 30 years old. Despite the age difference, these two share similar goals. In this film, the team heads for Kangchenjunga to attempt the highest traverse across 8000-meter peaks.
INTO T WIN GAL A XIE S EXPEDITION
Ben Stookesberry, Sarah McNair-Landry, and Erik Boomer are heading north. They want to cross Greenland‘s gigantic ice sheets with snow kites, followed by a kayaking first descent in a meltwater stream down the glacier. But Greenland is tough terrain. Sarah deals with a serious snowkiting-crash on the ice and Boomer deliberately risks his skin on an enormous multilevel waterfall ...
CHOICE S PORTRAIT
Steph Davis chose climbing. The law student left school and followed her passion for the sport, earning a number of climbing achievements from Yosemite to Patagonia. She then settled in Moab, Utah, and discovered her second passion: BASE jumping. Although she‘s suffered many losses, including the death of her husband Mario Richards in a wingsuit accident, she‘s never regretted having chosen her unconventional way of life.
Charming village, with plenty of attractions for children Uncrowded local slopes, off the beaten track Plenty of decent, well priced, restaurants
Lifts Queue-free
NO SCRIPT. NO ACTORS. NO SPECIAL EFFECTS. THIS IS REAL.
41% 13%
7%
EUROPEAN OUTDOOR FILM TOUR 17/18
Low altitude can hamper snowmaking in warm winters Can be a scrum for the gondola at peak periods Access to the main mass of runs in Portes du Soleil slow
Photos: „La Congenialita“: Ale D‘Emilia // „Into Twin Galaxies“: Erik Boomer // „Choices“: Scott Rogers
Piste height 950m-2,275m / Lift pass £240 / Lifts 196 / Pistes 650km
FIND MORE FILMS AT WWW.EOFT.EU LONDON 27/10/17 BRISTOL 29/10/17 EDINBURGH 31/10/17 LEEDS 01/11/17 SHEFFIELD 02/11/17 MANCHESTER 03/11/17 LONDON 04/11/17 BIRMINGHAM 05/11/17 GLASGOW 06/11/17 EDINBURGH 07/11/17 LIVERPOOL 08/11/17
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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY SEPTEMBER 24-JANUARY 20 The Off-Piste Awareness Tour Various locations From transceiver training to talks, Henry Schniewind’s off-piste tour returns. Discounts for club members. See henrysavalanchetalk.com/uk-events/events-in-the-uk.
OCTOBER 26-29 Telegraph Ski & Snowboard Show London Battersea Evolution, Battersea Park, London The Ski Show is back with its usual mix of retailers, resorts and tour operators, plus freestyle action on ‘Mount Battersea’. Tickets £20, family £40, students and concessions £10, children £8. Readers can receive a 15 per cent discount by quoting SKI2017 when they
IN YOUR NEXT ISSUE The people who paint piste maps For years, you have unwittingly been carrying an oil painting in your pocket, but all that is now changing.
New ski lifts... all of them Our annual round-up of all the new openings this season. Check out what’s happening in your resort.
book in advance at skiandsnowboard.co.uk. Thursday: Noon to 7pm Friday: 11am to 10pm Saturday: 10am to 8pm Sunday: 10am to 5pm
OCTOBER 27-NOVEMBER 8 European Outdoor Film Tour Various locations
Heading to nine British cities, this features nine short films at each event. Ski Club members can get ten per cent off London screenings and 12.5 per cent off others.
NOVEMBER 10-11 British University Dry Slope Championship Hillend, Edinburgh
Student skiers and snowboarders can show off their freestyle and racing talent. See line-s.co.uk.
Goodbye to the White House
NOVEMBER 16
We take you on a final tour of the bar, library and exhibits before the Ski Club moves to new offices.
City of London Club, London
All-mountain skis
The Ski Club of Great Britain’s AGM Members can have their say at the 110th annual general meeting of the Ski Club, to be held from 6pm at City of London Club. If you wish to attend or have any questions to raise, please email agm@skiclub.co.uk.
This most popular category of skis tried and tested by our impartial critics.
DECEMBER 2-15
Technique
Zermatt, Switzerland
Can’t ski the wood for the trees? Expert instructor Mark Jones will show you how.
READ BACK ISSUES OF SKI+BOARD ONLINE HERE
Ski Club Leaders’ Course Become a Ski Club Leader, with lessons in technique, snowcraft and safety. The cost is £2,999 half board not including flights. Call 020 8410 2011 or see skiclub.co.uk.
FOR MORE EVENTS AND DISCOUNTS HERE
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ONLINE
New log-in steps make security a top priority for returning visitors
Users should now encounter fewer problems when visiting skiclub.co.uk on a tablet or smartphone
Your pad or mine? Club’s unveils new site for users on the move The way we use the internet has changed hugely in the past decade, with more of us using smartphones and tablets to look things up online. As a result, the Ski Club has been overhauling its website to ensure it works just as well on the slopes, or in a chalet, as at home. This means creating pages that adapt themselves to the size of the device you are using. The overhaul is a major project, given the sheer volume and variety of content on the club’s website. And previously, if you were looking for something on the site, the easiest way was to use Google or another external search engine. But research shows that more of us are using internal search tools, so the club has
upgraded its own search engine. You will find the search icon in the top right hand corner of every page if you are using a desktop computer. Or if you are using a smartphone or tablet click on the three lines at the top left of the screen and select search. The new site also aims for a simplified menu structure. You should easily find most of the site’s familiar features, from weather and snow reports to discounts and advice. Migrating content to the new site is labour-intensive, as we are aiming to fact check and refresh all information as we go. Please do bear with us in this lengthy process and we will keep you updated in coming issues of Ski+board.
YouTube channel is going strong One advantage of the Ski Club’s new website is that it allows us to display video content more easily, but the club will also continue to use its YouTube channel (youtube.com/thesnowcast) to post videos it has made. Here you can get a sense of what Freshtracks holidays are like, watch our testers give contemporaneous feedback on this season’s new skis and see videos of resort life. The channel has 3,650 subscribers who keep up to date with all the club’s latest videos. On average, we upload one to two videos a month, with autumn being a
3:16
peak period, and the advertising revenue helps the club financially. So if you haven’t seen any of the videos we produce and would like to help us make more, go to our YouTube channel and click on the red ‘Subscribe’ button to receive alerts. Ski+board
October 2017
skiclub.co.uk
For security reasons, Ski Club members’ old log-ins and passwords cannot be transferred to the new site. So when you log in to the new site for the first time you will need to activate your account. First, click Login/signup in the top right corner of the site on a desktop computer, or via three lines on the top left of the screen on a mobile or tablet. Then, if you are a Ski Club member or registered user, click on ‘Login’. If you are not a member, but want to become a registered user to access limited benefits, click on ‘Register’. Enter your email address (members can also enter their membership number) and password and click submit. At this stage, if you have not logged in to the new site before, you will get a message saying “Almost there...” It will tell you to check your email inbox. There you should find an activation link from members@skiclub.co.uk. Click the ‘Activate account’ link and you will be asked to confirm your email address and enter a password you want to use. It must be a minimum of eight characters and include one digit. You will then be taken to the Ski Club website as a logged in or registered member. On top of the page it will say ‘My ski locker’ and show your name. You can also find a video guide to using the new website on the home page.
So what’s still to come at skiclub.co.uk? The Ski Club’s new website is soon to host an easier booking facility for the Ski Club’s Leader and Instructor-Led Guiding service. The new site will allow members to view live availability, and to pay for sessions at any hour of the day. More resort pages are also on their way, with new, updated and high resolution piste maps being added, as well as links to live webcams.
To find out more visit
skiclub.co.uk
“Can you feel it, the restlessness, the pull, the desire? To go and do, to be somewhere else, to pack a bag for an hour, a day or even more and just go. To find somewhere special, a favourite spot or a new place to explore. We say go. Go and find your somewhere with our new Autumn/Winter range, now in-store and online at cotswoldoutdoor.com”
Let’s Go Somewhere Exclusive 15% discount* for Ski Club GB members with code SBMSCA17 *T&Cs apply. Not to be used in conjunction with any offer or discount. Selected lines are exempt. Only valid upon production of your Ski Club membership identification in store or use of valid discount code online. Offer expires 31.12.17.