J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Trencher

I can only comment on the three resorts at Park City, The Canyons, Deer Valley, and ParkCity resort. PC is a typical old mining town turned ski resort. Home of the Sundance film festival (very busy week in the town though not on the slopes).

Deer Valley is a ski only resort. You will discover, it's not so much the lack of snowboarders as the lack of teenagers that makes for a more relaxed atmosphere. On a blue sky, icey day they have groomers that will make you weep with joy.

PCMR (Park City Mountain Resort) has the best mix of terrain.

The Canyons is great for varied intresting runs. The runs down some of the ridges are special.

For the Park City resorts only, if you have your flight boarding pass, dated that day (possible if you have a transfer) you can ski free the rest of the day. This can save 50 bucks per person on half day tickets and is a great for a couple of hours warm up and altitude adjustment.

There's an outlet mall nearby for great shopping.

SLC is a typical US city and can be a cheap base to travel out from, to the various resorts.

Car hire is cheap (if you book on line). I rented a small ford for $40, Fri morn to Sun eve.

Buy Lift tickets at Costco in SLC to save $15 to $20 each.


trencher

another point worth mentioning

You can wear thin socks to ski. The old idea of ski socks being super thick all wool monster socks is no longer true. Modern boot liners are very warm.

Trencher

To illustrate the point, read the first part of the description on this ebay item.

http://cgi.ebay.com/HEAD-RS100-SuperHeat-III-World-Cup-Ski-Boots-SIZE-30-5_W0QQitemZ190065891386QQihZ009QQcategoryZ16061QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Most people end up buying smaller boots after thier first pair pack in and thier feet start rattling around.

Trencher

You should first establish your true mondo size- foot length in cm. All ski boots are sized in mondo point.

You can do this your self by standing in a box with your heels against the side and drawing around your toes. Measure the length in cm and use which ever one is longer. This gives you a better idea of your true size.

Ski boots are normally worn smaller than your street shoe size. so if your feet actually measure 29.5 cm you may well be comfortable in a 29 or for a tight fit, a 28.5.

My feet measure 27.4 and I normally wear 26 or 26.5 ski boots.

You could go to a ski store and try on some boots. This will give you a very good idea of what size to ask the rental places for, befor you go.

If you become hooked on skiing and want to buy boots then book your next ski vacation in the US. Large feet are vey common and the exchange rate may make the package sensible.

An alternative for buying would be the US ebay. US street shoe sizes are one size up to UK sizes ie 11.5uk would be 12.5us. There about eighty boots on there in that size...
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&satitle=ski+boots+30

Where as there were only 14 on UK ebay

http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search.dll?from=R40&satitle=ski+boots+30


Trencher

I don't think elegance need be completely lost. The problem is that at the moment, the charge into the new rechnique has been led by the racers. Whenever I see instructors taking a carving clinic, it is normally a racer type doing the teaching.

The current racing model of the skis wide apart is not neccersary for free skiing. In a good carved turn, the legs are parallel and may be touching, though the skis are further apart. I don't like the extreme carving style that brings the inside ski up under the body. To me this looks no better than an A frame turn, in that it's almost impossible to fall. It is possible to carve quite extremely without doing that.

I think a style of carving will develope, that will be graceful.

One the greatest aspects of the carving revolution is the condition of the runs. Until recently, if the snow was soft at our local hill, you had an hour or two at most befor the slope was mini moguled out and impossible to carve on. That only happens on holiday weekends now, when the old schoolers come out.

Trencher

A lot of boots have quirks like that, but still anoying when it happens.
It's happened to me, especially when I've been lazy and not rebuckled my boots after use, or worse, rebuckled with something not straight inside. You then don't know until you put them on next time and find the plastic bent.


Trencher

For the "next to skin" layer, I go for the most comfortable (soft). The old polypro thermals were very uncomfortable (and smelly). I have some wool mixes that are great and some that are itchy. Best to open the packet and do a feel test befor you buy.

My favorite at the moment are Orage micro fleece pants. A very fine stretchy micro fleece. In fact micro fleece is great next to the skin and is worth two layers of traditional thermal underwear. It's very unrestricting, which is good as you want to avoid that bundled up feeling.

Silk is also good next to skin and often turns up in sales at reasonable prices.
I actually wear silk underpants under my thermals if it's going to be damp.
Wet cotton against your butt on the lift is torture.


Trencher

Yes, you are right. The inside ski has to be a little ahead of the outside ski. Ideally it wouldn't be but we are saddled with our human geometry, just the way our legs bend and our hips angulate. It allows us to keep our body somewhat over our skis and both skis on the snow.

The rolling should start with the skis at the lower leg and work up to the knees and then the hips as the turn progresses (althought the hips roll on a different plane). The weight should shift from outside to inside ski through the turn.

The most important part of carving is how you use your weight to press the ski edges downwards into the snow.

search the other post on carving for more ideas.

Trencher