Messages posted by : powderhound
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Les Arcs is a superb ski area with top skiing for just about everyone...
Early January is a great time to be there - the slopes will be very quiet and you'll probably find you have runs to yourself quite often. Usually the snow is good all over, especially on the Aiguille Rouge (over 3,000 metres and some of the best skiing in France IMO), but as we all know the snows are late showing, so far... Fingers crossed and a couple of big storms in the next three weeks will sort it out - nothing forecast at the moment though. The weather is set to cool considerably so they'll be able to preserve what there is and use the snow cannons effectively. Top tip for Les Arcs - don't miss the "Tart Huts" in several places on the mountain; mouth-watering slabs of savoury and sweet tarts that are just the job if you don't want to waste valuable skiing time by sitting in a restaurant! 8) |
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Well I, like many others who started skiing last century... :shock: ...learnt to carve on skinny skis and IMO that gave me very solid fundamental technique for edging and pressuring the ski properly. If you don't get it right on skinny skis they just won't carve - simple really!
You can put a "carver" on its side and round it goes with a minimum of technique but to really make the ski work you've still got to get those basics of edging and pressure right. I think many skiers on "carvers" never get the compression and acceleration out of the turn that comes from carving it right - the ski turns and that's all they want. If you like, the "intermediate plateau" used to be "pre-carving" and now it's just after carving... if that makes any sense whatsoever :P But it's important to differentiate between specific "carvers" - that can be quite soft and are really aimed at allowing lower intermediate skiers to carve - and between shaped skis generally. Almost all modern skis are "shaped" with a pronounced side-cut but there is huge variation in stiffness and width under foot. Personally I find softer "carvers" far too floppy and generally choose a fairly "stiff" ski - with the much shorter length that comes with wider, shaped skis. Originally, "carvers" were very narrow at the waist which made them pretty useless in powder, but this has changed in the past couple of years. So to answer your question - I think you'll enjoy modern skis immensely as they are certainly easier to ski but, like me, you may find you're more comfortable / have more fun on a stiffer ski. So think "Freeride" or "All Mountain" ski rather than "Carver". But the best plan of all is to find a friendly hire shop, talk to the techies and take a completely different pair of skis out each day to find what you like! Oh, and take an instructor for an hour or two so he can tune your technique to make the most of modern skis. Powderhound |
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Latest snow forecast for Sestriere says freezing level up to 3,000 metres by Thursday, but cooler with a chance of a few cm of snow over the weekend... :shock: It all could change though - the forecasts have been all over the place lately - but generally not looking too useful right now. Powderhound |
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It snowed on Saturday and looks like that was it for Winter. Temperatures on the rise again, winter is cancelled, please bring hiking boots and sun-cream. :cry: ...but seriously, there's still plenty of season left - just not much this side of the New Year by the looks of it... |
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Excellent summary of how things have changed - thank you! Santa's bringing me a shiny new lid for Xmas... |
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Top choice! Forget the 60s architecture (some people like it, and much of it is actually listed!), the ski area is superb by any standards. For someone at your level and above it is ideal. Should have good snow in Feb too. From the top of the resort there's a choice of lovely long undulating Reds back to the town - you will love these! The restaurant at the top has one of the best views in Europe and probably the best view of Mont Blanc you can find anywhere - take a camera. There's a mix of long, long Blues and Reds all round the main bowl, with some tree lined runs closer to the town. Plenty of off-piste that's accessible but take care as there are BIG holes in the rock under the snow - so check the snow conditions on the spot each day. If you're feeling brave there are a couple of good Blacks - the Diamante Noir takes no prisoners though (and can require a "drop in" over a cornice mid-way down) so check conditions first. There's a good connection over to Les Carroz which makes for a nice change of scenery but be sure to spend some time in the valley between the two, especially if the snow is good (powder days can be awesome from the top of the Molliet chair). Only downside of the connection is that it can be crowded, especially end of day. Hints? Organise everything you can beforehand to maximise your time on the snow! 8) Powderhound |
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I find crying helps. |
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It looks like it may be arriving this week! :P Powderhound |
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