Plenty of terrain to work on skiing tight lines in control...
Today was a big powder day, though much caution was needed to minimise the risk, It was mostly like this:
Showing posts with label off piste instruction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label off piste instruction. Show all posts
Thursday, 7 January 2016
Chamonix off piste coaching
Day 3 of 5 coaching Tim, Phil & John yesterday. We braved the 'raditude of the Grands Montets and found there was still some nice snow to ski, though with a fair amount of granite showing too!
Plenty of terrain to work on skiing tight lines in control...
Today was a big powder day, though much caution was needed to minimise the risk, It was mostly like this:
Plenty of terrain to work on skiing tight lines in control...
Today was a big powder day, though much caution was needed to minimise the risk, It was mostly like this:
Tuesday, 12 May 2015
Marker Kingpin - brief review
Whilst in Norway last month I had the opportunity to try out the much-heralded Marker Kingpin binding for a couple of days (thumbs down to SAS for sending my ski bag to Frankfurt instead of Oslo... thumbs up to Seth at Lofoten Ski Lodge for lending me a pair of skis...!).
I don't intend to offer an in-depth review (plenty has been written elsewhere detailing the fine details) but here are some impressions:
Weight - the Kingpins come in at a very acceptable weight for a 'beefy' pin binding. Combined with a pair of lightweight skis eg Whitedot Ranger Carbonlites or similar the overall package weight is reasonable, especially considering the following points...
The 'Marker clunk' - for those of you who have skied Dukes/Barons or Tour 10/12s you will know what I am on about here... the Tour 12 heel piece shuts with a plastic-sounding 'clack', the Baron/Duke heelpiece shuts with a hefty 'clunk'... you know you are in a beefy binding and that is has properly engaged. Its a very reassuring noise, especially when you are about to drop in to something steep. The Kingpin shares this comforting 'clunk' - thumbs up from me!
Feel - the Kingpin has a great 'feel' as a connection between boot and ski - less harsh perhaps than a regular pin binding.
Transitions - the transition from skin to ski mode and vice-versa is easy and quick.
Delta - without taking any measurements the Kingpin felt similar to the Plum Yak (ie very little delta between toe and heel heights) - in my book this is a good thing!
Risers - my one complaint - the risers have a very shiny surface finish which actually made it quite tricky to flip them on or off. This may have been due to the borrowed poles and the basket/handle materials, and like most things I am sure there is a knack to be found and once acquired changing riser will be easy, but this was an irritation for 2 days.
Weight (part 2) - the Kingpin weighs in at 650g per binding, 200g more than my current reference point Plum Yak but substantially lighter than the Dynafit Beast (955g).
Summary: Would I buy this binding? Yes - the Kingpin may well find its way into my garage, particularly on bigger skis where weight isn't absolutely critical. Will it replace the Plum Yak for me? I don't think so, but would need to spend more time on the Kingpin to cast a firm vote...
I don't intend to offer an in-depth review (plenty has been written elsewhere detailing the fine details) but here are some impressions:
Weight - the Kingpins come in at a very acceptable weight for a 'beefy' pin binding. Combined with a pair of lightweight skis eg Whitedot Ranger Carbonlites or similar the overall package weight is reasonable, especially considering the following points...
The 'Marker clunk' - for those of you who have skied Dukes/Barons or Tour 10/12s you will know what I am on about here... the Tour 12 heel piece shuts with a plastic-sounding 'clack', the Baron/Duke heelpiece shuts with a hefty 'clunk'... you know you are in a beefy binding and that is has properly engaged. Its a very reassuring noise, especially when you are about to drop in to something steep. The Kingpin shares this comforting 'clunk' - thumbs up from me!
Feel - the Kingpin has a great 'feel' as a connection between boot and ski - less harsh perhaps than a regular pin binding.
Transitions - the transition from skin to ski mode and vice-versa is easy and quick.
Delta - without taking any measurements the Kingpin felt similar to the Plum Yak (ie very little delta between toe and heel heights) - in my book this is a good thing!
Risers - my one complaint - the risers have a very shiny surface finish which actually made it quite tricky to flip them on or off. This may have been due to the borrowed poles and the basket/handle materials, and like most things I am sure there is a knack to be found and once acquired changing riser will be easy, but this was an irritation for 2 days.
Weight (part 2) - the Kingpin weighs in at 650g per binding, 200g more than my current reference point Plum Yak but substantially lighter than the Dynafit Beast (955g).
Summary: Would I buy this binding? Yes - the Kingpin may well find its way into my garage, particularly on bigger skis where weight isn't absolutely critical. Will it replace the Plum Yak for me? I don't think so, but would need to spend more time on the Kingpin to cast a firm vote...
Thursday, 6 March 2014
3 Valleys conditions - Spring has arrived!
Today I was back in the 3 Valleys doing some steeps coaching for Paul O'B. Compared to Monday & Tuesday it felt like a different season of the year, with blue skies, and (very) warm temperatures in the sun. We skied widely around the top of Courchevel and the Mottaret area, and its fair to say that after today, the only place to go for soft snow will be true North slopes. Any sunnier aspects are now in the process of transforming (ie crusty!), but not yet fully transformed to spring snow...
Paul in the Creux Noir couloirs:
With high pressure here to stay for the foreseeable future it looks like it might be time to start hunting out some corn snow turns quite soon!
Paul in the Creux Noir couloirs:
With high pressure here to stay for the foreseeable future it looks like it might be time to start hunting out some corn snow turns quite soon!
Friday, 17 January 2014
Off Piste Introduction day 6
Last day of the Off Piste Introduction course today, run by offpisteskiing.com and Jagged Globe.
Words probably won't do the day justice so best to sum it up with 2 pictures...
Thanks to Aiko, Ben, Rich, Nick and Jack for an entertaining week - the banter was as good as the skiing progression!
Words probably won't do the day justice so best to sum it up with 2 pictures...
Thanks to Aiko, Ben, Rich, Nick and Jack for an entertaining week - the banter was as good as the skiing progression!
Wednesday, 15 January 2014
Off Piste Introduction course 2014
Great conditions currently in the 3 Valleys for off piste skiing!
Despite what you might read in some 'quality' newspapers there is an abundance of safe (not to mention fun) off piste to be skied this winter. After 2 days getting into the swing of things, the guys and girls on this week's Off Piste Introduction course were given a treat, with 25cm of fresh snow on Monday night, and a bonus top-up last night. This has left fantastic conditions everywhere - yes the steeper slopes at altitude are still likely to hold some instabilities, but lower down on on mellower angles the skiing has been great!
Today we had a great run down Les Avals, and despite the signs of previous tracks the snow was super-light all the way - though with a firmer base on the sunny side aspects below 2000m.
The happy team on this year's Off Piste Introduction course:
Les Avals:
Meanwhile all the easy access off piste in Courchevel and Meribel was also in top condition - with surprisingly good cover on the Adret slopes above Meribel. More snow is due Thursday night, and with unstable weather forecast for the foreseeable future the winter seems to be getting into shape finally.
Despite what you might read in some 'quality' newspapers there is an abundance of safe (not to mention fun) off piste to be skied this winter. After 2 days getting into the swing of things, the guys and girls on this week's Off Piste Introduction course were given a treat, with 25cm of fresh snow on Monday night, and a bonus top-up last night. This has left fantastic conditions everywhere - yes the steeper slopes at altitude are still likely to hold some instabilities, but lower down on on mellower angles the skiing has been great!
Today we had a great run down Les Avals, and despite the signs of previous tracks the snow was super-light all the way - though with a firmer base on the sunny side aspects below 2000m.
The happy team on this year's Off Piste Introduction course:
Les Avals:
Meanwhile all the easy access off piste in Courchevel and Meribel was also in top condition - with surprisingly good cover on the Adret slopes above Meribel. More snow is due Thursday night, and with unstable weather forecast for the foreseeable future the winter seems to be getting into shape finally.
Tuesday, 6 August 2013
The 'data' conundrum
2 events the other afternoon set me thinking. First I spent quite some time creating archive files on my computer for lots of old information about various things "which may come in useful at some point". Shortly afterwards, on my way back from the post box, I passed 2 middle aged men who had just stepped off their mountain bikes at a café in town, bristling with shiny armour and more than one 'teletubby-cam'.
Which made me wonder: with storage options in Terabytes accessible to all (not to mention the mighty 'cloud'), super-fast-access-everywhere internet connections and cheap-enough-for-anyone POV cameras are we being caught up in a whirlpool of 'record everything' and 'share everything'?
It is too easy to keep everything now - where in the past you would notice boxes of 'stuff' stacking up in the garage, folders and sub-folders are barely noticeable, but how often do we actually need to go digging for the contents?
As for the 'record & share everything' lifestyle I am in a dilemma: as a professional it is great for me to be able to show photos and videos of what I and my clients get up to, I know for sure it has helped lure new business my way, and an internet and social media presence is almost obligatory in this day and age. I also know that over the years I have found fellow professionals heading out to a spot I had blogged about the day before with their clients (ie getting a free ride off the back of my homework), and this has changed my approach to a slightly more measured (wait until conditions have gone) blogging frequency at times...
But do we really need to capture every moment of our life for posterity? And what ever happened to just living in the moment, and enjoying each minute as it comes and then passes again? Are we too focussed on recording to actually enjoy the moment to the full? My friend Will was a perfect example of this - not counting the success of his days out by the number of Likes on the 'blue book' but simply by how much he and his friends had smiled - it used to frustrate me that he never took a camera out (ie I never got any photos taken of me) - in retrospect the images you really remember are the ones that stick in your head, the ones that don't need any prompts to bring back a 'warm glow'.
Anyway, enough pondering - dates are now in the diary for next winter's courses:
Off Piste Introduction - 3 Valleys - 11-18 Jan 2014 Info here
Off Piste Improvers - Grimentz - 18-25 Jan 2014 Info here
Off Piste Improvers - Andermatt - 8-15 Feb 2014 Info here
Maurienne Valley Steep Coaching - 22 Feb - 1 Mar 2014 Info here
Freeride Chamonix - 8-15 Mar 2014 Info here
Steep Vanoise - Brides-les-Bains- 17-21 Mar 2014 Info here
Lofoten Ski Adventures - 31 Mar - 10 Apr Info here
Don't hesitate to get in touch for more information!
The faithful few are still getting turns in up high, last weekend however I donned the lycra to join the current cycling 'vogue' for a 2 day blitz around the Tour du Mont Blanc. Yes, we did pick the hottest weekend of the year so far (typical). Yes I did lose 4 Kg in fluids (not good). Yes I did have fun (I think), though I still favour the 'pedal up an HC col, have a good coffee and some food then freewheel home' option as opposed to stringing them together...
Feeling fresh on the morning warm-up up the Petit St Bernard (the smiles were less noticeable later on after battling headwinds down the Aosta valley then slogging up the monster 35 km climb to the Grand St Bernard...):
Which made me wonder: with storage options in Terabytes accessible to all (not to mention the mighty 'cloud'), super-fast-access-everywhere internet connections and cheap-enough-for-anyone POV cameras are we being caught up in a whirlpool of 'record everything' and 'share everything'?
It is too easy to keep everything now - where in the past you would notice boxes of 'stuff' stacking up in the garage, folders and sub-folders are barely noticeable, but how often do we actually need to go digging for the contents?
As for the 'record & share everything' lifestyle I am in a dilemma: as a professional it is great for me to be able to show photos and videos of what I and my clients get up to, I know for sure it has helped lure new business my way, and an internet and social media presence is almost obligatory in this day and age. I also know that over the years I have found fellow professionals heading out to a spot I had blogged about the day before with their clients (ie getting a free ride off the back of my homework), and this has changed my approach to a slightly more measured (wait until conditions have gone) blogging frequency at times...
But do we really need to capture every moment of our life for posterity? And what ever happened to just living in the moment, and enjoying each minute as it comes and then passes again? Are we too focussed on recording to actually enjoy the moment to the full? My friend Will was a perfect example of this - not counting the success of his days out by the number of Likes on the 'blue book' but simply by how much he and his friends had smiled - it used to frustrate me that he never took a camera out (ie I never got any photos taken of me) - in retrospect the images you really remember are the ones that stick in your head, the ones that don't need any prompts to bring back a 'warm glow'.
Anyway, enough pondering - dates are now in the diary for next winter's courses:
Off Piste Introduction - 3 Valleys - 11-18 Jan 2014 Info here
Off Piste Improvers - Grimentz - 18-25 Jan 2014 Info here
Off Piste Improvers - Andermatt - 8-15 Feb 2014 Info here
Maurienne Valley Steep Coaching - 22 Feb - 1 Mar 2014 Info here
Freeride Chamonix - 8-15 Mar 2014 Info here
Steep Vanoise - Brides-les-Bains- 17-21 Mar 2014 Info here
Lofoten Ski Adventures - 31 Mar - 10 Apr Info here
Don't hesitate to get in touch for more information!
The faithful few are still getting turns in up high, last weekend however I donned the lycra to join the current cycling 'vogue' for a 2 day blitz around the Tour du Mont Blanc. Yes, we did pick the hottest weekend of the year so far (typical). Yes I did lose 4 Kg in fluids (not good). Yes I did have fun (I think), though I still favour the 'pedal up an HC col, have a good coffee and some food then freewheel home' option as opposed to stringing them together...
Feeling fresh on the morning warm-up up the Petit St Bernard (the smiles were less noticeable later on after battling headwinds down the Aosta valley then slogging up the monster 35 km climb to the Grand St Bernard...):
Sunday, 27 January 2013
A is for...
A is for...
... Andermatt
Though it could easily be for Awesome, Amazing or even Powder (OK, I know that doesn't start with an A...).
Last week I was running an Off Piste Improvers course here, my first visit, but certainly not my last!
Poor visibility on the first 2 days did little to slow the team down, and we found great powder every day. The slow lift system at Andermatt is a bonus - like La Grave it limits the number of people skiing the mountain each day, meaning the powder lasts much longer than resorts with 'modern' uplift.
Just off the side of the piste on Gemstock:
The views aren't bad:
Even the sunny side skiing is good - a 'busy' day at Natschen:
Splitting our time between Natschen and the Gemstock we managed to cover a lot of the terrain available, with lots of coaching on the way... Alex, Chas, Julie, Sarah, Ruan and Peter all made great progress through the week and ticked off some of the classics: Felsental, Guspis and Vermigel amongst others.
More deep powder off the Gemstock:
Backside of Gemstock:
Alex going deep:
A big 'thank you' my friend Bjorn Becker who works on ski patrol here and provided some great info on conditions & skiing!
There are still some spaces left on our remaining courses this winter - check out the offpisteskiing.com website for details.
... Andermatt
Though it could easily be for Awesome, Amazing or even Powder (OK, I know that doesn't start with an A...).
Last week I was running an Off Piste Improvers course here, my first visit, but certainly not my last!
Poor visibility on the first 2 days did little to slow the team down, and we found great powder every day. The slow lift system at Andermatt is a bonus - like La Grave it limits the number of people skiing the mountain each day, meaning the powder lasts much longer than resorts with 'modern' uplift.
Just off the side of the piste on Gemstock:
The views aren't bad:
Even the sunny side skiing is good - a 'busy' day at Natschen:
Splitting our time between Natschen and the Gemstock we managed to cover a lot of the terrain available, with lots of coaching on the way... Alex, Chas, Julie, Sarah, Ruan and Peter all made great progress through the week and ticked off some of the classics: Felsental, Guspis and Vermigel amongst others.
More deep powder off the Gemstock:
Backside of Gemstock:
Alex going deep:
A big 'thank you' my friend Bjorn Becker who works on ski patrol here and provided some great info on conditions & skiing!
There are still some spaces left on our remaining courses this winter - check out the offpisteskiing.com website for details.
Sunday, 2 December 2012
Snow
I have been back in Bozel for the weekend after 6 days work in Zermatt running a BASI Mountain Safety course - we had lots of new snow through the week, not great for navigating & getting out skinning but great for illustrating avalanche dangers with lots of small slabs, some skier triggered, in the last 2 days.
There was approx 50/60cm of fresh snow through the middle of the week & it seems it was much the same in the Vanoise, with plenty of folks out touring including a fine early season descent of the SW face of the Pointe Matthews - a tasty 5.2 descent more often skied in spring conditions!
There is about 10cm of snow on the ground here in Bozel at 840m, and with a fair bit of snow forecast for this week it looks like a great start to the season.
There was approx 50/60cm of fresh snow through the middle of the week & it seems it was much the same in the Vanoise, with plenty of folks out touring including a fine early season descent of the SW face of the Pointe Matthews - a tasty 5.2 descent more often skied in spring conditions!
There is about 10cm of snow on the ground here in Bozel at 840m, and with a fair bit of snow forecast for this week it looks like a great start to the season.
Friday, 13 April 2012
April Powder part 2
Another day another set of powder turns.
Despite a gloomy start in Meribel yesterday morning I was hopeful there would be a 'window' of opportunity mid-morning before the next set of precipitation came in and so it turned out. As we worked our way up high the skies brightened and we were treated to a good 3 hour spell of blue skies, linking up some great powder descents around the top of the Mottaret valley.
Nick:
Tom:
Jen:
Despite a gloomy start in Meribel yesterday morning I was hopeful there would be a 'window' of opportunity mid-morning before the next set of precipitation came in and so it turned out. As we worked our way up high the skies brightened and we were treated to a good 3 hour spell of blue skies, linking up some great powder descents around the top of the Mottaret valley.
Nick:
Tom:
Jen:
Monday, 20 February 2012
What it should look like!
And this is what yesterday's couloir looks like in the sun! 650m very foreshortened as you look up from the valley!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
