Alex's space

Skiing in Whistler

If you enjoy skiing more than apres ski and want to learn how to ski powder then Whistler has got to be on your list, especially if you want to scare yourself,Extremely Canadian do great courses for all levels from intermediate to serious expert.

One of the best runs to do is the Blackcombe Glacier.. it is basically a easy red run by Euro standards but a massive powder bowl reached buy a short walk from the top of a tow lift. Here are Nick and Dan (just married at the time), some Kiwi mates in the bowl.

this little communications hut is at the top of Whistler mountian and it looks like it could be in Antartica!

Austira and the Grampus - Religious based customs gone wierd!

(for some reason the photo is not showing from flickr so here is the link)

This is a photo of a Grampus, this seems to only occur in the areas of Austria of Pinzgau and Pongau (correct me if I am wrong), near Salzburg. This custom occurs in early December and has a religious context that I am not fully aware of but:

The young men of the village dress up as Grampus (Grampi)? and terrorise the local young ladies (officially supposed to be virgins), in the Village I took this shot that is all that really happens, but in St Johan im Pongau, where I used to work, they would put sacks over the girls heads and drag them away. Then at some point a chap dressed up as a Bishop would come and banish the Grampus and save the village’s virgins.

Now young Austrian men are not known for their ability to drink and behave responsibly so if you get in their way you tended to get whiped with birch twigs and pushed around. great fun.

If any you you out there know more then please let me know!

Ian M Says:

Good to see your Grampus images! I saw them this Christmas (and last) in Liebnitz. Don’t know what Austrian feminists think of them though!!

Cheers Ian

PS I heard they are used to frighten the children- who have to be good or St Nicholos won’t visit. It’s probably a good idea to be good!! Apparently they have the p[ower to beat lightly which is a sign of good luck-or hard which is definitely bad luck!!

Trevor C Says:

Just saw your entry re ‘Grampus’ in Pongau. Last year on Dec 5th we were travelling by coach from Munich to Obergurgl for our first ski of the season and at a ‘motorway’ stop just inside Austria on a Saturday afternoon we encountered much the same thing. They were out in force – must have been 20-30 of them dressed in traditional smelly costumes with masks and full regalia – banging drums and tamboreens etc… and throwing smouldering hot coals, smoke bombs and firecrackers – all this was, we were told due to the run up to Christmas and was a very old tradition – it really scared the hell out of many people there though – it was very realistic !! The aim was for them to smear the ladies with soot from the coals and drag them away… no chance….they run like the wind in the opposite direction !

Hinterglem - 2002 -2003

the resort of Saalbach-Hinterglem is just round the corner from Zell-am-see in Austria. It is one of the most picturesque ski resorts you could wish for. If you are fed up of the conrete jungles of the French Alps then give it a go.

On the down side it is quite small itself and the snow record is not as good as Haut Savoir.

I was there as a Skiworld Special Events rep for the Varsity Ski Champs and the RAF Ski Champs.

Most English skiiers go to France and that is fine, but I really think that it is worth trying Austria. Saalbach-Hinterglem is close to the Kaprun glacier (which has some stunning off piste easy to get to) as well as being a proper little Austrian town.

As far as apres ski goes it is great fun and very loud. Highlights include the Goat Bar and Witches Hut. also for all techno heads there is a massive ‘rave’ / club weekend in December called Rave on Snow and all the best German DJs play. If you want an all nighter there is a chilled bar underneath the Tanzimmel which stays open till the last person leaves (and will even serve pizza).

As for level of resort it is great for beginners and intermediates and has a few challenging runs for better skiiers, there are plenty of saunas and swimming pools and every one speaks English (practically).

[this is where the photo of the grampus was taken]

http://www.saalbach.com

Piau-Engaly

Piau-Engaly is a gem of a resort tucked right in the Haute Pyrenees.

bassically is is a huge North facing bowl starting at 1850 m rising up to 2600 m (it also descends below that for the longest vertical descent in the Pyrenees of 1200 m)

there is one superfast 6 man chair up the middle and from their you have your choice of blues, reds, blacks and off piste descents back down to the resort where most runs end and most lifts start.

for a day pass cost of 19.8 euros including insurance this place is extremly good value also there are only a couple of cafes / self service restaurents at reasonable prices (Sandwich American 4 Euros, Beer 2.2 Euros, coffe 2.2 Euros). so all in all a cheap days skiing (there is also a well placed pic nic room).

Ski hire starts from 11.5 Euros a day for complete kit and there are often brand new top of the range skis to try.

Also as it is just on the Spanish Border you tend to get more spanish skiiers than french.

all levels of skiier can enjoy it (proof is that my mother likes it too)! with a fantastic learners area right infront of the cafees and easily accessible blues for intermediates, for better skiiers just take the fast chair to the top and choose your descente .. blacks, moguls, shallow and steep off piste all accessible from the top of the lift.

one of the best features of the resort is the apparent lack of people that go there.. especially if you go during the week where you can find yourself totally alone on major sections of piste! and never que for a lift.

Official site:
Piau-engaly

Jon W says:

I have been here (with Alex) and its great skiing for next to no money whatsoever. Furthermore we almost had the whole place ot ourselves on weekdays, with only slightly less space on a weekend.

People are friendly and more than willing to put up with the less bi-lingual (namely me) and will kindly offer assisstance when needed.

Great place, cheap as chips, go…

Skis tested 2003 - 2004 (recovered)

Update 2005:

having bought the Rossi Scratch BC (which are great still), I subsequently tested (then bought) the New Rossi 9s (World Cup edition), at 164 they are the shortest skis I have skiied on since I was a teenager! but they are awsome! as they are the real WC skis they are still built in the old fashioned sandwich way and the big bits of plastic you normally see on modern skis are just represented by a sticker!

designed for shorter radius turns they excel on hard packed snow and ice and whip you round so fast that they sometimes catch you unawares, however as my turn radius is predominantly GS (as with most skiiers) getting them to move fast in long continuous turns is as easy and exhilarating! as they were brand new half way through the season I did not take them off piste much for fear of stones but when I was off piste they did perform well (not quite as well as the BCs but well enough).

I have not tried the commercial version of this ski, but if it is anything like the comparison between the GS versions for WC and Commercial then it should be great.

well done Rossi

Skis Tested this Season (2003-2004)

Rossignol Bandit B2
Rossignol Scratch FS
Rossignol Scratch BC
Salomon Xscream hot
Salomon Xscream AK Rocket

also Rossignol 9X

First the Salomons, generally the go anywhere ski easy type of ski the Xcreams are still very popular, this seasons hot series are still in this gamme ..

For me the Hots were too easy to turn (not necessarily a bad thing) and for someone of my weight did not offer enough floatation in the powder. if on the other hand you want a general ski to do on and off piste and not get too tired they are good. on the negative side they only come with the pilot binding system so are v.expensive.

the AK rockets from last season only came in 195 and are great skis for a powder day. they only have one way of skiing and that is fast. off piste they offer tons of floatation and are also light for their length. on piste in good snow they were fine in very long radius turns but as soon as the snow got a little sticky the tails felt far too long.

Rossignols.

my personal favorites, I have always felt at home on Rossis and this seasons skis are even better than last.

Bandit B2, advertised as a true alround ski and did not disapoint in condtions varying from deep powder in January to slushy pistes in March they prooved great fun (so much so that my father bought a pair)! for me at 182 (typically the longest available to rent) they were a little unsure at high speeds on hardpack but apart from that fantastic.

Scratch FS, the skinner of the 2 scratch models and great fun. only got the chance to ski on them in march conditions in portes du soleil so no off piste but they were fast and carvy on the morning hardpack and soft and smooth on the slush in the afternoon. all in all a great ski at 182. perhaps best off all is the twin tip kick on the tail in the slush as it throws up a trail of snow behind you … great posing stuff.

Scratch BC, ok same as FS but wider! these skis are awsome (the ones i bought). float in powder, carve on piste what more can you want! i got the 188 model and they fly through the spring powder and rip on the pistes. some people have said that they are not too great on piste, but if you set the bindings back in the standard (not new skool) setting they are fine, you can do just about whatever radius turn you want at most speeds (although they work better at higher speeds).

Rossi 9x, GS skiis that do anything. these skis are stunning for on piste work and can hold their own off piste too. I tried the 174s and the 182s both great the 174s even held their own through some powder. both this seasons 9x and 9s are being used by the pros who might have been on dynastars, volkls or salomons before so this says a lot for the ski. (a massive leap on from last seasons 9 series – next seasons are even wider at the tip and look promising).