Skiing

Makeo · September 25, 2003, 11:54

I like it.

Sorry I'm getting excited, not long now. Only 50 days until Breckenridge opens.
So I want to talk about skiing.
Where have you skiied? If you haven't skiied, why not? If you haven't, when are you going to?
Its fun.

I've skied at

Canada
Big White
Sunshine

Australia
Mt. Hotham
Thredbo
Buller
Falls Creek

U.S.A
Breckenridge
Vail
A Basin
Keystone
Winter Park
Beaver Creek

I started skiing when I was about 15. Thank god i did. Life altering experience.

What about snowboarding?
I snowboard and telemark ski as well but I think I prefer regular old skiing although once I get as good on the tele's that may change.

I think we should have a poly ski meet.

Gangerolf · September 25, 2003, 12:01

I started cross country skiing when I was about 2, slalom/downhill when I was 5, snowboard at the age of 13. I've tried telemark on several occasions but I don't own a pair of telemark skis (yet).

Jon Miller · September 25, 2003, 13:39

skiied and snowboarded

plan on going snowboarding this next year

skiied in minnesota, crappy place don't remember name
snowboarded at Mt Bachelor, OR
snowboarded and White Creek or something like that in Pennsylvania (I think it is either southern penn or northern MA)

I skiied for the first time when I was 19, snowboarded for the first time when I was 22 (last winter)

Jon Miller

Jon Miller · September 25, 2003, 13:40

I had planned on getting a snowbaord this year

I still might

JOn Miller

Oerdin · September 25, 2003, 13:41

I didn't start skiing until I was 16 and I haven't been skiing for the last two seasons.

Buck Birdseed · September 25, 2003, 13:45

Shouldn't you take the opportunity to do some literally alpine skiing now that you're in Europe?

Makeo · September 25, 2003, 14:01

I'll be heading back to the states shortly. Although may be back in January so may try and get a few days in France.

Pekka · September 25, 2003, 14:13

Many places here (snowboarding) but I guess you haven't heard any of them, except if you like snowboarding, and have read at least few magazines, you should know about Talma, which is legendary place across the globe. I never was a regular there, but I've been there many times... No it's not a great place, but it's known all over the world by it's super high quality of snowboarders.

In Sweden I've done Åre, Swedes should know the place at least by the name and then in the US I've done Mt Hood (Timberlake and Meadows), and I'm planning on going to Meadows again this winter, and also go to Whistler as well, IF my money allows me to spend one or two nights there.

Gangerolf · September 25, 2003, 16:03

I've been to Åre too. Long time ago though. An other decent place in Sweden is Selen. Other than that, I've been all over southern Norway. The best places are perhaps Hemsedal, Trysil (just across the border from Selen), Hafjell and Stryn (summer skiing!).

I really really want to take a trip to the Alps soon.

Az · September 25, 2003, 16:07

haven't skiied ever, for obvious reasons.

Ecthy · September 25, 2003, 16:08

Love to ski, never snowboarded.

Ecthy · September 25, 2003, 16:09

you could have travelled, Az

Gangerolf · September 25, 2003, 16:10

you can roller ski!

Arrian · September 25, 2003, 16:13

I like skiing, but I'm not quite as spoiled as you. I have to content myself with skiing the mountains in VT and NH (and occasionally a hill here in CT). I mean, I could ante up the cash and head west to ski one of those big mountains, but I haven't yet.

I end up skiing a handful of times per year... just enough to remember all the stuff I already knew by the end of the season.

-Arrian

Az · September 25, 2003, 16:18

We actually have a single ski resort, but, well, we couldn't afford the equipment when I was a kid, as well as the trip there.

Pekka · September 25, 2003, 16:25

Best part about snowboarding, and I guess on skis too if you are into jumping and tricks, you can do that just about anywhere. You don't need a mountain, only thing you need is a hill high enough to give you good speed (and if it's not enough, build a small tower you can jump off to get you started) and build a MASSIVE gap. Then go jump it. Repeat x 1000 times. Best ones are really hairy, taking speed from woods where you barely fit in with all the trees, crazy speed, most likely covered on ice since you rode it 100 times so it's now ice if it's little warm and just do it. Every time it snows and it looks like it's there to stay, we build one helluva jump, it's usually so huge it takes all 5 of us to build the whole day, mostly just pushing snow non stop until it's dark.. but it's great fun, it's free of charge, and since you're walking it up every single time, it's good for you physically. Some of the best days ever spent I've been there. Oh, and for eager little bastards, if you build a massive jump, you also need to build a massive landing zone too, or you will get seriously hurt.

It's just great fun. Last winter the jump was so high, it started from the start of a smaller hill and ended up in the jump, making it LONG and with great speed, from the tip of the jump to start of the landing it was 9 meters, so that's pretty good, and air was high too. But it wasn't that dangerous, since you literally were shot from a cannon to the jump so if you fall, you'll land on the landing zone, so it won't hurt very much.. otherwise it's neck braking time!

Pekka · September 25, 2003, 16:30

Oh, and for you ironic ones, the landing started after 9 meters to the downhill, so you actually had to make a way longer jump to avoid landing flat. With good attitude you could make more than 14 meters in the air, but then the landing was little harder

. I'm throwing this figures out of my head, so they are not accurate, I'm just trying to tell you it was big!

Datajack Franit · September 25, 2003, 16:37

What about Aspen, Park City..

Japher · September 25, 2003, 16:51

Quote:

What about Aspen, Park City..

Let's see if I can rip on the French using this quote! Oh I got it:

Quote:

LLOYD
What the hell are we doing here
anyway, Harry? We've got to get out
of this town.

HARRY
Yeah, and go where?

LLOYD
I'll tell you where: someplace warm,
a place where the beer flows like
wine, where beautiful women
instinctively flock like the salmon
of Capistrano.
(dramatic PAUSE)
I'm talking about Aspen.

HARRY
Aspen?

LLOYD
That's right, Aspen.

HARRY
I don't know, Lloyd, the French are
arseholes.

Yeah for me!

Aspen is nice, but trendy. As is Sun Valley, Idaho. Yet, if I had my choice it would be Sun Valley or the Park City, Utah area. At least at Park City you have about a dozen different mountains and resorts to chose from (Alta, Sundance, etc...). Same for Tahoe.

As far as Colorado goes, I like Vail better than Aspen.

Makeo · September 25, 2003, 17:06

The Aspen town council wouldn't let them film in the town. So when you see the lads riding into 'Aspen' Its actually a street in Breckenridge.

Jon Miller · September 25, 2003, 17:26

Quote:

Originally posted by Pekka

In Sweden I've done Åre, Swedes should know the place at least by the name and then in the US I've done Mt Hood (Timberlake and Meadows), and I'm planning on going to Meadows again this winter, and also go to Whistler as well, IF my money allows me to spend one or two nights there.

I might be doing Mt Hood this christmas...

Jon Miller

Pekka · September 25, 2003, 18:03

Jon Miller, I highly recommend it.. but then again that's the only real set of mountains I've ever set my foot on, so I have nothing as big to compare.. but I loved it, there's something for everyone and... just find out where you want to go, Timberlake, Meadows or that third option...

monolith94 · September 25, 2003, 18:45

I looooooove Skiing. I hope to go to Killington this winter.

Sheik · September 25, 2003, 19:19

I snowboard. I live up here in Maine and the snowboarding is pretty good most years. Two years ago sucked though. I mostly ski at Sunday River but I also go to up to Sugarloaf on occasion

Jon Miller · September 25, 2003, 20:23

Quote:

Originally posted by Pekka
Jon Miller, I highly recommend it.. but then again that's the only real set of mountains I've ever set my foot on, so I have nothing as big to compare.. but I loved it, there's something for everyone and... just find out where you want to go, Timberlake, Meadows or that third option...

I use to live near there

it is sort of surprising that I haven't been to either of those

Jon Miller

Ecthy · September 26, 2003, 04:16

I've been skiing in Poland, Czech Republic, Saxony, Bavaria and Italy.

Tingkai · September 26, 2003, 04:46

I'm goin to be in the Canadian Rockies during Christmas. Just have to keep my fingers crossed that there will be enough snow. The weather's been weird the last couple of years. Used to be the temperature would drop to -20. Now it stays above zero and rains.

Great pic Makeo. Where's it from?

Makeo · September 26, 2003, 06:45

Its Alex Lowe in the Wasatch mountains apparently. I just liked the pic.

Whereabouts in the Rockies?

Cruddy · September 26, 2003, 06:57

Quote:

Originally posted by Makeo

If you haven't skiied, why not?

The Gulf Stream makes it very difficult in the UK (keeps the climate very mild). Add in the lack of mountains worth a damn, and it's not a popular sport here outside of the Sloane Ranger community.

Quote:

Originally posted by Makeo
If you haven't, when are you going to?

When I leave this island with a degree and a couple of teacher courses, and end up with a climate that makes it viable.

Quote:

Originally posted by Makeo
Its fun.

I know, but it's something for me to look forward to!

Ecthy · September 26, 2003, 07:28

Snowboarders only destroy the slope all the time.