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Beginner Nordic Skiing in Europe



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 11th 10, 07:35 AM posted to rec.skiing.nordic
rickkeller
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Default Beginner Nordic Skiing in Europe

I want to learn nordic skiing and will take a week off in February
while I am in Europe to kick start my learning. Can anyone give me
any recommendations for the best place to go for instruction and a
good environment to learn? Basically I need to go to many countries
in Europe for my job, so I can arrange my schedule to go anywhere
during my week off. Norway, Switzerland, Austria, etc. So I guess
I'm really looking for the "best" place in your opinion and I will see
if I can make it happen.

Thanks,
Rick
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  #2  
Old January 11th 10, 06:22 PM posted to rec.skiing.nordic
Raubie[_2_]
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Default Beginner Nordic Skiing in Europe

Rick, I haven't been overseas for Nordic skiing, but I hear a lot of
people raving about the level of skiing and instructions at Davos.
Fortunately, there are a number of good youtube vids (Davos and
otherwise) that might be helpful depicting what you might expect at
the different locations (dependent of course on the current snow
conditions). Personally I'd love a week to ski in Norway...

I'm sure many others here will be much more helpful with hands-on
recommendations. What a fun predicament!
  #3  
Old January 12th 10, 02:41 PM posted to rec.skiing.nordic
Colin Blackburn
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Default Beginner Nordic Skiing in Europe

rickkeller wrote:
I want to learn nordic skiing and will take a week off in February
while I am in Europe to kick start my learning. Can anyone give me
any recommendations for the best place to go for instruction and a
good environment to learn? Basically I need to go to many countries
in Europe for my job, so I can arrange my schedule to go anywhere
during my week off. Norway, Switzerland, Austria, etc. So I guess
I'm really looking for the "best" place in your opinion and I will see
if I can make it happen.


The Sudtirol (Italy) and Osttirol (Austria) are nice places to ski and
learn.

In the Sudtirol, Toblach (in German, Dobiacco in Italian) has a very
nice stadium for basic stuff with some FIS loops for more advanced
stuff. Once you have the basics there are then several valleys with good
trails and trail-side restaurants/cafes. There's also a good bus network
for either getting to more interesting places or getting back if you get
too tired. The food is very good too, Austrian with a bit of Italian
thrown in.

In the Osttirol, Obertilliach has a stadium and some loops as well as
some longer trails. It's not quite as varied as Toblach but is still
very nice.

Both places have hire shops and ski schools. In both areas a track
permit costs only 15 euros for a week. I'm not sure how much tuition
costs, hire is probably 60 or so euros a week for skis, boots and poles.

I first learned in Toblach though with a British-organised holiday
rather than independently. I have just returned from Obertilliach having
spent a week there training before taking part in the Pustertaler
marathons over the border in Toblach.

From my limited experience the Sudtirol is cheaper than the Osttirol
and both are much cheaper than Norway or Finland (and probably
Switzerland) especially if you like the odd beer.

I'd recommend both places but Toblach has the edge and it has fantastic
Dolomite scenery too.

Colin
  #4  
Old January 12th 10, 08:37 PM
Jan Gerrit Klok Jan Gerrit Klok is offline
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Default

I've not seen much, but my recent research tought me that the place I'd been to 2 times before, is actually the easiest accessible. Seefeld/Leutasch Olympiaregion, Austria. 37mins by train from Innsbruck airport. 2 hours from Munich main station, give or take (bypassing legendary Garmisch).

I can't speak for the level of tuition, but the trail system is great. One of the best for skating, but the classic seems better, as you can make tours all through the region, which skaters can't.
Super easy open field trails through long valleys, especially from Leutasch, and worldcup level ones, litterally, in Seefeld. Plus some entertaining ones, like the B11 Waldloipe which I posted a couple of videos of on youtube.

Both Seefeld and Leutasch have ski shops right next to the "start/finish" banners from which the trail system roll out.

If you get in touch with the local tourist office, they can help you affordable lodging, bed & breafast. I've found Austrians from Tirol to be quite cheerful. In Davos, it's XC heaven for sure, but they'll stare you down to return your greeting.
  #5  
Old January 13th 10, 12:02 AM posted to rec.skiing.nordic
Eugene Miya
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Posts: 166
Default Beginner Nordic Skiing in Europe

In article ,
rickkeller wrote:
I want to learn nordic skiing and will take a week off in February
while I am in Europe to kick start my learning. Can anyone give me
any recommendations for the best place to go for instruction and a
good environment to learn? Basically I need to go to many countries
in Europe for my job, so I can arrange my schedule to go anywhere
during my week off. Norway, Switzerland, Austria, etc. So I guess
I'm really looking for the "best" place in your opinion and I will see
if I can make it happen.


I just got back from CH and Aust. 2 weeks ago and just had lunch with a
US ex-pat working in Switzerland. I have 3 full prior months skiing
around the Alps over the last ten years and was also in Norway last year.

1) The exchange rate for the dollar is the worst that it has even been.
9-10 years ago, I could get 1.6..1.8 CHF to the $1US. It's now
basically 1:1. It will be an expensive ski lesson.

2) How is your German (hoch deutsch or Schwzer deutsch?), Italian, or
Norwegian? You are likely to lose instruction subtle tips.

3) The latitude makes for shorter days depending where you are in the
USA compared to Europe.

In general, as a beginner, you would be better off learning in the USA
and touring Europe at later time.

That said.

Davos was mentioned: it's rather limited. They have a couple of lakes
which freeze where they ski around. I went there to downhill (older of
the big megaresorts, need a minimum of a week to ski there, one of the
areas is more atuned to snowboarders), it's going to be in the news
in 2 weeks for the World Economic Forum.

St Moritz (just spent a week in the Engadin) has a ski marathon. That's
when NOT to be there. They will not have time to cater to beginners at
that time (in fact don't stay in St Moritz proper [more downhill
oriented]) the center is sort of Pontresina (which is where I stayed,
not the best place to stay when downhilling).

They have a number of road passes which close in winter. These get
turned into sledding and X-C resorts. The upper Rhone and the upper
Rhine have extensive X-C. Some of this, in the Rhone case, and formerly
in the Rhine case were military biathlon Nordic skiing and shooting.
It's not beginner terrain except in the bottoms of the Valleys and there
is also avalanche hazard (as in closing roads and trains). It's far
more extensive than Davos. The Jura in the NW part on the border with
France has a 200+ mile ski trail and likely instruction in that area.

One place which has minimal Nordic skiing in the Alps is the Tyrol
around St Anton (incd Lech and Zurs). This is the heart of where Alpine
skiing got perfected. They pride themslves on their moguls and mogul
technique. They have some track and minimal Nordic ski schools, but they are
a tad snotty because of their history. People do telemark and tour
around, but it's combat skiing practically all the time.

Most of the other Europe resorts have some amount of Nordic.
Figure other factors if you are going to go there when you ski because
when you ski there it's European skiing, and how it differs from the US.

Reuter's publishes a book on world skiing. You can get it from Amazon.
While Alpine downhill oriented, it typically includes a line or 2 about
Nordic. I think that 1-2 other European ski books exist in English, they
have even less on Nordic skiing.

Norway has really short days. Bug Terje for info. I had dinner with
him in Oslo, and he comes here a number of time, and I get dinner with
him in the USA. Numerous places to learn there. Just short days and
sometimes really cold.

--

Looking for an H-912 (container).

  #6  
Old January 13th 10, 08:43 AM posted to rec.skiing.nordic
Terje Mathisen[_2_]
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Posts: 173
Default Beginner Nordic Skiing in Europe

Eugene Miya wrote:
Norway has really short days. Bug Terje for info. I had dinner with
him in Oslo, and he comes here a number of time, and I get dinner with
him in the USA. Numerous places to learn there. Just short days and
sometimes really cold.


The best xc skiing in the world is of course in Oslo.

2600 km of groomed xc trails, this winter they have even started to set
tracks in some of the downtown parks, like Vigelandsparken.

The short days in mid-winter isn't really a problem:

a) We have at least 100km+ of lighted tracks just inside/around Oslo
city limits.

b) Everyone serious skies with a head lamp these days, modern halogen of
LED lamps with NiMH or Li battery packs give much better visibility than
what you get in a lighted stadium or lighted track.

c) If you're visiting you can ski in the daytime even on weekdays, which
means at least 6-8 hours even around Dec 21st.

As soon as you get to February, as the OP mentioned, there's very little
difference in the number of daylight hours anyway.

Terje

--
- Terje.Mathisen at tmsw.no
"almost all programming can be viewed as an exercise in caching"
  #7  
Old January 13th 10, 11:55 PM posted to rec.skiing.nordic
Eugene Miya
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Posts: 166
Default Beginner Nordic Skiing in Europe

In article ,
Terje Mathisen "terje.mathisen at tmsw.no" wrote:
Eugene Miya wrote:
Norway has really short days. Bug Terje for info.


The best xc skiing in the world is of course in Oslo.




What's the exchange rate now?

How much was a gallon of gas? (or price per liter converted over to the
US$ for Mer'kans?)


As soon as you get to February, as the OP mentioned, there's very little
difference in the number of daylight hours anyway.


Yeah the definition of what constitutes winter is the same trick in
Alaska. Winter ascents get claimed in March just before Equinox.
It's the alignment of seasons.


Gotta run to CMU-West and Stanford. You are missing an incredible
dinner this evening (Jeri will be there). I presume that you are coming
in April (not that I plan to attend that meeting).

--

Looking for an H-912 (container).

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  #8  
Old January 14th 10, 12:22 PM posted to rec.skiing.nordic
Terje Mathisen[_2_]
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Posts: 173
Default Beginner Nordic Skiing in Europe

Eugene Miya wrote:
In ,
Terje Mathisen"terje.mathisen at tmsw.no" wrote:
What's the exchange rate now?


About 5.60

How much was a gallon of gas? (or price per liter converted over to the
US$ for Mer'kans?)


$2 per liter, i.e. $7.50 per gallon, which is the same as all of Europe,
more or less.


As soon as you get to February, as the OP mentioned, there's very little
difference in the number of daylight hours anyway.


Yeah the definition of what constitutes winter is the same trick in
Alaska. Winter ascents get claimed in March just before Equinox.
It's the alignment of seasons.

Gotta run to CMU-West and Stanford. You are missing an incredible
dinner this evening (Jeri will be there). I presume that you are coming


I'm envious.

in April (not that I plan to attend that meeting).


Yeah, I intend to get down to the Monterey area at the usual time, this
year my wife will probably attend as well. The plan is that she's going
to present something about how she's gotten public transport around here
to be quite a bit more efficient, using a combination of
electronics/computers and physical changes.

Terje
--
- Terje.Mathisen at tmsw.no
"almost all programming can be viewed as an exercise in caching"
  #9  
Old January 26th 10, 01:38 AM posted to rec.skiing.nordic
Eugene Miya
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Posts: 166
Default Beginner Nordic Skiing in Europe

In article ,
Terje Mathisen "terje.mathisen at tmsw.no" wrote:
Eugene Miya wrote:
What's the exchange rate now?


About 5.60


How much was a gallon of gas? (or price per liter converted over to the
US$ for Mer'kans?)


$2 per liter, i.e. $7.50 per gallon, which is the same as all of Europe,
more or less.


I heard it was about $12 per gal when I was there with you.


As soon as you get to February, as the OP mentioned, there's very little
difference in the number of daylight hours anyway.

Yeah the definition of what constitutes winter is the same trick in
Alaska. Winter ascents get claimed in March just before Equinox.
It's the alignment of seasons.

Gotta run to CMU-West and Stanford. You are missing an incredible
dinner this evening (Jeri will be there). I presume that you are coming


I'm envious.


No need to envy.

in April (not that I plan to attend that meeting).


Yeah, I intend to get down to the Monterey area at the usual time, this
year my wife will probably attend as well. The plan is that she's going
to present something about how she's gotten public transport around here
to be quite a bit more efficient, using a combination of
electronics/computers and physical changes.


Yeah my invite just came.
I may be in DC at that time.

--

Looking for an H-912 (container).

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PC running NT or Unix without running out of power, use the best!
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