Record heatwave closes Mont Blanc to tourists

A fine article in today's Observer:

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/inter...020327,00.html

Recommended reading for everybody interested in skiing and the environment.

Farewell party for the Laax glacier in a few years, info in the group :-(
--
Simon Brown, Postfach 159, CH-7031 Laax
www.hb9drv.ch

I think I read somewhere that the experts reckon global warming will
give dryer summers & much wetter winters . Following that theory , as
long as its cold we chould be in for a great new season ! :-)

As for summer skiing for anyone who hasnt tried it , you wont be missing
much, half a day & your be bored. Best save up & head down to the
southern hemisphere for the real thing !

Nigel

Simon Brown wrote:
A fine article in today's Observer:

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/inter...020327,00.html

Recommended reading for everybody interested in skiing and the environment.

Farewell party for the Laax glacier in a few years, info in the group :-(

On Sun, 17 Aug 2003 11:47:14 +0200, Nigel wrote:

I think I read somewhere that the experts reckon global warming will
give dryer summers & much wetter winters . Following that theory , as
long as its cold we chould be in for a great new season ! :-)

As for summer skiing for anyone who hasnt tried it , you wont be missing
much, half a day & your be bored. Best save up & head down to the
southern hemisphere for the real thing !

You're right for the recreational skier it's probably not much loss,
but it's a essential resource for people like race teams or anyone
having intensive coaching. It'll be a loss if they're not able to get
on local glaciers anymore.

"Ian Spare" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 17 Aug 2003 11:47:14 +0200, Nigel wrote:

I think I read somewhere that the experts reckon global warming will
give dryer summers & much wetter winters . Following that theory , as
long as its cold we chould be in for a great new season ! :-)

As for summer skiing for anyone who hasnt tried it , you wont be missing
much, half a day & your be bored. Best save up & head down to the
southern hemisphere for the real thing !

You're right for the recreational skier it's probably not much loss,
but it's a essential resource for people like race teams or anyone
having intensive coaching. It'll be a loss if they're not able to get
on local glaciers anymore.

Maybe this year - but I fear that in 10 or 15 years however it will not look
good for any skier.

I.

On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 03:19:23 +0100, "Iain Miller"
wrote:


"Ian Spare" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 17 Aug 2003 11:47:14 +0200, Nigel wrote:

I think I read somewhere that the experts reckon global warming will
give dryer summers & much wetter winters . Following that theory , as
long as its cold we chould be in for a great new season ! :-)

As for summer skiing for anyone who hasnt tried it , you wont be missing
much, half a day & your be bored. Best save up & head down to the
southern hemisphere for the real thing !

You're right for the recreational skier it's probably not much loss,
but it's a essential resource for people like race teams or anyone
having intensive coaching. It'll be a loss if they're not able to get
on local glaciers anymore.

Maybe this year - but I fear that in 10 or 15 years however it will not look
good for any skier.

Oh yes, possibly, I thought we talking about summer skiing on
glaciers. But, as has been discussed round here there's a whole load
of climate change scenarios but most of them aren't good.

I get the impression that the National Teams prefer there all expense
summer trips to the Andes & NZ rather than the local stips of decaying
glacier. Come to think of it, it turned out good for me as well .
I Stayed in Hotel Portillo once when the Austrian Mens & Womans ski team
were training . Free Bar allnight !!!! Also had a similar experience a
few years back in Las Lenas with the Swiss Team & the Canadian & Yank
teams in Bariloche . They really take there training seriously :-) !

Ian Spare wrote:
On Sun, 17 Aug 2003 11:47:14 +0200, Nigel wrote:


I think I read somewhere that the experts reckon global warming will
give dryer summers & much wetter winters . Following that theory , as
long as its cold we chould be in for a great new season ! :-)

As for summer skiing for anyone who hasnt tried it , you wont be missing
much, half a day & your be bored. Best save up & head down to the
southern hemisphere for the real thing !


You're right for the recreational skier it's probably not much loss,
but it's a essential resource for people like race teams or anyone
having intensive coaching. It'll be a loss if they're not able to get
on local glaciers anymore.

I get the impression that the National Teams prefer there all expense
summer trips to the Andes & NZ rather than the local stips of decaying
glacier. Come to think of it, it turned out good for me as well .
I Stayed in Hotel Portillo once when the Austrian Mens & Womans ski team
were training . Free Bar allnight !!!! Also had a similar experience a
few years back in Las Lenas with the Swiss Team & the Canadian & Yank
teams in Bariloche . They really take there training seriously :-) !

Ian Spare wrote:
On Sun, 17 Aug 2003 11:47:14 +0200, Nigel wrote:


I think I read somewhere that the experts reckon global warming will
give dryer summers & much wetter winters . Following that theory , as
long as its cold we chould be in for a great new season ! :-)

As for summer skiing for anyone who hasnt tried it , you wont be missing
much, half a day & your be bored. Best save up & head down to the
southern hemisphere for the real thing !


You're right for the recreational skier it's probably not much loss,
but it's a essential resource for people like race teams or anyone
having intensive coaching. It'll be a loss if they're not able to get
on local glaciers anymore.

"Nigel" wrote in message
...
I get the impression that the National Teams prefer there all expense
summer trips to the Andes & NZ rather than the local stips of decaying
glacier. Come to think of it, it turned out good for me as well .
I Stayed in Hotel Portillo once when the Austrian Mens & Womans ski
team
were training . Free Bar allnight !!!! Also had a similar experience
a
few years back in Las Lenas with the Swiss Team & the Canadian & Yank
teams in Bariloche . They really take there training seriously :-) !


Most national teams haven't got the funding to send more than the
elite - and most 'ordinary' skiers in the likes of the French team for
example haven't got anything like the means to cover their own costs.
Remeber that the 'faces' we all know from the World Cup races etc are
only a tiny minority of the senior/junior teams. They always try to get
as much glacier skiing in as possible before heading down south. We're
not talking about pampered, overpaid footballers here .....

Pete

On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 10:01:39 +0200, Nigel wrote:

I get the impression that the National Teams prefer there all expense
summer trips to the Andes & NZ rather than the local stips of decaying
glacier. Come to think of it, it turned out good for me as well .
I Stayed in Hotel Portillo once when the Austrian Mens & Womans ski team
were training . Free Bar allnight !!!! Also had a similar experience a
few years back in Las Lenas with the Swiss Team & the Canadian & Yank
teams in Bariloche . They really take there training seriously :-) !

Yes, sure, the bigger teams with money can go elsewhere, it's going to
hurt at club level though which will have an impact on the funnel of
talent for the national teams.

.... I sense something about grass skiing coming soon :-)

Ian

My money's on overshooting 'cos we're accelerating it with our (your) cars
and our industrial emissions.

Nice and warm as this summer was I would be very happy to return to the
average but that's most unlikely :-(
--
Simon Brown, Postfach 159, CH-7031 Laax
www.hb9drv.ch

"David Off" wrote in message
om...

In the middle ages, during the European climate optimum, glaciation
was much less than today. Many cols that were possible on foot then
are covered in year round ice today. The question is, are we heading
back to that situation or are we going to overshoot it, and by how
far?

David