Beginners need advice on skiing in Europe

Ace wrote
On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 16:43:20 +0200, "Simon Brown"
wrote:
"Ace" wrote in message
Don't be fooled - colour is really not important. Yellow lenses fool
Oh I don't agree there - I see much better with my (yellow) anti-fog goggles
in poor visibility than I did with my grey goggles (which I don't use any
more).
Lots of people say so, but I think it's an illusion. Still, better
visibility is really more of a confidence thing than anything else, so

- Yellow lenses:
I used to think it must be a load of nonsense however I
have recently heard a plausible explanation. That is that
the shadows are bluer than the non shadows and that the
yellow lenses (i.e. blue blocking lenses) thereby further
darken the shadows.

Why the shadows should be bluer than the non shadows .....

Well maybe;
The direct sun looks yellow, rest of sky blue. Shadows lit by
blue sky and not yellow sun. Seems a plan to me. OTOH when overcast,
sky does not look blue so maybe yellow glasses increase the contrast
only when it's not cloudy. OOPS, not the outcome we were looking for.
I no no nufink

- Novice skiers:
Get instruction in a lauguage that you speak like a native. Accept
NOTHING else. ***********

- Advice worth what you paid for it:
If you are looking for a package for novices check out Interski.
They do the works incuded in some packages. I don't really know
how they compare price wise but they can do clothes, skis, instruction,
all in a deal. Even a pack with glasses, hats, gloves - stuff that they
don't hire, is available.

Most instructors are UK natives.

At http://www.interski.co.uk/ they say they have discounts for the
Christmas break. Aotsa/Pila though is not "convenient" skiing.

They do a lot of kids trips, the adult section is called Classics.

I usually recommend, big and high resorts which these are not
however maybe they will suit you? Well they will suit you up for
£40 but I mean that maybe one of their trips might be a good match
for your requirements

Ace wrote in message
Don't be fooled - colour is really not important. Yellow lenses fool
you into thinking there's more light, but don't actually increase the

Oh I don't agree there - I see much better with my (yellow) anti-fog goggles
in poor visibility than I did with my grey goggles (which I don't use any
more).

Lots of people say so, but I think it's an illusion. Still, better
visibility is really more of a confidence thing than anything else, so
it will have an effect if you believe you can see more anyway.

Good threads re. yello stuff -

Subject: Yellow lenses in sunglasses?
Newsgroups: sci.physics
Date: 1998/02/12

Subject: Goggles for flat light
Newsgroups: rec.skiing.alpine
Date: 2003-12-10 07:56:02 PST

On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 13:57:48 +0100, "Paul Schofield"
wrote:


"Ralph" wrote in message
om...
Hi, my girlfriend and I want to go skiing for the first time ever. We
plan to go over Christmas somewhere in Europe (we live in London at
the moment). I am a bit overwhelmed by the choices available on the
web. Can anyone help with advice on a good European Resort to go to
for beginners that has a very good prospect of snow at Winter; has
good atmosphere i.e. the fireplace and all that, for a budget price.
Ideally we would love to book a package which includes ski hire,
instruction etc - is there anywhere that does that. THANKS!!

Slightly OT, but I'd advise you try and ski in the UK first - MK or HH
should be within range.

I doubt it. It was fairly obvious from the last question, and from one
or two other phrases, that the OP is not British, and almost certainly
not in the UK.
--
Alex Heney, Global Villager
Nunnery - Where nuns are hatched

To reply by email, my address is aDOTjDOTheneyATbtinternetDOTcom

On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 16:21:36 +0200, Ace wrote:

On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 15:08:19 GMT, "Iain Miller" wrote:

snip

If its snowing you'll need yellow
tinted goggles otherwise you won;t be able to see a thing i.e. you really
need both. There are some goggles which will cater for both sunshine & snow
but, again, expensive to buy. See what you can borrow.

Don't be fooled - colour is really not important. Yellow lenses fool
you into thinking there's more light, but don't actually increase the
amount you can see. I use some very old ones with just a slight grey
tint left (the rest wore off) and am very happy with them.


They don't increase the light (obviously!), but IME, they *do*
increase the contras, which is really what is important. Some of the
pink tinted ones have a similar effect.
--
Alex Heney, Global Villager
Nunnery - Where nuns are hatched

To reply by email, my address is aDOTjDOTheneyATbtinternetDOTcom

In message , ash
writes
I have to say that I enjoy my poor weather skiing much more now that I can
see due to getting some bright yellow glasses. Look like a pratt but at
least I can see where I'm going which I never could before!

I use rose-coloured, they work just as well. The ones to avoid have
been sitting in someone's cupboard since the 1980s: the science has
advanced since then.

I think trying to ski black runs in a week would be very optimistic but
definitely worth getting the basics on dry first, just don't let it put you
off the real thing! After 20yrs I still can't carve up off piste powder. If
only :-)

The OPs are going at Xmas, they'd better be grateful for off-piste snow
of any description (even if you don't ski on it, it makes the mountains
look so much prettier!)

Try a lot of cycling(esp interval training in a gym) to get fit. As previous
people have said-VERY important.

Not for a first-week beginner, you don't stay upright long enough to put
that much effort in. Do some exercise, but give special attention to
balance. Tai Chi is good, or anything where you do movements standing
on one foot. Rollerblading is perfect.

If you just want to have fun, skip the dry slope and start on real snow,
it's much softer to fall on.

I was in Les Arcs last year and the terrain was perfect for beginners but
not especially(at all) cheap.

But is it pretty, or does it look like the 3Vs?

--
Sue ];(

"Sue" wrote in message
...
| In message , ash
| writes
|
| Try a lot of cycling(esp interval training in a gym) to get fit. As
previous
| people have said-VERY important.
|
| Not for a first-week beginner, you don't stay upright long enough to
put
| that much effort in.

I don't know, there's little more exhausting than the constant battle to
avoid falling over, with the whole body tense when you really should be
relaxed....

| Do some exercise, but give special attention to
| balance. Tai Chi is good, or anything where you do movements standing
| on one foot. Rollerblading is perfect.
|
| If you just want to have fun, skip the dry slope and start on real
snow,
| it's much softer to fall on.

But you can get far more out of the first few days of the holiday, and
progress that much more quckly, if you're prepared to put up with a bit
of pain and take a couple of dry slope lessons first....

| I was in Les Arcs last year and the terrain was perfect for beginners
but
| not especially(at all) cheap.

Unless you head to a small resort, no domain of this size is cheap.You
can get the cost down by picking one of the offers for the beginners
part of the domain, or skiing on the free areas from 1800 for the first
day or two. And by staying down in Bourg St Maurice itself - just 7 mins
on the funicular up to Arc 1600 ;-) See sig....

| But is it pretty, or does it look like the 3Vs?

Nothing like the 3V, more like Flaine in places ;°)
The lower villages are ok - in parts.

Pete
http://bsm.alpesprovence.net

"Alex Heney" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 13:57:48 +0100, "Paul Schofield"
wrote:


"Ralph" wrote in message
om...
Hi, my girlfriend and I want to go skiing for the first time ever. We
plan to go over Christmas somewhere in Europe (we live in London at
the moment). I am a bit overwhelmed by the choices available on the
web. Can anyone help with advice on a good European Resort to go to
for beginners that has a very good prospect of snow at Winter; has
good atmosphere i.e. the fireplace and all that, for a budget price.
Ideally we would love to book a package which includes ski hire,
instruction etc - is there anywhere that does that. THANKS!!

Slightly OT, but I'd advise you try and ski in the UK first - MK or HH
should be within range.

I doubt it. It was fairly obvious from the last question, and from one
or two other phrases, that the OP is not British, and almost certainly
not in the UK.
--

err... OP said (we live in London at the moment)

A few comments to stir things up :-)

[1] Good beginners with *no* experience have safely skied down the FIS run
in Laax after a week of tuition. Took them 30 minutes but there were no
crashes. Whether the FIS is really a black is best left to the politicians
:-)

[2] Although there's a lot of talk about exercising before a ski holiday you
must also remember that there is an altitude effect - it can take up to two
days to acclimatise and during this time you can feel very tired.

[3] For many people skiing is not just the only sport they do each year it's
also the only time they actually walk anywhere! I've seen people absolutely
shattered just carrying their skis 100m from the car to the lift on their
first day out.

[4] If possible walk or use your bicycle instead of driving everywhere.
Doing just this will make a great difference to your body's readiness for
starting skiing. Skiing for the masses is more about skill than sheer
fitness.

Regarding the above - I'm 46 (!) and do no sport at all other than skiing
(and that's hardly sport). I walk everywhere - at least 4kms a day and when
the snow falls I can ski 6 hours a day without any problem at all. I have
the advantage of living up at 1,050 masl but am very sure that the walking
is the main factor. I'm also not overweight.

- IMHO - TTFN -

--
Simon Brown
www.hb9drv.ch

On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 21:55:45 +0000 (UTC), Alex Heney
wrote:

On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 13:57:48 +0100, "Paul Schofield"
wrote:


"Ralph" wrote

(we live in London at the moment).

Slightly OT, but I'd advise you try and ski in the UK first - MK or HH
should be within range.

I doubt it. It was fairly obvious from the last question, and from one
or two other phrases, that the OP is not British, and almost certainly
not in the UK.

Didn't read that way to me.

--
Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
Ski Club of Great Britain - http://www.skiclub.co.uk
All opinions expressed are personal and in no way represent those of the Ski Club.

"Ace" wrote in message
...

Hi Ace, so where are you ski clubbing this year?


--
Paul Schofield

Time flies like an arrow
Fruit flies like a banana