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The Skiing Thread

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rugbyskier

Ted Thorn (20)
By popular demand (thanks Blue and cyclopath), here's the place to post about skiing. Let's hear about where you go and where you plan to go skiing and post some photos.

I'll get the ball rolling. I've skied a lot longer than I've been playing rugby, 23 years on the boards and this is my 10th winter instructing at Thredbo. I have completed the Austrian Anwaerter certification and have four of the five components of the Australian APSI 3 certification. I've skied in Australia, NZ, Japan, USA, Canada, Austria and France and will be having a white Christmas this year in Sun Peaks, British Columbia. If you're down at Thredbo come by the clock tower at Friday Flat at 9:15 on a Saturday morning (most weekends) and say hello.

 

rugbyskier

Ted Thorn (20)
Yes, there was a reasonable fall two weekends ago and the resorts have been able to make a fair bit. The rain over the past couple of days has damaged the cover but the forecast is for heavy falls over Friday-Monday with the snow falling to quite low elevations. The weather nerds on ski.com.au are getting quite positive that this system will deliver the goods.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
I haven't skied for about 6 or 7 years now (since a knee reco and more recently more knee surgery) but am keen to get back into it.

Thanks to my Dad being a keen skier I've skied since I was really young.

I did several years on telemark skis and have done plenty of backcountry in Australia and Japan but then reverted back to downhill gear.

I've skied in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and spent a season in Canada in 05/06 (at Big White, British Columbia).

Keen to go back to Japan or Canada in the next year or so.
 

rugbyskier

Ted Thorn (20)
I read there was still only a 40cm snow base and it had been raining

That's true, but the official snow depth reading is taken from the Snowy Hydro measurements at Spencers Creek, which is halfway between Perisher and Charlotte Pass. The base at the resorts, particularly Thredbo, can be boosted by wind drifts blown in from the Main Range. Yes, the cover was affected by the rain but the forecast storm should more than repair the damage.

I skied on Sunday morning and had fun. The rain wasn't heavy enough to get through the jacket, pants and gloves and there was noone on the runs. I took the opportunity to do some medium carve turns on the Fiveways at Merritts, something that is impossible to do normally as there are too many people around to go fast. With no lift lines I skied more in an hour than I would in two hours on a sunny day.
 

Blue

Andrew Slack (58)
I haven't skied for about 6 or 7 years now (since a knee reco and more recently more knee surgery) but am keen to get back into it.

Thanks to my Dad being a keen skier I've skied since I was really young.

I did several years on telemark skis and have done plenty of backcountry in Australia and Japan but then reverted back to downhill gear.

I've skied in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and spent a season in Canada in 05/06 (at Big White, British Columbia).

Keen to go back to Japan or Canada in the next year or so.

I have skied when my knee was really bad (sorted now thank goodness). I went to a physio who taught me to strap it for skiing. Worked a bomb.
 

Blue

Andrew Slack (58)
Rugbyskier tell me about Sun Peaks. Seriously considering it instead of Whistler in Jan.

I like the Austrian method of teaching I have to say. Do you just hang out in when Sun Peaks or do you teach?

Anyone here skied out of Queenstown much? Is the Heli skiing over there worth the money or a gimmick?
 

rugbyskier

Ted Thorn (20)
The worst injury I've had is from skiing and not rugby. Fractured the humerus in two places when I stepped out of my left ski in the moguls on Funnelweb at Thredbo and put my arm out straight as I fell.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Rugbyskier tell me about Sun Peaks. Seriously considering it instead of Whistler in Jan.

Anyone here skied out of Queenstown much? Is the Heli skiing over there worth the money or a gimmick?

I've never been to Sun Peaks but if you had a couple of weeks and were heading to that part of British Columbia you could potentially do a bunch of resorts in the vicinity.

Big White, Silver Star, Sun Peaks, Revelstoke, Red Mountain, Apex Mountain as well as a few smaller resorts are all within a few hours of each other.
 

rugbyskier

Ted Thorn (20)
Rugbyskier tell me about Sun Peaks. Seriously considering it instead of Whistler in Jan.

I like the Austrian method of teaching I have to say. Do you just hang out in when Sun Peaks or do you teach?

Anyone here skied out of Queenstown much? Is the Heli skiing over there worth the money or a gimmick?

I've skied at both. Whistler and Blackcomb are bigger mountains and the village is much larger but I prefer Sun Peaks as it has a great community feel about it. The snow is drier too as it's a few hours inland - it's a five hour drive from Vancouver via Kamloops. The trips overseas are skiing holidays and I've only ever instructed at Thredbo. However the plan is to take extended leave one year and work at Sun Peaks.

The Austrian method is good and it forms the basis of the Thredbo ski school as it was mostly Austrians working there until the mid 80s. I must say that the APSI (Australian Professional Snowsports Instructors) system is also very thorough and methodical.

I last skied in New Zealand the year before I started instructing. If you're a good skier I think Treble Cone is the best place to ski and you should therefore stay in Wanaka rather than Queenstown. Haven't done heliskiing but have heard good reports in both NZ and Canada.
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
Rugbyskier tell me about Sun Peaks. Seriously considering it instead of Whistler in Jan.

I like the Austrian method of teaching I have to say. Do you just hang out in when Sun Peaks or do you teach?

Anyone here skied out of Queenstown much? Is the Heli skiing over there worth the money or a gimmick?


I have skied in NZ 5 times(?), never had a successful time at Coronet Peak or the Regretables, it just has never had the snow whenever I have been there. Queenstown is a nice party city though, with the rest of the resorts a tad quiet.

The skiing at Mount Hutt is good, Treble Cone is also fun, if you have the cash, do some hele skiing out of Mt Cook, a lots of fun.

I worked at Banff for a season and Courchevel for a season and have since also skied in Switzerland & Italy.

Whistler is the best mountain I have skied, it is the dogs bullocks, and has a decent town as well.
 

Blue

Andrew Slack (58)
Yeah loved Whistler. Was there in Jan this year for only a short 6 days so extremely keen to get back but I figure travelling all the way back there I would see some variety. It could be a pain in the arse packing up and moving on to a second resort (time wasting, cost) that I may just stick to one resort.

I am getting a bit worried about NZ. Every person I speak to seems to have had a bad snow experience over there. I see they call Mount hutt Mount "Shut".

Snow looks reasonably good in Remarkables right now but maybe I should hang out to the last minute and if it looks shite stick to Aus. I just hate feeling ripped off at Thredbo which I have to admit every time I do. Shit accommodation for the price of great accommodation elsewhere in the world and staff all over the place who just don't seem to give a shit.
 

Blue

Andrew Slack (58)
I've never been to Sun Peaks but if you had a couple of weeks and were heading to that part of British Columbia you could potentially do a bunch of resorts in the vicinity.

Big White, Silver Star, Sun Peaks, Revelstoke, Red Mountain, Apex Mountain as well as a few smaller resorts are all within a few hours of each other.

If it was just me I would hire a car for two weeks and scoot around but I have an 11 year old daughter so it's best to keep travel to a minimum.

I'd go to Red Mountain if I was on my own seems the cat skiing is awesome. Not sure if I am good enough but there's only one way to find out. :)
 

cyclopath

George Smith (75)
Staff member
By popular demand (thanks Blue and cyclopath), here's the place to post about skiing. Let's hear about where you go and where you plan to go skiing and post some photos.

I'll get the ball rolling. I've skied a lot longer than I've been playing rugby, 23 years on the boards and this is my 10th winter instructing at Thredbo. I have completed the Austrian Anwaerter certification and have four of the five components of the Australian APSI 3 certification. I've skied in Australia, NZ, Japan, USA, Canada, Austria and France and will be having a white Christmas this year in Sun Peaks, British Columbia. If you're down at Thredbo come by the clock tower at Friday Flat at 9:15 on a Saturday morning (most weekends) and say hello.

Nice form! Where was that?
 

I like to watch

David Codey (61)
Yeah loved Whistler. Was there in Jan this year for only a short 6 days so extremely keen to get back but I figure travelling all the way back there I would see some variety. It could be a pain in the arse packing up and moving on to a second resort (time wasting, cost) that I may just stick to one resort.

I am getting a bit worried about NZ. Every person I speak to seems to have had a bad snow experience over there. I see they call Mount hutt Mount "Shut".

Snow looks reasonably good in Remarkables right now but maybe I should hang out to the last minute and if it looks shite stick to Aus. I just hate feeling ripped off at Thredbo which I have to admit every time I do. Shit accommodation for the price of great accommodation elsewhere in the world and staff all over the place who just don't seem to give a shit.


I go every year and have done for over a decade.
the two fields near Queenstown are crap.We stopped staying at Queenstown and prefer to stay at Wanaka. Cardrona is very reliable and we ski mostly there.but on good days you can't keep us away from Treble Cone.
Once in the past 5 or 6 years we have had to do the jet boating etc due to poor skiing conditions.
The slopes are much less congested than in Oz.
I now refuse to go down to our snow anymore,it is just too crowded.
price wise NZ is a little cheaper than staying on snow in Oz (you don't stay on snow in NZ)
 

rugbyskier

Ted Thorn (20)
Here are some photos from the ski trip to Whistler and Sun Peaks:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-AK (Andrew Kellaway)-ash4/s720x720/485163_10151339378902763_586428446_n.jpg

Milking the Cougar at Blackcomb

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-AK (Andrew Kellaway)-ash4/s720x720/226884_10151339369537763_1060697642_n.jpg

Sun Peaks village, where you can ski down the street

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-AK (Andrew Kellaway)-ash4/s720x720/485189_10151339371617763_1832083829_n.jpg

Bluebird day

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-AK (Andrew Kellaway)-ash4/s720x720/402804_10151339371892763_124953991_n.jpg

Snow ghosts at the top of Sun Peaks

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-AK (Andrew Kellaway)-ash3/s720x720/537095_10151339372177763_341347448_n.jpg

Medium carve turns on the corduroy
 
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