[SA Chris]

Trouble is if it's at all icy I break out skis.

Have you made a direct comparison between a brand new MT board and a brand new well tuned and edged conventional board?

Thing with a wave formation is thet for every one of the 7 "point" of contact there has to be a low point that will have less contact.

Also not sure what the tuning shops will make of them.

Be interesting to see over the next few years what happens.

[lagerstarfish]

As far as boards go most people forget to fit the board to their foot length.  In other words stand on the board in your regular stance and make sure that your feet neither overhang too much or don't reach the edges. 

  If you take a size 11 boot or bigger you will find that some boards are too narrow. It can be quite annoying when you feel those toes dragging through the hard-pack and ruining your carve, dumping speed and loosing a bit of balance. There can be quite a difference in the length of boots that fit the same foot size - so if you have big feet it can be worth comparing different brands of boot and choosing the one that fits and has the shortest length - this will give you a greater choice of which boards will work for you (thus increasing the number of board-owning mates from whom you can borrow a board  )

[SA Chris]

Or just go for wide / midwide boards for that added float in powder. If you have big feet you may as well make the most of them! You can also get risers if you are dragging toes, but that raises the CoG a bit.

[lagerstarfish]

I've always wondered; what is it like for little-footed folk to use a wide board? I mean, us big-footed blokes have to suffer a slightly slower edge to edge transition, but does it make any difference to the wee ones? I can sort of see the leverage on the foot being different, but can you feel it? I've never tried having small feet...

[SA Chris]

no idea either. guess you will have to really throw your weight around to get it on an edge. Remember waving arms from side to side when you were learning? Might see if i can convince rowena to have a go on my 168 wide at some point.

[AndyR]

no idea either. guess you will have to really throw your weight around to get it on an edge. Remember waving arms from side to side when you were learning? Might see if i can convince rowena to have a go on my 168 wide at some point.

I have regular size 8.5 feet and had a go on my neighbour's wide board - never again - surprisingly difficult to transition quickly from edge to edge.

[Bubba]

Might see if i can convince rowena to have a go on my 168 wide at some point.

That's just cruel.

[Norton Sharley]

Oke dokey, it's getting to that time of year again when I need to book this years' snowboard holidays.

Anyone got any experience of cat skiing anywhere?

[lagerstarfish]

sorry 

[Plattsy]

Not sure about cat skiing but I reckon meeting the owner of the footprint on the slopes would certainly add extra adrenaline to your day out.

[SA Chris]

That's one seriously small compass. Or one big pussy.

[cofe]

Anyone got any experience of cat skiing anywhere?

Fernie. Canada. Awesome. Book it.

[Plattsy]

A Puma in British Columbia. Found the picture under miscellaneous on a skiing off piste list of dangers!

[SA Chris]

Revelstoke is getting loads of publicity at the moment for great offpiste / cat / heli combined trips.

A lot of US resorts now offer in bounds cat-skiing for little or no money. We did it at Keystone earlier in the year ($5 a trip), saves a long walk. I know Copper and Winter Park do it for free, and I think Crested Butte too. I would love to get to Silverton in Southern Colorado - one chairlift, no marked trails, no groomers, no facilities, no patrol. I think you don't even need a guide anymore, provided you are suitably tooled up.

[Norton Sharley]

Was looking for a bit more than free cat skiing in resort Chris.  Will either go on McNab stupidity in Chamonix or full on in the middle of nowhere cat skiing from a lodge.  Silverton sounds interesting though, will do some more research on that one.

Lagers, you're a    and should really receive -ve karma for using a picture already posted on ukb   

[SA Chris]

Was looking for a bit more than free cat skiing in resort Chris.  

Then Revel(stoke) in your time. Has the option of some pretty good looking resort skiing for days when the cat - skiing is not possible due to avalanche conditions or suffering with poor vis.

http://www.revelstokemountainresort.com/

[Bowie]

ok - ideas please. i am having my stag do next year, a week's boarding/skiing in the french alps. 10-12 people, mixed ability, some uber wads, some punters. needs good night life, high resort and self catering for that many. any ideas on best location? les arc last season was fantastic but looking for somewhere new. cheers folks

[tlr]

You couldn't go far wrong with Trois Vallees (preferably Meribel for that full 'Blackpool by the Snow' feeling) or Espace Killy (Val D'Isere/Tignes). Both have  vast amount and variety of terrain, and more bars than you can shake a ski pole at.

[tlr]

Was looking for a bit more than free cat skiing in resort Chris.  Will either go on McNab stupidity in Chamonix or full on in the middle of nowhere cat skiing from a lodge.  Silverton sounds interesting though, will do some more research on that one.

Lagers, you're a    and should really receive -ve karma for using a picture already posted on ukb    

This is where you need to go http://www.whitegrizzly.com/#

Friends have been there and say nothing else compares. They have gone back quite a few times too.

I have skiied with McNab in Chamonix, and that was great too, but I don't think that it would be quite the same as White Grizzly!

[Norton Sharley]

http://www.whitegrizzly.com/#   hehe. 

you up for something like that tim?

rode over the valley at Kicking Horse this year so I know how good the snow is and am tempted but it is b****d expensive

[Norton Sharley]

And I would suggest 1650 as the cheapest in Courchevel and some of the best riding in Trois Vallees Bowie.

[tlr]

http://www.whitegrizzly.com/#   hehe.  

you up for something like that tim?

rode over the valley at Kicking Horse this year so I know how good the snow is and am tempted but it is b****d expensive

We've just booked 2 weeks in Park City, hopefully get plenty of powder without the vast price tag. Won't be quite the same as White Grizzly, but there are a couple of Catski and Heli operations there that we'll have some days with. Maybe next year for White Grizzly....

Actually, you might have to check that they will even take snowboarders, I'm pretty sure that my mates said that they wouldn't take snowboarders and skiers in the same group.

And I would suggest 1650 as the cheapest in Courchevel and some of the best riding in Trois Vallees Bowie.

Completely agree with this from a skiing point of view, 1650 is definitely my favourite part of the 3 Vallees, but perhaps not so great from a party point of view as Meribel, Val D'Isere etc.

[SA Chris]

We've just booked 2 weeks in Park City, hopefully get plenty of powder without the vast price tag. Won't be quite the same as White Grizzly, but there are a couple of Catski and Heli operations there that we'll have some days with.

Nice. Some good back country stuff in the Wasach, so take your AT skis (or snowshoes if boarding) and Avo gear and go discover. Can get a guide for the day if you want. And avoid Deer Valley and Alta if you are boarding. Twats.

Do they have wierd drinking laws in the ski resorts too?

[Norton Sharley]

Actually, you might have to check that they will even take snowboarders, I'm pretty sure that my mates said that they wouldn't take snowboarders and skiers in the same group.

[\quote]

F**k them then, bigotted bloody skiers.

Park City sounds and looks fantastic.  Lucky you Tim

Missed the bit about the stag do Bowie, Meribel will probably be the best for night life, there's only really 3 bars in 1650, and you and me can't afford to go to 1850 like tlr and sa chris 

Also worth a think about would be;
Avoriaz / Morzine (stay in latter, good partying, varied terrain, short transfer / driveable)
Serre Chevalier (cheap, loads of terrain, and a big town to go drinking in)
Italy - cheap

You'll need to book early to get a whole s/c chalet.

[SA Chris]

When I went we stayed in 1550! Bottom of the lot. Great getting from 1850 to 1550 on a "borrowed" toboggans at midnight under a full moon, after a session though. I think we were lucky to do it without breaking anything.