Less than 100 days to snow. Season 25-26 is encroaching. Time to sharpen your ski/chair lift bants! 20+ ski trivia things we have learnt in 20 years of Skiology!
Skiing
1. The inside lane in a chair lift queue is slower. The outside lane tracks wider so you can turn your skis easier whereas the inside lane gets clogged up with others crossing on others’ skis.
2. Forecast queues. Look up at a chairlift, and if every chair is full, most likely there will be a queue at the bottom, so if you don’t want to queue, look for a chairlift travelling with lots of empty seats and head for the bottom of that one.
3. Drafting 100% works on skis. Like in cycling, you can tuck in behind someone’s slipstream on a flat and use them as a windbreak to travel faster.
4. The correct way to carry your skis. For right-handed people (reverse if left-handed). Lift your skis onto your right shoulder, so that the ski is pointed forward and the front binding is behind your shoulder. Use your right hand to pull down on the ski to an angle of about 30 degrees. Carry your poles in your other hand. Et voila. Be aware of people behind you. In a queue, you may need to angle your skis higher and lower to get through doors.
5. Forecasting good snow. If there is snow still on the trees, this generally means that the temperature has not risen above 0 and melted the snow so conditions should remain fantastic.
6. Forecasting snow by aeroplane trails. On days where the trails disappear quickly, this is a sign of high pressure and one can expect good weather to continue. On days where trails stay in the sky, this is a sign of low pressure; a change in the weather may happen.
7. Forecasting snow by the moon. The gravity of the full moon affects water and seems to bring a change in weather, and often brings snow too!
8. Go faster on heavy snow. North-facing pistes are on average ⅓ cooler, fantastic for powder and for spring skiing. If you are on a treelined run and the snow is slushy you can ski in the shade of the trees to the side of the run, which will be firmer.
10. Spring skiing/end-of-season skiing is the best. We are all affected by our environment, and the joy of spring in the Alps is infectious. More sun, not as cold, great vibes with festivals, concerts. Think skiing in the morning, rose in a deck chair at lunch and a sun-filled apres ski. Also some of the deepest snow of the season.
4. The correct way to carry your skis (see above)
The Portes Du Soleil
11. Most pistes are named after something, often animals, flowers or geographic features. For example here in the Portes Do Soliel – Combe, is a shallow valley. Arete, a ridge. Tetras, a grouse. Lievre, a hare. Corbeau, a crow. Campanule, bluebell. Pierce niege, snow drop. Meleze, larch. Chardon, thistle etc
12. The thermometers on the signs at the bottom of the lifts in the Portes Du Soliel are not correct. They always read higher because they are sat in a black box surrounded by glass. A bit like being in a greenhouse lined with black absorbent material.
13. Piste markers in France have orange on the right-hand side end so you know in a whiteout which side you are on BUT in Switzerland it is on the left-hand side!
14. There are only 5 ‘local’ cheeses!
15. Fendant wine and other local delicies! Last season I travelled a lot to other resorts with my daughter as she competed in ski racing. It was not until visiting other station that I realised how lucky we are to have such a choice of restaurants on the pistes here and the delicacies of 2 countries! Read more on our blog
16. Skiing with kids can sometimes benefit from sticks and carrots. Like who wants to go to the Indian Park today and get their face painted! Who want to go to Nyon today to dine with giant birds and visit the soft play etc. Our blog on top 5.
Equipment
17. Do your skis need servicing? (see below)
17. Do your skis need servicing? If you rub your fingernail down the short edge of the ski does it scrape on your nail? If not, your edges are blunt. If the bottom of your ski is normally black and is looking grey, it is probably dry and needs wax or if others are overtaking you on the flats.
18. How to tell how much ‘life’ is left in your skis. If the skis when put together, sit flat, touching each other rather than bowed, the bounce has gone from them and you may want to ask an expert if it is time to replace them.
19. When getting skis serviced, make sure you get them de-tuned. This is where the ends are blunted a little to stop them catching. Way too often this is not done after servicing. If, after getting your skis/board serviced, you are catching an edge this could be cause.
20. Helmets should be replaced after any big impact. Sad to say due to the waste element however helmets are designed to take one big hit. If you are getting a new one, MIPS is a good thing to have.
21. At the end of the season, remove batteries from walky-talkies, heated gloves/socks, avalanche beacons, air bags etc Otherwise unused batteries can leak and corrode.
22. At the end of the season, store your boots done up. This helps them keep their shape.
BONUS ROUND!
23. Summer in the Alps is the best. Our first ever landlord told me that he preferred summer to winter and I thought he was crazy however, now we live here, I get it. There is SO much on offer, for all generations. We end every summer without completing our list of summer adventures. It is also, thanks partly to the multipass (70 activities for €1) a very cost effective way to visit the Alps!
