Learning a new skill - Ski Hok

We were given the opportunity today to try a new way of getting around on the snow - Ski Hok or as it is also known Randonnée Nordique.  First Tracks Ski Coaching based in the Three Valleys are about to add Ski Hok to their portfolio and were looking for guinea pigs to give it a go.

The experience started well with the news that you don't need to wear Ski boots, normal walking boot or apres ski boots are used. The equipment consists of skis which are short and wide. The ski has a partial climbing skin on the base which makes climbing easy, and you are assisted by poles which are slightly shorter than the usual ski pole. Similar to cross country skiing the heel is free allowing you to progress uphill at a reasonable speed and with a more fluid movement than wearing snow racquets.

The equipment

The best terrain for Ski Hok is untouched snow as opposed to prepared pistes. It is essentially a way of getting around back country areas. We had a great area to practice in at Courchevel 1650, the sun was shining, what could possibly go wrong?

Very pleasant on the way up

In all fairness to this activity I will declare that I have a very low threshold for risk and despite being a competent skier now, it took me many years to get there. The descending part of Ski Hok was too hard for me - I would need to start on a very shallow slope and progress over time. Having fallen more times than I have done over many seasons of alpine skiing I decided that going up was the only part I was ready for. Everyone else succeeded in descending various slopes with varying success.

Time for (French) Tea with our Instructor François

Now doesn't that look peaceful?

 Despite my failure I loved this activity and can see how useful this equipment would be to explore areas away from the pistes. I would definitely take some lessons to master the going down part and will watch with interest how this activity takes off in The Three Valleys area. If you are interested in finding out more contact  http://first-tracks.fr/en/

One week into the season - what's it really like?

Despite significant snowfalls in late October and early November we are not sitting in a winter wonderland at resort level. The prolonged dry period has reminded people of the last 2 years where Christmas and New Year did not produce snowfalls which instead came later in the season.

So what is it really like out there? Well we have skied this week and enjoyed some of the best snow conditions ever - how can that be? Well the answer probably lies in our eternal Australian optimism and the fact that we firmly believe in skiing to the conditions. We have a saying " a mediocre day on the slopes in the French Alps beats a great day at the office any time."  To the second point skiing to the conditions at the moment means no off piste, no fluffy white pillows to break your fall and no mindless meandering across super wide highways without a care in the world.

On the higher slopes the natural snow which fell earlier in the season has been preserved by the cold temperatures. The rigorous maintenance by the Pisteurs has resulted in very forgiving snow, grippy underfoot and easy to turn in. Lower down man made snow has enabled resort home runs to be opened and beginner areas to operate. The schedule of grooming has been increased which means for early birds lots and lots of corduroy to enjoy. As the day moves on some ares become hard packed and sharp edges are needed to get traction. The Three Valley links are open, the sun is shining and there are definitely worse places to be.

Today we went to Val Thorens and found some lovely snow. We took the blue Pluviometre run into Val Thorens which was nicely groomed with a few loose stones towards the bottom - easy to spot and avoid. We then took the Peclet Funitel- 3 times in total and again lovely groomed conditions on each run. All the runs at the top were open, 80% groomed. 

On the way up Peclet Funitel

From the summit all runs were open

The top of Peclet Funitel is the access to the Toboggan run which winds back down to Val Thorens centre. Judging by the number of Sledges the Funitel deals with on an average day it is certainly popular.

The Toboggan run Val Thorens

After playing around Peclet we moved to Portette Chair and Thorens Funitel giving us a chance to peak into the Orelle Valley. Our late afternoon runs back to Meribel Chaudanne were all in good condition despite some easily avoided hard patches. If you can control your speed they don't represent a problem. If you feel tired at the end of a day don't forget you can always take a Gondola down, if you do you will be rewarded by the biggest smiles form the Lifties because they know that sometimes it's the best thing to do.

The blue Lory run into the Orelle Valley

Day One Season 2016/17

Today is the first day of the season and of course we have overcome our "can I still ski?" nerves, remembered how to fasten our ski boots and got out there so we can report back.

A funny build up to the start of the season here with lots and lots of early snow followed by a dry spell. The good news is the temperatures have been generally cold, the ground we have been walking on over the past few weeks is frozen as are plenty of streams.

Today was gloriously sunny - no complaints when a chairlift makes an impromptu stop - and the Valley looked beautiful. Very few holidaymakers take a gamble on booking a holiday this early so the slopes are very quiet.

Top of Tougnete 2

There are 131 runs open representing approx 240km of skiing. All valleys are accessible. The snow at the top is lovely and light on a firm base. Lower down man made snow has been produced in huge quantities to make it possible to ski back to Chaudanne. We skied as low as the St Martin Chair with no complaints. In some areas the run widths are reduced requiring lower speeds which is not a bad thing while everyone is finding their snow legs.

Lovely view from the Granges Chair

 Down in Mottaret the Tourist Office and local businesses collaborated to welcome the start of the season with a range of activities. Traditional music, food and a round up of information on activities taking place during the season. The chance to try riding on a Skiddoo and surprisingly Ski-Joering proved popular. The small pony certainly seemed keen to go as fast as possible.

Hats off to the local dancers giving it their all in the slippery conditions

This Pony seemed determined to give everyone a speedy ride

Wood fired Vin Chaud, perfect start to a Season

How are we getting home?

Dragons have been breeding over the summer

In an area as big as the Three Valleys it's a good idea to have a plan for getting home at the end of the day. Being based in Les Allues we are lucky to have choices so don't always end up on the same "home run" every afternoon, We can pick up the bus or Gondola in Meribel, catch the bus from Meribel Village or when conditions are good ski home or ski to Raffort. 

Having said that we do love a ski through the Altiport area in the afternoon sun so getting there from the Courchevel side often finds us at the top of the Col de la Loze. The Boulevard de la Loze is prone to avalanches and therefore closures which leaves the choice between the black run or the blue graded Pic Bleu. The blue run naturally takes most of the traffic and due to a sunny aspect can be rocky at times making it less than ideal. 

We walked to the top of the Col de la Loze this week and are pleased to report than the conditions on this run will be improved this year thanks to the installation of over 30 new snow cannons. For the Dragon spotters there are also more Dragons. Dragon Hammocks and a new Dragon house have been added to the run for those who need a rest before the final push through the Altiport. For those with Children this Dragon themed run links nicely with Piste des Animaux with plenty of distractions for the young and young at heart.

New Dragon Chalet just off the Pic Bleu

Autumn in Meribel

After a long Australian winter staring at Computer screens we have managed to secure early release from desk bound work and have escaped to Meribel 5 weeks earlier than usual. Whilst there is always lots to do in the Chalet to prepare for our guests, this year we have time to stop and admire the scenery in between getting ready for Winter.

We have posted before about the many walking tracks around the area which can be enjoyed in Winter if your legs need a break from skiing, some are even "groomed" by the mini piste basher machine to make the going easy. The range of walks expand before the snow falls so we have our map at the ready to see how many we can complete.

Lac Tueda - Mottaret

The weather is currently sunny and the autumn colours against the snow capped peaks are stunning so we took the opportunity to walk to Refuge du Saut. Positioned at the base of the Glacier de Gébroulaz the Refuge can be reached from Lac Tueda in Mottaret. Achievable during winter but certainly easier at this time of year the trail is well marked and takes you from lakeside to the base of the glacier.

Aiguille Du Fruit  

Seeing the Aiguille du Fruit up close as opposed to from some distance whilst skiing is fascinating and brings a new appreciation for how hard it is to ski down by those who leave the off piste tracks in the snow during winter.  

Early snow on the peaks

Some people consider the ski lifts to be scars on the landscape but to us they represent the lifeblood of the area, without them there would not be as many visitors or as much employment in the area. Looking at ski runs and lifts before the snow arrives is interesting and allows you to see the terrain type, pitch and angle much more clearly. In some cases this is not good, the pitch on Mont Vallon, usually one of my favourite runs, is scarily steep when seen from below.

News on what is planned for the coming season in The Three Valleys will be covered in our next post - in between walking of course.

Refuge du Saut

Spending the night in a Refuge

We are lucky in Meribel with a handful of Mountain Refuges which can be reached relatively easily on foot or via off-piste. At New Year we walked up to the Col de la Lune which is just above Les Allues and decided that this Season we really did have to try out one of the Refuges for the night. So that is why this week after a day skiing we set off late in the afternoon as the snow was falling to walk to The Refuge du Christ.

We were under no illusion that the refuge we had chosen was a typical Mountain refuge. En suite bedrooms, fully catered, sauna and even a wood fired hot tub. What a lovely way to relax after a hard day.

Hot tub while the snow fell

The rooms are comfortable, warm, and spacious. Sleeping 13 in total in a combination of double and 4/5 person rooms. Perfect for couples, families or groups of friends.

Lovely double room with private bathroom

Dinner was plentiful and delicious, served in the dining/kitchen alongside the open fire. An exceptional wine list is available to accompany your dinner. The hosts are welcoming, friendly and have a wealth of local knowledge.

Perfect setting for a lovely dinner

After a great sleep a breakfast which would set anyone up for the day, including  a range of homemade Jam and Marmalades. As the sun broke through the clouds across the valley the view from the breakfast table was stunning.

The view from our breakfast table

The view from our room was not too shabby either. From the back the Meribel Valley, from the front Mont Blanc.

The view from our balcony

Mont Blanc rising from the clouds, the view from our front door

The walk back to Chalet Vache Bleue was a little easier than the walk up to the Refuge although the snow was deeper. We didn't spot any of the local wildlife just their tracks. Perhaps another time - as if we need an excuse to visit again. We will definitely be back.

Refuge du Christ

More information about the Refuge du Christ

A break from skiing

A combination of dry and unseasonably warm weather has resulted in many ski areas in Europe being closed or only partially open. The Three Valleys has extensive snow making and a large proportion of pistes high enough to take advantage any snowfall and colder temperatures. The snow is not perfect but there is still plenty to ski on and every night the Pisteurs do an amazing job. 

A combination of the conditions, New Year week and day visitors from other resorts have resulted in busier than normal Pistes especially after mid morning so we have been taking advantage of the many walks available from our front door. The most demanding is probably the track up to the two Refuges above Les Allues - Le Refuge de la Traie and Le Refuge du Christ. The climb of approximately 1.5 hours is on a well marked, wide track and the reward of reaching the plateau is that you can get lunch, hot drinks, cold drinks (including wine) and if things are really desperate a bed for the night.

The views on the way up to the Refuges are stunning especially on a clear sunny day.

If you have the legs continue past the Refuges for another 20 minutes to the Col de la Lune where you will be rewarded with more open views of the Meribel Valley and then views into the Belleville Valley.       

If you are lucky you may spot wildlife whilst walking, we were not lucky this time probably because one of the Village dogs decided to accompany us (uninvited). She spent a lot of time chasing scents here, there and everywhere and an equal amount of time burrowing in the snow no doubt seeking a local wildlife snack of her own. Despite many other walkers she stuck with us, waited patiently while we ate lunch and when we were within sight of Les Allues on the return leg she bounded off no doubt happy that her work as a Mountain Guide was complete for the day.

Dogs who take themselves for a walk is definitely one of the nice things about French Alpine life.

                

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy, safe 2016

Contrasting winter scenery - Brisbane and Les Allues

Skiing has changed our lives in a big way even in Australia where we have chosen a warmer place to live and work (Brisbane) so that we get the right balance of seasonal sunshine and can still get to the beach.   The benefits have included:

• Ability for us to enjoy a wider variety of outdoor activity for much longer and stay in better shape for skiing

• New destinations just a short journey from our doorstep

• Much higher spring temperatures prior to departure for Europe.  At 5.30 pm 20th November 2015 the temperature had fallen to only 29 C. following a midday peak of 38 C.

The downside is hard to imagine but contrast this with Sunday 3.30pm 21st November when we arrived in Les Allues.

• Temperature a bracing if not bleak minus 5C
• Around 15 centimetres of fresh snow on the road
• Dark by 5pm 
• Night time temperatures plunging to minus 20C

So a 43C reduction in temperature but with it opportunity for bags of fun in the fresh snow which has started for us and Rufus the Alpine Ethos hound (below).

We are looking forward to another great season and the prospect of El Nino Weather patterns providing the right conditions for lots of good snow falls as the season progresses.  For now though the picture below says everything about why people go on a winter holiday each year and yes forgo the beach for something just as good or better!

Shopping for new skis?

A bit like having great tools at work but in untrained hands, great ski gear on the feet, hands or wherever isn't going to make a whole lot of difference unless you are well versed in how to use it.

Carving skis have been a great case in point.  The name gives insight to their purpose  - they give skiers the ability to more easily carve parallel tracks using both skis, and with practice ski much more dynamically………. but this is only possible if the correct technique is adopted.    Marketers of ski equipment have done a great job to the extent that you actually don't just need carving skis!  You also need carving boots, bindings, stocks / poles, gloves, jackets and even carving bra's and underpants:).  All are apparently guaranteed to improve performance.

Today there are 1000's of skiers on the hills using carving skis and possibly even carving underpants who still skid their skis through every turn and don't know how to do much that is different.  So what are some of the keys to getting most out of the equipment you buy (carving bra's and underpants are excluded from further comment)

Here are a few things which I thought about in buying ski new gear and I think they are mostly things I have pinched from good decision making observed at work (which might seem strange given I work in IT:)

Define your needs - if you intend to ski in Powder heaven it may wise to have some "fat" under the foot that's a ski to give you float-ability.  Big Rocker'ed skis, which are wide underfoot, make sense.  However if you need an all mountain ski then maybe an 88mm under the foot is best - deals with most things well.

Take some tips from the professionals such as ski instructors to find the right gear to suit your standard of skiing and the conditions you want to ski in.  

Have some help from a cynic who can question your motives if you are prone to be a gear freak. My wife Elaine is an excellent foil to any over ambitious investment plans I have for new equipment that may be a little too extravagant.

Try different models before you buy. Find a shop that is prepared to let you try out their gear.  It is generally best to try a few different models. Play fair and if you decide to buy elsewhere at least pay the rental on the equipment.

After buying new gear think hard about having some lessons on getting more out of using the new gear. It is just the same at work.  Boiling it down to the most basic level with a work analogy it would probably be safe to say that 90% of people using MS Office tools have no formal training in how to use them.  Expensive and wasteful and you might say you would not do it if it was your money ….but we do:(

Happy shopping

Are electronic ski passes just fancy pants, or actually a source of useful information?

(Photo credit : Les 3 Vallées / David ANDRE)

The Internet of Things (IoT), is the network of physical objects or "things" embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity, which enables these objects to collect and exchange data.

If you are looking for inspired ways of pulling together a value proposition for your own business and IOT then it is worth taking a look at how the experience of skiers / boarders is being brought into the 21st century by the IoT.     As far back as I remember ski field operators have been challenged by management and control of skiers.    

Ticketing Systems to automate the sale of access  to ski lifts initially relied on manual inspection then barcoding and now RFID tags (Radio Frequency Identification).  Their original purpose was to weed out people with valid ski passes from those who try to go for a free ride.   What we notice with our eyes is the Barrier control and the credit card style RFID chipped ski pass, but there is much more than just stopping free loaders from using the system without paying. Elaine and I began to notice lots of RFID enabled benefits which are win win for skiers, boarders and operators and ski lodge owners like ourselves:

• On line refresh and automated payment for next season ski passes - no need to queue up the same piece of plastic is re-used rather than thrown away.  This is cheaper for the resort with lower direct sales costs and 3rd party distribution margins.  For skiers / boarders simps - more time on the hill.  
• Lift queues are getting smaller even though the number of skiers and boarders in our resort has risen.   
• A comprehensive and ongoing lift upgrade program has seen RFID scanning used in conjunction with faster loading ski lifts shorten standing time 10 minutes or more on average to less than 2 minutes.  If you take 10-15 lifts a day on average the keener skiers / boarders amongst us can now fit in a few more runs.  
• For the resorts who are embracing technology their Net Promoter Scores are up.  People are making informed choices to return to the resorts with lowest queues.  
• We notice that many of the visitors to our ski abode are coming back year after year.  I think it's 50% our place and 50% the better facilities offered by the resort.   

Looking forward the possibilities are very interesting.  

• Investment in new lifts / retirement of old and opening of new areas is being influenced by the analytical data available on where people prefer to ski and how they get there
• The Meribel ski area www.meribel.net is able to offer promotional deals where skiers and boarders can ski on resort or at international partner resorts on the same ticket.  Meribel has partnerships with ski resorts in Australia, the USA and France which provide a limited number of free ski days in different parts of the world on the same lift ticket.  Great marketing idea that does not cut your own lunch.
• Pisteurs (the folk who drive the piste grooming machines) can groom pistes which have received the highest traffic volumes keeping the slopes safer and in tip top condition for our maximum enjoyment 
•  Cyclic maintenance and failures can be reduced by better predictive maintenance which takes account of the traffic volumes on the lifts.
• Ski field predictive analytics are now being used to report and action data gathered from skiers RFID tag reads.   In our resort the historical rapid closure of lifts due to storms isn't leaving 100's of skiers stranded in the wrong valleys when weather fronts come in.  The lift company uses RFID data to track number of skiers out on the hill and where they are to better control the pace of the shutdown of the lift network and ensure that skiers have a safe way of getting off the hill using the lift system wherever possible
• Skidata the company who have pioneered much of the ski field RFID development have expanded their RFID and Barrier technology developed for the ski fields across industries.  Ski data systems are common place for secure car parking, building access, construction sites, haz ops environments  and sporting arenas across the world.  This technology has allowed for safer and more cost effective management solutions where assets or people need access to controlled environments

I'm quite excited about the convergence between technology and skiing.  It isn't for free though and requires significant investment so a few things have grabbed my attention on how are the Ski Resorts may be justifying the expense:

• Asset replacement programs for ski lifts have allowances for IOT infrastructure built in.  IoT is part of the fabric of the facilities that are being upgraded or replaced.   The OEM providers for this type of facility are changing the cost structure of what they are selling to ensure their products continue to provide competitive advantage for their customers
• Ticketing systems investment in smart card RFID enabled hardware and software is self funding - ski resorts can prove with hard facts that their customers are returning.  They can show a lower incidence of revenue leakage due to conditions of no ski pass or loan out / theft of ski passes
• Better Net Promoter Scores are one facet but the analysis of the much more granular raw data now available from RFID enable data gathering is showing more skiers and boarders are coming back to their resort
• Queues are bad for the image of ski resorts and many other - they are disappearing as facility upgrades are executed
• We will likely see reduced maintenance spend on lifts and pistes as the predictive analytics available from RFID data collection better guides operational maintenance decisions in near or real time

Ski lesson ROE - Return On Enjoyment

Last year was my 24^th year of skiing.  For the past 5 years Elaine and I have skied most days each week of the Northern Winter. 

Like a lot of older folks we took ESF French ski school lessons when the clear and loud ….possibly only guidance to those at the back of the class was to BEND ZE KNEES TO TURN ZEE SKIS.   The madness of continuing to do the same thing and expecting a different outcome became clear and I drifted away from ski lessons for a long time and became self taught or “DIY” obsessed.

However you eventually realize that you reach a plateau of what you can do with self help books and ideas from mates. My own reservations about feeling short changed from past experience on lessons drove me towards investment in tangible things like new boots or new skis to drive improvement.  In hindsight the best kit in the hands of an average skier was not the best idea.

Winding the clock forward and today living in a village where a fair proportion of neighbours and friends earn their living from ski instructing it very quickly became apparent just from watching how they go about things that my skiing lacked much of what they did,  seemingly unconsciously.   I was in short:

•         Clock-work in motion rather than flowing and natural
•         Quite quick in my own mind but often not completely in control on steep, narrow or icy pitches
•         Somewhat prone to close scrapes with others on the slopes
•         Recognizable by others on the slope for my somewhat interesting style

Getting more from my skiing was becoming really important.  We live in the biggest and arguably the best ski resort in the world.   I somewhat reluctantly chose to take my first step in becoming a better skier by organizing private lessons.  My going in thinking was that I might get a few decent tips but overall my skiing needed a bit of tuning that’s allJ

How wrong I was! My skiing was technique needed to be reworked, not quite back to basics but definitely not just tuning.   I’ll never be a great skier but by golly the improvements from a small annual investment in lessons has transformed my skiing -  relative to the thousands spent on latest gear – yes I am a gear freak. I’m much more confident and get a real buzz out of big turns, bumps and floating through fields of powder.  

On reflection I have spent the preceding twenty odd years of my ski life thinking I had the skills to do this but without the coaching that a lot of us accept is part of our right in the workplace you just can’t break through barriers imposed by poor technique, which you are nearly always blind to yourself.

 So why say all of this you may ask.  Well it’s a call to action for lots of people like me who still spend lots on gear and expensive holidays but don’t take the necessary steps to get so much more out of their skiing.  This is what worked for me so far:

•       A pre vacation recommendation from your chalet or hotel proprietor on a named ski instructor who might fit in with your personality comes in handy. 
•       Finding a ski coach with whom I have been able to establish a strong rapport – someone who sees my strengths and my shortcomings as a skier
•         Set up a private lesson(s) to get an honest assessment of your level, your strengths and a plan for improvement, which they can guide you towards.  The plan must be based around realistic objectives of what you both agree can be achieved.
•         Ask the instructor for details of the drills that they practice to become better and find out why these drills make such a difference
•        Practice these drills on the easier slopes, where it is less crowded or on the way home.   An hour or so in a busy ski day as part of what you are doing pay’s dividends for me.   
•       Decide together how you will measure progress to becoming a better skier.  This might include technical video analysis, feeling much more controlled, having the time to look 3 steps ahead whatever the terrain.
•        When you feel you have reached an objective get back together for more lessons – change the terrain, find more difficult snow pack etc. 
•         Don’t let bad old habits slip back in – repeat the lessons to avoid reverting to type

Still not convinced then think about it differently:

•          The best ski instructors get lessons from each other.  You are never too good to learn.
•         In your own walk of life ongoing professional development may well be important to your career.  It’s the same for skiing!
•         How much better does a craftsman / artisan made piece of furniture look compared to DIY attempts at producing the same.  You might get there eventually with DIY but it is a much slower process

I hope my journey to improvement inspires one or two of the people who read our blog to take heart and invest in the ski tuition / training necessary to make a breakthrough in skiing technique and increase their ROE (Return on Enjoyment) in the ski fields this winter.