It was a cold sunny day in Obergurgl

were you attached to one of those jetpack wing thingies or something? 😛

Naaaa, just shussing down a Red run.

That took me a minute...we're talking skiing here again aren't we?

Yep,

Got back on Sunday from a Week in Austria. Obergurgl is a small resort (only 110km of piste). We skied this every day except the day we went to Solden down the Valley and skiied that in a day too (154 km).

Hey Scooby...that's our GPS!

Do you use that one on the boat? Haven't purchased a bag for ours yet. What works well for that model?

Yes, I use the (I think) VHF Aquapac bag.

Red? We don't use red in the USA. Green dots for Nancy-boys, Blue squares takes you to the serious Black Diamond runs. Double Black for bumps you can't see out of. What's Red, blood-soaked? <img src=

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You Americans call your black diamond runs serious skiing but from experiance they are simply whusses runs equivalent to our red runs, now a serious black run in Europe can be up to 60% vertical with usually some degree of difficulty beyond that somewhere in the run. Now find your self an Itinerary route in a European resort and that usually is a real mega run.

Many a great American skier has really struggled in Europe and always blames the skis or the conditions but you guys are just so pampered over there with you big wide open pistes. <img src=

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Yeah? tell it to Bodie Miller. Or Peekaboo Street. We ski on Ice and rocks over here because our snow sucks. You guys have to spray water on the hill to get the same effect over there.

our sh!% don't stink either yaknow <img src=

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lets not get in a pissing contest here.

IMO, without a helicopter, EU wins - the States / Canada cannot beat the areas such as:

Espace Killy / 3 Valleys / Selva Val Gardena / Porte du Soleil / Verbier and St. Anton for Ski Areas with Uber Skiing... (I just Love St Anton !)

With a Helicopter, you go to Alaska <img src=

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Ice belongs in a glass or an ice chest.

Snow is what you pour flavored syrup on and eat.

Winter is when it rains, and rains, and rains......

Being a pretty avid and well traveled skier, I think I need to speak up for the american terrain (yes, I have skied the Alps). As far as groomed pistes, I would say that the major Western US resorts are pretty comparable to the pistes in the Alps. Some of the EU resorts have longer runs, but I haven't found anything to be much more difficult than the US. I do prefer the charm and the villages of the alps, but that is another topic... Now if you want to talk Off-piste... If you want difficulty without risking your life, the US wins. I have had some fantastic off piste runs in EU, but I always was thinking in the back of my mind if the snow was going to slide (I witnessed a buddy go for a slide in St. Anton). In-bounds US resorts do avalanche control which means you can ski anywhere inbounds and not have to worry. I love skiing in the Alps, but If I want to really scare myself without risking my life or having to pay for a guide, I go out west.

I will say this, though, If you really want to scare yourself, go to Chamonix, I don't think there is any lift accesses skiing anywhere else (the US or EU) where you can find 3000' long 50 degree faces (off piste of course).

Not trying to start a pissing contest, just sharing some insight.

Opps, Forgot Chamonix. I love the place.....

Your comment re skiing safely. This explains some of the idiots I see skiing off piste in the Alps when it is NOT safe. To ski off piste correctly, you must check the reports first, you must do an assesment and you must be RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS. I have had people (later found out they were from the USA) traverse above me while skiing off piste. YOU DO NOT DO THAT. Boy, did they get a bollocking from my guide later.

I forgot to mention the other great thing about western us resorts - More Snow!!

See attached taken 3 weeks ago in Utah during the worst snow season they've had in the last 25 years. Not too shabby. face shots for 3 days in a row.

now that looks proper fun <img src=

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