When we turned 10 as a company I wrote a blog about 10 things that I learnt from the first decade of Skiology. Here is an update from the past 5 years as we celebrate turning 15 🙂
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Piste markers on the left-hand side are different to those on the right. This is so that in a snowstorm you can tell which side you are on.
Can’t believe that despite 15 years of Skiology, I only found this out/noticed this year. Thanks to Avoriaz Alpine Ski School and their great courses for pointing this out!
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Your ski boots could be too big for you.
Jamie at AMR is Morzine’s answer to the question ‘who should I see to get ski boots fitted?’ Take the liner out of your boot, put your foot in, put your toe to the end, can you get more than 2 finger-widths in the back of your boot? If so try a smaller boot, you will find you have so much more control. Also, Jamie says ‘The most important aspect is to determine what type of footbed is needed to help correct instability. As well as keep the foot in its natural neutral shape. Ski boots and their sidings are designed around a neutral foot. Without the right footbed, the foot won’t be neutral. When you buy local you can, if needed, return repeatedly on your holiday for minor adjustments until it is perfect. Book in to see Jamie and get ready to see big gains.
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Skiing 1 piste is 100% better than skiing 0 pistes.
From time to time there may be a day when the weather puts team members/guests off from going out on the mountain. So this is what I tell them, works for me 🙂
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Wax your skis/snowboard.
You can have the best gear in the world however if the point of contact, the surface, is not lubricated properly you are not going anywhere fast.
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The wicking of the material you wear makes a big difference.
We have written blogs before about how to beat the cold however the subject of wicking is a new addition. Wicking refers to how the material takes (wicks) the sweat away from your body. For example, with a cotton t-shirt the sweat may sit there and when you stop moving could freeze. Whereas with a merino wool t-shirt, the sweat would be wicked away much better resulting in a warmer feeling.
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Lots of people no longer use innertubes in their bike tyres!
This was news to me! Chatting with Jon from TyreYogurt in Morzine, innertubes have been updated with a product, such as theirs, that one puts in the tyre. Should a puncture occur the product automatically fills the hole. Mind blown.
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Buy a silicone spatula.
Long time Skiology team member Karolina sold me on this. They let you get every single last ingredient out of the container/pan/saucepan and into the meal. Which is great for combating the negative environmental effects of food waste.
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A 4-degree temperature means crocodiles roam the Alps. And we don’t want no crocodiles on our pistes!
Okay, it is paraphrasing a little however you get the gist. Climate change is very sensitive. Here is the quote in its original context from the book ‘How to Avoid a Climate Disaster”, “In climate terms, a change of just a few degrees is a big deal. During the last ice age, the average temperature was just 6 degrees Celsius lower than it is today. During the age of the dinosaurs, when the average temperature was perhaps 4 degrees Celsius higher than today, there were crocodiles living above the Arctic Circle”.
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1 step at a time.
Have you have ever wondered how someone e.g climbed a mountain, walked a mountain range, ran a long distance, started a business etc? Well what 15 years of Skiology has taught us is that to achieve something huge, just go one step at a time.
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The Morzine market is life changing-ly good 🙂
If you come to the mountains for anything energetic you will need good fuel and here is the best place to get your fuel. It is outside, no packaging, often costing less than the supermarket and costing the environment less (fewer food miles, no building, no electricity). It is sold by people who are passionate and have good knowledge of their products. If you want you too can buy local, seasonal and organic. Read our guide here.
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Prevention is better than cure.
Put some blister plasters in your pocket/rucksack. If you feel a little rubbing in your ski boot, preventatively put a plaster on, it can save your holiday.
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Avalanches are more likely to happen on a slope of 30 degrees +
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Gastros (metal catering container) are the best thing ever at keeping things hot.
At home, I am really militant about single-use packaging/items. We have managed to replace cling film with reusable containers and reusable silicone lids. However, I was having real difficulty replacing tinfoil particularly when BBQing. Enter the gastro, exit the tinfoil!
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Lac Vallon.
Has to be one of the most beautiful places in the summer close to Morzine that we only just discovered after 15 years of Skiology!
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If you ache after winter sports try stretching/yoga before or after.
If you often ache after a day on the mountain try warming muscles up beforehand. It can make the next day so much easier. Our guide.
