Hey all,

I'm new to Switzerland as well as Skiing, coming from SA there is'nt much snow around.......

What's the best way to get started? I would love to find somewhere affordable to learn and not too far from Zurich....

Also what's easier to start with, Skiing or Snowboarding?

Cheers

There isn't much snow here either. But enough to learn on. I recommend lessons. This will cost money, but get you moving faster than any messing about by yourself.
If you go somewhere like Flumserberg you can hire a ski instructor by the hour or join a class. Probably best to arrange this by phone first. See: www.flumserberg.ch/sssf/en/home/default.htm

Snowboard or Ski? Snowboarding is easier to learn, but in the long term far less satisfying than skiing and far less useful due to having to walk (or hop) a lot. IMO snowboarding has more to do with fashion and lifestyle than a fun, beautiful way of travelling over snow.

I disagree completely. I'll not try and persuade you otherwise, but IMO snowboarding can have the grace of a sailing. Some of us like to live life on an edge...

The fashion and lifestyle may be an aspect, but its fun and such trends can be observed in all areas of fashion. Have you bought some trainers recently ?

dave

Everyone will have an opinion on this baby. If you can get half decent powder (usually by going off the sides of pistes) then i think boarding really comes into it's own.

And you can go to the Apres Ski in your board boots and laugh at all the skiiers painfully waddling around

IMHO

Skiing: Shorter learning curve initially but you wont be able to go off piste and enjoy yourself for years unless you are very gifted. Better on flat surfaces but who wants to ski/board on flat surfaces.

Boarding: Very steep and painful learning curve. My advice get as much padding as your wallet can provide. Once you are over the first hump you will have all the techniques you need and the only thing that will hold you back is how brave you are(I'm not very). Soft boots as has been previously stated are a god send.

Just to clarify I skied when I was very young for a week but didn't get hooked. Went snowboarding for a week nearly gave up because of the bruises but have been hooked ever since. I think I might try to learn to skiing but only because I'm in Switzerland now and know that if there is a lot of powder I can get back on my board.

Also clearly you look a lot cooler on a snowboard

That's a matter of opinion. Isn't dusting through half a metre of powder cooler on skis than on strapped to a board where you can't go wrong?

Half a meter of powder happens about once in three seasons here - but mastering is slush is well catered for...

try the Black Forest...Feldberg.
They have a couple of Snowboard Schools and lessons are alot cheaper than in Switzerland .
Check out their website.. lots of info ..
good luck..

I have to agree with Monke Boy on this one, it really depends how much ski/snowboarding you are going to do, if you will go for a weekend or two per year, then skiing is definitely the way to go (since to be honest, you will be pretty bad a both after that much time - but skiing will be more fun because on the snowboard you will sit around for half you time trying to get up).

The best, and closest place to learn near Zurich is definitely Flumserberg, just an hour and a bit away, good english speaking instructors and easy slopes. As of last Monday the pistes were not in good shape, so wait until after new year.

On the half a meter of powder - I am a pretty big snowboarder and have had 30 days in each of the past 3 seasons, I have had every year at least one day of more than 50cm powder days, last year 2-3 I think, but my friends are pretty big powder monkeys and powder hunters. Engleberg is tops for it, but watch the crevasses if you drop off to the left from the rotor air, The most reliable has been at Adelboden, around mid-February, there is massive snow around there at that time and most tend to stay on piste. Ok, now I really will be doing a snow-dance over the holidays...

Andrew

Ab I agree hence the IMHO and the sarcy smile.

If you can find someone who can ski, and is willing to spend a day helping you get up when you fall, then you can skip lessons. That's what I did.

My mate from SA helped me out when I first arrived. The first day was all tumbling and feeling unsure, the second I managed one long piste without falling over once, and the third day I went alone and had loads of fun.

Pretty much everyone I have spoken with (snowboarders and skiers) has said learning to ski first is better. If you learn snowboarding first you might not be able to pick up skiing later.

You're going to end up with some bad habbits unless you get intruction - and IMO this is what hold many people from getting beyond the intermediate plateau...

I agree about the bad habits - I learned more skiing in three hours with a private hottie, sorry, teacher than I did from my "expert" friends in days and days on skis.

Not withstanding Lob's libido, having a teacher can help build confidence,especially in a group lesson, rather than frustrating friends...

dave

So what sort of bad habits can I pick up by skipping lessons?

Poor posture/position, sliding - not using edges, 'shouldering', find it impossible off the groomed piste, even carrying your skis the wrong way round, there's a long list...