[sheesh]

Inspired by the latest positive data sheet on Oslo girls by Courage Reborn and driven by my general attraction to Scandinavian women, I was thinking of spending a week or so in Norway, combining gaming with learning a new sport.

I'd be glad if anyone on here could could provide with some info on where to go.

It's probably very likely I won't impress any girl on the ski slopes given the fact that I can't properly ski/snow board, but I figured that I need to do some physical activity as solely doing city trips in Scandinavia in the winter time doesn't sound very appealing to me.

[...]

You'll probably do better going to the Alps and finding Scandinavian women there. Norway is expensive as fuck - don't bother.

[Atlantic]

(12-08-2013 03:03 PM)sheesh Wrote:  

It's probably very likely I won't impress any girl on the ski slopes given the fact that I can't properly ski/snow board,

As long as you can get on and off a lift without falling over it doesn't really matter. Most of your interactions or gaming opportunities are done off slope - hotel/lodge/ski rental shop/bar/hottubs etc.

I would have fun snowboarding and not worry about trying to pick up while you are learning. Snowboarding is a lot of fun once you get your basic turns down and its easy enough to get good fast.

As for picking up on the mountain: the chairlift is also a great place. Be sneaky about where you join the line and you can get sitting beside some hotties on the way up. Do this 10-20 times a day and you can get some good leads for the local nightlife.

[Laner]

Here is a data sheet from a ski trip I did in Norway last year.

Go for the experience. If you are a beginner skier, Norway is fine.

But if you are looking for slutty Scandinavians (especially Swedes) go to Bad Gastein in Austria.

[MrRoundtree]

Is Bad Gastein a great skiing spot too? I mean, it looks bigbut kind of easy..and the scenery not that impressive..

[gfly]

Only been in summer. Remember Norway is lacking in daylight during winter I'd go elsewhere to ski and make a summer trip to Norway. As noted it is expensive, probably easier to live cheap their in the summer as well.

[InternationPlayboy]

Irishman: you said snowboarding is easy enough to get good fast. It depends what you consider "good."

[Laner]

(12-09-2013 08:19 PM)MrRoundtree Wrote:  

Is Bad Gastein a great skiing spot too? I mean, it looks bigbut kind of easy..and the scenery not that impressive..

Its not the best but its decent. I thought it was beautiful.

Kaprun has some serious lines up the Kitsteinhorn. Also St Anton is great.

The days in Norway were only a little shorter than what I am used to in Canada. And I love skiing in the alpinglow with a belly of schnapps for the last run down. It gets cold fast in Norway after the sun goes down. Especially on the north faces.

[InternationPlayboy]

What time do lifts open and close in Norway since it gets dark early? How much are passes? And do they have night boarding?

[roban]

thinking of spending a week or so in Norway, combining gaming with learning a new sport.

[Laner]

(12-10-2013 03:14 AM)InternationPlayboy Wrote:  

What time do lifts open and close in Norway since it gets dark early? How much are passes? And do they have night boarding?

Lifts are about 8-3 in winter, but longer in the spring. Passes are about $50. Usually a small portion of the mountain is for night boarding. The vibe was fun, a bit drunk and not about the skiing as much as fooling around. I like night skiing.

[birdrussell]

I skateboarded for about 12 years back in the day, then a couple years back I was going up to Calgary/Banff to snowboard and kick it with this Chinese girl I scooped in New Orleans. I spent the entire day on my ass. If I wanted to slow down it meant I had to fall. I ended up loosing a Swiss watch somewhere in the Banff National state park after a crash. All this to say that even though i know skating and snowboarding are worlds apart they still have certain similarities that I couldn't seem to grasp. If you're going to learn a new sport do it. I had a blast all the same, but I would keep that separated from the game. Just my experience. Keep me posted on how it goes.

[InternationPlayboy]

Nice, thanks for the info laner. The lifts operate almost the same time as here. Lift tickets are mad cheap in Norway! It's strange how places like Switzerland and Norway are mad expensive, but when it comes to skiing they are relatively cheap. A pass here is $120 a day.

I've only been night boarding once. The place I was sucked so I didn't enjoy it much (also forgot my gloves which made it even less enjoyable). If they started night riding here I'm sure I'd like it. I typically don't drink while I'm riding though and I advise against it unless you're going real mellow. Snowboarding is some seriously dangerous shit and many people underestimate it's danger.

[NeoViking]

Major ski destinations in Norway such as Hemsedal and Trysil have decent slopes and a busy "after ski" scene. These are basically clubs and bars in the end of the slopes where, after the day's skying, people leave their skis/snowboards outside, check their helmets/googles/jackets in the cloakroom and party hard with ski boots and clothing on. It's quite particular for a foreigner like me!
It is good partying for Norway standards, with the advantage that, as people are usually staying in big group cabins, the odds of joining/hosting afterparties is substantially increased.
It is interesting to see that many many Norwegians, although skying all day and rocking at it, travel to these places basically as an excuse for the after ski!

As for Oslo, there's a ski resort (Tryvann) that can be reached by subway (good but not as good as Hemsedal/Trysil slopes), with nightlit slopes open till 10pm on weekdays (people actually take their skis to the office and after work head straight there)! No after ski there though. And yes, day passes are around 60 USD.

[rudebwoy]

Doesn't Norway border the Arctic!

How cold are we talking here?

[Laner]

(12-11-2013 10:43 AM)rudebwoy Wrote:  

Doesn't Norway border the Arctic!

How cold are we talking here?

My second day in Trysil the storm cleared and it dropped down to -30. The next morning it was -20 but with BLOWER POW!!!!

Still coldest I have ever skied is in Canada.

[InternationPlayboy]

It's been miserable here the last couple weeks. The other night it was -26 F, which I think is somewhere around -30 C. It's finally starting to warm up. I haven't even been riding it's been so cold. But there's mad snow. I've still been going out on the good powder days. This is the best begging to the season I've ever seen.

[pants]

If you are on a budget and want to go for scandinavian chicks, Sweden is probably a better bet. Alcohol and food in general seems to be at least 30% lower list time I was there.

I think i written earlier that Åre has student weeks in January and february. I remember paying 250USD for 4 nights of accommodation and a four day ski pass. Beer was 6USD compared to 12USD in Norway.

If you really want to go for Norway, Trysil is recommended for Snowboarding, learnt to snowboard there myself.

I am excited to go snowboarding in Røldal this winter, apparently the place in Norway with the highest amounts of snow coming in a year

[mastauser]

What most guys I know do if they want to do a season teaching snowboarding:



1. Ask for a job directly at a 'Skischule' in Austria. Explain them that you want to get your anwarter (candidate license). The second license you can get (but don't necessarily need for the experience of becoming instructor and teaching) is the Landes.


2. Enroll in a program that will connect you to a ski school and you will have the same experience.



You will party a lot with the other instructors and Status ++ there everywhere in the apres-ski and party scene as well. LOADS of hot Dutch / German / Danish chicks. Easy game!! Much cheaper.

I go to our ski chalet in France a couple of weeks every season, environment is a little bit more calm there compared to Austrian apres-ski, though, despite 'apres-ski' being a French expression. Luckily I go to Val Thorens as well in France this year. One of Europe's most famous party ski resort. Les Deux Alps in France is fun as well like some more in France, but next to some fun cities in Switzerland (Zermatt, Skt Moritz (albeit 2nd is poshy) most fun villages on a mountain with party are in Austria (Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Kaprun, Sankt Anton, Zerfaus, Kitzbuhel, Solden).

Depends on your budget, if you do it as a hobby you could pay more for accomodation/logistics, and that is what not so much young ski instructors do, I guess.. But last year me and my buddy slept together on a double bed and for two nights we both had company in the same bed. I only got a handjob but my buddy fucked here (in France, btw).

Becoming a ski instructor in France or Switzerland is much more expensive, and, I think not necessarily a better experience...

[StudebacherHoch]

(12-10-2013 03:36 PM)birdrussell Wrote:  

All this to say that even though i know skating and snowboarding are worlds apart they still have certain similarities that I couldn't seem to grasp.

The two sports are not THAT far apart - my perspective on the differences (as a transition skater):

1. Snowboarding and transition skating are both driven by the front foot, whether turning the skateboard at the top of a pool on a carve grind, or initiating a turn snowboarding. When I surf, I tend to put my weight/turn using my back foot.

2. Skating involves shifting your feet back into the perfect position (once again, speaking as a transition skater, not a street skater) on the board after tricks, snowboarding allows you to find the angle sweet-spot - set it and forget it...no matter what happens your feet will be in the correct position coming off a trick. This is, of course, a double-edge sword - you're locked onto the board in said perfect position...you can't just step off. The key here is learning how to heel-side stop to a butt-check...this should be the FIRST thing you learn. Without it, you're an accident waiting to happen. The comparable move in skating would be a knee-slide...it should be the first thing any park/bowl skater learns.

3. The big difference is - in skateboarding you focus on staying on top of the board, pushing too hard on an edge will result in controlled (or uncontrolled) sliding; worse yet, if your trucks are loose enough, you can get wheel-bite and get ejected. Snowboarding is all about your edges; staying (unless you're good enough to point it straight & fly!) on your toes/heels and manhandling your way through uneven snow, etc. That's where skaters disconnect when they are learning to snowboard. They try to finesse the board like a skateboard...but the perfect foot position allows you to exaggerate your turns, go faster (speed is your friend)...and progress more easily. It's that easy progression that is causing zillions of people to take up snowboarding each year...getting crowded out there!

Keep boarding - it keeps you young! I'm pushing 59, have skated 52 years, surfed 50 and snowboarded 35...will keep going until I can't!