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Ski comparison with rest of Europe

Bolton, United...
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58 posts
17 reviews
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Ski comparison with rest of Europe
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Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone can help me and my husband find our ski legs again?

I went skiing in Saariselka earlier this year. I had completed 2 full days skiing at Manchester's indoor slope (Chillfactore if anyone knows it) where I could ski from the top quite confidently with linked turns and some parallel turns, picking up a fair bit of speed in places. The instructor described the slope as a 'hard blue/easy red' because although it is straight, it is narrow.

However when I got to Saariselka I was terrified of the 'red' runs which looked ridiculously steep from the bottom. I managed to brave going up to the top of the green run which was fine but but felt too nervous to do the 'blue' run by myself. Now my husband thinks skiing just isn't for us and doesn't fancy trying it again. I want to give it another go but I am wondering, how do the so called 'red' and 'blue' runs in Saariselka compare to other resorts in Finland and the rest of Europe? Are they just harder or about the same?

Thanks!

1. Re: Ski comparison with rest of Europe

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Helsinki, Finland
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for Helsinki, Oulu, Lapland
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You will gain confidence when your skills get better. And this will happen only with more practice. The fear of the runs should not keep you away from skiing, just bite it and you'll see that you'll get by better time after time. Just take it slowly and if you're feeling too insecure, take a ski class in the resort where they actually teach you to ski in real conditions. Artificial is always artificial... Ski runs in Finland are often shorter than those on the Alps, but often also wider, and there are fewer other skiers around.

Finland
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for Helsinki, Finland
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In general the slopes in the Alps are classified differently than the slopes in Finland. Finnish blue and red are easier than the couterparts in Europe.

Down hill skiing is a very technical sports. Once you get the idea of skis doing most of the job, you'll be fine on every slope. To adopt the technique is very individual. I've seen 1st timers getting independent in 2 hours and seen those who after 2 days are still hopeless. What you need is repetition.

"Just take it slowly" This is a common mistake people make. The dynamics of the ski often requires a fair amount of speed to function. Trying to ski slover than the ski is designed for is much harder. Extremely hard is to pick a steep slope and try to ski as slow as possible. Feel the skis and let them do their job.

Helsinki, Finland
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for Helsinki, Oulu, Lapland
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I didn't mean skiing slowly ;) , but leave enough time for the entire process. You won't master any new disciplines on first times. Nevertheless one can/should ski in the pace he/she feels comfortable with.

Bolton, United...
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58 posts
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Yikes I was hoping that you'd say Saariselka's slopes are steeper than the usual reds but I think you're all right. I think I was was getting scared when I picked up speed and automatically went into snow plough rather than just enjoy it. I also got a bit panicky at the top of the fell because there was literally nobody around at all. The flat light didn't help either as I could not see where the piste surface changed until it was too late. I think I will try again again but possibly at Levi as I don't want the crowds of European resorts but would like just a few more people than at Saariselka to prevent that 'alone' feeling. I think slightly longer runs would suit me better as in Saariselka, by the time I started to feel a bit more comfortable it was all over with.

Thanks everyone!

Finland
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If you like long runs and want enough variety to find the runs you like, also check out Ylläs. I just got back from there. There are more skiers than in Saariselkä too.

Arsy, France
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88 reviews
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I am a rubbish skier - I learnt to ski in yllas and there were lots of nice green runs and a couple of blues that I likes, we then went to levi and did the family runs which were fine for me - then, off to saariselka and the nursery slope was steep to me, there was also a blue run down by the chair lift that was ok until it went all steep down the bottom so off came the skis and I walked down, it was only on the last day did I find the confidence to do it and as it has a long run out at the bottom it was actually really easy

since lapland we have skied in france and switzerland and from my experience of the 5 or 6 different resorts in these places, they are a lot steeper and narrower than those in lapand (this is comparing blues), in most cases, I would not go down the blues until it had been vetting by the rest of the family, I like a nice straight motorway, I dont want narrow nor steep and I certainly dont want narrow, steep with cliffs either side :) and in most european resorts, these are often blues so god only knows what the reds are like

if you want to stay going to lapland then go to yllas, it has some lovely runs that I think you will like, if I can do them, anyone can :)

if you fancy europe then the resorts I have found that have some 'doable' slopes is Les Diablerets (issaneau side) and saanenmoser in switzerland - both were fine crowd wise for the feb half term - the french resorts I found in the school holidays were too packed

North Shields...
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Agree with the comments of others comparing the ski slopes. The one in Saariselka near the chairlift is nice and wide and easy until the bottom section which is very steep and much harder than the rest of the run and because of this section should be graded at a higher difficulty. Lots of people were taking off their skis and walking down that section!

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You might get the odd Brit or two walking down the lower section but let's be honest here - the chairlift run at Saariselka isn't 'steep' and if you can walk down it it'll be easier to ski. There's a gentle run out at the bottom so you'll slow down before getting back on the chair for another go.

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