,transcriber's note3 ,the spelling and punctuation inconsistencies of the original have been retained in this etext4 ,,ski-,,running ,,by ,,katharine ,,furse ,g4,b4,e41 ,r4,r4,c4 ,,with ,,map ,,and ,,four ,,illustrations ,,from ,,photographs #aibd ,,preface ,so many excellent books have been written about ,ski-ing that it is1 perhaps1 presumptuous on my part to think that there is room for another4 ,mr4 ,vivien ,caulfeild in his ,how to ,ski and ,ski-ing ,turns1 as well as ,mr4 ,arnold ,lunn in his ,ski-ing for ,beginners1 ,cross ,country ,ski-ing and ,alpine ,ski-ing1 have covered all the ground of the technique discovered up to date4 ,what future discoveries and inventions may be made1 requiring new books1 no one knows as yet4 ,had it not been for the help and coaching these two exponents of ,ski-ing have given to me personally1 ,i should never have been able to enjoy the sport to the extent ,i do now1 because ,i should probably have been content to continue running across country1 falling whenever ,i wanted to stop1 and using a kick turn at the end of my traverses4 ,their enthusiasm and example gave me new ideas of the standard ,i wanted to attain1 and their unfailing kindness and advice helped me to get nearer to it than ,i could otherwise have done4 ,the standard still lies away up out of reach1 as age undoubtedly tells against the ,ski-runner1 and the perfect ,christiania in deep1 soft snow round trees growing close together on a steep slope must be done in heaven rather than on earth by people who are nearer fifty than forty4 ,much experience of coaching beginners convinces me that there is still room for a book such as ,i hope to make this--a book containing only the simple answers to questions put to me during the last three years1 when ,i have been responsible for running the ,ski-ing in various centres4 ,the object of such coaching is to raise the standard of ,british ,ski-ing1 and it is satisfactory to realize that other nations1 including the ,swiss1 already marvel at the fair average of our runners4 ,this is specially remarkable when it is remembered that most ,british runners can only afford a bare fortnight or three weeks' winter holiday in the ,alps1 and that they are not always in training when they arrive4 ,ski-ing is a sport which exercises every nerve and muscle as well as lungs1 as is soon discovered during the first #ajj feet climb or the first fall in deep snow on the ,nursery slopes4 ,in addition to my conviction that there is room for another book for beginners1 my love of the ,alps1 which have been my home for the greater part of my life1 also induces me to try to show something of the real objects of ,ski-ing2 namely getting to the silent places which can only be reached on skis1 realizing something of the strength and immensity of ,nature at her grimmest1 profiting by the wonderful atmosphere of the mountains1 to say nothing of the beauty of an ,alpine view on a fine day4 ,the greatest pity is that most ,british winter holiday-makers can only go out for ,christmas4 ,this is admittedly the worst time from the point of view of weather4 ,at low altitudes rain often falls early in ,january1 turning the snow into slush and reducing the ,ski-er to despair4 ,after the #aeth ,january1 the weather is usually better1 and in ,february the days are longer and finer4 ,the best time of all for an ,alpine holiday is usually ,february and early ,march4 ,my advice to novices1 who are not tied by ,christmas holidays1 is to come out about the #bjth ,january1 when the hotels are less crowded1 the days longer1 the snow more certain and all the conditions more favourable4 ,some of my own best ,ski-ing days have been late in ,march when the crocuses and gentians were already opening to the sun on the ,southern slopes1 and a soldanella might be found along some tiny stream4 ,few experiences can equal a ,spring day among the ,alps when the wealth of flowers begins to show in the valleys1 while masses of good snow still lie on the ,northern slopes or on the ridges above #f1jjj feet4 ,early starts are necessary these days as the sun blazes after #aa a4m41 but nothing can equal the bodily comfort and well-being enjoyed at midday1 lunching at the top of some peak or pass1 basking in the blaze and imagining the run down cool slopes4 ,no ,ski-runner1 who has not been out in late ,february or ,march1 realizes the joy and comfort of late ,ski-ing4 ,the hotels will remain open as long as clients stay to make it worth while1 and all the mid-winter amenities will be kept up if they are wanted4 ,in recommending places and equipment1 ,i intend boldly to confine myself to the places ,i have been to and to the equipment ,i have used1 or of which ,i have had reports from people ,i trust4 ,this is a somewhat risky determination as there is great competition among the various centres and business firms which cater for ,ski-runners4 ,my reason is that the endless advertisements must be extremely confusing to the novice1 who does not know what to believe1 and who may sometimes be let down by a glowing description of some place or gear1 which proves to be quite unsuitable4 ,the old hands will find nothing new in this book4 ,not even controversy about the nomenclature of turns or as to which foot should carry the weight in a ,christiania4 ,my own view of ,ski-ing turns is that they are a means to an end1 and not an end in themselves1 and that the ,ski-runner1 who is content to spend weeks on the ,nursery slopes1 perfecting one turn1 has wasted almost weeks1 when he might be enjoying what ,skis enable one to reach among the mountains above4 ,at the same time every beginner should be content to devote two or three of his first days to the ,nursery slopes1 learning the elements of good ,ski-ing before dashing off on an excursion4 ,as ,i know from painful experience1 there is much to unlearn in what one has picked up by the light of ,nature4 ,scrambling down a run1 crashing and sitting on one's ,skis1 may be great fun the first day1 but is tiring and humiliating as time goes on4 ,it is infinitely preferable to learn the knack of ,ski-ing tidily1 and thereby keeping dry and1 in a few days1 running well enough thoroughly to enjoy a day out with its slow climb to the top of some peak or pass1 and then the slide down under control4 ,this is where tests are so valuable4 ,most people undoubtedly enjoy competition and1 if the passing of the turns is made a necessary qualification for the timed run of the #crd class test1 most beginners will determine to learn them and then to try the ,run and1 having successfully passed that1 wear a ,badge4 ,badge-hunting1 like pot-hunting1 may not be a very worthy object in itself1 but if it encourages people to become proficient in a beautiful sport1 let us give our weakness of character free play and achieve the results it leads to4 ,the tests of the ,federated ,ski ,clubs of ,great ,britain have done more to raise the standard of our running than anything else imaginable4 ,the beginner is wise1 who chooses a centre where the ,ski-ing is well organized1 and where he can be certain of getting coaching as well as excursions suited to his standard1 as nothing is lonelier than going to a place where he is dependent on his own initiative2 neither is anything more irksome to the good runner than to be asked to admit a stranger to his party1 who may keep him back and spoil his run4 ,this will be further alluded to in the ,chapter on ,etiquette1 and if a beginner wishes to be popular1 ,i advise him strongly to adhere to the ,law4 ,a strict code has been adopted1 mainly as a result of the suffering from pertinacious runners1 who put their standard higher than is admitted by others4 ,where the ,ski-ing is organized1 tests sort different individuals into their different standards and ,runs are planned accordingly1 so that the novice is not over-strained and the experienced runner is not hindered by too big a party4 ,the beginner should also choose a centre where there is a railway to help him4 ,a great deal of precious time and energy may be wasted in a short holiday when all climbing has to be done on skis4 ,the first runs are tiring enough without the additional fatigue of climbing1 and going up in a funicular or railway opens up numbers of runs which would be far too energetic for most people who are not in training4 ,,contents ,,preface ,,history ,,of ,,ski-,,ing ,,cost ,,of ,a ,,ski-,,ing ,,holiday ,,in ,,winter ,,ski-,,ing ,,centres ,,clothing ,,equipment ,,care ,,of ,,equipment ,,the ,,elements ,,of ,,ski-,,ing ,,etiquette ,,snow ,,and ,,light ,,falls ,,tests ,,guides ,,and ,,ski ,,instructors ,,maps ,,and ,,finding ,,the ,,way ,,avalanches ,,accidents ,,the ,,attractions ,,of ,,ski-,,ing ,,summer ,,ski-,,ing ,,appendix3 ,,regulations ,,of ,,the ,,british ,,ski ,,tests ,,index ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations ,from photographs by ,e4 ,gyger1 ,adelboden1 ,switzerland ,,achievement6 ,,map ,,of ,,switzerland ,,the ,,uphill ,,track ,,powder ,,snow ,,spring ,,ski-,,running ,,history ,,of ,,ski-,,ing ,very little is known of the early history of ,ski-ing4 ,doctor ,henry ,hoek in his book ,der ,schi gives a very interesting chapter tracing the use of ,skis back to the earliest records4 ,he thinks that ,skis were used by ,central ,asian races thousands of years ,b4,c4 and long before they were used in ,europe4 ,according to his book the word ,schi is derived from the ,gothic ,skaidan1 the ,german ,scheiden1 ,latin ,scindere1 and so on4 ,all these words mean split or divide1 and might be used to describe the split wood of which ,skis are made or their action in dividing or separating the snow through which they pass4 ,doctor ,hoek further says that early records show how ,ski-ing was a sport practised by knights1 and he quotes ,rognwald of ,orkney 7#aaei ,a4,d47 who states that he could run on ,skis4 ,the ,swedish ,bishop ,magnus writes in #aecc of the way in which the ,norwegians used ,skis for traversing country when hunting4 ,during the ,swedish and ,norwegian war in #ahjh the ,norwegian ,army included #b1jjj ,ski runners1 but the use of ,skis does not seem to have come into warfare again until the ,great ,war of #aiad-aiah1 when the ,swiss1 ,austrians and ,italians all used them on the ,alpine frontiers4 ,the modern and fully recorded use of ,skis began about #ahdc when the sport became really popular in ,norway and a ,ski race was run at ,tromso4 ,in #ahfa a ,ski ,club was founded1 and in #ahfc an exhibition was held there4 ,the ,swedes also took up ,ski-ing as a sport at about this time but ,skis do not seem to have penetrated into ,central ,europe until after #ahgj when a ,french doctor tried them at ,chamounix in #ahga4 ,the first introduction of ,skis into ,switzerland1 which ,i have been able to trace1 was by the monks of ,st4 ,bernard1 who obtained some pairs from ,norway in #ahhc1 thinking that they might be useful in their work of mercy1 rescuing pedestrians who were in difficulties on the ,pass4 ,about #ahhg ,colonel ,napier came to ,davos bringing with him a ,norwegian man-servant and a pair of ,skis4 ,mythical tales were told of the way this man slid down the slopes from chlet to hotel1 carrying a tea tray on his shoulder4 ,i have only a vague recollection of seeing him perform1 but when ,colonel ,napier left ,davos the same year1 he gave the ,skis to me to play with4 ,they were very similar to modern ,skis but had a rigid binding made of sealskin with no means of tightening or loosening it4 ,not knowing better1 ,i used to try to run in gouties or rubber snow-boots which slipped about inside the binding so that ,i had absolutely no control4 ,this did not make much difference1 as ,i knew nothing of the art and only used the ,skis as a freak on days off from tobogganing4 ,i knew nothing of wax1 and when the ,skis stuck1 they stuck1 and ,i thought it a poor game4 ,when they slid ,i sat down and ,i thought it a poorer game4 ,it never entered my head that ,i could traverse across any slope and so ,i always went straight down and only by a fluke did ,i ever stand4 ,then ,tobias ,branger1 who was a great sportsman and kept a sports shop at ,davos1 imported several pairs of ,skis and practised the art himself4 ,about this time ,sir ,arthur ,conan ,doyle and ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,hugh ,dobson took up the game and we spent many hours practising on the slopes behind ,davos ,dorf4 ,the ,richardson brothers1 who had been to ,norway1 came to ,davos about #ahic bringing with them knowledge of the sport and soon gathered round them a keen lot of disciples4 ,the ,davos ,english ,ski ,club was formed and from now on ,ski-ing spread rapidly throughout ,switzerland4 ,in the meantime1 ,ski ,clubs were also being formed in the ,black ,forest and other parts of ,germany1 as well as in ,austria4 ,doctor ,nansen1 in his book about ,greenland1 described the use of ,skis for ,arctic exploration and his accounts fired a great many more people to try the game4 ,i advise anyone who wishes to know more of the development of ,ski running to read ,doctor ,hoek's book ,der ,schi1 published in #aibb1 as he gives a long account of the first forming of ,clubs as well as the gradual adoption of ,skis as a means to winter climbing1 and1 further1 a useful list of the literature on the subject4 ,after the first beginnings in #ahii1 the ,swiss became energetic and enthusiastic runners4 ,the children could be seen on barrel staves with a pair of old boots nailed to the centre into which they slipped their feet with their own boots on4 ,it was not a particularly graceful game in those days4 ,runners armed themselves with poles some #h feet long on which they leant heavily when running downhill4 ,this school soon gave way to the more modern school1 which proved that the carrying of two sticks was better than one only4 ,a great many books on the technique of ,ski-ing followed each other fast and furiously--,zdarsky and ,lilienfeld1 ,caulfeild and ,lunn1 ,roget ,hoeg and others all contributing to the controversy on technique4 ,now there are innumerable ,ski ,clubs with their own year-books1 and the sport is so well launched1 not only in ,europe1 but also in ,australia1 ,new ,zealand1 ,east ,africa and ,america and elsewhere1 throughout the world1 that there is but little chance of its ever again dying out4 ,the ,british ,ski ,clubs include the ,ski ,club of ,great ,britain1 the ,british ,ski ,association1 the ,alpine ,ski ,club and the ,ladies' ,ski ,club4 ,these are federated in one ,council and work harmoniously together for the furtherance of ,british ,ski-ing4 ,this is a very incomplete history1 but ,i feel that it is better to limit it to a few dates and to await the publishing of a more extensive history of ,ski-ing in ,english than now exists4 ,,cost ,,of ,a ,,ski-,,ing ,,holiday ,,in ,,winter ,the expenses of a winter holiday differ according to the place chosen1 the hotel and the organization to whose care you commit yourself1 if any4 ,any figures ,i quote are approximate and are subject to change owing to fluctuations in exchanges1 etc4 ,if you go to a large hotel1 with all its luxuries1 you will pay anything from #a a day upwards1 and this may not include sports tax1 etc4 ,the smaller hotels will probably make arrangements for pension at about #af francs1 or even #ad francs1 or less1 per day1 but may not be very comfortable1 and comfort is important in winter4 ,it is particularly necessary that the hotel should be well heated1 as the drying of ,ski-ing clothes is a very important point4 ,as ,i said in my ,preface1 the beginner will be wise who chooses a centre where the sports are highly organized1 and where he will be certain to find coaching and arrangements made for tests and runs1 as well as a railway or funicular to help with uphill work4 ,only in such a place can he learn enough ,ski-ing in a short time to enable him to begin to enjoy touring before he returns home1 panting to come out again and continue the experience4 ,one joy of ,ski-ing is that you usually begin again where you left off1 and have not to relearn what you learnt the winter before4 ,having lived in the ,alps off and on for forty-six years1 and having seen all sorts of different ways of running things1 ,i realized at ,mrren1 where ,i first learnt to ski properly four years ago1 how much the beginner profits by going to such a centre4 ,otherwise he may waste infinite time in ,ski-ing without skill and with only half the enjoyment4 ,it is not only at ,mrren that the coaching is given1 though ,mr4 ,arnold ,lunn's system of helping everyone originated there4 ,pontresina provides it also1 and ,klosters and other places as well1 but it seems to me that ,mrren is the mother of up-to-date ,british ,ski-ing4 ,the cost of a fortnight at a good hotel comes to about #ae1 including sports tax1 afternoon tea and heating4 ,the journey about #g return #bnd-class or #i #ast-class1 in addition4 ,this can be reduced by travelling #crd class in ,england and ,switzerland1 where at any rate it is quite possible to travel #crd class on any mountain railway4 ,in addition to the expense of ,pension at an hotel and of the journey1 at least #e will probably be required for local railway fares1 subscription to entertainment fund1 baths1 gratuities1 hire of ,skis1 lessons1 guides1 etc4 #cj ought to cover a fortnight1 and #ce three weeks1 and a good deal less can be reckoned if a smaller hotel be chosen4 ,most of the ,sports ,hotels will now quote an inclusive price per day1 to which at least #aj per cent4 should be added to the estimate for gratuities to servants4 ,this is the recognized scale at which gratuities are given by most people1 though they might often amount to more when any special service has been rendered4 ,local railway fares on mountain railways are high1 because of the great expense of keeping them open1 but most of these railways offer special sports tickets1 either for a definite period as a season ticket1 or for a certain number of journeys4 ,for instance1 on the ,muottas ,muraigl ,funicular ,railway above ,pontresina #bd tickets single journey can be obtained for the sum of ,frs4 #ej1 while the ordinary single fare is ,frs4 #d4ge1 or more than twice the reduced fare4 ,the cost of equipment must be added to the estimate1 but this need not be very great as ,ski-ing boots and gloves are the only items which cannot usually be used at home by men--trousers or breeches being an additional cost for women4 ,people sometimes complain that a ,swiss winter holiday is very costly1 but ,i believe it can compare favourably with a golfing holiday at home4 ,ski-ing is the cheapest possible sport1 if runners are content to foot it uphill instead of using railways or sledges4 ,during the months of ,february and ,march1 special low terms can probably be obtained in the hotels1 as they are anxious to prolong their season1 and will do anything they can afford to induce ,british sportsmen to come out then4 ,february and the first half of ,march are the best time from every point of view1 so that no one who can take his holiday then1 and who does not want all the gaiety of the social side1 will regret going during these months4 ,in old days before the war this was fully appreciated and the season used to last three months1 instead of a short six weeks as it does now4 ,,ski-,,ing ,,centres ,in this chapter ,i propose only to describe such of the larger ,swiss places as ,i know personally1 or by reputation4 ,there are a great many smaller places where equally good1 or even better1 ,ski-ing may be found1 but1 as my book is meant mainly for beginners1 it seems preferable to adhere to the advice given in the preface1 and for me to mention only such centres as provide comfort in the hotels and good coaching and organization of tours1 as well as facilities for playing other games4 ,most people when they go to the ,alps for their first winter visit wish to try all the different sports in order to see which they like best1 and there seems to me to be no question but that the all-round sportsman gets the most out of his holiday4 ,there may be days when ,ski-ing is not possible or when a few hours on the rink or toboggan run offer a relief to a stale ,ski runner4 ,it is usually only the really keen enthusiast of some years' standing who can spend the whole day waxing or oiling his ,skis1 or poring over a map planning future runs4 ,when choosing a place the first objective is a good supply of snow4 ,this does not seem to depend entirely on height1 though there is more likelihood of finding it above #d1jjj feet than below that height4 ,above #e1jjj feet there is less chance of thaw and rain--the bugbears of all ,winter sportsmen1 who can only go out for the ,christmas holidays4 ,i have known a ,winter when snow has lain in one district at #e1jjj feet and not at #f1jjj feet in another1 but this was exceptional4 ,the higher you go1 the more hope you have of snow as a rule and also of frost1 which is so necessary to keep the snow in good condition4 ,the centres ,i recommend are mainly arranged in groups geographically1 taking the ,canton of ,graubunden1 or the ,grisons first1 because it is the country ,i love best1 having spent most of my early life there4 ,the heights are taken from ,murray's ,handbook4 ,,klosters1 #c1igj feet above the sea4 ,this seems to me to be one of the very best ,winter ,sports centres4 ,it is a small village with two large and a few small hotels4 ,it usually has good snow and is protected from wind4 ,there is plenty of sun1 but ,north slopes provide good runs near the village as well as on the ,parsenn4 ,the ,rhaetische ,railway helps runners to get the maximum of downhill running for the minimum of climb1 especially opening up the whole ,parsenn district to those who want a long day's tour with only some #a-a_/b hours' climb4 ,the ,nursery slopes are good1 and there is plenty of open ground near the hotels for practice4 ,the ,ski-ing is well organized by the local club1 and there are #ast-class ,ski ,instructors1 as well as ,certificated ,guides4 ,the rinks are well kept and the ,klosters run of old renown is maintained in good condition for tobogganing or bobbing4 ,there is quite a good ,ski map to be obtained locally1 but the ,ordnance ,map should be used as well4 ,skis can be hired locally4 ,,davos1 #e1jae feet above the sea1 was one of the first places at which ,winter sports began1 and it still offers almost everything desired by the ,ski runner4 ,the fact that ,davos is much visited by invalids deters a great many people from going there1 for fear of infection4 ,as a matter of fact they are probably a good deal safer there than in some other places where there may be a few invalids1 but where the same precautions regarding disinfection may not be taken4 ,two or three hotels are kept open for sports people only1 and at these the life is just the same as in all the other well-known centres4 ,davos is within very easy reach by the ,rhaetische ,railway of all the ,parsenn runs4 ,the side valleys1 ,fluela1 ,dischma and ,sertig1 all offer innumerable good runs to the energetic runner who does not object to climbing1 and there are endless ,nursery slopes4 ,it is one of the few places whence tours can still be planned over almost unlimited snow-fields when a track is a rare sight except on the few ordinary short runs or on the ,parsenn4 ,the local club organizes the ,ski-ing1 and good ,ski ,instructors and ,guides are available4 ,the rinks are excellent and the ,schatzalp and ,klosters runs are maintained for bobbing and tobogganing4 ,there is a good ,ski map showing all the runs round ,davos1 but the ,ordnance ,map should be used as well4 ,skis can be hired locally4 ,,arosa1 #e1fdc feet above the sea1 is said to be excellent for ,ski-ing1 but ,i do not know it well4 ,there is no railway to help runners much4 ,invalids go there as well as to ,davos1 but the same precautions are taken as at ,davos4 ,there are rinks and a very good run for bobbing and tobogganing4 ,,lenzerheide1 about #d1ejj feet above the sea1 has a fine reputation for easy ,ski-ing4 ,there is no railway to help it and all uphill work has to be done on ,skis4 ,i have never been there in ,winter-time1 but know that a great many runners speak well of ,lenzerheide4 ,the ,ski-ing is organized1 and good ,instructors and ,guides are available4 ,there is probably a good rink1 but of this ,i have no personal knowledge4 ,in the ,engadine#a valley1 which is also part of ,graubunden1 the following centres can be recommended4 ,,pontresina1 #e1iaf feet above the sea4 ,the ,nursery slopes are very extensive and offer short runs to the beginner4 ,the ,muottas ,muraigl funicular conveys runners up some #b1jjj feet1 when after an easy climb of one hour a really good run may be obtained back to ,pontresina4 ,the ,rhaetische and ,bernina ,railways open up a large number of good runs in the ,engadine valley and also up the ,bernina and ,morteratsch districts4 ,open wood-running as well as glacier-running under safe conditions can be enjoyed near home1 and ,pontresina is undoubtedly one of the best places for people who want to perfect their cross-country running under different conditions4 ,there are no short afternoon runs ending in the village1 but the railways enable people to enjoy all the tours of the ,upper ,engadine4 ,the longer tours1 such as those over the ,kesch ,glacier to ,bergn or ,davos1 are unequalled so far as ,i know4 ,having spent two ,winters at ,pontresina1 ,i can recommend it from intimate knowledge1 but only for the real beginner or for the expert who wants amusing running4 ,it is not the place for ,ski-ers who only want a short run between lunch and tea4 ,first-class ,guides and good ,instructors are available4 ,the ,ski-ing is organized and plenty of coaching is given to members of the ,public ,schools ,alpine ,sports ,club4 ,excellent rinks and short bobbing and tobogganing runs are maintained4 ,a useful guide describing all the runs in the ,upper ,engadine can be obtained locally4 ,skis can be hired locally4 ,,st4 ,,moritz1 #f1jcg feet above the sea4 ,,celerina1 #e1gej ,,samaden1 #e1ffi are all served by the ,rhaetische and ,bernina ,railway1 and have the same ,ski-ing facilities as ,pontresina4 ,their rinks and toboggan runs are well maintained1 those at ,st4 ,moritz being1 of course1 among the best in ,switzerland4 ,good ,guides and ,ski ,instructors are available1 but1 so far as ,i know1 ,ski-ing is not in any way organized for beginners in these places4 ,skis can be hired locally4 ,,zuoz1 #e1fag feet above the sea1 is also a good ,ski-ing centre further down the ,inn ,valley4 ,there are only two or three hotels1 and the village is quite unspoilt4 ,it provides the most wonderful open ,south slopes for ,ski-ing and ,north slopes are also within reach across the valley4 ,zuoz lies almost at the foot of the climb for the ,kesch runs and also taps the country further down the ,inn valley behind ,schuls4 ,so far as ,i know the ,ski-ing is not organized in any way1 but ,guides are available4 ,there are rinks1 but1 ,zuoz being still one of the old-fashioned places1 life would be quiet there4 ,,campfer1 about #e1hej feet above the sea1 and ,,sils-,,maria and ,,silvaplana1 about #e1iej feet above the sea1 lie further up the ,inn valley beyond ,st4 ,moritz4 ,no railway exists to help ,ski runners1 and the slopes are somewhat steep and apt to be precipitous except in the ,fex ,thal1 south of ,sils-,maria1 which has lovely snow-fields4 ,campfer and ,silvaplana tap the country lying behind the ,julier ,pass1 but1 as no railway helps here1 the tours entail a lot of climbing and a drive on the way home4 ,,maloja1 #e1ice feet above the sea1 lies at the upper end of the ,inn valley4 ,never having been there in ,winter1 ,i cannot describe it during that season4 ,it is a beautiful place in ,summer1 and may open up a good deal of country which is not much tracked1 as there is no village and only one large and two small hotels4 ,the post road runs zigzagging down into ,italy and is said to provide a very fine bob or toboggan run4 ,a ,rink is kept open4 ,now that ,maloja is being opened as a ,winter centre1 every amenity for a ,winter holiday will probably be offered4 ,the ,bernese ,oberland is also one of the best ,ski-ing districts in ,switzerland4 ,mr4 ,a4 ,lunn has produced a very helpful guide to all the ,ski-ing tours and also1 with the help of ,herr ,gurtner1 a first-class ,ski-ing map1 using the ,ordnance ,map as its basis1 so that only one map need be carried4 ,m,,rren1 #e1cfh feet above the sea1 seems to me to be one of the very best centres for beginners as they receive so much help1 and there are numbers of short runs aided by the ,allmendhubel funicular which runs up some #gjj feet above the village4 ,from the top of this several short runs end in the village or on the ,berner ,oberland ,railway1 which brings the tired novice home without much effort4 ,the ,berner ,oberland and the ,wengern ,alp ,railways also enable people to get the best of the ,scheidegg runs down to ,wengen or ,grindelwald4 ,the ,ski-ing is very highly organized at ,mrren and beginners receive a great deal of help and encouragement4 ,there are ,guides and ,instructors4 ,the ,rinks and bob run are admittedly among the best in ,switzerland4 ,skis can be hired locally4 ,,wengen1 #d1ahg feet above the sea1 is a lovely place1 with the most beautiful view of the ,jungfrau4 ,it faces south1 but provides two or three nice home runs1 which remain in good condition except for the tracks of innumerable runners4 ,the ,wengern ,alp ,railway is usually open to the ,scheidegg1 though after a very heavy snow-fall it may take a few days to clear4 ,this enables people to enjoy all the runs down to ,grindelwald1 returning to ,wengen by train4 ,the ,ski-ing is organized and there are good ,guides and ,instructors4 ,rinks and a most amusing toboggan run provide for off-days4 ,skis can be hired locally4 ,,grindelwald1 #c1dfh feet above the sea1 is too well-known as a ,summer resort to need much description here4 ,its main fault in ,winter is that the sun disappears behind a mountain for about an hour and a half in the middle of the day4 ,this ensures perfect ice on the rinks and does not much affect the ,ski runner1 who can climb beyond the shadow for lunch4 ,i cannot resist mentioning my good friend ,frau ,wolther's tea-shop as one of the great attractions at ,grindelwald1 drawing many a ,ski runner over the ,scheidegg from ,mrren and ,wengen6 ,frau ,wolther's unfailing welcome and hospitality are a great joy at the end of a hot1 wet run1 and the fact that a change of clothes can be sent round by train to her care is a great comfort to those coming from afar4 ,there are plenty of short ,ski runs above ,grindelwald1 and the ,scheidegg railway is kept open as far as ,alpiglen to help with the climb on a long day's tour4 ,there are good ,guides to be had1 some of whom are probably ,ski ,instructors4 ,the ,rinks are first-class and both bob and toboggan runs are kept up4 ,skis can be hired locally4 ,,lauterbrunnen1 about #c1jjj feet above the sea4 ,people who know ,switzerland well may wonder why ,i include ,lauterbrunnen in my list1 but ,i have often wondered equally why no one makes it a centre for ,ski-ing4 ,though the sun may not shine there for long hours1 the fact that it lies at the junction of the ,berner ,oberland ,railway1 the ,mrren ,funicular and the ,wengern ,alp ,railway seems to me to make it a very possible ,ski-ing centre4 ,there are good hotels1 and the ,herr ,gurtners1 whose home ,lauterbrunnen is1 may be depended upon as two of the best ,ski runners in ,switzerland and two of the most active pushers of ,ski-ing1 to do their utmost to help any ,british runners who decide to try ,lauterbrunnen4 ,all the ,mrren1 ,wengen and ,grindelwald runs are within easy reach of ,lauterbrunnen1 and if the railways will sell special tickets1 the cost of the journeys should not be prohibitive4 ,to my mind1 the fact that one could stop at ,lauterbrunnen after a day over the ,scheidegg would be a great comfort1 as the last journey up to ,mrren or ,wengen is apt to be tiresome after a long run1 if often repeated4 ,in any case it seems to me that runners might do worse than write to ,herr ,gurtner at ,lauterbrunnen and ask for particulars1 at any rate for the ,christmas holidays1 when most of the popular villages are very full and the hotel rates are high4 ,good ,guides are available at ,lauterbrunnen4 ,,kandersteg1 #c1hce feet above the sea4 ,i have never been there except in ,summer when ,i know it well4 ,one great attraction about ,kandersteg is that it can be reached by a through train from ,calais or ,boulogne4 ,from the ,ski-ing point of view1 ,i think ,kandersteg might be disappointing to the runner who hopes for short runs4 ,there are excellent ,nursery slopes1 and the ,loetschberg ,railway probably opens up quite a lot of country4 ,guides are obtainable4 ,rinks and toboggan runs are maintained4 ,,adelboden1 #d1dej feet above the sea1 is said to be an excellent ,ski-ing centre1 but ,i do not know it personally1 having only just been up there in ,summer time4 ,there is no railway to help1 so that all climbing has to be done on ,skis4 ,it is within reach of very good tours throughout the lower ,bernese mountains4 ,the ,british ,championship was held there in #aibc1 which shows that the ,ski-ing is organized1 and good ,guides are1 no doubt1 obtainable4 ,adelboden1 being a well-known ,winter ,sports ,centre1 the rink and toboggan runs are probably excellent1 but1 never having seen them1 ,i cannot vouch for them4 ,skis can be hired locally4 ,,saanenmoser1 #d1bji feet above the sea1 lies at the top of the low pass between the ,simmen ,valley above ,zweizimme and the ,sarine ,valley running down to ,gstaad and ,chateau d',oex4 ,there is only the one ,sports ,hotel and no village4 ,it is a most charming place within reach of ,ski-ing in all directions among the lower ,bernese mountains4 ,the ,montreux ,oberland ,railway running down both sides of the ,pass helps a little by carrying ,ski runners home after some long excursions1 but all uphill work has to be done on ,skis4 ,the slopes are gradual and the ,saanenmoser runs are perfect for people who have learnt the elements of ,ski-ing in some active place1 and who then want to gain confidence by free running over easy country4 ,the ,ski-ing was not organized when ,i was at ,saanenmoser in #aiba1 and neither ,guides nor ,ski ,instructors were obtainable4 ,there was only a tiny rink and no toboggan or bob runs4 ,skis can be hired at ,gstaad4 ,,gstaad1 about #c1hjj feet above the sea1 lies below ,saanenmoser1 and is a large village with numbers of hotels4 ,the ,ski-ing is very much the same as at ,saanenmoser and the ,railway serves the same purpose1 only helping runners a little4 ,i have never stayed at ,gstaad1 but have heard it well spoken of as a ,winter ,sports centre offering all the usual attractions4 ,skis can be hired locally1 ,i believe1 and ,guides are obtainable4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,rhone ,valley offers a few centres which ,i do not know in ,winter4 ,among those ,i have heard most about1 the following are outstanding4 ,,villars1 #d1jjj feet above the sea1 is reached by a railway from ,bex4 ,it lies on slopes facing ,south1 and ,i gather that the ,ski-ing there is somewhat limited4 ,the rinks are said to be good and the usual ,winter attractions are offered4 ,,montana1 #e1jjj feet above the sea1 is reached by a funicular railway from ,sierre4 ,like ,villars it also lies on slopes1 facing almost south1 but there seems to be good ,ski-ing among the mountains behind4 ,,morgins4 ,in addition to the above1 ,i would mention ,morgins1 which ,i do not know personally1 but of which ,i have heard a good deal4 ,morgins is #d1djf feet above the sea1 and is particularly well-known for its rinks1 which seem to be first-class4 ,the ,ski-ing is said to be good but not extensive4 ,there is no railway4 ,,diablerets1 #c1hdi feet above the sea1 in a valley going from ,aigle among the mountains to the ,east1 might be a good centre for ,ski-ing1 but ,i only know it in ,summer4 ,so far as ,i have heard it offers the usual attractions in ,winter1 but there is no railway to help much4 ,in other districts of ,switzerland the following places should be mentioned1 although ,i have never been to them in ,winter time4 ,,engelberg1 #c1cdc feet above the sea1 in the ,stans valley near ,luzern1 is often well spoken of as a ,winter centre1 though it is liable to thaw and shortage of snow4 ,from what ,i know of it in ,summer time ,i should think that most of the surrounding slopes are too steep and precipitous to allow of much free running1 but the ,titlis group probably provides some open country and there is a short funicular above the village4 ,there are excellent hotels1 and all the usual attractions are offered4 ,,andermatt1 #d1gch feet above the sea1 lies in the ,gothard ,valley above the ,tunnel1 and is easily reached in ,winter by express trains stopping at ,goeschinen1 whence a short mountain railway runs up to ,andermatt4 ,i have only been there in ,summer1 and from what ,i saw should imagine that ,andermatt was subject to a great deal of wind4 ,the slopes all look somewhat steep and are bare of forest1 so that they might be somewhat dangerous on account of avalanches4 ,there is no railway to help ,ski runners1 but ,andermatt might offer quite a lot of good runs to experienced people4 ,i know nothing of the other attractions for the all-round ,winter sportsman1 but have little doubt that ,andermatt1 which is a go-ahead place1 does all it can to satisfy them4 ,there are1 of course1 innumerable other places which may be good ,ski-ing centres1 not only in ,switzerland1 but also in ,germany1 ,austria1 and the ,italian ,tyrol4 ,the ,jura mountains and places1 such as ,splugen and ,schuls in ,graubunden1 might open up new districts4 ,there is much new country to explore1 and ,i have only picked out for notice the few places to which ,i have been myself1 or of which ,i have heard from people ,i trust4 ,my description may not always be appreciated by people who have special affection for any one centre1 but ,i have only tried to put forward my own impressions for the guidance of any beginner who may feel in a quandary as to what place to choose4 ,so much depends on weather conditions3 if there is plenty of snow and if the sun shines1 almost every place is delightful4 ,if1 on the other hand1 a thaw settles in or fog descends on the mountains1 or a blizzard blows the snow about1 or1 worst of all1 if rain falls1 reducing the snow to slush1 nobody will be satisfied anywhere4 ,luckily for ,ski runners1 even a few inches of wet snow will provide practice1 so that they suffer less than other ,winter sportsmen when the weather is unfavourable4 ,one thing can invariably be depended upon in ,switzerland1 namely a warm welcome from the hotels1 and every endeavour made to ensure the comfort and enjoyment of their clients4 ,no country in the world lays itself out more for the satisfaction of its visitors1 and no holiday can beat a ,winter holiday among the ,alps when the conditions are favourable and the sportsmen determined to enjoy themselves4 ,,footnotes3 ,footnote #a3 ,there is apt to be a certain amount of wind in the whole ,engadine but its height counterbalances this by usually ensuring that there is not a thaw1 even at ,christmas time4 ,,clothing ,clothing should be light1 smooth1 warm1 loose and1 when buttoned up1 it should leave no gaps4 ,it is better to wear several thin1 warm garments than one thick one1 for the simple reason that going uphill one wants to peel to the minimum2 sitting on top of a mountain or ridge in a wind1 one wants to pile on everything one possesses1 and going downhill one wants a medium amount1 all of which will button up so that the snow cannot penetrate inside4 ,ordinary country clothes will usually suffice for the first season1 especially if they are of smooth material which will shake off the snow4 ,men usually wear smooth wool or cotton gaberdene coats1 and trousers1 and a peaked ,guide's cap4 ,their trousers either tuck inside the uppers of their boots and should be sufficiently long to do so without pulling out in a strained turn or fall1 or they may be buttoned round outside the boots or folded and tied on with ,norwegian puttees or swanks4 ,breeches and stockings may be worn1 but long puttees should be avoided as they constrict the muscles and stop the circulation1 thus tending to frost-bite1 which is a serious danger at high altitudes4 ,sweaters1 unless worn under a coat when practising or running downhill1 are quite unsuitable as the snow gets into the stitches and then melts1 and the sweater becomes a sponge and often stretches till it is more like a woman's coat-frock than anything it was before6 ,a ,ski-ing suit should be well provided with pockets1 all of which should have flaps to button over and keep the snow out4 ,also to keep the contents in4 ,money and other things carried loose are apt to fall out in a downhill fall4 ,once this winter1 when getting up from a fall1 ,i saw what looked like a useful leather boot-lace lying in the snow4 ,i picked it up and found it was the bootlace attached to two stop-watches1 which ,i had been using for a test4 ,as one cannot tie one's money up with a boot-lace1 it is wise to carry it safely1 and cheat the goatherds1 who may surely make a profitable living out of the various treasures lost by ,ski-ers1 which appear on the slopes after the snow melts4 ,women need very much the same sort of clothing as men4 ,either trousers or breeches1 whichever they prefer4 ,these should be made to measure in order to fit well and be worn with braces to pull them up4 ,thick boys' stockings should be worn to pull up over the breeches4 ,if women would only realize how sloppy their nether garments sometimes look and how really horrid breeches look hanging loose over silk stockings indoors1 they would surely be more careful to study and copy a man's neat legs before they venture into man's apparel4 ,one sometimes sees women's coats made with innumerable fancy buttons or tabs as decoration4 ,these only add to the weight which no one would want to carry1 and also look out of place4 ,so does fur trimming4 ,ski-ing clothes cannot be too simple4 ,elaboration is easily obtained by bright-coloured gloves1 scarves or swanks4 ,coats should be made with a belt1 which can be buckled tight before the descent4 ,a sitting fall in soft snow is apt to provide the runner with a good dose of snow inside the coat4 ,for the same reason breeches and trousers should be cut somewhat high above the waist4 ,women need just as many pockets as men1 and ,i strongly advise two large side pockets and two smaller breast pockets outside the coat1 as well as two inside breast pockets--all with flaps to button over4 ,a felt hat is now usually worn by women ,ski runners1 who find the brim a comfort on sunny days1 while it also protects the eyes when ,ski-ing through a blizzard4 ,incidentally it helps to prevent snow from going down the neck in a head-first fall4 ,a chin-strap may be required for fast running4 ,boots are1 perhaps1 the most important part of a ,ski runner's outfit4 ,they must be water-proof and large enough to hold two pairs of socks in addition to stockings4 ,the soles must be so stout that they will not buckle or bend under the instep when the ,ski binding is tight4 ,heels must be low and should be slightly grooved at the back to hold the binding4 ,i have no hesitation in saying that most of the ,ski-ing boots sold in ,england prove to be unsatisfactory4 ,such firms as ,lillywhite and ,fortnum ,mason1 which make a study of suitable equipment1 may be trusted1 and almost every ,swiss bootmaker now sells trustworthy boots for ,ski-ing4 ,i always buy my own boots from ,och1 who has shops at ,geneva1 ,montreux1 ,zrich and ,st4 ,moritz4 ,they can be relied on for at least two or three long seasons1 if one is careful to oil the uppers with boot oil occasionally1 and never to oil the soles except with linseed oil1 which is said to harden them4 ,on the whole1 however1 the soles are safest left untouched4 ,boots should never be dried on a radiator or by a fire4 ,personally ,i like hooks1 rather than eyelets1 and ,i find that leather boot-laces last longer than others4 ,there is much discussion as to whether ,ski boots should have nails in the soles or not4 ,they tend to wear away the aluminium or linoleum plates fixed to the ,skis under the foot1 but on the other hand they are almost indispensable when ,skis are carried across a hard1 steep slope1 or down an icy path4 ,it seems to me that it is positively dangerous to go any real ,ski tour with unnailed boots unless crampons or spikes to fit on to the heels be carried4 ,new plates can easily be fitted to the ,skis when nails have worn through them1 but nothing can help the ,ski-er down a steep1 icy path or across a hard frozen slope on smooth soles1 unless he carries special contrivances to fix to his boots4 ,people are now trying crepe rubber soles1 but they are not solid enough to bear the strain of tight bindings unless fixed to the usual thick leather sole1 when the whole becomes too thick for comfort4 ,my experience for several winters with beginners is that the soles of most ,english boots buckle as soon as they are subjected to the tight pull of a leather binding4 ,few things are more irritating to a beginner than to find that his binding will not hold on his boot4 ,over and over again in a run down his ,ski comes off and he delays his party by having to stop and put it on again4 ,still it will not hold even though he ties it on with string4 ,then he realizes that his boot is buckling4 ,the sole arches up under the instep and the binding1 becoming loose1 slips off the heel4 ,there is no cure for this1 and the only solution is to use a toe binding1 such as the new ,b4,b41 or a solid binding such as the ,ellessen or ,lilienfeld1 instead of a heel binding4 ,as most hired ,skis have the ,huitfeldt heel binding it is essential to ensure that boots are of the very best4 ,gloves are another very important item of clothing4 ,they should be waterproof4 ,this is easy to say but very difficult to obtain4 ,the rub of the stick on the palm of the hand tends to sodden almost any material4 ,snow also gets inside during a fall and then1 of course1 even the waterproof glove comes home wet4 ,the best gloves are paws made of thick horse-hide and lined with wool4 ,they should have long gauntlets wide enough to pull up over the sleeves and they should be joined by a string going round behind the neck1 under the coat collar1 long enough to allow of free use of the hands1 and this string should have another string joining it across the chest4 ,it is often necessary to slip off a glove and if they are not safely hung round the neck they fall in the snow1 which promptly runs inside1 or they may be dropped and lost4 ,socks are a matter for individual choice4 ,some people like goat's-hair socks1 which have many of the qualities or disqualities of a hair shirt4 ,they are prickly and1 therefore1 perfect as a counter-irritant under very cold conditions1 but far too irritating for ordinary wear4 ,i was much amused in a ,london shop last winter when ,i heard a ,ski-ing expert advising a lady not to buy those repulsive goat's-hair socks4 ,when she had bought what he advised ,i said ,i had come especially to buy a repulsive pair of socks4 ,he immediately explained that he had advised the lady not to get them because they only had two pairs left1 and he did not want to sell them4 ,he let me have a pair1 and the only time ,i wore them ,i thought with amusement of his advice and explanation4 ,the lady was undoubtedly well out of them1 and ,i hope never to use them again4 ,some people swear by them1 so all tastes must be allowed for4 ,it seems to me better to wear two thin pairs of socks in addition to stockings1 rather than one pair of thick socks4 ,if these seem to fill the toes of the boot too much1 the toe part of one pair of socks can be cut off1 the remainder being worn as an anklet4 ,swanks1 or ,norwegian puttees1 may be used to tie the socks above or over the boot so as to prevent the snow from getting inside4 ,or shooting anklets may also be used1 granted that they are large enough to go over the wide uppers of a ,ski boot as well as the socks4 ,footgear for ,ski-ing is not elegant1 but as every one wears the same1 nobody need feel shy4 ,it is another reason for buying in ,switzerland4 ,ski boots of the right size bought in a ,london shop look so ,gargantuan that people will often insist on having a smaller pair than is really useful when the time comes to wear them4 ,spare clothing should invariably be carried on any run beyond the nursery slopes as1 in case of an accident and delay in fetching help1 a runner who is hurt may be badly frost-bitten4 ,this1 of course1 only applies to high places during the months of ,december1 ,january and early ,february1 when the thermometer may often register #cb of frost or more after the sun goes down4 ,when choosing equipment it is wise1 therefore1 to remember spare clothing1 which should include a ,cardigan or ,jersey1 a dry pair of woollen gloves1 a dry pair of socks or stockings1 a warm cap of some sort to cover the ears and a scarf4 ,all these should be chosen for a combination of warmth and lightness4 ,a wind-jacket is often recommended4 ,some people carry a thin silk1 or oil silk1 or even chamois leather1 or paper waistcoat1 to put on under their coats when a wind blows4 ,this is not necessary for any but long tours in midwinter4 ,a very useful sail-cloth coat specially made for ,ski-ing can be bought in most ,swiss sports-shops and is excellent4 ,the great thing to remember about clothing for ,ski-ing is that climbing uphill you will probably get very hot and perspire freely4 ,to stop in a biting wind in this condition without putting on spare clothing is obviously risky4 ,it is difficult to ski freely in heavy thick clothes1 so that everything should be warm and loose and made of wool except1 perhaps1 the wind-jacket or the ,swiss coat1 which can be worn over a sweater4 ,cotton or linen underclothing will probably soon be discarded1 but this is a personal matter1 and need not be dealt with here4 ,,equipment ,the minimum amount of equipment should be purchased before going out4 ,the ,swiss shops are just as well provided with ,ski-ing necessities as the ,british and it is expensive to take out heavy luggage4 ,most ,swiss hotels will gladly store ,skis or gear of any kind through the ,summer1 and these can be posted or forwarded by rail to any place the runner chooses for the following season4 ,clothing has been dealt with in a former chapter4 ,here ,i propose to describe the equipment which ,i know1 from experience1 to be useful4 ,skis can be bought in ,england or in ,switzerland4 ,one or two ,english firms1 such as ,lillywhite1 which really take pains to obtain the best possible quality of goods1 may be trusted to provide ,norwegian ,skis1 but there are also several makers of good ,skis in ,switzerland4 ,skis should be made either of hickory or ash4 ,other woods such as birch and walnut have been tried but these do not appear to make as satisfactory ,skis as hickory or ash4 ,hickory is heavy so that the beginner will do well to get ash ,skis in the first instance4 ,their average length should be the height of the ,runner with his arm extended above his head1 the tip of the ,ski when standing upright being in the palm of his hand and his fingers just able to bend over it4 ,when the novice becomes more proficient1 he may like to try longer or shorter ,skis1 but the average length is best to begin with4 ,good makers1 such as ,bjornsted in ,bern or ,staub at ,zurich1 may be trusted to make their ,skis right proportionately1 and the buyer need not worry about their width or depth so long as the length is right4 ,there is a great deal of difference in the line of a ,ski1 as there is in a boat4 ,flat ones are ugly compared with those which hump along the centre1 but they are also lighter4 ,it seems to me wise for the beginner to hire his first ,skis1 rather than to buy them4 ,most of the sports shops in the different centres are very obliging and will allow their clients to try two or three pairs of ,skis in order to experience the difference between them4 ,they should not curve up too abruptly in front and they should be about one inch apart in the centre when laid flat one against the other4 ,this spring adds greatly to the comfort of running and should be maintained by the ,ski having a block of wood between them when put away for the ,summer or even when laid by for two or three days4 ,the question of binding is a very serious one4 ,broadly there are three different types3 7#a7 ,toe bindings1 by which only the toe of the boot is attached to the ,ski4 7#b7 ,solid binding with a sole attached to the ,ski4 7#c7 ,leather heel bindings4 7#a7 ,i have tried two forms of toe bindings--the ,b4,b4 and the ,b4,b4,b4 and gave them up for the following reasons4 ,firstly1 ,i think it a dangerous binding4 ,there is practically no give at all so that in a bad fall when the foot is twisted under one1 if the ,ski does not move the leg has to give way and may be broken4 ,i think surgeons agree that there are more accidents as a result of wearing a ,b4,b4 binding than any other--so that it seems to me much better to start with another type of binding and then go into the ,b4,b4 later if preferred4 ,another drawback is that as the whole pivotal pressure in a turn is borne by the toe iron1 when a ,b4,b4 binding is worn1 the toe irons are always being forced open4 ,not only that1 but the spring on the ,ski which holds the hook on the boot is so strong that it tends to pull the boot through the toe irons1 so that gradually the boot gets longer and more pointed and the spring no longer holds4 ,all this criticism may be due to prejudice on my part1 but ,i have tried the ,b4,b4 with enthusiasm and only gave it up because ,i was convinced that a heel binding was more satisfactory4 ,since ,i tried it1 two or three new forms of toe binding have been put on the market1 the simplest of which seems to me to be the ,davos form1 which is merely a strap fixed to the ,ski with an iron loop at the end to fit into the hook on the boot and an ordinary ,huitfeldt spring buckle to fix it firmly4 7#b7 ,solid bindings4 ,the commonest forms of these are the ,ellesen1 ,lilienfeld and ,bilgeri1 but as ,i have never tried any of them1 ,i can say nothing about them4 7#c7 ,heel bindings4 ,there are two main forms of these--the ,lap thong and the ,huitfeldt4 ,the ,lap thong is merely a long strap of raw hide or leather4 ,a loop is drawn through the hole under the toe iron1 the long end is taken round the heel and through the loop1 then back round the heel and through a slit in the other or short end4 ,the long end is then carried under the foot and round the instep and finally tied off with a knot4 ,this has been improved upon by a ring and buckle being added to save slitting the leather or knotting the ends4 ,the ,huitfeldt binding is a thick double-leather strap1 which buckles round the whole foot and has a strong spring to pull it taut when the binding has been slipped on to the heel4 ,this is the usual binding on hired ,skis4 ,i have tried both these bindings1 and now wear a ,scheer binding1 which is a combination of the two--the long ,lap thong with buckles and also a spring similar to the one tightening a ,huitfeldt binding4 ,the chief drawback to a ,lap binding was that it took time to put on so that fingers got very cold and clumsy when fitting it before a run down from a height4 ,the trouble about a ,huitfeldt binding is that it is thick and clumsy and the buckles stick out so that they catch in the snow when running4 ,the ,scheer binding avoids these drawbacks4 ,it is put on just as easily as a ,huitfeldt and the thin thong lies so closely along the boot that there is nothing to catch in the snow4 ,it is very easily lengthened or shortened when the leather contracts or stretches and this is also a great comfort4 ,this binding being new1 may not yet be obtainable everywhere1 but it is well worth trying to get4 ,the ,huitfeldt and ,scheer bindings both tend to give a little in a strained fall1 so that the foot slips round and the leg is usually saved4 ,toe irons pass through the ,ski under the toes and come up either side to hold the foot in place4 ,they should be carefully fitted and1 with a view to this1 the boots should be left overnight with the sports shop and the ,skis fetched next day4 ,the boot should lie quite straight along the ,ski4 ,if the toe irons do not fit properly1 the boot will be cock-eye on the ,ski1 and too much free play may take place4 ,i have often seen beginners take advantage of this to stick their heels out and off the ,ski into the snow to help them uphill1 or to act as a brake downhill4 ,they will rue it downhill1 however1 as the foot should be firmly held on the ,ski or control will be impossible4 ,toe irons are sometimes made of very soft metal4 ,these are usually attached to ,skis hired out by the sports shops in order that they may be easily fitted to the many different shaped feet of the hirers4 ,when getting toe irons fitted to one's own ,skis1 it is wise to ask for strong ones1 as the soft irons give too freely to the pivotal action of the feet in turns and tend to be constantly opening and becoming loose4 ,cast-iron toe irons are often used in conjunction with toe bindings in order to avoid the difficulty of the irons being forced open by the boot being pulled through by the spring4 ,these irons have one great fault4 ,they have to be screwed on to the ,ski and are very cold under the foot4 ,this may be considered imagination1 but ,i believe it to be true1 in which case it may be prejudice4 ,the toe irons are joined over the toes by a leather toe-strap pulled through and buckled4 ,the irons should be so high that this strap does not press at all on the boot1 or restrict the free play of the toes4 ,the whole binding should be so fitted that it is possible to kneel down on one's ,skis4 ,foot plates are nailed on the ,ski under the foot4 ,these are usually made of linoleum or aluminium4 ,i prefer a thick plain aluminium plate1 and find that the snow does not stick to it4 ,when the ,skis have been chosen1 sticks have to be provided4 ,a pair of sticks should be used1 one being carried in each hand4 ,they are usually made of hazel or bamboo4 ,the latter are light1 but tend to split4 ,i always use hazel1 which are cheaper and very satisfactory4 ,sticks should be so long that they reach to just above the waist and should not be very heavy though strong sticks are necessary for all real touring4 ,they should have padded leather knobs at the tops1 as these prevent the stick from slipping out of the hand and being dropped during a run1 as well as saving the hand from blisters when the stick is much used in practising lifted stem or jump turns4 ,wooden knobs are often used but these tend to get coated with ice1 which wets the glove and is uncomfortable4 ,a leather or webbing thong is passed through the stick or nailed under the knob as a loop to hang them up by1 but should never be put round the wrist except for uphill work as the wrist might easily be broken in a bad fall1 if the stick be attached to it4 ,my great idea is to get rid of my sticks in a fall1 as ,i once impaled my leg on the spike of my stick in a somersault4 ,i was thankful that the spike was a short one and not one of the newfangled aluminium spikes which would have penetrated much further and might easily have done damage to the bone4 ,only a short spike is necessary--just long enough to go into crusted snow and hold4 ,the discs round the bottom of sticks should be large1 about seven inches in diameter1 and they should be loose so that they will lie flat with the ,ski when packed4 ,i prefer them put on with a thong which passes through the stick and is crossed backwards and forwards across the disc1 allowing of plenty of free play in the disc4 ,by this means1 the thong does not cut where it passes through the stick4 ,discs are often made almost solid and then fixed to the stick with an iron hasp1 which is apt to snap or to split the stick4 ,sticks hired out with ,skis usually have small discs and no knobs1 and most beginners will soon wish to possess their own pair1 which only cost about twelve francs4 ,a word of advice here4 ,keep your sticks in your bedroom4 ,even in the best ,ski-ing circles sticks sometimes disappear--and once your own sticks go1 you are tempted to take anybody else's and so the mischief goes on6 ,the ,rucksack is a very important item of equipment ,it should be waterproof and large1 even if you do not intend to carry much4 ,nothing is more uncomfortable than a small full ,rucksack1 perching like a football on one's back4 ,by the time a packed lunch and a cardigan as well as some spare gear is stuffed into the sack1 it swells4 ,two outside pockets and one large inside division are indispensable4 ,keep wax1 scraper1 string1 etc41 in one outside pocket ready to hand4 ,map in the other4 ,leather shoulder straps are the best as they do not cut the shoulder in the same way as webbing4 ,i once hunted a great many ,london shops in vain for a ,rucksack with leather shoulder straps4 ,they all had thin webbing1 which soon turns into a wisp and hurts the muscles of the shoulder4 ,the leather straps should finish on a ring at the top which should be attached to the top of the ,rucksack by a leather tab firmly sewn on4 ,this is a much safer system than running the string1 which pulls up the top of the sack1 through the shoulder straps at the back1 because the pull on the string chafes it and gradually cuts through it4 ,some experienced runners prefer the ,bergans ,rucksack on an aluminium frame4 ,it is unquestionably heavier than the ordinary sack1 but the frame resting on the hips helps to distribute the weight and it is said to be less tiring to carry4 ,another joy about it is that the frame keeps the sack off the back1 so that there is an air space1 and the usual poultice effect of an ordinary ,rucksack is avoided4 ,there are many different types of ,rucksack to be had in ,switzerland4 ,they should be waterproof and as the waterproof material is very expensive now1 a good serviceable sack costs at least ,frs4 #ag4jj to #be4jj4 ,the better ,rucksacks have straps fixed outside for carrying one's coat or possibly sealskins4 7,sohms skins should be carried inside the sack47 ,i advise people to carry the various contents of their sacks in different bags1 or tied up in handkerchiefs4 ,this may sound old-maidish1 but it is a trick ,i learnt from ,swiss climbers and ,i am very thankful4 ,anyone who has hurriedly searched his sack for some particular bit of gear knows the sort of haystack which results1 while if first-aid equipment1 sealskins1 spare bindings1 emergency rations1 mending outfit1 etc41 are all carried in separate1 differently coloured bundles inside the sack1 endless time is saved4 ,this is particularly worth considering in a blizzard1 when fingers are cold and nothing can be found4 ,skins are used for climbing uphill on tour4 ,they consist of long strips of sealskin1 which are attached to the running surface of the ,skis4 ,the hairs lying towards the back of the ,ski catch in the snow and prevent the ,skis from slipping backwards1 which is a great help and saving of energy4 ,the ,skis can be kept in good slipping condition with oil or wax1 and when the skins are taken off at the top of a run1 very little further preparation is necessary4 ,there are two forms of sealskins3 7#a7 ,sohms skins1 which are attached to the ,skis with wax4 7#b7 ,those made up on canvas with straps to fix them to the ,skis4 ,the latter can usually be hired by the day for about ,frs4 #c4jj from the local sports shop1 and cost about ,frs4 #bj4jj to buy4 ,most runners now use the ,sohms skins1 the great gain being that one can run downhill almost as well when they are still on1 so that on a tour with one or two short descents en route1 the ,skis may be left on4 ,waxes are of many kinds1 and some runners1 not content with what they buy1 prefer to mix their own4 ,the waxes most used in ,switzerland are ,skiolin1 both hard and soft1 ,sohms' with red1 yellow or green label1 and ,parafine4 ,i have found that hard ,skiolin ironed into the running surface of the ,ski with a hot iron1 provides a good surface4 ,sohms' wax being a climbing wax is apt to stick to some kinds of snow and if ,sohms' skins have been used1 it is wise to scrape all this wax off before the run down and to polish the ,ski with ,parafine wax if it needs a finish4 ,on hard snow this is not necessary4 ,some waxes are used as climbing wax instead of skins1 but as different sorts are needed for different types of snow1 they complicate life almost more than is worth while4 ,a very good permanent surface on ,skis is obtained by oiling them repeatedly with linseed oil1 allowing them to dry thoroughly between each coat of oil4 ,this is a somewhat lengthy process and an impossible one if the ,skis are in daily use1 but it is much the best method at the beginning or end of the season4 ,the best ,sohms' skins are dark grey or black and they cost about ,frs4 #be4 ,the leather surface should be carefully waxed with green label ,sohms' wax before starting on an expedition4 ,the wax should be very thinly spread1 and it is wise to get this job done at leisure overnight and to lay the skins together with their waxed surfaces touching1 and to keep them in a warm room1 but not near a heater or stove4 ,when starting on an excursion wear the skins wound round your body under your coat so that they remain warm and supple until required4 ,then wax the running surfaces of the ,skis with yellow label ,sohms' wax as sparingly as possible4 ,it should be spread smoothly and without lumps4 ,when putting on the skins lay them along the ,skis from the tip towards the back and run your thumb down the line of the centre groove in the ,ski1 while you press the skin on evenly over the whole ,ski4 ,new skins are apt to shrink after use1 so it is better not to cut the strap1 which slips over the tip of the ,ski4 ,the best plan is to make a second slit in this strap and slip it on1 and then if the skin is still too long turn the end part up over the ,ski at the back1 sticking it on with wax4 ,then1 when the skins have been used for two or three days1 it is easier to decide what length the strap should be4 ,having put your skins on1 lay the ,skis flat on the snow so that the skins will freeze on4 ,sealskins must never be dried by a heater or stove as the heat shrivels them and they are ruined4 ,when not in use1 they can be kept rolled up in a bag and should be carried in the ,rucksack rather than hanging on outside4 ,frozen skins are very difficult to attach4 ,a scraper should invariably be carried when ,ski-ing1 even on the ,nursery slopes4 ,these are made of aluminium and the best type has a groove which will fit into the groove of the ,ski and scrape this as well as the flat surface1 as ice is apt to adhere there also4 ,some runners carry1 attached to their belt1 a ,norwegian hunting knife in its case4 ,this is excellent for scraping the ,skis and for any purpose for which a strong knife may be wanted1 but it always seems to me that it would be a nasty thing to fall on4 ,a strong ordinary knife should invariably be carried4 ,the ,swiss military knife is the best possible as it seems to include practically everything necessary4 ,a really good one costs about ,frs4 #ab4jj or ,frs4 #ad4jj1 though inferior steel may be had for a great deal less4 ,it should have a ring and be attached to the belt4 ,dark spectacles or goggles should be included in equipment4 ,a mending outfit is often needed1 and at least one member of every party going on tour should carry something with which to mend broken ,skis4 ,there are many patterns of spare ,ski tip on the market1 all of which may be useful in certain circumstances1 but ,i have no doubt that the wooden ,ski tip is the best4 ,it is just an ordinary front part of a ,ski1 about two feet long and planed off1 so that it will lie close to the broken ,ski4 ,this is fixed on by metal clamps1 which are made on purpose and can be bought in most winter sports shops4 ,holes1 at different intervals fitting the clamps which should be put on lengthwise1 may be bored beforehand in the ,ski tip1 in order to save time when the tip may be needed on tour4 ,the gimlet supplied with the clamps is usually a poor one1 and ,i always carry a spare gimlet1 a little larger than is necessary1 as it is difficult to make the holes in exactly the right place in a broken ,ski4 ,cold and clumsy hands have always to be reckoned with when ,ski-ing4 ,the clamps being somewhat roughly made are apt to break so that one should carry at least five pairs4 ,in putting them on1 take care not to drop the little square nut off the bolt into powder snow as it sinks at once and may be irretrievably lost4 ,other makes of spare ,ski tips include one made of cast aluminium produced by ,lillywhite1 who will probably improve upon it1 as at present it seems to me to be too flat4 ,the method of fixing it is1 however1 a good one4 ,the ,swiss sports shops also keep light tips made of tin and copper1 which are affixed by various methods1 but they are usually too short and thin to be more than a makeshift4 ,if a ,ski is broken near the front1 the wooden ,ski tip1 when properly adjusted enables one to run any distance quite comfortably and even permits of turns4 ,it is clumsy to carry except in a ,bergans ,rucksack4 ,a long1 narrow pocket might be sewn diagonally across the back of an ordinary ,rucksack in which to carry it1 but ,i am afraid it would be uncomfortable4 ,i tried such a pocket vertically and found it quite intolerable and even dangerous in some falls4 ,mending outfit must also include a spare binding and a toe strap1 as well as some string and cord1 wire1 and two or three leather boot-laces4 ,the best spare binding to carry is a ,lap thong1 as it is easier to push through than a ,huitfeldt1 unless a thin single strap is carried for the front part of the latter4 ,in any case a bit of wire facilitates the pulling through of the thong or strap4 ,an inexperienced runner1 who has not used a ,lap thong1 should try fitting one at home before depending on it in emergency1 as it is a little tricky to put on at first4 ,runners going any distance on tour should carry some sort of first-aid equipment4 ,it need not be elaborate1 but should include bandages1 a clean dressing 7a first field dressing is the best and most compact71 iodine and adhesive plaster1 and some vaseline or boracic ointment4 ,even a scratch will go on bleeding on a cold day and be very tiresome4 ,accidents are miraculously few and far between in ,ski-ing1 considering the falls and the large number of people who ski4 ,but they happen occasionally1 and it is as well to be prepared4 ,the list of gear could be prolonged to any extent1 as ,what to carry in my ,rucksack becomes an enthralling hobby4 ,everyone will eventually decide what he thinks he ought to have1 in order to come home with a free conscience after any eventuality4 ,another runner has suggested my adding a pair of small pincers1 a pocket tool outfit1 matches or fusees1 an electric torch1 scissors4 ,weight has to be considered1 as the more the ,ski runner carries the greater the effort1 but there is undoubtedly great satisfaction in feeling that one has everything which might be helpful in any emergency4 ,if three or four runners are going together the whole gear can be distributed among them1 but this makes it more necessary than ever for the party to keep together as a spare ,ski tip or similar luxury is no use at the bottom of a run when the accident is near the top4 ,even if one does not need all the gear oneself1 it seems better to be prepared to help other people who are in difficulties4 ,the following lists show firstly what ,i think every runner going several miles beyond home ought to carry2 and secondly what a great many runners carry in addition3 7#a7 ,a strong knife with corkscrew1 leather punch1 tin opener1 etc4 7#b7 ,a ,ski tip1 gimlet and mending outfit4 7#c7 ,wire4 7#d7 ,string and cord4 7#e7 ,spare binding and toe strap4 7#f7 ,dark yellow glasses 7,triplex are safest74 7#g7 ,siren or strong whistle4 7#h7 ,emergency ration of some sort1 such as chocolate1 raisins1 dates4 7#i7 ,spare clothing including cardigan or sweater1 dry gloves1 dry socks1 scarf1 cap to cover ears4 7#aj7 ,first-aid equipment4 7#aa7 ,map4 7#ab7 ,wax and scraper4 ,some runners carry all these things and the following besides3 ,matches1 lantern 7folding71 or electric torch1 aneroid1 compass1 pincers1 hammer1 brandy1 thermos with some hot drink4 ,a great many people will laugh at me for suggesting all this gear1 but ,i do so out of experience4 ,when one has ski-ed some years with a good many people1 one looks back with amusement to the number of times when one has been asked to provide any of the above4 ,people go out without spare clothing1 food1 first-aid equipment1 repair outfit4 ,something happens1 and they at once look round to see where they can borrow4 ,now borrowing is not part of the game and every runner should be independent4 ,it is easy when going on tour1 to divide up the gear so that every member of the party carries his share2 it is not necessary for each member to carry the whole of what ,i have shown4 ,let each carry enough to feel self-reliant1 and let the party carry enough not only for their own needs1 but also for any other runner in distress whom they may come across4 ,ski-ing should be an unselfish sport4 ,at a certain centre one ,winter1 word was brought in at about #c4cj p4m4 by a member of a party of three that one of his companions was lying in the forest about a mile away with a badly broken leg4 ,three runners dashed off from the ,nursery slopes with the man who brought the news1 to show them the way4 ,i posted a friend to watch where they entered the wood1 while two other strong runners fetched clothing and hot drinks in a thermos4 ,somebody else called up the ,rettung chef and the doctor4 ,all this help was mobilized within an hour4 ,meanwhile the man was lying in the snow in the wood with a badly broken lower leg4 ,the sun had set and the temperature very low4 ,not one of the party had any spare clothing or gear of any sort4 ,a sensible man1 who had been one of the first three to go off from the slopes told me afterwards that if hot drink and clothing had not come soon1 he was convinced that the man would have died4 ,as it was he was nearly unconscious and his pulse had nearly stopped4 ,dark came on and the doctor and the ambulance sledge did not arrive4 ,instead of going the way the others had disappeared1 they tried a route they thought easier and took too high a line in the forest4 ,the trees muffled sound1 and though both parties were shouting and whistling1 they heard nothing till at about #f4cj p4m4 one of the watchers heard a runner near and went off after him in the dark and luckily found him4 ,this man was scouting for the doctor and sledge and finally brought them to the scene of the accident at #g p4m4 ,by this time some one or two of the watchers had gone home nearly frozen1 leaving all possible clothing on the injured man4 ,three others stayed and rubbed him without intermission1 which probably saved his life and limbs4 ,the doctor had brought a splint which he put on by light of an electric torch and the man was taken to the station and sent off at once to the hospital4 ,now1 all this happened within a mile of home where help was handy4 ,such accidents happening several miles from home may have far more serious consequences1 and every ,ski runner1 who scoffs at the precautions of people more fussy than themselves1 may very likely have the life or limb of someone else on their mind when1 had they been a little more fussy1 they might have saved it4 ,not only that1 the selfish runner1 who travels light1 may well be a serious burden to others and risk their safety and comfort through his own foolhardiness4 ,ski-ing is a game which sorts people out1 and where the character of people like sailors1 who know what it is to face the elements1 shows up well against the civilian1 whose greatest risk in life at home is crossing a street at a busy hour4 ,people may ski for years without getting hurt1 and the experienced runner probably hurts himself less than the beginner4 ,yet it is the experienced runner who carries the gear1 the beginner it is who usually scoffs and takes risks1 not only to himself1 but to the people who have to go out to look for him when he is benighted or hurt4 ,,care ,,of ,,equipment ,skis call for a good deal of attention if one takes the game seriously4 ,people who only come out for a fortnight and who hire any pair of ,skis1 which they treat as they would the floor of an omnibus1 have no appreciation of how much attention ,skis need1 if they are to be really dependable in all sorts of snow4 ,new ,skis should be well-oiled with two or three coats of ,linseed oil1 which should dry between each coat4 ,i think hickory needs the oil just as much as ash1 but some people disagree with this4 ,the oil hardly goes beyond the surface of the wood and soon rubs off on hard snow1 but it preserves the wood as well as giving a slipping surface so long as it lasts4 ,newly oiled ,skis when dry need very little further attention for a few days1 as they will run well over all sorts of snow4 ,when there is no time to oil1 because the ,skis are in daily use1 wax can be ironed in4 ,most good sports hotels now provide a bench with an electric iron in a special heated and lighted room where the ,ski-runner can work happily after tea1 or on a snowy day4 ,if no such room be provided1 it should be clamoured for1 because the waxing of ,skis is a much more difficult job without it4 ,the patent iron ,para is helpful where no electric iron is provided4 ,para is an oblong perforated metal box with a handle which screws in4 ,a lump of ,meta 7solid spirit fuel7 is lighted and put inside and the iron becomes hot and is rubbed up and down the ,ski1 while wax is pressed against it and dribbled on to the wood4 ,almost any wax can be ironed in1 but ,i think the hard black ,skiolin is best for the purpose4 ,be careful to wax the groove as well as the flat surface of the ,ski4 ,when ,skis are put away for the summer1 the upper as well as the running surfaces should be oiled or re-varnished in order to preserve the wood4 ,leather bindings may be well oiled with special boot oil to keep them supple4 ,skis should never be kept in a hot place1 as they are apt to warp1 but they should be kept dry when put away4 ,boots should never be dried by a fire or on a heater1 but should be stored in a cool place4 ,they need occasional oiling of the uppers with some sort of boot oil4 ,dubbin may also be used and is good for filling places1 such as between the sole and the upper4 ,the soles should never be oiled1 except perhaps with ,linseed oil1 which hardens the leather4 ,i think the wisest plan is to leave the soles dry1 but if snow balls on them they can be waxed with ,ski wax4 ,this is often specially necessary on the heel4 ,if boots be put outside the bedroom every night1 the porter will oil them automatically1 in most good hotels4 ,sealskins should be wrapped up in newspaper and stored in a cool place when put away4 ,moth will ruin them if left open and heat crumples them1 making them useless4 ,a friend told me that when her seal ,skis 7webbing ones7 were ruined by being put near a fire1 she recovered them by soaking them in salad oil4 ,she was certainly using them quite happily afterwards4 ,,the ,,elements ,,of ,,ski-,,ing ,this book does not profess to be in any way a textbook of the technique of ,ski-ing4 ,as stated in the preface1 my only idea in writing it is to provide an answer to a good many questions which have been asked me every year4 ,anyone who deals with a great many people knows that there are always some fifty stock questions1 which can quite easily be answered by fifty stock answers4 ,what ,i say in this chapter about the first run will be the barest elements of ,ski running4 ,beginners should obtain either ,arnold ,lunn's books1 or those of ,vivien ,caulfield1 and concentrate on the theory of turns4 ,i have known two or three novices who1 though they had never even seen ,skis before1 by dint of studying the technique in theory before they came out1 were able immediately to apply it in practice4 ,most beginners find1 however1 that the moment the ,skis start sliding1 all theory is thrown to the winds4 ,instinct of self-preservation prevails and they sit down4 ,kind friends looking on say1 ,that was because you were leaning backwards4 ,you must lean forwards4 ,off they start again1 carry out the advice1 their ,skis stick for some reason and down they go head foremost--the most difficult fall of all to get up from1 and the most aggravating4 ,the great thing is not to do too much the first two days after coming out4 ,the height affects people more than they realize at first1 and great energy1 due to the bracing air1 is often followed by great lassitude4 ,most people are not in training1 and ,ski-ing tries the lungs1 nerves1 and muscles of the fittest as the whole system seems to be brought into play4 ,a few hours' practice on the ,nursery slopes is usually enough for the first two or three days1 and if1 at the end of the week1 the beginner seems to be falling more than when he first began1 half or even a whole day off ,skis will produce wonderful results in better balance and general fitness4 ,having chosen ,skis1 and ensured that the toe irons and binding fit you1 go out to some gentle slope of about #aj with soft snow1 if possible4 ,set your ,skis at right angles to1 or across1 the fall of the slope before putting them on1 because ,skis are quite apt to go off alone if pointing down1 hill4 ,it is as well to realize this from the first and to adopt the habit of preventing it in the way ,i suggest1 because many a run has been ruined by a ,ski descending alone to the valley below1 leaving its owner to get home as best he can on one leg4 ,even if it only goes down some #ajj or #bjj feet1 the friend who goes after it and brings it back often has a good deal to say1 and you are lucky if the ,ski has not struck a rock or tree and got broken in its independent run4 ,it is no good getting angry on these occasions4 ,i once watched a boy on a distant slope1 who had been obliged to descend some hundreds of feet after one of his ,skis4 ,when he got hold of it in a temper he started beating it with his stick1 and continued doing so till the stick nearly broke4 ,while on the subject of runaway ,skis1 ,i may as well warn you also against a runaway ,rucksack4 ,i put mine down at my feet on a steep hard-crusted slope while ,i took off my coat one day1 and the ,rucksack started sliding slowly down below us4 ,the party was made up of beginners and we had ropes on our ,skis instead of skins so that no one could catch it up till it stopped about #bjj feet below us4 ,to add insult to injury at the same time1 somebody dropped a #ej-;ct4 bit at the same moment and this danced off down into the valley1 racing the ,rucksack and beating it hollow4 ,but to return to the start4 ,the ,skis are safely lying across the slope1 and you are going to put them on4 ,put on the lower one first4 ,never forget this1 because it will often prevent a runaway ,ski4 ,if the slope is very steep and hard1 you should stick the other ,ski upright in the snow above you1 in order that it may remain well in hand while you put on the first4 ,you will probably find it impossible to put on your ,skis with gloves on4 ,if you lay these on the snow1 they will undoubtedly get snow inside them4 ,the safest place to put them is one on each stick1 stuck upright on either side of you1 or tuck them into your belt or pockets4 ,when you have your ,skis and gloves on and everything else is hermetically sealed1 you are ready to start sliding or traversing slowly across the slope1 before going straight down it4 ,this will give you time to get the feeling of ,skis1 which are clumsy at first4 ,slide one foot forward1 then the other1 but do not lift them4 ,now try a kick turn and come back across the slopes to the top and face straight downhill4 ,keep your ,skis closely side by side1 one foot leading by about twelve inches and push yourself off with your sticks4 ,try to imagine that the ,skis are only a moving staircase and that all you have to do is to stand upright on them and let them do the rest4 ,if your slope is only #aj and there is nothing steeper below you1 the ,skis won't do much4 ,indeed in deep snow they may refuse to move at all1 in which case try pushing yourself along with your sticks4 ,the great thing is always to want to run faster than you are going and1 therefore1 only to choose slopes where you feel that you can keep up as fast as the ,skis go4 ,it is a mistake to start immediately down such a steep slope that the ,skis run away with you4 ,at the same time it is also a mistake not to increase the angle of your slope as soon as you can compete with it4 ,stand upright1 press the knees together and try to feel that there is a spring in your knees4 ,let one or other foot lead so that1 if the ,skis stop1 the front foot takes your weight and prevents you plunging forwards and if the ,skis suddenly plunge forward1 the back foot is equally ready to take the weight and prevents you from sitting down4 ,whatever you do1 avoid the hideous doubled-up position of a runner1 who bends at waist and knees1 with feet parallel and far apart1 looking like a note of interrogation and leaving what we call tram-line tracks4 ,by his tracks shall a ,ski-er be judged6 ,look back and see the line you have left4 ,if your two feet have left two tracks with more than six inches apart in soft snow1 you must not be contented4 ,in a good track1 the two feet should leave one track1 but some bindings make this impossible1 so that unless you are wearing a toe binding you need not worry about a gap of two or three inches between your feet4 ,this only applies to soft snow running4 ,on hard or crusty snow1 it is almost impossible and also dangerous to keep the feet together4 ,when you have begun to feel at home on ,skis1 go off to a much steeper slope and try traversing4 ,choose a slope which has flattish ground below so that you have an easy out-run and nothing to make you nervous4 ,remember for your comfort that if you go across a slope leading with the upper foot and with most of your weight on the lower foot--standing upright and1 if anything1 leaning a little outwards away from the slope1 you can traverse across almost any slope without difficulty1 so long as it is not too steep for the snow to bear your weight without slipping itself4 ,nothing is more comforting to a beginner than to realize this4 ,it takes away the feeling of giddiness and gives confidence1 but it needs learning and should be practised at once4 ,the first tendency of ,skis on a steepish slope is to point more and more downhill till1 finally having intimidated the beginner into allowing them to go their own way1 they plunge straight down1 and the beginner collapses4 ,to counteract this put more weight on the heel and less on the toes while traversing4 ,this will push the back part of the ,skis down and the front part uphill across the slope and1 if done sufficiently1 the ,skis will stop and you have begun to get some feeling of control when traversing4 ,standing upright the inner edge of your ,skis will bite into the snow4 ,try leaning inwards1 as you will do by instinct1 and you will find your feet slipping away down the slope and you will gracefully recline full length against it4 ,it is exactly the same when walking across a steep grass slope in ,summer4 ,most of the slips are due to leaning towards instead of away from the slopes4 ,as you get more confidence in your running1 try lifting one ,ski off the ground as you slide along4 ,or even take off one ,ski and try running on the other2 lifting a ,ski will often save a fall4 ,for instance if the ,skis get crossed1 just lift the upper one and put it down beside the other again while running4 ,it is perfectly easy and yet ,i have known people who1 after weeks of practice1 dared not lift a ,ski off the ground while moving1 only because they had never tried it as routine practice4 ,whatever you do by way of practice do it first on one foot and then on the other1 or you will become a right or left-footed ,ski-er and it will take ages for you to feel equal confidence in either foot4 ,this applies especially to turns4 ,beginners will often go on practising a turn on the right foot1 till they can do it and then have to re-learn it completely on the left foot4 ,straight running downhill is mainly a question of confidence and balance4 ,as said before1 it is better at first to avoid straight running down a steep slope1 because the ,skis may go so fast that the beginner is quite incapable of keeping up with them and a fall at very high speed is somewhat upsetting and may temporarily shake your nerve4 ,choose a low gradient of about #ab or #ae where you can see the out-run which should be on to level ground or even a gentle rise so that the ,skis gradually pull up of their own accord4 ,soft snow is the easiest and confidence may soon be won in this4 ,stand upright or bend the knees1 but do not bend at the waist4 ,you should feel as though on springs and you want your weight should be well forward over your feet so that you can keep up with the ,skis4 ,standing in tube or bus1 facing the way you are going and not holding on to anything is very good practice at home4 ,you will notice that a bus conductor usually gives with the movement of the bus1 so that he is prepared for whatever it does4 ,so with ,ski-ing4 ,look ahead and see what the ground is like1 and then suit your balance to what is likely to occur as the ground rises or falls4 ,this soon becomes automatic but it needs thinking out at first4 ,when the snow is hard1 practise side slipping1 because it will help you out of many difficulties and once you know the feeling of it1 you will find that it replaces the downhill side-stepping1 which is so slow4 ,on hard snow1 it is possible to go down broadside on by merely standing on one's ,skis and turning one's outer or lower ankle outwards and one's inner or upper ankle towards the other1 so that the ,skis are lying flat on the snow1 instead of the edges biting into it4 ,push off with your stick from the slope above you and weight your heels or your toes according to whether the ,skis are sinking in front or behind4 ,have confidence1 keep upright1 lean away from the slopes and let your ,skis slide and don't blame me if you suddenly slide into a soft patch of snow1 which stops the ,skis dead and you fall head downwards4 ,this is all in the day's work4 ,if the surface of the snow is uniformly hard you will slip down without difficulty4 ,seriously1 side slipping is a huge help and should be learned at once4 ,mr4 ,caulfield gives first-class instructions1 which are easy to follow in detail4 ,when going uphill never try to climb steeper than is easy4 ,if the ,skis are slipping back1 you are going too steep and should turn off and traverse instead4 ,no time is saved by too steep a climb2 the man who goes easily gets to the top first1 while the other clambers up almost on all fours1 gets hot and exhausted and has gained nothing4 ,if ,i am leading an elementary run uphill1 ,i can soon pick out the experienced runners by the line they take and the pace at which they climb4 ,the puffing1 panting1 stumbling people1 who forge ahead1 herring-boning or turning their ankles over their ,skis so as to get a grip with their boots1 are not included in my experienced runners4 ,another hint for uphill work is that when traversing a slope1 the ,skis should be edged so that the inner edge of the ,ski bites into the slope4 ,a ,ski with its whole surface flattened to the slope is bound to slip especially on hard snow4 ,by standing upright as you go uphill and keeping the ankles straight1 the ,skis will be edged in the right way4 ,a quick way of getting up a steep slope is side-stepping4 ,as you stand with your ,skis horizontal across the slope1 lift the upper foot and place it on the slope a few inches higher4 ,then lift the lower foot and place it beside the upper4 ,you will soon be able to do this while advancing across your traverse at the same time1 but it is hard work and should only be used for short climbs4 ,side-stepping is a very good way of climbing1 but should be avoided when descending1 except when approaching a narrow gap in a fence or crossing a stream where the approach is steep4 ,i have known a party almost benighted by a beginner1 who had discovered the joys of side-stepping and proposed to descend some #a1jjj feet by this safe method1 instead of sliding in the proper way4 ,allowing eight inches to each side-step1 how many hours would it take to descend #a1jjj feet8 ,a further hint1 which may be useful for uphill work4 ,if the ,skis are slightly lifted at every push forward1 they tend to stick instead of sliding back4 ,always stand upright when climbing and keep the weight well on the heels4 ,people tend to bend forward and this adds greatly to the effort and the ,skis are more likely to slip back4 ,on long climbs sealskins are usually used on the ,skis4 ,the hairs lying towards the rear stick into the snow and prevent the back slip1 while when the ,ski pushes forward1 they lie flat and offer no resistance4 ,the best uphill track is the one which keeps going at the same angle4 ,every good walker knows how tiring it is to go up and down across country when gullies have to be crossed4 ,it is disappointing1 having got up a certain height1 to lose all that is gained by going down again4 ,so it is even more with ,ski-ing1 when uphill work is really more arduous than walking4 ,mr4 ,caulfield gives a very helpful description of a good uphill track1 and ,skis tend to teach the beginner how to keep the angle as they slip so easily downwards the moment the uphill direction is altered4 ,when going uphill make up your mind what point you want to reach in the distance and what line will take you to it most easily and then go for it steadily1 keeping the same angle all the way so far as is possible and choosing your places for turns very carefully before you reach them4 ,following an experienced leader teaches a great deal about the art of setting an uphill track1 and the criticisms of the rest of the party following1 when the leader loses height soon make one want to avoid comment4 ,,etiquette ,in organized ,ski-ing centres a perfectly good code of etiquette is growing up as the result of experience4 ,so many novices pour out on to the slopes with no knowledge of the game that notices are even posted on the boards in the hotels giving a few of the main points of the ,law4 ,one such notice runs as follows3 7#a7 ,ensure that you take your own ,skis1 sticks1 etc4 when you start out4 ,it is wise to mark sticks1 and they are safest kept in bedrooms4 7#b7 ,never join a private party unless invited4 7#c7 ,only join the advertised tours1 the test for which you have passed4 7#d7 ,the slower mover has the right of way4 ,the faster mover must avoid him4 ,never call ,fore1 ,achtung1 etc4 7#e7 ,always offer help to anyone in difficulties4 7#f7 ,keep with your party4 ,they might waste a lot of time looking for you while you run home because you thought their pace too slow4 7#g7 ,never desert a runner who1 for any reason1 is unable to keep up with a party4 7#h7 ,carry your own gear including spare clothing1 ,ski-ing necessaries1 etc4 7#i7 ,avoid stepping on the ,skis of another runner4 ,this caution is especially necessary for uphill work4 7#aj7 ,remember that wherever you leave a track others may follow4 ,therefore only choose safe slopes4 ,the snow is liable to slip on slopes of #be or more1 so that these are dangerous4 ,ski-ing is a sport which can be made dangerous for others if individuals do not carry out the usual etiquette4 ,it may seem extraordinary that people should need warning not to join a private party unless invited1 but it is sadly true4 ,one day as ,i was starting off on a long run a stranger came up to me and asked if she might join us4 ,i consulted the ,guide1 and he said he already had as many in the party as he could take charge of4 ,i told the lady this1 and said ,i was sorry that we could not accept her companionship4 ,she at once replied cheerily1 ,oh1 then ,i will follow you4 ,nothing could prevent her from doing this4 ,switzerland is a free country1 and there is a right of way anywhere over the mountains in winter4 ,we started off and she followed4 ,from that moment1 of course1 we automatically became responsible for her because one of the ,laws is that you never desert a runner who is alone4 ,she was a very poor performer and fell a great deal1 so that for the whole six or seven miles' run1 we were kept waiting for her4 ,of course1 we were under no real obligation to look after her1 but had we left her and anything had happened to her1 we could never again have held up our heads as ,ski-ers4 ,on another occasion a runner made a formal complaint to me about a lady who joined his party4 ,in this case it was an experienced runner1 who had presumably learnt the ,law1 and who might have read the notice on the board4 ,first of all she said1 ,may ,i go with you8 and the somewhat cold answer was that the party was complete4 ,then she followed asking questions about the route1 etc4 at every opportunity4 ,of course1 she had finally to be adopted and taken along much to the boredom of the party1 which was a private one4 ,where the ,ski-ing is organized1 tests are run and tours arranged for the different standards4 ,this does not apply so much to #bnd or #ast-class runners who1 of course1 prefer to make up their own parties1 but1 at any rate1 these are protected from having the less experienced runner with them1 except by invitation4 ,by these means the organized tours only take runners up to the standard advertised1 and no one need feel compunction at leaving members of their party behind in the village1 because they know that the elementary runner will also get a chance of a run4 ,yet even under these arrangements1 ,i have found a beginner sitting huddled in a corner of the railway carriage when we have started before dawn for a big tour4 ,where are you off to8 ,i said1 thinking he was out with a ,guide4 ,with your party1 was the reply4 ,what could ,i do8 ,it is not easy to turn a person out of a train at #e4de a4m4 on a cold morning4 ,i said weakly1 ,did you not see the notice which said this was a run for #crd-class runners only8 ,he said1 ,yes1 but ,i thought ,i could keep up4 ,so there he was1 and we took him through and though he was very slow uphill and kept us all back in this case1 he ran down without delaying us4 ,people often put their own capacity higher than do the people they want to run with and it is very difficult to be tactful4 ,again most people would not think it necessary to warn runners against deserting their party4 ,yet they often do and it is not usually the beginner who is the culprit here4 ,perhaps he cannot run quick enough to get away6 ,i shall always remember a run in charge of a tour when ,i was with a lot of novices4 ,another experienced runner accompanied me officially to help4 ,i chose what ,i thought the easiest way to start1 and he wanted to try another route at the top and went off saying he would join us below a wood4 ,when we reached the part where ,i thought we should rejoin1 ,i waited and shouted1 but he did not appear4 ,so we went on to another post where we had lunch1 and then ,i began to get anxious as this runner never turned up4 ,anything might have happened to him4 ,he might have gone over a rock or into a tree or even only be tied up in one of those tangled falls when it is practically impossible to extricate oneself4 ,it was no good our trying to look for him then1 so after about two hours' delay1 ,i took my party down to the valley and the first person who met us in the village was our lost companion4 ,he chaffed us for being so late as he had run down very quickly and had had his tea ages ago4 ,no party going beyond the ,nursery slopes should consist of fewer than three4 ,one to go for help in case of need1 the other to stay with the third runner1 who may need help4 ,needless to say1 people who know the mountains well1 go off alone with impunity4 ,when ,i asked one of these lonely runners what would happen if he hurt himself and was benighted1 he told me he always carried sufficient morphia to put him out of his agony in case of need4 ,this was1 no doubt1 all right from his point of view1 but what of the people who might go out to look for him among the infinite possible runs with ,ski tracks in every direction4 ,no sporting runner would ever refuse help to a lame duck1 though pretty bad cases of selfishness have been recorded4 ,there is one point1 which does not always strike people1 and that is the danger of cutting a track over a difficult place4 ,beginners will usually follow a track instead of working by their map4 ,for instance on the ,muottas ,muraigl run at ,pontresina1 if once a rash runner cuts a track straight across from the restaurant to the valley1 crowds will probably follow it1 though they may be warned against it4 ,this is a very dangerous slope under certain conditions as was shown this ,winter1 when a runner going along its top was carried down to the bottom of the valley by the avalanche he started4 ,i have one track left on my conscience2 when a few of us went down what might have been a dangerous place under different conditions to those we found4 ,luckily it was not a way most people would have wished to follow as it apparently led nowhere and hardly looked attractive4 ,the slower mover always has the right of way when ,ski-ing1 so that no runner ought to shout to those ahead of him to get out of his way4 ,needless to say this does not apply to a runner out of control1 who may be dashing unwillingly into someone in front of him when1 for both their sakes1 a friendly warning is advisable6 ,it is the business of every ,ski-er to avoid obstacles and the slower mover may be looked on as such in just the same way as a rock or a tree4 ,i was amused one day at ,pontresina when a crowd of us were going up the village street and met a lady on ,skis being held back as she went downhill by two friends on either side of her4 ,it was the first time ,i had ever thought of someone going down hill being the slower mover in relation to those climbing4 ,nursery slopes are for the practice of turns and the individual who uses them for straight running while a lot of people are practising is abhorred4 ,the same applies to jumps on the ,nursery slopes4 ,these are so easily made where other people are not practising that it is selfish to come plunging down into a crowd of devotees to turns4 ,when the ,nursery slopes are empty1 it is great fun to practise straight running down them and no one will object4 ,one jolly thing about ,ski runners is that they seldom ridicule one another or laugh at falls in any but a friendly way4 ,there is great rivalry and daring to greater effort1 but ill-natured ridicule is seldom heard4 ,perhaps this is due to the fact that most people who live in glass houses do not throw stones4 ,everybody who tries to improve his ,ski-ing is bound to fall and it is better not to set the fashion of laughing at others in difficulties4 ,there will always be some people who like to look on at tests as ,free entertainment without tax1 but if they could hear the comments on their behaviour and probably on their own lack of prowess they would soon give up the habit4 ,anyone who is really keen to get on and who will go on practising and accept advice may be sure of sympathy and help4 ,ski-ing with all its dangers and need for combined effort seems to bring out the best of people and to produce the very best spirit of goodwill and tolerance4 ,going uphill in soft snow1 every strong member should take a turn at cutting the track4 ,it is often heavy work1 and an energetic leader may not like to ask for help4 ,the best plan is to work by time1 the leader falling out at the end of his shift and letting the party pass him till he takes his position at the rear and the second man becomes the leader and so on4 ,people who are wise1 will avoid stepping on the ,skis of the man ahead4 ,this is often difficult as instinct makes one want to go faster than the person ahead1 just as a wheeler in a tandem will usually try to catch up the leader4 ,the easiest way to avoid overlapping is to keep step4 ,push forward the right foot1 when the man ahead pushes forward his right foot and then the left4 ,this gives a rhythm to the uphill work1 which also seems to minimize effort4 ,anyone who has experienced the irritation caused by his ,skis being constantly touched by the runner behind while plodding uphill will learn to spare another the same nuisance4 ,when running straight down a steep slope make sure that there is no one ahead whom you might run into and no one below on either side1 who might traverse across the slope you propose to run down4 ,this is especially necessary in a gap between trees4 ,another member of your party might be among the trees below and suddenly come out into the open1 traversing to the other side4 ,when straight running at any speed1 only the best ,ski runners can turn suddenly to avoid a difficulty1 and a nasty collision may occur if care be not exercised4 ,when a crowd of people are taking their ,skis by train1 a great deal of trouble may be avoided in getting the mass of ,skis out of the train if these are tied neatly together4 ,a pair of ,skis tied near the tips and behind the bindings is easy to handle1 while a pair of ,skis put together by slipping one through the toe-strap of the other is a great nuisance4 ,skis piled together soon become very like a heap of spillikins if not carefully handled and a good deal of damage may be done to them as well as delay to the train if ,ski-ers are careless in this small matter4 ,another good plan is for the ,ski-ers to form themselves into a queue and to hand out all the ,skis along the line1 till they can be easily distributed where there is space4 ,the beginner is apt to hunt anxiously for his own pair1 which may be at the bottom of the pile1 and while he pulls and tugs with but little success1 other people are waiting in vain for a chance to get their ,skis out4 ,this is especially the case on funicular railways1 where space is very limited in the stations4 ,different nationalities travelling together add considerably to the confusion and the railway officials are usually thankful to anyone who will take charge and get a line formed and the ,skis handed out tidily4 ,these hints may seem unnecessary to a great many people1 but no matter4 ,i have had so much of my own time wasted by this sort of tiresome lack of sense that ,i venture to suggest a means of saving time and temper for others4 ,ski runners should remember that sledges and pedestrians have the right of way on a road4 ,all the fields are open to the ,ski runner and he should not monopolize a road4 ,in most parts of ,switzerland there is a law by which everyone has right of way everywhere where the snow lies--so long as it is not enclosed ground4 ,this was brought home to my family rather vividly1 when we lived at ,davos1 by a shooting gallery being set up on our land in front of our house4 ,we had no power to prevent it and there it remained for the winter4 ,at the same time1 ,ski runners should respect the property of other people1 and here ,i would like to make two appeals to ,british runners4 ,firstly1 that we will do our best to avoid damaging young trees4 7,old trees can probably look after themselves where the ,ski-er is concerned as they are usually stronger than he is47 ,secondly1 that we should treat the inhabitants of the country with as much courtesy as possible4 ,the peasant1 over whose land we run1 makes very little out of the tourist business and has other things to think about rather than sport4 ,he is usually courteous and friendly and always ready to help us when in difficulties4 ,let us return his hospitality be treating him with courtesy4 ,school teachers have told me that they have great difficulty in persuading the children to greet foreigners because these so seldom respond4 ,yet few things are more pleasant than the friendly ,grsse1 or ,grss ,gott1 or ,leb wohl1 with which one is greeted by the people of the country4 ,we can answer in ,english if we do not know how to answer in ,german1 but do let us answer and1 thereby1 prove ourselves as friendly as our hosts4 ,another matter1 which is not always understood by beginners on the snow fields is that when an ,alpine ,club or local ,ski ,club hut is used1 a fee should be paid to the funds which support the ,hut4 ,these ,huts are expensive to build and their upkeep is a great tax on the ,clubs4 ,british runners can either join the local ,club1 when they can use the ,huts by day for nothing1 or they can pay the advertised fee for whatever use they make of them4 ,a notice is always posted in the ,hut showing the various charges1 but when no one is there to collect the money1 it is left to the honour of the guests to pay it4 ,a money-box can be found in all huts within ,switzerland proper1 but as these boxes are not safe from marauders near the frontier1 the ,ski runner has to send the money in by post4 ,at the ,boval hut1 for instance1 above the ,morteratsch ,glacier1 a supply of money order forms will be found hanging near a door4 ,all the leader of the party has to do is to collect the money from his members1 take one of the forms and pay the money into any post office1 whence it is sent to the ,h4,q4 of the ,club4 ,huts should invariably be left tidy4 ,this also is a matter of honour4 ,the doors are unlocked always in order that people who may need hospitality1 in case of distress1 can find shelter4 ,blankets can be borrowed4 ,wood is usually provided for firing and there may even be a reserve of food1 all of which should be respected4 ,before the party leaves1 blankets should be folded1 shutters should be shut1 snow swept out and debris buried outside1 or what can be used as fuel put away tidily in the kitchen4 ,then the door should be shut carefully and the hut left the better1 rather than the worse off for having given hospitality4 ,,snow ,,and ,,light ,full descriptions of the different types of snow which must be negotiated by the ,ski-runner will be found in ,mr4 ,arnold ,lunn's book1 ,alpine ,ski-ing4 ,it is only necessary for me1 therefore1 to describe the four main types1 namely1 soft1 hard1 crust and sticky snow4 ,soft snow in winter is the new powder snow1 which is to be found after a fall or on ,north slopes where sun and wind have not spoilt it4 ,it is the ideal snow for the luxurious runner1 especially two days after it has fallen1 when it has settled down and a hard frost has converted it into crystal powder4 ,a run through crystallized snow1 which tinkles as the ,skis cut through it1 is beyond description4 ,even a bad runner will find that he can do marvels as the snow seems literally to help him in all his experiments4 ,i have known a day when a blinding blizzard has started blowing the snow into my face and ,i have run fast along the bottom of a valley with my eyes shut4 ,the ,skis kept to the lowest line and ran safely and steadily through this powder snow at a low gradient4 ,it is not suggested that blind running should be indulged in as a rule and ,i only quote this case to show how helpful is good powder snow4 ,the ,telemark is the usual turn in soft snow4 ,christiania and jump turns can also be used by people who are proficient and strong1 but they require both skill and strength4 ,soft snow is usually found on ,north slopes or at the bottom of shady valleys or even behind any ridge which protects it from the sun or wind4 ,also among trees which shelter it4 ,tracks ruin it in time so that it is usually wise to sidle off the track and try new snow beside it4 ,luckily for the experienced runner1 most beginners usually behave rather like sheep1 preferring tracks to exploring on their own4 ,the result is that perfect snow can often be found alongside the beaten track1 and when this gets spoilt1 it is only necessary to go a little further afield in order to get a good run4 ,then1 as more and more people beat down the track it becomes hard and very amusing running can be had there4 ,hard snow is of two types--a beaten track or a hard crust where the sun has melted the surface and the frost at night has frozen it1 so that it will bear the weight of the ,ski-runner4 ,when this is really solid enough to allow of side-slipping and stem1 or ,christiania turns1 it is very trustworthy and easy to negotiate4 ,at first1 however1 it intimidates the beginner1 because it is very fast4 ,as time goes on and he becomes accustomed to the skid and rattle of hard snow1 he will find that his horror turns into pleasure because he can trust it4 ,the ,nursery slopes become hard after two or three days and will provide useful experience for coping with such snow on a run4 ,the lifted stem and ,christiania are the best turns on hard snow4 ,a ,telemark is apt to skid too much4 ,crust is the bugbear of all runners and is out and away the most difficult to tackle4 ,it may be hard1 and then with nothing apparent on the surface to warn you1 the ,skis break through and catch in the crust and down you go4 ,when crust is about1 let someone else lead1 and then profit by his experience4 ,there are many forms of crust1 all of which may be met on the same run1 and when wind has been at work1 there may be crust on ,north slopes and not on ,south4 ,after rain too1 when the surface has been soaked and a frost follows1 crust will be found everywhere4 ,sticky snow is usually due to the effect of the sun or to ,fohn wind or thaw4 ,it is easily coped with by proper waxing of the running surfaces1 but the sudden sticking of the skis1 which have been running well over wet snow in the open1 when they get into cold powder snow under trees or in shadow1 is very disconcerting4 ,the same is apt to happen when people have dried their ,skis in the sun by sticking them on end while lunching4 ,the sun not only dries them but warms them so that if the first run after lunch is in shadow and the snow is cold1 the ,skis stick because the warm surfaces melt the snow1 which immediately freezes again and adheres to the ,skis1 so that they come to an absolute standstill4 ,the only way to avoid sticking is to keep the running surfaces of the ,skis in good condition by oiling them thoroughly and to carry one or two different types of wax for use according to circumstances4 ,the great thing is to get practice on all types of snow and never to mind it4 ,look upon crust as a joke1 and learn jump turns1 which are the only safe turns for any but the strongest runners4 ,some of these can accomplish a ,telemark1 or stem-turn or even a ,christiania on every sort of snow1 but most people are content with the jump turn on crust4 ,the great trouble of this turn is that it is very tiring when a heavy ,rucksack is carried1 but knack and good use of the stick will help it4 ,light is a great factor in ,ski-ing4 ,on a fine day when visibility is good1 it is easy to distinguish between the rise and fall of country ahead and1 therefore1 to be prepared for decrease or increase in speed4 ,some days when the sky is clouded1 it is practically impossible to tell what is coming4 ,this difficulty is increased in a narrow valley when the reflection of the slopes on either side make the whole surface look identical4 ,coloured glasses may help a little1 but it is better to run slowly and to take no risks4 ,on these occasions tracks help immensely as they give the eye something to follow4 ,rocks and trees also help2 anything that breaks the surface of the snow and shows up the gradient ahead4 ,,falls ,falls6--what a word4 ,when ,i first thought of writing this book1 it struck me that the best selling title would be ,ski-ing without ,falls4 ,but then ,i remembered that ,i could never look a beginner in the face again if1 knowing that he had read my book1 ,i saw him fall4 ,besides which1 a ,ski runner who never falls1 is probably but a poor exponent of the sport4 ,when you begin to run comfortably and can do the turns at low speeds1 falls show that you are still trying to learn more of the game4 ,it is only by trying new things that a runner becomes really proficient and you are almost certain to fall constantly as you learn4 ,there is art in falling on ,skis as well as in running and turning4 ,fall loose4 ,let yourself go2 never try to save yourself when once you find the fall is inevitable and get rid of your sticks4 ,you will have the most amazing falls on ,skis and nobody will listen to your descriptions of them because they are just as eager to describe their own4 ,the surprising thing is how little people hurt themselves--knees and ankles go most4 ,the strain on the knee and ankle is very great in some falls1 but if you let yourself go and relax your muscles as you fall1 you will find that even ankles and knees survive as a rule4 ,i once saw a really good runner turn three somersaults while nose-driving down a steep slope at high speed in soft snow4 ,and all the damage done was two hat-pins snapped6 ,moral1 don't wear hat-pins4 ,people are so tangled up sometimes that they do not know whether the ,ski tip sticking out of the snow belongs to their right or left foot1 and they have to dig with their sticks before they can extricate themselves4 ,and sometimes the results of a fall are so intricate that the runner could never extricate himself1 but needs the help of a friend1 who will undo a binding so as to free him4 ,the most curious fall ,i ever saw was when a man1 running down a steep slope among trees1 ran into a fir tree on the upper side where the snow was lying well up the trunk4 ,he then fell head downwards into the hole below the tree where the snow had not penetrated and1 his ,skis being caught in the branches1 there he hung4 ,had he been alone1 ,i doubt whether he would ever have succeeded in getting free4 ,as it was1 we undid a binding quickly and no damage was done4 ,not only is there art in falling but there is a technique of getting up4 ,before attempting to get up1 arrange your ,skis so that they are ready to stand on4 ,suppose they are crossed below you on a steep slope1 lie on the slope1 raise the ,skis in the air1 uncross them1 set them parallel across the slope below you1 facing the way you want to go1 and get up4 ,this fall is sometimes used as a turn and may be very useful1 though not considered the best possible form if done intentionally4 ,never attempt to get up on to ,skis facing downhill4 ,they will only go off with you the moment you begin to rise1 and then down you flop again4 ,if you fall head downwards down a slope1 you still have to get your ,skis parallel across the slope below you before you can stand up1 and the only thing to be done is to turn a somersault uncrossing your ,skis in the air if they are crossed and getting them below you and then standing up4 ,all of which is extremely easy1 but it is very necessary to ensure that clothes are so made that the powder snow cannot slip into crevices while you are gambolling in this fashion4 ,the first thing ,i do before getting up from a fall is to put up my hands and let the snow shake out of my glove gauntlets4 ,if you are so tangled up in a fall that it is almost impossible to get out1 just undo a binding1 slip off a ,ski and get up easily with a free foot to stand on4 ,and1 if you see anyone else so tangled up that he does not begin to get up immediately1 hurry to his assistance1 because his ankle or knee may be in a very strained position and he may be thankful to you for undoing a binding and releasing him4 ,it is in these falls that the leather heel bindings so often prove better than a rigid toe binding4 ,the leather will ease a little or slip and allow the foot to turn a fraction of an inch so that the strain is not maintained long enough to cause real damage4 ,falls are often half the fun of ,ski-ing1 and every runner who is trying something new will sometimes fall in the endeavour4 ,so never lose hope1 however much you fall4 ,if you have been running rather well1 and then get a day when you do nothing but only means that you are stale and that your muscles and nerves need a rest4 ,this is where the all-round ,winter sportsman gains4 ,he can spend a day on the rink or curling or tobogganing and not feel that he has wasted time4 ,never scoff at people because they fall4 ,a first-class runner is supposed to be able to run at high speed1 using turns without falling4 ,so he will1 probably1 if he intends to1 but no first-class runner worth his salt would always run like this4 ,he will always be trying something more difficult1 turns at higher speed or in difficult snow1 and consequently he will often be seen to fall1 and the beginner who scoffs is merely voted an ignoramus4 ,here again a runner will be judged by his tracks4 ,look carefully at the place where he ran and try to make out what turn he was trying and what the snow was like1 and why he fell4 ,you can learn a great deal from other people's tracks4 ,falls in deep snow are always a little more risky than on hard snow1 because there is greater strain on muscles and ligaments4 ,on hard snow you get many a bump and scratch1 but the results are less lasting than a torn ligament4 ,having got up safely from your fall1 look on the snow and see what you have dropped before starting off again4 ,even pockets with flaps may allow of leakage4 ,it is wise to tie your ,rucksack firmly with a strap round your waist because1 if it is loose1 anything heavy inside may give you a nasty bump on the head as you fall4 ,,tests ,there are three ,british ,ski tests under the ,federal ,council of ,british ,ski ,clubs4 ,in addition to these1 different centres and local clubs often set an elementary test for beginners in order that these may be sorted into various standards for expeditions4 ,hitherto the ,elementary test has usually been a run down a certain distance within a time set by the judges4 ,this is not an altogether satisfactory test1 as the beginner1 who goes straight down sitting on his ,skis may get through1 while another1 who conscientiously tries to run standing1 falls the whole time and fails4 ,style might be judged and the sitting candidate disqualified1 but when1 as often happens1 some seventy or eighty people enter for an ,elementary test1 the judges have their hands full enough with starting and timing1 apart from watching individual running critically as in the #bnd-class test4 ,a better way1 therefore1 is to flag a line1 which must be followed1 providing traverses across slopes1 which soon catch out the sitting novice4 ,beginners usually hate traversing because they dislike the look of a steep slope and do not know how to prevent the instinctive pointing straight downwards of the ,skis4 ,they do not realize yet that if they would stand upright on their ,skis while traversing1 and lead with the upper foot while they put their weight on the lower foot and keep their whole weight somewhat on their heels1 they will traverse quite easily at a gentle angle4 ,the ,elementary test ought to be so planned as to force this type of running4 ,another way of running an ,elementary test is for a judge to lead at a steady easy pace for an hour's cross-country run1 including both up and downhill1 as well as level running and obstacles4 ,the test would be timed1 an ample margin being allowed beyond the judge's time4 ,all those1 who finished within the time would pass4 ,this would probably not be nearly so popular a ,test with the candidates as the short downhill run1 but it would be a far better test of their capacity for touring4 ,the ,british ,ski tests consist of the #ast1 #bnd and #crd-,class ,tests1 the ,regulations for which will be found in the ,ski ,year ,book1 which can be obtained from the ,hon4 ,secretary1 ,federal ,council of ,british ,ski ,clubs1 ,essex ,court1 ,temple1 ,london1 ,e4,c4 ,they can also be obtained from any official representative of one of the ,british ,clubs in ,switzerland1 and are printed as an ,appendix at the end of this book4 ,in the #crd class test1 which is the first and which has to be passed before the runner can go up for his #bnd class1 there are three parts4 ,part 7a7 is a climb of #a1ejj feet in not more than #a-a_/b hours and a run down #a1ejj feet in a time set by the judges4 ,the time may not be less than seven1 or more than twenty minutes4 ,it should not be more than #ab minutes under good conditions4 ,men must carry ,rucksacks weighing not less than #f lbs41 and women #c lbs4 ,sealskins may be used for the climb4 ,part 7b7 consists of four consecutive lifted stem-turns on a slope of #ae to #bj1 and ,part 7c7 four consecutive ,telemark turns on a slope of the same gradient4 ,parts 7b7 and 7c7 are often used as a qualifying test before ,part 7a7 is run1 in order to limit the entries for ,part 7a71 which may otherwise be a very difficult test to run when a large field enters for it4 ,candidates who enter for this test should really take pains to ensure that their bindings fit their boots and that they have everything necessary for a run as well as being up to the standard4 ,speaking as a judge of four years' standing1 who has run innumerable tests1 ,i may say that it is pitiable to see the number of casual people who will come up for a test without reading the regulations and without being in any way prepared for a #a1ejj ft4 climb4 ,few things are more disagreeable than having to disqualify a candidate1 who turns up without a ,rucksack1 or more miserable than having to shepherd down beginners who are worn out by a run for which they are quite out of training4 ,the one comfort is that a candidate1 who is pertinacious and courageous enough to face this test five or six times without passing and goes in again1 is almost sure to pass in the end4 ,for the judge's sake1 however1 ,i strongly urge such a candidate to time himself over similar runs with his friends and to persist in this until he proves that he is up to #crd-class standard1 when he will be a very welcome candidate in the test itself4 ,a course is easily found by using an aneroid1 or it may also be worked off the ,ordnance ,map4 ,any ordinary watch with a second hand will suffice for the timing of one's own run4 ,some people may think that ,i am a little harsh in my reasons for suggesting that beginners should not enter for the running part of the #crd-class test so lightheartedly4 ,it is really for their own sakes as much as for that of the judge's4 ,failure is very discouraging1 and ,i have known people's nerve quite upset by one of these runs4 ,they have tried to race down and have taken really nasty tosses in their rush1 while the fatigue of constant falling and getting up out of deep snow1 becoming more and more out of breath in the anxiety to compete1 is very bad for their running4 ,i have often wanted to hide my head in shame when coming home after such a test with a lot of worn-out people1 wet through1 who have failed4 ,and yet1 such is life1 that many with the first breath1 after they finish exhausted1 will ask when the next ,test takes place in order that they may compete again4 ,such a candidate really does one's heart good4 ,tests have probably done more than anything else to improve the standard of ,british running4 ,we all have a liking for competition1 and here is our chance4 ,having succeeded in passing the #crd-class test1 we can wear a badge and then we have to ski better in order to prove worthy of it1 and presently we see no reason against qualifying for the #bnd-class test before going home4 ,after all1 the turns only have to be done on a steeper slope4 ,the run can be put off till next ,winter1 and passed the moment we come out1 they say4 ,the #ast-class standard is rising higher and higher as ,british ,ski runners become more proficient4 ,the runner who passed a year or two ago now hesitates to wear the gold badge1 because he often realizes that his speed and turns are not good enough for what is now required4 ,judges of the ,british ,ski tests may be found in most well-known centres1 but1 as there are very few #ast-class people1 the tests for this class are usually run in one or two districts only4 ,,guides ,,and ,,ski ,,instructors ,swiss ,guides are certificated by the ,swiss ,alpine ,club and are the only people permitted by law to guide parties among the higher mountains4 ,a tariff exists in every district showing the fees which these ,guides must charge4 ,in addition to the fee1 the client usually gives a gratuity and also pays for the ,guide's accommodation and provisions on the tour4 ,a percentage may be added for numbers greater than those provided for in the tariff1 while on a really difficult tour1 the ,guide will probably refuse to take more than two or three runners unless a second ,guide or porter be engaged4 ,the ,certificated ,guides wear a badge issued by the ,swiss ,alpine ,club and any man wearing this may be depended upon to be a good fellow1 a careful ,guide1 and a philosopher and friend4 ,most of them can now ski well1 though a few of the older ones may not be very proficient in technique and may be stick riders4 ,when on tour with a ,guide1 he is responsible for the safety of the party1 and every member should do his best to help him by carrying out any instructions he may give for their greater safety4 ,this is not always appreciated by people who do not know the ,alps and their unwritten laws1 and the ,guides complain somewhat bitterly that they are often put in very difficult positions4 ,for instance1 on one occasion1 when a party was crossing an avalanche slope1 the ,guide asked them to go singly at intervals of #bj metres1 so that if anyone was carried away1 the others would not be involved and could go to his rescue4 ,one of the party was overheard saying3 ,oh6 he is only trying to prove how careful he is in order to get a higher tip1 and they were careless in their carrying out of the instructions4 ,in any case it is discourteous not to do what the ,guide prescribes and he is put in a very false position as he is held responsible4 ,ski ,instructors belong to a different category1 unless they are also ,certificated ,guides1 which is often the case4 ,in some ,cantons1 such as ,graubnden1 the ,instructors have to pass an examination showing their capacity to ski and also to teach4 ,many of them are perfectly beautiful runners1 but they should not be pressed to conduct tours where glacier work or rock climbing is involved4 ,they are not examined for this and they hold no credentials1 and if an accident occurs1 everyone is blamed4 ,there are a great many other runs they are allowed to lead and they will set as good a course as anyone would wish for4 ,before engaging a ,guide1 or an ,instructor on the recommendation of the concierge1 get some expert advice as to who is the best4 ,the ,secretary of the local ,ski ,club would advise or some good runner in the neighbourhood4 ,in some parts of ,switzerland the ,guides and ,instructors have taken to touting for clients4 ,they hang about the hotels and try to induce the unwary to engage them and to go for tours for which they are often not fit4 ,the better ,swiss ,guides are the first to want the public to discourage this type of behaviour1 as it is doing a lot of harm to their good name4 ,when a ,guide is engaged1 treat him as a friend and trust him4 ,they are usually a most obliging and reliable set of men1 who will do everything in their power for their clients1 such as carrying food and spare clothing1 waxing skis1 attaching skins and even making terms in inns1 and cooking the food in huts when on tour4 ,their knowledge of the mountains and their experiences are well worth probing1 and they will usually talk willingly when kindly dealt with4 ,they are quick judges of character and if the younger ones are sometimes a little inclined to take advantage of the people who do not treat them suitably1 only those people themselves can be blamed4 ,the old-fashioned ,guides are never familiar1 though they are very friendly and will always do their best for the entertainment of their party4 ,they should not be petted and flattered1 neither should they be treated as inferiors4 ,a happy medium is easily found which is what the ,guide will prefer1 because in his heart of hearts1 he has the whole of the ,swiss characteristics--great dignity1 independence and respect for wise people4 ,on a long and dangerous tour the safety of the party may ultimately depend upon the trust and confidence placed in the ,guide in charge1 and by him in his clients1 and this should be remembered in all negotiations4 ,these men often have to risk their lives for the sake of the people who employ them1 and their staunch unselfishness is a fine example of human endeavour for the benefit of others4 ,their fees may appear to be high1 but when everything is taken into consideration1 including the shortness of their ,winter and ,summer ,seasons1 it is soon realized that the fees are not exorbitant4 ,,maps ,,and ,,finding ,,the ,,way ,every ,ski runner going across country should carry a map4 ,even on a short run a great deal can be learnt from a map1 which will prove useful later on a longer run4 ,both time and risk can be saved by people who run by their map and who know how to avoid dangerous places and how to take advantage of narrow safe openings4 ,there are different types of maps to be had in ,switzerland4 ,the best are the official ,ordnance ,maps published by the ,eidg4 ,landestopographie at ,bern4 ,the mountain districts are produced at a scale of #a centimetre in #ej1jjj centimetres or #b centimetres in one kilometre1 and large or small sheets can be bought almost everywhere4 ,the gradients are clearly shown by contour lines4 ,the equidistance being #cj metres1 or roughly #ajj feet1 the dotted contour lines when height is marked some every #h or #aj ordinary contour lines4 ,this differs according to the edition4 ,cliff and rock are shown grey1 while glacier contour lines are blue4 ,some districts1 such as the ,bernese ,oberland1 have produced this map with red lines showing all the ,ski runs4 ,in other places they also provide ,ski-ing maps1 but on a different scale and not as good as the ,ordnance ,map4 ,all maps are best when mounted on linen1 as the weathering they receive on a run may reduce a paper map to pulp or rag4 ,it is easy to work out the distance of runs or the gradient of slopes from the large scale ,ordnance ,map4 #a in #ej1jjj metres means that #a centimetre on the map equals a run of #ej1jjj metres2 #b centimetres equal a kilometre or #ajj1jjj metres2 #h kilometres equal five ,english miles4 ,therefore1 if a centimetre measure be carried1 the distances are soon ascertained with a minimum of arithmetic4 ,throughout this chapter ,i have taken the mathematical or map gradient and not the engineer's gradient4 ,the latter is generally used1 ,i understand1 to measure the gradients of roads1 railways1 etc4 ,to avoid confusion when ,ski-ing1 the gradient is usually named by the angle of the slope4 ,the gradient of slopes is shown by the contour lines1 the drop between each being #cj metres or approximately #ajj feet4 ,the table on p4 #ib was got out by ,commander ,merriman1 ,r4,n41 and has proved very useful to me in setting tests as well as in judging whether slopes are comparatively safe from avalanche or not4 ,a slope showing eight #cj-metre contour lines in one centimetre works out roughly at #bg1 which is a steeper slope than most people care to take straight1 running over unknown country4 ,anything steeper than this is apt to avalanche in certain conditions1 though a #cj slope should usually be safe4 7,a #be slope may be dangerous under some conditions47 ,a comfortable slope is #e contour lines in #a centimetre1 or a gradient of #ag4 ,taking ,english measurements as in ,commander ,merriman's scale1 #af contour lines in one inch on the map4 ,the beginner will probably content himself with slopes where #aj contour lines are shown in one inch1 or a gradient of about #ac4 ,,rough ,,table ,,of ,,gradients4 ,assuming #cj metre contours to be equal to #ajj feet contours 7actually this is #ih4d feet74 ,natural ,scale #a3 #ej1jjj4 ---------------------------------------- ---- ,drop per inch ,average angle ,gradient on map4 of slope4 #a in4 ---------------------------------------- ---- #ajj' #a #bd' #dj4i #bjj' #b #de' #bj4h #cjj' #d #jg' #ac4i #djj' #e #bi' #aj4d #ejj' #f #ej' #h4c #fjj' #h #ab' #f4i #gjj' #i #cc' #e4i #hjj' #aj #eb' #e4b #ijj' #ab #aa' #d4f #a1jjj' #ac #cj' #d4b #a1ajj' #ad #dg' #c4h #a1bjj' #af #jd' #c4e #a1cjj' #ag #bj' #c4b #a1djj' #ah #cd' #c4j #a1ejj' #ai #dh' #b4h #a1fjj' #ba #jj' #b4f #a1gjj' #bb #aa' #b4e #a1hjj' #bc #bb' #b4c #a1ijj' #bd #cj' #b4b #b1jjj' #be #ci' #b4a #b1ajj' #bf #de' #b4j #b1bjj' #bg #ej' #a4i #b1cjj' #bh #ec' #a4h #b1djj' #bi #ef' #a4g #b1ejj' #cj #eh' #a4f ---------------------------------------- ---- ,up till now ,i have only been describing the official ,ordnance ,maps4 ,there are several other maps which may also be useful4 ,the ,dufour maps are good for direction and lie of country1 but their scale being #a in #ajj1jjj they are not much help for actual running4 ,the local ,ski ,tour ,map is useful to show where the usual tours go1 but cannot always be trusted for gradients or cliffs and rocks4 ,the ,pontresina map1 for instance1 though showing an equidistance of #cj metres as in the ,ordnance ,maps1 really has #ej metres contour lines1 which might be a terrible snare to the unwary1 who would confidently run towards a slope1 thinking it was about #bj and find that it was nearer #ce1 or an avalanche slope4 ,in a case like this the ,ordnance ,map must be used for actual running1 while the ,ski ,tour ,map is used to show the line to be followed4 ,in some districts1 such as the ,bernese ,oberland1 the ,ordnance map has been used for the local ,ski tour map1 and the tours shown on it in red4 ,this is a great saving of weight and money for the runner1 who then only has one map to carry4 ,most ,ski maps show dangerous avalanche slopes4 ,the local ,summer map published in most tourist centres in ,switzerland is not much use to the ,ski runner1 because it shows walks which may be along slopes or down cliffs1 which are perfectly safe in ,summer and very dangerous in ,winter4 ,i strongly advise all beginners who are bitten by the joy of ,ski-ing to buy1 at any rate1 the small local sheet of the ,ordnance ,map which usually only costs ,frs4 #a4cj1 or roughly #as41 and to study it carefully1 noticing the contour lines on the well-known ,nursery slopes1 and gradually realizing the gradient represented by the different widths between them4 ,let him also notice the difference between a hill and a hole on the map4 ,this is easily recognized either by the thin blue line of a stream emerging from a lake1 or by comparing the nearest heights shown on the dotted lines or some marked point4 ,contours are often puzzling to a beginner in map reading1 but knowledge of what they represent may save a party from a weary climb back up a place they have gaily ski-ed down1 thinking they could get through but finding an impossible slope or fall of rock which forced them to retrace their steps4 ,before going on tour even with a ,guide1 it is wise to study the map with a view to knowing where an ,alpine hut can be found in case of need1 or where a hay chlet could offer shelter4 ,when once the ,ski runner has begun to appreciate the fun and interest of running by a map1 he will never leave it behind1 and he will be able to enjoy all sorts of runs he would never know of if he were content with the sheep habit of following tracks4 ,the greatest fun of ,ski-ing is in finding one's own way1 and this one can never hope to do without a map4 ,the following scale of comparative heights in metres and feet may be of use in estimating the heights of points which the ,ski runner wishes to reach3 #aj metres equal #cc feet 7approximately74 #ej #afd #ajj #cbh #bej #hbj #ejj #a1fdj #a1jjj #c1bha #b1jjj #f1efb #c1jjj #i1hdc ,a compass is1 of course1 useful when running by map1 but as precipices are apt to get in the way when running straight for any given point1 a compass cannot be trusted alone4 ,in the case of fog1 it is very difficult to avoid difficulties1 and points on the map can only be identified by the use of an aneroid1 as well as a compass4 ,set the aneroid at the point you start from and check your heights by this as you climb or descend1 referring constantly to the map to ensure that you are running on the right line4 ,it is wise to practise this on clear days in order to get accustomed to running by map1 compass and aneroid4 ,as the weather also affects the aneroid1 it should be constantly reset at known levels4 ,all this may sound very confusing1 and most beginners will probably prefer to take a ,guide who knows his country well rather than trust to elementary map-reading knowledge in unknown country4 ,most runners who go on tour will find running much more interesting1 however1 if instead of following a ,guide blindly they also watch the map or get a knowledge of what is good or bad country to run over4 ,there are sometimes cases also when the party must necessarily divide1 and an amateur may have to take the lead over unknown country4 ,,avalanches ,much has been written on this subject4 ,mr4 ,arnold ,lunn1 in ,the ,alps1 tells some extraordinary stories about these monsters of the mountains4 ,my father1 ,john ,addington ,symonds1 in ,our ,life in the ,swiss ,highlands1 also describes them4 ,there was a very interesting article by ,monsieur ,f4 ,krahnstoever in the ,swiss ,ski ,club ,year-,book for #aibc on the subject of avalanches in relation to ,ski-ing4 ,they are an everlasting nightmare to ,ski runners in high places1 and beginners should at once take care to learn all they can of snow-craft in order1 in so far as possible1 to realize what is safe and what is dangerous4 ,the steepness of slopes and the condition of snow1 as well as the direction of wind1 are all factors affecting avalanches4 ,any slope whose gradient is more than #ae may be dangerous under certain conditions1 but it may be generally accepted that most long slopes under #be are comparatively safe so long as they have not much steeper slopes immediately above or below them4 ,new snow is always apt to slip before it has had time to settle down4 ,snow blown by wind into a cornice or overhanging lip at the top of a slope or on a cliff may topple down and start an avalanche4 ,wet snow1 after rain1 or a warm ,fhn wind1 becomes heavy and begins to slide4 ,a very dangerous condition is new soft snow lying on a slope covered with old hard snow4 ,trees or rocks sticking up through the snow make such slopes safer1 as they tend to prevent the snow from beginning to slip4 ,this is why the ,forestry ,laws of ,switzerland are so strict4 ,in some districts the owner of a forest may not cut a tree unless it has been approved by the ,government forester4 ,this is to ensure that the forests are maintained as a protection for the villages in the valleys below4 ,beginners should never go on a tour without first ascertaining that the route they propose to follow is a safe one4 ,and if there is the slightest doubt1 owing to weather conditions1 they should put it off for a day or two4 ,some runs are perfectly safe when the snow has settled and a sharp frost has bound it1 but they may become dangerous again when a thaw sets in1 a ,fhn wind is blowing1 or rain has fallen4 ,the ,ski runner himself may start an avalanche on a slope where the snow would lie safely if he did not pass along it4 ,the cutting of his track1 breaking the continuity of the snow1 may set it going either above or below him and he will be carried away with it4 ,wherever there seems to be the slightest risk of avalanche the party should separate and proceed in single file at about #bj-yard intervals4 ,then if a runner is carried away1 the others will be able to go to his assistance4 ,in some cases1 however1 even this is not sufficient protection as the whole slope may go at once4 ,in old days before the railways had tunnelled through the passes we were driving over the ,fluela above ,davos on our way to ,italy in ,march4 ,we were in the post consisting of some #bj one-horse sledges and had just left the ,hospiz when we met the up-coming post1 also consisting of a number of one-horse sledges4 ,it took some time to pass1 as the track was narrow and the horses floundered in the deep snow when passing each other4 ,after we had got by and were continuing on our way down to ,ss1 we turned along an outstanding buttress of cliff and saw that some two miles of steep slope ahead had avalanched4 ,the whole surface of the snow had slipped to the bottom of the valley and if either of the diligences had been on this slope when it happened1 horses1 sledges and all would have been carried away4 ,this experience fixed avalanche danger very firmly in my mind1 and having also seen several large avalanches falling1 as well as the immense amount of damage done to forests and chlets by these insuperable monsters1 ,i have never wished to risk getting into a large one myself4 ,even a small avalanche is very overwhelming and a beginner who has felt its effects soon realizes what it may mean4 ,choose a very short steep slope on a day when the snow is slipping and try to get it going4 ,once it moves and entangles your legs and ,skis1 you will feel the extraordinary helplessness which results4 ,this was one of our games when ,i was a child4 ,without ,skis it is possible to float on top of a baby avalanche and to enjoy it1 but with ,skis on1 the feet soon become entangled and helplessness results4 ,the first thing to do when an avalanche starts and no escape is possible is to get the ,ski bindings undone and the feet free4 ,then swim with arms and legs and try to keep on top4 ,if buried1 keep one arm over nose and mouth so as to keep air space and push the other arm up1 pointing the ,ski stick through to the open so that it may show your whereabouts4 ,this is easy to describe1 but probably not so easy to carry out if the occasion arises4 ,one of the first books on ,ski-running advises people to carry some #fj metres of red tape and to let this trail behind them when crossing dangerous ground4 ,then1 if overwhelmed by an avalanche1 the red thread can be picked up by the search party and the victim may quickly be dug out4 ,i have never met anyone who has carried out this suggestion and do not want the extra weight of red tape in my ,rucksack1 but it makes one think and realize how much other experienced runners have thought also4 ,the following precautions would seem to me to be better3 ,never ski along1 or above1 or below a dangerous-looking slope under doubtful conditions4 ,never go for a tour without making sure beforehand that the route you propose to follow is a safe one4 ,always carry out any instructions your ,guide or the experienced leader of your party may give4 ,if you have any sudden doubt about the safety of the slope you are on1 make quickly for the nearest rocks sticking up4 ,if there are trees near get among them as quickly and quietly as you can4 ,if the snow begins to slip and you see no chance of ,ski-ing quickly away from the dangerous place1 get your ,skis off4 ,this is where toe bindings may be safer than heel bindings as they come off quicker4 ,never follow a track across a slope1 about which you are doubtful1 thinking hopefully that the runner who cut it knew more than yourself4 ,never cut a track across a dangerous place at your own risk if there is the slightest chance of misleading another runner into danger later4 ,remember that though you yourself may be on a safe slope1 the slope above or below you may be so steep that the snow may slip off by itself and your slope may be involved4 ,this applies equally to running along the bottom of a valley4 ,the slopes on either side may be dangerous1 and if the snow slips you will be buried4 ,there are so many perfectly safe runs that it is folly to risk being killed by an avalanche1 when it can easily be avoided by a little forethought and common sense4 ,even if you do not mind the risk yourself1 think not only of your people waiting below1 but also of the people who have to come and look for your body4 ,there have been several cases where the search party have been overwhelmed by a second avalanche while digging for people carried away by the first4 ,january and ,march are probably the most dangerous months from the avalanche point of view4 ,in ,january the fresh snow is apt to slide before it has settled4 ,a few days after a new snowfall1 most of the avalanches will have come down and the ordinary runs will be safe again1 but every snowfall entails the same risk4 ,there are some slopes where the snow will never stay in ,february1 but unless a ,fhn wind or rain make the snow heavy1 most slopes are pretty safe below a gradient of #be4 ,in ,march when the thaw begins more avalanches will fall4 ,these usually come down well-known tracks and can easily be avoided for this reason4 ,this chapter may appear to be somewhat intimidating1 but it is better to be safe than sorry4 ,very few experienced ,ski runners get into avalanches and if ordinary precautions are taken and the advice of experts followed beginners need have no fear4 ,the ,ski-ing maps usually show the more dangerous places1 but every runner should keep his own eyes open and learn all he can of snow-craft in order to be able to explore new country as he becomes proficient4 ,,accidents ,some people will think that ,i lay too much stress on the dangers of ,ski-ing4 ,considering the thousands of people who ski every ,winter and the extraordinarily small number of accidents1 ,i admit that ,i have exaggerated the dangers4 ,but ,i do so quite deliberately because it is only by realizing risks that they can be avoided1 and my experience proves to me that the average town-bred man and woman1 boy and girl have very little appreciation of life lived up against ,nature4 ,they set out so lightheartedly and often so fool-hardily on an expedition1 without telling anyone where they propose to go1 or when they expect to be home1 and without having provided themselves with the extra equipment which may prove to be very necessary before the day is finished4 ,while writing this book ,i have constantly had in mind ,ski-ing centres above #e1jjj feet1 whence tours are made among the glaciers and at high levels where the cold may be a danger during the months of ,january and ,february4 ,much of what ,i have said of the necessity of carrying spare clothing in good quantity does not apply so much to places below #e1jjj feet unless high tours are undertaken4 ,but wherever people ski there is a possibility of accidents due to falls1 and though these are seldom serious1 they need attention4 ,when someone is really lamed by knee or ankle1 ,ski-ing becomes very difficult1 except to the expert1 who can ski mainly on one foot1 and walking through the deep snow1 sinking at every step1 is an agony1 so that some form of stretcher becomes necessary4 ,two or1 better still1 four ,skis tied together1 side by side1 form an excellent sledge1 which will travel straight downhill every easily4 ,it practically refuses to traverse a slope so that the case has to be slipped straight down to the bottom of the slope and along the valley or level below4 ,skis usually have holes through the flat part of the tip in front4 ,a piece of strong wire should be threaded through these1 care being taken that the ,skis lie parallel their whole length and that the tips are not drawn together too much4 ,a stick must be tied to the wire and the ,ski tips to keep them in position and to take the pull when the sledge is drawn along4 ,if there are trees about1 a branch can be cut to serve this purpose4 ,if not1 a ,ski stick must be cut in half and used4 ,it should not project beyond the ,skis on either side1 or it will catch in the snow4 ,the other half of the ,ski stick or another branch must be tied across the ,skis1 by the toe irons1 to keep the ,skis parallel there also1 and to give solidity to the sledge4 ,people sometimes tie a strap or string round the ,skis1 including their running surfaces1 forgetting that this will soon cut through with the friction of the snow4 ,to finish the sledge1 put some fir branches on it1 the bushy part of which will make it more comfortable to lie on4 ,the thick wood of the branch part should point towards the front of the ,skis and be fixed there4 ,if branches are not available1 ,rucksacks can be used for the injured person to lie on4 ,he will probably be more comfortable going downhill if he can be laid head-first downwards on the sledge4 ,to draw the sledge along1 join a lap thong or sealskin or rope or puttee to the outer ,ski tips1 and also to the ends of the stick across them4 ,in order to prevent this from pulling these ,skis forward too much it is well to tie a string to the inner ,ski tips also and join them to the pulling rope4 ,another rope or thong should be attached to the stick and centre toe irons1 so that this can be held from behind to prevent the sledge travelling too fast downhill4 ,experienced runners will be able to travel on ,skis while getting this sledge down1 but beginners will do well to wade on foot1 especially the rear man1 who has to control the speed4 ,neither the pulling nor control rope should be attached to the body of the person holding it because a sudden jerk may pull him over and the sledge be stopped suddenly with a jar to the person hurt4 ,most club huts are provided with excellent ambulance sledges1 which may be used1 and which should be conscientiously returned to the ,rettungschef of the locality4 ,there is a ,rettungschef in every mountainous district whose duty it is to help with accidents when these are reported to him4 ,he arranges to send out ,guides and porters with an ambulance sledge to the assistance of any party in trouble4 ,if1 therefore1 your accident be a serious one1 and you are far from home1 the wisest plan may be to send one or two of the best runners down to the nearest village for help1 while the remainder stay with the injured person4 ,for this reason it is always unwise to go out with fewer than three in a party4 ,five or six are a better number on a long day's run4 ,remember the people waiting at home1 and when you have made arrangements for help to go to your party ring up your friends and tell them what has happened and what you have arranged4 ,having often seen the anxiety of relations and friends when their party comes home late1 ,i know how important this is4 ,even if you are only delayed for some small reason such as a train being late1 it is kind to ring up1 and this is easily done1 as there are telephones in almost every village4 ,while on this subject ,i would again like to urge that before going off on an expedition of any length the ,concierge and someone should be told in writing the destination1 the route1 and the hour anticipated for return4 ,then1 if the party does not turn up and no news comes through1 a search party can be sent out with some hope of finding them within a reasonable time4 ,time is very important in ,january and ,february1 when the weather is cold1 as people can be badly frost-bitten if benighted4 ,search parties are expensive luxuries1 as it is risky work for the ,guides1 who deserve to be well paid for it4 ,i have only once followed a ,rettungschef with his five assistants and their ambulance sledge1 and shall never forget the pace at which their lantern went ahead of us1 dancing like a will-of-the-wisp4 ,a runner had come home at #e p4m4 with news that one of the party had hurt his knee some four miles from home4 ,this runner had already wisely rung up the ,rettungschef from the first house he came to1 and a party of ,guides was being collected4 ,i decided to go out with some friends in case the accident was a serious one and we could bring the remainder of the party home1 and so save the ,guides that duty4 ,they were all beginners who were benighted4 ,we followed the lantern and saw it stop and knew the ,guides had reached the people in trouble4 ,when we caught up they already had the patient looking like a mummy1 rolled up in blankets in a canvas bag on the sledge4 ,i could hear him choking over the brandy which was being poured down his throat4 ,he had only hurt his knee1 but his friends1 who were all real novices1 had had a wearing time getting him down4 ,the way in which the ,guides handled the job filled me with admiration and confidence4 ,when they found we were ready to herd the party home1 they shot off with their sledge and the lantern soon became a speck of light in the distance again4 ,i also had a lantern that night1 and found it delightful to ski by1 but doubt whether anyone else profited much by its light except as a guide to direction4 ,when a person is hurt and helpless at a high level1 in winter1 cold is the most immediate danger1 and all spare clothing should be piled on him1 and his limbs should be rubbed to prevent frost-bite4 ,when he cannot be moved1 a fire might well be lit if below tree level where wood is available1 because1 though the lighting of fires is forbidden in the ,swiss forests1 a breach of the law would surely be overlooked in case of danger to life4 ,the heat of the fire would help to keep the patient warm1 while its light would act as a beacon to the search party4 ,the following is the code of signals in use among the ,alps3 ,the ,alpine ,signal of ,distress-- 7a7 ,by ,day4--,the waving of anything 7a flag or stick with an article of clothing attached7 six times in a minute1 repeated after an interval of one minute without signals4 7b7 ,by ,night4--,a light flashed six times a minute1 repeated after an interval of one minute without signals4 7c7 ,by ,sound4--,six sharp calls1 or whistles1 in the minute1 repeated after an interval of one minute without signals4 ,the ,answering ,call-- 7d7 ,anything waved1 a light flashed1 a sharp call1 or whistle three times in the minute1 repeated after an interval of one minute without signals4 ,if a ,ski runner does not remember the exact signal any regular signal repeated a definite number of times in a minute1 with a minute's interval1 should prove sufficient4 ,similarly1 if you hear a signal repeated at short regular intervals1 you should always suspect a call for help4 ,an ordinary whistle is hardly loud enough for the sound to carry any distance and a siren might be better4 ,newspaper could be used for a flare if the party does not possess a lantern or electric torch1 but it would not last long4 ,finally1 may ,i suggest that everyone who takes up ,ski-ing seriously1 and who carries gear to be used in emergency1 should be proficient in the use of such gear and not wait till it is needed to find out how to fit it4 ,to experiment in making an ambulance sledge while an injured person lies beside you and when your fingers are cold and people are buzzing round you with suggestions1 which may or may not be better than your own ideas1 is a bad plan4 ,it is wiser to have made the experiment at home and to have got someone to drag you down a hill on the result1 and then you will know something about it4 ,a new game for the ,nursery slopes1 and what fun for the spectators who already think all ,skiers mad6 ,i would like to add at the end of this chapter on accidents that during the many years ,i have enjoyed ,ski-ing1 and with the hundreds of beginners ,i have helped1 ,i have never met with a single really serious accident4 ,one or two knees and ankles twisted and now and then a cut or severe bruise have been among the worst cases ,i have come across4 ,,the ,,attractions ,,of ,,ski-,,ing ,though some runners are content merely to enjoy the actual practice of ,ski-ing with all the difficulties to be overcome and the various turns to be perfected1 the greater proportion probably ski mainly on account of the exhilaration obtained1 the freedom enjoyed1 and the wonderful beauty of the places reached4 ,the amazing thing is that ,skis were not used sooner among the ,alps4 ,they have already in less than thirty years entirely altered the life of the young people in far-away villages1 who used to be practically shut up during the winter months1 but who can now ski from one place to another on ,sundays and holidays1 enjoying the companionship of their friends and widening their outlook by mixing with strangers4 ,this will probably have a very good effect on the population of the ,high ,alps1 who will be less inclined to leave their homes in order to get away from the monotony of the long winters4 ,so much is this appreciated that ,ski-ing is now part of the school curriculum in some districts1 often taking the place of gymnastics during the winter4 ,it is amusing to watch the classes of children out on the ,nursery slopes with their teachers4 ,while we foreign women ,ski-runners are provided with elaborate costumes1 including breeches or trousers1 the little ,swiss girls ski in frocks and cotton pinafores without cap or hat1 and often without gloves4 ,led by their teacher they wearily climb up the slopes1 and then comes the mad career home to the midday meal4 ,twenty or thirty little girls all dashing down together practising turns as they go1 or making as straight down as they dare in their effort to outpace their rivals4 ,the boys carry the sport still further and most local ,ski-jumping competitions start with a demonstration by the boys1 who often do not look more than #aj or #ab years old1 and who go over the big jump as straight as their elders and usually a good deal more gaily1 as they have not begun to appreciate the dangers4 ,the smaller boys line the sides of the jump and pour out at the word of the judge on to the steep landing-slope like a lot of little goblins1 jumping on their ,skis horizontally to flatten away any track or hole made by a jumper who has failed to jump perfectly4 ,little chaps of seven or eight run through the woods on these occasions1 swanking their turns through the trees and putting most grown-up runners to shame by their nimbleness4 ,at ,pontresina one winter ,i was much amused by one of these small children wearing a ,british third-class test badge which he must have picked up4 ,i asked him where he got it1 but he hurried away for fear ,i would claim it1 and his ,christianias through the big trees made me very envious4 ,many of the children ski to school and back1 getting endless practice all through the winter months4 ,may ,i here appeal to ,british runners who may have old ,skis1 even broken ones to throw away1 to offer them to the local branch of the ,swiss ,ski ,club as there is an organization which mends them or cuts them down for lending or giving to the school children1 who are too poor to provide themselves with ,skis4 ,when the beginner has learnt the elements of straight running and turns and begins to go off among the mountains the real interest of ,ski-ing is begun1 with the slow climb up in single file1 first of all through woods and then out on to the open slopes4 ,this is usually a silent game as breath is needed for the climb1 and it is dull work keeping up a conversation with the back ahead4 ,sometimes1 as one inadvertently steps on the ,skis ahead1 a gruff word is flung back and the trespasser is wise who stops1 pretending to attend to his binding1 or to look at the view--the view is usually worth looking at1 too1 as there is usually something to see4 ,if it is not a distant view of the ,great ,alps or of the valley below1 it is of trees or rocks1 which1 if examined carefully1 usually show some sign of life4 ,i remember being snubbed by an ardent ,ski-er because ,i ventured to ask ,what are those black birds8 ,who wants to know about birds when he is ski-ing8 was the answer4 ,i did want to know1 and ,i found out that they were ,alpine choughs and ,i still want to know when ,i see the inhabitants of the mountains or their tracks4 ,most of the wild animals use old ,ski tracks as highways now1 even finding it worth while to follow the zigzag of an uphill traverse4 ,foxes1 hares and roe deer all use them1 the roe deers' feet showing so much tinier than the chamois1 who leaves a deep rough track as they usually run in each other's footsteps4 ,the hare's track when running is two holes abreast and then two single ones4 ,the fox runs rather like a dog4 ,the squirrel hops two feet at a time1 often leaving a slight ruffle on the snow as he swishes his tail4 ,among the cembra trees in the ,engadine the snow may be sprinkled with the nuts out of the cones4 ,they are delicious eating1 being very like the ,italian stone pine nut1 or pinelli1 and they attract the squirrels as much as they do the nutcracker bird4 ,martens and pole cats leave distinct footmarks4 ,weasels1 also1 and these are easily recognized as they usually start from a hole under a bush or a rock4 ,one day when a party of us were silently traversing a slope above ,mrren a tiny brown ball came rolling down1 which1 when picked up1 proved to be the warm dead body of a mouse4 ,looking up we saw a weasel peering out of his hole anxious as to the fate of his dinner4 ,a mouse's track also usually starts from a tiny hole and the two feet go abreast1 while the tail leaves a line all the way4 ,we nearly always see chamois and roe deer when ski-ing in the woods at ,pontresina as it is a protected area and they are not shot and therefore become very tame4 ,the chamois are driven down into the woods in search of the lichen which hangs like a beard from the branches of the cembra trees4 ,on ,muottas ,celerina this winter we saw four chamois below us in the wood4 ,without a word our guide1 ,caspar ,gras1 dashed down the slope after them and very nearly caught one round the neck1 as they were surprised1 and knowing there was a precipice beyond the scrub below them1 they could not make up their minds which way to go4 ,the roe deer scrape away the snow below the trees in search of alpenrose or bear berry leaves or dry blades of grass4 ,they suffer more than the chamois after a heavy snowfall because they are not so strong and cannot scamper through it4 ,at the beginning of this season1 ,klosters had a snowfall of some two metres and the roe deer were driven down to the villages where the peasants fed them in stables till the weather improved4 ,four were caught on the railway1 having got on to the line at a crossing and being unable to spring out over the high banks of snow4 ,ibex are being let loose in order to re-establish them where they were exterminated a few years ago4 ,they can usually be seen through the telescope at ,bernina ,hauser above ,pontresina1 and also opposite ,mrren4 ,the ibex1 or steinbock1 is used as the ,coat of ,arms of the ,canton of ,graubnden1 and is familiar to ,ski runners as the badge of the local ,ski ,club of ,zuoz in the ,engadine4 ,after some controversy eagles are being encouraged to increase1 having been almost exterminated4 ,we saw a beauty sailing over the ,muottas ,muraigl ,valley one day4 ,there is even talk of trying to get bear back1 but the peasants obstruct this as they were so destructive to sheep4 ,as a child at ,davos ,i saw three bears brought in dead by hunters1 and remember with pride1 mixed with disgust1 tasting a bear's paw4 ,a peasant told me of how as a boy he looked after the village sheep near the ,silvretta ,glacier1 and of a bear who used to come and kill a sheep and then bury it in the ice for future eating4 ,ski runners shudder at the idea of meeting a bear while on a run1 but they need not worry as the bears roll up and sleep through the winter so that unless the ,ski-er took an unusually heavy fall into the bear's hole1 he would be safe enough on the surface4 ,besides which it is said that a bear cannot traverse down a slope1 so that the ,ski-er could easily get away unless the bear rolled to the bottom1 and then ran along and waited for him4 ,as there are no bears in ,switzerland now1 perhaps it is waste of time to start a controversy about the best turn with which to circumvent a bear4 ,cows are much more dangerous4 ,i was pursued down the village street at ,pontresina by a playful cow1 who had been taken to the pump to drink4 ,she put down her head and stuck up her tail and ,i wasted no time in pushing away from her4 ,another animal which hibernates through the winter is the marmot1 and ,i often think of them sound asleep under the snow as ,i pass along the slopes of some high valley4 ,they are said to have breathing holes1 but ,i have never seen them1 unless this was the explanation of some holes which puzzled me on the ,schiltgrat above ,mrren4 ,i was traversing uphill a long way ahead of my party and noticed some isolated holes in the snow1 very like ,ski stick holes1 but with no ,ski tracks near4 ,as ,i passed a grey hen flew out of one of the holes1 and1 looking back1 ,i saw several black cocks and grey hens flying away4 ,it is more likely that they had made their own holes to shelter in rather than that these were marmot holes4 ,ptarmigan often greet one on the higher ridges and sometimes a capercailzie will get up with a noise which is very apt to upset one4 ,the choughs are persistent followers of a ,ski-ing party1 flying over one's head and chirruping for lunch4 ,when at last we stop and take our nosebags out of our ,rucksacks1 they perch on a cliff near and wait till we move on1 when they immediately fly down to see what we have left for them4 ,i have seen a paper lunch-bag1 which they were unable to tear1 absolutely surrounded by a circle of their footmarks1 some eight feet in diameter4 ,how they must have worried it and each other in their endeavour to get at the contents4 ,at ,mrren a pair of ravens also accompany the ,ski-ers4 ,they take their perch high up and watch the many luncheon parties1 croaking now and then to remind us of their wish to share our slices of beef and sausage4 ,these packed lunches are usually so plentiful that the choughs and the ravens get a goodly feed4 ,the tidy ,ski-er who buries all his paper and orange peel and other debris will often find next day that the whole thing has been dug up by a fox4 ,at many of the ,alpine huts1 the snow-finch has adopted the habits of the sparrow and is often so tame that he will almost take crumbs from one's hand4 ,another bird ,i love among the ,alps is the dipper or water ouzel4 ,ski-ing along the snow banks of the rivers1 ,i have often watched him hop down into the water and run along the bottom picking up whatever his food is among the pebbles4 ,surely most ,ski runners can spare time to watch all these little people1 whose rights to the snow fields are even greater than their own4 ,very little vegetation shows in winter1 but it is wonderful what a lot one can find if one looks carefully and it certainly makes ,ski-ing more interesting to me if ,i can recognize the trees1 plants and seeds4 ,a very fair estimate can be made of the different heights by noticing what grows4 ,corn stops at #b1jjj to #c1jjj feet1 though a little rye may be grown up to #e1jjj feet in sunny places4 ,fruit trees and beech trees stop at about #d1jjj feet4 ,there is one beech tree above ,davos about #e1ejj feet above the sea1 but it has never succeeded in topping the huge boulder which shelters it from the ,north4 ,the silver fir is healthy at #d1jjj feet1 but is seldom found much above that level1 while the spruce or fir goes up to #g1jjj feet and does best there4 ,larches seem to thrive best at about #e1jjj-f1jjj feet1 but may be seen almost as high as the top of the ,bernina ,pass on the south side facing ,italy4 ,the cembra pine1 like a great cedar1 is the finest tree in the ,alps and does best at #f1jjj feet to #g1jjj feet4 ,it is also called the ,arolla pine1 because of the forests near that place4 ,in the ,upper ,engadine almost all the forests are of cembra and there is one splendid old tree known as the ,giant ,tree near upper tree level on ,muottas ,celerina4 ,another group of veterans grows just below the ,little ,scheidegg on the ,grindelwald side4 ,many of these trees are said to be #fjj or #gjj years old and their wood is much used for panelling in ,graubnden4 ,it is recognized by the big dark knots4 ,the panels are usually formed of boards reversed so that the knots form a symmetrical pattern4 ,larch is also used and is very red1 while sycamore goes to the making of tables and chairs in the ,bndner ,stbli4 ,good examples of the modern use of these woods may be seen in the hotels1 ,vereina and ,silvretta1 at ,klosters1 while the museum at ,zurich contains beautiful old panelled rooms from different districts4 ,creeping down steep avalanche slopes above #e1jjj feet we find ,pinus montana1 whose long branches form a tangle in which to catch one's ,ski tips4 ,below #e1jjj feet this pine will sometimes grow almost upright but never attains much height4 ,alder may also be a trap for ,skis on an avalanche slope where it creeps downhill and provides a very slippery surface for the snow4 ,i remember shooting down such a slope about #ajj feet when the snow slipped with me in a safe place4 ,along the rivers the alder grows into quite a fine tree1 and if its catkins be picked at ,christmas and are brought into the warm house1 they soon blossom out and spread their green pollen over everything4 ,rather a nice way of bringing a reminder of ,spring into one's ,winter holiday4 ,birch and mountain ash grow happily up to #f1jjj feet on sheltered slopes but after #f1jjj feet there are no deciduous trees1 except the tiny creeping willows buried deep under the snow4 ,juniper is the most ubiquitous shrub to be found1 it seems to me4 ,you get its various types at sea level in ,italy and on the top of mountains up to #h1jjj feet when it pokes up through the snow beside the ,alpine ,rose or ,rhododendron ferrugineum4 ,on the top of ridges when the snow is blown away1 all sorts of treasures may be recognized4 ,the creeping azalea with its wee evergreen leaves1 which no one1 thinking of the garden azaleas at home1 would recognize as belonging to the same family4 ,little primulas and saxifrages sheltering in cracks in the rocks1 with nothing but bunches of brown leaves to show them up4 ,polygula ,chamaebuxis or ,bastard ,box almost always in flower on a sunny patch even in midwinter4 ,on the lower slopes1 gentians or anemone plants with their buds waiting to open when the soft wind or rain of ,spring calls to them4 ,erica carnea with its whitish buds waiting for ,spring to colour them1 one of the earliest of the flowers4 ,or the seeds of ,gentiana lutea or asclepedia or purpurea and of ,aconite or ,monkshood on their strong stems standing high above the snow4 ,one winter when at #d1jjj feet we had no snow at ,christmas1 we went flower hunting instead of ,ski-ing1 and found thirty different sorts of flowers out4 ,but this was exceptional and by no means satisfying to the ,ski runner1 who has come out for the sport he loves and not on botany intent4 ,later1 when the snow begins to melt on ,south slopes in ,march1 the mass of purple and white crocuses open to the sun2 nothing in the whole world can equal the mass of these crocuses4 ,they push up as the miracle of ,spring1 impatiently thrusting through the snow1 melting holes for themselves4 ,the soldanellas do the same1 but not till late in ,march1 and with them come gentians and the whole glory of the ,alpine ,spring has begun4 ,by this time the ,ski-er has to oil and put away his ,skis or climb to the glaciers and higher snow fields4 ,a wonderful experience alternating between ,spring and ,winter as he changes his levels4 ,,summer ,,ski-,,ing ,the only experience of ,summer ,ski-ing which ,i have had is on the ,jungfrau ,joch1 about #aa1ijj feet above the sea4 ,the ,berner ,oberland and ,jungfrau ,railways carry one up from ,interlaken to the ,joch where there is an excellent new hotel1 offering every possible comfort4 ,good ,ski-ing can be had on the glaciers and ,i am surprised that more people do not come out for practice during the ,summer4 ,the two great draw-backs to this ,ski-ing are1 firstly1 the expense and1 secondly1 the difficulty of breathing4 ,the expense is unavoidable because the carriage of building materials1 food1 etc4 to such a height must necessarily entail high prices4 ,glacier ,ski-ing1 except on the snow-field near the ,joch1 also usually necessitates the employment of ,guides4 ,but these snow-fields are so extensive and so safe that a week could be spent in practising without a ,guide4 ,after the first night on the ,joch the feeling of breathlessness is reduced1 and so long as all climbing is done slowly no bad effects need be expected by people in good health and condition4 ,the ,jungfrau ,joch can be reached from ,london in twenty-six hours1 and keen runners could enjoy a week or a fortnight of amusing ,ski-ing on snow which lends itself particularly well to the practice of all turns4 ,the ,jungfrau ,joch branch of the ,swiss ,ski ,club holds an annual meet on the ,joch in the month of ,july1 which is well attended by ,runners and ,jumpers from all parts of ,switzerland4 ,first-,class ,guides and ,ski ,instructors can be found at the ,joch4 ,people who would prefer not to sleep at so great a height could stay at the ,scheidegg or ,eiger ,gletscher1 at both of which places hotels exist4 ,in view of the shortness of ,winter holidays1 it seems a pity that more enthusiasts do not profit by the chance of practising which the ,jungfrau ,joch ,railway offers in ,summer time4 ,i have twice spent two days up there and have enjoyed them immensely4 ,the snow was very different to anything ,i ever met in ,winter1 but also very easy and filled me with confidence4 ,in ,july and ,august the crevasses show clearly and need not inspire anxiety in anyone1 except after a new fall of snow1 which may hide the smaller ones temporarily again4 ,there must be several square miles of perfectly safe ,ski-ing on the glaciers behind the ,joch1 which provide ,nursery slopes just as good as anything found in ,winter4 ,the gradients vary1 but it is easy to find stretches of #aj to #cj unbroken by crevasses4 ,anyone coming out to ski on the glaciers in ,summer time should bring with them their own ,skis or arrange to hire these at some ,winter ,sports centre in the valleys4 ,they should also be provided with all the ,ski-ing equipment they may need4 ,a few pairs of ,skis are kept for hiring purposes on the ,jungfrau ,joch1 but they are not very good ones and it would be better not to depend on them4 ,,regulations ,,of ,,the ,,british ,,ski ,,tests ,,as ,,approved ,,by ,,the ,,federal ,,council ,,of ,,british ,,ski ,,clubs4 #aibc4 ,,general ,,regulations4 #a4 ,the ,british ,standard ,ski ,tests have been drawn up by the ,federal ,council of ,british ,ski ,clubs1 hereinafter referred to as ,the ,council4 ,the ,council represents the following clubs1 which are named in the order of their foundation3 ,the ,davos ,ski ,club1 the ,ski ,club of ,great ,britain1 the ,alpine ,ski ,club1 the ,british ,ski ,association1 and the ,ladies' ,ski ,club4 #b4 ,the ,british ,standard ,ski ,tests are of two kinds3 ,cross ,country ,ski-ing ,tests and ,jumping ,tests4 ,there are three ,tests of each kind1 a ,first ,class ,test1 a ,second ,class ,test1 and a ,third ,class ,test4 #c4 ,the ,tests are open to all ski-runners without payment1 but successful candidates will only receive a certificate and badge if they are members or prospective members of one of the ,clubs represented on the ,council4 ,a candidate who has been proposed and seconded for a constituent ,club1 and who has paid a year's subscription1 and whose election is pending1 will be deemed a prospective member for the purpose of this rule4 ,the following sums will be payable for the badges4 ,these sums may be paid through the members' ,clubs or direct to the ,hon4 ,secretary of the ,council4 ,first ,class ,badge #ces4 ,second ,class ,badge #cs4 ,third ,class ,badge #bs4 #d4 ,in ,switzerland francs will be accepted instead of shillings in payment of badges4 #e4 ,certificates and badges will be awarded to any person who has passed the ,cross ,country ,ski-ing ,tests3 ,first ,class1 a gold badge2 ,second ,class1 a silver badge2 ,third ,class1 a bronze badge4 ,certificates will be issued to those who have passed the corresponding ,jumping ,tests1 and these certificates will entitle the holder to receive a ,jumping badge when the ,council authorizes the issue of new badges4 #f4 ,application for the badges1 accompanied by a certificate signed by two judges1 shall be made either to the local representative of the ,club or to the ,hon4 ,secretary of the ,council1 ,k4,r4 ,swan1 ,esq41 #a ,essex ,court1 ,temple1 within three months of the passing of the ,test4 #g4 ,certificate holders will alone be recognized as having passed the tests4 ,no certificate will be recognized as valid unless issued to a member of one of the constituent clubs of the ,council4 ,a list of those certified as having passed any of the tests will be issued periodically by the ,council4 #h4 ,judges4--,no candidate can be judged for any test nor for any part of a test unless two qualified ,judges are present4 ,no candidate can be passed for any part of a test except by being judged formally and knowing that he is being judged4 #i4 ,the ,judges are appointed by the ,council2 the appointment is for the season only4 ,judges and ,emergency ,judges must be of ,british nationality4 #aj4 ,the ,council also appoints an emergency committee1 any one of whom shall have the power to appoint temporary judges for the season only1 to act with a ,judge elected by the ,council4 ,such temporary judges shall only be qualified to judge such tests as they have themselves passed4 ,the appointment of an ,emergency ,judge will not be recognized by the ,council unless the appointment is notified to the ,secretary of the ,council4 ,,cross ,,country ,,ski-,,ing ,,tests4 ,,general ,,instructions ,,to ,,judges4 ,the following definitions may be taken as applying to the three tests3 ,stemming ,turns4--,for the purpose of these ,tests1 ,judges must insist that candidates shall adopt that type of stemming turn known as the lifted stemming turn1 that is to say1 the stemming turn which is finished by lifting round the inside ski4 ,telemarks4--,in the ,telemark the back ski should drop behind1 and the bend of the back ski should not be ahead of the ankle of the leading foot and should not be allowed to come forward till the turn is completed4 ,candidates who start the turn with a mixture of ordinary stemming should not be passed4 ,christianias4--,the ,christiania may be done either by separating the points of the ski and completed by bringing them parallel--the so-called open ,christiania2 or by keeping the ski parallel throughout and jerking them round1 the jerked ,christiania2 or by a very slight stem1 the ski being immediately brought parallel after the turn has started1 the so-called ,closed or ,stem ,christiania4 ,in every case the essence of the ,christiania is that the swing should be rapid1 and that the preliminary stemming or diverging of the skis should be as slight as possible4 ,a turn started by pronounced stemming and completed as a ,christiania should not be passed4 ,continuous ,turns are sometimes known as downhill turns4 ,they are used to connect one tack with another1 and differ from stop or uphill turns in that the turn is made away from the hill instead of up towards the hill4 ,candidates must not stop between two continuous turns4 ,hard ,snow4--,for the purpose of these tests1 any well-beaten down practice slope from which all traces of soft snow have disappeared may be considered as hard snow4 ,hard crust superficially softened by the sun cannot be considered as hard snow4 ,soft ,snow4--,for the purpose of these tests1 a deep layer of powder snow resting on hard crust1 or hard crust superficially softened by the sun1 but not breakable1 may be considered as soft snow4 ,form4--,the ,judges must consider the form of the runner1 as well as his speed and steadiness4 ,the distinguishing marks of good form are an easy balance without dependence on the sticks 7see below71 an erect position1 except on steep slopes1 and a narrow single spoor in soft snow4 ,use of the ,sticks4--,candidates should carry sticks throughout these tests1 but the sticks should not be used to reduce speed nor to help out a turn4 ,on the other hand1 a candidate may be allowed a prod with a single stick at the end of a turn provided that he is carrying a stick in each hand1 or in the event of the candidate using a single stick that this stick is only held in one of his hands4 ,he must not put both his sticks together1 nor hold a single stick in his two hands1 during any of these tests1 unless expressly directed to do so by the ,judge4 ,,the ,,third ,,class ,,test 7,,cross ,,country74 ,the ,third ,class ,test consists of three parts1 which may be passed on different days1 and before different ,judges4 ,part 7a74--,the ascent of #a1ejj feet in not more than #a hour #cj minutes1 and the descent of the same distance within a time which shall be decided by the ,judges4 ,this time shall not be less than #g minutes1 nor more than #bj minutes1 and shall not exceed #ab minutes unless sanctioned by a ,second ,class ,judge or member of the ,emergency ,committee who is present and judging4 ,part 7b74--,four continuous ,lifted ,stemming turns on a slope of hard snow or hard snow covered by a shallow layer of soft snow4 ,the angle of the slope to be between #ae-bj degrees4 ,part 7c74--,four continuous ,telemarks in soft snow on a slope of similar gradient4 ,,instructions ,,to ,,judges4 #a4 ,the course selected for ,part 7a7 should include at least #bjj feet of moderately difficult ground4 ,courses such as the ,lauberhorn at ,wengen1 which is an unbroken descent of #a1ejj feet that a good runner could take straight1 should not be chosen4 ,no part of the course should be along a road4 #b4 ,throughout the ,test candidates must carry rucksacks1 which should weigh about six lbs4 for men1 and three lbs4 for ladies4 ,the ski must not be removed during the test1 except to clean or repair them4 #c4 ,the ,judges should1 if possible1 appoint two time-keepers4 ,during the descent not more than six candidates must be judged in one batch4 #d4 ,not more than three attempts at ,part 7b71 and not more than three attempts at ,part 7c7 are allowed on the same day4 #e4 ,the attention of the ,judges is directed to the ,general ,instructions4 ,the gradient on which ,third ,class candidates are expected to do their turns is gentle1 as the intention is to secure that candidates should master the proper methods1 so as to be able later to make real use of the turns on steep slopes4 ,judges are therefore urged to insist that the stemming turns and ,telemarks are done correctly and in good style4 ,each turn should be short1 well defined1 and not a mere change of direction4 ,,qualifying ,,test ,,for ,,the ,,second ,,class 7,,cross ,,country74 ,no ,candidate may enter for ,parts 7a71 7b7 and 7c7 of the ,second ,class ,test until he has passed the ,qualifying ,test1 and no ,candidate may enter for the ,qualifying ,test until he has passed the ,third ,class ,test4 ,the ,qualifying ,test consists of three parts1 which may be passed on different days and before different judges1 but which must all be passed in the same season4 ,part 7a74--,four continuous ,lifted ,stemming turns on a slope of hard snow at an angle of #be-cj degrees4 ,part 7b74--,four continuous ,telemark turns on a slope of soft snow at an angle of #be-cj degrees4 ,part 7c74--,christiania swings to a standstill 7right and left7 from a direct descent at a fair speed4 ,,instructions ,,to ,,judges4 #a4 ,not more than three attempts at any one part should be allowed on the same day4 #b4 ,the ,christianias should be done on the level or on a gentle slope after a descent from a steep slope1 as a stop ,christiania is more difficult on the level than on the slope4 #c4 ,the ,judges must require a considerably higher standard of steadiness and certainty than in the ,third ,class ,test4 ,the object of the ,third ,class ,test is to ensure that candidates learn the correct methods of making the turns4 ,the object of the ,second ,class ,test is to ensure that candidates can make practical use of these turns on moderately steep slopes4 ,,the ,,second ,,class ,,test 7,,cross ,,country74 ,the ,second ,class ,test consists of three parts1 which must all be passed in the same season1 and should1 if possible1 be judged by the same ,judges4 ,part 7a74--,a descent of not less than #b1ejj feet1 mainly on soft snow4 ,the course selected should provide opportunities for straight running on reasonably steep slopes4 ,part 7b74--,a descent of not less than #a1jjj feet on hard snow1 such as unbreakable crust or snow which has been thoroughly beaten down4 ,part 7c74--,a descent of at least #ejj feet of woodrunning1 dense enough to prevent straight running1 but not too dense to prevent continuous turns4 #a4 ,a ,second ,class runner may be defined as a runner who can run at a good speed on hard or soft snow of unvarying quality1 and who is1 above all1 thoroughly steady on his turns4 ,a runner who runs recklessly without judgment1 and who shows little power of selecting a safe line1 should not be passed even if he takes slopes straight at the expense of frequent falls4 ,the ,second ,class ,test is1 in the main1 a test of steady controlled ski-ing at a good1 but not at a racing speed4 #b4 ,candidates must not use their sticks to control speed nor to help out a turn except under very exceptional circumstances and with the express permission of the ,judges4 ,the ,judges must1 however1 satisfy themselves that the ,candidates understand the use of the stick1 and could1 in emergencies1 where speed is vital1 increase their speed and steadiness on difficult snow by the use of the stick4 ,,qualifying ,,test ,,for ,,the ,,first ,,class 7,,cross ,,country74 ,no candidate may enter for ,parts 7a71 7b7 and 7c7 of the ,first ,class ,test until he has passed the ,qualifying ,test that entitles him to be judged for the ,first ,class ,test1 and no candidate may enter for this ,qualifying ,test until he has passed the ,second ,class ,test4 ,the ,qualifying ,test consists of five parts1 which may be judged on different days and before different ,judges1 but which must all be passed in the same season4 ,part 7a74--,four continuous lifted ,stemming turns on a slope of hard snow at an angle of not less than #cj degrees4 ,part 7b74--,four continuous ,telemark turns on a slope of soft snow at an angle of not less than #cj4 ,part 7c74--,four consecutive jump-turns to connect downhill tacks on a slope of breakable crust at an angle of about #cj degrees4 ,part 7d74--,christiania swings to a standstill 7right and left7 from a direct descent at a very high speed4 ,part 7e74--,four continuous ,christiania 7see ,general ,instructions7 on a slope of about #bj degrees4 ,,instructions ,,to ,,judges4 #a4 ,the turns must be done round sticks or flags placed by the ,judges4 #b4 ,not more than three attempts at any one part are allowed on the same day4 #c4 ,soft breakable crust will usually be found on slopes with a southerly exposure just after the sun has struck them or just before the sun leaves them4 ,,first ,,class ,,test 7,,cross ,,country ,,ski-,,ing74 ,the ,first ,class ,test consists of three parts1 which must all be passed in the same season and should1 if possible1 be passed by the same ,judges4 ,if this is impracticable1 ,judges must indicate on the ,test forms which parts they have judged4 ,not more than two parts shall be judged on the same day4 ,part 7a74--,a descent of not less than #b1ejj feet1 which should1 if possible1 be continuous without any intervening stretches of level or uphill4 ,the course selected must provide ample opportunity for fast1 straight running1 and must also include a fair proportion of steep and difficult ground4 ,part 7b74--,a descent of not less than #a1jjj feet on really difficult snow1 such as hard1 wind-swept1 unbreakable crust1 on which ,lifted ,stemming turns are practicable but ,telemarks impossible1 varied by breakable crust in which only ,jump turns are practicable4 ,part 7c74--,a descent of not less than #ejj feet of difficult woodrunning in which continuous turns are just possible for a first-class runner44 ,the above represents a minimum1 rather than a maximum4 ,if ,judges can devote sufficient time to the ,test1 each section may well be repeated on different days in order that the ,judges may have ample opportunity of coming to a decision4 ,for a descent of about #ejj feet1 the candidate should lead in order to test his capacity for choosing a good line4 ,during the rest of the ,test one of the ,judges must lead and must set a first-class speed4 ,the other ,judge must remain behind the candidate in order to compare his speed and steadiness with that of the leading ,judge4 ,a ,first ,class runner turns as little as possible and slows up as little as possible before each turn4 ,his turns are done at a high speed on all but very steep ground4 ,the candidate must satisfy the ,judges that his running combines high speed1 thorough steadiness on difficult ground and difficult snow1 and an easy1 effortless control of his ski4 ,,ski-,,jumping ,,tests4 ,,general ,,regulations4 #a4 ,the length of a jump shall be measured with a taut tape from the edge of the take-off to that point at which the hindermost ski touches the alighting track with the part immediately below the binding4 #b4 ,to constitute a standing jump the runner must not fall within a distance of #dj metres from the edge of the take-off or within a distance of #fj metres where the jump1 as in the ,first ,class ,test1 exceeds #cj metres4 ,if the runner comes to a standstill without falling within this distance he will be held to have stood4 #c4 ,if a runner saves himself from falling by supporting himself with his hands1 he shall be considered to have fallen4 ,,third ,,class ,,test 7,,jumping74 #a4 ,every ,candidate is required to make two standing jumps of not less than #aj metres4 ,four attempts are allowed on the same day4 #b4 ,any two ,judges appointed by the ,council for the ,cross ,country ,ski-ing ,tests are qualified to judge this ,test4 ,,second ,,class ,,test 7,,jumping74 #a4 ,every ,candidate is required to make two standing jumps of not less than #bj metres4 ,four attempts are allowed on any one day4 #b4 ,any two ,second ,class ,judges appointed by the ,federal ,council for ,cross ,country ,ski-ing ,tests may judge this ,test4 ,any ,candidate who has passed this ,test may replace one of the ,second ,class ,judges4 ,,first ,,class ,,test 7,,jumping74 #a4 ,every ,candidate is required to make two standing jumps of not less than #cj metres4 ,four attempts are allowed on any one day4 #b4 ,two ,second ,class ,judges appointed by the ,federal ,council for ,cross ,country ,ski-ing may judge this ,test4 ,any ,candidate who has passed the ,second ,class ,jumping ,test may act in place of one of the ,second ,class ,judges4 ,,index ,accidents ,adelboden ,alpine ,club ,huts ,ambulance ,sledge ,andermatt ,aneroid ,arosa ,attractions of ,ski-ing ,avalanches ,bergun ,bernese ,oberland ,bernina ,bindings ,boots ,campfer ,cap ,care of ,equipment ,celerina ,clothing ,clubs ,coats ,compass ,cost of ,ski-ing ,holiday ,crampons ,cutting the ,track ,dangerous tracks ,davos ,diablerets ,discarded ,skis1 disposal of ,elements of ,ski-ing ,engadine ,engelberg ,equipment ,equipment ,list ,etiquette ,falls ,fex ,thal ,finding the ,way ,first ,aid ,equipment ,foot plates ,gloves ,gradients ,graubunden or ,grisons ,grindelwald ,gstaad ,guides ,hat ,heights ,history of ,ski-ing ,inn ,valley ,instructors ,iron for waxing ,julier ,pass ,jungfrau ,joch ,kandersteg ,kesch ,klosters ,knife ,lantern ,lap ,thong ,lauterbrunnen ,lenzerheide ,light ,lifting a ,ski ,maloja ,maps ,mending ,outfit ,montana ,morgins ,muottas ,muraigl ,murren ,nursery ,slopes ,oiling ,skis ,boots ,bindings ,para ,iron ,parsenn ,pockets ,pontresina ,puttees ,putting on ,skis ,rettungs ,chef ,rhone ,valley ,right of ,way ,rucksack ,runaway ,skis ,saanenmoser ,samaden ,scheidegg ,schuls ,scraper ,search ,parties ,side ,slipping ,side ,stepping ,signals of ,distress ,silvaplana ,sils-,maria ,ski-ing ,centres ,skins 7,seal7 ,skis ,snow ,soft ,hard ,crust ,sticky ,socks ,spare ,binding ,spare ,clothing ,spare ,ski ,tip ,spectacles ,splugen ,sticks ,st4 ,moritz ,stockings ,straight ,running ,summer ,ski-ing ,sweaters ,tests ,elementary ,third ,class ,second ,class ,first ,class ,regulations ,jumping ,toe ,irons ,traversing ,uphill ,work ,villars ,wax ,wengen ,wind ,jacket ,zuoz