La Plagne Turns 50

August 10, 2011 – 9:55 am

La Plagne will be celebrating its 50th birthday this winter, marking the start of an era in which all the newer, or ‘third generation’, ski resorts in the Alps built during the 1960s hit the big 5-0.

On the 21st of December 2011 the resort is planning a celebratory evening of entertainment. The show will be a ‘home-grown’, grass roots tribute to the resort with a cast made up of locals, including the ski schools, lift operating company, Club de Sport, and past and present ski champions. After the main show a firework display will take place on the Plagne Centre.

A commemorative book and DVD will also be published to commemorate the anniversary. They will retrace the story of la Plagne over the last 50 years and showcase photos and authentic documents retrieved from locals’ pasts.

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4 of the Best Ski Resorts Picks for 2012

July 25, 2011 – 4:22 pm

Snow skiing is a sport loved around the world. Finding a truly luxurious resort that can combine the need for great skiing with opulent elegance can be confusing. Here are three picks for the 2012 season.

Hotel Edelweiss & Gurgl Austria
Gurgl
The Edelweiss is located adjacent to snow sure slopes. This fabulous resort is located at the far end of the Otz Valley. It sits among challenging peaks and glaciers. There are a wide range of blue and red runs. Conditions are best from November through May.

Non-skiers can explore the village of Festkogel for unique shopping opportunities. There is an active night life too. The resort features indoor pools, spas, steam rooms and gym. Massages are offered by local vendors. There is also an in-house ski and sports shop.

The resort offers first-class accommodations. The hunting-style lodge offers and authentic ski chalet atmosphere. All the modern amenities are standard in the spacious rooms. There is a breakfast buffet and four-course dinner daily. There are various room options from two bedroom suites to standard twin rooms. The resort is somewhat intimate with only one hundred and thirty rooms.

Alpe d’Huez, Chalet Sarenne
Alpe d'Huez
This Chalet is in the heart of the Alpe d’Huez, and is a charming traditional Chalet that has recently been given a fantastic plush refurbishment keeping all the original charm just a lovely place to come back to after a solid days hitting the slopes. This Luxury Chalet has an open plan lounge, a hot tub, and amazing views over the very peaks of the National Park.

The Alpe d’Huez resort if fantastic for beginners with lots of long green runs, and the central bowl is split into different zones catering for lots of different levels abilities so you intermediate and advanced skiers will be happy to. As you will see Alpe d huez skiing offers a wonderful expansive skiing experience and staying in the heart of the resort you are 10 minutes away from the lifts and facilities such as bar, restaurants and a fabulous ice rink and its touches like that as to why it makes our top four.

Badrutts Palace Hotel St. Moritz, Switzerland
Megeve
Badrutts sits in the Swiss Alps just above the village of St. Moritz. There is something for everyone here, from beginners to experts. Any winter sport imaginable is offered in the area. Ice skating, cross country skiing, snowboarding, and more are all within easy access.

Non- skiers will find plenty to occupy their time too. Pools, sauna, health club, spa and more will fill the days. Shopping abounds in St. Moritz. There are a plethora of restaurants to sample. For the sports oriented there are indoor tennis, ice skating rink, and gym on the premises.

Rooms are magnificent each one has a different theme. There are 165 rooms in categories from suites to standards. They all feature marble bathrooms, designer amenities, and exquisite linens. The staff is fabulous and stands ready to help at a moment’s notice. This hotel offers a contemporary feel in a historical content. This is luxury.

Chalet du Mont d’Arbois, Megeve France
Megeve
High in the French Alps sits this luxury chalet. The resort aims to fit into the environment and take advantage of the beauty of the area. This is one of France’s original resorts, opened in the 1920s. It has always been known as a high-end hotel that caters to the rich and famous.

Guest rooms are free standing apartments. They are decorated and decked out in the best of the best. No expense was spared to create a memorable experience for guests. Large fireplaces, leather furnishings and lavish baths create the perfect chateau feel. Guest are pampered with a choice of five restaurants offering chef prepared cuisine.

Skiers will enjoy a sure snow situation with lifts appropriate for all ages. Non-skiers can enjoy a day at the spa or spend time shopping. Guests who like to be active can go swimming, or visit the gym. Personal trainers are available to enhance the experience.

By Nick | Posted in Ski Guides, Ski break ideas | Comments (0)

Inghams Add New Resorts, New Chalets and New Routes

July 22, 2011 – 11:26 am

Inghams have announced new initiatives and improvements to their programme for winter 2011-12.

The company, one of the UK’s biggest operators, offers holidays to 86 resorts in 10 different countries with flights from over 20 UK airports.  For 2011-12 the company will add 9 new resort choices, 42 new chalet/chalet hotels and more.

The company has put an onus on high-altitude destinations and will also offer Friday departures in December so that guests don’t need to travel on Christmas or New Year’s Eve which falls on a Saturday this year.

“We recognise that times are still hard out there, and the new brochure responds to that overwhelmingly important issue by going all out to give skiers outstanding value for money.” said Inghams CEO Andy Perrin, “The new chalets are a key part of this drive, with so much already included in the price.”

www.inghams.co.uk

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Ski Resorts of the Great Silk Road

March 1, 2011 – 5:19 pm

This is a guest post contributed by Oli Corkhill of Alpine Guru.

It’s been a while since I’ve been in Azerbaijan, around eight years to be exact. About two years back I heard of a development in the north east of the country, Shagdah mountain resort with the top elevation at 4243 m.

Now you may be asking yourself why you’d want to fly off to Azerbaijan for your holiday instead of just heading to France, for one Easy Jet haven’t opened up a route yet. Although you’d never know.

The resort hasn’t opened just yet, it’ll be welcoming tourists for the first time next season, but I wanted to bring this up in a blog post to gauge people’s inclination to ski in such places. The whole Central Asian group of countries, from Azerbaijan through to Uzebekistan and Kazakhstan have fantastic skiing, incredible culture and are welcoming places. With this seasons average snowfall across the Alps, would those who go on a ten day or two week trip have a desire to head off to these locations as an alternative?

I’m not talking about those of you who are seeking an adventure, as despite there being no overload of information on these skiing locations you’d still head off. I’m talking about your family holiday, is it unthinkable that such locations could blend into the norms of Switzerland, France and Austria?

Perhaps I’m letting my imagination run away from me a little, for now at any rate.

The project in Azerbaijan will be costing the Azeri’s and numerous investors upwards of 700 million USD (and I’m sure this will be on its way upwards of a billion shortly.) Now for that amount of cash we can expect something pretty impressive and worthy of a vacation. I for one will be heading there next season to support this new resort, and hopefully ski a lot of untouched powder.

Russia are too, seeking investment for multiple similar developments in their cut of the Caucuses, although Russia are seeking a substantial amount more capital than the Azeri’s. With Sochi the next location for the winter Olympics in 2014 we could and should see a rise in these resorts appeal to those in Europe.

For more information on Shadag ski resort take a look at www.shahdag.az/eng

Oli Corkhill is a director at Alpine Guru, www.alpineguru.com – a fanatical skier who can’t seem to stay in once place for longer than a month. Connect with Oli on twitter @olicorkhill

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UK’s Biggest Indoor Snow Centre To Open By 2014

January 31, 2011 – 12:00 pm

The UK’s largest indoor snow centre is due to open by 2014. Ground work is due to start in the next few months on the SnOasis project. The news was confirmed by Mr Godfrey Spanner, managing director of the project, to the BBC.

Mr Spanner has said that ground work will begin in March and the project will be completed by 2014. The project is now 10 years in the making and is estimated to cost £350 million. The project involves creating an indoor winter resort incorporating a 415m long indoor ski slope, ice rink, facilities for 14 winter sports, hotels, shops and accommodation on a former quarry.

“We’re scheduled for the second quarter of 2014 but at this minute I’m working with the team to see if we couldn’t get the snow dome itself operating before that time,” Mr Spanner told the BBC. “One of the planning conditions is that we must start the snow dome first.”

The SnOasis project was given the go ahead several years ago, just before the economic crash. It has been hit by delays that Mr Spanner says have been down to satisfying ecological concerns regarding rare newts in the area.

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New Technology Set to Improve Helmet Safety

January 28, 2011 – 4:41 pm

Burton Snowboards has signed a deal to allow technology from Swedish company MIPS (Multi-directional Impact Protection System) to be implemented into their helmets.

MIPS say that by mimicking and reinforcing the brain’s own protection methods, their technology reduces the risk of brain damage, setting a new standard in helmet safety.

A statement from MIPS said, “Helmets on the market today are based on the same technology that was developed during the 70’s. They provide adequate protection but they don’t protect against brain damage caused by an angled impact to the head. The MIPS protection system reduces the risk of brain damage by mimicking the brain’s own protection system, using a unique sliding low-friction layer between the head and the helmet liner. This means the new R.E.D. helmets can absorb more energy created by an angled impact to the head (which is how most head injuries occur). By designing technology addressing how accidents actually occur, these new standards will help to minimize the risk involved with angled impact to the head.”

The first Burton helmet that will have the technology integrated into its design will be The Burton R.E.D. 2012 “HI FI” helmet. The model was used by six out of seven snowboard medal winners at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and will be available in shops worldwide from August 2011.

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Top Resorts For Late Season Skiing

January 11, 2011 – 11:55 am

Late season skiing has long been the secret of the seasoned skier. While the rest of us have put our poles back in the attic for another year, they’re jetting down the slopes well into May.

There are numerous benefits to skiing in the Spring. For starters, its cheaper – the later in the season you visit, the lower the cost of lift passes, accommodation, rentals and travel. Taken together, this all adds up to a smaller dent in the bank balance and more time in the snow. Skiing or snowboarding in late season means fewer people on the slopes and fewer people queuing for a lift too. Couple that with the longer daylight hours and you’ll be looking at a far more enjoyable holiday.

There are plenty of places around the world naturally equipped for late season skiing. Below are some of the top resorts for hitting the slopes well past March. Some are at high altitude, others are on glaciers, but all of them have brilliant snow in the Spring.

As Europe’s highest ski resort, Val Thorens in France is one of the best places to go. With most of the slopes above the 2000m mark, the lifts are kept running right through to May.

Riksgransen in Sweden borders Norway and is one of the world’s most northerly ski resorts, meaning its best conditions are often found later in the season and keeps its doors open right through until June.

Another of Sweden’s resorts, Are, is Northern Europe’s largest and most advanced. 100 pistes and regular night skiing make Are a big draw in late season skiing.

At Tignes, in France, the main resort’s season stops in May while on the Tignes glacier the season doesn’t even begin until June, where powder-fiends can enjoy 20km of runs and an impressive vertical drop of over 750m.

Switzerland’s Saas Fee sits between 1800m and 3500m and has access to a glacier. The charming resort offers late-season skiers lots of snow and plenty of fun.

Livigno in Italy has a season that lasts into early May. The resort’s tax-free status means that food and drink are terrific value. One of the largest terrain parks and pistes up to 3000m make Livigno a top draw for late season skiers.

The Japanese resort of Gassan is located on the main island of Honshu. Often getting snow up to 8m means that the resort doesn’t even open until April because it’s inaccessible before then.

All of these resorts continue to provide top class skiing conditions at times of the year many others can’t. So book your flight, pack up your equipment, and enjoy some late-season skiing like the pros.

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Gourmet Ski Holidays

November 8, 2010 – 10:14 am

These days a good ski holiday isn’t just about the skiing, with more and more chalet companies offering those little ‘extras’, our holidays are becoming quite indulgent.

In the past, when booking your average ski chalet holiday you didn’t spend too much time thinking about the food – Spaghetti Bolognese and Macaroni Cheese were a staple diet and you were lucky to get a couple of glasses of cheap plonk to wash it down. Quite often, this was all served by a tipsy 18 year old who had just popped back from the pub to dish up your meal!

But not anymore. These days, chalet companies are putting every effort into making sure that your ski holiday is enhanced by your dining experience. You spend your day on the slopes looking forward to sitting down for a meal that you might order in a high class restaurant, served with free flowing and good quality wine.

Now, chalet chefs are often experienced professionals who will prepare a weekly menu directed by your tastes and preferences. Vegans and vegetarians don’t have to make do with an omelette every night as these chefs are creative and can tweak their mountain menus to any requirements, often using organic and local produce.

Victoria Christopher, owner of Piste & Peaks, whose chalets in Italy & Bulgaria were shortlisted for “The Times Chalet Chef 2010 Award”, believes that great food is an essential part of a chalet holiday. ‘Chalet holidays are about being spoilt – from the hot tubs and saunas to having everything organised for you; coming back to the chalet for a truly gourmet meal makes the holiday a real treat. If you only ski for one week of the year, it should be special’.

By Nick | Posted in Guest posts | Comments (0)

How to Shoot Snowboard Photos

October 21, 2010 – 9:37 am

With every trip you take and every magazine you read, there’s always a small part of you that wants to have taken that amazing picture, The one you see on your favourite website or in your favourite magazine or even in your daily newspaper. Snow photos are everywhere and they’re all the more evident when we hit the new season so why not take a little look at the guide I’ve put together on how to take snowboarding photographs and who knows, maybe one day you’ll be in those websites, magazines and newspapers.

- If you want to take THAT photo or become THAT photographer you’ll need to invest money into your equipment. If you don’t then you’re more likely to be parading your photos to the crowd of people on Facebook you call your ‘friends’. Get yourself an SLR (film) or DSLR (digital), some lenses and film/memory cards. Try using a point and shoot camera and you’ll see the vast difference between these and the SLRs.

- Let the shot tell the story. If the skier is heading in one direction or he’s come from one direction then allow your shot to show this. It’s always good to have a point of reference.

- A lot of photographers say that you should never take a photo with the subject right in the middle of the shot and, more often than not, this is completely correct. Technically, you have control of what makes it into the photo so whatever you think will make the photo more interesting, gives it that little extra depth or compliments the angle, shoot it. If not, pack up and move on.

- Make you rider stand out! It’s so important to make the focus of your shot stand out from whatever else is contesting for 15 minutes of fame. Lenses will also help in this area. If you manage to get yourself in the middle of a halfpipe a fisheye lens will increase the sense of height and Shaun White will thank you for that when you become his official photographer!

- Here comes the technical stuff: Shutter speeds. The standard shutter speed you want to go with is 1/1000 second and f5.6 with a film speed of 100 iSO. If you’re losing light the simple solution is to open up the aperture or increase the ISO.

So that’s a quick guide on how to take the best snowboarding photos. Give it a try and if you enjoy it, then I’ll see you in the next issue of all the snowboard magazines!

Happy shooting!

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Spring Conditions in Southern Hemisphere Bring Mixed Weather

September 22, 2010 – 3:00 pm

Most Australian resorts are currently reporting fast changing weather conditions. A beautiful, clear spring day, complete with blue skies will change to wind and rain one moment to the next.

One skier at Mt Hotham said on Monday “it’s 3.48pm on Monday afternoon. I can feel a couple of sun kissed freckles emerging on my nose and I’m short of breath. I feel fantastic. Our quick expedition to Orchard can only be described as unexpected. There was no indication, not even a whisper, of the incessant rain that poured down on Hotham over the weekend. I expected hard ice or wet slush, I was definitely not expecting the foot of fresh, light powder we got.”

An optimistic spokesperson told a similar story at Mt Bullet, where the resort has a 93cm (over 3 feet) base and 18 lifts running.

“Spring really has come on the mountain, and brought a mixed bag of weather with it over the week. Yesterday we had beautiful bluebird conditions, but today we expect to see cloudy skies, moderate to strong winds and highs of 3 degrees. With a strong front crossing the Alps, rain may come at times with thunderstorms being a possibility in the afternoon and evening. Looking ahead, showers and rain are expected tomorrow, falling as snow at times until the late afternoon. We expect these wetter conditions to change to snow by the weekend, and snow showers have been forecast for Saturday and Sunday!”

Broadly speaking, it’s a similar picture in post-earthquake New Zealand, with changeable weather and spring snow conditions reported in both areas on Mt Ruapehu (Turoa and Whakapapa).

A spokesperson said “the mountain saw 25cm of fresh snow coming on from the west last Thursday. More cold, wet snow from south-easterly winds topped his up on Friday night. On Saturday morning, locals woke to a picture perfect postcard view of snow covered lawns, with Ohakune and National Park covered in snow. The start of the week saw this change to heavy rain, but both ski areas still have good cover from top to bottom.”

Most resorts in New Zealand have seen new snow. Mt Hutt has got just over two metres of snow (7 feet) and received another 10cm on Saturday. At Treble cones there’s up to 180cm (6 feet) lying. The New Zealand ski season looks like it’s still got life in it yet.

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