Ski Resort and Snow News - November 2011
Terrain Parks and Pipes Open Out West
Published : 30-Nov-2011 05:23
The big snowfalls in Western North America have allowed resorts to open terrain features early.
Copper Mountain in Colorado has opened its superpipe already, claiming to be the first in North America.
In California, Mammoth's Unbound Terrain Park will, "continue to evolve" through the coming winter the resort says.
Read the full Article : Terrain Parks and Pipes Open Out West
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Views : 2,237
Also on J2Ski :- Mammoth Mountain Snow Forecast Ski Hotels
Bulgarian Minister Describes Bansko’s Operating Contract as ‘Absurd’
Published : 29-Nov-2011 02:34
The Bulgarian Government's Environment Minister, Nona Karadzhova, has described the contact which allows the Yulen company, operators of pistes and lifts at Bansko, often referred to as the leading resort in Eastern Europe, as 'absurd.'
Earlier this year Karadzhova angered Bulgarian environmental groups by finally confirming that some of the lifts and runs at Bansko had been built illegally on national parkland that is also a UNESCO World Heritage site, but then saying the Bulgarian government would not make the company remove the lifts and pistes but would instead change their operating agreement to make the illegal construction, legal.
Read the full Article : Bulgarian Minister Describes Bansko’s Operating Contract as ‘Absurd’
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Views : 2,134
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More Ski Areas open in Utah
Published : 28-Nov-2011 01:09
This just in - a quick round up of what's open in Utah :
24 Inches of snow at Park City - runs open
21 Inches at Canyons (next to 2002 Olympic venue Park City) - runs open
28 inches at Brighton - runs open
29 Inches snow at Alta - runs open
Read the full Article : More Ski Areas open in Utah
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Views : 2,270
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Work Until 6pm In The UK, Be Skiing The Alps At 8am
Published : 28-Nov-2011 09:46
A new shuttle bus service from Zurich Airport to Engelberg at 11pm at night means that skiers arriving on 27 different evening flights from around Europe can be in the resort soon after midnight ready to ski after a good night's sleep.
Engelberg-Titlis is the closest snowsure ski resort to Zürich Airport and now offers the late shuttle transfer each Thursday and Friday until late April. It takes less than 90 minutes to reach the resort but those intending to use the service must register to do so at least 48 hours in advance before their arrival via www.engelberg.ch/en/airport_shuttle
Read the full Article : Work Until 6pm In The UK, Be Skiing The Alps At 8am
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Views : 3,302
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Cervinia Big Spender
Published : 27-Nov-2011 02:11
There are major improvements at Italy's Cervinia ski resort this winter with the completion of a new cable car that climbs to the Swiss border and makes the connection to neighbouring Zermatt and Europe's highest lifts.
The new 140-place Cime Bianche Laghi – Plateau Rosà lift has all new cabins with panoramic windows for great views of the spectacular scenery.
Read the full Article : Cervinia Big Spender
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Views : 7,764
Also on J2Ski :- Breuil-Cervinia Snow Forecast Ski Hotels Ski Rental
Spending At Cairngorm, Just Need Snow
Published : 26-Nov-2011 05:34
Many of Scotland's mountains turned white yesterday as blizzard conditions brought snowlines down to quite low levels. But the weather is currently in roller coaster mode and temperatures short back in to double figures today, thawing a lot of it.
CairnGorm Mountain (www.cairngormmountain.co.uk), which has attracted over a quarter of a million skiers in the course of the last two seasons and celebrates 50 years of mechanised uplift next month, has devoted significant effort and expense into the maintenance of CairnGorm Mountain's skiing infrastructure over the summer, and announced some improvements too.
Read the full Article : Spending At Cairngorm, Just Need Snow
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Views : 2,608
Also on J2Ski :- Cairngorm Mountain Snow Forecast Ski Hotels
Canada Just Keeps Getting Snowier
Published : 25-Nov-2011 09:09
Canada couldn't really hope for a better start to winter 2011-12. While snow deliveries to the Alps for the start of winter seem to have been put on hold and Scandinavia is sweltering under its warmest November for 100 years, Western Canadian resorts are reporting huge and on-going snowfalls that have brought more than 2 metres of snow so far this season to some and it seems 3m tallies are just days away as the snow continues.
Read the full Article : Canada Just Keeps Getting Snowier
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Views : 3,245
Also on J2Ski :- Whistler Blackcomb Snow Forecast Ski Hotels
Get In Shape With Mr Bell
Published : 24-Nov-2011 04:13
City slickers who want to get in shape for the coming winter are being offered a free 'boot camp' by ski celebrity, ex-Olympic skier, BBC presenter and all round good guy Graham Bell – all thanks to an initiative by Swiss International Air Lines kicks.
Read the full Article : Get In Shape With Mr Bell
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Views : 2,644
Also on J2Ski :- Verbier Snow Forecast Ski Hotels Ski Rental
Val Thorens opens Tomorrow, Ischgl Friday
Published : 23-Nov-2011 01:37
Conditions aren't great in Europe at the moment, it's been too warm for the mighty arsenal of snow cannons to work much and the last good snowfalls were three weeks ago, and then only in places. The problem has affected everywhere on the continent it seems – from the Arctic Circle down to the Pyrenees and from the Western side to the east.
Read the full Article : Val Thorens opens Tomorrow, Ischgl Friday
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Views : 3,282
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Survey Finds 94% Of Experienced Skiers Don't Wear Helmets
Published : 22-Nov-2011 10:19
A new survey paid for by the Post Office has found that over half of skiers admit they rarely or never wear a helmet when on the slopes (51 per cent), despite the risk of serious injury.
The research released today by Post Office Travel Insurance Research was conducted for them by a company called Populus last month (October 2011) among 508 UK adults who have been on a skiing holiday within the last five years.
Read the full Article : Survey Finds 94% Of Experienced Skiers Don't Wear Helmets
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Views : 14,447
Also on J2Ski :- Cairngorm Mountain Snow Forecast Ski Hotels
PowderBeds Launch Ski Accommodation in Switzerland
Published : 22-Nov-2011 11:37
Switzerland
Home to some of the most stunning mountains with enormous lift-served verticals, it boasts the world's very first winter sports resort, St Moritz and a flawless transport system that is seamless from airport to resort.
Ski Accommodation Retailer, PowderBeds has teamed up with the Swiss Tourist Board to launch over 80 new Swiss Ski Hotels in 18 of Switzerland's very best ski resorts. The latest technology allows PowderBeds.com to offer its customers the very best range of products at the best prices as well as the latest top deals as soon as they're released and access to the most ski hotel availability in Switzerland online.
Read the full Article : PowderBeds Launch Ski Accommodation in Switzerland
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Views : 3,891
Also on J2Ski :- Zermatt Snow Forecast Ski Hotels Ski Rental
Tour Operator Boss Gives Booking Advice for Coming Winter
Published : 21-Nov-2011 09:05
Anyone still waiting to secure their ski holiday for the coming winter might be interested to hear the views of one leading tour operator on how 2011-12 looks set to play out, particularly for families.
"Our reservation team tell me that quite a lot of clients still haven't yet realised that most English schools break up on Friday 16 December so families can get a week of skiing and be back for Christmas and pay 25-40% less than following week,"
Read the full Article : Tour Operator Boss Gives Booking Advice for Coming Winter
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Views : 10,155
Also on J2Ski :- Flaine Snow Forecast Ski Hotels Ski Rental
Fencing Fest At Nevis Range
Published : 20-Nov-2011 10:48
Scottish skiing has always relied a good deal on its snow fencing. Though rarely mentioned in PR, strong winds hitting the exposed, treeless slopes of the highlands can created both fun-filled drifts and blast the snow from the slopes. Snow fencing holds the snow on the mountain side.
Read the full Article : Fencing Fest At Nevis Range
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Views : 2,271
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Utah Resorts Propose Gondola Connection
Published : 19-Nov-2011 05:55
Plans to connect two Utah ski areas with a gondola lift have received a mixed reaction.
Under the plan, already named 'SkiLink' and given its own website – skilink.com, Canyons ski area near Park City and Solitude would be connected by an eight seat gondola that would connect the two in 11 minutes with a capacity of 1000 passengers per hour.
Read the full Article : Utah Resorts Propose Gondola Connection
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Views : 3,432
Also on J2Ski :- Park City Snow Forecast Ski Hotels
Where’s the Best, East or West?
Published : 18-Nov-2011 02:49
North America is currently winning the battle for best season start conditions with more than 50 ski areas expected to be open there this weekend which European resorts that had planned to open including Austria's Obertauern, Val Thorens in France and Davos in Switzerland have all delayed doing so due to warm weather.
Read the full Article : Where’s the Best, East or West?
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Views : 4,945
Also on J2Ski :- Val Thorens Snow Forecast Ski Hotels Ski Rental
Snow Forecast Summary - 17th November 2011
Published : 18-Nov-2011 09:12
This week saw recent patterns continue; the effects of La Nina brought more snows to North American resorts, whilst the European Alps saw very little snow.
European Weather and Snow This Coming Week
Much of the Alpine area will continue to experience above average temperatures for a few more days at least, although temperatures are dropping and most forecasts indicate seasonal averages prevailing within a week or so. The weather will remain settled and (unfortunately) dry for most areas into next week.
Read the full Article : Snow Forecast Summary - 17th November 2011
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Views : 2,378
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Lake Louise offers early season’s highest vertical
Published : 18-Nov-2011 08:52
Lake Louise opens more expert terrain
Fantastic early season conditions at The Lake Louise Ski Area has allowed the resort to open up expert terrain and access to the highest early season vertical in North America. Thanks to consecutive days of snowfall and the hard work of the Mountain Operations and Avalanche Control teams the resort is off to a great start.
Read the full Article : Lake Louise offers early season’s highest vertical
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Views : 2,460
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New Rail Packages to the Austrian Tirol Launched
Published : 16-Nov-2011 05:19
Skiers and boarders will be able to enjoy two extra days on Austria's slopes with the launch of new rail-inclusive ski packages to three resorts in the Tirol: Alpbach, Hopfgarten, and Söll.
Skiers will travel by Eurostar to Paris and then take a City Night Line sleeper train to Wörgl station, from where it is a short taxi ride up to the resorts.
Read the full Article : New Rail Packages to the Austrian Tirol Launched
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Views : 4,871
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Sunshine Village to open November 17th 2011
Published : 16-Nov-2011 07:35
Photo:Sean Hannah
Sunshine Village's opening completes Banff National Park's triple treat
Sunshine Village is set to open this Thursday, November the 17th for the 2011-2012 season, a day earlier than inititally expected.
After dumping 40 cm's of snow in 48 hours Sunshine Village made the decision to get people on the slopes a day early and anticipate running a total of 4 lifts including: Wawa, The Strawberry Express, Wolverine and Jackrabbit. With a current snow base of over 69 cm and more snow in the forecast skiers and borders can expect a snow filled opening day with a lucky few getting up to the resort a day early as winners of a resort hosted contest.
Read the full Article : Sunshine Village to open November 17th 2011
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Views : 5,092
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Delancey British National Alpine Championships 2012 In Méribel
Published : 15-Nov-2011 08:08
British Ski and Snowboard (BSS), the National Governing Body for Skiing and Snowboarding in the United Kingdom, has announced that the 2012 Delancey British National Alpine Championships will be held in Méribel, France.
The Senior/Junior championships will be held from 25 March – 2 April 2012, and the Children's Championships from 3–6 April 2012.
Read the full Article : Delancey British National Alpine Championships 2012 In Méribel
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Views : 2,681
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Jamie Pierre killed in avalanche at Snowbird
Published : 14-Nov-2011 07:03
This from the Salt Lake Tribune :-
Professional skier Matthew Jamie Pierre died in an avalanche he triggered while snowboarding at the unopened Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort Sunday afternoon.
Read the full Article : Jamie Pierre killed in avalanche at Snowbird
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Views : 2,638
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Next Weekend Is Big Opening Weekend
Published : 13-Nov-2011 08:24
Although several dozen ski areas are now open in the northern hemisphere, particular in the USA, it's November 18th/19th that looks like it will see the most big names resorts opening, including Davos, Val Thorens and Park City.
They'll join recently opened resorts including Breckenridge which opened yesterday (11.11.11) for its 50th season, Cervinia, which has been reporting heavy snowfalls and Lake Louise.
Read the full Article : Next Weekend Is Big Opening Weekend
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Views : 3,989
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Snow Forecast Summary - 20th October 2011
Published : 11-Nov-2011 06:41
As widely forecast, last weekend was marked by some major snowfalls at altitude in the Southern French Alps, the Pyrenees and the Western Italian Alps. Accumulations of One and even Two metres of fresh snow were reported in places, with some torrential rain and flash floods at lower altitudes. The avalanche risk has been, and remains, extremely high in affected areas and large, spontaneous slides have been observed.
Read the full Article : Snow Forecast Summary - 20th October 2011
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Views : 4,490
Monster Snow Storm hits Alaska
Published : 10-Nov-2011 06:47
It's a long-held ambition of ours to ski in Alaska one day, but we're definitely going to wait for the current snow storm to clear.
With the pressure equivalent of a Category 4 Hurricane, a 2 metre storm surge and structure-damaging winds, the storm is currently pounding Alaska.
Read the full Article : Monster Snow Storm hits Alaska
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Views : 2,053
Mammoth Opens Tomorrow
Published : 09-Nov-2011 02:44
Opening Day Last Winter
Mammoth Mountain (www.MammothMountain.com) opens for the 2011-12 season this Thursday 10th November 2011. The resort's Big Winter Kick-Off (BWKO) will begin the party in Californian style with a weekend of snowboarding and skiing, live music, film premieres, parties and more.
Read the full Article : Mammoth Opens Tomorrow
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Views : 2,368
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Disability Snowsport Announce 2012 Skiathon Date
Published : 08-Nov-2011 01:48
Disability Snowsport UK's (DSUK) National Skiathon Olympic Challenge will take place on Tuesday May 17th 2012 with a target to raise £35,000 from the event.
The challenge is to ski 2012 runs in six hours and the event will be held simultaneously at six indoor ski centres across the UK: Chill Factore in Manchester; Tamworth Snowdome in Staffordshire; The Snow Centre – Hemel Hempstead and the Sno!zones at Glasgow, Castleford (West Yorkshire) and Milton Keynes.
Read the full Article : Disability Snowsport Announce 2012 Skiathon Date
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Views : 1,882
Val Thorens Prepares For Season Opening Spectacular
Published : 06-Nov-2011 09:28
While Austria has had eight ski areas open for over a month now, Switzerland half a dozen and even Italy four, Francophile skiers have only had one choice – Tignes, since the start of October (OK Les 2 Alpes did open for one week only at the end of last month).
Read the full Article : Val Thorens Prepares For Season Opening Spectacular
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Views : 2,578
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New Ski And Discount Card for Alberta and BC Resorts Launched
Published : 05-Nov-2011 09:01
A new discount card has been launched by four of the leading ski resorts in Alberta and British Columbia in Western Canada.
The new Louise Plus Card (www.skilouise.com/louisecard) has been created by Lake Louise in partnership with BC resorts Kicking Horse, Revelstoke and Castle offering 13,600 skiable acres of skiing between them and has a remarkable list of benefits for a $99 (CDN) card.
Read the full Article : New Ski And Discount Card for Alberta and BC Resorts Launched
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Views : 3,530
Also on J2Ski :- Revelstoke Snow Forecast Ski Hotels
Les 2 Alpes Declares October Opening A Success
Published : 04-Nov-2011 11:47
After 10 days of what the resort reports were great conditions, Les 2 Alpes (www.les2alpes.com) glacier closed on the 1st of November. The glacier will open again on 3rd December for the winter season.
From 22nd October to the 1st of November, thousands of keen skiers and snowboarders had been on the resort's snow slopes to get a warm up for the winter.
Read the full Article : Les 2 Alpes Declares October Opening A Success
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Views : 2,682
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Big Resorts Begin Opening For Winter 2011-12
Published : 03-Nov-2011 02:46
The next week or two will see the first of the big non-glacier ski areas begin opening for winter 2011-12.
Around two dozen areas are already open but they're generally either small high areas in North American, bigger areas with limited terrain or small glacier areas.
Read the full Article : Big Resorts Begin Opening For Winter 2011-12
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Views : 5,462
Also on J2Ski :- Val Thorens Snow Forecast Ski Hotels Ski Rental
Snow Forecast Summary - 3rd November 2011
Published : 03-Nov-2011 10:47
This weekend is looking interesting (at altitude anyway)...
Whilst there wasn't a huge amount of snow for Europe this past week, snow storms in North America were widely reported - with significant falls along the East Coast and in Colorado. La Nina conditions continue to influence the Americas, whilst Europe waits for the full onset of winter...
Read the full Article : Snow Forecast Summary - 3rd November 2011
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Views : 2,168
Race Training Opportunities In Austria this Month
Published : 02-Nov-2011 04:43
Anyone who fancies brushing up on their race training skills ahead of the main season can sign up for a specialist ski race training camp being organised in Austria by expert coaching company the Alpine Training Centre (ATC - www.alpinetrainingcentre.com).
Read the full Article : Race Training Opportunities In Austria this Month
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Views : 2,969
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