inthesnow issue 32 - october 2013

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OLYMPIC

PATRICK THORNE LOOKS AHEAD

TO WINTER 2013-14 ON PAGE 05

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fter quite a few decades pondering the fact, I believe that it’s around mid-September that you can officially start to get

excited about the coming ski season.In fact, anticipation started to build up

in August this year, as we’ve had pictures arriving from the Rockies of ”the first snowfalls of winter 2013–14”, and news from New Zealand that current British World Cup champion (I’ve never been able to write that before) James ”Woodsy” Woods has won his first international freeskiing slopestyle competition in the ”build-up to the Sochi Olympics”. A metre of snow falling in 24 hours at Las Leñas also had pulses racing faster too, even if it is located on the other side of the world in Argentina. But then the southern hemisphere’s 2013 ski season is just winding down, which means the northern one is getting underway!

Indeed you can already ski at several top resorts – Hintertux in Austria, Saas-Fee or Zermatt in Switzerland, and depending on whether the snow arrives or not between my writing this and you reading it, there could be a dozen or so more glacier choices by early October. The first of the high-latitude, but non-glacial, resorts is Lapland, and the high altitude resorts in Colorado are next in mid-October.

Just how good a start this Olympic year gets off to is however, as it always is, down to the snow, and we’re all hoping for a third successive year of epic conditions in the Alps.

Besides the Olympics in February, there’s lots to look forward to in 2013–14, with new lifts extending the Austrian Arlberg from 280km to 340km, and Breckenridge in Colorado set to expand onto a fifth peak, to name but a few. You’ll find all the latest in the next few pages, or for the very latest check out our website at inthesnow.com, or our Facebook and Twitter feeds.Have a good one!

[email protected]

he countdown to winter

2013–14 and the Sochi

olympics in russia is on,

with the first of the season’s

world-class competitions having taken

place in new Zealand last month, and

glacier resorts in the alps already open for

skiers and boarders.

Team gB freeskier James ”woodsy”

woods from Sheffield, the reigning

slopestyle skiing world cup champion

from last season, got things off to a great

start with gold in the first competition

of the winter games new Zealand, he

was followed 48 hours later by fellow Brit

Jenny Jones, who took silver in the ladies

snowboarding slopestyle event.

it’s now just 4 months until the games

get underway in the mountains above the

Black Sea city of Sochi where, all being

well, the frantic construction of four

world-class ski areas is due to be largely

completed in time for the competition.

The longest ever olympic torch relay,

which will see the torch go to the north

Pole, to the bottom of the world’s deepest

freshwater lake (it’s 1637m deep and in

Siberia), and even go on a spacewalk.

woods’ and Jones’ competitive success

in new Zealand also comes after a

summer when resorts, including alpe

d’huez, cortina and Verbier, re-opened

their slopes to skiers and boarders due to

so much late-season snow. To complete

the positive picture, the uK’s biggest tour

operator, crystal, published their annual

industry report that showed more people

had booked ski holidays last winter than

the previous winter, reversing a four

season decline – albeit the growth was

modest at +1%.

"The decline in the ski market has now

bottomed out and we are starting to see signs

of recovery and growth. however, we cannot

rest on our laurels and need to

continue to deliver exceptional

value, innovation and great

service if we are to see the market

return to pre-recession levels”

said crystal’s managing director,

Simon cross.

other tour operators are

upbeat about the coming

season too, with many

reporting that sales are up,

in part due to the slowly

improving economy, but

perhaps equally if not more,

thanks to the recent run of

excellent snowfall seasons.

“Following a successful

2012/13 winter season we have

already seen an increase in

early bookings, particularly in

peak dates” said Paul markham,

general manager at Supertravel Ski. “we

are seven per cent up on last year and

ten per cent up on the 2011/12 season.

christmas is proving especially busy with

100 per cent sold in Zermatt already. There

is a lot of confidence in the early season,

due to two years of fantastic snow.”

Le Ski’s managing director, nick morgan,

was also feeling positive, “The snow was

unbelievable all season and there are still

areas of courchevel, where i am currently,

which have remnants of snow which it

certainly wouldn't normally. incredible.”

The company reported 99% customer

satisfaction rates (“we’re working on the

1% who gave us fair”).

crystal’s report showed the main area of

concern is the number of children going

away on school ski trips, which continues

to decline and is now at a 20-year low. it

is not known if more children are skiing

with their families to offset the decline, if

not this could be bad news for the future.

in any case a campaign has just been

launched in england, goSkigoBoard, to

try to get people to try skiing or boarding

for the first time at one of the region’s dry

slopes or indoor snow centres, first with a

taster session then with 6 hours of lessons.

all that’s needed now to make 2013–14

live up to expectations is the same as every

other good season – a lot of snow.

oLYmPic SeaSon iS go!PATRICK THORNE

See more

onlin

e at..

.

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Crystal: Crystalski.comGoSkiGoBoard: goskigoboard.org.ukJames Woods: facebook.com/JamesWoodsyWoodsJenny Jones: jennyjonessnowboarder.comLe Ski: leski.comSki Supertravel: supertravel.co.uk/skiSochi: sochi2014.com/en

OCtOber 2013 | inthesnOW.COm

Arlberg A new funitel lift with 10 giant gondola

cabins will extend the ski slopes in the

Arlberg by some 64km and connect in

several more resorts to the Lech sector for

2013–14. The 2km long, €12m Doppelayr-

built Auenfeldjet cable-car, will cross

the Auenfeld pass to the Geissbühel Alpe

creating a link between Lech-Zürs and the

resorts of Warth-Schröcken. With 340km

the Arlberg will be one of the world’s seven

largest lift and piste linked ski areas, and

the largest in Austria. However, the links

are slightly tenuous with the connection

between the St Anton and Lech sectors only

skiable over fairly extreme terrain, and the

new connection being lift-only.

Alpe d’HuezHaving started improvements aimed at

first time skiers in its Les Bergers area,

Alpe d’Huez has announced further

improvements for 2013–14 in the Les Jeux

sector. Three draglifts will be replaced

by a “chondola” which contains a mix of

gondola cabins and chairlift seats on one

cable. With a high capacity of 4000 persons

per hour, they will make the resort more

efficient and user friendly for beginners.

plešivec The internationally unknown ski area of

Plešivec in the Czech Republic is to be

dramatically transformed this coming

winter. Previously a small ski hill with a 90

metre vertical, 400 metres of skiing terrain

and a couple of elderly drag lifts, Plešivec

is set to see the installation of three Leitner

quad chairlifts as well as half a dozen drag

lifts and carpet lifts with a combined uplift

of more than 13,000 skiers per hour. Nine

ski runs are being created, seven of them

easy, the longest a 4.2km decent.

pecialist ski tour operator

Dolomite Mountains

(dolomitemountains.com)

has announced their winter

2013–14 programme, with a new twist on

the theme of safaris. Instead of scouting for

wildlife, these safaris are all about putting

the kilometres under your skis.

Dolomites Ski Safaris last 4–10 days, and

encompass the vast Dolomiti Superski

region that links a dozen different valleys,

between them offering approximately

1200km of pistes; all within an area

of stunning natural beauty declared a

UNESCO World Heritage site.

Different from classic resort skiing,

Dolomites Ski Safaris also encourage skiers

to ski from valley to valley in the day, and

enjoy the hospitality of a rifugio (Alpine inn)

in the evening. Here guests savour cuisines

and cultures unique to each valley region.

The programme began last winter

with two itineraries; the trips this winter

expand to six new routes, including a

gourmet-focused trip featuring meals from

Michelin-starred chefs in the huts, and a

family-friendly option.

The new 3-Country Ski Safari includes

the exclusive slopes of St Moritz in

Switzerland, Lech in Austria, and Alta Badia

in Italy, with a private English-speaking

mountain guide, 5 accommodation and

gourmet dining. Transfers are possible

between each resort by helicopter. Prices

start from £2180pp (minimum four people),

for 4, 7 or 10 days.

Ski Three Countries On One Luxury Safari

BEN CLATWORTHY

06

S

Alone In Antarctica – London Presentation

n November 2011, Felicity Aston set off from the coast of

Antarctica on the Ross Ice Shelf to cross the entire continent on

skis by herself.

Ahead of her was a 1744km journey through the Transantarctic

Mountains, across the Polar Plateau to the South Pole then onto the far coast of

Antarctica. The physical challenges of the 59-day journey are astonishing, but it is

the mental hardships that Aston describes that are the most memorable.

The crushing solitude and emotional turmoil that she experienced on a daily

basis resulted in an appreciation of the details of the environment around her,

and a rather strange relationship with the sun!

In a presentation on 21 October at 7.30pm in the Ellis Brigham store at

Covent Garden in London, Aston will talk about the mental toughness

required, and the physical challenges that she endured to realise her goal of

becoming the first woman in the world to ski across Antarctica alone.

Aston’s book, Alone In Antarctica, is out now, and she will be signing copies

on the night of the presentation.

I

If you’ve ever been torn between taking a

rucksack and a wheeled case on your ski holiday

– one being better in the UK and at the airport,

the other more use if you have to get over

snow to your final destination – then luggage

manufacturer Osprey may have the solution,

with their new Ozone 70 convertible case.

For ease of handling and keeping baggage

costs down, the bag has an ultralight HighRoad

LT chassis, smooth rolling action, innovative

storage solutions, and retractable handle. There

is even a detachable 15L daypack, capable of

holding a laptop, and the choice to deploy

a back system and convert the case into a

backpack. The bag costs £180 – more details

from ospreyeurope.com.

The Ultimate Ski Luggage Solution

inthesnOW.COm | OCtOber 2013

C Giuseppe G

hed

ina

07

he new Folie Douce village

opening 2300m up at the

top of the Marmottes 1 lift in

Alpe d’Huez this winter will

be very different. Along with a choice of

restaurants and shops, the Folie Douce

daily cabaret show on a specially-built

stage will be a “high class, imaginative

dance spectacular, bringing the dining

show concept bang up to date, and

taking it high up on the mountain,” the

resort promises.

La Folie Douce team incorporates a

clubbing crew with resident DJ, a couple

of singers, and a mini horn section (sax/

trumpet). There’s an outdoor bar and

huge dance floor where the musical

content evolves throughout the day, with

lounge style during restaurant hours,

transitioning through the cabaret show

to a full-on dance party.

The new Alpe d’Huez Folie Douce is the

fourth after Val d’Isère, Val Thorens and

Méribel Vallée and will, like the others,

have a La Fruitière restaurant, a Nuvo self-

service, an outside bar and a Folie Shop.

DAvID BLACK

T

DanCIng On HIgH THIS WInTER

he Swiss ski area of

Meiringen-Hasliberg will see

a new six-passenger high-

speed chairlift installed for

next winter in the Hasliberg sector.

The new lift will be a replacement for

the Bidmi-Käserstatt double chairlift, with

the new lift following the route of the old

one but ascending 10m higher and 200m

to the east at the top for better run access

to Käserstatt and Mägisalp.

The new lift, which will be faster as

well as having a higher capacity than

its predecessor, will feature pull-down

protective weather protection hoods, and

child safety locks on the safety bar.

The local lift company believe that by

installing a better, faster lift on a route

with better alignment with the ski slopes

it will make the route more popular, and

make the previously under-utilised slopes

in the area more popular too.

The chairlift is for winter use by skiers

and boarders only; it will not be used for

pedestrians at any time of the year and

will be closed outside of the ski season.

T

New Six-Passenger Chairlift For Meiringen-Hasliberg


heavenly skiing, at down to earth prices

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French and Swiss AlpsSnow Sure Resorts

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“Don’t worry about frostbite

…” my ski instructor Jan

Philips tells my group

standing under the

thermometer, which is reading –32°C,

“your skin goes a tad white, then scabs,

but it won’t scar … do look out for your

friends though.”

Prior to my visit to Mont Tremblant,

Quebec, Canada, everybody to whom I

had spoken had warned me to take every

pair of thermals I own. But it’s not always

perishingly cold, and I was expecting it,

visiting in January – often the coldest

month on both sides of the Atlantic.

But it’s not a day to be standing around.

The pistes are virtually empty, and

the snow hard-packed and in perfect

condition. It may be bitter, but I’ve come

all this way, so why waste valuable time?

Skiing in Canada varies dramatically

coast-to-coast given the vastness of the

country, and East Coast skiing is certainly

a unique experience. Ski out of Quebec

City in Le Massif Charlevoix and you’ll

have a view over the St Lawrence River,

yet head west to Montreal, and Tremblant

is the largest settlement before the Arctic.

The views confirm this: from the north

side of the mountain forests stretch as far as

the eye can see, whilst the main south side

offers a breathtaking vista of the frozen Lake

Tremblant and distant wilderness.

Quebec is a fascinating place: bilingual

and with major cultural influences from

Europe and the States, it doesn’t really feel

much like Canada at all.

Access to the resort’s 2.6km2 of skiing is

easy, with a heated gondola whisking you

straight from the village – usually just a

short walk from your accommodation –

to the top of the south side. From here it

is possible to ski down to the north side

pistes, or onto Versant Soleil – a third

section of the ski hill (home to the casino

and further lodging) – or to The Edge,

which I’m told is the place to ski when the

powder’s good.

The ski area is not huge, and rather

surprisingly half the trails are classified

black, although in reality most of those

that are groomed could be considered

red runs. Plenty is ideal family-friendly

terrain. There are, however, a number

of bump runs, with the bitter conditions

ensuring a hard-packed (if not icy in

places) base. For intermediates, the wide

groomed trails make for excellent cruising

ground, while beginners can practice

within the safety of the nursery area,

progressing to the easy green runs.

The resort is the soul survivor on

Crystal Ski’s East Coast North America

programme, and its most affordable

transatlantic destination. “Tremblant

is an entry-level North American

resort,” Ian Davis the Product Director

of TUI Ski told me. “It’s ideal for a keen,

relatively experienced, skier looking

to discover new resorts but also spend

time in Montreal.”

Modelled in the style of a faux-

Quebec-City – and purpose-built by

Intrawest – the village contains vibrant

colourful buildings and cobbled streets,

and has been designed for maximum

convenience.

If sliding downhill isn’t your thing,

alternative winter activities include

80km of cross-country trails, which wind

their way

around the

Tremblant

National

Park, ice

skating

on the lake

or tubing,

or plain

old sledging

for free.

Snowshoeing

through the forest is

yet another alternative, and

one of the best ways to spot deer and

moose, the latter of which, outnumber the

population of Quebec.

Once off the snow, make sure to pay

a visit to La Diable microbrewery, an

après-ski hotspot serving six beers

brewed on site. Food plays a big part

in Canadian life, and much like all of

Quebec there’s a huge variety of choice

in the resort.

There is

something

bizarrely

humorous

about sitting

in Italian and

French-Savioe

restaurants

approximately

6400km across the

ocean, often paying

less and enjoying better

quality food than in the Alps.

CoCo Pazzo is the best in town for an

authentic Italian meal, but if you’re

looking for raclette and fondue, La

Savoie serves the traditional Alpine

French cuisine.

So, if you’re looking for a little

transatlantic jaunt this season, and fancy

something new, Tremblant (and Montreal)

are worthy contenders for your hit list.

D

BEN CLATWORTHY

BuRRRRIT’S COLD In TREMBLanT

Ben Clatworthy travelled with Destination Quebec (quebecoriginal.com/uk) and Crystal Ski (crystalski.co.uk), who offer a week’s B&B in Mount Tremblant

from £877pp (based on four sharing) at the 4★ Marriott Residence Inn, including flights with Air Canada (aircanada.com) from London Heathrow

to Montreal and transfers. Air Canada offers more daily flights from the UK to Canada

than any other airline (aircanada.com).

FOLLOW uS@inthesnowmag

08

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BuRRRRIT’S COLD In TREMBLanT

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Wide Angle

Adrien CoirierFreerider

09

hose who have looked

longingly at the powder

skiing pictures and videos

beloved of ski media and

marketing, but who feel unable to move

themselves from the safety of the on-

piste plateau, have some freeride long

weekends to consider this winter in the

world’s freeride capital, Chamonix.

The International Academy

(international-academy.com), in

partnership with ski school Evolution 2,

is launching a new weekend course to

teach key off-piste skills to anyone with

a good intermediate level of skiing. They

will prepare participants for all aspects of

the descent of the 22km Vallée Blanche,

mastering the conditions off-piste at the

time of the course (every day is different

off-piste).

The course costs from £965, including

return transfer from Geneva Airport,

4 nights accommodation in the 2

Hotel Vert, a 4-day Mont Blanc lift pass, 3

days of training (6 hours per day), and a

descent of Vallée Blanche on the Monday,

with departure dates on the 23 January or

the 13 March 2014.

BEN CLATWORTHY

T

From Intermediate Piste To Off-Piste

es 2 Alpes (les2alpes.com)

closed for summer skiing

on its glacier between

3600m and 3200m on

31 August, but the resort will re-open

from 26 October–3 November for an

autumn snow fix, with gear testing and

a carnival atmosphere. All of the hotels,

residences, bars, restaurants and shops

will be open.

On the opening weekend,

26–27 October, Les 2 Alpes will host the

events ”Enjoy the Glacier” for boarders, and

”Ski, Tests and Rock’n’Roll” for skiers, each

including contests, gear tests, guest pros,

giant BBQs, gigs, movies, art exhibitions, etc.

During the opening weekend there

will be a discounted lift pass at €22 per

day (£18), rising to €27.50 (£23) from 28

October–3 November. The resort also has

packages from €72pp (£60), including lift

pass, based on four sharing an apartment

for 2 nights on 25–26 October.

L

Les 2 Alpes For Autumn Half-Term

ouples who have ”lofty

ambitions” for their wedding

ceremony now have the

option of riding a beautifully

decorated wedding cable car to their

marriage in the Rellerli Mountain Inn,

which can accommodate up to 300

guests, on Schönried ski area above

Gstaad in Switzerland.

The Bergbahnen Destination Gstaad AG

has created a special wedding cable car,

available upon request, in which curtains

and lovingly-arranged floral decorations

complete the look.

“Being so far removed from normal,

everyday life, the happy young couple

float towards seventh heaven,” said a

resort statement.

The bridal couple travel for free of course –

normal rates apply to the remaining guests.

C

Wedding Gondola “To Seventh Heaven”


les 2 alpes TourisT offiCe

010

ew cable car cabins

installed on the existing

ropeway to the dachstein

glacier, near Schladming

in austria, have the novelty of an

upstairs “balcony”, where up to 10

passengers can get a fresh air view of

the massive dachstein massif as the lift

climbs 1000 vertical metres to 2700m

in 5.5 minutes, rising up to 210m above

the south face of the mountain and

requiring no support towers.

The new panorama lift will officially

open in July 2014, but is already

operating with access to the balcony

section on a first-come, first-served basis

at the lift stations at no additional cost.

The new lift, which is 15% faster

than its predecessor, carries 50 people

in each cabin, has a capacity of 550

people per hour, and travels at 43kph.

a large amount of glass has been

used in its construction to provide

spectacular views from inside as

well. There are also integral video

screens providing information on the

dachstein as skiers ascend.

The lift re-opened during

unprecedented summer snow

conditions on the glacier, which

received another 30cm of fresh snow in

the last week of June, giving ”powder”

conditions for skiers and boarders

visiting in July.

PATRICK THORNE

N

he hotel Saint Louis

in courchevel, France,

has been awarded

a gold award by the

international organisation Travelife

(travelifecollection.com), which is a

travel industry-led scheme launched in

2007, in partnership with tour operators

and endorsed by aBTa.

a prerequisite for this award is strict

compliance with all the criteria of

sustainability that helps hotels to improve

the way they manage their social, as well

as environmental, issues.

“we have been steadily working

through a programme of renovating

and improving the hotel, and delivering

a more sustainable product certainly

formed a significant part of this

process,” said Peter hillyard, new

Business and operations manager for

Flexiski (flexiski.com), which offers

holidays in the hotel Saint Louis.

The gold award means that the

hotel management must show that

they lead the way and have an active

environmental policy, publish regular

reports on their sustainability actions,

treat their staff fairly and with respect, as

well as helping local people.

new cable car has open-air Balcony

T

hotel wins eco gold award

he horizon Festival, which

launched last season, is one

of the first of the annual crop

of festivals to confirm it’ll be

back in 2014, allowing those prepared to

commit early to secure an early-booking

deal, and take advantage of advance

booking fares with airlines.

The Festival will be staged from Saturday

8 to Friday 14 march 2014; and a special

early Bird Ticket has just been released on

the website, which includes 6 nights on a

B&B basis at a 4 hotel, with inclusive spa

access, a 5-day lift pass, and access to the

Festival all for £209 (togetherholidays.net/

booking/horizon).

T

horizon Festival Back in Bansko


Fly direct tO tHe

FreNcH AlPS FrOm

FiFteeN UK AirPOrtS

chambery-airport.comgrenoble-airport.com

Direct bus transfers timed to flight arrivals and departures available from both airports to the major ski resorts

£18PER PERSONPER NIGHT*

SHORT BREAKS FROM ONLY

Hotel-Spa FarandoleLes Deux Alpes

For details, contact us on:01737 30 60 [email protected]*£18 on a Bed and Breakfast basis. All inclusive options also available.

www.skipower.co.uk

SP Farandole3.indd 1 13/09/2013 13:32

ritish freeskier James “Woodsy” Woods, current slopestyle World Cup champion, got his run

up to Sochi off to a great start by winning the Parklife Invitational ”best male skier” title from

two-time winner Gus Kenworthy of the USA.

Some of the world’s top freestyle skiers and riders pulled out their best tricks in front of

thousands of spectators, at the Parklife Invitational rail jam in downtown Queenstown last month.

Competitors dropped down a specially-built 36m-long snow ramp, going head-to-head on a purpose-

built stair feature, set up by The Remarkables terrain park crew, and covered by snow trucked down from

the ski area. “It was an absolutely awesome show and the standard of competition was intense,” said local

ski area manager Ross Lawrence.

British World Champion Woodsy Wins In New Zealand

Free Ski pass& breakfastMéribel Vallée, the ”new” name that Méribel’s marketing team would prefer for what we once called Méribel, has announced a special promotion for opening day on 7 December. Early risers should head to the Tourist Information Office in Méribel-Mottaret, where the first 100 skiers to present themselves will be rewarded with a free Méribel Vallée ski pass and breakfast. Plus, all those who ski in resort on the 7 or 8 December are invited to participate in a prize draw to win a VIP weekend for two in Méribel.

New extreme black runA rare new black run will open in Austria next winter, an event so unusual that the new trail has already been given an intimidating name – the Black Mamba. ”Extreme piste” number 14, on the Kitzsteinhorn above Kaprun, will plunge 290 vertical metres over its 1km length, at gradients of up to 63%. The run will begin from the valley station of the Kristallbahn lift, and finish at Langweid.

Supertravel To Offer New chaletsSupertravel Ski (supertravel.co.uk/ski) has announced it will be offering three brand-new ski chalets for the 2013–14 season in St Anton. Chalet Stratus, Chalet Cirrus and Chalet Nimbus are newly-built, designer properties with views of the Rendl mountain. Chalet Stratus and Chalet Cirrus each sleep six, both boasting three en-suite bedrooms, working stone fireplaces, antique wooden beams and hand-picked furniture; while Chalet Nimbus is a five-bed penthouse chalet, offering the same balance of the traditional and modern.

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Bringing you the most comprehensive range of skis and boots in the UK.Custom boot fitting specialists.

With almost 50 years of advice and expertise and a reputationthat has stood the test of time,

our goal is to help you ski better everyday.

Ski Bartlett, Uxbridge Road, Hillingdon, West London, UB10 0NP T:020 8848 0040 | E:[email protected] | www.SkiBartlett.com

FREERIDE | FREESTYLE | TOURING | TELEMARK | RACE | RECREATIONAL

Expertise and Advice Since 1965...

BEST UKSPECIALIST RETAILER

Expertise Since 1965_wkg_ITS_A4_Map.pdf 1 02/09/2013 12:56


012

he Snowboxx festival is

returning to Andorra this

winter, after its successful

launch last season.

Curated by the pioneers of music

holidays Mainstage Travel, which runs

summer events in Spain and Ibiza,

Snowboxx ensures that holidaymakers

experience the best of the local area by

running partnerships with local bars,

offering discounts at local shops, and

running day trips to Grandvalira.

Snowboxx will run from 23–30 March

2014, and will be doubling the capacity

of 2013, with a still more ambitious line-

up and events. The festival also offers lift

passes, equipment hire, transfers, lessons,

and a huge range of accommodation

options through their website, with prices

excluding travel starting from £199.99 for

wristband, lift pass and accommodation.

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Snowboxx Festival Back In Andorra

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Dynastar.com

Sign the best turns, brave the best slopes ! *

* Signez les plus belles courbes, Défiez les meilleurs spots

CR 74 PRO //

September Marks Ski-Lifts 10th Anniversary

Founded in Morzine, Ski-Lifts (ski-lifts.com)

is this year celebrating its 10th anniversary.

It now offers transfers to over 200 ski resorts

throughout Europe and North America.

So, whilst a great deal has changed for the

company in the last 10 years, Morzine is still a

special place for them.

Situated at the heart of the world-famous

Portes Du Soleil ski area, Morzine allows access

to a vast range of skiing and snowboarding.

The village itself retains its traditional Alpine

atmosphere, while benefiting from all of

the facilities you would expect from an

international ski area.

To celebrate its birthday, Ski-Lifts is running

a competition to offer you the chance to win

an unforgettable holiday for two people in

Morzine this January. The lucky winners will

have the chance to experience the resort,

the ski area, and stay in the beautiful Chalet

Carclion, courtesy of Riders Refuge.

The prize includes:

• Catered chalet accommodation in Morzine

for 1 week, provided by Riders Refuge.

• Return flights to Geneva airport.

• Return transfers to Morzine provided by

Ski-Lifts.

• 6-day lift pass.

• Ski or snowboard hire for the week, delivered

to you in the chalet by Door Step Skis

For details on how to enter simply visit ski-lifts.com/competition.

doorstep skis

News

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he giant Les 3 Vallées ski

region in France, which

includes leading resorts

such as Courchevel, Méribel

Vallée, Les Menuires and Val Thorens, has

announced a new lift pass price initiative

for the coming season, as the cost of a

6-day lift pass for adults and children

aged 13 and over 12 reaches €277 (£232).

When two people buy a ticket together,

they will be offered a discount on the

individual lift ticket price. For a 6-day

2013–14 pass this means the standard

rate will be €10 less at €267 for adults and

children aged 13 and over.

The discount was first offered when

three people bought passes together

last season, and that deal, with a greater

saving, is available again for 2013–14,

with prices reduced further to €262pp.

A family price, when two parents and

two to seven children aged 5–18 years

buy a pass together, is further reduced to

€221.60 each.

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Les 3 Vallées Offer TICKET Discounts

anadian company BRP has

produced its three-millionth

Ski-Doo snowmobile – the

2014 Ski-Doo Summit X

E-TEC 800R model – in its Valcourt,

Quebec, manufacturing facility,

54 years after the Ski-Doo snowmobile

was conceived in 1959. Such is the global

recognition of Ski-Doo, many people still

refer to all snowmobiles as ”Ski-doos” –

just as many people refer to all sticky tapes

as Sellotape.

It was also exactly 40 years, day for

day, since the millionth snowmobile, a

1974 Ski-Doo T’NT Everest 440 model,

was produced, and 20 years since the

second millionth, a 1994 Ski-Doo Summit

snowmobile was introduced.

“From design to engineering, to the

assembly line via marketing, sales and

many more, BRP employees have made this

milestone possible by striving for quality,

innovative and industry leading products

that continually reinvent the sport,” said

José Boisjoli, President and CEO.

“I want to thank all of them for their hard

work, commitment and dedication over the

years, without them, this accomplishment

would not have been possible.”

C

The Three-Millionth Ski-Doo

rive an electric car to Squaw

Valley by Lake Tahoe in

California (if you can find

one to rent at the airport)

and you can now charge it up free of

charge, at one of four new electric car

chargers installed there for guests to use.

“We are committed to making Squaw

an environmental pacesetter for the Lake

Tahoe region,” said Andy Wirth, President

and CEO of Squaw Valley and Alpine

Meadows. “We know the region’s success is

dependent on our dedication to protecting

the special mountain environment.”

The charging stations will be open to

guests 7 days a week – however Squaw

says guests are asked not to leave their cars

at the charging stations for more than 10

hours at a time.

D

Free Electric Car Charging Stations

NEW RANGE INSTORE NOW

Discover our Autumn/Winter collection of soft, warm and highly breathable base layers.

For stockists information telephone 01572 772437


ValThoren

s_TourisT offiCe

he most expensive

ski chalet rental for

2013–14 is believed

to be the €450,000

being asked for a 10-night stay

at the start of January, over the

crucial russian new Year holiday

period, at chalet edelweiss in

courchevel 1850. That is the price

according to The Luxury chalet

collection (luxurychaletcollection.

com), which has released its

annual selection of the world’s 20

finest chalets.

“The edelweiss is officially

the largest and most luxurious

chalet in courchevel,” said

rupert Longsdon, Founder

and director of The oxford Ski

company, which compiles The

Luxury chalet collection.

The chalet sleeps 16, and

has a similar number of staff

including two chefs, two butlers,

a chauffeur, concierge, several

housekeepers, a massage

therapist, and a ski instructor.

at low-season dates you can

access all this, and its extensive

luxury facilities, for 80% less –

€80,000 – and it’s still available

to rent, even though the peak

period has now been booked.

it’s available at that lowest

rate for the end-of-season

week, from 20 april 2014, with

the 2 weeks before only a little

higher at €100,000. most other

remaining weeks of the season

are in the €200,000–280,000

bracket per week.

World’s Most ExpEnsivE ski ChalEt rEntal hits €450k p/WEEk

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Prince Dies Months After AvalanchePrince Friso of The Netherlands was laid to rest last month after dying ”from complications” apparently unexpectedly. He had been in a coma for 18 months, since he was buried by an avalanche at the Austrian resort of Lech in February 2012.Aged 44 years, Prince Friso had been skiing with friends when the avalanche struck and he was buried for approximately 15 minutes, suffering severe brain damage and never regaining consciousness.


New Season. New Ski Guides. New Website.

Check out our new website on your PC, Mac, Tablet, or Smart Phone at

InTheSnow.com

Order the latest copy of our luxury ski hotels guide at

PowderRetreats.com

Order the 2014 Ultimate Accommodation Guide at

SkiAccommodationGuide.com

he Russian Federal

Space Agency

(Roscosmos)

has become an

Honoured Partner of the Sochi

2014 Olympic torch relay, which

is sponsored by Coca-Cola

– long associated with the

Olympics since 1928 and now has

a $3bn (business in Russia. The

Agency has agreed to take the

Sochi 2014 Olympic torch to the

International Space Station (ISS)

and on a spacewalk.

Although the flame has made

it into space before, ahead of the

1996 Atlanta and Sydney 2000

Games, this is thought to be the

first time that the Olympic torch

will be carried in open space.

The Olympic torch will travel

to the ISS on the Soyuz TMA-

11M manned spaceship in the

beginning of November. Once

in space, Russian cosmonauts

Sergei Ryazansky and Oleg Kotov

will take the Olympic torch on a

spacewalk. The cosmonauts have

already started their training at

the Yu. A. Gagarin Research and

Test Cosmonaut Training Centre.

For health and safety reasons, it

is not planned to light the torch.

The Olympic torch will return

to Earth with cosmonaut Fyodor

Yurchikhin, who is currently

based on the ISS. While based

on the ISS in 2007, Yurchikhin

and his colleague, Oleg Kotov,

supported the Olympic bid

presentation that was made in

Guatemala, following which Sochi

was elected as the host city of the

2014 Olympic Winter Games.

The 4-month torch relay, which

starts in Sochi on 7 October, will

be the longest Olympic torch relay

in Winter Games history, covering

more than 65,000km with 134,000

torch bearers travelling through

83 Russian regions. Methods of

transport will include car, train,

plane, troika, spaceship and

reindeer sleigh.

It is also planned that the torch

will make it to the bottom of

Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest

at 1637m.

The relay will end with the

Opening Ceremony of the

Olympic Winter Games in Sochi

on 7 February 2014.

Sochi Olympic Torch Set To Space WalkPATRICK THORNE

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Aspen gay Ski Week ceremonyThe organisers of the long-established Gay Ski Week in Aspen, one of the world’s oldest gay ski celebrations, as well as one of Aspen’s biggest annual events, have unveiled plans to stage a mass civil union of gay couples at 11am on 18 January as part of next winter’s event. The plan follows the decision by the Colorado state government to recognise civil unions involving gay couples in law last May; and the organisers hope it will be one of the biggest mass gay civil union ceremonies.


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he past two winters have

seen fantastic early-season

snowfalls in the Alps, with

those lucky enough to be on

the slopes in the weeks before Christmas

enjoying powder-filled slopes, often all

to themselves.

Apart from stealing a march on winter

2013–14 and being among the first to try

out the new season’s ski equipment and

new facilities in resorts, there are other

advantages to being one of the early

birds in the Alps. Not least are the price

incentives on lift passes, accommodation

and other resort services that most ski

areas offer in the weeks before Christmas.

With some high glacier ski areas

opening as early as September, and

many of the big name resorts open from

the end of November, the good news

is you can find snow-sure ski resorts

before Christmas too, so long as you’re

careful where you book.

Here are some recommendations:

Lech and St Anton Lech in the Austrian Arlberg begins

snowmaking as early as 1 October to

ensure its pistes have good snow cover in

time for its season start – the 6 December

this year. The pistes go right up to 2811m,

making snow cover (almost!) a certainty.

One of the biggest news stories in world

skiing for the coming winter is the

expansion of the Arlberg ski area with

the lift connection to the neighbouring

ski areas of Warth and Schrocken,

thus creating a 340km ski region.

Neighbouring St Anton is also a snow-

sure early season bet, although it does

not share the new direct lift connection

(but it is included in the lift pass) – instead

you’ll need to get a bus connection to

Lech to ski it. The best flight connection

for either resort is to Friedrichshafen only

90 minutes away. Monarch operates two

flights per week from London Gatwick,

and up to four from Manchester.

Davos and Klosters Davos and Klosters, only a little further

away from Friedrichshafen (2 hours

and 1 hour 5 minutes, respectively),

are another pair of early-openers, in

this case from mid-November, thanks

to glacier skiing on the upper slopes.

Although it may not all be open from

day one, a sizeable chunk of the area’s

320km of pistes will be operational by

mid-December.

Alpe d’Huez And Les Deux Alpes Two of the largest ski areas in France

are both only 75 minutes away from

Grenoble Airport, which you can reach

quickly with Monarch from Leeds

Bradford, which operates two flights

per week, or from London Gatwick

with up to four flights per week. Both

areas have high glacier ski areas above

3000m, topping off vertical descents

of more than 2000m – each above the

world’s top 20 greatest lift-served verts.

Both have big ski areas of 200km of

piste or more, and are also so snow-

sure they offered summer skiing and

snowboarding in 2013.

Sölden and Obergurgl Sölden has twin glaciers and is one of

the first resorts in the world to open

each season usually by September, prior

to staging World Cup competitions

by the end of October, the first in the

northern hemisphere each season. Its

Otztal regional neighbour Obergurgl

has a reputation as being the first non-

glacier ski area in the Alps to open,

this year on 14 November. As you can

read in our Tirol feature this month,

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PATRICK THORNE

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Sölden will be unveiling a spectacular

new mountain restaurant, 3048m up

on Gaislachkogel, which you could be

one of the first to visit along with those

freshly-groomed pistes. The resorts are

an easy 3-hour drive down the autobahn

from Munich (two flights per week from

Leeds and Manchester, and up to four

per week from Luton, all with Monarch),

or only 98km from Innsbruck (up to

three flights per week from Manchester,

again with Monarch).

Passo Tonale Passo Tonale is one of four Italian ski

areas (from more than 300) that is

open into June each year, and which

re-opens in early October, thanks to

its glacier ski slopes above 3000m.

Located just over 2 hours from Verona

airport, served by Monarch flights from

Manchester, it is at the heart of the

Adamello ski area, which links 100km

of slopes, including a superb descent

11km-long over 1861m of vertical. Passo

Tonale is a great choice if you like

guaranteed snow, a better than average

chance of winter sunshine, better

prices than further north, and a relaxed

Italian attitude.

Tignes & Val d’Isère Tignes has a longer ski season than

any other French resort, and is the only

one (except for an October half-term

opening of Les Deux Alpes) that’s open

right through the autumn. So by the

time December rolls around, Tignes will

have already clocked up around

10 weeks of its 8-month-long 2013–14 ski

season (and that’s without the 2 months

more it re-opens for in the summer!).

Its neighbour in the giant Espace Killy

(300km of pistes), Val d’Isère, joins it at

the start of December to offer one of the

largest ski areas open in the world.

Monarch Flights Season Start Dates

Friday 13 December Leeds Bradford to Munich

Saturday 14 December Leeds Bradford to Grenoble

London Gatwick to Friedrichshafen

and Grenoble

Luton to Munich

Manchester to Friedrichshafen,

Munich and Verona

Sunday 15 December Manchester to Innsbruck

Year-round London Gatwick to Barcelona, for ski

areas in Andorra and Spanish Pyrenean

resorts like Baqueira – open from late-

November

Manchester to Venice for the world-

famous resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo, so

snow-sure it re-opened in the summer

as there was still so much snow left.

For more information, latest deals and to book visit: monarch.co.uk/ski

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Official Resort InformationFor Early Season Offers

Alpe d’Huez: alpedhuez.comDavos: davos.ch

Klosters: klosters.chLech: lech-zuers.at

Les Deux Alpes: les2alpes.comObergurgl: obergurgl.com

Passo Tonale: adamelloski.comSt Anton: stantonamarlberg.com

Sölden: soelden.comTignes: tignes.net

Val d’Isère: valdisere.com

mixed

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’hueZ Tourism

e

wning and running

a chalet can be

an interesting

proposition, but as

in all aspects of tourism it can

sometimes be a slalom race of

its own.

In the pre-crunch years

fuelled by cheap credit and

mushrooming property values,

chalet ownership offered the

temptation of annual price gains

and lucrative rental income as

well, of course, as an investment

in a ski resort. In particular,

with the rise of budget airlines

– quick and regular flights to

European ski resorts – came

huge demand for luxury chalets,

and a never-ending stream of

willing skiers keen to rent out

for holidays.

However, when the credit

crunch began to bite hard for

the second time, many owners

who had bought a winter retreat

as an investment began to panic

and put their properties on the

market. As global stock markets

began to wobble and confidence

in the financial system stuttered,

chalet prices began to slide

perilously, along with almost all

property types.

In Europe, prices slumped by

up to 25% in many French Alps

resorts, 15% in Italy and 12% in

Austria according to analysis,

while the falling value of the pound

heightened the financial pain.

With foreign exchange, many

ski chalet owners buy ahead

or purchase for the season at a

costed level. This is fine if you are

fully booked and cash-rich with

deposits; however, for many this

is not an option. MoneyMoFX

(moneymofx.com) has an online

system that allows any registered

client to deal online from

£1000 upwards free of charge.

MoneyMoFX also has the facility

to deal over the telephone.

THE SEaSOn aHEaD & THE IMPaCT OF THE CuRREnCY MaRKETS

BEN CLATWORTHY

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New boots Have Omni-HeatAmerican skiwear company Columbia has released new versions of their tried and tested footwear for 2013–14. The Bugaboot is fully waterproof with a Techlite shell, and 200g insulation combined with full Omni-Heat reflective lining, which keeps your toes toasty right down to –32°C outdoor temperatures. For maximum snugness a heated electric version is available. The boots also feature a Techlite lightweight cushioned midsole, and have exceptional grip thanks to the Omni-Grip non-marking rubber sole. So all in all a boot that does everything you need to stay warm and upright in the snow, without weighing you down (columbia.com).

Free Ski pass under Your pillowThe Swiss resort of Crans-Montana (crans-montana.ch ) has an enticing offer for anyone who books direct with one of 25 hotels in the town during the final 6 weeks of the ski season – a lift pass will be waiting for you under your pillow! The offer is valid from 17 March–27 April 2014, and one night stay/client = one free day ski pass. The offer is subject to the ski area being open, but with slopes extending up to 3000m above sea level and crowned by a glacier, that shouldn’t normally be an issue.

The Ski Trade launchedWe’re pleased to present The Ski Trade, a new publication that does exactly what it says on the tin – reports on all matters related to the ski industry from a trade perspective. We’ll be publishing The Ski Trade within our pages every issue from now on. If you’re in the ski industry and want to receive your free copy direct every month, then go to theskitrade.com and register. You can also follow the new publication on Twitter @theskitrade.

Seeing The Northern Lights Tops Travellers’ Wish List

eeing the Northern Lights is

the experience most travellers

would like to have according

to Lonely Planet Traveller

(lonelyplanet.com).

Of 1563 respondents to a survey for the

magazine, to celebrate Lonely Planet’s

40th anniversary, 58% said they’d like to

see the aurora borealis. This was the only

experience in the top 10 that you can do on

a regular skiing holiday. Eight of the other

pursuits, receiving 11–30% of the popularity

votes, were all warm weather destination

activities, apart from ”meeting penguins in

the Antarctic”, which came in at number

five with 22% of the votes.

“I’ve had the chance to consider just how

accessible, original and imaginative travel

experiences have become over the past 40

years,” said Lonely Planet Traveller’s Editor

Peter Grunert, “… seeing the Northern Lights

is one experience so many travellers would

realistically love to have at some point

during their lifetime.”

Several of the UK’s leading ski tour

operators, including Crystal (crystalski.

co.uk), Inghams (inghams.co.uk/northern-

lights) and Ski World (skiworld.co.uk), offer

ski holidays to Lapland.

Ski Safari also offer a special Northern

Lights and skiing trip to Western Canada,

incorporating a week spent in Whistler

before heading to Whitehorse, where

viewing the aurora runs from 9.30pm–

1.30am each evening, skisafari.com/

Northern-Lights-Experience-Details.aspx.

S

The new 4 Kalinda Village in Tignes 1800 Les

Boisses, complete with spa and leisure facilities,

is one of the big new French accommodation

options of winter 2013–14.

“Kalinda Village will be the perfect base for

a family at 1800m, ideally located with a new

beginners area near the residence, and close to

the eight-seater Boisses gondola for those who

wish to explore/ski further and higher,” said a

statement from Peak Retreats (peakretreats.co.uk),

one of the first operators to offer the resort, with

prices from £259pp based on five sharing.

The traffic used to run through Tignes 1800

les Boisses, but is now diverted via a by-pass

leaving it virtually traffic-free. The Kalinda

Village spreads out around the historic church

at Boisses. Built in the 1950s, it is a replica of the

one that was destroyed in the old village when

the dam (barrage de Tignes) was opened.

New 4 ResortFor Tignes


Follow us on Val d’Isère | Tignes | Les Deux Alpes | La Plagne | Courchevel 1850 | Méribel | Courmayeur | St Anton

ATOL1176 protected. Prices shown are per person based on two people sharing, apply to 7 nights at Chalet Hotel Moris, Val d’Isère departing 20/04/14, are subject to availability, cannot be combined or offered in retrospect and can be withdrawn at any time. Facilities and inclusives vary between resorts. See website for Mark Warner Limited’s full terms and conditions.

Put yourself at the heart of the action with our snow sure locations high in the Alps. Our carefully chosen chalet hotels are in resorts that enjoy an enviable reputation for snow and there’s access to many kilometres of skiing that will satisfy the experienced, intermediates and beginners alike.

Follow us on

We’ gi� y� m� e � a � � daymarkwarner.co.uk | 0844 273 6825

Mark Warner ski holidays include: Direct Flights | Resort Transfers | Accommodation Welcome Drinks & Canapés | Breakfast | Afternoon Tea | 3 Course Dinner with WineEvening Childcare | Ski Hosting | Lift Pass Collection Service

£475from

Ski holidays

SKI IN ALL THE TOP PLACES

MWS1306 In the Snow FP aw.indd 1 29/08/2013 15:36

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here’s something special

about skiing, or indeed

snowboarding, in Gstaad.

It’s not so much the

250km of piste, which stretch right up

to the snow-sure Glacier 3000 slopes

on the road over to neighbouring

Les Diablerets, although that’s

very impressive. It’s not even the

pedestrianised village centre, lined

with designer shops and welcoming

bars and restaurants, although they’re

very nice too. It’s something about the

ambience of the place; you can feel the

ski history oozing out of it.

One of the world’s most famous ski

resorts for almost a century, Gstaad

really got on the map from 1917 when

the exclusive school “Le Rosey” decided

to open an annual winter campus for

the children of royalty, politicians,

showbusiness stars, and leading

figures of business and industry,

with the Palace Hotel catering for the

parents of these illustrious offspring.

As these children became adults, and

remained attached to the resort, they

returned and the resort thrived in the

post-war decades.

To do Gstaad right you need to arrive

by train. Only 2 hours from Geneva this

is one of the easiest Swiss resorts to get

to, and as you come up the valley you’ll

pass several of the smaller ski areas

above Château-d’Oex and Rougemont

– the former being where the famous

actor David Niven set up home, and

also the starting point of the successful

circumnavigation of the globe in 1999

by the Breitling Orbiter balloon. Pass

these and you depart French-speaking

Switzerland and enter the German-

speaking Bernese Oberland, reaching

your destination of Gstaad.

The railway continues on along

the valley floor passing more ski

areas – all now interlinked together

by lifts and runs on the slopes too,

creating Gstaad’s largest skiing sector

above Schönried, Saanenmöser and

Zweisimmen. Although there are bus

services, this really is the way to ski

Gstaad each day – jump on the train,

included on your lift pass, travel to

whichever sector you fancy, jump off

and it’s a short walk to the ski lifts at

each station.

The local Wispile area has some

village level nursery slopes, and an

easy run at the top of the mountain

accessed by a two-stage gondola.

There's a long intermediate and a long

black run from the top station back to

the valley. Most of the rest of the terrain

at all the other ski areas is graded either

easy (60%) or intermediate (30%), and

most of it takes place on wide open

trails cut through thin woodland on

north-facing slopes, and meadows on

the lower slopes.

The advanced ski runs are dotted

around the area, with most of the

individual areas having at least one

good long black to try. There are good

off-piste opportunities to tackle with a

guide, and heli-skiing is also available.

From Glacier 3000, the only skiable

glacier in Bernese Oberland, there's

a wonderfully long run down to the

valley, with one short chairlift link

enroute down to make the full 1650m

vertical, it’s a must ski during your stay.

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Although mountain tourism took

hold more than a century ago with the

coming of the Montreux-Oberland

(MOB) railway in 1905, the Saanenland

still has an active agricultural life and,

alongside the fur coats, 7000 cows

– one for every local – and 90 Alp

cheese farms.

Although there are plenty of excellent

hotels in Gstaad, for the full experience

it has to be the Palace, which is

100-years-old this year. Since the

early years of winter sports travel this

has been one of the world’s classic

ski hotels. Let’s face it, if the visitor

book includes Joan Crawford, Henry

Ford III, Danny de Vito, Jimmy Carter,

William Shatner and Bob Hope it has to

be good.

It’s not hard to see why. The snow

services are seamless, with a shuttle

to slopes, lift pass printed in the hotel,

latest gear supplied by the Silver Sport

shop on site, and all adventures are

available, including spectacular heli-

ski experiences if you like.

There is a phenomenal

1858m2 spa beneath

the hotel and half

a dozen bars and

restaurants to

peruse, the best,

in terms of its

16 Gault Millau

gourmet guide

points, the intimate

Le Grill Rôtisserie,

seating 35, where chefs

cook meals to order in an open

show kitchen.

To end the day the hotel’s GreenGo

nightclub is not ashamed of its retro

feel and, indeed, revels in the flavour

of the 70s, taking you straight back

to the classic Euro-cinema-stylised

flicks of 40 years ago. In this case that

ambience is the real thing, not a

retro recreation. Resident DJ

“Jim LeBlanc” (no relation to

Matt) spins the discs (or at

least, flips the switches)

for the GreenGo’s

illustrious clientele.

If you have a few

thousand Swiss francs

in spare change then

the legendary Penthouse

Suite, located on the roof

of the hotel, is widely regarded

as the best in the Alps. Accessed

by a personal lift, the Suite sprawls

luxuriantly across more than 232m2,

and then there’s the huge private

terrace, which provides 270° views

of the spectacular majesty that is the

Swiss Alps. Along with three bedrooms,

each with an en-suite bathroom and a

steam bath, a dining room, and a living

room with a real fireplace, there is also

a Jacuzzi and a sauna inside the tower.

“What makes the Palace special?”

asks Mr Andrea Scherz, the hotel’s

General Manager since 2001 and also

its owner. “Well, you see our hotel

from very far off. The Gstaad Palace

provides a relaxing atmosphere and

its spirit is influenced both by our

guests from all over the world and our

long-standing employees. We try to

be different from other luxury hotels

in the world by deliberately being a bit

resistant to trends. Instead, we adapt

to our environment and this beautiful

vacation region.”

021

See more online at...

Piste:250km / 100 runs / 62 lifts

www.gstaad.chwww.palace.ch

G LORIOU S gSTaaD

nother 5 hotel

under construction

in courchevel will

take the resort’s total

to 18 for winter 2013–14, including

16 ”regular” 5 hotels and two with

the higher Palace rating, of which

France has only 12.

The 5 rating was only

introduced in France in 2010,

where 4 was the previous

maximum, and since then

courchevel has rapidly added

hotels in that category, more

than any other destination in the

country except Paris.

outside France, the most 5

hotels in a single resort are to be

found in Seefeld, austria, which has

seven. St moritz has five, although

all are graded 5 superior.

The new L’apogée courchevel,

with 33 suites, 20 double rooms,

and a spectacular penthouse

with its own jacuzzi and private

terrace, is situated at the heart of

the Jardin alpin in courchevel

1850 at the foot of the ski slopes,

and is scheduled to open on

11 december. The hotel will also

offer a private chalet, which will

feature five bedrooms, a spa, and

its own home cinema.

a signature restaurant,

under the supervision of two

michelin-starred chef Yannick

Franques, will also offer the

hotel guests a grand terrace for

relaxing, and there will also be a

champagne bar .

L’apogée courchevel will

also have a spa with four

treatment rooms and a suite

for the traditional russian

ritual "Banïya”, as well as an

indoor pool and a state-of-

the-art fitness centre. The two

existing Palace graded hotels in

courchevel are the cheval Blanc

and Les airelles.

nEW CourChEvEl 5 Will takE rEsort’s tally to EiGhtEEn!

BEN CLATWORTHY

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Ski Sales Hit New 5-Year HighAmer Sports Oyj (AMEAS), the Finnish-based world-leading seller of ski equipment and owner of brands Salomon and Atomic, reports sales are at a 5-year high due to a reported rebound in winter sports equipment demand. The company’s stock price hit its highest level since January 2008.Amer’s sales hit a record €2.06bn in 2012, and the company says it expects the figure to increase in 2013 after last year’s “mild” winter.


023

kiing is a strange thing.

All year ski enthusiasts

look forward to that one

week when they can throw

ourselves off steep cliff-edges, twist

their bodies into awkward, unnatural

shapes and generally try to avoid any

kind of collision with either a tree or a

fellow skier. They moan about the bitter

UK winters, yet flock to the Alps where

the snow falls and the temperature slips

way below zero. You either love the sport

or hate it, but those of us who enjoy

skidding around at breakneck speeds

find ourselves being pulled back to the

mountains year after year.

Lorna’s the name. My first experience

of skiing was on a school trip at 15 years

of age, and I have become a typical ski

obsessive ever since. Aside from my

cat, my twin tips are the most precious

possession I own, and at Christmas

and on birthdays I simply ask for the

latest accessories to replace the battered

gear I’ve ruined during my spectacular

wipeouts. When I ran the snow sports

club at university members spent half

of the academic year counting down

to the annual alpine trip, and the other

half discussing where they wanted go

the following year. So it came as no

surprise to my friends and family when

in summer 2012 I announced that I

was planning to leave the dreary British

winter behind later that year for the lure

of the fluffy white pow.

Val Thorens was the resort of choice

for that first winter due to its fantastic

après scene, world-class ski area and

varied international crowd. The biggest

worry that us seasonaires had was

how the quality of the snow would

turn out. You may remember the

winter of 2011 when the rain replaced

the snow, and wet slush adorned the

once-white slopes. The thought of a

5-month season without decent snow

sent shivers down the spine of every

seasonaire venturing out for the entire

winter. But to me the weather was

kind. I was greeted in early December

by a winter wonderland with deep

powder already covering everything.

The first few days on the slopes were

spent battling the blizzards, and the

white-outs meant that you could barely

see the person centimetres in front

of you. A wrong turning was almost

guaranteed, but every marked slope was

like skiing off-piste, and every crash

was cushioned by the deep, cotton-

soft snow. This was pretty much how it

remained for the entire season.

But as every seasonaire will know,

spending such a long period of time

surrounded by the beauty of the

mountains, breathing in the pure, crisp

air, and having the opportunity to

practise the sport you love every single

day is something that never leaves you.

One of the first things I was told when

I moved to Val Thorens was that I’d do

another season. And that person was

absolutely right. In December I plan

to move to Tignes for another alpine

adventure. The apartment has been

sorted, and a job is close to being sorted

for the winter, so I’m now counting down

the days until I can make the mountains

my home once more.

S

DIaRY

SEASONAIREOF A

BY LORNA MCGACHIE

Seasonaire[see-zuhn-air]One who works a season in the Alps in order to ski or board a lot

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he Austrian Tirol region has

been one of the most famous

in the world for skiing, ever

since the early years of winter

sports more than a century ago.

But in recent years, along with its long-

standing reputation for atmospheric,

traditional buildings (no high-rise

concrete monstrosities here!) and

friendly welcome, the Tirol has also been

leading the world with innovation and

on-mountain comfort, with the latest

high-speed, high-comfort lifts, stylish

mountain restaurants, and many more

attractions opening up on its slopes.

Brits have been responding positively

to this investment; and last winter, the

Tirol region achieved some of its best

results to date, with UK visitor numbers up

5%, making a significant contribution to

the almost 5.4m arrivals during 2012–13

recorded in the region (Brits are the third

biggest market after the Germans and the

Dutch). This 5% growth was beaten only

by the rapidly-expanding visiting Russian

contingent, which was up by 8%, but from

a smaller numbers base.

St Anton remains the most popular resort

for UK visitors, followed by Obergurgl/

Sölden, Mayrhofen, Söll and Kitzbühel, but

the resorts that enjoyed the highest overall

increase in arrivals last season included

Seefeld (+25.7%), Alpbach (+23.3%) and

Wildschönau (+17%), the latter two as a

result of their interconnection in the new

Ski Jewel area.

New Season News

Rather than rest on its laurels, there’s another

long list of new attractions and upgrades

across the Tirol for the coming winter.

For tip-top dining you can’t get much

higher, or much better, than the new state-

of-the-art restaurant and design statement

being built at the top of the Gaislachkogel

above Sölden (soelden.com), at 3048m.

The new innovatively-designed

restaurant features impressive modern

architecture, the glass exterior creates a

transparent feeling making visitors feel up

close and personal with the spectacular

Ötztal’s panoramic mountain scenery.

The technical mastery goes one step

further, as the roof terrace is connected

to the Gaislachkogel mountain peak via a

suspension bridge.

To complete the gourmet experience, one

of the highlights will be a new signature wine

”Pino3000”, a cross-border wine project,

which has selected three top wine growers

from Austria, South Tyrol and Germany to

bring their best Pinot Noir to mature in a

special wine cellar at the Gaislachkogel.

For lots of new lifts this season the Zillertal

region leads the way with lift expansions,

in addition to accommodation upgrades

and new mountain huts and restaurants.

The Ski Optimal Hochzillertal/Kaltenbach

ski area, with access to 88km of pistes, will

welcome two new chairlifts, a new eight-

seater heated chairlift, the Kristall-Express,

and a heated six-seater chairlift, Mizun,

which replaces the old T-bar.

Regarded as one of the best mountain

huts in the Alps, the luxurious Kristallhütte

will be enhanced by four new two-

storey Panorama suites, with private

spa and open views of the Zillertal Alps.

In Hochfügen, a new alpine hut called

Holzalm will open, serving specialities

from the Tirol and Zillertal region.

At the other end of the Zillertal, in the

region of Tux-Finkenberg, there will

be a complete €13m (approx. £11m)

transformation by Hintertux Glacier

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lift company of the Tuxer Fernerhaus

restaurant. Features will include a table

service restaurant, sun terrace, and the stairs

are to be replaced by escalators, bringing

an end to the ungainly task of climbing up

and down stairs in ski boots! In addition,

the old Spannagelhaus will be transformed

into an inviting table service restaurant with

inimitable mountain hut charm – think

rustic lounges, open fireplace and warm

wood tones with natural stone.

Finally, the existing Lämmerbichl double

chairlift will be replaced by a highly

sophisticated six-seater chairlift, with full

weather protection hoods and heated seats.

Meanwhile the resort of Ischgl (ischgl.

com) in the Paznaun valley will open up a

new ski area on the Piz Val Gronda, with

the construction of a new aerial cable car to

access it. Particular attention has been paid

to protecting the landscape and ecosystem

during the construction process. From the

base at 2295m to the top at 2811m there are

only two support towers required, and no

cable trench is needed along the route. A

new 3km-long intermediate piste (no.42)

will be created by the new lift access, which

will also open up further freeride terrain.

New Hotels

There are plenty of new accommodation

options in Tirol this winter. The new

Fairhotel Hochfilzen (fairhotel-hochfilzen.

com) in the Pillersee valley, home to

Fieberbrunn, Pillersee and Leogang ski

areas, will become Tirol’s first ”passive

energy” hotel.

Following an environmental philosophy,

the hotel minimises energy losses

and maximises energy gains, through

innovative heating systems.

Offering functional interior design at

its best, guest comfort is ensured thanks

to Tempur

mattresses

on all beds,

and well-

being is

taken care

of with its

organic

farm-fresh

breakfasts.

Prices

start from

€49pppn

(£41) on a

B&B basis.

At Axamer

Lizum above Innsbruck, Hotel Lizum

1600 (lizum1600.at) is part of a new

complex built as a training centre for

ski instructors. Inghams has introduced

the resort and hotel for 2013–14, with

prices starting from £739pp for 7 nights

half-board,

including

flights and

transfers.

Finally,

the brand-

new lifestyle

Hotel Adlers

(deradler.com)

in Innsbruck

is the Tirolean

capital’s

tallest, with an

amazing roof-

top terrace and

impressive

restaurant. The excellent, high-value,

local lift pass provides access to eight ski

areas in the region and bus transport to

them. Winter prices start from €135 (£114)

per room, per night, for room only in a

Panorama Classic.

025


ailor-made ski specialist Ski Safari (skisafari.com) has added Tirolean areas to its programme for the first time, featuring Innsbruck,

Sölden, Obergurgl/Hochgurgl, Kitzbühel, St Anton and Galtür.

Cosmos (cosmos.co.uk) is offering ski and snowboard holidays for the first time, including ten resorts in the Tirol, with flights from sister company Monarch airlines to Innsbruck, Munich and Friedrichshafen.

Supertravel Ski (supertravel.co.uk/ski) has three newly-built, five-or-six-bed designer properties in St Anton this coming season, with prices starting from £1059pp, based on six sharing, for 7 nights on a chalet-board basis, including flights and rail transfers.

Zenith Holidays (zenithholidays.co.uk) is exclusively adding the family-friendly resort of Kappl to existing options Ischgl and Galtür in the Paznaun valley.

After unveiling the stylish Hotel Montjola in St Anton last season, VIP SKI (vip-chalets.com) will add a further two St Anton chalets for 2013–14, with prices starting from £969pp based on two sharing, including return flights from London Gatwick, transfers, and catered chalet board.

Crystal Ski (crystalski.co.uk) has introduced a limited number of FREE first-time ski or board packages in Seefeld and St Johann, during selected weeks in January and March 2014. Packages include tuition, equipment hire, lift pass for the week – these must be booked by 15 November.

Inghams (inghams.co.uk) has introduced the resorts of Axams and Götzens near Innsbruck, Kirchberg in the Kitzbühler Alps, and Going in Austria’s largest ski area, the SkiWelt, as well as a new flight route from Southampton to Innsbruck this winter.

T

NEW HOLIDAYSTO THE TIROL

For more information on the Tirol region visit visittirol.co.uk or keep updated at facebook.com/visittirol.

solden

ith one of the

most significant

investments in lifts

ever made in Åre,

next season will see the addition

of no less than three modern

four- and six-seat chairlifts

(skistar.com/are).

The new lifts will boost

capacity in this Swedish ski

area by about 5000 people per

hour, and further improve the

skiing experience in the zone

below the treeline. They will be

situated at important hub areas

within the ski area, and will

make a big difference in terms

of orientation and efficiency.

“This is one of the biggest

investments ever made in ski lifts

in Åre. With these new lifts, Åre

will keep in step with the leading

Alpine ski resorts. We will become

even more attractive, not least

from an international perspective,”

said Niclas Sjögren Berg, Head of

Destination, SkiStar Åre.

The first new lift, a quad

chairlift will replace the T-bar

currently operating in Tegefjäll.

The 1.1km-long lift will double

capacity on the route to 2400

people per hour, and will offer

great potential for development

of the excellent natural

conditions in the Duved-

Tegefjäll part of the ski area.

The second new lift,

Fjällgårdsexpressen, a six-seater

chairlift, able to transport skiers

swiftly from Fjällgården up on

Sadeln, will run over 1.2km rising

270 vertical metres.

The third new lift,

Sadelexpressen, another six-seater

chairlift will take skiers from the

base station of Högåsliften in

Björnen to the top of Sadelliften.

The 1.6km-long lift will allow for

widening of the current runs.

THREE nEW CHaIRLIFTS FOR SCanDInaVIa’S BIggEST RESORT

BEN CLATWORTHY

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zermatt For cHF1.2bn SpendLeading Swiss ski area Zermatt has announced it plans to spend CHF1.2bn (£822m) in an initiative called Strategy 2018. Meeting on the resort’s Gornergrat, key partners of Destination Zermatt-Matterhorn have signed an action plan committing to an investment plan, the focus of which will be constant upgrades to the quality of the resort’s tourist attractions and infrastructure, as well as creating ”new tourist experiences and communication”. ‘‘Large and long-term investments secure our competitiveness,” said Daniel Luggen, Director of Zermatt Tourismus, who stressed that the secret of the success was everyone in the resort working together for the success of Zermatt. Full details of major capital projects resulting from the investment have not been published; however, while stressing the need for sustainable development the resort has spoken of creating a World Cup ski run, creating a ”spectacular ski jump run” over the Gornergratbahn tunnel, strengthening and securing its heli-ski business, and expanding its summer ski offering.

Snow Camp Rally Fundraiser Returns

S

hacky charity

fundraiser the Snow

Camp Rally is back

in 2013, with teams

racing between the five indoor

snow centres in England to raise

money for the charity Snow-Camp.

This year the 12-hour epic,

described by Ed Leigh as “the

closest thing you’ll get to the

Gumball Rally in the UK”, will

begin at The Snow Centre, Hemel

Hempstead, with skiing and

boarding before hitting the road

to the Milton Keynes Sno!Zone,

then onto the Castleford Sno!Zone,

and next Chill Factore, Manchester,

before the final 30 minutes in the

SnowDome, Tamworth.

Taking place on Friday 25 October,

teams of four must ride as many

runs as possible at each centre, with

almost 563km of tarmac to cover

between centres, and 30-minutes

maximum at each slope. Each team

must commit to raising £1000

between them, and prizes are

awarded in various categories.

The contest is limited to 20

teams. Information on registering

can be found at snow-camp.org.

uk/rally.

Snow-Camp is an innovative

youth charity that uses a

unique combination of skiing,

snowboarding and life-skills

programmes to support inner-

city young people.

W


Jonas Kullm

anZe

rmaT

T To

uris

T of

fiCe

25 OCTOBER - 27 OCTOBER 2013

EVENTCITY, MANCHESTER

NORTH

SEE ONLINE FOR DETAILS

PLUS: CLAIM A FREE1 HOUR LIFT PASS AT OR

EARLS COURT 230 OCTOBER - 3 NOVEMBER 2013LONDON

SAVE £5ON TICKETSQUOTE ‘SNOWMAG5’ TO CLAIM**

*One lift pass per adult ticket booked can be claimed from the choice of international resorts. Snow Centre lift passes are available for visitors to collect at the London show, and Chill Factore lift passes are available for visitors tocollect at the North show, both on a first come first served basis, one per visitor, for first 10,000 visitors who claim. Restrictions apply to all lift passes - see website for full terms and conditions.

**Valid on adult tickets only on either show, excluding Sat 2nd Nov (London). Booking fee applies. Offer expires 24th Oct.

BOOK TICKETS NOW AT WWW.SKIANDSNOWBOARD.CO.UK

SkiAndSnow_400x280_2-084_Layout 1 18/09/2013 12:56 Page 1

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hamonix: there are few

resorts in the world with a

reputation as formidable

as this Mont-Blanc resort.

When the sun shines, the lofty peak of

the “White Mountain” towers above the

resort in magnificent glory. But when

the mountain is shrouded in cloud, and

snow is falling in the village centre, the

power of Europe’s highest mountain

can be felt – a timely reminder that the

mountains are formidable and should be

respected.

It’s a resort that features prominently

on the bucket list of all keen skiers, and

one that has the ability to lure people

back time and time again. In winter

holidaymakers and big mountain skiers

flock to the Alpine resort in search

of some of the best skiing in France,

whilst once the spring comes and the

snow melts, Chamonix sees a huge

influx – bigger than any other resort

– of outdoor adventure enthusiasts,

mountaineers, and sportspeople looking

to test their stamina.

There are some misconceptions that

people often make about Chamonix:

the main one – and the most important

to address – is that the resort is only for

experts. Wrong. In fact, not only are there

heaps of intermediate runs – 36% blue, and

32% red (although it helps to be a relatively

gutsy skier to enjoy the full benefits of the

resort) – but also a staggering half of all

winter visitors don’t ski.

But for those who do, there are many

treats at this exceptional resort. With

90% of Chamonix’s skiing located above

2000m, the resort is not only a safe

choice for early- and late-season skiing,

but often abundant with snow. The

highest area is the Grands Montets –

3300m – which offers skiing in second-

to-none conditions from December

until early May.

It’s no secret that the Chamonix valley

is considered a mecca for freeriders, and

it certainly attracts some of the world’s

best skiers, although you’ll rarely meet

them on a piste! But don’t be mislead;

the areas of Balme and Les Houches

offer wonderful family skiing – and are

the most suitable areas for beginners

and early intermediates – and fun

terrain parks, whilst the areas of Le

Brévent and La Flégère have a variety of

south-facing intermediate slopes with

breathtaking panoramas.

The most famous descent in Chamonix

– and in fact, probably Europe – is the

Vallée Blanche. Reached by a two-stage

cable car, which scales the Aiguille du

Midi (to the dizzy heights of 3842m),

followed by a hike along a narrow ridge,

the descent is one seldom forgotten.

For intermediates the standard 18km

”tourist route” through the Géant and

Tacul glaciers, and the Mer de Glace is an

unforgettable and dramatic run. There

are, of course, other routes, but these

require – in some cases – ice axes and

crampons in order to ensure a safe ski.

Of course, with all off-piste itinerary runs

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a guide is highly recommended.

But it’s not all about high-octane,

adrenaline-fuelled descents. Pop out

your bindings for an afternoon, or

eschew the skiing altogether, and you

won’t find yourself running out of

activities and inspiration.

Ride the Montenvers cog railway

up to the Mer de Glace, or ride the

aforementioned Aiguille du Midi cable

car – not for daredevil skiing, but to

marvel at the jagged peaks that spread as

far as the eye can see. Make sure to enjoy

a walk one of the winter trails, or try your

hand at sledding with huskies, skijoring

(towed by horses), or launch yourself off

the mountain paragliding.

Back in the resort, Chamonix’s

excellent facilities include an ice-skating

rink, indoor climbing walls, swimming

pools, a cinema – with English films –

and several highly-recommended spas.

It’s also very worthwhile taking advantage

of the free buses and trains within the

valley, and the opportunity to discover

some of the nearby villages and hamlets.

You really don’t have to be a sports

fanatic to enjoy the atmosphere of the

vibrant Alpine town. The pedestrianised

centre is home to countless shops

and attractive boutiques, as well as

a myriad of outdoor adventure and

mountaineering outlets.

After a busy morning – shopping,

skiing, mountaineering, walking (you get

the picture) – be sure to stop for coffee

at one of the many street cafés, perfect

for watching the world go by, or if you’re

feeling peckish one of the delightful

French restaurants.

Once the sun drops behind the Mont

Blanc, and après-ski is on the agenda,

you have to know where to go, especially

in such a large village. The bars next

to the train station are the best place

to head for a quick drink after a day on

the mountain, or the Rhododendrons

at Flégère, which has live music and an

unbeatable atmosphere. The MBC brews

its own beer, has jam sessions and great

burgers. The Rue des Moulins (Mill Street)

has a tremendous atmosphere, with a

number of wine bars, pubs, restaurants

and a nightclub, The White Hub.

An evening at one of the three Michelin

star restaurants – L’Albert 1er Le Bistrot,

Flocons de Sel, and Auberge du Bois

Prin – is not to be missed. If you’re

looking for something more casual and

relaxed, then Chamonix offers many

more restaurants than most French

resorts. There are, for those a little

more conscious of budget, a number of

affordable pizza and pasta restaurants,

most notably – and recommended –

Neopolis and Poele.

Chamonix will, as it always has,

remain a stalwart favourite of skiers,

mountaineers and mountain lovers

alike, for many years to come. There are

few resorts in France – or the world, for

that matter – that can rival the quality of

skiing, and the off-slope activities and

amenities that Chamonix provides. I just

wish I could have spent more time there

… a season, anyone?

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C H A M O N I xChamonix In Numbers

Adult 6-day ski pass: €230 (£193) Altitude: 1035–3840m

Lifts: 44Pistes: 155km

Green: 16%Blue: 36%Black: 16%

FAMILY FRIENDLY One of the “secret” resorts of the Maurienne

Valley, St François Longchamp, is a largely

purpose-built French resort offering 160km of

skiable terrain, and 86 pistes thanks to linked

access to the resorts of Valmorel and Doucy

Combelouviere. The resort is ideal for families – both

on- and off-piste – with easy access to accommodation, a

huge choice of non-ski activities, and (arguably the most

important factor) plenty of easy and intermediate skiing.

EASY ACCESS Arriving by car is straightfoward thanks to the

resort’s proximity to the A43 Autoroute, from

Chambéry and Albertville, just 12km from the

resort. The same distance away is the train station,

served by the TGV from Paris (and the Eurostar ski train), as well

as the bus depot, with regular services to the resort. Geneva –

the skier’s airport – is 2 hours from the resort, or 1 hour from

Chambery airport if you want to be that bit closer.

SKI, SKI, SKIWith 24 green runs and 39 blue, the Grand

Domaine is ideally suited to families and

beginners. Intermediates can explore the 19 red

trails; however, experts may find themselves

limited. There are eight (largely undemanding)

black runs, but also some worthwhile off-piste to explore.

Direct access to the Grand Domaine allows those a little

steadier on their skis to visit the other resorts in the area.

The wider area also boasts seven snow parks. Not far from

the resort, you can also ski 40km of cross-country trails.

WELLNESS CENTEROpened in 2010, the Centre de BalnéÔthérapie

is a new addition to the resort of St François

Longchamp. Here you’ll find pools and

hydrotherapy spas, as well as a relaxation area

for massages and beauty treatments, a gym and fitness

centre, a bar and bowling alley. Health and well-being

professionals are available for consultation and treatments,

as well as a physiotherapist and an osteopath.

WHAT vALUE!The 1650 sector of the resort is home to most of

the amenities, including a number of bars and

restaurants. Here prices are considerably better

value for money than in some big name French

ski resorts. A pizza will cost around €12 (£10), and a beer

won’t break the bank either. There are also supermarkets for

those self-catering.

Peak Retreats (peakretreats.co.uk), the French Alps

specialist, has accommodation in the resort, with prices

starting from £117pp per week, based on four sharing

a two-bedroom apartment. The price includes a return

Eurotunnel crossing for one car and passengers, with free

FlexiPlus upgrade.

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BEN CLATWORTHY

• Charming Pyrenean mountain villages • Ski & Spa • Unspoilt, snowsure pistes • Prices from only £60pp*

Cauterets - World’s Snowiest Resort 2013

Discover something different Ski the French Pyrenees

• Saint Lary • La Mongie/Grand Tourmalet• Cauterets • Peyragudes

Fly with Ryanair- Stansted/Lourdes (Tarbes)

Accommodation-only or self-drive deals Book now with a UK specialist tour-operator

Call us on 0844 576 0175

*T&Cs apply

skicollection.co.uk

Self-catering ski apartments at exceptional value

Self-drive packages or accommodation only0844 576 0173

the french alps ski specialist

peakretreats.co.uk

authentic villages

self catering

extensive skiing

expert knowledge

Early bookers save up to 25%

Voted ‘Best Ski Company’ 09,10 &11

Resorts include:

Samoëns for Flaine, Les Gets for Avoriaz,Vaujany for Alpe d’Huez, Peisey for Les Arcs,

St Martin de Belleville for Méribel & La Tania for Courchevel


News

031

ift builder Doppelmayr will

have completed 35 new lifts

for the Sochi Olympics by

October, the Austrian-based

company reports.

The company built 16 lifts for three

resorts in the area between 2004 and 2010,

but will have completed another 19 lifts

this autumn. Most of the lifts are funitels

and high-capacity, high-speed chairlifts.

A further four lifts have already been

ordered for construction after the Games.

Almost half (17) of the lifts are for the

Rosa Khutor resort, another 14 for Laura/

Psekhako (Gazprom), and the remainder

for Alpika Service.

“Hundreds of contractors are

simultaneously carrying out construction

work for the Winter Olympics and

strict security regulations have been

put in place. This unusual situation

has presented its particular logistical

challenges,” said a Doppelmayr statement,

confirming they are ”up to the challenge”.

DAvID BLACK

L

Doppelmayr To Deliver 35 Lifts For Sochi Olympics

n what is being promoted as

a first in Europe, rudechalets

(rudechalets.com) is

offering special ”Mini shred

snowboarding weeks” for 4–8-year-olds

during the first 2 weeks of April (Easter).

The holidays are being offered in

response to increasing demand for

children’s snowboard schools and

equipment, according to the chalet

company who is working with Mint

Snowboarding to offer the holidays in

Morzine, France.

“As the first generation to embrace

snowboarding en-masse enters into

parenthood there is an increasing demand

for kiddies snowboard schools and

equipment,” said a company statement.

“The main focus of the lessons will be fun

through learning enabling the children to

adopt the basics of snowboarding in an

exciting and stimulating environment.”

Through rudechalets, children will have

access to a specialised fleet of Burton

Snowboards’ “Learn To Ride” equipment,

which is designed specifically for

youngsters under the age of 8-years-old.

Prices are from £699 per child per week,

including snowboard lessons, rentals,

transfers, en-suite half-board chalet

accommodation, and a mini-shred video

edit. Adults pay £469pp per week.

I

RudeChalets Snowboarding Weeks for 4–8-Year-Olds

ith the start of the ski season

for most resorts now just

2 months away, most are

beginning to publish their

lift-pass prices for the coming winter.

Inevitably, prices are creeping up

by a few Euros in most cases, but it’s

noticeable that ever more resorts –

particularly in France – are offering

discounts if you book in advance

online. So as soon as you know where

you’re heading this winter, check the

resort’s website to see if you can save

by paying ahead.

Among the deals currently on offer,

the Paradiski region, the world’s third

largest linking La Plagne and Les Arcs

and celebrating its tenth anniversary in

2013–14, is offering a discount of 10% off

all ski passes purchased online before the

31 October via lesarcs.paradiski.com or

skipass-laplagne.com.

W

Paradiski Celebrates 10 Years With 10% Off

Holiday Whistler

+44 (0)20 7060 [email protected]

Holiday Whistler Accommodations,

skiing holidays à la carte, offers

an extended range of chalets,

apartments and condos to suit

every taste and budget. Beautiful

log homes just feet from the piste,

spacious and luxurious chalets

on the golf course, sumptuous

apartments right in the village,

expansive views of the mountains,

private hot tubs on your deck or

nestled in the trees.


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SAFETYOFF-PISTE

• Remember to pack all the essential

safety equipment and know how to use

it. Especially a helmet (we encourage all

gap students to wear one all the time), a

transceiver, shovel and probe.

• For a long day out take food,

refreshments and spare clothes.

• Check the avalanche risk and

understand what it means and how it

affects your decision-making.

• Ask for advice and information from

the local ski patrol. They are the experts

so listen to them!

Jon is one of a handful of instructors

working in the Alps to hold the top

qualifications from France, Switzerland and

Britain. In his role as Ski School Director,

Jon is on hand to manage the different

parts of the Altitude company portfolio,

including the ski and snowboard school,

the instructor training programs, and the

off-piste courses (+41 277 716 006).

ast winter Jon wrote

about how to become

an instructor, and explained

what you could expect from a

gap course like the Altitude Futures course

in Verbier. Last winter was an incredible

season for snow in Verbier, and as a

result the gap students experienced huge

transformations in their powder skiing!

Safety being a priority when skiing off-piste

they not only learnt about good tactics and

techniques, but also about safety.

The following gives you some useful tips

regarding safety when going off-piste.

LJON (AKA WESTY) AT ALTITUDE

RIDE WITHSAFETY IN MIND

• Make sure your ski companions also

understand the risks and respect the

mountain and your safety.

• Also check for hazards such as ice and

wind lips, and assess whether snow is

hard, heavy or light.

• Make sensible decisions together

based on the facts not on where you

want to ski.

• Also, make sure your insurance covers

you for skiing off-piste – many don’t!

Isn't it time you tried one?www.ForcefieldBodyArmour.com

But don't just take our word for it...

“If you feel your arse needs protecting from the ravages of rails, rocks or icy impacts, check these out!”Whitelines Magazine 100 Best Products (Boom Shorts)

“The best protection and an essential part of my skiing Kit and something I will not ride without!”James Machon, Half pipe champion member of Team GB

“I have gotten away with some tough riding slams whilst using Forcefield Action Shorts. You will not find me snowboarding without them.”Jenny Jones, Triple X Games winner

"Forcefield Body Armour is a touch of new wave in the self preservation department..."Fall Line Skiing

- TesTed - Proven - TrusTed

Limb Tubes

Sport Lite 2

Pro Shirt

ALLNEW

Boom Shorts

Kids Kit Clothing

Warm clothing is

ESSENTIAL; due to their

smaller mass children get

colder quicker than adults

so ensure you have plenty of

waterproof, warm clothing.

Several layers are better than

one thick one, and an all-

in-one is good at keeping

the snow out, especially for

smaller children (3–10-year-

olds). Avoid slow drying

clothing, like cotton, as once

it gets wet it gets cold.

Skis

Make sure they are

appropriate to the size and

ability of your child. As a

rough guide, for children

aged between 3 and

5-years-old the ski should

be up to their chin, for

older children up to their

nose. As they get better you

can increase the length of

the ski. It is worth putting

stickers with their name

onto the ski so that they

don’t get mixed up in the

morning or outside the

restaurant at lunch.

Boots

Make sure the boot fits well

and your child is happy with

them. The boot should be

snug on each foot with no

pressure points, and when

done up correctly it should

make the leg bend. It can

be difficult to tell with very

young kids if the boot is

comfortable, check after the

first day for any rub marks

from the boots, and if in doubt

go and change the boot.

Helmet

A must for all kids as children

are more likely to injure

their heads than adults. Most

ski schools will not accept

children without helmets.

Extras

Socks – long, fit well and are

quick drying.

Goggles – protection from

the sun is essential. Even on

a cloudy day the sun can be

damage eyes.

Gloves – waterproof, and

preferably on a string so they

don’t get lost.

Body armour – for advanced

skiers and if hitting the park.

For information about

children’s lessons or summer

camps, please contact

[email protected] or

call +41 277 716 006.

HIKING FORFRESH TRACKS

• Conserve energy to enjoy your descent

more! Take turns to lead, as boot

packing gets tiring.

• Study your descent as you hike.

• Choose your route carefully – it’s better

to walk over rocks or compact snow

than to sink into deep powder snow.

• Don’t sit back – there is a common

misconception that in powder you sit

back to get your skis out of the snow;

in reality this just puts you in a tiring

position that makes your skis difficult

to control, with the added possibility of

straining some ligaments.

PLAN & REMEMBER RISKS CHANGE

• Be aware that temperature and wind

may have transformed the avalanche

risks throughout the day. This applies

especially in spring, when you should

be back on piste by 2pm at the latest.

• Consider factors such as the slope

steepness, weather and temperature.

Even the experts get caught in

avalanches so be careful!

• Avoid any slopes steeper than 28°!

Learn to assess a slope’s steepness as

some are prone to avalanche, so avoid

these unless risk is very low.

• If you stop to wait, pick a safe spot.

Stay 6 nights, get the 7th night FREE!Ski Gstaad: over 220km of diverse terrain, up to 3000m altitude. Add to that a wide selection offirst-class luxury hotels, superb shopping and a warm welcome, and it's easy to see why Gstaad isso popular with those who enjoy the finer things in life. Travel to Gstaad with Ski Independence thiswinter and enjoy our fantastic FREE night offer and superb Swiss Rail transfer deals.*

Contact our reservations team today for a tailor-made quote.

Half Price Swiss Rail Transfers Book by 31 October 2013

• Valid on all 1st and 2nd class adult TRANSFER tickets

• Children under 15 years travel FREE on Swiss Rail

Glorious GstaadThe Ultimate in Swiss Luxury

Phone: 0131 243 8097

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.ski-i.com

*Terms and conditions apply. Image: Gstaad Saanenland Tourismus

If you would like further information about becoming a ski instructor then please contact us on info@altitude-

futures.com, or check out the website altitude-futures.com.

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MaRKER LORD

£275The only binding on the market to cleverly adjust to

accommodate both alpine ski and rubber-soled alpine

touring boots. Now there's no need to decide between

different binding and boot set-ups, touring boots one

holiday, piste boots the next. The Lord binding covers all

eventualities, piste and off-piste with any boot.

SCOTT RIOT POLE £79One of the fattest shafts available, with a unique tuck-away strap and comfy grip. The

Riot is super strong, very unique looking, and the best part is it glows in the dark –

what more could you want?

K2 PInnaCLE130 BOOTS £399With its 50 years of experience producing

all-mountain skis, K2 is now challenging

the world of ski boots. Built from the

ground up, the Pinnacle 130 maximises

performance both for downhill, with its

Spyne technology, and for the uphill, with

its uncompromised freedom of movement

for ski touring.

DOuCHEBag COLLECTIOn THE HUGGER 35L £129

SKI/BOARD BAG £199THE BIG BASTARD 90L £199A cleverly designed, durable AND lightweight, all-in-

one hook-up luggage system. Not only does each bag

hook onto the next, making hauling multiple bags much

easier, but the tough fabric also withstands baggage

handlers, packs small when you’re not using it, and they’re

lightweight for all the ridiculous baggage restrictions!

Douchebag is definitely number one on our equipment list.

SCOTT THE SKI £499Based on a legendary ski designed back in the 70s, which

was the ultimate all-mountain ski of choice in its day. Its

creator Bobby Burns inspired Scott to develop “The Ski” into

a modern-day ski quiver, brought to life with original retro

graphics! Super smooth, easy to ski on- and off-piste, and

great performance for a wide range of ability levels, this

really is “The Ski” to have this year.

nØRROna naRVIKJaCKET + TROuSERS £339 + £299Following on from its popular backcountry collection,

Scandinavian-designed Nørrona is now bringing you a

younger looser-fitting freeski collection. Still utilising its

renowned technical features and comfortable fit, once you

buy Nørrona you won't want anything else.

SHRED STOMP SHRaSTa SungLaSSES £139Retro style is back in fashion. A

combination of quality Italian

craftsmanship and beautiful

design make these glasses

very sought after.

POC MIPS HELMET& LOBES gOggLES£215 + £149Not only one of the safest helmets on the market, with

its MIPS technology, its Swedish design makes it

stand out from the crowd. The Lobes goggle

has a seamless integrated fit inside the

helmet, providing a great field of

vision and comfortable fit.

LInE SICKDaY 110 £449Addicted to skiing? Fancy pulling a sickie? On-piste,

off-piste, in the park ... your grin will say it all, and all

you'll be able to think about at the end of the day is how

much of a “sick day” you've had!

visit skibartlett.com to see moreWith over 40 years of history, Ski Bartlett is one of the

UK's most popular independent specialist ski shops.

With a massive range of products, they can guarantee

you the right kit and the best prices.

SCOTT THE SKI £499Based on a legendary ski designed back in the 70s, which

was the ultimate all-mountain ski of choice in its day. Its

creator Bobby Burns inspired Scott to develop “The Ski” into

a modern-day ski quiver, brought to life with original retro

graphics! Super smooth, easy to ski on- and off-piste, and

great performance for a wide range of ability levels, this

really is “The Ski” to have this year.

36

lans by North Korean

leader Kim Jong-un to

create the largest ski area

in Asia within a year has

suffered repeated setbacks.

After the project at Masik Pass, seen by

outside critics as an attempt to compete

with 2018 Winter Olympic host South

Korea, was announced to the world in

the spring, heavy rain caused problems

on the construction site; and now

sanctions have stopped North Korea

importing a chairlift from France,

Austria and Switzerland. One report

says Italy is still considering selling a lift

to the regime.

Kim Jong-un is believed to have learnt

to ski while studying in Switzerland; and

the country is believed to have already

provided North Korea with one second-

hand double chairlift some years ago for

an existing ski area at Begaebong, before

the current sanctions regime.

The ski area has a target of 110km of

piste; but a study of the existing slopes

using Google Earth, by ski area size

expert Christoph Schrahe, has put the

existing trail length at 16km, with 95%

of runs accessible from one lift if it can

be acquired. This would mean the area

would not be the biggest on the Korean

peninsular. Kim Jong-un says the ski

area will be open to all North Koreans

upon completion.

PATRICK THORNE

P

amily chalet ski holiday

specialist Esprit Ski has

launched its main 2013–14

ski holiday programme

in an upbeat mood, with company MD

Andy Perrin saying that last season

showed, “… encouraging signs of real

recovery. Not just because of the second

winter in a row with record-breaking

Alpine snow conditions, but more

generally, with more families feeling

more confident about taking winter

holidays again.”

The company says that as a result

it is increasing guest capacity by

approximately 10%. A new resort choice

has been added – Gressoney in Italy’s

Monterosa region – and three new chalets

in Tignes and La Rosière in France.

A half-term trip to the Chalet Hotel

Valverde in Gressoney (from 15 February

2014), with free children's ski rental and

free adult ski hosting is £1299 per adult,

from £649.50 per child, including flights

from London Gatwick, transfers, in half-

board catered chalet accommodation

(espritski.com).

Floods & Bans Hamper North Korean Ski Resort

F

"Encouraging Signs Of Recovery"

unshine Mountain in

Alberta, Canada, which

operates for one of the

longest ski seasons in the

northern hemisphere, has announced the

chance to enjoy a yoga and healthy eating

break, when you’re not skiing or boarding

its slopes this winter.

As the only on-mountain

accommodation in Banff National Park,

Sunshine Mountain Lodge’s yoga and ski

package will combine the Rocky Mountain

ski experience with the serenity and

relaxation of on-mountain yoga practice.

These weekend retreats, slated for

spring 2014, will include a specialised

menu featuring healthy, organic

fare, crafted exclusively by Executive

Chef Martin Brenner of the Sunshine

Mountain Lodge, and a guided mountain

experience with one of Sunshine

Village’s certified ski instructors.

S

Yoga & Ski In The Rocky Mountains

www.stardustfactory.eu

launch collection available now...

stardust-inTheSnow.pdf 1 17/09/2013 20:14

100 Chalet Holidays | 100 Self Catered Apartments | 30 HotelsFully Bonded | Very Experienced | Here To Help

0845 021 0222 | simplyvaldisere.com

VAL D’ISERE ACCOMMODATION SPECIALIST

4 sizes in each pack

SWEETSPOT SKI TRAINERTHE KEY TO GREAT SKIING!DYNAMIC, CENTRED BALANCE IS THE KEY TO GREAT TURNS. CHALLENGING, QUICK AND FUN TO USE FOR ALL ABILITIES,

AND PROVEN TO TRANSFORM SKIING PERFORMANCE

RRP £45.00 www.skia.com

“IT ACTIVATES YOUR BODY AND MUSCLES IN A WAY THAT NO OTHER SKI SIMULATOR TOUCHES. QUITE SIMPLY, IF YOU USE THIS YOUR SKIING WILL IMPROVE”!

Gavin Kerr Hunter. Director, SnowPerformance


37

Set in the heart of the Chamonix Mont-Blanc valley, in the French Alps, the Résidence & Spa Vallorcine Mont-Blanc offers a cosy atmosphere and a warm welcome. Surrounded by mountains and forests, this newly-opened 5 residence is an ideal place for relaxing and exploring the Mont Blanc region.

RéSIDENCE & SPA vALLORCINE CHAMONIX MONT-BLANC

+33 (0)45 054 7520 | chamonix-vacances.com | [email protected] |

The Hotel Firefly is the first address in Zermatt for travellers who expect luxury and lifestyle of the highest level. In the midst of the breathtaking scenery of the famous glacier ski area, the hotel is only 3 minutes from the Klein Matterhorn cable car and from the centre of Zermatt. Each suite is individual, spacious and luxuriously furnished.

HOTEL FIREFLYZERMATT

+41 (0)27 967 7676 | firefly-zermatt.com

Located in the Mont-Blanc valley, in the centre of Chamonix, the 4 L'Héliopic Hotel Sweet and Spa is set at the foot of Aiguille du Midi lift. If you come as a couple, family or group for a special event, our 4hotel will take care of your well-being. Whatever the season, on an exceptional setting in the heart of Chamonix, our hotel offers a new level of comfort.

HôTEL L'HéLIOPICCHAMONIX MONT-BLANC

+ 33 (0)45 054 5556 | [email protected] | heliopic-hotel-spa.com |

Chalet Fourmiliere in Morzine is a boutique, owner-run, catered ski chalet, which is quickly gaining a reputation as a gastro-chalet. When you stay here your every need will be accommodated and no request is too small for the wonderful hosts and their staff, whose sole intention is to ensure you feel at home in their splendid abode.

CHALET FOURMILIEREMORZINE

+33 (0)45 075 4625 | [email protected] | chaletfourmiliere.com |

The Omnia is perfectly situated in the centre of

Zermatt just off on a hidden back street, giving

you the bustle of beautiful Zermatt right on your

doorstep, but the peace and quiet you would

expect from an escape to the mountains. The

warm and friendly welcome is simply hard to beat.

THE OMNIAZERMATT

+41 (0)27 966 7171 | [email protected] | the-omnia.com |

Chalet de la Cloche is in the heart of Les Brevieres,

Espace Killy, considered to be one of the greatest ski

areas in the world. The Ski-Base team has created

a wonderful chalet described by Harpers Bazaar as

a “haven of sensual indulgence”. It is one of Condé

Nast Traveller's top ten chalets in the Alps.

CHALET DE LA CLOCHEvAL D'ISÈRE

+44 (0)20 3432 8446 | [email protected] | ski-base.com |

The luxurious Hotel Avenue Lodge is a superb base in one the world’s great ski areas, the exceptional Espace Killy. You’ll feel welcome from the minute you arrive with valet parking and the concierge service taking care of your luggage. The Hotel Avenue Lodge’s entire team is at your service to make your holiday in our resort an unforgettable stay.

HOTEL AvENUE LODGEvAL D'ISÈRE

+33 (0)47 900 6767 | [email protected] | hotelavenuelodge.com |

Chalet Zibeleine nestles in the trees above La Plagne 1800. The chalet is only a few minutes' walk from the centre of the village where you will find the local bars and restaurants. Another bonus is that just above the chalet on the main road you have a free bus stop (about 20m away). Sleeps eight people and is ideal for small groups.

CHALET ZIBELEINELA PLAGNE 1800

+41 (0)151 625 1921 | [email protected] | mountainheaven.co.uk |


nTheSnow’s Ben Clatworthy

spent 10 minutes with Matt

Petersen, Founder of Pre-Fit

Delivery – an innovative

solution to the laborious process of boot

and ski fitting in resort.

Matt, can you explain the basics of

Pre-Fit Delivery?

MP: Essentially we go to the client before

they depart for their ski or snowboarding

holiday, be that at their place of work, home,

university, school or military base. We

accurately measure and fit all the equipment

they need, boots, skies, poles and clothing

(should they require it). On arrival at the

resort, all of their kit is ready and waiting

for them in the ski hire shop, or at their

accommodation. This allows the client to

get straight onto the mountain as soon as

they arrive, and avoid the hassle of having to

trek to the rental shop after a journey from

the UK, or on their first morning, ultimately

wasting time. If you have your own kit we

can arrange equipment carriage for you,

from your home to the resort.

What spurred you on to set up the

company?

MP: I’ve been skiing for over 20 years,

and have been lucky enough to travel to

some amazing locations and resorts. More

recently, I have been involved in taking

large military groups to the Alps. Time and

time again I saw long queues of customers

outside rental shops on their first morning

in resort waiting to get their equipment,

wasting time and losing value from their lift

pass. Because of the huge demand, and time

pressure on the staff in the shops, the fitting

process is pretty basic at best, and often the

kit doesn’t fit properly and is poorly adjusted.

Even when equipment is booked online in

advance, if a large group arrives just before

you, you’ve no idea what kit you’ll get as the

stock in the shop starts to run out, and boot

and shoe sizes vary enormously. I always

thought ”there must be a better way”, so I

came up with the idea of having kit ”pre-

fitted” and delivered to avoid all this hassle.

How does it work exactly? Do you drive

the kit over, or have partners in Europe?

MP: The Pre-Fit team comes to you before

you travel, to measure and fit for all your

equipment. Your clothing is delivered to

you by post about a week before you travel,

and your technical kit is ready and waiting

for you when you arrive. We can provide

HD cameras, off-piste packs, and other

ancillaries. We have partners in-resort who

each receive the information from us, they

prepare the equipment and set it up with

the information we provide. If requested,

kit is delivered and collected from your

accommodation, otherwise it can be

dropped off at the ski hire shop. Any clothing

requested is sent back to us in a pre-paid

bag. We even offer a ”try before you buy”

service, so if the customer really likes all the

clothing, they can buy it from us at the end.

Can anyone use your services?

MP: Absolutely. We aim to look after most

groups, and have catered for groups as

small as five, and as big as over 400. We

normally plan on a fitting 2–4 weeks before

the client leaves for their trip, in order to

provide ample time to book the fitting team.

Depending on the advance notice, and the

location of the client, we deal with requests

on a case-by-case basis, but we’ll try our best

to support every trip that we can.

I understand Pre-Fit is working with

Wasteland Ski for university ski trips?

MP: Yes, this is a very exciting time for us.

Wasteland Ski approached us in February

as they could see the real value that this

service would add to their customers.

It is the most established university

tour operator, and is very focused on

delivering the best possible service to

their clients. By working with us, time

will be saved and a higher level of fitting

will be provided, which means that their

customers will have a premium service,

but within a university trip budget. The

travel industry is very competitive; and

more tour operators are approaching us

to offer this service to their customers in

order to make them stand out and add

greater value.

Have you always been in the ski industry?

MP: Only as a punter, working within

the industry is all quite new and I’m still

getting to know people, so it’s been quite

an education! I’ve been skiing for years,

but only came up with this concept in

2008. It’s taken a long time to bring the

idea to reality and we have a great team

working with us. We’re all delighted to

see the concept take off as it has, and

we’re keen to take the concept into other

adventure and sporting pastimes.

38

I

BEN CLATWORTHY

THE PRE-FIT

DELIVERY CO

Price quoted per person including airport taxes and surcharges departing from London to Geneva. Price is correct at time of print and subject to change and exchange rate variations. Availability is limited. For some payment methods a charge of £ 4.50 may apply.

Effi ciency as beautiful as our slopes.From London to the Alps in practically no time at all. What else would you expect from the effi ciency experts? With 160 ights per week from Heathrow, London City and now new also Gatwick, we bring you closer to the slopes than anyone.

To the Alps from

£ 124SWISS.COM

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inthesnow issue 32 - october 2013

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