News updates
December 2011
It's snowing!
You would have to be pretty blase about your skiing if you had not noticed that the snow has finally arrived in much of the Alps. Resorts throughout Switzerland, Austria, France and Italy are all reporting fresh powder and as snowfall is set to continue until the end of the week, the 2011/12 season looks finally underway.
However, two cautions: first, many runs are still closed, with the resorts struggling to get all that new snow pisted down. Second, don't believe all you see on the snow reports. What fell in the last couple of days is a great start but after a drought and warm temperatures in November, Alpine resorts still need a good deal more natural or cannoned snow to be anything like ready for the start of the season.
Part of the problem is that the new snow will not bond very well with the hard, dry ground it falls on. And whilst it's good news for France that Les Trois Vallees will open in full this weekend, Meteo France has issued an avalanche warning declaring all Haute-Savoie, Savoie and Isere regions at highest risk. Similarly across much of northern Switzerland the risk is considerable.
Further afield, resorts in Norway and Sweden are slowly opening up after a remarkably 'dry' start to the season whilst great conditions remain in the States and Canada thanks to yet more snow and low temperatures.
Free Weekend Break!
Powder White is offering a free January weekend apartment break for every chalet holiday booked on selected weeks in March. Choose from a portfolio of 46 properties in France, Switzerland and Austria to qualify for a 3 night stay for up to 5 people. What's more for all those struggling Santas out there, the free weekend break can be passed on to friends or family, making it the perfect Christmas gift!
For further information call Powder White on (020) 8877 8888
Use Your Head!
For the second year running Essential Travel Insurance in collaboration
with retailers Ellis Brigham and the brain injury association Headway, have
launched the Use Your Head Campaign to encourage the routine use of helmets on
the slopes. Beginners and experienced
skiers alike are at risk of head injury sustained from falls and helmets, an increasingly
popular choice, are now mandatory for the under 15s in Italy and within certain
provinces of Austria. Essential Travel are
offering a 15% policy discount and will pledge a further £1 to Headway for
every policy purchased. Alongside a 10%
saving on helmets bought in store or online at Ellis Brigham, it all makes
sense…
November 2011
DESTINATION UPDATE
In April 2011 we flew to Bern-Belp and in 45 minutes were in the beautiful and relatively unknown (outside Switzerland) resort of Adeboden.
Snowmass opens early
Just to rub in the fact that Europe has no snow and the US has loads, Snowmass in Colorado is to open five days earlier than scheduled this weekend (November 19). Two lifts will open giving access to 160 acres of terrain and seven runs.
Aspen will open as scheduled on 24 November.
Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month
Want to avoid those post Christmas blues and get fit at the
same time? Well here’s your chance.
January 2012 marks the return of the annual ‘Learn to Ski
and Snowboard month’ across the USA. Since 2007, this national initiative has
been encouraging children and adults alike onto the snow by offering free and
reduced price lessons with professional instructors.
Over 300 resorts participating in 32 states coupled with
excellent early snowfall, has resulted in some great deals across the
Atlantic. Not just solely for beginners
either - current skiers can also brush up their skills with advanced lessons.
more here
Resort Update 16.11.11
Following the temperate autumnal weather, the majority of
European resorts remain closed with the exception of the high altitude glacial
areas. Breuil Cervinia did manage to open earlier
this month and is reporting good coverage on the upper and middle slopes after
recent snowfall, whilst the Swiss resort of Andermatt launches weekend skiing from
18th November. Over in France
at Val Thorens, the snow making equipment is working hard to guarantee the anticipated
opening tomorrow, Thursday November 17th.
The unseasonably warm weather has also affected Scandinavia
with few resorts receiving significant natural snowfall. Finally temperatures are dropping and the
Norwegian resorts of Gelio, Hemesdal and Trysil plan to launch their season
November 18th, albeit with snow making facilities.
In North America, Wolf Creek remains the best option in Colorado - close to 100% open whilst early snowfall has enabled limited opening in other resorts in the region. Good reports from Utah with more snow forecast in the next few days - Solitude and Brighton are already 20% open. In Canada conditions are excellent for November and with more snow expected, both Whistler Mountain and Sun Peaks will open ahead of schedule this coming weekend.
North American Improvements
Significant financial investment continues this season
across the pond in North America. In
Quebec, a million dollar investment in snow making facilities at Tremblant has improved the
coverage on the beginner trail Alconquin whilst over in BC, the newly
installed Polar Peak lift has added 22 new runs at Fearnie. Revelstoke has an expanded state of the art
beginners slope at Turtle Creek and the new high speed quad lift at Jasper will
provide quicker access to many intermediate slopes.
October 2011
Yet more ski deals
Despite a clanging spelling error on their press release, Hostel World is worth a mention as the site enables the money-conscious skier to find some authentic accommodation in good locations. Some even have hot tubs!
It's altogether a swankier affair if you travel with Powder White, but that doesn't mean good value flies out the window. Big discounts on Christmas weeks are available until October 31
Austrian glacier openings 10.10.2011
Superb early October conditions prevail in parts of Austria this week after significant weekend snowfall. The Tirolean Pitztal Glacier has 6 lifts open with 169cm snow, the Hintertux has 11 lifts and 41km of piste whilst fresh snow successfully launched the season at Kaprun's Kitzsteinhorn earlier this week.
Early Bird deals announced!
It's not just the UK weather that's been warming up this month -deals on the slopes are looking hot!
Book in October with Mark Warner for great savings on worldwide 2011/2012 destinations
There's up to 30% off weekend specials in the infamous Engadin St Moritz region including accomodation, transport and free lift pass.
more here
Alpine Elements have big discounts on group and family bookings with free lift passes while stocks last.
September 2011
Brand new season!
We were so busy booking this year's family trip (Alpine Answers, since you ask, in Courchevel) and trying to get lessons for the nippers with British Alpine Ski School or Magic, Tweeting about this and that with Chris at Ski Famille, that we forgot one thing... you lot. Sorry - more content VERY soon!
March 2011
Snow, finally, has fallen in the parts of the north western Alps that needed it most. The middle of January all the way through February were not the best months the resorts of Portes de Soleil, Grand Massif, Aravis, the Isere Valley and the Mont Blanc area had ever seen.
It comes after two stonking years, though, and you have to work with what Nature hands you... but after a couple of cold, powdery days in Morzine/Les Gets during New Year we skied through slush, mud and water for the following six. The pisteurs had little to play with and it wasn't even cold enough to turn the artificial snow on... not good.
Skywork opens up Bern
It's been a long time since there were direct flights between the UK and Bern but come the end of this month there will be a daily service.
Skywork's outbound leaves at the end of the day to arrive at a rather tardy 22.35, while the inbound leaves Switzerland at 18.45 - so you can get a whole day skiing in. Or business, of course.
Slow off the 2011/12 Mark
SkiBeginner has been trying to get next winter's trips organised, but it seems the travel operators are still too busy trying to rescue a ravaged 2010/11 season to worry about the next one.
It's taken three weeks to get a quote for properties in Courchevel.
Snowjet lines up for next winter
Lucky, then, that Snowjet has got itself sorted for next year and is releasing its winter 11/12 timetable nice and early. More flights to Chambery and Sion during peak weeks, from London and Bristol. Hoorah!
