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Pennsylvania Ski Resorts Ready for 2011-12 Season

Editor — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 07:14:40 +0000

Winter sport enthusiasts heading for the slopes in Pennsylvania, U.S.A., this season have a number of exciting upgrades and developments to look forward to. From expanded terrain and improved equipment to upgraded facilities and passholder exchange programs, there is so much on offer in Pennsylvania for the 2011-12 season.

The popular Seven Springs Mountain Resort has increased its terrain parks from six to seven, with the new Streets Urban Park to be situated in Foggy Bowl. The resort has always been dedicated to developing its terrain parks and has even increased the walls of its Superpipe up to 22 feet. The larger Superpipe will be host to the Gatorade Free Flow amateur event in February 2012. The new Easy Rider beginner area will be opened as a transition zone between the Beginner Bowl and the novice runs, and features a Magic Carpet lift. Certain chairlifts have been upgraded and the rental shop boasts a large number of new skis, bindings and boots. In addition, Seven Springs Mountain Resort will continue to offer night skiing, snow tubing, snow shoeing, sleigh rides and more.

Skiers heading to Hidden Valley Resort will be able to enjoy an additional 3.5 acres of terrain, called Voyageur Glades, ideal for glade skiing. This fantastic new area is situated on the North Summit. A terrain park has been created where the half-pipe used to be situated. Reached by means of a handle tow, the terrain park boasts both man-made and natural features. The base lodge has also received some attention, including a fresh coat of paint, new carpets and improved Wi-Fi, amongst other upgrades. Those who are skiing or snowboarding for the first time this season can join in beginner lessons, as well as the Learn-to-Ski/Snowboard package. A special discount card is offered to those who complete the package or lessons, offering great savings for your next visit to Hidden Valley. Be sure to find out about the special passholder exchange program between Hidden Valley and Blue Knob, as well as Hidden Valley, Seven Springs, Snowshoe and Wisp.

White Mountain Resort has worked to improve its slope-lighting, as well as its snowmaking. The rental options now include additional Burton snowboards, Dalbello boots and Elan skis. Snow sport fans can purchase a Three Area Season Pass to access all of Snow Time Inc.’s resorts – Whitetail, Ski Liberty and Roundtop Mountain. Ski Sawmill has also made some changes, including the installation of a triple chair and a double chair.

The Canyons 2011/12 Opening Day

Editor — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:39:38 +0000

The Canyons is known as Utah’s largest ski resort and will be celebrating opening day on Friday, 25 November 2011. This ski resort boasts nine mountain peaks, five bowls, six natural halfpipes, one terrain park and 4,000 acres of skiable terrain, with 182 trails.

Date: 25 November 2011
Time: 9:00 am
Venue: The Canyons
City: Park City
State: Utah
Country: United States of America

Angel Fire Resort Prepares for the 2011-12 Season

Editor — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 11:07:01 +0000

Like many other ski resorts in North America, Angel Fire Resort has been working on various upgrades and a sizable expansion for the upcoming 2011-12 winter sport season. The New Mexico resort stands with a summit elevation of 10,677 feet and vertical drop of 2,077 feet amidst the Rocky Mountains. Skiers and snowboarders heading to Angel Fire Resort for the new season can look forward to the fantastic addition of a Nordic Center, as well as improvements to the terrain parks.

Angel Fire Resort‘s new Nordic Center, situated at the Country Club, will offer cross-country skiing, sledding and snowshoeing. It promises to offer visitors a unique experience in the north of New Mexico. The center will provide snow sport enthusiasts with a number of convenient facilities, including lessons, training sessions for athletes, equipment rentals, a retail store, locker rooms, indoor swimming pool and exquisite dining options. The cross-country trails begin at 8,000 feet and lead skiers across varied terrain, ranging from easy to difficult, and all boasting delightful scenery. Both classic and skate cross-country skiing are catered for. Families can enjoy sledding near to the clubhouse. Dave Dekema, Angel Fire Resort’s marketing director said that there are plans to enlarge the Nordic Center in the future, but to start they are aiming to offer ten to fifteen kilometers of groomed trails.

The terrain parks at Angel Fire Resort have a fantastic and well-earned reputation that is set to grow with the thrilling new features and events for the upcoming season. Over a dozen new fun box and freestyle rail features will be installed, including C-rails, rainbows, flat rails and double-kinks. The jumps, transitions and overall flow is being adjusted in the ever popular Liveration Freestyle park. The Park will also receive additional area, dirt features, a quarterpipe, and special small feature zone for practice.

Over a million dollars has been spent by Angel Fire on upgrading the Lodge. These included renovations to guest rooms and the lobby. As of July 2012, the resort will open up a new activity to guests, an exciting Zip-Line Adventure Tour that begins at the summit of the ski mountain. Along with all these improvements, Angel Fire Resort will continue to host a number of activities for the whole family including tubing, the children’s ski school, the kiddies’ Bominable run and nighttime skiing. The resort has also decided to keep its lift tickets and season passes the same this season.

There are certainly abundant reasons to check out Angel Fire Resort when it opens for the 2011-12 ski and snowboarding season on 15 December 2011.

Protect Our Winters to Save Future of Snow Sports

Editor — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 09:20:17 +0000

Protect Our Winters is a non-profit organization that was started by Jeremy Jones, a pro snowboarder, in 2007. The organization is concerned with the effects of climate change on mountains, and in turn on winter sports and communities. Protect Our Winter’s mission is to get the global snow sports community to unite and lead the way in fighting climate change.

Jeremy Jones saw the need for action to be taken when he experienced firsthand the effects of climate change. Resorts and areas that were once open to snowboarders and skiers had to be closed due to lack of snow. The greatest risk to winter sports is the increasing temperatures that will result in decreased snowpack in North America‘s western mountains, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This would ultimately mean less snow, with a shorter skiing and boarding season. While it has been noted that climate change may see more powder in certain areas, the warmer mountains are at risk. It is strongly believed by scientists that if action is taken now, mankind can reduce the build-up of greenhouse gases, lessening the rate and magnitude of climate change.

With this in mind, Protect Our Winters firmly believes that active participation by the community, along with a change in consumer behavior, means snow sport enthusiasts can have a positive impact on climate change. The organization is involved in activitism, education initiatives and other community projects. Amongst their campaigns is the POW Riders Alliance, which encourages winter sport athletes to set an example in reducing their carbon footprint and influence consumer behavior positively. The POW Community Fund/Monthly Grants program offers grants to community based groups working to fight climate change. Through global activism, Protect Our Winters educates others and also brings the community together to create awareness and bring about change, especially in relation to legislative issues.

Protect Our Winters has joined with Alliance for Climate Education (ACE) to establish the Hot Planet/Cool Athletes initiative, aimed at mountain community schools. Through the help of pro-athletes and multi-media, students learn about solutions to climate change and are inspired to take action. The Coal Kills Snow program has been formed along with The Sierra Club, highlighting how burning coal, as well as mining, are poor ways to generate power and are affecting climates in mountain regions. The focus is to move away from coal to renewable energy. Finally, the Resort Partnerships scheme is used to raise funds to assist community projects, as well as creating awareness through events.

A number of Protect Our Winters‘ projects have seen good results and they continue to work hard to save our mountains for the benefit of communities and winter sport fans.

Utah Ski Resort Upgrades for the Upcoming Season

Editor — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 08:25:50 +0000

Skiers, snowboarders and other snow sport enthusiasts heading to Utah for the 2011-2012 season have a number of improvements to look forward to at the fourteen ski resorts throughout the state. These upgrades will allow easier access to the slopes, better terrain parks, more activities, increased ski areas and so much more. Let’s take a closer look at what you can enjoy during the upcoming season in Utah.

Skiers and boarders can brush up on their skills at Snowbird‘s mountain school as it now makes use of the Flaik system so that students can track how much terrain and vertical feet they’ve traversed. There are also new programs on the cards for the mountain school. The Cliff Lodge at Snowbird will have been completely remodeled, including the Aerie Restaurant and The Cliff Spa.

A number of changes have been taking place at Park City Mountain Resort. A learning zone for beginners has been demarcated and features two conveyer lifts. An exciting new zip line has been installed for use in winter and summer. Skiers and boarders can look forward to an improved terrain park, with the 3 Kings lift having an increased capacity. Park City is also making efforts to use renewable energy sources, and resort visitors can find out more about this at the new interactive kiosk.

Alta Ski Area has created a convenient smartphone application, allowing patrons to bypass the ticket window and reload their Alta Card using their phone. Upgrades are continuing on the Alta base to create an LEED certified building. The Corkscrew run has been adjusted so that it is a blue run all the way to the bottom.

Terrain Park enthusiasts will want to head over to Sundance Resort, as it will be moving the terrain park to allow for night skiing, as well as increasing the size of the park and the number of features. The resort will also be adding to its pass options, so be sure to check those out. Another resort investing in terrain park upgrades is Brighton Resort. They will also be upgrading their snowmaking facilities and bringing in top equipment for the demo center.

Popular Powder Mountain will be expanding the single-ride snowcat terrain by 350 acres, as well as investing in a new snowcat. More terrain has been gladed as well. Eagle Point has also decided to add to their skiable area, with an extra 200 acres, including steeps and tree skiing.

Other improvements in Utah are better ski runs and lodge features at Wolf Mountain; free Wi-Fi at Solitude Mountain Resort; a new Sunkid conveyor lift and redesigned learning area at Deer Valley, greater high-performance rental packages at Brian Head; and a new triple chair Little Beaver lift at Beaver Mountain.

Controversial Fake Snow for Arizona Snowbowl

Editor — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 08:22:02 +0000

The ski resort near the city of Flagstaff, known as the Arizona Snowbowl, is located on the San Francisco Peaks and over the years they have always had to make use of a snowmaking system due to the snowfall of this area being so unpredictable. A good base of snow is needed to ensure the safety of snowboarders and skiers. Since 2005 they have been fighting a legal battle to get their latest, innovative project approved, that will see them using treated sewage water to create fake snow for their slopes. This project has run into extreme opposition from various sides, and the battle for authorization continues.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, treated sewage water is safe for usage as it has been treated, but many seem to disagree. Even though the final court decision has not been handed down, trees have been falling for the new pipeline to be installed that will transport the water from the Flagstaff treatment plant to the resort, where it will be kept in a reservoir. When the need for fake snow arises, the water will be released into the air through fans, for it to ice and form a new layer of snow. The resort commented that the use of treated sewage water will reduce the amount of water that is fit for human consumption being used to create this snow. The opposing parties to this plan have been environmentalists and Native American tribes who view the land and the inactive volcano that forms part of the resort as sacred land. One member of the Navajo tribe, Klee Benally commented: “Our identity is based on our relationship with these sacred places and this – having the source of our spiritual renewal become so contaminated and desecrated – is a direct threat to our survival.”

Environmentalists have stated that the impact to the environment through this process has not been properly explored, as treated water could still contain organic chemicals, hormones and carcinogens that could harm the soil, and in turn disrupt the habitat and threaten the survival of animal life in the area. As court cases are still pending, this new form of snow will not hit the slopes during the 2011-2012 winter sport season, but if all legalities have been resolved and Arizona Snowbowl is given the go ahead, the treated snow will hit the slopes during 2013.

Tsakhkadzor Ski Resort in Armenia

Editor — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 08:13:07 +0000

Mount Teghenis is home to a very picturesque village on its eastern slope called Tsakhkadzor. Its name means “Gorge of Flowers”. Located at 1 840 meters above sea level, the town was a quiet destination until it began gaining popularity as a skiing and winter sport location during the Soviet rule, as facilities were created by the government to allow their top athletes to train here for the 1988 Winter Olympics. Once the rush of Olympic training was over, the opportunity to develop the town into a skiing resort became the goal, and to attract foreign visitors, attention was directed into development and modernization of facilities.

Before skiing and winter sports became the focal point of Tsakhkadzor, the town was known for historical attractions such as the Kecharis Monastery and St Grigor Church that was constructed in 1013. It is located approximately sixty kilometers from Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia, and is therefore accessible by air travel to Zvartnots Airport. All the lifts that have been installed to replace the lifts that were installed by the Soviet Union, are operated and manufactured by the Leitner Group. There were three lifts that used to transport skiers up the mountain, with the mountain peak being at 2 819 meters above sea level, and the lifts varied in transportation levels. A fourth lift was added to the Tsakhkadzor Ski Resort in the year 2006. With the last lift being installed, two additional trails were made accessible and there are four seater lifts and double seater chairlifts available to skiers, which also feature magic carpet boarding. The total ski track distance is 7 200 meters, which is broken up in various ropeway levels that begin at 1 400 meters and climb to 2 700 meters. The Tsahkhadzor Ski Resort therefore caters for beginners, intermediate and expert winter sport enthusiasts, providing enjoyable challenges and exciting runs.

The resort also has professional skiing instructors who provide beginners with lessons in both skiing and snowboarding and will also assist others in developing their skills. Cafés are conveniently located at the bases of the lifts, offering visitors refreshments after their slope excursions. The skiing season for the Tsakhkadzor Ski Resort begins during December and runs through until March and April, weather permitting.

A Skiing Vacation in Russia

Editor — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 08:54:39 +0000

With over a hundred ski resorts in Russia, there are quite a few destinations to choose from. Most of the resorts in Russia are small, and some need a little upgrading to get up to international standard, but do have the basic equipment. There are a few resorts, however, that do stand out. Russia, famous for its cruel winters, provides ideal conditions for skiing enthusiasts and snowboarders to enjoy a winter sport vacation. With interest in Russian ski resorts increasing each year, it is foreseen that most resorts will upgrade and develop to accommodate the growing requirements.

Skiing in Russia has become such a popular attraction that the country will be hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics, proving that it has enough resorts and exciting slopes for even the most experienced skiers and snowboarders to enjoy. When looking at the various skiing locations in Russia, the Caucasus Mountains are definitely the most popular, as it is the home of Mount Elbrus, which stands at a height of 5 633 meters and is the highest mountain in Europe. This magnificent mountain accommodates snowboarding and skiing all year round, and is therefore a very popular destination.

One of the popular resorts in this area is Cheget Polyana. It is filled with shops where winter sport enthusiasts can hire equipment, cafés and comfortable hotels for accommodation. It also has a chair lift that will take skiers and snowboarders up the mountain, and though it is not fast, it is worth the ascent. All that is left for visitors to enjoy is an exciting ride down. Another option is Azau, which also has a cable car that can take visitors up to 3 500 meters, and if they so choose, they can ride the piste basher up to 4 100 meters. It is also the ideal location for heli-skiing and numerous operators are based in Azau.

Along the South Ural ridge, on the eastern slopes, is Abzakovo. The resort is popular with locals, especially for those in the Magnitogorsk region, as it features a ski complex with modern features. Known to many as the Red Valley, Krasnaya Polyana features four lifts and goes to a height of 2 228 meters. Visitors are also able to take a helicopter ride to higher positions on the mountain, as this facility is available at Krasnaya Polyana. There are so many options available in Russia, that winter sport enthusiasts will have a difficult time deciding where to visit first.

New Facilities and Upgrades at Aspen

Editor — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 09:37:02 +0000

Usually referred to as the Ski Co, Walter Paepcke established the Aspen Skiing Company in 1946. The company manages and operates the Aspen Snowmass resort. Located just outside the town of Aspen, the complex is divided into four skiing areas, and has become one of the most popular skiing destinations in the world. When the new skiing season is ushered in there will once again be breathtaking snow covered mountains to enjoy, along with a few new facilities that the Aspen Skiing Company has been working on to make visitors skiing vacation even more convenient and enjoyable.

To begin with, the Upper Tiehack lift and the Eagle Hill lift, located at Buttermilk, are currently under construction. The company has assigned Leitner Poma to build new lifts in place of these, as the more modern lifts will improve the travel time to almost eleven minutes, whereas the previous lifts, together, took about eighteen minutes to commute skiers. With the new lifts, skiers will be transported up the six hundred vertical foot slope in less than seven minutes, per lift. The new quad lift is hoped to bring renewed interest in the part of Buttermilk that is considered the most challenging, and the new lifts come with a price tag of $7 million. On the Tiehack side of the mountain, which is extremely underused, the crew from the Aspen Skiing Company is cleaning up the area to offer a gladed, groomed and more rolling terrain.

Back down the mountain, at Aspen Highlands, remodeling to the Merry Go Round restaurant has begun, and with $6 million being put into the remodeling and renovating project. The restaurant will feature a wonderful new kitchen with modern equipment, as well as energy efficient features being added. To bring the past and present together, the walls of the restaurant will be adorned with digital photo frames that will display live feeds, important information, as well as photos of legendary skiers of the past, as well as present day champions. Snowmass will also receive a new restaurant, replacing Café Suzanne with The Elk Camp Restaurant. As each season passes, the Aspen Skiing Company has made improvements to the resort, ensuring that the comfort of each skier is enhanced with every visit.

Skiing in Tasmania

Editor — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 08:51:41 +0000

Tasmania lies to the south of mainland Australia, and is an island that is known for its impressive mountain ranges, of which eight stand higher than 1 500 meters above sea level. The peak that overshadows the other mountains is Mount Ossa, which stands proudly at 1 614 meters. Together with Victoria and New South Wales, Tasmania is amongst the most popular skiing destinations in Australia. The breathtaking Tasmanian Wilderness provides the ideal location for cross country skiing, while other resorts offer numerous winter sport activities.

June to October are the most favorable months for skiing in Tasmania. Mount Mawson and Ben Lomond are the two main resorts on the island. Ben Lomond is located just outside of Launceston. Situated in the Ben Lomond National Park, skiers will not only enjoy exciting skiing conditions but the scenery will be memorable too. The village is nestled in the mountains at an elevation of 1 460 meters, with its mountain peak being at 1 570 meters. The resort is popular for Alpine skiing, and in 1929 the Northern Tasmanian Alpine Club was established here. Starting off as a small chalet, it soon developed into a successful resort that included visitor facilities, accommodation and ski lifts. A team to oversee the Skifield Development Area was founded in 1995, and the Department of Parks and Wildlife announced in 2010 that a project was underway to introduce snowmaking machines to the ski area and to develop a snowboard park.

Other downhill ski operations also exist in Tasmania, such as those at Mount Mawson, which is situated in the Mount Field National Park. There are two rope tows available for intermediate skiers and one rope tow for more experienced skiers, as it features steep terrain and limited accommodation is available at this resort facility.

When snowfall allows it, cross country skiing and Alpine skiing is available at Cradle Mountain, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Wilderness Area. In total, there are twenty-eight mountains in Tasmania and most of them are over 1 220 meters. So, for cross country skiing and backcountry locations, skiers are recommended to visit Ben Lomond National Park, Mount Field National Park and Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park, with Mount Mawson and Ben Lomond offering picturesque downhill ski resorts.