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Fun and Thrills on the Slopes of Romania

Editor — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:08:09 +0000

Romania is a picturesque country that borders on the Black Sea and has Ukraine, Bulgaria, the Republic of Moldova, Hungary and Serbia as its neighboring countries. It is known for its magnificent countryside, breathtaking attractions and historical buildings, such as Bran Castle which was constructed in 1212 and is believed to have been the home of Vlad III Dracula. Of course Dracula’s Castle is amongst the most popular attractions in Romania, but when it comes to activities, skiing is at the top of the list.

There are five ski resorts in Romania, each offering it own unique activities and catering for both skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts. The skiing season in Romania runs from December to March. With comfortable accommodation, great cuisine and friendly locals, it is hard to believe that the prices are so fair. But Romania is known to be a skiing holiday destination that is definitely value for money.

The best known resort in Romania is the Poina Brasov. Located in the city of Brasov, this resort caters especially for international skiers and has the most developed lift system of the resorts in the country, featuring seven ski lifts, two cable cars and a gondola. Anyone, from beginners to advanced skiers, will find an adventure on the Carpathian Mountains and if skiers want to take a break from skiing, they are welcome to join in other exciting activities such as tobogganing, sleigh rides and forest walks. The village offers skiers a little nightlife, with bars, shows, festive restaurants and nightclubs.

The most historical and oldest skiing resort is the Carpathians Pearl (Sinaia) that combines history with magical peaks that stand proud at two thousand meters, luxury accommodation, mystical castles and unchallenged beauty. Located at the highest altitude of all the resorts, is Predeal, at one thousand one hundred meters, while Azuga Mountain Resorts boasts the longest slope. Busteni Mountain Resort is known for its thick snow fall, which ranges between forty to forty-five centimeters and has a skiing system that includes five ski lifts, two ski chairs, two cable cars and three ski gondolas.

All the resorts in Romania are worth a visit, as they all have special features that attract local and international skiers. The answer to all these choices therefore is to try a different resort each year and enjoy quality and action packed skiing in Romania.

Excitement Awaits at Bansko Ski Resort

Editor — Mon, 26 May 2008 11:46:59 +0000

Located on the northern slopes of the majestic Pirin Mountain, about 10 kilometers from the picturesque town of Bansko, the Bansko Ski Resort is considered to be one of the best snow skiing destinations in Bulgaria. Due to the ideal geographical location and the excellent snow-making capability of the Bansko Ski Resort, snow skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts are assured of excellent snow coverage from December through to May each year. Bansko Ski Resort is fairly new on the snow skiing map, but is rapidly becoming the destination of choice for skiers from far and wide.

The two main ski centers of Bansko Ski Resort are Chalin Valog (between 1,100 and 1,600 meters), and Shiligarnika (between 1,700 and 2,500 meters). The ski centers are affordable and easily accessible, with a comprehensive lift system ensuring minimum waiting time in queues. The 25 minute gondola ride starting in the town of Bansko, is an adventure in itself, with awe-inspiring views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. There are 65 kilometers of marked pistes for skiers and boarders to enjoy, and plenty of off piste action to challenge the more adventurous at heart. Beginners of all ages can rest assured that with some expert tuition from highly trained ski instructors, they will soon will be enjoying the exhilarating sport of snow skiing.

Skiers who are looking for an added adrenaline rush can try extreme skiing and heli-skiing, or the ultimate thrill of James Bond-style paragliding down onto the pistes. Night-skiing at Bansko Ski Resort is another exciting option that skiers can take advantage of.

Snowboarding options include on piste, off piste and a well-designed fun park, with jumps, half pipes and more, to accommodate all levels of experience, as well as some challenges for the seasoned snowboarder. Additionally, slalom, giant slalom and cross-country tracks are available for snowboarders to explore. Other snow-related activities at Bansko Ski Resort include ice-skating and tobogganing.

The town of Bansko is a blend of old traditions with contemporary style, with plenty of shopping opportunities and accommodation to suit all budgets. The town center, with its clock tower that has not skipped a beat for over 150 years, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After a hectic day on the slopes, visitors to Bansko can relax and enjoy traditional Bulgarian food, drink and warm hospitality at one of the many local restaurants.

Skiers who have discovered the pleasure of visiting Bulgaria’s Bansko Ski Resort agree that it has everything to offer for a memorable snow skiing holiday.

Australia’s Victorian Alps 2008 Ski Season

Editor — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:16:50 +0000

Snow skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts can look forward to enjoying a number of improvements at Australia’s Victorian Alps ski resorts in the 2008 skiing season. Millions of dollars have been invested in snowmaking equipment and upgrading facilities to ensure that skiers have a memorable winter holiday experience.

Mount Hotham has invested $A 3.3 million in snowmaking equipment to ensure that visitors to this top-class resort get the most out of their snow skiing and snowboarding holiday. Snow coverage in Heavenly Valley will be increased by close to 50 percent, and this means that skiers and boarders will have access to 25 hectares of snow covered wonderland. As an incentive for skiers to visit the Mount Hotham ski resort, guests with valid lift passes are being offered free Kat skiing, guaranteeing access to otherwise inaccessible terrain. Mount Hotham village, which is situated at 1750 meters, is the highest in Victoria, has the capacity to accommodate 7,000 guests, with plans in the pipeline to increase this accommodation capacity by 1,400. The resort offers superb views and diverse terrain, with something for everyone – from beginners through to seasoned experts. Other activities available at Mount Hotham include kite boarding, helicopter rides, snowboarding, tobogganing, sestet tours, dog sledding, spa, gym and swimming.

Mount Buller, situated just three hours from Melbourne, features the largest lift capacity of Victoria’s resorts. The lift system can move 40,000 people per hour around its 80 kilometer marked trail network. In preparation for the 2008 snow skiing season, Mount Buller has spent $A 500,000 on upgrading snowmaking equipment and has constructed Australia’s first six-seat chairlift, which will run from Helicopter Flat to the top of Baldy. Additionally, plans for off-slope expansion are underway, with $A40 million earmarked for residential developments. Guests can enjoy snowshoeing, snowtubing and tobogganing, as well as the spa retreat, alpine museum, indoor climbing wall and indoor sports complex.

Falls Creek is a family ski resort that features ski-in and ski-out accommodation for 5,000 guests. The majority of the terrain is suitable for intermediate skiers, with the terrain park and kid’s ski school being highly rated. The snowmaking capacity at Falls Creek has been upgraded and the new Prinoth grooming machine will be in action during the 2008 snow skiing season. Future plans for Falls Creek include a $A 200 million property development with retail shops, supermarkets, restaurants and apartments. By 2010 a spa, Turkish baths, crèche, gym and additional apartments will be available. Off piste activities include snow bungy, grooming tours, snowmobile tours, kat skiing on Mount Mackay, snow bikes, kite boarding, snow bocce, Nordic snowshoeing, helicopter flights and entertainment for the kids.

Mount Buffalo comprises the Dingo Dell Snowtube Park, Cresta Valley Ski Area and the historic Mount Buffalo Chalet. This fun, friendly family resort offers 15 kilometers of groomed cross-country trails, showshoeing and tobogganing, as well as stunning views across the Bogong High Plains.

Australian snow skiing and snow boarding fans certainly have a lot to look forward to in the 2008 season. Northern hemisphere snow sport fans who can’t wait for the next season to start in their part of the world, may find it worth the effort to travel half way around the world to ski in Australia’s Victorian Alps.

Tobogganing and Sledding – A History and Comparison

Editor — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 16:33:36 +0000

Tobogganing and sledding are both age-old ways to enjoy the snow. But what is the difference between these two winter activities and how did they start? There is more to both activities than meets the eye and the basic concept of both has been used to spawn fast and furious modern sports such as bobsledding and the Luge.

Toboggans are probably the simplest form of sledding. A toboggan takes the form of a simple sled which is curved in front and is placed directly onto the snow without the use of runners or skis to gain speed and direction on the underside. The sled can carry a single rider or a group of riders – usually children – and toboggans are traditionally made of bound, parallel wood slats which are bent at the front to form a ‘J’ shape. Traditionally, toboggans are controlled by means of a crude steering system whereby a piece of rope is fixed to the top of the loop and controlled by the feet of the person at the front of the sled.

Today toboggans are made of wood or aluminum and are a far cry from the traditional toboggans which were used for transport by the Innu and Cree Indians of northern Canada. The Olympic sport of bobsledding has its origins in the toboggan. The bobsled is essentially a curved front toboggan with sides walls and runners and the sled or sleigh is usually made of metal. Much heavier than their more rudimentary counterparts, they are capable of reaching neck-breaking speeds as they slide down carefully designed icy channels.

Sledding seems to be a much more common concept these days. A sled is similar to a toboggan but it makes use of skis on the underside of the sled in order to enable better control. Sledding has its origins in Switzerland in a small resort town of St. Moritz and the sport arose shortly after the arrival of English tourists in the early 1870s. These visitors had a lot of time and, since tourism was in its infancy, not much to do with it. They noticed the simplistic delivery sleds which were being used by young boys for odd jobs and discovered that these provided an excellent form of entertainment when sat on and pushed down a hill. These delivery sleds were basically toboggans and offered very little in the way of steering so it wasn’t long before these English tourists were devising ways of improving the steering capabilities of their sleds. With the help of creative Swiss craftsmen, they were soon able to successfully navigate their way through narrow lanes and down streets.

Before long they took to racing each other and soon the sport of competitive sledding was born. Soon the concepts of tobogganing and sledding were combined to create the sport phenomena known as bobsledding. Later Luge and Skeleton were developed. Today sledding has become a global phenomenon which continues to enjoy popularity with children and adults alike.