Longest indoor slope for Russia

The global economic meltdown has claimed another victim with the cancellation of a long standing plan to build the longest indoor slope after MT Development lost their bank liquidity and investors pulled out their funds.

Continue reading ‘Russia nixes plans to build longest indoor slope’

Your next exotic destination: Russia to invest $15 billion in Caucasus mountain range

The country’s south eastern Caucasus mountain range, which divide Europe from Asia and includes the highest peaks on the European continent, is at the heart a new $15 billion investments by Russian officials to develop five new ski resorts by 2020. Continue reading ‘The next exotic ski destination: Russia to invest $15 billion in Caucasus mountain range for five new resorts’

A Russian helicopter similar to this one, killed ten snowboarders when it was sidswipped by an avalanche

Ten people, mostly snowboarders from Russia and Germany, have been killed in an avalanche when the helicopter they were riding in to access remote terrain in the far east of Russia was hit by a huge avalanche.

Reports from Russia’s Emergency Ministry said the Mi-8 helicopter, carrying 18 people, was hit by the avalanche soon after it landed on Russia’s Kamchatka peninsula on Saturday.
Continue reading ‘Heliski accident kills ten snowboarders from Russia and Germany’

Sobolinaya Mountain in Russia.

Local’s aren’t happy about the Russian Prime Minister’s decision to re-open a pulp and paper mill which has been known to spread a pungent odor on the slopes of nearby Sobolinaya Mountain ski resort.

Vladimir Putin has also drawn some fire from former Russian state Duma deputy Vladimir Ryzhkov. The former official described the Prime Minister’s decision as completely incompetent in a report for Moscow News.

Ryzhkov says that the mill, which opened in 1966, is the main polluter of pristine Lake Baikal, a UNESCO world Heritage Site, emitting five tons of harmful emissions into the atmosphere each year and polluting up to 400 square kilometres of territory around the town of Baikalsk.

Continue reading ‘Russian PM involved in eco-scandal at Russian ski resort’

Freeskiing in Chamonix, France.

The first stage of the Freeride World Tour scheduled to take place in Sochi, Russia last week had to be postponed due to heavy snowfall and wind at the 2014 Olympic venue.

What was to have been the second stage in Chamonix last Saturday turned out to be the opening 2010 Freeride World Tour event. Freeride World Tour Ski World Champion Aurélien Ducroz, who was born and bred in Chamonix, was the hometown favourite on the 400 metre.

A make-up event in Siochi should be scheduled soon.

Continue reading ‘Freeride World Tour kicks off at Chamonix’

Vladivostok is a Russian city on the Sea of Japan, near the Chinese and North Korean borders.

An indoor ski centre will be part of a giant new casino complex due to open in Eastern Siberia in Russia.

The new casino will also contain an exhibition centre and water park and ‘rival’ facilities in Dubai, according to reports. The complex will be in a gambling zone near Cherepasje Ozero (Cape Turtle), one of Vladivostok’s most desirable destinations.

The complex is being designed by Scottis-based international architecture firm RMJM, who designed the controversial Scottish Parliament building and have opened an office in the Russian pacific port of Vladivostok, which was a closed city during the Soviet Union era.

Continue reading ‘Siberian snowdome in the works’

Shukolovo isn't big, but it's proximity to Moscow makes it a popular destination.

A new quad chairlift has been installed at Shukolovo ski area near Moscow, the old Soviet training centre and favorite of the Russian Prime Minister.

The centre has been extensively upgraded over the past decade and is now owned by Leonid Tyagachev, president of the Russian Olympic Committee.

Shukolovo was established in the 1960s as a training centre for what was then the Soviet Union’s national ski team. The best known member of the local Shukolovo Ski Club is Prime Minister and former Russian President Vladimir Putin, who can often be found mixing with other skiers.

Continue reading ‘Putin’s Moscow ski resort gets an upgrade’