Just leave that natural scenery be.
A new study says that creating a ski run by clearing trees and foliage manually but leaving the underlying eco-system otherwise intact is better than using heavy machinery to re-grade the slope.
The findings from the University of California Davis are not just on environmental grounds. They also found that operating cost of machine-cut slopes were higher than those of slopes which had been left in a more natural state. The report authors believe that this makes the slopes more expensive to maintain to, offsetting and extra income that may be made by being able to open a machine cur slope a week or so earlier in the season as machine-cleared slopes require 20% less snow cover to be able to open.
Continue reading ‘Cut your ski runs the natural way’
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An artist sketch of Meadowlands Xanadu snow complex.
The story of the giant Xanadu complex in New Jersey, which incorporates North America’s only constructed, if not open, indoor snow centre continues to rumble on.
According to some media reports, the State of New Jersey may be considering seizing the land on which the ‘ultimate mall’, previously considered, “too big to fail” is located. This seems unlikely since owners Colony capital have paid $160 million in advance rent through to about 2020.
On the other hand billionaire Steve Ross, owner of the Miami Dolphins football team, is reported to be in negotiations to bridge a $500m gap left by the collapse of investment bank Lehman brothers, potentially enabling it to be completed and opened.
Continue reading ‘New Jersey Xanadu getting closer to fruition’
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American skiing icon Lindsey Vonn accepts Vail's tribute.
The Vail community offered their heartfelt congratulations to hometown hero Lindsey Vonn today by naming a run on Vail Mountain after the Olympic gold medalist.
The resort’s operator bestowed the honor in recognition of her many achievements in ski racing, and also because to them, she represents Vail’s first ever gold medal.
The expert “International” trail on Vail Mountain will be renamed “Lindsey’s” and the new trail sign greeted skiers and snowboarders today. The trail was the site of the women’s speed events during the World Alpine Ski Championships at Vail and Beaver Creek in 1989 and 1999. Additionally, the central location of the trail gives all guests at Vail easy access to ski or ride it throughout the winter season.
Continue reading ‘Lindsey’s run cements Vail as Vonn country’
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The New Chair at Squaw Valley, USA.
The freeskiers on the Freeride World Tour aren’t messing around.
They tackled the permanently closed Tram Face at Squaw Valley today on the tour’s only North American stop.
The world’s best skiers and snowboarders are battling it out again for the Freeride World Tour Championship title at four of the world’s most prestigious ski resorts, and today they made history at the third stage in Squaw Valley.
Continue reading ‘Freeride tour hits Squaw Valley’s closed terrain’
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The US's Bode Miller.
On this eleventh day of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, the Americans continue to dominate the medal count after Bode Miller captured super-combined gold on Sunday and Lindsey Vonn added a super-G bronze on Saturday.
Bode Miller’s gold was his third podium finish in as many races and the United States’ eighth medal (two gold, three silver, three bronze) out of a possible 18 from six alpine disciplines raced so far. It’s a record-breaking Olympic campaign for the US Ski team, but superstar Vonn had to settle for third in Saturday’s womens super-G after being upstaged by Andrea Fischbacher of Austria and Slovenian Tina Maze. Fischbacher’s win eased the huge pressure that had been mounting against underperforming alpine giants Austria.
In Sunday’s ski-cross debut, the heavily favored Canadians went home empty-handed after Canada’s Chris Del Bosco crashed near the end of the final race. Gold went to Michael Schmid of Switzerland, silver to Andreas Matt of Austria, and bronze to Norway’s Audun Groenvold.
Continue reading ‘Olympic Update: Miller time, ski cross time, slalom time’
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You cant get much dumber than hijacking an ambulance that's in use.
In what can generously be described as a very poor decision, a drunken man reportedly stole an ambulance filled with medics treating an injued skier at a Wisconsin ski resort last week.
It happened at the Tyrol Basin Ski and Snowboard Area in Wisconsin, USA last Monday. The man, who is reported to have been from the Chicago area and drunk at the time, jumped in to the ambulance, which had its engine running, and drove it around the ski area parking lot.
Continue reading ‘Drunken ambulance joyride at resort leads to arrest’
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The Canadians have not met the hopes of the home crowd.
On this ninth day of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, the American ski team celebrates two medals in the men’s super-G as superstar Lindsay Vonn looks to add another in today’s women’s race.
The men’s gold went to Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway on Friday, who added Olympic super-G gold to a downhill silver. For the American team, with Bode Miller won a silver to add to his downhill bronze, and a low-rakned Andrew Weibrecht took a surprise bronze.
Svindal was 0.28 seconds ahead of Miller, and the 2nd to 11th place finishers were all grouped within 0.73sec after a ride down an icy 2,076-metre-long Dave Murray run.
Continue reading ‘Olympic Update: Yanks grab two medals in super-G, Vonn looks to make it three, stay tuned for aerials and ski-cross’
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