The Aspen Skiing Company plans to re-open a small area at the top of Aspen Mountain this weekend for summer skiing.
The mountain still has about a metre (three feet) of snow on upper slopes and some 45 acres of mostly intermediate terrain will be served by the Ajax Express chairlift.
The mountain will be open for skiers and boarders from Friday to Sunday between 10am and 1pm daily, with mountain access only via the Silver Queen gondola. Adult price for the three hour session will be $29.
If you’ve got it, ski it”
said an Aspen official.
The latest proposal for a ski area in Bulgaria is for the city of Varna on the Black Sea coast at the East of the country. It will be directly across the sea for Sochi in Russia, host of the 2014 Winter Olympics.
The mountains inland from the city form one end of the Balkans range, the local area of which is Stara Planina. The highest peak is Botev (2,376 m), which is located in the Central Balkan National Park (established 1991). The local Provadiya plateau is known for its natural beauty.
The city’s mayor Varna Kiril Yordanov has already announced that an artificial surface year round ski slope is to be built in the area and he announced earlier this week that a second project, this time for a conventional ski area, was being considered for the Vladislavovo Quarter. The project is reported to be backed by the Bulgarian Ski Federation who would build the centre. A new ice rink is due to open in the town on July 10th.
To check out available ski packages check Ski Rebel Magazine’s official tour supplier by clicking here.
Laax in Switzerland has been running a number of projects to try to save snow from melting, and in so doing reduce the amount of snow that needs to be machine made at the end of the season. The technique is known as “snow farming.”
One of these project, in the area of Crap Sogn Gion, involved putting snow in the half pipe using snow machines and covering this with a compound cover. The snow saved meant that the half pipe and snow parks could be built earlier in the season and the energy costs for snow production were also reduced.
Last summer, after tests the previous year, a section of the piste of approx. 20 hectares on the glacier was covered with a compound cover. This meant that two to three meters of snow could be saved during the summer and the piste machine hours could be reduced by around 40%.
The projects are continuing and will be evaluated ecologically and scientifically for the next five years. The results will then be incorporated into a list of criteria for snow farming and glacier covering.
An expedition led by British polar explorer Pen Hadow, to take place next Spring, has earned the rare patronage of HRH The Prince of Wales.
Hadow’s Arctic Survey will make the first definitive measurements of the depth of the North Pole ice cap, thereby assisting scientists around the world in determining the declining state of the Arctic sea ice cover. The consequences of its melt will have consequences for everyone on the planet.
Continue reading ‘Prince Charles supports polar study of global warming’
Two US resorts who have offered incentives to hybrid-electric powered cars drivers such as the famous Prius have reported on the success of their schemes.
At Aspen guests arriving in hybrid vehicles had been granted free parking since 2003 at all four of the company’s mountains. However the programe has become a victim of its own success and Aspen are having to withdraw the scheme.
Continue reading ‘US Resorts Report Growth In Use Of Hybrid Vehicles By Guests’
With good snowfalls and optimum snow making conditions throughout the week Snow Park NZ will opened to an enthusiastic crowd yesterday for the 2008 season.
New Zealand’s premier freestyle park opened all areas of the park with many features, rails and jumps ready for the skiers and boarders to enjoy. The Woolshed restaurant and bar will also be open offering a great range of food at all price levels.
To get the 2008 season underway skiers and boarders were welcomed with a pie and a stubby or can of V as they boarded the lift for their first ride up the mountain.
Snow Park’s night skiing and riding will commence next week, Tuesday 1 July, new for this season the night sessions will offer visitors more time on the mountain and a unique experience on snow under floodlights.
Also to celebrate the beginning of the season Snow Park NZ is offering accommodation specials during the school holidays, a 15% price reduction on luxury apartment or ensuite room bookings.
To check out available ski packages check our official tour supplier by clicking here.
Construction of the replacement for Jackson hole’s iconic tram, which will be larger and faster than the original, is reported to be on target for a December 20th launch, by the resort.
Conditions have been challenging as winter lingers in the Tetons, but towers 1 and 3 are erected and the new foundation for tower 4 has been uncovered from 20 feet of snow.
Sea containers from Europe arrive daily, as crews dismantle the old and erect the new tram components. The first photos of the actual tram cars, being built in Europe, can now be found at www.tramformation.com.
www.tramformation.com content also includes a video diary produced by award winning film maker Peter Pilafian. The videos showcase the project continuing, the people behind the machine and the resort that houses the story. Coming to the site will also be unique competitions including a chance to win a spot on the first tram.
The new aerial tram at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort will be twice the size of the original, carrying 100 passengers, have modern, sleek cabins, a visually inspiring base terminal, plus be faster, more efficient and tougher than its predecessor. As well as the journey, it is the destination that captures the spirit of the Jackson Hole tram. Soaring 4,139 vertical feet in nine minutes it is unrivaled in the US ski industry, cresting the Tetons with an endless choice of mind-blowing ski routes below, not to mention incredible 360 views, and only a few fellow disciples to nod at before you choose your line.
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