One environmentally-friendly way of reaching ski resorts in Europe is by train.

The environmental impact caused by traveling to ski resorts is generally far greater than any impact made in the resort.

Transportation accounts for nearly 30 per cent of the US’s greenhouse gases, the leading cause of global warming, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Winter enthusiasts alone make more than 57 million visits to U.S. ski resorts each season, according to National Ski Areas Association. Taking a bus, says the U.S. Department of Energy, creates just half a pound of CO2 per passenger mile, compared with 590 pounds per passenger mile for the average car.

Continue reading ‘Finding greener ways to get to the ski hill’

Griz greets skiers at Fernie.

Griz, the legendary Fernie giant, is due to make an appearance at the British Columbia resort soon.

Locals believe Griz is responsible for Fernie’s famed powder which clocks up to nine metres (30 ft) of snowfall a season. Two years ago he left his ski poles, believed to be the world’s longest at seven metres (25 ft), just lying in the snow.

A giant cut-out of The Griz, complete with hole in face for photo taking, just arrived at the resort and should be installed soon. The cut out is the latest Griz-themed object to appear in Fernie.

Continue reading ‘Giant coming to Fernie’

Help is coming from everywhere, even the hills.

Recognizing the impact of the earthquakes that recently struck Haiti, Moving Mountains Chalets in Steamboat Springs is doing it’s part.

The property management company is donating five per cent of all lodging booked in the remainder of the winter ski season to Doctors without Borders Emergency Relief Fund for disaster relief in Haiti.

The owners of Moving Mountains Chalets, who manage luxury homes in the resort community of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, have strong ties to the Caribbean.

Continue reading ‘Stepping up for Haiti’

Vickie the Viking won't be pillaging any Scandinavian villages anytime soon.

Thanks to an annual contest, skiers at Austria’s Ischgl ski resort will be able to gaze upon giant creatures carved in ice and snow for the rest of the season.

The 17th annual Shapes in White contest took place on Jan 15-17 at Ischgl in the Austrian Alps, with this year’s theme being the mainland Euro-favourite Vickie the Viking and her friends and enemies.

Ten pairs of skilled sculptors from all over the world took on the mighty task of crafting the cartoon characters from massive piles of snow in a five day challenge. Their masterpieces now adorn the slopes to the delight of skiers and boarders.

Continue reading ‘Ice Vikings take over the slopes Of Ischgl’

The famous Ski Dubai indoor slope will get greener.

The Mall of the Emirates, one of the world’s largest shopping malls and the home of the Ski Dubai indoor slope has announced plans to cut its energy use by 25 per cent over the next year.

SkiRebel.com has learned that Dubai-based Green Technologies will retrofit the Mall of the Emirates to create what the company describes as an “energy-intensive building,” using a quarter less power and a fifth less water.

Continue reading ‘Ski Dubai turns down the volts’

The Snowflex artificial slope at Liberty Mountain has plenty of slopestyle park features.

Although the new Liberty Mountain artificial slope beside Liberty University only opened last August, it’s continued success has made it a tourist attraction for the area.

Liberty Mountain has been blessed with a solid return visitor rate, getting about 200 skiers and boarder per day. Thanks to an expansion, the slope’s capacity has grown from approx 150 people to 250 people per hour, increasing the potential for revenue generation and profit opportunity, dramatically.

The centre also recieved some snow, rare in Virginia, over the Christmas holidays. Rather than shut down the facility, operators were essentially able to offer visitors a real ski hill.

Continue reading ‘Liberty University’s artificial slope earns praise, expansion’

The train is a popular alternative to flying for Brits going to ski vacations in the French Alps.

A train ski travel company is hoping to make the ride from the UK to the French alps smoother with new affordable pre-booked transfers between stations in Paris.

For the increasing number of skiers keen to travel to Europe by train, a new range of advance-bookable taxi transfers in Paris are now available. The journeys cost from €20 (£17.40) for a single person in a shared taxi, to €50 (£43.50) for four people, or €89 (£77.43) for a group of eight. Luggage, including skis and snowboards, are carried at no extra charge.

Continue reading ‘Smoothen your train ride to the Alps, Brits’