Buy tomorrow's pass from anywhere.

A new iPhone app that’s been released lets users quickly and securely buy a ski pass from their iPhone.

The new iSkiPass from SkiData is the first ski pass reservation application for iPhones. It is currently only available on the App Store but will soon be accessible on other mobile platforms.

The system works by loading purchased passes automatically onto an RFID card, which is a keycard or a Swatch Snowpass. Skiers can use this card to directly access all ski lifts. This process, which is highly convenient when on the go, helps avoid waiting in line at ticketing offices and is the perfect complement to online reservations.

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It's not Switzerland, it's Scotland.

Some Scottish skiers are saying that they would have had better skiing if they stayed in Scotland this winter, rather than taking holidays in the Alps.

Retired teachers David and Liz Culshaw of Banchory, who regularly ski at The Lecht had a great time on their last-minute cut-price deal to Seefeld in Austria. However, their return to Scotland was problematic with a 24-hour delay due to snow.

“There were 1,000 of us packed like cattle for six hours at Innsbruck airport,” said David Culshaw. “Then we had a four hour journey in a very stuffy bus to Verona airport. The people behind us were coughing and sneezing the whole way, and, inevitably, we both came down with flu on our return. I now wish we’d stayed at home and skied at the Lecht or Glenshee instead.”

Continue reading ‘They wish they’d stayed in Scotland’

Tignes is one of several destinations on First Choice list of short stay deals.

Next season’s 2010-2011 First Choice ski vacation brochure has some new additions worth checking out.

New items in next year’s edition include new short stay holidays to 44 ski resorts from 13 UK airports, a new ski resort and special early booking offers.

The extensive range of new short stay holidays include four and five night breaks from £249 (€279).

Continue reading ‘Short stay ski vacations are the new deal’

Despite a weather delay, this season’s Freeride World Tour finished off at Verbier in Switzerland with French skier Candide Thovex winning the skiing title.

After the men’s final competition was postponed Saturday, due to bad visibility, the world’s best freeride skiers and snowboarders once again took on the mythical 600 metre North face of the Bec des Rosses.

French freestyle legend Candide Thovex proved to be a consistent freeride competitor throughout the tour with committed and influential skiing. Thovex was on the podium three times, and his impressive third place on his premiere run on the Bec des Rosses put him on top of the men’s ski ranking 2010. Swedes Kaj Zackrisson finished second and Henrik Windstedt finished third overall.

Continue reading ‘Champions crowned at final Freeride World Tour stop’

Sun Peaks in British Columbia.

Four years ago when he was 75 years old, local skier Nick Maika skied as many days as his age during the winter season at Sun Peaks Resort.

Last week at Sun Peaks, Maika officially hit 80 days on his Sun Peaks seasons pass as he once again celebrates a milestone birthday in 2010. He turns 80 years old in August.

Maika is a member of the Sun Peaks Antiques, a group who meet three times a week at the BC Interior resort to ski and share stories of the day. Many of his fellow Antiques were on hand as he skied his 80th day.

Continue reading ‘Sun Peaks skier shows you’re never too old to ski your age’

Some numbers published by Vancouver 2010 Olympic organizers show just how successful February’s games ended up being.

In total, 96,409 people bought tickets for the Games and the events were watched on television by 3.5 billion worldwide. There was 47 per cent more global television coverage of the Games than for the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games, representing approximately 24,000 hours of coverage.

There were competitions in 15 sport disciplines at 9 competition venues with 615 medals awarded and 1,055 athlete bouquets presented.

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This season was much better than last for the ski industry.

Only two weeks after Ski Republic reported a 34% increase in ski rental sales this season, another rental company has followed suit.

One of the leading equipment rental companies, Skiset, has announces a 20% jump in bookings this season over last. This may have something to do with the company extending its presence to cover almost all major resorts in Canada and the United States in addition to its established network of over 700 shops in 350 resorts across Europe.

Skiset’s booking patterns reveal interesting trends in resort choice and buying habits for UK clients in order to save money. Traditionally popular resorts like high-altitude Courchevel and Meribel have seen less activity from the UK, while Skiset shops in lower, and less expensive, resorts such as Morzine, Samoens and St Gervais have faced huge increases in demand from UK consumers.

Continue reading ‘Ski rental sales up across the board’