Loveland claims to be first resort to be open this year

Cold weather was a huge factor in Loveland in Colorado’s ability to offer skiing was the first ski area in North America to open for the 2009-2010 ski season when Chair 1 started turning at 9am on October 7th. The resort, one of the world’s highest ski areas, had started making snow on September 21, 2009.

“We took advantage of the cold temperatures and got an early start making snow this year. Those extra days paid off and we are opening a week earlier than last season,”

said Eric Johnstone, Snowmaking and Trail Maintenance Manager. “Now we can move some equipment to other trails and try to open more terrain as quickly as possible.”
This is the earliest opening day at Loveland Ski Area in 40 years.
“We are proud of our snowmaking crew and extremely excited to offer the first skiing and snowboarding in Colorado and North America,” said Rob Goodell, Director of Business Operations. “Skiers and riders have been waiting all summer for this day and we are anxious to fire up the lifts. We are opening a week earlier than last year but the coverage is great! We will open with an 18″ base and tree to tree coverage on our opening day run.”
For the first turns of the season, skiers and snowboarders had access to a top to bottom run consisting of 1,000 vertical feet via Chair 1. The trails Catwalk, Mambo and Homerun make up this opening day run which is over a mile in length.
Two more US ski areas – Loveland’s neighbour Arapahoe Basin and California’s Donner Summit have now opened too. www.skiloveland.com

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Guided scenic tours that make you live a real adventure are now possible in Vail

During a recent promotional visit in Montreal, Vail Resorts announced it was introducing a number of new offerings for the 2009-10 season including a new and exciting program called the ‘Value Adventure Sessions’.
Depending on the their individual ability’s visitors to the company’s five resorts of Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Vail in Colorado and Heavenly in California can now explore the mountain with their own expert guide. Skiers will be assembled in groups that are no larger than five for a full day session of mountain discovery.

It’s a great way for skiers to discover incredible mountains without spending so much time on technique, said May Lilley,”

the international public relations coordinator.
Skiers and riders will gain insider’s knowledge of each resort and receive tips to improve their skiing and riding throughout the day. The program is geared towards intermediate and expert level skiers and riders who are looking for more adventure with the locals’ view of the mountain and less of an instruction and class setting of a standard ski school class. The cost will be comparable to a ski school group lesson.
Guests will be teamed in small groups with other like-minded ski or ride enthusiasts who want to get the most out of their day. The group will receive special access to move to the front of the lift lines, go places they might not see on your own, enjoy the best terrain and conditions available, and pick up tips and technical information along the way from the Vail Resorts expert guides from its world class Ski & Ride Schools.
“Skiers and Riders are always looking for the inside information about our resorts and we wanted to create a program that provides our guests with an enhanced understanding of each of our resorts without a rigid ski school class structure,” said, Rob Katz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Vail Resorts.
The groups will meet from 9:15am until 3pm at Vail’s Colorado resorts and start and end 15 minutes later at Heavenly.
www.snow.com

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Great Canadian Heli-Skiing (GCH), who in 1988 pioneered a boutique heli-skiing experience by exclusively operating with groups of four skiers (the smallest group size in the industry), is reintroducing what is sure to become a new trend in heli-skiing: All-inclusive powder holidays including unlimited vertical.

Heli-skiing companies generally charge guests based on a package with a set number of vertical feet of skiing included. Once the guest surpasses that amount, they are faced with the decision of paying more money to continue their ski vacation. Now, Great Canadian Heli-Skiing guests can conquer as many vertical feet possible without having to worry about extra charges. “Our guests are here to ski powder, not count it. Now from start to finish they can relax and enjoy the ultimate skiing experience without opening their wallet,” said Greg Porter, owner of Great Canadian Heli-Skiing.

The average ski day includes eight-12 runs, which on average accounts for 23,000 plus feet per day. As an industry standard, 100,000 vertical feet is included in the seven-day package and 50,000 vertical feet is included in the three-day package.

Continue reading ‘Great Canadian Heli-Skiing offers unlimited vertical skiing experiences’

Revelstoke Revolutionizes All-in-One: Can’t decide whether your winter escape means an opportunity to lift-ski, cat-ski or heli-ski? Plant your poles at Revelstoke Mountain Resort and set your sights on all three. Situated within BC’s snow-kissed Kootenay Rockies region, Revelstoke may be new to the ski scene with close to two seasons under its belt, but it’s certainly making one memorable impression. The resort’s slopes tempt even the most seasoned skier, while the Selkirk Mountains offer up alpine bowls, naturally gladed slopes and miles of untracked powder ideal for cat and heli adventures (Revelstoke Cat Skiing and Selkirk Tangiers Helicopter Skiing, both operated by Revelstoke Mountain Resort, are accessible from the village base). In fact, Revelstoke is the only resort in the world which offers all three from one location. In addition to the promise of adventure, times three, Revelstoke has seen quite a year: this season, the resort opened with the longest vertical lift-serviced skiing in North America – at a whopping 1,712 metres (5,620 feet) – thanks to an 885-foot extension to the Revelation Gondola from the village base up to the Day Lodge. Let’s not forget the resort’s new high speed quad chairlift, “The Ripper,” in the 1,240-acre North Bowl area, which has been extensively gladed and cut with new trails. Slopeside, the resort is ready to welcome its first guests to Nelsen Lodge in March. And growth won’t end there; The $1 billion, four-season Revelstoke Mountain Resort is expected to be completed over 15 years and will include over 5,000 new housing units comprising top-tier luxury hotels, townhomes, condominiums and single family homes, more than 300,000 square feet of commercial and retail space and a Nick Faldo golf course. www.revelstokemountainresort.com

For powder stashes, think three in Northern BC. Here you’ll find, you guessed it, three mountains stocked with plenty of the white stuff, not to mention ample incentive to pack up the gear and head north. At Powder King, it’s the blend of untouched snow and breathtaking drops that draw the masses to this Canadian Rockies destination, situated north of Prince George near Mackenzie.
Some stats: Powder King boasts a lift-accessed vertical rise of 640 metres (2,100 feet), an elevation at the summit of 1,829 metres (5,500 feet), an average snowfall of 12.6 metres (41 feet), plus 24 runs, one triple chair, one T-Bar, one handle tow, and a lounge, restaurant and café. Long live the King. Head west to Hudson Bay Mountain, formerly Ski and Ride Smithers, and you’ll find the largest ski area in Northern BC coupled with nature’s ultimate snow machine; here, the natural topography of the mountains come together with the northern Pacific weather systems to create a wondrously flurried backdrop. Also new this season, Hudson Bay Mountain boasts a continuous mountain vertical of 1,151 metres or 3,775 feet (an increase of 52 per cent) and also began the groundwork for what will be a multi-year expansion that promises the introduction of residential units to the slopeside scene in 2009.
At Shames Mountain, further west near Terrace, epic snowfalls draw skiers and boarders en masse; this Northern BC gem averages an impressive 12 metres (39 feet) annually. Expansive backcountry, spectacularly fluted ridges and peaks in every direction – plus 22 marked trails (over 133 acres) are accessed by one double chairlift, a T-bar and a handle tow. All the better to get to the snow. www.powderking.com; www.hudsonbaymountain.com; www.shamesmountain.com

North America – west of the Rockies, has finally received huge snowfalls in the past few days after a largely warm and dry January, dramatically improving conditions. Scotland has its best conditions so far this winter with virtually all runs open and Sweden has also received a big powder boost.
Natural snowfall over the past week in Viet Nam and in the United Arab Emirates has been declared a “once in a generation” occurrence in both of the normally hot countries. In Viet Nam a thin layer of snow was deposited on Mau Son Mountain and in the United Arab Emirates, the northern emirate of Ras al Khaimah reported that a three mile wide area in its Jebel Jais mountain range received four inches (10cm) of snow on Friday, “a situation so rare that the local dialect doesn’t even have a word for it.” according to media reports.
Excitement is mounting ahead of the start of the World Alpine Skiing Championships in Val d’Isere next week. But after good falls of snow in the French Alps last week, the snow gods have shifted their attention back to this season’s favourite region, the Pyrenees, in recent days with 13 powder alarms in the French Pyrenees yesterday (Tuesday, January 27th) alone. Cauterets received a huge 145cm (nearly five feet) of fresh snow in the past week.
Elsewhere in the Pyrenees another 50cm (20 inches) of snow fell across Andorra’s mountains on Monday continuing the superb season there,

We have a lot of snow this winter , it’s fantastic and I hope skiers will continue to come until the first of May,”

said Ski Andorra’s Marta Rotes.
In Eastern Europe Bulgaria received 20cm (eight inches) of fresh snow at the weekend, further improving conditions there.

In Western North America the roller coaster season continues to swing between the dry warm weather that dominated before Christmas and mid-January and has now returned to the heavy snowfall of late December. In California Mammoth mountain reported five feet (1.5m) of snow accumulating over four days and in Colorado Steamboat reports that it is “drowning in powder.”
Back in Europe and North America where snow falls in unusually heavy quantities, the avalanche risk is often high and there are normally warnings in place against venturing in to the mountains until conditions improve. Avalanche deaths in the past week have include three walkers in the mountains of Scotland and ten climbers in Turkey.

It’s no secret that British Columbia is the host province for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Add superior facilities with tried-and-true terrain and you have one golden training opportunity for the 2008/09 season. Let us count the ways:

Vancouver Island’s Mount Washington Resort will host the Canadian, Swiss, Swedish and US Snowboard race teams; on the nordic side, the resort’s Raven Lodge will welcome the Swedish Cross Country and Biathlon teams alongside the German Biathlon athletes. www.mountwashington.ca

Both the men and women’s Canadian National teams will suit up at Cypress Mountain on Vancouver’s North Shore. www.cypressmountain.com

Whistler Blackcomb will be centre stage as a training ground for the Canadian Alpine Ski Team; athletes from France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Canada (among others) will train for Bobsleigh, Skeleton and Luge disciplines at the Whistler Sliding Centre. www.whistlerblackcomb.com; www.whistlerslidingcentre.com

Sun Peaks Resort, in the Thompson Okanagan, welcomes the Austrian Ski Team for the third year in a row, as both the men and women’s teams prepare for Slalom, Giant Slalom and Super G events at the lift-accessed training centre. www.sunpeaksresort.com

Nordic reigns supreme at Silver Star Mountain Resort as the Norwegian Cross Country and Biathlon teams set to cross paths with the squads from Finland and Australia; also on the mountain, Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre will provide the track for teams from Norway, Russia, Austria, Australia, New Zealand, the US and Canada. www.skisilverstar.com; www.sovereignlake.com

Further south at Apex Mountain Resort, National Aerialist teams from Canada, Australia, Japan and the Ukraine will take to the skies. www.apexresort.com

With the only dedicated Paralympic Training Centre in Canada, Kimberley Alpine Resort will welcome teams from Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada and the US to the Kootenay Rockies. www.skikimberley.com

September 2008 marked the first foray into transformation territory for Hudson Bay Mountain, formerly Ski & Ride Smithers, a Northern BC mainstay for skiers and boarders who love the steep and deep. Long revered for its stash of powder, Hudson Bay Mountain set in motion their master plan for development – a multi-year expansion that promises the introduction of residential units to the slopeside scene in 2009. And that’s not all. Added acreage is also in the works, thanks to the development of the Trail to Town, or Rotary Community Trail, set to better connect the mountain to the town of Smithers and increase the skiable area on Hudson Bay Mountain by five per cent. This project guarantees growth: an overall increase in vertical of 52 per cent, offering skiers and boarders 1,750 feet of lift-serviced access, plus additional terrain to ski your way into town. As added icing on the cake, the Rotary Community Trail, spanning eight kilometres and ready for riding in the 2008/09 season, ensures that Hudson Bay Mountain will now boast one of the largest vertical drops in BC. Situated just outside the town of Smithers, east of Prince Rupert, Hudson Bay Mountain is nestled between the peaks of the Hudson Bay and Babine Mountain ranges – a snowy spot that beckons the powderhounds. And with further plans in the works for Spring of 2009, Hudson Bay Mountain is just starting to turn up the heat. In a frosty fashion, of course. www.skismithers.com

Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing Tempts First-Timers to Hit the Heights: Looking for a little elevation, complete with snow and skis? Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing will take the tracks to new heights this snowy season with an offering aimed specifically at first-timers – or anyone else looking for a quick heli-ski vacation. After all, who better to bring into the fold than eager newbies seeking a novel powder adventure. First Timers Dream Package banishes the notion that heli skiing is all about helicopter costs, long minimum stays and hard-to-reach operations with a two day/two night package priced at just $2,000. That’s not a typo. And forget about being an expert. This operation, the heart of the Cariboo and Monashee mountains, will showcase first-hand why the combination of specially-designed wide powder skis or boards with the natural variety of terrain in the mountains allows intermediates to experience one spectacular environment. With unlimited vertical skiing at an operation revered for its snow, adventurists can take it all in with professional guiding, powder skis or snowboards, safety equipment and run after endless run. Hearty meals, including a few dining experiences sure to be out of the stratosphere, full spa facilities and luxury accommodation amid handcrafted log chalets provide the indoor perks that pull this package artfully together (make sure to book by December 24, 2008). While Wiegele has hosted princes, presidents and plenty of movie stars, this is one operator anxious to expand his loyal following by offering up an elevated experience of a lifetime. Just the kind of thinking you’d expect from one of the province’s pioneer heli ski operators. Time to make some new tracks. www.wiegele.com

Apex Mountain Resort Promises Winter Adventure at its Peak: While big certainly has its advantages when it comes to skiing, there’s much to be said about the smaller winter gems, tucked amid out-of-the-way settings, blanketed with snow. Such is the case with Apex Mountain resort, a family-friendly jewel situated in BC’s south Okanagan. With a name that literally translates to zenith, or peak, Apex shelters sunny skies, wicked terrain and some six metres (20 feet) of the white stuff annually. Here, you’ll find a blend of smooth cruisers and steep chutes, along with four lifts including a high-speed quad that delivers 605 metres (2,000 feet) of vertical in just seven minutes. Long line-ups? Not unless you’re hankering for a place at the pool table at the resort’s Gunbarrel Saloon. New this season, it’s glade skiing galore with the introduction of “Hidden Gold” run, plus there’s an opportunity to keep the excitement going well into the evening with a new park offering up night skiing. If a rush is more to your liking, simply make your way down the same slopes set to host both the BC Alpine Men’s and Women’s Super-G and Downhill events, January 19 – 25, and a BC Series event where the province’s best will compete in Moguls, Dual Moguls and Big Air, February 13 -15. Plus there’s plenty off the slopes to distract; rev it up with snowmobile tours, take to the outdoor rink with ice hockey, tour the trails on cross country skis or experience the cool calm on a snowshoe tour. No matter your choice, you’re bound to find a gem worthy of the crown. www.apexresort.com

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