Engelberg will stage its annual Ice Festival this Saturday, 13th July. Builled as “the Glacier Party of the Year” the event brings together a range of summer sliding fun events on the resort’s Titlis glacier. Almost everything is available except skiing and boarding.
This year’s attractions include a mini bobsleigh race, a treasure hunt in the snow, guided glacier hike, abseiling in to a crevasse and a visit by a herd of reindeer.
The event takes place between 9am and 4pm and will be staged on the Titlis glacier at 3,020m above sea level. Children aged up top 15 are free, adults pat 41 Swiss Francs.
www.titlis.ch
Tag Archive for 'Switzerland'
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.
Swiss resort Laax has started building a new development at the base of resort that is being described as ‘spectacular’.
The apartment complexes are being built to combine contemporary architecture and urban lifestyle with direct access to the slopes. The dramatic buildings are being constructed mostly from stone, glass and wood.
The new complex will add six restaurants as well as new bars and shops right in the heart of the resort and is scheduled to open in time for next season.
www.rocksresort.com
Verbier has unveiled a list of innovative initiatives in the resort’s on-going efforts to minimize its environmental impact.
One of the most innovative is to install sonar machines beneath its trail grooming equipment. This ensures that the resort’s lift company is aware of snow depth across the piste and does not waste water and energy making snow where it is not needed.
Continue reading ‘Verbier to install sonars on grooming machines’
By seeing the display of the forty three painted angel figures, one would easily believe they’ve died and gone to heaven…of course because they would have climbed up to Engelberg’s (which means Angel Mountain) altitude.
Various events themed on the subject of angels are planned over the 13 months that the angels are in town. At the end of that time the figures will be sold by auction, with the proceeds going to the monastery restoration fund.
The opening event takes place on May 1st when the figures will be blessed.
You can still ski and see the angels this year as the season continues in Engelberg on the Titlis mountain through to 25th May with a special Spring season Pass valid for the rest of the winter costing 350 Swiss Francs and various all inclusive low-cost package deals available through the tourist office.
From more information write to engel@engelberg.ch
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This week, Saas Fee ski resort will be home to the best freestyle snowboarders in the world when come together to compete from April 17th to 20th for the Swatch TTR Snowboard Tour, “SNICKERS Classic & POPCORN Wallride 08“.
Continue reading ‘World’s best freestyle snowboarders compete in Saas Fee’
The village of Saanen next to Gstaad in Switzerland is creating an environmentally central heating system for the village.
The entire village community is currently involved in the construction project, which will create the new communal heating system as well as a bypass road that will take away traffic from the city centre. Both projects will result in a cleaner and quieter Saanen.
The wood-fired central heating system will save three million litres of heating oil and result in 8,000 tonnes of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere annually.
Construction has just begun and the project is so major it will take about two years, with completion slated for 2010.
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