Ski Blog | Ski Resorts

Extraordinary Piste Maintenance

I am always amazed at the lengths resorts go to to keep as much open as possible when there is little snow cover piste bashers, lorry loads of snow, helicoptors dropping it but I have never seen this before!  

So be assured most resorts do do as much as possible to keep as much open as they can! 

Great New Year Offers!

Rich reports from the Alps and has some great offers for New Year - check them out on the site here https://www.altitudeholidays.com/ski-deals.

There are loads of deals to be had from FREE champagne, HALF PRICE deals and rare New Year FLEXI BREAKS!  

Aware that there is limited skiing to be had he also has some ideas of things for you to try.  

Be one of the first to hear about our offers and deals by registering on the site here https://www.altitudeholidays.com/account/register

Surprisingly good snow in Flaine!

A couple of days on from a not very snowy Les Carroz Rich has gone up to Flaine to find out what the skiing is like there and has found some surprisngly good skiing! 

What’s the snow like in Les Carroz in December?

So what is the snow like in the Alps at the moment?  Here's Rich from a not so snowy Les Carroz on 18th December.

CAN YOU SKI ON YOUR BIRTHDAY?

I’ve always envied people who can ski on their birthday – I learnt to ski when I was 8 years old and yet have never been able to ski on my birthday. 

One of my sisters has a March birthday and has regularly skied on her birthday – including her 40th in Whistler!

My girlfriend only learnt to ski two years ago and has already skied on her birthday – celebrating in St Anton!

She did ski as well as apres!  

Me – I have a November birthday so it’s not as easy as it may sound. 

I mean it’s easy if your birthday is between December and April – the European and North American season are underway and you’ll have lots of opportunities.

If you have a summer or autumn birthday June to October and you’re prepared to travel you’ll find some options in Argentina, Chile or New Zealand and if you’re lucky Australia!

Even glacier skiing in somewhere like Tignes you could have skied from 2nd July to 28th August this year.

So it’s really only a couple of months that it gets a bit tricky! Yes I know a glacier will be open somewhere in Europe if I really wanted to but even Deux Alpes was closed on my birthday this year being open from 22nd October 2016 to 1st November 2016 and then again from 3rd December.

So this year after 30...er...ahem... something years I finally got to ski on my birthday!  I was on a road trip in the US and right at the end managed to get to Mammoth and get a days skiing in! With a visit to a ski outlet shop and hire kit I cobbled enough together to ski!

They only had about 6 lifts open and the conditions weren’t great and the lift pass still cost a whopping great full price 99US$!  Well unless it’s your birthday and they give you 50% off!

Nice birthday present and I SKIED ON MY BIRTHDAY!!  

So is November the worst birthday month to ski or are there other months that are as bad? 

Skimium, the exclusive ski hire partner of Altitude Holidays. Save over 50% off ski hire this winter

WHO ARE WE?

Skimium.com is a partner of Decathlon

The stores that are affiliated to skimium.com are independent stores located in the heart of the ski resorts. At these winter sports specialists, who all have a great reputation, you’ll find a wide range of the highest quality material that is available for either sale or rent. You can also find a variety of technical clothing and accessories and the men and machines that provide a highly professional workshop service. In the true mountain spirit, you’ll be looked after and advised by professionals that are passionate about their sport! 

skimium.com in a few words: it’s EASY, it’s the COMFORT of ordering from your own home and the BEST PRICE advantage through ordering on the internet (up to 20% discount off the public prices that are communicated in the stores), but it’s not only that...  

SKIMIUM IS EVEN MORE:

·       A wide selection of all the different categories of equipment in order to satisfy the requirements of all types of people, all types of ability and all types of desire.

·       An on-line Advice Guide enabling you to select the material that is the best suited to your ability, your desire and to what you want to do.

·       Only 25% deposit required, no administration fees.

·       Get the most of your skiing holiday with your family and friends with at least a further discount of 5% off the store prices for any reservation that includes at least 4 (or +) pairs of skis or snowboards.

·       Benefit from the Professional Advice to get the most out of your equipment.

·       A Commitment to guaranteeing your Safety, through our on-line advice service.

·       A Direct and Personal Contact with your rental store.

THE STORES THAT ARE AFFILIATED TO SKIMIUM.COM ARE COMMITTED TO:

Operating a Transparent Pricing Policy:

·       Benefit from the most advantageous prices by reserving on the internet

A Technical Charter:

·       A selection of the most reputable brands

·       Up to date material (no more than 3 seasons old)  

·       Equipment that is checked and prepared before each individual rental (sharpening, repairing of bases and waxing of boards; shoes are dried out and treated) 

·       The equipment is adjusted by professionals according to what you are going to do, your ability and your size  

A Customer Services Charter:

·       A friendly and personalised service 

·       Expert advice 

·       A product range dedicated to Women 

·       Your kids treated like little Champions 

·       Comfort for the duration of the rental period

HOW DOES IT WORK?

RESERVING YOUR SKI EQUIPMENT ON SKIMIUM.COM IS VERY EASY AND ONLY TAKES A FEW MINUTES: 

Today:

·       Select a skimium.com store in the resort where you will be heading to and indicate the date of your first skiing day along and for how many days you want to rent the equipment for.

·       Choose your material from a wide selection of skis, snowboards, shoes, boots and helmets.

·       You can consult our ‘How to choose the right equipment’ guides to help you find the material that is best adapted to your ability and to what you want to do.

·       Validate your selection and enter the personal details about yourself (height, weight, sizes...) and your preferences so that your material can be personalised just for you.

·       Confirm your reservation by paying a deposit of only 25 %. A confirmation email with the reservation form (with all the details concerning your order and other practical information) will be sent to you immediately.

·       Print and retain your reservation form and start getting ready for your holidays with peace of mind that your equipment will be waiting for you when you get there.

When you get there:

·       With your reservation form and a proof of identity, go along to the skimium.com store to settle the balance and collect your material that has already been prepared for you, once the adjustments have been checked.

·       Your skimium.com advisor will be extremely happy to welcome you and advise you on the use of your material.

·       Get your skis on and make the most of your holiday!

For further information, feel free to refer to our General Rental Conditions

Start saving now with Altitude Holidays and Skimium!

Go for a Ski Weekend and Save Your Holiday Days for a Summer Vacation

This is a guest blog by Mark Barber from Ski Weekends.

I hate February!  With Christmas decorations boxed up and packed away in my loft long ago and the New Year’s Day annual hangover being all but a distant and fading memory, the days are short, nights are long and it is cold!  Not that I have ever been a morning person, but getting up from my warm, snug, duvet for work in the midst of winter requires more will-power than bending spoons.

It is always at this time of year that I want to get away from it all and being a keen snowboarder, I have a yearning (or is it a spiritual calling?) for the mountains.  But, the problem is, and I am sure this is the same for the majority of people, my holiday days allowance from work are at a premium with spare ones rarer than magical Pixie gold dust, or silverware in the West Ham Trophy Room.

It goes without saying that the bulk of the allocation of days will be for the summer vacation with spare days needed for those unknown circumstances such as weddings, funerals and those excessively long stag/hen weekends in Las Vegas or Barcelona (what is wrong with a weekend in Bournemouth?).  With all this in mind, quite often a week skiing or snowboarding can seem like a luxury that your holiday days allowance will not permit.  Even the office king of taking ‘sickies’ could not hold off with pretending to have the flu all week, especially if calling from the airport with flight announcements being a complete giveaway.

But have you ever considered going skiing or snowboarding for a long weekend?  Although we do not have the ease of passage to the Alps that our continental friends enjoy, where all they need to do is throw their skis, snowboard, cheese and salami sandwiches, and a bottle of Red in the back of a car and head to the mountains, it is a lot easier than you probably realise!

With Geneva Airport your gateway to a white snowy paradise, the majority of French Alpine resorts are easily reachable.  For instance, the flight to Geneva from a London airport will only take about an hour and a half.  From Geneva, it is possible to be sipping a glass of wine while sitting in a hotel bar at the ski resort of Morzine, in just over an hour (I have tried and tested this theory with success!).

Morzine has grown in popularity over the years and, with its neighbouring ski resorts of Avoriaz and Les Gets, makes an ideal location for a ski weekend.  Quick and easy to get to, it is ideal for both skiers and snowboarders of all levels.  Morzine also has a lively après ski scene that is not as expensive and damaging on the wallet as some of its French cousins such as Val d’Isère.

Also, a hop, skip and jump away from Geneva are the two heavyweights of the Alps, The magnificent Three Valleys and Paradiski ski areas.  Paradiski is the joining of forces of Les Arcs and La Plagne by the giant Vanoise Express double-decker cable car.  Paradiski is vast and is mainly built up of purpose built ski in - ski out resorts that are well designed for skiing and very convenient.  For those in your group that would like to explore other activities, the new Mille 8 complex should keep them busy with toboggan runs, themed ski areas, cinema, restaurants and themed swimming areas.

One of the biggest ski areas in the world, the Three Valleys offers something for everyone of any ability.  The endless terrain of slopes would keep you busy for months, let alone just for a weekend!  An ideal base to explore the Three Valleys is the beautiful resort of Meribel.

If you do not fancy flying then a coach journey is an ideal budget friendly alternative as it will take you to the resort of Brides Les Bains, which is situated in a valley just under Meribel and only a chair lift away.

Not only is travelling by coach easy on the pockets and more environmentally friendly than flying, it will also give you more slope time because you travel and sleep through the night, picking up your ski lift pass when you arrive at the hotel early morning.

If you think coach journeys are like those old school trips with coaches that looked like they were designed by bored soviet engineers with dusty flowery patterned curtains across the windows, then think again.  Luxury coaches are comfortable, have on-board toilets and tea/coffee making facilities, and are an ideal way to travel and take the usual stress out of the journey - just sit back and relax!

For those who do choose to fly, the trip starts on a Thursday, returning on the Monday. Ideally designed to save the amount of work days you need to take off while maximising slope time.  Ski lift passes are pre-booked and handed out on arrival so you can catch that first ski lift in the morning, without the hassle of long queues to get your lift pass.

So here is the perfect scenario; don't worry about having to book a whole week off work to get your ‘ski’ or ‘snowboard’ fix out on the slopes.  Book a long weekend which will give you plenty of time to shake off those winter time blues and relax, take the stress out on the mountain and enjoy a touch of après ski.

Leaving you with enough guilt-free holiday day allowance to enjoy that summer vacation that you spend all year looking forward to.  Go soak up some sun and laze on a beach, go surfing, or go on an African Safari.  Whatever you do, enjoy yourself, knowing that by going on a ski weekend, you really can have the best of both worlds.

Mark Barber

Where’s the snow?

Are you panicking yet?  Have you got a Christmas ski holiday or New Year ski trip booked and been scared by the media that you won’t have any snow when you go skiing?

Yes it’s the usual annual media free for all - writing scare stories, overhyping, sensationalising and making things up!  Really? The press do that? Surely not I hear you say!  Afraid so I say!

It seems to happen every year – either at the beginning of December or nearer Christmas depending on what they have to fill up their grubby pages with.

Right now if you believe the press you’d think it was a disaster but there are loads of resorts opening early.  How does that work then?

It will snow – it always does.  It’s just a case of when does it arrive? Sometimes it comes early and sometimes later – last year for example Christmas skiing wasn’t great but over one weekend it dumped and New Year week was powder snow heaven!

Not so great if you were out at Christmas of course but the panic and concern for New Year skiers was gone overnight – well unless you were stuck in a snowy traffic jam for 12 hours!  You can’t win can you?

Anyway we can’t control it and if you skied at a certain time last season it doesn’t mean that the weather and snow will be equally good or bad at the same time this season!

Yes I do really get phone calls asking to go the second week in March as last year the snow was…… anyway that’s a different story!

Whenever and wherever you go we hope you get a load of snow!  

And if you don’t then remember you are on holiday and get out and explore the resort and fill your days with all of those off slope activities you keep meaning to do every year but never do because you don’t want to miss a days skiing. Enjoy! 

The Do’s and Don’ts Of Skiing For Beginners

This is a guest blog by Amber Kingsley.

Amber is a freelance writer for RedSeven and loves sharing her tips for winter destinations. As an avid skier and snowboarder herself, she knows how intimidating that first ride can be but hopes these tips will encourage other wanna-be snow bunnies to give the slopes a try.

Nothing can ruin the perfect winter holiday by skipping out on the slopes. If you’re just starting out and you’re intimidated by the eight year olds dashing by you on their miniature skis like there’s no tomorrow, don’t worry.  There are a few tips you should look into before your first (or second) lesson, just to know what to expect and what you can do to make things easier for you so you can enjoy the snow covered mountains of your favorite winter destinations.

DO: Bend those ankles

As a beginner, bending your knees is the golden rule. But what they’re not telling you is that you’re not actually bending your knees per se, but your ankles. The knees follow along and this gives you a good stance. What it does is get your shanks to slide to the front of your boots, which in turn will make you have a better control over whatever you’re doing (we won’t call it skiing just yet). Bending your ankles also makes your whole body absorb shocks (like bumpy terrain) Check that your heel is sitting comfortably in your heel cap to make sure you’re doing it right.

DON’T: Lean forward

This is a general advice plenty of instructors tend to give, but if you’re smart you’ll aim to be central and avoid leaning forward. This way, you’ll be able to use the entire ski and turning will be a lot more precise. Leaning forward is a very imprecise suggestion anyway and what you should get out if it is the need to vertically align your body over your hips and over your feet. Stand up straight and see how that modifies your stance. You’re not going jet-fast, like pro skiers who actually need extreme body bending!

DO: Wear the right gear

Wearing jeans make you look silly. Wearing jeans also makes you never want to go skiing again, so try and avoid going to your first lesson in your regular clothes. Falling will be on the agenda for your first lessons, so you and the snow will get acquainted quite well and, if you’re not wearing special clothing, your encounter will get a little too intimate. If you don’t have a good pair of boots, snow pants and a warm jacket, you might as well just watch the sports channel at home. All of these items are usually rentable in resorts, so there’s no excuse to go unprepared.

DON’T: Learn from your friends

A good idea when you’re new to skiing is getting an instructor. With a teacher, you’re on neutral ground. The rules are unspoken and set because of the formal relationship you both know you have. Skiing is difficult and can get frustrating at first, so learning from someone close to you might turn into a disaster. If that someone is your lover or your spouse, you run the risk of directing the whole anger towards them and quitting the whole thing sooner than you should. Even if your friend is a professional skier, you’re still on safer ground with someone you’re not familiar with.

DO: Look forward

A long time ago, when you started riding a bike, you were told not to look at the wheel because, guess what, you were at risk of falling. Skiing is the same. When you look at the tips of your skis you lose focus and you end up missing obstacles or losing your direction. Look at least ten feet away to make sure you can anticipate whatever might come at you (or whatever you might ski into).

DON’T: Be a couch potato

If you’ve booked a two week skiing trip in advance and all you can do before you get there is google weather conditions and buy gear online, you might also mentally prepare yourself for a physical shock. Ok, you might be an athlete or you might work out three time per week. If that’s the case, there’s nothing to worry about, google away.

But if that’s not you, you might be faced with a problem when you reach the slope. Skiing is really challenging for your body and it will drain you (in the best way possible, really) of your energy. Getting your body in shape before the whole ordeal will make sure your muscles won’t protest on your second day of skiing.

Finally, take a moment to breathe and don’t worry about how bad your first lessons are. Hint: they’re all bad. Nobody is graceful on his first day. We all looked like idiots in the beginning. But the feeling you get when you look over the white slope with confidence, without worrying you might fall or hit something, is hard to compare to anything else.

Top 5 Things to do in Les Arcs

 This is a guest blog by Laura of Snow Crazy

Here's our Top 5 things to do if you are on a ski or snowboard holiday in Les Arcs!
 
1. Ski from the top of the Aiguille Rouge at 3250m down to Villaroger at 1200m...with 7km of piste it's one of Europe's longest runs. At the top experience the stunning 360 degree view by climbing a short slope to an Orientation Table.
 
2. Stop at the rustic Les Chalets de l'Arc for a 'chausson' for lunch, a whole meal cooked inside a large loaf of bread baked in the highest bakery in Europe at 2220m altitude. Enjoy the very pleasant piped music of cow bells and birds chirping in the loos!
 
3. Hop on a sledge after hours and get on the Rodeo run, a purpose built 3.5km toboggan run that will thrill you and chill you!
 
4. Take the double decker Vanoise Express cable car over to La Plagne and ski La Plagne for the day! Built in 2003 at a height of 380m, it carries 200 skiers across nearly 2km of thin air taking 4 minutes either way. When it first opened, it was the biggest, longest and fastest cable car in the world.
 
5. Try the Flying Kilometre, hitting speeds of up to 250km/h, it's an adrenalin rush to beat them all! Launch yourself on specially provided skis down a steep one kilometre stretch of piste whilst being timed. Open to everyone age 7 or over.
 
Do all these things whilst staying at Chalet Eagle's Nest or Chalet Marigold with Snowcrazy (www.snowcrazy.co.uk).

January and March are now on offer at just £500pp.