Resort Newswire
Resorts Openings and Fresh Snow
Austrian Snow and Resorts
In the last few days, the snowy white powder has been falling in Austria. The heaviest snowfall was in the western Austrian resorts but snow fell across the country, so fresh powder skiing be easily located. On Thursday, Mayrhofen (3/25cm) opened for the first time this season, thanks to the fresh snowfall. Pitztal (36/164cm) has three opened lifts and Solden (15/130cm) has six lifts have been operating.
New Snow in France
Significant amounts of fresh snow have been falling across the French Alpine resorts, advantage to the fresh snow. Tignes (82/140cm) and Val d’Isere (82/140cm) now have remarkable piste depths and there is fresh snow across the whole Espace Killy area. Les Deux Alpes (10/100cm) had a fantastic day skiing on Thursday.
French resorts scheduled to open on Saturday, December 10th, include Les Menuires (32/80cm) and Meribel (30/80cm) in The Three Valleys. Courchevel (40/70cm) and Val Thorens (100/130cm) are now open. Continue reading
European Ski Resorts, What’s New for 2012
In Austria, Saalbach is ready to welcome the new season with new charilists and gondola. Further upgrades and eplacement lifts are also ready to welcome visitors in Hintertux, Schladming and Kitzbühel.
In France, Val d´Isère, already a top-tier resort, now boasts almost 160 ski slopes. Valpark, one of the best snow parks in Europe has installed 8 new snow cannons. The old Rochassons chairlift in Châtel has been upgraded and to a comfortable 6-seater lift up to the 650km of the Portes du Soleil area! Valmorel also has a new 6-seater chairlift which will open for the Christmas holidays.
In Switzerland, Champéry has replaced the Grand-Conche chairlift to the Portes du Soleil ski area.
More news as it becomes available…
European Ski Resort Season Open Dates 2011-2012
- The ski season is closing fast and we’re all looking for a great season of endless white powder. Most of the major resorts look to be opening in the first week of December this years with a few exceptions.
- Chamonix (France) has already received substantial snowfall. The official resort open is the first week of December, but the area will be open for the last two weekends in November if snow conditions permit.
- Resorts opening during the last week of November include Patscherkofel – Igls (Innsbruck, Austria) and Schmitten – Zell am See (Salzburg, Austria).
Try Something Different: Adventure In Paradiski
The giant French Paradiski area that encompasses 20 resort villages which are part of the resorts of les Arcs, la Plagne and Peisey Vallandry, is encouraging skiers and boarders to think outside the snowbox in 2010 and consider trying one of the numerous adrenalin-pumping, side-splitting and quirky sports they offer besides downhill skiing and boarding.
Not for the faint hearted, Paradiski offers the more adventurous the chance to experience bobsleighing on France’s only Olympic bobsleigh run, ski-joering, ice climbing, snow rugby, speed-flying, watersliding and much more.
With the Bobsleigh run at la Plagne, you shoot down the 1.5km Olympic bobsleigh run either in a four man ‘bob-raft’ at 80kph, a ‘mono-bob’ with speeds exceeding 90kph, or go for the awesome 120kph ‘taxi-bob’ steered by a professional driver.
Paradiski is the only ski area in Europe with a special ski-joering course where skiers sign up for a unique horse-drawn skiing experience that is an age-old Scandinavian tradition .
Ice Climbers can scale the heights of Europe’s only 22 metre artificial ice tower in Champagny le Haut. There are 26 different routes that are suitable for intermediate climbers and professionals.
If you’re in resort on St Patrick’s Day you can take to the pistes at an altitude of 2,300 metres for a game of snow rugby on a pitch approved by the French Rugby Federation. Then battle it out in the final at the end of the day in the centre of the Vallandry resort.
Finally speed-flying is a thrilling combination of skiing and paragliding you can try is Les Arcs ( www.alerion.fr)
To end the day put on your skis and take a run up and attempt to cross a 12-metre long swimming pool situated next to the Altipost high-altitude restaurant. What’s more, watersliding is free of charge and to add to the fun you can place bets on who will sink first.
If you do still want to squeeze in some regular skiing and boarding you’ll find Paradiski has 425km of runs divided in to 236 runs, a 2050m vertical, two peaks at over 3,000 m, 153 km of cross country trails, two snowparks, five boardercross courses and two half-pipes.