http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/news/ en abi.b@wtss.co.uk Copyright 2013 2013-05-20T10:48:53+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/british-skier-dies-in-chamonix-fall/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/british-skier-dies-in-chamonix-fall/#When:10:48:53Z A British ski tourer has died after falling 1,000m down the north face of the Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix. It is understood he was trying to ski the Vallée Blanche with another man but had turned for home due to bad weather. Reports say the pair had set off with touring skis yesterday but driving winds of up to 100km and heavy snow forced them to turn around. The British man, who has not yet been named, is understood to have been blown off the ridge at Aiguille du Midi Arete and fallen around 1,000m at 9pm on Saturday night. His body was found by rescuers on Sunday morning. Captain Patrice Ribes of the Chamonix mountain rescue team said the pair left their skis on the mountain and started to climb back to the Aiguille du Midi cable car as the weather closed in. “He would have been exhausted from the climb. The winds were very high and the visibility, poor,” said Captain Ribes. “We do not know exactly how he fell. We have not found his body.” The second man managed to reach the cable car and alert authorities. With snow across the Alps this weekend, conditions on the Aiguille du Midi were reported to be particularly bad, with a strong blizzard blowing in from the Vallée Blanche side and temperatures down to -16C. The season officially finished in Chamonix when the Grands Montets closed on 12 May. With more than 11m of accumulated snowfall at 1,500m at the beginning of May, ski tourers are expected to continue to make the most of the conditions well into next month. General 2013-05-20T10:48:53+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/snow-still-falling-in-the-alps/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/snow-still-falling-in-the-alps/#When:12:19:17Z A handful of ski resorts in the Alps are still open this weekend, and Engelberg (pictured here on Tuesday), closes on 26 May. This weekend skiers have enjoyed an unexpected treat after 15cm of fresh snow fell on Friday to add to its incredible base depth of 470cm. Also open is Zermatt, which is now into its summer season with glacier skiing. The resort had also fresh snowfall on Friday – illustrated very well by this photo taken at Riffelberg by ski patroller Philipp Imboden on Friday morning. Pontresina and Engadin in Switzerland are also open, as are the Hintertux Glacier, Kaunertaler Glacier, Stubai Glacier and Kaprun in Austria. The snowpark and lifts are due to stay open on Glacier 3000 in Gstaad-Diablerets every weekend during May, though lifts have been closed this weekend due to a storm. There are no resorts open in France. Last week, 250 skiers and snowboarders took advantage of some sudden off-piste availability at the Pic du Midi above Barèges in the Hautes-Pyrénées. The Pic du Midi opened from 6 to 12 May for the first time in history thanks to record-breaking levels of snow. Snow 2013-05-19T12:19:17+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/locals-battle-to-save-bassingbourn-ski-slope/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/locals-battle-to-save-bassingbourn-ski-slope/#When:14:09:43Z Fears that Bassingbourn Snowsports Centre in Cambridgeshire will be demolished have been quashed by the Ministry of Defence. The lease on the ski centre at Bassingbourn Barracks near Royston came to an end in March and the facility has been closed since then. Government cuts forced the closure of the barracks in August last year. The centre has been open for 40 years and is hugely popular among locals, offering beginner lessons, race training, children’s parties and junior clubs. It has a main ski slope of 100m, with a maximum gradient of 20 degrees, with button lift, and a training slope measuring 45m with a maximum gradient of 16 degrees, with a rope tow. Both slopes are floodlit. The club has its own ski race team that is currently training in Welwyn Garden City, and a facebook group “Save Bassingbourn Snowsports Centre” set up last October, now has 441 supporters. But according to the Cambridge News, the club that has been running the ski centre is talking to South Cambridgeshire District Council and the MoD about buying the land and reopening popular slope. Martin Middleton, from Bassingbourn Snowsports Centre, told Cambridge News that the club hopes to obtain planning permission to build a new access route away from the main Barracks entrance. The club is applying for a temporary license to reopen the slope until the purchase is complete. Mr Middleton told the local paper: “While the site won’t be demolished — which is good news — we can’t allow the public to use the ski slope at the moment as a temporary license was not granted. It is a bit bonkers that it’s sitting there but can’t be used.” He added: “We have to work out what we can afford to bid to purchase the site.” General 2013-05-16T14:09:43+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/slow-start-to-australian-ski-season/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/slow-start-to-australian-ski-season/#When:10:52:00Z After an amazing season in the European Alps — voted ‘one of the best ever’ in our current poll — things aren’t looking quite so exciting Down Under. Australians have been warned not to expect a good ski season this coming winter, despite recent snow flurries in Thredbo and Perisher. Australia is currently enjoying an unusually warm and dry autumn, and the outlook is unchanged for the coming months which will lead to a delayed start to the ski season according to Ben McBurney, a meteorologist at Weatherzone. Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Mr McBurney said weather fronts are going to struggle to push north for the next month or two. “That indicates maybe a slightly later start to the snow season and probably average to below-average falls,” he said. Perisher ski resort has spent more than AUD $2million (about £1.3million) in snowmaking equipment and improvements for the 2013 season. It opens on 8 June and is expecting 18cm of snow this week. Thredbo is also due to open for the season on 8 June. Temperatures are currently hovering around freezing during the daytime, with snow flurries expected over the coming week. Thredbo communications manager Susie Diver adds: “We can only cross our fingers for a good season.”   Resorts 2013-05-14T10:52:00+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/fire-destroys-morzine-cable-car-station/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/fire-destroys-morzine-cable-car-station/#When:08:49:58Z The top station of the Pléney cable car in the ski resort of Morzine has been completely destroyed by fire. The fire broke out just after 4am yesterday (Wednesday, 8 May), and quickly spread to the adjoining restaurant, Chez Etienne. Around 60 firefighters were at the scene, arriving by 4x4 vehicle and helicopter. According to local reports, the ski lift station has been totally destroyed but Chez Etienne has been only only “slightly affected”. The top station of Morzine’s Pléney cable car is one of the oldest in France, built in 1934. Work had begun to modernise it before the next ski season. The cable car station also housed electronics and aerials for TV and radio which were also destroyed in the fire, so local residents are currently without TV or radio. Resorts 2013-05-09T08:49:58+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/one-pass-to-ski-verbier-the-arlberg-and-vail-resorts/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/one-pass-to-ski-verbier-the-arlberg-and-vail-resorts/#When:17:21:31Z Five days skiing in the Arlberg, Austria, Verbier in Switzerland and a season pass in top US resorts for just US$689 (£445)? Amazing value if you ask us. The Epic Pass, relaunched by Vail Resorts in 2011, is a season pass for seven of the biggest US ski resorts — Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Heavenly, Lech, Zürs, St Christoph and Stuben. Vail Resorts are hailing the Epic Pass as the best-value lift pass in the industry, and they’re probably right. Five days in Arlberg next season costs €205 (£173 on today’s exchange rate of €1.18 to £1), and five days in Verbier this season cost CHF315 (£216 with today’s exchange rate of CHF1.45 to £1). So if you then plan to ski a week in the US, it will cost you just over £50. Beware of one catch though — Verbier means Verbier only, not five days in the 4 Vallées, which gives you access to the likes of Bruson and Veysonnaz. The £445 Epic Pass price is only guaranteed until 27 May, so if you want to book, visit snow.com/epic-pass.aspx or ask your tour operator. Resorts 2013-05-07T17:21:31+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/verbier-link-to-bruson-well-underway/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/verbier-link-to-bruson-well-underway/#When:10:33:29Z The tourist office in Verbier sent us this picture last week: of work well underway on the new lift station at Le Châble. Work started on the new eight-seater gondola from Le Châble to Bruson last October. It will open this December, carrying up to 1,200 skiers and snowboarders per hour. Bruson has long been Verbier’s hidden secret — with amazing tree skiing for bad weather. It was previously accessed by a 20-minute bus ride. The idea for a lift link was first mooted in 1961, but local and environmental opposition has kept planning on hold until last week. Isabelle Hefti from Verbier tourist office reports that the project is running to schedule. Find out what Editor Watts thought of Bruson when he skied there earlier this year. Resorts 2013-05-06T10:33:29+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/banff-voted-top-ski-resort-by-crystal/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/banff-voted-top-ski-resort-by-crystal/#When:09:09:02Z BANFF in Canada has been voted best overall ski resort by Crystal Ski customers. The resort topped the poll for its convenience, “jaw-dropping” views, unlimited skiing for any ability and “incredible ski schools to boot”. Crystals says Banff “is commonly criticised for its convenience but we don’t think it’s too much of a problem. The buses to the slopes work like clockwork, and if one bus fills up (and by that we mean the seats, no one ever has to stand) then they’ll put on an additional bus, following right behind. It couldn’t be easier and as you are in one of the most beautiful spots in the Canadian Rockies, your journey to the slopes will pass jaw dropping mountain ranges.” Read our latest blog on Banff by WTSS reader Tanya Booth. Second most popular resort this season is the chocolate box village of Selva in Italy, for its “incredibly varied” skiing, great après-ski. Third is another Canadian resort, Whistler, for its massive terrain, consistent snow and village with “great après, night life and restaurants to die for”. Crystal Ski holiday makers think Whistler has “the whole package”. Grindelwald in Switzerland has been voted the fourth best ski resort this season, with 200km of “sublime” pistes, views of the Eiger and a pretty village offering great value for money. In fifth place is Zürs in Austria, for its pretty and exclusive town, modern and efficient lift system, “superb on-mountain dining” and consistent snow record. Best ski resort for overall value this season is Kranjska Gora in Slovenia — which Crystal ski says quite simply offers the best value for money this year compared to any other Eurozone country in Central Europe “and has real quality to boot”. In second place is the ever-popular Borovets and, third Bansko, both in Bulgaria, St Wolfgang and then Alpbach in Austria. Voted top resort for no queues this year is the ski-in, ski-out village of Hochgurgl in Austria, followed by Gressoney in Italy, lesser-known neighbour to Champoluc and part of the Monterosa ski area. In third place is La Thuile and then Claviere, both also in Italy. In fifth and final place is Ruka, Finland, which is also gets top votes for beginners, families and kids ski school. Resorts 2013-05-03T09:09:02+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/pic-du-midi-opens-for-the-first-time-in-may/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/pic-du-midi-opens-for-the-first-time-in-may/#When:14:50:01Z After an exception ski season, with record levels of snow, the the Pic du Midi, above Barèges in the Hautes-Pyrénées will reopen on 6 May. All the ski areas of the Hautes-Pyrénées have closed for the season, but the Pic du Midi, at 2,877m, recorded 15m this year, and another 30cm of fresh snow in the past few days. It has just announced that it will reopen from 6 to 12 May — for the first time in history. Skiers and snowboarders can enjoy 1km vertical of off-piste down to Barèges or Artigues for just €24 — or for free if you have a Grand Tourmalet season pass. This year Vail and Breckenridge, in the US, extended their ski seasons, as have Whistler Blackcomb, Mammoth, Alta and Snowbird. In Europe, Mönichkirchen, St Corona, Annaberg and Hochkar in the lower Austrian Alps extended their season by a week, as did the Spanish resort of Baqueira Beret in the Pyrénées. Resorts, Snow 2013-04-30T14:50:01+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/freestylers-try-for-record-backflip/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/freestylers-try-for-record-backflip/#When:09:03:53Z Thirty freestyle skiers in Canada have tried to set a world record for performing a simultaneous backflip. The skiers got together last weekend at Mont Saint-Sauveur in Quebec, organised by freestyle skiing pro Mikael Kingsbury, the six-time mogul World Cup champion. Mont Saint-Sauveur built a jump wide enough to accommodate 30 skiers, and after training for about two hours, the freestylers skied a short way down the slope towards the jump, all holding hands. They landed on their feet a little further down. The skiers made two attempts at the stunt – the first ended in failure but they pulled off the second successfully. Watch the video here. Jerome Berneche, 23, was one of the skiers involved. He said: “On the first try, the line broke, because we had problems with the angle of the slope that was steeper on one side than the other, so some people did not have the same speed. “On the second try, everyone landed and the line didn’t break, everybody landed hand in hand. We were pretty stoked, I don’t think anybody really expected it to work that well.” According to Kingsbury, the attempt was too late to enter this year’s Guinness Book of World Records. Events 2013-04-26T09:03:53+00:00