About Crans-Montana

Stretching from the Rhone valley to the Plaine Morte Glacier at 3000m, Crans-Montana is one of Switzerland’s foremost skiing regions. Visitors and residents love it for its many hours of sunshine and great slopes, with breathtaking views over a string of mountain peaks that unfold from Bietschhorn to Mont Blanc via the Matterhorn. But there’s also so much more to Crans-Montana than just winter snowsports activities, both for skiiers and those just wanting a fantastic winter break.

Two towns, Crans and Montana, merge together to form the resort and both have their own identities. Sitting on a high plateau above the Rhone Valley and facing south, the views are spectacular, especially from higher altitudes where it’s possible to see Mont Blanc in the west, through to the Matterhorn and way beyond to the east. During the winter, the skiing is well suited for intermediates, with a wide range of blue and red runs, but there are also excellent beginners areas as well as some more challenging slopes for experts, including some interesting off-piste and ski touring terrain.

During summer, the resort is a haven for both road cyclists and mountain bikers as well as hikers and adventure seekers. Accommodation is varied, with a strong luxury element including several 5* hotels and a spread of 3* and 4* options as well as self-catering apartments and Bed and Breakfasts.

Crans-Montana has a host of hotels that contain spas, enabling their elite, older patrons to enjoy a combination of skiing, health treatments and shopping at the resort’s chic boutiques. This well-heeled, health-seeking clientele mixes with bankers from Geneva and – rather incongruously – a huge snowboarding crowd and freestyle skiers, who visit Crans-Montana in winter for one of the best snowparks in the Alps.

Ski and Snowboard in Crans-Montana

Crans-Montana is a good intermediate’s resort with good slopes for beginners.  A good beginners area is Arnouva, accessed by the short gondola from Montana.  The nursery slopes down by the golf course in Crans are even easier.

Long Open Runs Fit for Carving

The largest group of intermediate pistes at Crans-Montana is in the Violettes sector, with trails winding their way through the woods. The Toula chair leads to steeper reds. From Bella-Lui you can head down the Nationale ski slope or Chetseron, both World Cup runs. The only official black run in the resort is a bumpy fall-line pitch on the ridge under the Toula chair, although by the standards of many resorts it’s no more than a red. On the whole, this is a resort of long, open runs fit for cruising and carving.

Snowboarding, Skicross and Snowparks

Crans-Montana is an active snowboarding centre and the Adrenaline snowpark, at top of the Crans gondola, is one of the biggest in the country. It has a half-pipe, several rails, an area for beginner freestylers, a skicross/boardercross course and a brand new snowpark for teenagers.

Some 50km of Langlauf tracks in Crans-Montana include a 10km loipe, set unusually at an altitude of 3000m on the Plaine-Morte Glacier. A host of other winter sports take place on the mountain and in the town, including snowshoeing, ice-skating and curling. Only about half of all visitors to Crans-Montana come here to ski or snowboard.

Crans-Montana Winter Activities

Dog Sledding

For a unique experience that doesn’t involve trying to stay upright on two planks of wood, try a dog sled ride at Crans-Montana on the stunning Plaine Moret Glacier. You’ll get to take the reins and steer your own husky team, guided by a professional musher. Afterwards you can even play with the dogs.

Find out more about dog sledding and how to get a dog sled transfer from airport to resort.

Snowtubing

You and the kids can go snowtubing on Snow Island. Spin your way downhill in a big inflatable ring, knowing that you can use the magic carpet conveyor to get back up to the top again. Perfect for tired children (and parents).

Ice Rink

Channel your inner Torvil and Dean on the ice rink at one of the ice skating sessions.  Or watch the kids going round while you nurse a hot drink.

Paintball and Laser Tag

If you have enough energy left after being on the slopes, you can get rid of your angst with a spot of winter paintball. For those who aren’t keen on being hit by paint pellets, you can opt for the more gentile laser IR tag.

Shooting Range

Learn how to handle a 357 Magnum, 7mm Remington or 9mm Parabellum on a shooting course with a professional coach.

Horse Riding

Panwall Stables in Crans-Montana offer group riding lessons, private lessons on dressage and jumping, forest walks and Shetland tours.

Snow Island

Snow Island transforms the competition standard golf course into a family-focused island of fun. On Snow Island you’ll find plenty of different winter activities including snow-tubing, a sledge run, snowman-building competitions, a ‘magic carpet’ ski lift to make getting back to the start of the run way more fun, huge inflatable towers on the snow and La Maison de Bibi, the house where Crans-Montana’s famous marmot mascot, Bibi, lives. Parents and children alike love the place.

Trail Running

Crans-Montana hosts a variety of routes for trail runners. There is a fitness trail that starts at Moubra Lake which has exercise along the way to test your endurance, mobility and strength.

Climbing Centre

The indoor climbing centre at Crans-Montana has a range of routes that lead up to a height of 13.5 metres, from 4C to 8A.

Curling

This beautiful indoor curling hall is right next to the Ycoor Café, right in the center of Montana. The 3 tracks enjoy an extraordinary ice cream which, according to specialists, curle perfectly. For insiders, it’s a pleasure.
For those who want to discover this sport, you can take an introductory course.

Crans-Montana Winter Activities Indoors

Bowling

When the winter chill is seeping into your bones, you can spend some toasty times indoor. Bowling is a popular family favourite.

Cinema

there are a selection of films to see at the cinema.

Indoor Golf

The indoor golf academy is composed of 5 experienced teachers as well as an assistant in 3rd year of apprenticeship. The academy is located in the golf area between holes 8 and 12 of the Ballesteros course.

The whole area is fully equipped for players of all levels. Whether you are a beginner, advanced of expert, the outdoor and indoor facilities are specially designed to help you progress.

The performance center is equipped with trackmans, a gym specially dedicated to Golf-Fitness and an indoor putting green.

More Indoor Sports and Games

There are more indoor activities to keep everyone amused including:

• Swimming Pools
• Gym sessions
• Badminton
• Snooker
• Table Football
• Table Tennis
• Tennis
• Yoga

Hiking and Exploring on Foot in Crans-Montana

With its lakes, forests, glacier and vineyards, the region has something to offer every nature lover. Ski touring is available, as are snowshoeing trips exploring the area.

Sports fans will be delighted to discover a large array of amenities dedicated to sporting activities, whilst cultural devotees will enjoy the wide range of museums, events and festivals.

Luxury and Outstanding Service

LeCrans is generally considered to be one of the top in terms of hotels in Crans-Montana and it also has a one star Michelin restaurant that is exceptional.

The Crans Ambassador is also really nice and it has great views as it’s elevated above the town. It’s pretty much ski-in-ski-out too which is the only large hotel to offer that (until the new Sixth Senses opens up but that’s in 2021).  The Ambassador is amazing to be honest.

Another amazing place to stay is Pasdelours , again with a one star Michelin restaurant. It’s very high end and a little more cosy feel too.  The food is amazing.

Then there’s the Chetzeron – it’s a hotel on the mountain.  You can only get there by snow cat or skis during the winter, which makes it a bit like a James Bond lair.  It has really nice super friendly staff including the owner who is a really nice guy. The restaurant is listed in the Michelin Guide.  It doesn’t have a star but just great food done well, from traditional stuff like fondue to more varied international dishes.

Find Out More About Crans-Montana Winter Activities

You can find out more about events and winter activities in Crans-Montana from the Cran-Montana Tourist Board. The resort is part of the Best of the Alps group.

You can also find out about Crans-Montana Summer Activities

The post Crans-Montana Winter Activities appeared first on Active Outdoors.

Not only will it help beat the winter blues away, but it is a ridiculously good workout for your entire body, especially your core and lower body. It’s a sport that requires a ton of balance and overall body strength to stay upright and prevent injury during steep drops and sharp turns.

The skiing itself is a great workout, but it’s only available for a few months of the year and therefore requires some off-season training to stay in shape for most of us. 

Learn what kinds of cardio and strength training will suit you best so that when the time comes to hit the slopes, you’re fully prepared to take on what the mountain throws at you. 

Cardio

Cardiovascular exercise is vital for your health generally – it keeps your heart healthy, lowers risks of almost every type of disease, and keeps your fitness levels reasonably high. 

Skiing requires quite a bit of cardiovascular energy, so you should be performing medium-high intensity cardiovascular activity throughout the off-season to stay in shape. 

Perform one or a combination of these cardio exercises 2-3 times per week to reap the benefits you’ll need come ski season. As your cardio improves and you grow ever nearer to ski season, amp up the cardio sessions to 3-5 times per week.

Running

Running is one of the most intense cardio forms and requires no extra equipment to perform, besides a decent pair of running shoes. 

Your best bet for great results is to stick with interval training, which means cycling between your maximum effort and a more manageable recovery period at approximately a 1:2 ratio. The time can vary, but this means that for every 1 minute of maximum action, you recover for 2 minutes at a pace that is relatively easy to sustain.

Studies on interval training show that it is better at increasing “stroke volume” (blood pumping), increasing the mitochondria levels in muscle, and can have the same results of steady-state cardio in shorter periods. 

You’ll only need to run for 20-30 minutes in each session if you’re using interval training wisely to reap its benefits.

Stair-climbing

The stair-climber is a star when it comes to ski training. Why? It combines lower body strengthening with cardiovascular exercise. If you don’t have access to a stairmaster for skiing training, get outside and find a big set of steps you can use instead.

The stair-climber impact helps keep your bone density at a healthy, high level, and improves the climber’s V02 max, which is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during exercise. It is also a good way to strengthen your thigh muscles which are key to long days on the slopes.  These will all go along way when it comes time to dust off your skis.

Elliptical Training

We’ve already discussed how to do some interval training, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore steady-state cardio altogether. It’s still an essential part of training, specifically for recovery.

You don’t want to go hard all of the time and risk over-training and injury. On a day when you want to get in some cardio and get your blood pumping, but your body is sore and tired, do some steady-state exercise on the elliptical for 30-60 minutes. 

This low-impact exercise will aid recovery, keep you moving, and get the blood flowing until you’re ready to push hard on your next workout.

Weight Training

Now that you have a cardio plan let’s talk about weight training.

Skiing requires a lot of balance. The best ways to improve balance are practising and building an overall healthier body composition, focusing on the core. 

For this, you will want to get into resistance training. Instead of traditional weight-lifting using dumbbells and barbells, use resistance bands (like these https://victoremgear.com/products/booty-bands). 

Resistance bands are not only a smaller, more inexpensive option, but they build core strength no matter what exercise you do. Unlike weights, the band creates even tension on your muscles throughout the exercise and works your core to provide stability while you perform the move.

Perform a combination of these resistance band exercises 2-3 times a week with at least 48 hours of rest in between. 

Best Upper Body Moves 

• shoulder presses
• bicep curls
• tricep kickbacks
• resisted push-ups
• assisted pull-ups

Best Core Moves

• planks
• bicycle crunches
• v-sits
• side planks
• oblique crunches

Best Lower-Body Moves

• squats
• one-legged deadlifts
• lunges
• monster walks
• clamshells
• donkey kicks

Final Word

By adding the right combination of full-body strength training using resistance bands and interval/steady-state cardio into your off-season training routine, you will see significant gains by the time ski season rolls around again. 

5 affordable luxury ski deals

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Skiing and snowboarding are the two most popular snow sports. Both let you have some serious fun bombing down a mountain, or perhaps cruising at a leisurely rate.

It is very much a personal choice which is best for you, but here are a few things to consider that may help you decide.

Do I look cool?

Snowboarding is associated with the type of cool dudes you see doing a variety of board sports such as skateboarding or surfing. Baggy trousers and boots with the tongues hanging out.

In the last few years, snowboarding is being taken up by all sorts of people – guys and girls, young and old.

Some hardened skiers do look down on snowboarders, as they consider it not as stylish, and that snowboards tend to push the snow down the mountain and leave it all lumpy at the bottom of the piste. Skiers do tend to be able to travel with more finesse than boarders, but that is the nature of the sport. Snowboarding is more about tricks and carving.

Skiing has started to get more media coverage of tricks and stunts. The winter X Games have included ski cross and board cross, which is where several skiers or snowboarders race at the same time on a course of ramps and jumps, making it much more exciting to watch.

Looking cool is not just about the clothing and reputation. It also depends on your skill. There’s no point trying to look cool if you can’t stay upright.

Which do you prefer?

Skills

The basics of snowboarding can be learned in a couple of days. Skiing takes longer as you use different techniques for different terrain and speed.

I ski and snowboard, but one is easier than the other in certain situations that you will encounter on the mountain. Narrow runs can be a bit challenging if you are not that skilled at controlling your board with the nose pointing down the hill. Steep narrow gulleys limit your ability to stop on a snowboard, whereas you can always snowplough on skis.

Chairlifts

Chairlifts are designed for skiers. Basically, you ski to the red stop line and wait for the chairlift to arrive behind you. When the seat arrives and touches the back of your legs you just sit down, pull the safety bar down and off you go. All you need to do is to make sure you don’t smack the person next to you with your ski poles.

At the top, you stand up and push away from the seat. You then ski off. Easy.

Snowboarders have to cope with being sideways. You wait for the chair with your snowboard pointing forward. this means that you have to sit down sideways. Once you are on, you can sit round properly. Your snowboard dangles sideways and annoys the skiers next to you unless you rest it on the foot bar. This is not exactly comfortable for your ankle.

At the top, you reverse the process. The hard bit is standing up and riding off with your board flat (not on an edge). Get it wrong and you are on your face in front of the crowd that usually lurks at the top of the lift sorting themselves out for the run down the mountain.

After a couple of goes, it is fairly easy to do it on skis or snowboard. The fun bit comes from different chairlifts. Each one is different. Some have conveyor belts at the start so they don’t have to slow down the chairs for you to sit down. Some have steep run offs at the top, where everyone has to quickly get their balance and get out of the way

Ski Tows

Once again, ski tows are designed for skiers. You stand and grab the hanging pole or T bar and use it to drag you up the hill (hopefully while you are standing up). When skiing, you have to concentrate on keeping your skis parallel. Not always easy on uneven snow.

Some ski tows are quite fast. The hanging poles are in a hopper and you grab the end one. By doing this, the top then moves and locks onto the rapidly moving cable and you get launched up the mountain at high speed. If you are not ready for this, you fall over, or get your manhood squashed. Watch other people do it first so you know what to expect.

For snowboarders, you have to stand sideways. It is best not to have your back foot in your binding, as if you fall over you are stuffed and in the way of everyone else coming up behind you. You look a right fool crawling away. At least with your back foot free, you can put it on the ground and steady yourself.

To get on you grab the tow pole and stick it between your legs whilst putting your back foot on your snowboard on the uphill side of the back binding (usually where your stomp pad is). It helps if you put your back arm out poining at the back of the snowboard to balance. This adjusts your weight towards the back of the snowboard to compensate for the sudden jolt as the tow pulls you away.

The fun doesn’t stop there. You have to keep your wits about you as some of the snow on the ski tows can be uneven. There may be lumps, bumps and holes or ruts. If the snow is patchy, you can even get stones or rocks sticking through. If you survive all that, then there is the final test of getting off the ski tow. MAke sure you don’t throw the towing pole or T bar away from you, as it can swing up and get tangled in the towing cable. This will stop the ski tow until an engineer comes to free it. This really messes up everyones’ time going up the ski tow.

Coping With the Varied Terrain

There is a varied amount of snowy terrain you will encounter when doing snowsports. Skiers and snowboarders cope with everything, but as a beginner, it helps to know what to expect..

Ice

When the temperature is lower, the piste will freeze overnight. In the morning, the runs can stay frozen for some time depending on the temperature, and whether they are in the sun or shade. I have found that it is easier to stay upright on a snowboard when going down icy runs, especially as they get steeper.

For a skier, You may have to side slip. This is similar to descending on your toe or heel edge on a snowboard. Skiers have two skis to keep parallel and at the right angle. Much easier on a snowboard.

Wide pistes

Wide pistes are great for skiers and snowboarders alike. The beginners dream. You can practice long sweeping turns without the fear of going off an edge or drop.

Flat pistes

Flat pistes and green runs are lovely for beginner skiers. For snowboarders, they can cause a few problems if they are really flat. The first problem is the lack of a slope. Snowboarders need a slope to move, or else they have to take their rear foot out of the binding and scoot. Skiers can just push themselves along with their ski poles, or move their skis in a skating motion.

The second problem flat slopes cause snowboarders is a lack of control. To get any form of speed, you are going to have to point in the direction you are going, with the board flat on the ground. Which is your back edge now? If you get it wrong and you catch an edge, you will suddenly find yourself face planting into the piste. Be prepared for the fall, or work out a technique that helps you to keep moving on an edge instead of the flat of the snowboard.

Narrow sections and gulleys

You are going to come across narrow bits on the mountain. No problem for a skier until they get a bit soft and mushy. Then you have to swoop bout in snowplough making sure you don’t get your skis tangled on big lumps of snow.

For a snowboarder, narrow sections can be a problem for beginners. If the slope is gentle, it is not to much bother. If it is steep, you have to be able to control and steer your board as you will be nose forward which means you will gain speed unless you can turn. Scary at first.

Gulleys and drops add to the fear factor. You don’t want to disappear off the edge. Gulleys are U shaped, which causes problems when you want to turn your board to slow yourself down. A bit of practice where there are no crowds is needed.

Injuries and Protection

As with all snowsports, there is a risk of injury. Skiing and snowboarding seems to have different injury risks. Skiers have two skis to control over all sorts of ground. The biggest risk to skiers is that of twisting a ski the wrong way and breaking a leg. Falling over with your skis going the wrong way is the main cause, and can happen even at slow speeds. The wrong skiing techniques also can lead to knees and ankle injuries. At higher speeds, impact injuries may also happen.

Snowboarders tend to get impact injuries. As your feet are both clamped to the same bit of wood, you don’t get the risk of one leg going in a different direction to the other. Instead, you are more likely to catch an edge and hit the deck fast and hard. Your reaction to this leads to what injuries you get, if any. The instinct is to put your hands out to stop the fall, which leads to breaking your wrists. Always wear wrist guards to reduce the chance of this happening. It doesn’t stop it, as a friend of mine broke her wrist guards in a fall and sprained her wrists. At least she didn’t break her wrists!

Also, you will often end up with your knees or backside hitting the floor. Wear knees pads. I also wear padded shorts with a coccyx protector to protect the base of my spine.

You can get spine protectors as well.

Helmets are a good investment. You only have one head. Look after it.

Winter Sports Insurance

Make sure you are insured! It can cost huge amounts (£20000) to get you off a mountain. Then there is the ambulance, hospital treatment, the plane home taking up three seats for your broken leg, and outpatient treatment. And if you drove there, how are you going to get your car back? So, make sure that you have adequate winter sports cover.

What do you prefer? To ski or snowboard?

So what have you decided? Talking to other snowsports enthusiasts, those who ski and then try snowboarding rarely go back to skiing. I haven’t yet found anyone who has started off snowboarding and then switched to skiing. As for me, I haven’t clocked up enough mountain time yet to decide. I prefer skiing when with other skiers, as I can keep up with them whereas I can’t on a snowboard yet. But I prefer the feeling of carving down a mountain, and casually going past skiers sitting on their backsides on icy slopes.

Made your mind up? Perhaps you want to try both and experience the differences between skiing and snowboarding for yourself.

Once you decide you will want some tips for choosing your first snow sports holiday.

The post Should I go Skiing or Snowboarding? appeared first on Active Outdoors.

Disastrous Days

The first time I took my family on a ski holiday, I did my best to make our time on the piste as enjoyable as possible.  Our children learned to ski in the UK before the holiday so that they could safely negotiate most pistes.  Thanks to friends who were familiar with the pistes on the Grand Massif, our children had an amazing ski holiday and were confidently able to negotiate green, blue and red runs.

On our second self catering family ski holiday, the early snow melt at Easter forced our tour provider to relocate us to Les Deux Alpes.  None of our group knew anything about the piste area apart from looking at the piste map.  Despite being with experienced skiers, the children hated the first day and ended up in tears as we skied down icy blue runs that would be classed as steep reds in other resorts.  Three of the four children refused to go back up the scary mountain with us for the rest of the week.

My friends and I resorted to putting the children into ski school with instructors who knew the pistes whilst we explored the mountain to work out which runs on the piste map were suitable for us.  It spoiled what was an expensive week.  It would made such a huge difference having prior knowledge beyond just having a piste map.  We decided we would be better prepared for a ski holiday to Val D’Isere.

Using the Val D’Isere Piste Map to Discover Delightful Days on the Snow

You can enjoy Val D’Isere without being particularly adventurous, but beginners and cautious intermediates need to watch out for the variable piste classifications.  Although there are plenty of slopes in Val d’Isère that are enjoyed by all, the ski area is best suited to strong intermediates and experts. Even the gradient of the main nursery slope at the bottom of the pistes is challenging for a complete beginner. A blue run at Val D’Isere could easily be classified as a red in another resort, while black really does mean a serious challenge.  It really does help to get advice from someone who knows the area.

If you book your ski holiday at a catered ski chalet, the chalet hosts are very familiar with the Val D’Isere piste.  They are always on hand to give invaluable insider knowledge and show you where on the Val D’Isere piste map the best places are to ski on the mountain that suits the type of skiing or snowboarding you love.  They will explain the best places for all skiing abilities, families and where you can go freestyle.  Val D’Isere is excellent for powder and off piste skiing.  You will also want to know some great places to eat and enjoy the scenery.

The Val D’Isere Piste Map

You can get the Val D’Isere piste map in a variety of forms:

• Printed Val D’Isere piste map from the resort ski pass office. This paper piste map is handy to keep with you, but usually ends up like a ball of papier mache in your pocket.
• Official Live piste map from Val D’Isere tourist board with piste and lift status and weather.
• Val D’Isere piste map pdf to print or keep on your mobile phone or tablet.
• Val D’Isere piste map jpg image
• The Fatmap App 3D terrain Val D’Isere piste map for IOS, Android and web browsers. Get location based hi-res terrain models with all of the runs and ski lifts shown, along with your GPS location.  You can stream route advice crafted by ski experts for free, or download your piste maps and go offline for under £10 per month.  See the Val D’Isere piste map in colour coded 3D showing avalanche zones, gradient, altitude and live status of the runs and lifts.
• Wipeout microfiber lens cloth Val D’Isere and Tignes Piste Map is a cloth you can use for cleaning your ski goggles. It has the Val D’Isere piste map printed on one side and the Tignes piste map on the other.  It will survive getting wet and won’t get torn like a paper piste map.  It makes a great gift.

Equipped with the Val D’Isere piste map and recommendations from dedicated hosts at ski chalets, you have a winning combination that will ensure that you know before you go.  You’ll soon be getting off the gondola at the top of the mountain, smiling contentedly to yourself at the impressive view as you start your first informed descent, fully aware of where you are going and what to expect from the pistes at Val D’Isere.

Getting to Know the Val D’Isere Piste Map

Val d’Isère is one half of what used to be known as the Espace Killy ski area.  It is linked to the neighbouring ski resort of Tignes to form a ski area of 300km of pistes, 10,000 hectares of off-piste and 44km of cross country trails.  Val D’Isere offers high quality, snow-sure slopes for everyone from complete beginner to adrenalin driven experts.  With a ski area three times more than Whistler, the biggest area in North America, its long season stretches from the end of November into the first week of May, and when other resorts are knee deep in slush, Val D’Isere can still offer light, fluffy powder and fresh, crisp groomed runs.

The village is at an altitude of 1,850m, with the top slopes at nearly 3400m beneath the summit of the Pointe du Montet. The top lift in Tignes is on the Grande Motte and reaches 3,456m.

All of the different ski areas at Val D’Isere are extremely well linked. You can work your way through the system of 94 lifts from Le Fornet all the way across to the Tignes village of Les Brevieres, with proper pistes all the way.

The recently added state of the art Solaise gondola has heated seats and wifi, and has increased capacity by 40 per cent, bringing an end to bottlenecks in high-season. At the top of the Solaise piste, a North American-style eatery and a free-to-use picnic area featuring microwaves and vending machines has also been added.

The Val D’Isere Ski Areas

Val D’Isere is a large and complicated ski area, but taking a little time to study the Val D’Isere piste map and getting advice from your chalet host will mean that you understand where the best runs are concentrated for your standard and how to use the lifts and pistes to work out your routes for the day.

The skiing is split into four different areas:

• La Daille;
• Bellevarde;
• Solaise;
• Le Fornet.

All of Val D’Isere’s ski areas have wide, cruising blue runs higher up and more challenging runs for strong skiers lower down. Beginners will find the best slow skiing zones and easy runs at the top of Bellevarde.

From the centre of town, a couple of minutes’ walk takes you on to the Rond Point, a snow-covered open arena where the ski schools meet each morning and lifts rise up the mountains at either end.

The Train Rouge is a reliable and free ski bus that loops around all of the ski lifts up from the valley, as well as Val D’Isere’s satellite villages every three minutes at peak times. During the day it is an integral part of the lift system.

La Daille

La Daille is a hamlet at the eastern end of the valley. You can reach it by the ski bus and then use the lifts and pistes to head towards Tignes. Ride the Funival underground funicular to the top of Bellevarde, which is a great ski area for families just starting out. This is also the starting point for the exhilarating OK men’s downhill course back down to La Daille.

Bellevarde

Bellevarde at 2827m, at the other hand of the Rond Point, is Val D’Isere’s piece de resistance.  You can get there in a single trip using the huge Olympique gondola, the Funival from La Daille. or two chairs lifts. The big collection of green runs at the top is perfect for beginners and families.  Beginners and intermediates should take the gondola back down the mountain to avoid the very steep and challenging runs down to the resort.  La Face is a steep and extremely challenging black run back down, and was the venue for the men’s downhill at the 1992 Albertville Olympics and the 2009 World Championships.  It is best skied early in the day before the snow softens and it gets chopped up.  Sharp edges on your skis are essential.

The back of Bellevarde is the starting point for a huge area of various pistes that head towards Tignes.

Solaise

Solaise is a network of intermediate runs of varying standard, including the Rhone-Alpes black, the FIS women’s downhill course built for the 2009 Winter Olympics.  Anyone who is not a confident intermediate are best advised to return to the valley at the end of the day by either of the two lifts.

Le Fornet

Le Fornet is the bus stop after Le Laisinant. Taking the cable-car from here is the first step on the long journey by gondola and chair up to the Pissaillas Glacier and Val D’Isere’s  highest lift beneath the Pointe du Montet. The glacier is open for skiing in June and July during the French summer holidays and winter continues here for 12 months of the year.

When the resort is at its busiest, those familiar with Val D’Isere head here to catch the Laisinant Express chair. From the top you can connect to runs in the direction of Solaise or with Le Fornet.

If you have the ready cash then Bonneval is a great trip from Le Fornet.  You will need a guide, good weather and a helicopter to get back to avoid the three hour taxi ride.

Tignes

The seamlessly linked resort of Tignes also has a huge amount to offer.  The off piste terrain is enormous and taking a guide is the only way to really do it justice.

The view from the top of La Grande Motte in Tignes is breathtaking.  Another great viewpoint is the top of the Grand Pre chairlift, from where you can enjoy spectacular views of the Vanoise National Park. You will often be able to watch parapenting and speed riders challenging themselves off-piste.

The Best Runs in Val D’Isere for Beginners and Families

Although there is a lot of very challenging terrain in Val D’Isere, there are places where you can learn to ski.  This is best done in a ski school where the instructors know the mountain.

If you are just starting out and developing your skills, the main nursery slope in the village centre has a free chair lift. It also has several handy restaurants with sun terraces for parents to sit and watch while first turns are being achieved.  Watch out for the top of the nursery slope as it is rather steep for beginners.

The Madeleine area on the Solaise can be accessed by either the Solaise Express chair or Solaise Gondola.  The run on Madelaine is a little steep for a green but very wide and has some of the best mountain restaurants for lunch in the sun.  Madelaine is serviced by a giant moving carpet lift, which is really easy for beginners to use.

Bellevarde is the best area for beginners, with a larger selection of green runs and can be reached either via the Oymipique cable car from the centre of the village or via the Funival funicular train from La Daile.  There is a long green run that goes from the top of Bellevarde down through trees to La Daille at the bottom.  Although classified as a green route down, ski with care. It is probably the world’s most difficult green, but you can get down using chair lifts or the bubble lift

Like Les Deux Alpes, the interpretation of colour grading at Val D’Isere is different to elsewhere: for green read blue, for blue read red, for red read black, for black, well hold onto your lunch.

Beginners and intermediates should seriously think about taking the lift down at the end of the day. The runs home from Solaise, Bellevarde and Fornet are all very challenging and injuries frequently happen on the “last run.”  It is much better returning to your ski chalet having had a wonderful day on the snow rather than being a quivering wreck from the steep icy slopes and speed demons on the home runs.

The Best Runs in Val D’Isere for Intermediates

Taking the Olympique gondola up Bellevarde, the Fontaine Froide is a relatively easy red.  From the bottom you can take the blue Santons down, taking care not to stray onto the adjacent black.

Another good area of the piste in Val D’Isere for intermediate skiers is the Solaise.  It has a good network of delightful blue runs, with fast undulating terrain and amazing views.  You can easily spend a few hours on these runs because they are wide and have some speed sections.  Wide slopes are ideal for snowboarders who are terrified of flatlining straight downhill.  Glorious for carving and wide sweeping turns.

From the top of Solaise you can take the up and over Leissieres  chairlift to the Le Fornet side where you can ski from the top of the glacier right back to the valley floor on using the blues and reds.

Bellevarde is where most intermediate skiers head simply because it links to the runs in Tignes and offers lots of great routes to explore.

Val D’Isere Freestyle Ski Areas and Terrain Parks

The snowpark at Bellevarde under the Mont Blanc chairlift has jumps of varying sizes, as well as boxes and rails – so it’s much like a slopestyle course.  There is also a giant airbag, great for people who want to practise spinning or going upside down.  The snowpark in Tignes, where Olympic snowboarder Jenny Jones practised whilst a chalet maid, is home to one of the best halfpipes in Europe. There is also the natural terrain park run off the Palafour lift which is packed with jumps and bowls.

The Oakley Valpark boasts a good range of rails and kickers for all standards, and is located between Bellevarde and La Daille sector at the foot of the Marmottes chair.  It is adjacent to Stade de Slalom, a permanent downhill race course where you can run gates against the clock. You can reach it from the Funival and Olympique or by the Mont Blanc chair.

The Best Ski Runs in Val D’Isere for Experts

Experts love the famous “La Face.”  This steep and often mogulled run drops from the top of Bellevarde back down to the centre of the resort. Although there are a limited number of Black runs shown on the Val D’Isere piste map, some runs have been converted to “natural snow runs,” which means they are not groomed but are patrolled and cleared of any avalanche risks.

The most challenging run, La Forêt, cuts through the trees and is ideal for those who love moguls.

The black Epaule du Charvet is a run that is so steep that it can only be groomed by a piste-basher attached to a cable and winch.

Val d’Isere has one of the best lift served off piste ski areas in the world.  Do not venture off piste without a qualified guide.

One of the most popular off piste routes is a traverse from above La Fornet in the Pays Desert.  This open off piste field on the Glacier Du Pissaillas eventually drops to the Pays Desert drag lift.  Make sure you don’t over shoot this drag lift because it’s a long walk back.

Something for Everyone

Whether you have a family, group of friends or are skiing with business colleagues, understanding the Val D’Isere piste map will allow you to make the most of your time on the piste.  With something for everyone, make the most of your ski chalet host and you will want to return again and again.

The post Finding the Best Lines for Your Ability on the Val D’Isere Piste Map appeared first on Active Outdoors.

We have only been on a family ski holiday to France twice, and that was because we could get some really good prices at Easter. Then on the second ski holiday, due to snow melting, the resort we were booked at closed and we had to transfer to Les Deux Alpes. The trip was a bit of a disaster due to incorrectly graded icy slopes causing very challenging skiing conditions, and the very noisy parties that went on in the apartment above us every night into the early hours.

So, the friends we went with decided to only go in December or February when snow was guaranteed. This meant that we were totally priced out of the ski holiday. The accommodation that was only 300 Euros at Easter becomes 1500 Euros at Christmas and the February half term. Add on top of that ski lift passes to get up the mountain (300 Euros each) plus ski/boots/helmet hire (100 Euros each) and clothing and ski goggles and motorway tolls and fuel and overnight hotel on the way and Channel crossing (80 GBP each way) and it all adds up to a phenomenal amount for the average person like me. Then there’s the roofbox to buy, snowchains, European breakdown cover, winter driving kit from Halfords and more. To fly costs even more. If you aren’t self catering it costs yet more again.

Learn to Ski Before You Go on Your Ski Holiday

Oh, and then there’s ski lessons and practice sessions. To maximise the time on the mountain when you get to the French Alps, you want to be able to ski already. Not only does it make it more enjoyable, it is cheaper and makes it safer as well. Ski school with companies like ESF will cost you a small fortune. We booked lessons at a dry slope in the UK beforehand, and although we could all ski reasonably well, encountering snow for the first time was a totally different experience. The children struggled to cope with it being so much more slippery than the sticky brush matting of a dry slope. So we had to pay out more for further ski lessons rather than risk their safety taking them up the mountain ourselves. I can however highly recommend the one to one instructors that you can hire from ESF for tailored one or two hour lessons. They will provide bespoke instruction on the mountain for up to three people focussing on exactly the skills you need to develop.

Even if you can ski fairly well, it is a good idea to have a few practice sessions before you travel. We use The Snow Centre at Hemel Hempstead because it is the closet ski slope to London and has real snow! This is the closest thing to actually being on the slopes. Or if you are aiming at perfecting your technique, you should try Chelski. This is a conveyor belt type slope which can be set at any angle, comes with your own instructor and a great big mirror so you can see what you are doing wrong, I mean right. No ski tows required, you spend the entire time perfecting your skills and are pretty much tired after the hours session.

As for this year, these are the things we have done to plan and prepare for the most amazing ski holiday ever.

Choosing a resort

This was fairly straightforward because we wanted to go to Morillon on the Grand Massif where our friends go skiing. This is so that the children can all spend time together skiing. It is a lovely small resort with wooden chalets and cabins, and is ski in, ski out. The ski runs are all delightful, some on open mountain and others running through the trees. A good range of different runs to suit all abilities, with great restaurants and service. So, that is sorted.

Finding the Accommodation

This was the next biggest step. We worked out possible dates with our friends and then had to track down available self accommodation at the same place. The key thing here was whether we could find something of the right quality for the right price. All of the ski holiday companies were way too expensive. The apartments on homeownersdirect were all large ones and had been booked a year in advance. So we had to find out a few owners at the resort who knew of owners who knew of owners who had something. We were fortunate enough to grab a cancellation that had been booked months ago. So, after getting the deposit paid, we had our accommodation sorted.

Travel Insurance With Winter Sports Cover

We already have the travel insurance for cancellations and health cover. We just needed to extend the cover for winter sports. Most policies will have this as an additional option and can be added at any time. It is vital because should you have an accident on the slopes it will cost a small fortune to get you airlifted off the mountain and receive medical treatment and arrange for you and your family to get back to the UK.

Ski and Snowboard Hire

If you don’t own your own ski equipment, you can hire it from one of the many ski rental shops in the resorts. We use Skiset, who offer online discounts if you book in advance. You can rent your skis, boots and helmet.

Buy Your Ski Gear

If you want to have your own gear, do you research first as to what will best suit you. If you don’t want to shop around or can’t afford the prices in Snow and Rock, your best bet is Decathlon. The prices are cheaper, but the gear is reasonable for beginners and those who might go a few times. If you are after something a bit more specialised, then you will need to shop at one of the specialised ski stores or buy your ski gear from Amazon if you know what you want.
You will need:

• Skis
• Bindings
• Boots
• Helmet
• Goggles for sun
• Goggles for low visibility
• Salopettes, ski trousers
• Ski Jacket
• Base layers
• Gloves
• Big pockets to pay for it all

Travel Options

You have four ways to get to the French Alps:

• Fly
• Drive
• Snow Train
• Coach

If you fly, you will have to think about how much you are taking with you. You will need a lot of clothes. If you are taking your ski gear, that is going to cost you extra to put it in the hold. and then you have to pay for a hire car or transfers to the resort. And pay for parking your car at the airport, unless you got a taxi there.

If you drive, you are going to have to pay for the Channel crossing by ferry or Eurotunnel, European breakdown cover, snowchains, roofbox for all the stuff you will want to take, headlight beam deflectors, alcohol testing kit, sat nav (remember to turn off the speed camera function because it is illegal to use it in France), tolls, and petrol for the 10 hour drive.

The train and coach take the pressure off having to drive the distance and in snow, but you have to put up with your fellow passengers getting ready to party all the way there.

Buy or Update Snow Chains

If you are driving, you legally have to have snowchains. If you change your car, you will find that if you have different tyre sizes then you are going to need to get new snowchains. Snowchains.co.uk will exchange old for new with a slight discount. You can also buy secondhand snowchains from them.

Enroute Overnight Hotel to Ease the Journey

If you aren’t up for driving 10 hours in a day, you will want to stop somewhere overnight on the way. France is very good in that they have plenty of places to stay enroute. Booking.com seems to have the best selection all on one website, but a web search will usually find you the places direct.

Winter is Coming!

Whatever way you organise your ski trip, ask those who have been before for tips and insights. The ski companies like Erna Low, Alpine Elements and Mark Warner, all now have excellent advice on their websites. Give them a call if you’d rather talk in person and they will be happy to help.

If you want to find out everything you need to know about ski holidays all in one place, visit the Telegraph Ski and Snowboard Show in London in the October Half Term.

Winter Driving Tips
Choosing the Perfect Ski Holiday
Should I Ski or Snowboard?

The post How to Plan and Prepare for Your Ski Holiday appeared first on Active Outdoors.

Snowsport England has partnered with insurance specialists Sports Insure to launch a brand new travel insurance that offers a tailor-made solution for wintersports enthusiasts – from recreational skiers or snowboarders to ski racers and freestyle competitors.

Sports Insure have taken time to understand the needs of skiers and snowboarders, and have built a bespoke policy for Snowsport England. Highlights of the scheme in addition to a standard travel policy include:

·      Highly competitive premiums for both single trip and annual policies.
·      No limit on the number of days of winter sports cover, competitive, training or holiday, offered on both single trip and annual policies.
·      A wide range of policy limits, including a £10,000,000 medical expenses limit offered as standard. Emergency Assistance Company on call 24 hours a day.
·      The ability to refer to an underwriter, for a more bespoke quotation (a single trip will exceed 60 days, you exceed the upper age limit on the policy, for example.)
·      Extended cover for snowsport training and competition, including extensions for damage to ski equipment, refunds for piste closures etc.
·      An Underwriter who understands the risks involved with snowsport

Daran Rowlands, father of three freestyle skiers Mike, Madi and Lexi Rowlands was delighted with the new insurance he took out with Snowsport England and Sports Insure: “The travel insurance through Snowsport England and Sports Insure meets the needs of my kids when they are training and competing in freestyle skiing for GB and for a decent price! Dealing with Sports Insure has been really easy, they have been very patient answering my many questions and providing alternate quotes”.

If you are travelling overseas for a ski holiday or to train or compete in skiing or snowboarding, it is very important that you have suitable travel insurance in place. If you do not have adequate insurance in place and sustain an injury or have an accident that results in you requiring medical assistance, the costs can very quickly mount up. Many ‘off the shelf’ travel policies do not cover winter sports as standard, whereas this facility can cover the particular activity you are looking to participate in. E.g. off-piste without a guide, heli-skiing, freestyle etc. Furthermore, in Europe it is important to be aware that the medical services in resort will more often than not, be private. As such the EHIC (formerly E111) may not be accepted.  

Claims can be costly. For example, piste evacuation within Europe can range from €250 to €700, increasing to €5,000 or more for helicopter evacuation from the slopes. Outside of Europe, specifically North America and Canada, these costs will increase considerably, as will the medical expenses. Repatriation can be anything from an early return airfare, extra seats, road ambulance, through to an air ambulance. Costs can range from £200 through to as high as £40,000, depending on location and specific requirements during the repatriation.

Further details regarding the Snowsport England bespoke travel insurance and how to obtain a quotation visit http://www.sports-insure.co.uk/client/snowsportengland/travel-insurance/  or you can email snowsportengland@sports-insure.co.uk

The post Tailored Snowsports Insurance For Your Ability appeared first on Active Outdoors.

Whether it’s for the challenge of taking up and mastering a new sport, the adrenaline rush of speed on the snow, the thrill of exploring new terrain or simply an enjoyment of spectacular mountain scenery and the joy of the great outdoors, there are many wonderful reasons why people take up and enjoy the sport of skiing.

In the European Alps alone, skiers have a wealth of terrain to explore. From popular resorts such as Meribel and Courchevel in France or Verbier and Zermatt in Switzerland to lesser known gems such as Ischgl or Solden in Austria or Arabba in Italy, the range of resort choice is staggering!

These days too, many ski resorts are working hard to attract visitors not just for the skiing, and there’s more to do off the slopes than ever before. Alternative extreme sports such as parapente and dog sledding are complemented by more sedate options like snow shoeing and hiking to offer visitors a wealth of activities to enjoy both on and off the pistes.

The trend continues on the accommodation front as well, and visitors to the Alps can choose from all kinds of ski properties for their week on the snow. Hotels and self catered apartments are popular, though for the ultimate Alpine experience few options come close to the relaxation and fun you can have being looked after and cooked for in a traditional catered ski chalet. With so many options available it can be difficult to decide, so this guide has been compiled to help you choose the chalet break best for you.

Photo courtesy of Toprural on Flickr

Catered ski chalet versus self-catered apartment

Regardless of your budget, the major advantage of going half-board catered is that you don’t have to worry about your cooking and cleaning for the week – that’s the chalet hosts’ job! Whether you’re looking for 6* luxury, mid-range value or shoestring skiing, going catered gives you less stress and more ski time.

In Val d’Isere, the 6* luxury chalet Marco Polo is one of the most jaw-droppingly opulent ski chalets in Europe. Facilities and services include private chefs catering to your every culinary fancy, chauffeurs, in-house bar, heated outdoor seating plus private swimming pool and hot tub. This is a really no-expense-spared chalet.

Meribel’s 4* chalet Bachal is an excellent value catered chalet offering fully en suite rooms, terrace with valley views and wifi. Chalet hosts are on hand to deliver the chalet’s set menu each day and the location for ski and town access is superb.

Morzine is a great value resort, and the 2* Miramar shows just how far your money can go. This cheap and cheerful chalet-hotel offers basic, clean and comfortable accommodation across a range of bunk and twin rooms and a communal games room. The buffet-style evening meals are homely and hearty, just the thing to keep you energised for busy days on the snow.

The one thing that ties these different properties together is that they’re all catered, so you don’t have to lift a finger during your ski holiday. With chalet hosts on hand to undertake the cooking and cleaning, you can focus on relaxing, partying, skiing and enjoying yourself.

Image courtesy of SNOW OPERADORA on Flickr

The benefits of self-catering ski chalets

There are two sides to every coin, however, and many skiers shun the catered accommodation options in favour of self-catered chalets and apartments each year, which offer a level of privacy and freedom that catered accommodation just doesn’t give.

Going self-catered gives you the freedom to choose your own meal times, without having to work around the evening plans of your chalet hosts. If you have had a big apres ski session at one of the local slope-side bars or enjoyed one too many glasses of chalet wine, then why not enjoy a relaxed lie-in followed by a late breakfast at your own leisurely pace before heading up onto the pistes? Going self-catered gives to the freedom to enjoy your day the way you want to.

Image courtesy of Ski-Boutique on Flickr

Menu freedom is another attractive aspect of the self-catered ski holiday. Many people proactively enjoy planning meals, buying ingredients and delivering delicious, home-cooked meals and the thought of giving that up to be cooked for by a seasonnaire chalet host is far from ideal!

Also worth mention is the undeniable conviviality of the self-catered skiers’ dining table. Groups of friends rotate two-by-two for each day’s menu planning, shopping, prepping, cooking and washing up, bringing a wonderful feeling of team work to proceedings, a feeling which is often compounded up on the slopes as friends bond over the joys of skiing together.

If a week isn’t long enough, work the winter season

Of course, there is a third way… Many people of all ages and from all walks of life who love skiing feel a week on the snow just isn’t enough. Instead of shelling out their hard earned cash on a meagre week’s skiing, they opt instead to run their own catered ski chalet. Why pay for the privilege of peppermint fresh air and stunning mountain vistas for a week, when you could get paid to work out in the Alps for five full months of the winter ski season?!

You can enjoy the benefits of a ski holiday whilst being paid to be there, living and working amongst some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Whether you’re looking for an academic break between college and university or to escape the rat race of city life, working a ski season is a most wonderful way to spend a winter.

If you’ve been bitten by the ski bug and just can’t get enough of the fresh stuff, you’re certainly not alone! Whether you choose to get your snow fix in a catered chalet, a self-catered apartment or by working the winter season yourself, you can be sure of one thing: when it comes to the having fun in the great outdoors, nothing comes close to skiing!

This article was written by Anna Campbell, a freelance journalist and a seasoned traveller – she brings these two passions together to contribute travel blogs across the web to inform other holidaymakers. Currently based in London, Anna enjoys getting away from the bustle of the city as often as possible.

Find out More about Ski Chalet breaks available this winter

If you want to find out more and book a ski chalet break, Catered-Ski-Chalets offer the most detailed insider knowledge available, and staff have actually visited the chalets in their portfolio, so you are guaranteed the best advice on selecting the right catered ski chalet for your ski holiday.

The post How chalet decide? A guide to choosing a skiing chalet break best for you appeared first on Active Outdoors.

Skills – Strength: 5, Balance: 7, Flexibility: 6, Agility: 7, Coordination: 9
Time needed: 2 hour or more, Cost to try: £10 for a taster lesson

Fancy cruising down a snowy alpine slope at speed, looking seriously cool whilst performing a few stylish moves? Snowboarding is an extreme sport where you can perform similar manoeuvres to those with a skateboard or surfboard, but on snow. You can cruise at high speeds down the piste, play around in deeper snow, descend steep slopes or perform tricks on a half pipe.

Equipment

Renting snowboarding gear can be quite expensive. Active Outdoors has teamed up with Skiset to give you huge discounts. Book now to avoid disappointment, because then you won’t have to pay premium prices.

Snowboarding requires a range of equipment that you may not have thought of.

Snowboard

The most obvious bit of kit is the snowboard. You will need to decide whether you want to buy or rent your snowboard. If you want a high performance board, you will bee looking at paying out 400 or more. You can rent the same board for a fifth of the price. So, if you like it you may well want to buy.

You could always get yourself a second hand snowboard. If you do consider getting a used snowboard, make sure that it is in good condition. Check the condition of the base for minimal scratches and hopefully no gouges. Also check that the laminate layers have not separated. Once you have used your board for a while, you will know what you want when you go and buy yourself a brand new snowboard.

Choosing a snowboard requires a little bit of research. The most important aspect is the length of the snowboard. The length of your snowboard depends on your height, your weight, your skill level, and also what you intend to use the snowboard for. There are a variety of snowboard length calculators online. try out more than one, and also ask in a reputable snowboard shop.

Snowboards are made from different materials. The best usually have a wood core, although newer designs use all sorts of composite materials. the stiffness of the snowboard affects your riding style. A stiffer snowboard provides more stability at speed, but is less manoeuvrable.

Buy Snowboards from Amazon

Snowboard Bindings

To attach yourself to your snowboard you need bindings. These are screwed into the snowboard and allow you to attach your boot to the snowboard. There are different types of binding with different release mechanisms. Different snowboarders have different preferences for snowboard bindings

Buy Snowboard Bindings from Amazon

Snowboard Boots

Snowboard boots differ from ski boots in that they have more flex. Ski boots are designed to lock your ankle in place and support it. For snowboarding, you need much more flexibility in your ankle to turn the snowboard. Make sure that your boots are comfortable. Also make sure you dry them out after use to prevent them from smelling.

Buy Snowboard Boots from Amazon

Snowboard Leash

A snowboard leash connects your leading snowboard boot to your snowboard. This prevents your snowboard running off down the slope before you are ready. A snowboard leash is compulsory on some resorts. If your snowboard is left on the ground it will soon slide away from you and can cause all sorts of damage. You may get sued if it hurts someone. Always leave your snowboard upside down resting on the bindings when you are not using it.

Snowboarding Protective Gear

You will need a helmet, knee pads, wrist guards and possibly padded shorts with a tailbone protector. Make sure that the helmet fits properly. It is best to try it on in a shop. Wrist guards are an absolute must. It is an instinct to put your hands out when you fall over. Over half of all snowboarding injuries are due to broken wrists. If you have lessons, you will be shown how to fall by rolling with it without putting your hands out.

Buy Snowboard Helments from Amazon
Buy Wrist Guards from Amazon
Buy Snowboard Goggles from Amazon

You should also wear sunglasses or goggles (for sun) to prevent the sunlight reflecting off the snow from burning your retina. Goggles come in different grades for either sun or low visibility. Make sure you know the difference. You will also need gloves to prevent not only damaging yourself when you fall, but incase somone else runs over them.

Wax and Tuning Your Snowboard

To keep your snowboard performing in tip top condition, you will need to service it. It needs to be waxed. If you see the underside of your board begin to go white or can see white fibres begin to appear, then you definitely need to wax it. You can pay £25 for a service, or you can get the satisfaction of doing it yourself. Waxing your own snowboard is very satisfying, and you can tune it exactly how you want.

Buy Snowboard Tuning Equipment from Amazon

Basic Boarding Skills

Straight or Goofy?

First you need to work out which is your front foot. You can do this by standing on the floor with your feet sholder width apart. Lean forward until you start to fall over. Whichever foot you put out first to stop yourself is your leading foot. Left is straight, right foot first is called goofy.

Scooting

With your front foot strapped to the snowboard, use your back foot to scoot along. This is used for moving on flat snow.

Step up slopes

To go uphill on with your snowboard, you will need to step up with your back foot. Stand with your snowboard lying across the fall line of the snow, with your toes pointing uphill. Angle the side of the snowboard into the slope. Then step up alternately with your snowboard and your back foot. Your back foot should be uphill of your snowboard.

Side slip

The first move you will learn on your snowboard is the slideslip. You can do this on the toe edge or heel edge of the board. This is used to descend any slope however steep in a controlled manner.

Falling Leaf

Performing falling leaf moves on a snowboard is like a leaf fluttering down from side to side. This is done by remaining on the heel edge or toe edge only. By moving your weight towards the front or back of the board, you will cause the board to move in that direction as you side slip. When you get to the side of the slope, lean the other way and you go back again.

Garland Turns or J Turns

The next step of turning your snowboard is to perform a Garland turn. This is where you start on your heel edge, begin falling leaf in one direction, and then stop. Your turns progressively point the front of your board down the slope, and then ease back again.

Linked turns

Once you can do Garland turns on the toe and heel edges of your snowboard, you can begin C turns. This will lead to linking your turns. You may find it easier to do C turns by flexing the sides of your snowboard. If you are facing downhill and want to turn right, you can twist the board so that the toe of your front foot goes down and the heel of your back foot goes down. This will make the toe edge grip more and the rear of the board to slide round more.

Using a Chairlift or Ski Tow on a Snowboard

Whatever you do, only strap in your front foot! This way, if you lose your balance you can use your back foot to recover, or at least stop yourself from sliding down the slope.

For ski tows, you need to have the front of the snowboard pointing in the direction you will be going. Grab the ski tow pole and put it between your legs. Lean towards the back of the board with your back arm out straight pointing to the back of the board. This will help you when the ski tow starts to pull you.

For chairlifts, You need to point the front of the snowboard in the direction you will be going. When the chairlift comes round, sit in it sideways. Stay like this until you are clear of the ramp. Then pull the safety bar down, and then twist round to sit properly. To get off, reverse the process.

The Challenge of Snowboarding on the Piste

One of the best resorts in France for beginner snowboarders is Morzine. While you are learning to snowboard, there are a few challenges for you on the piste. There are different types of snow, and also different types of slope.

Snow Types

In the morning, there is usually a thin crust of ice on top of the snow. This makes it a bit harder to grip when you turn. Thicker ice is really hard to turn on! You will find good snow further up the piste, so if you can try to use the lifts to keep going down the upper parts of the mountain. Only go to the bottom at the end of your session.

As the weather gets warmer, the bottom part of the piste becomes a bit softer. This leads to the piste becoming lumpy and bunches up into a mass of snow like big molehills. This can be tackled quite easily using falling leaf. Try not to use sideslipping as this pushes the snow downhill and makes the piste worse for others.

Piste Slope Types

One of the most annoying parts are inks between pistes. These can be flat or uphill. You will have to step up of scoot to get along these.

Green runs are great for learning on as long as they are wide. If you get a narrow gentle slope, you have to ride it with the front of the board leading. This can be scary for a beginner, as it is not easy to stay on an edge of the board. This means that you cannot regulate your speed. Also, quite a few of these narrow sections have big drops to the side. I let the board run and then perform a hockey stop to slow the board, then continue on again.

Steep slopes can be descended using sideslipping or falling leaf.

Wide slopes are an absolute dream for snowboarders. You don’t need to worry about drops. You have plenty of space to practice your turns and will soon be carving. Find a gentler slope to begin with, and work your way up to something steeper.

Stay Safe

Whatever you do whilst snowboarding, look after yourself, and stay safe. If you know how to fall over properly, you can always fall over before you find your snowboard taking yourself you don’t want to go.

The post Snowboarding Holidays appeared first on Active Outdoors.

How to Choose Which Ski Resort to go to

You will undoubtedly spend quite alot going on a skiing holiday, and you want it to be just right. For those who don’t live near a ski resort, choosing the right skiing holiday resort is crucial. You will need to consider the following:

• Ski resort character;
• The type of ski slopes;
• Snow reliability;
• Ski Lifts;
• Queues for ski lifts;
• Ski Schools;
• Accomodation;
• Mountain Restaurants;
• Resort Food and Drink;
• Apres Ski;
• Non-Skiers;
• How to get there.

Ski Resort Character

The skiing resort as a whole will have its own character and attraction. There are some that consist of old concrete apartment blocks, whilst others are home to stylish hotels and excellent scenery. Vail is a ski resort that is strung out over a large area, while Wengen is quite compact.

The scenery will have a huge visual impact on you. You should find out whether the resort is in a valley, or whether it has fantastic panoramic views, such as at Crans-Montana. Some skiing resorts are have lots of bars, clubs and shops
like St. Anton. For somewhere a bit more peaceful, you may want to have your skiing holiday at Arabba. Some ski resort allow traffic, whilst others do not.

The type of ski slopes

Some ski holiday resorts provide a vast and complex area in which to ski with different grades of slope to suit all. You may prefer a smaller ski resort that has only certain types of ski slope. You will need to understand the grading of ski runs, and for the ski resorts you are interested in how the slopes are linked. You should be able to get hold of a piste map for each ski resort showing where the ski slopes are and how they are linked. It will also show where the ski lifts are.

On the mountain slope there are areas called pistes. These are officially marked. There are several grades of ski run on the pistes according to the gradient. These are:

• Easy – Blue in Europe, Green in North America;
• Intermediate – Red in Europe, Blue in North America;
• Difficult – Black in Europe, Black in North America.

You can also go for the challenge of off piste skiing. This is where you tackle the terrain that has not been groomed and is outside of the piste governed area. Off piste skiing should not be attempted without a qualified resort guide.

When there is warmer weather, some ski resorts use artificial snow to enhance the lower slopes. Ski resort information can be obtained indicating what percentage of the slopes use artificial snow.

Snow reliability

when you pay for a skiing holiday, you expect to have snow where you are going. The reliability of snow varies from one ski resort to another. Some ski resorts don’t have to worry about getting snow, whereas others may provide you with a range of snow, mud, slush and ice on the ski slopes. This all depends on the location of the slope and how much artificial snow is used.

Ski Lifts

Well, it’s a big hill, and you have to get up it before you can ski down it. Ski lifts are very good at getting you up the ski slope, however they do seem to be rather popular for some reason and often gather queues of skiers all wanting to have a go. Check to see whether your ski lift pass is included in the price of your skiing holiday.

Queues for ski lifts

Queueing is boring at the best of times, but queueing for a ski lift in the cold is not fun. Improvements in the ski lifts have reduced this, but very popular resorts may still have them.

Ski Schools

If you want to improve at skiing on your skiing holiday, then you may want to attend a ski school. A lot of the ski schools have young children in them and as a teenager you may feel a bit of a wally learning with little kids. Then there is the potential language barrier if your instructor doesn’t speak your language. You may even be unfortunate enough to be in a large class which prevents the lesson progressing very much.

It is better to be able to ski before you go on your skiing holiday. If you want to be seen to be cool on your skiing holiday, it would be a good idea to have a few lessons on a dry ski slope before you go. Lessons don’t cost too much, and you can fall down without getting cold and wet.

Ski Accommodation

There are a few different types of ski accommodation you can choose from for your skiing holiday. You could stay in a chalet, a hotel, or an apartment. You can even stay in rooms above the mountain restaurants (if they have them). You should try to see pictures of your accommodation before you go so that you can choose the one you like. Some people don’t care where they stay as they are there purely for the skiing. You should also find out how far your accommodation is from local amenities such as places to eat and drink.

Mountain Restaurants

Once you have reached the part of the mountain where you ski, you don’t have to go all the way back down the valley to the resort for food and drink. There are usually mountain restaurants. When you go skiing for the first time, it can be rather odd going from the cloudy cold gloom of the skiing resort in the valley, and go up above the clouds and sit outside of the mountain restaurant in the sunshine in the warm.

Ski Resort Food and Drink

The range of restaurants available in the skiing resorts differs enormously. Some resorts have little on offer as the skiers prefer to self cater in their apartments.

Apres Ski

It’s not just about skiing. Once you come down from the mountain, you then want to retell your friends about your day’s exploits and the cool things you did. Some resorts have places to eat and drink that close early in the evening, whilst others have clubs open all hours. Find out in advance what is on offer.

Non-Skiers

If you go on a skiing holiday with your family but don’t want to ski, find out what else there is to do. Where can you sit in the sun with a drink and read a good book? Where is the best place to chat to people?

How to get there

How you get there will depend on where you are travelling from. You may prefer to drive if don’t live too far from the ski resort. If you do, then you will need to think about if your car is up for the task and if your driving skills are. You may have a Channel crossing to pay for, as well as snow chains, a snow shovel, decent tread on your tyes, a reliable battery, antifreeze to cope with -30 degrees, winter screenwash and headlamp deflectors. If you have never used snow chains before, then practice putting them on before you set off. Always take great care on the roads, even if it doesn’t look icy or snowy. Brake on the straights, never on the bends.

You will also have to think about your luggage. Can you fit everyone in the car as well as your skis? If you are flying, how will you get all of your skiing stuff to and from the airport?

Get Discounts on Ski and Snowboard Hire

Renting or buying ski gear from the shops can quite pricy. However, Active Outdoors has teamed up with Skiset to provide you with big discounts. This is becasue we want you to get the best from your ski holiday at a low cost.

Winter Sport Insurance

Travel insurance for a skiing holiday is advisable. You can get a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from the Post Office. It gives free basic medical insurance for Europe. You will need additional insurance though, as it does not cover getting back home if you have an accident. You will also need to state that it is winter sport insurance that you need. Normal holiday insurance will not cover you for skiing accidents!

Safety on the Ski Slopes

Always stick to the marked piste. These are well marked out, and patrolled so that injured skiers will be found. Do not endanger others. Ski in control. The skier in front always has priority. Always leave plenty of space when overtaking. Look up and down the mountain before setting off. Only stop at the edge of the piste. Obey all signs and markings. If oyu come across an accident, provide help where you can and alert the rescue services. Everybody involved in an accident must exchange names and addresses.

Links for Skiing Holidays

Top Ski Holiday Companies

There are so many ski holiday companies out there now that it is easy to get lost in all of the ski deals. Here is a list of the most popular skiing holiday companies who provide ski holiday packages as well as just accomodation.

• Crystal Ski
• Inghams Skiing Holidays
• Neilsen Ski Holidays
• Alpine Elements
• Ski Solutions
• Igluski Skiing Holidays in France
• Thomson Skiing Holidays

Best Ski Resorts

Each resort has its own style of pistes. Depending on whether you are a beginner or an expert, skier or snowboarder, the width and gradient of the slopes will be a big factor for you. Here are some of the most popular ski resorts in the world.

Best ski resorts in France

1. Les Deux Alpes
2. Tignes / Val D’Isere
3. Flaine
4. Courchevel

Switzerland

1. Engelberg
2. Laax
3. Saas Fee

Austria

1. St Anton
2. Solden
3. Mayrhofen
4. Obertauern
5. Ischgl

Italy

1. Cervinia
2. Passotonale
3. Livigno

North America

1. Whistler
2. Breckenridge
3. Fernie
4. Aspen
5. Mammoth

This list was compiled by the Telegraph.

When to get the best ski holiday deals

For the ski holiday companies, their season begins in September, when they put together their ski holiday packages and deals for the winter ahead. There are conferences and lots of meetings to get their ski marketing information and ski brochures ready for you.

The end of October sees the ski and snowboard shows in Birmingham and London. This is where you can get some fantastic offers and deals on ski holidays. All of the ski holiday companies are there under one roof. It is the perfect way to ask all of your questions and compare offers. You can also get discounts on ski and snowboard gear. Expert advice is on hand from all of the ski resorts and ski holiday companies.

So, visit the ski shows and look online for some great deals on skiing holidays, skiing lessons and skiing holiday packages.

The Ski Guide Manual: Advanced Techniques for the Backcountry – Paperback 1 Nov. 2020

The post How to Plan an Unforgettable Ski Holiday appeared first on Active Outdoors.

Ski Holiday Offers From Erna Low

Erna Low have some early booking offers for ski holidays:

• ARC 1950, France

  Stay 7 nights in the ski in/out Arc 1950 Le Village 2 bedroom 6 person classic with spa facilities.

  Self-drive including Eurotunnel with Flexiplus from £1086 (£271pp) www.ernalow.co.uk 0207 584 2841

  Snowy Arc 1950 is the perfect base for a ski holiday ‘en famille’. Ski in/out so easy fast access to the slopes. Luxurious apartments for a relaxing holiday. Wonderful and safe for a family

  (book by 4 November)

• Val Cenis France

  Sta 7 nights from 10th Jan, self-drive inc. Eurotunnel with free upgrade to Flexiplus at the Residence – Les Chalets de Flambeau, Val Cenis

  For a couple – 1 bedroom 2/4 person, was £877, now only £810

  For family of 4 – 2 bedroom 4/6 person, was £1,051, now only £967

  Inc. 10% EBD on accommodation book before 31st Oct.

  With great value lift passes:– Adult 6 day pass from £135pp, children (5-11yrs) from £110 and lots to do off the slopes: Fantastic pool & spa in residence, Snowshoe excursions, toboogan runs, husky rides, snake gliss.

• Flaine France

  Enjoy ski in/out Flaine, very close to Geneva for short transfer. Flaine resides in the Grand Massif ski area, which is my favourite ski region in France. Flaine is above the tree line, but you can ski over to other resorts passing through fantastic scenery with pine trees and great places to eat on the way.

  1 x studio for 2 persons in Flaine, France, for the week beginning 17/01/15 for the week for £199 per person including flights from Gatwick to Geneva and shared transfer to resort.

For more offers, visit http://www.ernalow.co.uk/specialoffers.

0207 584 2841

Half Term Fun at the Hemel Hempstead Snow Centre

Situated just outside the M25 north of London, the Snow Centre is the closest indoor ski slope to London. Real snow indoors!

Junior 2 Day Ski or Snowboard Holiday Courses (ages 7-16)

Keep the kids entertained on their school break with our 2 day holiday courses!
For ages 7 – 16 years we offer 2 x 2 hour lessons over the 2 days (ski or snowboard).

October Half Term Courses are available to book now: Monday 27th – Tuesday 28th October & Wednesday 29th – Thursday 30th

Junior 2 Day Ski Holiday Course (4 – 6 years)

£55

Junior 2 Day Ski OR Snowboard Holiday Course (7 – 16 years)

£99

More Half Term Snowsports Fun

The Snow Centre at the Telegraph ski show London

The Snow Centre will have a stand at the London Ski and Snowboard Show, where they will be giving away 10,000 FREE Lift Passes to use on our 160m Main Slope at The Snow Centre Hemel Hempstead. As well as selling discounted tickets for the London Ski and Snowboard Show via website www.thesnowcentre.com, The Snow Centre’s Instructors will be delivering Beginner Ski and Snowboard Lessons at the show from Thursday 30th October – Sunday 2nd November.

These lessons are available via The Telegraph Ski and Snowboard Show website http://london.skiandsnowboard.co.uk/attractions/2014-07-18-beginner-lessons. See The Snow Centre at the show and pick up a copy of the 2nd edition of our magazine, SnowSure.

Pre-Christmas Ski

Maximise the time on the snow by getting yourself and your kids ready.

If you’re off to the mountains this Christmas, make the most of the ‘Snow Before You Go’ on the slopes at The Snow Centre. From September 29th – November 30th you can enjoy 10% off Group Lessons and Lift Passes, so start warming up your ski legs now!

And if you really want to prep for your Winter Break The Snow Centre’s 6 Pack of Lessons are a great value way to get the skills you need for the slopes.

• 6x 2 Hour Adult Group Lessons £225.
• 6 x 1.5 Hour Group Lessons for ages 11-16 £175
• 6 x 1 Hour Group Lessons for ages 4 -10 £125

(Winter Prices above, 10% Discount on these prices from September 29th – November 30th)

Use TSC to boost your technique or get advice on which areas of your ski ability you need to focus on when you get out to the resort.

The Snow Centre offer Coaching and Lessons to all levels of skiing and snowboarding! If you already have some skills, try our Private Lessons, Coaching Academy or Freestyle Coaching Sessions for ideas on how to progress further.

Advice on group skiing for under 35’s – all the questions the BIG number of newcomers will be asking this year after being inspired by the Winter Olympics.

The Snow Centre offer sessions that are not only about learning new snowsports skills, but are also great for your social calendar. 2 Hour Adult Social Ski or Snowboard Lessons from £42 including a FREE drink in The Lodge Bar & Kitchen after your Lesson and are great opportunity.

(Winter Price, 10% Discount on these prices from September 29th – November 30th)

The Telegraph Ski and Snowboard Show

If you are interested in skiing and snowboarding, the place to be this October half term is at the Telegraph ski and snowboard show. The show is on at Earls Court in London, and host all of the ski holiday companies, reps from ski resorts in the USA, Europe, Japan and the rest of the world. Check out the latest gear and buy at discounted prices. You can also get clearance gear from last season, so if you aren’t bothered about having this winter’s style, you can get some really great offers.

To find out more about the Telegraph ski and snowboard show, or book tickets from £5, visit the Telegraph Ski and Snowboard Show website.

The post How to use October Half Term to Get Ready for Your Ski Holiday appeared first on Active Outdoors.