First 3D Ski Film
September 5th, 2010Teton Gravity Research is proud to announce the London premiere of their newest HD and 3D ski film, Light the Wick, which is hosted by snowusa.com.
TGR writes of the film:
“The award winning producers at Teton Gravity Research (TGR) present their newest ski film, Light The Wick. Shot using film, HD and 3D technology, Light The Wick is about sparking the flame and watching the world’s best athletes blast off. This year, the TGR crew of athletes and cinematographers were on a mission to capture the most jaw dropping footage to date and give the viewer an experience like no other. This pursuit led the team around the world to uncharted destinations, as well as some of their favorite stomping grounds. Follow the crew as they discover the completely unskiied big mountain mecca of Petersburg, AK, find the best snow Croatia has seen in fifty years, ski deep pillows in Italy, hit full throttle riding in British Columbia, and epic free-riding at Ripley Creek and North Cascades Heli. Don’t miss Sammy Carlson and the Stevens Pass 3D experiment, the first ever 3D snow sports segment. The groundbreaking dual RED One slow motion arial shots will make you want to reach out and touch the action. Light The Wick showcases the most talented and well-rounded athletes in the sport together in one must-see film.”
Light the Wick will premiere in the UK on the 30th September at O2 Shepherds Bush Empire and as well as the film there will be talks, a prize raffle and the participation of many of TGR’s sponsors – as well as an after-film party. The event will be hosted by Snowusa.com – which respresents the resorts of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Heavenly.
Doors open at 7:00pm and tickets are £12 - book here
There will be exclusive Ski Independence discountes available on the night for holidays to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Heavenly.
Win The Ultimate Ski Holiday To Whistler
September 2nd, 2010Ever fancied taking your seat in business class, sitting back and sipping champagne, looking forward to a 10 day holiday of unadulterated luxury? Then this is your chance…
We are delighted to be offering one lucky winner and a friend the opportunity to experience Whistler and Vancouver in true style staying at two luxury 5* hotels whilst everything ranging from lift tickets to snowmobiling, shopping gift cards to sightseeing tours in Vancouver is taken care of, making what is possibly the Ultimate Ski Holiday to Whistler, British Columbia.
The Ultimate Ski Holiday to Whistler, BC prize consists of the following:
- Return British Airways flights from Heathrow to Vancouver in Club World (business class) with lounge access at Heathrow T5
- 7 nights at the 5* luxury slope-side Fairmont Chateau Whistler in a Fairmont Gold Room
- 3 nights at the 5* luxury Fairmont Pacific Rim in a Fairmont Gold City View Room
Plus
- 6 day lift tickets
- 6 day hi-performance ski/snowboard rentals
- Private ski/board lesson with an experienced Whistler Blackcomb instructor
- Dinner at a Whistler fine dining restaurant
- Snowmobiling & dinner for two at the Crystal Hut with Canadian Adventures
- Entrance to the Scandinave Spa
- Luxury private transfer to and from Whistler
- $500 Gift card to spend in resort
- $350 gift card to spend at the Pacific Centre in Vancouver
- Chef Guided Granville Island Market tour from Edible BC
- Snowshoeing excursion at Grouse Mountain
- See Vancouver & Beyond Attractions Smart Pass for two days from Attractions Smart Pass
- Show Me Vancouver city highlights tour from Living Earth Eco-Tours
- Afternoon Tea at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
- Dinner at Herons Restaurant in the Fairmont Waterfront
- Vancouver Travellers Deck with exclusive offers
So how do you enter?
All you need to do is visit www.ski-i.com/whistlercompetition or http://apps.facebook.com/whistlercompetition/and enter your details! It’s that simple! And to increase your chances of winning you can forward it to friends and family and when they enter via your unique URL you’ll get an additional entry into the competition, with the possibilty of up to 10 additional entries! So, what are you waiting for? Enter here
Good luck!
Vail Resorts Announce EpicMix
August 31st, 2010Vail Resorts have just announced the launch of EpicMix, a new online and mobile application which allows skiers and snowboarders to digitally capture their ski experience and will completely transform the holiday experience for skiers and snowboarders this year at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Heavenly.
An radio frequency-enabled chip embedded in Vail Resorts’ EPIC season passes will automatically track your lift rides, calculating vertical feet skied and days on the mountain and will recognize special achievements and accomplishments by granting you commemorative, collectible digital pins. EpicMix will have hundreds of available digital pins for a multitude of unique experiences available at each resort.
The EpicMix is the first of its kind online & mobile application.
EpicMix is a digital application that you can access online, at your computer or via a free mobile application that can be downloaded for the iPhone, Android or other smart phone. EpicMix will allow you to share your statistics and accomplishments through updates on Twitter and Facebook and you can create special EpicMix leader boards with your Facebook friends. The EpicMix mobile application will alert you when any of your Facebook friends are skiing and where they are on the mountain. The app will also allow guests to send messages to their private groups of Facebook friends on the mountain. The mobile application will also provide trail and grooming information, snow and weather reports, as well as resort news and traffic updates. It is worth noting that Epic Mix mobile application requires data roaming which is subject to charges by your mobile phone network, however many properties have access to WiFi which will allow you to avoid any data roaming charges.
Here is a video explaining the Epic Mix further:
EpicMix will also have a special website for kids under the age of 14, which will allow them to connect with their parents’ accounts, but will have content designed specifically for them and unique pins only kids can earn. The kids’ site also will have special privacy restrictions. Parents will also be able to use EpicMix to track the lift rides of their kids in real time.
Insider Guide To Banff
August 26th, 2010If you’re a regular to the Banff & Lake Louise ski area or are thinking of heading there for your ski holiday this season, here are some insider tips to Banff & Lake Louise from Natalie Zaturski.
Where would you head to find fresh tracks?
Mt. Norquay: Anywhere! On powder days many people head to the other two larger resorts, leaving Mt. Norquay clear for me to get fresh tracks all day, all over.
Lake Louise Ski Area: Take the Summit Platter and head down the ridge to the left. Brown Shirt, a great black run, usually collects plenty of powder. Even a few days after a storm, I often find great stashes there.
Sunshine Village: I love lapping the area to the right off Goat’s Eye chair, taking different routes each time. Or if you’re not quite a black-runner yet, the blue run Wawa Bowl is another favourite spot.
New BA route: London City – Chambery
August 17th, 2010British Airways have announced today the launch of a new London City – Chambery route. This is a great addition to the British Airways ski flights.
The service will operate four times a week from 18th December until the end of March 2011.
The schedule is ideally set up to give skiers and boarders the opportunity to spend a long weekend, a full week, or even longer in resort. Only a few short hours after taking off from London’s Docklands, you can be in Meribel, Courchevel, Les Arcs or La Plagne enjoying your first turns or a vin chaud during après ski.
The schedule for the route is as follows:
New Alpine Bowl in Kicking Horse
August 6th, 2010Kicking Horse Mountain Resort has announced the opening of a 4th Alpine Bowl to celebrate it’s 10 winter season. Known by local mountain enthusiasts as ‘Super Bowl’, the terrain will introduce an epic selection of advanced and expert skiable terrain.
“Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is excited to announce the addition of a 4th Alpine Bowl to its already impressive roster of terrain,” states Steve Paccagnan, President and CEO of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort “this opening is a perfect lead in to the 10 years of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort celebrations while continuing to demonstrate the resort commitment to improving the overall guest experience.”
The terrain in Super Bowl has previously been referred to as some of the ‘best high alpine terrain found anywhere’. With over 15 new advanced and expert chutes, the entire bowl will have an off-piste feel within a controlled inbounds environment.
4th Alpine Bowl Opens in Kicking Horse
What’s new in Europe for 2010/11?
July 16th, 2010It may be the heart of summer but the excitement for the next ski season is building and our new 2010/11 brochure will be out in 14 days! We have some great new properties in our European program to whet the appetite, here are some details:
Chamonix is a mecca for skiers and boarders alike and it’s great to have 2 new hotels in our program that are in the centre of the town.
Hotel Le Morgane
Hotel Le Morgane: This modern and centrally located hotel offers guests a stylish yet comfortable place to stay in Chamonix. The hotel offers rooms on a B&B basis so you have the choice of trying out the towns many dining options or even sampling the onsite Michelin star restaurant “Le Bistrot” for some culinary delights.
Hotel Les Aiglons: Just 5 minutes from the town centre and at the base of the Aiguille du Midi cable car you can expect a luxurious yet affordable option here with a fantastic outdoor heated pool and great restaurant “Le A”. Here you have a choice of B&B or half board.
Flaine is becoming more and more popular every season and is ideal for families and couples alike.
Le Refuge du Golf: Le Refuge is a brand new apartment complex of a 4 star standard but very good value for money.
The skiing is accessed by a free shuttle bus service and the onsite facilities include a bar, restaurant and an indoor pool. We have 1,2 and 3 bedroom apartments here.
Visit Vibrant Vancouver
July 5th, 2010
In the winter, a 2-night Vancouver stop-over stay is the perfect complement to a Whistler holiday. Thanks to Vancouver’s mild climate, the city is easy to explore in the winter time. Spend some time soaking in the sights and ambiance of this charming city with its curious mix of one-of-a-kind attractions, eclectic neighbourhoods, tempting shopping, lively nightlife, epic culinary scene and fun outdoor activities. See why Vancouver is easy to visit and hard to leave!
Vancouver, British Columbia
Two days and nights is nowhere near enough time to experience this amazing city, but below is an itinerary example to make the most of your time, post resort and before you fly home.
A rail-ly good way to travel
June 2nd, 2010Taking the train to the slopes just might be easier than you think…
Now, I don’t want to put down rail travel in Britain… but let’s face it, travelling by train has kind of lost its romance here. Booking all but the simplest journey requires an enormous amount of time, knowledge and money… and then when you come to take your journey it’s no surprise to find that ‘due to the late arrival of the incoming service…’ there has been a problem with the seat reservations, so you find yourself jostling for space, nose-to-armpit with your fellow travellers, juggling suitcases that won’t fit into the oversubscribed luggage racks… No wonder we can be a bit sceptical.
Now imagine a place where the trains are always on time… They’re also clean, frequent and they even have sufficient carriage space to meet demand! One company governs the whole transport network, including buses and ferries, so tickets are straightforward. You can choose between smoking and non-smoking, regular and quiet carriages (no iPods allowed)… On some routes you can even choose a glass roofed carriage to better enjoy the scenery! Oh… and should you get thirsty they have dining cars and a trolley service with freshly ground filter coffee, espresso and even herbal tea. What’s more…? There are integrated rail stations at every major airport, and for a small fee it’s possible to check your luggage right through from your UK airport to your hotel… and back again. Sounds too good to be true?? Well those are just a few of the benefits of rail transfers in Switzerland.
The Swiss train network offers an efficient and comfortable transfer to resort
Planning the ultimate ski holiday (without spending big bucks)
May 24th, 2010Ski Independence features over ninety resorts in six countries over three continents. That’s a lot of choice! But how do you pick a resort that’s right for you? What makes the ultimate ski holiday experience? And can it be achieved on a budget?
Part one: Europe
I’m not aiming to tell you where to go: There are far too many resorts to choose from and if everyone flocked to one… well, it’d be crowded and horrible and wouldn’t be the best for long!
When making your decision, timing is key – not necessarily the time you take your holiday, but the time that you book it. It’s always about this time of year that my thoughts turn to next year’s ski trip. Some people book their holiday last minute, but I’m a firm believer in planning ahead to get the best choice, availability and price – and this particularly applies to anyone bound by school holiday dates. But most importantly, it means that there’s something to look forward to and get excited about! Call me crazy (and they do…) but I love to pore over piste maps, read local guides and study the snow conditions before I go – it’s all part of the holiday experience.
