Ski Independence Blog
Archive for September, 2010
Going the extra mile
September 29th, 2010Following five successful seasons, Ski Independence Concierge will be back for the 2010/11 season, providing clients with the ultimate pre-departure service.
You can go up, up and away in Park City with Ski Independence Concierge
We are delighted to now offer over 60 Ski Independence Concierge properties throughout North America and Europe. Booking a Concierge property entitles guests to a complimentary pre-departure Concierge service which include making restaurant reservations, booking private instruction and activities such as dog sledding and hot air ballooning or organising the ultimate spa day. The properties in this group aim to meet the increasing demand from clients looking for those little extras that can make a great holiday even better! Whether guests are looking for a leisurely break or they are die-hard skiers/boarders, a family group or parties including non skiers, our ‘Concierge’ properties offer a level of luxury and an abundance of activities within the Concierge resorts to suit all tastes.
New ‘Concierge’ additions for 2010/11 include a luxury newcomer to the Breckenridge portfolio, One Ski Hill Place and the elegant Grand Hotel des Alpes in Chamonix.
One Ski Hill Place is an elegant, brand new lodging, in an enviable position at the base of the Peak 8. Imagine after a heart-pounding day on the slopes, unwinding with a tranquil massage, breathing easily through a relaxing steam and finishing the day with a well-mixed cocktail in the après-ski lounge! One Ski Hill Place joins Blue Sky and Crystal Peak Lodge in offering a new level of style and luxury to Breckenridge.
Adventure Film Festival 2010
September 27th, 2010As temperatures plummeted over the weekend here in the UK and snow is falling on both sides of the Atlantic, minds are now firmly set on the winter ahead and what better way to help you get even more in the mood than a good dose of extreme films at the Adventure Film Festival 2010!
The Adventure Film Festival kicks off on 4th October and runs throughout the month at participating cinemas nationwide and once again all tickets are free but make sure you pre-register online as places will fill up fast!
The festival, as always, will screen the very best adventure sports films for audiences to enjoy on the big screen and will be showcasing a mix of dare devil feats and awe-inspiring demonstrations of physical and mental endurance. New for this year is a series of personal appearances and live Q&As by South African adventurer Riaan Manser at six screenings around the country.
Marmot Basin gets first big snowfall of the season
September 21st, 2010Canada’s most elevated ski area, Jasper’s Marmot Basin, received over 10 cm of snow today with considerably more accumulation at higher elevations.
At 1,700 metres, Marmot boasts the highest base elevation of all Canadian ski resorts meaning it often gets large amounts of snow early season. That was exactly the case today, see the image below:
Early Season Snow For Marmot Basin
Last winter Marmot opened on 11th November, its earliest opening date ever, with ideal snow conditions. So far this fall is shaping up to deliver a repeat performance of last year’s early season snowfalls which helped contribute to Marmot’s record setting year for attendance. “I think this snow is here to stay”, predicted an optimistic Brian Rode, Marmot’s VP of Marketing and Sales. “We may still get some warm weather, but given that it’s nearing the end of September, I am quite sure this is the beginning of a very good base layer”, added Rode.
Marmot Basin is once again targeting 11th November as the opening day of the season, only 52 days from today.
Experience More With A Twin Centre Ski Holiday
September 7th, 2010If you’re looking for some inspiration for your next ski holiday then how about combining a couple of resorts for a North American twin centre trip?
Here are a couple of our favourite suggestions:
Fernie & Kicking Horse – The Powder Highway
Ski Fernie & Kicking Horse on the Powder Highway
These two resorts make a perfect twin centre ski holiday and are a great itinerary for those skiers and boarders with a real sense of adventure. You can experience the big bowl powder skiing of Fernie and its laid back town and follow that with a bit of the extreme with some of the steep chutes and ridges of Terminator bowl or CPR ridge in Kicking Horse. It’s a 4 hour drive to Fernie from Calgary and we recommend warming up the legs here before you venture to the “Horse”.
The drive up the Powder Highway between the resorts is stunning and takes approximatly 3 hours. If you want to break the journey up a bit I can recommend a half days skiing in nearby Kimberley and is on the same lift ticket as Fernie.
Another little option to throw in to the hat would be to stay for a couple of nights in Panorama which is half way on the highway and has excellent tree line skiing and a chance to heli ski with RK Heli.
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!
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