Ski Independence Blog
Archive for ‘Skiers & Snowboarders’
Arc 1950 – Great Value Extras for Families
November 15th, 2011Les Arcs 1950 Le Village – now kids rent free!
Book your family holiday to Arc 1950 Le Village and make great savings on your ski and snowboard rentals, plus benefit from great value Family Lift Passes, all winter!
It makes a huge difference being able to book all your extras before you leave the UK and we can reserve lift passes, ski rental and ski school in many of the European resorts that we feature. Book your holiday to Les Arcs 1950 this winter we can pre-book all your equipment rental, lift passes and tuition, meaning you can get on with enjoying your holiday as soon as you arrive in resort.
Kids rent for free!
We have teamed up with Precision Ski & Snowboard shop in Les Arcs 1950 and are pleased to be able to announce a fantastic new offer for all Ski Independence guests staying at P&V Premium Arc 1950 Le Village:
- One child rents ski or snowboard equipment FREE with every qualifying adult renting equipment for 6 days or more
- Every child renting a Junior or Baby Pack with one qualifying adult receives Helmet rental completely FREE
Caribou Club, perfect for the little ones
You can also make great savings on lift passes: book your Family Pass with us and save up to £650 on a 6 day pass for a family of four. Already a firm favourite with Ski Independence clients, Arc 1950 Le Village is a fantastic option with superb onsite facilities and everything you need, right where you need it.
Doorstep Convenience
For further details or to make a booking, call our reservations team on 0131 243 8097 or fillin an online quotation form.
Monster Ski
October 21st, 2011I have a few ski trips planned for next season but I have to say the one I’m most looking forward to is leading the Monster Ski group in Tignes in March.
This will be the 6th season of Monster ski which is a challenge to raise money for the MS Trust. The challenge is to ski 29,029 ft of vertical descent a day. Now this may sound just like a large number but it’s the height of Everest and you have to do this for 3 days. It is a mammoth task and a big challenge but it was so rewarding at the end last time when everyone in the group of which some had been diagnosed with MS achieved the challenge.
The sense of achievement and team spirit was fantastic and just seeing the look on everyone’s faces after the last run was something I’ll keep with me forever. Despite the lean snow year last season Tignes had fantastic piste conditions and was the best in the Alps. So I was really pleased to hear it was going back to the Espace Killy and in particular Tignes as it has such an extensive ski area and you have some seriously long runs especially down to La Daille on the Val d’Isere side.
Participants will be guided so you don’t have to worry about where you are going, so no checking piste maps and asking lifties. All you have to concentrate on is skiing awesome runs, logging up the vertical and of course having a great time (which is compulsory!).
Even though we were tired after every day we all still managed a bit of après ski and the Hotel L’Ecrin du Val Claret was a perfect base to enjoy a few wines before sitting down and enjoying the traditional food that is included in the half board. The hotel also boasts a spa with a pool and Jacuzzis and if the body is really feeling it after skiing the height of Everest then you can always treat yourself to a massage.
If you want to get a serious amount of skiing in a world class area and raise money for a great cause this is the trip for you.
Monster ski is calling!
Get Fit For The Slopes
January 14th, 2011It’s the first couple of weeks of January and it’ll have been hard to escape the chat of getting fit. It could be part of a New Year’s resolution or that panic is starting to set in ahead of your ski trip or you signed up to an event later in the year which now looks much harder than originally anticipated… in the Ski Independence office it’s all of the above!
The latter applies to about 30 members of the office who are taking part in the Tri Peak Challenge in May in aid of the Sick Kids Friends Foundation. The Tri Peak Challenge will involve summiting and cycling between three of the main Scottish ski resorts – Glenshee, the Lecht & Cairngorm – covering over 3500ft of ascent spread over the three peaks and 70 miles of cycling to reach each mountain. What initially seemed like a gentle stroll and bike ride around the Scottish Highlands is in fact going to be much, much harder…
Andy is going to be the first member of the Ski Independence team to hit the slopes this season, taking part in the MS Trust Monster Ski Challenge in Tignes. Monster Ski is an exhilarating ski and snowboarding challenge, organised exclusively for the Multiple Sclerosis Trust. The challenge to ski 90,000 vertical feet over 3 days…
New Ski Club GB Website Launched
December 20th, 2010The Ski Club of Great Britain, the UK’s most established snowsports organisation, has re-launched its website.
The Ski Club website (skiclub.co.uk) has always been the first port of call for many skiers and snowboarders looking for up-to-date and accurate advice, news, resort guides and snow conditions and the new website provides all of this and much more.
The new community based website will allow skiers and snowboarders to comment on news stories as well as add opinion into the information and advice sections. The chat forum provides the opportunity for members to share feedback, advice and views and to raise their own discussion topics. As we all know there is nothing better than seeing photos and videos to get you inspired for your next trip and the Ski Club website now places a strong emphasis on this. Members can post their own photos and in the future will be able to post videos too.
One stop shop for snow reports, advice & news.
“The redesign and re-launch of the Ski Club website really has revealed its wealth of content with users being able to find what they are looking for so much more easily. We believe the changes made to the site will help people to access the wealth of information which the Club has brought together into one place to help plan the perfect ski holiday. The site provides useful tools when out in resort, and opportunities to share and enjoy memories afterwards” said Abi Lee, New Media Manager at the Ski Club of Great Britain.
The Ski Club of Great Britain’s new website can be viewed at skiclub.co.uk
Ultimate Convenience For Ski Rentals
December 7th, 2010What could be better than having someone come directly to your hotel room to fit your skis & boots? Well here is your answer for many of our North American resorts.
Black Tie Ski Rentals provide a delivery service for ski and snowboard rentals that is second to none. All you need to do is provide your requirements and we will arrange for Black Tie to deliver your rentals to you at your accommodation at a time convenient to you – usually the morning of your first ski day.
Black Tie service is the perfect compliment for your Aspen ski holiday
Get Fit For The Season
November 18th, 2010Everyone knows that before a ski holiday, we all dread the burning thighs and aching muscles but there’re a few things that you can do during the off season that will make sure that doesn’t happen!
The ideal way to do this is to NOT HAVE AN OFF SEASON. Why not spend your summer traveling to somewhere in a different hemisphere and have a full 12 months of skiing? You could be shredding powder with the best of them, not worrying about aching muscles. Doesn’t that sound like a dream?
Ok, so that’s not that realistic for most people. If you’re wondering how to get fit before you’re trip, then this little article might be of help.
Cycling. It might seem like a fair distance away from skiing but you have to remember that we’re thinking in terms of muscles and cycling works the leg muscles that you use for skiing so get on your bike, become the next Lance Armstrong and you’ll be ready to go in no time.
Rowing. Another great way to keep you fit before the season. Like cycling it works the muscles that you would be using when skiing. Most gyms will have rowing machines or if you want to get fit at home, they have come down a lot in price so if you want to spend a bit of cash getting one then it’s a good investment.
Hiking. It’s free and you only need to get yourself outdoors!
Those are the basics on how to keep yourself fit for the season. Just look at the people like Tanner Hall who has come back from injury to be at the forefront of skiing once again. Alternatively, you could follow in the footsteps of Lynsey Dyer and bring back Jazzcercise:
or watch more skiing videos >>
Top 5 expert runs in North America
November 9th, 2010We had a heated argument in the pub the other night about the top 5 epic expert ski runs in North America. The debate was fierce – what makes a ski run ‘epic’ – pitch, scale, snow, exposure, elevation, scary terrain features, fear factor, what?
Pitch can be conquered with bullet-proof technique. Scale means stamina. Runs always change their character in different snow conditions, weather, light and time of day. Exposure makes you feel alive. Elevation – no pain, no gain. Scary terrain features? I laugh in the face of ‘mandatory air’! Fear factor – beats the crap out of the X-factor. What should be included, and what criteria should we use? Does Snowbird have better terrain than Kicking Horse? Is the snow depth and quality in Fernie better than Crested Butte? Who can say, but in my opinion a truly epic ski run needs five qualities – (1) a degree of difficulty that keeps you thinking and working hard the whole way down. (2) a fear factor. (3) a tick-the-box factor. (4) an aura. (5) a scale that’s off the dial.
Top 10 Ski Clothing and Hardware
October 11th, 2010Over the past few weeks the latest ski clothing and hardware has been hitting the shops, so we thought we’d do a roundup of our favourite kit from some of the well known ski suppliers and also the smaller independent stores. We’ve also secured you some top discounts, so get shopping!
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Oakley Tiers Jacket from She Active
This stylish ski jacket from the Oakley Gretchen Bleiler range is a firm favourite wit the girls in the office. With lots of features to aid comfort including little magnets to hold the hood out of the way and wrist gaitors to stop snow from working its way up your sleeves, the Tiers Jacket will be sure to get you noticed on and off the slopes this winter. |
Price: £219.99 | She Active
Save 10% on all full price items. Promo Code: ssi010 |
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Oakley Knew Lite Pant from She Active
If you have the Tiers Jacket, then the Knew Lite Pant from the Oakley Gretchen Bleiler range are a must too. These ski pants come in great contrasting colours, so a mix & match combo works well or if you can’t decide then just get both! |
Price: £154.99 | She Active
Save 10% on all full price items. Promo Code: ssi010 |
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Arc’teryx Stinger Jacket from Snow & Rock
The Arc’teryx Stinger jacket is the ultimate ski jacket for this winter. Highly durable yet lightweight, it is made with GORE-TEX® Pro Shell which will be sure to challenge all elements. Features include helmet compatible stow hood and a laminated quick dry chin guard for extra comfort. |
Price: £470 | Snow & Rock | |||
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Arc’teryx Sidewinder Pant from Snow & Rock
The Arc’teryx Sidewinder Pant provide maximum comfort in extreme conditions. Features include Schoeller Keprotec instep patches to protect against edges, rocks and boots, so that they stay in top condition as well as thigh vents, laminated powder cuffs. |
Price: £300 | Snow & Rock | |||
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Armada Triumph Skis from Freeze Pro Shop
A new ski from Armada seeking to broaden their target market and deliver the phenomenal technology and ride they’ve developed in their freeskis to more recreational skers. Freeze are really excited about the Triumph and feedback from all the ski tests has been phenomenal. |
Price: £499.99 | Freeze Pro Shop
Save 10% on all full price items.Promo Code: MSKIINDEPENDENCE |
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Rome Agent Snowboard from Freeze Pro Shop
The Rome Agent has a mid-flexing personality rooted in the park, but with skills that extend all over the mountain. Loaded with new technology, this snowboard pops harder off the lip of a jump and slashes with more power than ever before. The board of choice for a number of the Freeze Team and larger family. Ride a Rome Agent and you’ll never want to ride anything else again. |
Price: £419.99 | Freeze Pro Shop
Save 10% on all full price items.Promo Code: MSKIINDEPENDENCE |
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Oakley A Frame Goggles from Freeze Pro Shop
There is nothing worse than your goggles getting steamed up which is why the Oakley A Frames are a perfect choice thanks to their controlled airflow and treated lens to defend against lens fog. Not sure what lens to get? Why not take a look at Freeze’s Oakley Lens Guide page. |
Price: from £79.99 | Freeze Pro Shop
Save 10% on all full price items.Promo Code: MSKIINDEPENDENCE |
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Smartwool PhD Ski Sock from She Active
Just because they’re hidden in your boots all day, doesn’t mean you can’t have great looking socks! Especially designed for a women’s foot and with WOW (wool on wool) technology which adds an additional layer of Smart-Wool to protect the heel and forefoot against shock and abrasion, you won’t want to take these off at the end of the day! |
Price: £19.95 | She Active
Save 10% on all full price items. Promo Code: ssi010 |
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Zephyr Merino Leggings from Finisterre
Did you ever think thermal underwear could be sexy? Well it is now! The Zephr Merino Leggings from Cornwall based surf brand Finisterre, are the best looking, softest and most comfortable gear you could ever wish to wear next to your skin. |
Price: £35.99 | Finisterre | |||
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Eddy Merino Base Layer from Finisterre
The Eddy Merino Base Layer is one of Finisterre’s top selling products. Designed to either be layered up or worn on its own, the Eddy is a perfect choice for the slopes this winter and they say that because it’s antibacterial, you won’t have to wash it too often! |
Price: £40.00 | Finisterre |
What’re your favourite items for next winter? Let us know below.
Ski Safety Tips
October 7th, 2010Kel from Mpora – Europe’s largest action sports video site – has put together some top tips for safety on the slopes.
After a while of thinking about how to write this article, I remembered that every sport has its risks and no one should ever be put off of trying anything new by what someone else says. This is not intended to scare someone into protecting themselves while they’re on a ski holiday or to scare them away from skiing altogether but to make sure that you have the maximum amount of fun while you are doing it. The safer you are, the more you push yourself and the more fun it becomes.
Check out the latest ski videos - all professional ski riders are always well equipped. Therefore parents really should protect their children from tip to toe to make them feel safe in the knowledge that after a fall, they’ll bounce right back up with only a plaster being needed to cover a minor scrape and the reason kids blast down a ski slope at breakneck speed is because they have no fear.
Five resorts in nine days
February 1st, 2010A week has already passed since I got back from Canada where I was helping to host a holiday for readers of Daily Mail Ski & Snowboard magazine with Annika Leis from Ski Independence.
Over the course of nine days our 32 strong group visited five of Canada’s lesser known resorts, in British Columbia. We got to enjoy steep, challenging chutes in Fernie, lots of fresh powder in Kimberley, North America’s longest vertical descent at Revelstoke, powered down perfectly prepared groomers in Panorama and rounded the trip off with challenging off piste skiing in Kicking Horse. It was a great success but don’t just take my word for it. Here’s a collection of quotes I gathered from the crew.
Powering through powder in Fernie
“Fernie, Kicking Horse and Revelstoke are awesome resorts with extremely exciting terrain. The use of local guides meant we quickly learnt the layout of the ski areas. And the accommodation and hospitality we experienced was fantastic.” Graham McNally.
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