Archive for January, 2011
Swiss & Austrian Ski Resort iPhone Apps
The Swiss and Austrian resorts are not to be out done by the French on the technology front, here are the latest apps for their resorts. Read the rest of this entry »
First Tracks in Steamboat
When you book Steamboat First Tracks three weeks out to coincide with a client visit, you certainly hope for either a fat Champagne Powder® snow day or a sunny corduroy dawn, but today exceeded all expectations.
My very charming and punctual guests showed up at 7:45am and we immediately boarded the Gondola and headed up the mountain under grey skies and a tolerable 15F/-9C with a report of 1”/2.5cm of new snow. From the top of the Gondola, we rode down Spur Run to Huffmans to the Sundown Express lift, where we claimed chairs #1 and #2 of the day, and as we climbed out of the Sunshine basin, we popped through the clouds into a brilliantly sunny daybreak. Sunbeams peaked through the snow-covered aspens and illuminated the snow surface with a diamond-like sparkle, and the whole world warmed. Read the rest of this entry »
Ischgl Takes To The Screen
We’re used to seeing TV adverts for theme parks, tropical islands and city breaks but not for ski resorts. The Austrian resort of Ischgl has become one of the first ski resorts to have a fully storyboarded and directed TV ad screened in Britain.
When many ski resorts are looking to use more cost effective marketing methods such as Facebook and Twitter to get the word out, Ischgl have invested a six figure sum into their TV campaign. The ad will be aired on channels including Sky News, Sky Sports News, MTV, Discovery Travel and Living, E4 and Eurosport during a three-week campaign.
Ski & Spa – Heaven!
What could be better than a nice soothing massage, to ease away the aches and pains away after the day on the slopes? In my opinion, not much and it seems that I’m not the only one. We are receiving more and more requests for clients looking for properties where there are spa facilities.
In France, many of the new self catered residences now offer such services as well as indoor heated swimming pools and hot tubs, popular choices are the Residence Les Chalets de Jouvence in Les Carroz and Résidence L’Orée des Cimes in Peisey-Vallandry.
Relax watching the snow fall outside in Peisey-Vallandry
There are also a couple of spa towns in France, which are also ski resorts such as St Gervais and Brides Les Bains, close to the 3 Valleys. The Thermes du St Gervais Les Bains and La Grand Spa des Alpes in Brides Les Bains offer a great choice of treatments which can be booked online prior to arrival in resort.
Get Fit For The Slopes
It’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…
The Best 5 Views In North America
We’re talking jaw-dropping, OMG moments in and around ski resorts in North America – the views to die for. The USA and Canada is renowned for some pretty staggering scenery and their ski destinations don’t disappoint. These are my favorites, why not tell us yours?
Experience breathtaking and contrasting views of Lake Tahoe to your left, and to your right the arid desert plains of Nevada. Above your head a bluebird sky and underneath your skis, stacks of creaky dry Heavenly snow. If this doesn’t put a smile on your face then nothing will. You’ll think you’re the luckiest person alive, something the casinos in town will be keen to disprove!
View from the Gunbarrel Grill in Heavenly
Les Houches Scores 10/10
As part of our on going customer service, every client who travels with Ski Independence receives a post-holiday questionnaire. We always strive to improve the quality of our holidays and these questionnaires provide us with the opportunity to do this.
It is always a pleasure to read how much you have enjoyed your holidays and even better when we can share this information with others. Tim, from Sussex, recently returned from a trip to Les Houches, where we can confidently say he had a great time. Here’s what he had to say about his trip: Read the rest of this entry »
Whistler Blackcomb in Miniature
A day in the life of a miniature Whistler, the biggest little ski area in the world. This video documents a bird’s eye view of teeny, tiny Whistler Village and surrounding Whistler Blackcomb mountains, making it a real life snow globe.
We think you’ll agree that this is pretty awesome and offers a true reflection of everything on offer at this fantastic resort – which is far from miniature in real life!
