Archive for January, 2012
Ski Independence go skiing!
On Wednesday we lose 2 members of the Ski Independence team as they pack up their bags and make their way to Utah to lead the Daily Mail Ski and Snowboard Magazine reader trip. Starting in Park City and visiting Deer Valley, Snowbird and Canyons along the way, Annika our Groups Manager and Eve one of our Reservation Consultants, along with Henry Druce and Dave Watts, editors of the magazine and British Ex-Olympic skier Martin Bell, will spend 8 days skiing 6 of Utah’s 14 resorts.
Following on from yesterday’s blog ‘Where do Ski Independence Staff Ski’ below you will find the rest of the team’s ski plans this winter. Read the rest of this entry »
Where do Ski Independence Staff Ski?
Here at Ski Independence we look forward to the end of January as we know that it’s about that time of year when we can look forward to and count down the days until we get on the slopes. There are some lucky team members who have already put in some turns this winter but for many the first are yet to come. Over the next few days we thought we would share with you what our own ski plans are for the rest of the winter, so here’s who’s doing what! Read the rest of this entry »
Ironing in ski boots
I bought a new pair of ski boots last week (Atomic Hawx w90 if you’re interested). As any skier will know this is a milestone event. I’ve had my last pair for 10 years and we’ve skied together in 7 different countries and over 50 different resorts. We’re old friends now. I know that when I get them out of the attic for the first few turns of the season they’ll be a bit grouchy – a little light punishment for leaving them in the dark for all those months – but within a few hours they always came good. Now it’s time for them to take semi-retirement and they are soon to be packed off to my mum’s house up north where they’ll be handy for those occasions when Scotland’s snow obliges. I’m told that breaking in a new pair of boots should not be the agonising pain that it used to be – heat moulding speeds up the process and while spending 20 minutes standing in tuck position in the middle of Ellis Brigham made me slightly self conscious I’m hoping to reap the benefits when we get out on the snow! Read the rest of this entry »
Val Thorens turns 40
At an altitude of 2,300m the French ski resort of Val Thorens is Europe’s highest. In the 1960’s Pierre Schnebelen and his pioneering team lodged their visionary plans with the Savoie General Council to transform the small mountain village of Val Thorens into a thriving ski resort. Despite critics, plans were approved and in the summer of 1971 the first 3 ski tows were installed ready for their opening on the 18th December 1971.
Following a successful opening year, development steadily continued in the small mountain village and come the winter of 1972 the resort established itself with the opening of the local tourist office, ski school and first restaurant. Ten years after opening, in 1981, the project of building the world’s largest cable car began; the Cime des Caron. Ascending to 3,200m and carrying 150 people this marked a new era for Val Thorens and catapulted the resort into becoming one of Europe’s top winter destinations. Read the rest of this entry »
There’s just something about Whistler…
As I sit at my desk early on Friday morning, I look out the window to a beautiful blanket of white. I remember why I moved here 18 years ago. Fresh out of university on the West Coast of British Columbia, I moved to Whistler for a year, just enough time to save some money to travel to Australia. Eighteen years later, I’m Married with 2 kids, a dog and a mortgage. My window view is much the same. There is something truly magical about this place. There’s just something about Whistler… Read the rest of this entry »
The BA Sale
If the festive period has left you exhausted and in need of a winter holiday, now has never been a better time to book your 2012 ski holiday. The British Airways Sale is now on and we have some fantastic savings to our most popular USA and Canadian destinations. These amazing deals are available on Economy, World Traveller Plus and Club World flights where you can save up to £1,000 on the regular flight price! Read the rest of this entry »
New Year, New Snow
Having witnessed one of the snowiest Decembers on record across the Alps; picture perfect conditions over the Christmas week, and a short lived spell of mild weather for New Year, the Alps are now getting ready for the first dump of 2012…and it’s another big one! With some European resorts already reporting more snow to date this winter than the whole of last season, the Alps are now enjoying some of the best snow conditions in the world. Below is a quick round up on where to find the best snow conditions. Read the rest of this entry »
