Archive for ‘Snow News’
The Best Early Season Conditions in 10 Years?
Huge Snowfalls in the French Alps
With snow depths of up to 190cm on the upper slopes already, many resorts open early and powder in abundance, could this be one of the best starts to the ski season in the Alps in a decade?
Feast your eyes on our selection of recent snowy images that we’ve gathered from social media…
The Three Valleys
8 Unique Ski Experiences to Try This Winter
Great alternatives to your usual après-ski
Dancing in your ski boots, soaking in the outdoor hot tub, indulging in hot chocolate & freshly baked treats, sipping cold beers on a sunny terrace – all highly recommended after a day on the mountain! Après-ski is a ski holiday must, but the range of unique activities and alternative ski experiences on offer is now bigger and better than ever, so whether you’re looking for an alternative to traditional après-ski or for a different way to spend your day on the slopes, check out our pick of the latest and greatest in unique ski experiences.
1. Sample the Dolomites’ finest cuisine on a Gourmet Ski Safari
Alta Badia is the place to be for anyone who loves eating and drinking as much as they love skiing! This is thanks to its Sciare con Gusto programme (roughly translated as “skiing with flavour”) which is a series of events throughout the season combining passion for winter sports with delicious cuisine. With the stunning scenery of the Dolomites and unrivalled local hospitality, this is simply not to be missed.
Gourmet Ski Safari (image: Alta Badia Tourism)
Ski from one mountain hut to another, sampling a different dish designed by top Michelin-starred chefs in each one, as part of the Gourmet Ski Safari; this year’s theme was childhood favourites so traditional dishes executed to perfection were the order of the day. Book a place on a Sommelier on the Slopes event if you want to taste some of the best local wines in the company of a ski guide and local wine expert. Just remember you need to ski down the mountain at the end of the day! If you like to be first up on the slopes you can also enjoy breakfast on the slopes at the Las Vegas Lodge – take a snow cat up the mountain and sample the best local products from the Alto Adige region. To top it all off, you’ll be on the slopes before the lifts have even opened!
Catherine, Senior Ski Product Support
>> We recommend: the fabulous 5-star Hotel Rosa Alpina in San Cassiano, just a 5 minute drive from the Alta Badia ski area.
2. Get closer to the locals in Jackson Hole
Let the Ski Season Begin!
With December is just around the corner, many of our featured resorts will soon be open for winter 2017/18 as the ski season begins. And what a start to the season it promises to be!
Several resorts are already up and running and we’re itching to get out there and find our ski legs once more. We’ve sought out the most inspirational pictures and videos that we can find from around the web, so read on and get in the mood for winter!
Val Thorens
Anyone for corduroy? Open now, Val Thorens is leading the charge with simply superb conditions. 70cm has already accumulated on the lower slopes and there’s another 20cm on the way. Read the rest of this entry »
New Snow in European Resorts – February 2017
Many ski resorts in Europe enjoyed huge amounts of new snow over the past weekend, which is fantastic timing for the February holidays which are coming soon! We’ve collated some images and a few short videos below to highlight the best of the new snowfall.
First up, a Val d’Isère chairlift ride: “This photo taken from the La Daille chairlift reveals the intensity of the snowfall we had today in Val d’Isère. As of 2250 tonight it is still snowing and expected to continue into the early morning. These intrepid skiers got this snowy in the 6 minutes it takes to get up the chair”, said Henry’s Avalanche Talk.
Image: Val d’Isère, by Paul Mongan/Ski Club of Great Britain
Snow Photos: 19 January 2017
Snow Photos – our latest selection
Snowfall in Europe has been massive in the last couple of weeks which is great news for anyone either in the Alps now or going there soon. Snow-forecast.com’s latest snow overview reads, “if you’re going to France this week, you couldn’t have timed it any better.”
Over in North America, there has been as much as FIVE METERS falling at Heavenly Lake Tahoe since the start of the year and more snow is expected to across the mountains throughout the week, including Colorado’s Vail, Beaver Creek and Breckenridge; Utah’s Park City Mountain (which has received 226cm in January); and the Lake Tahoe’s Heavenly Mountain Resort (500cm in January alone!).
Here’s our round-up of the best recent snow photos from our featured resorts:
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Finally, this great video has been doing the rounds on social media – massive amounts of snow in Flaine! Read the rest of this entry »
Snow Photos: 23 November 2016
Snow Photos – our latest selection
Welcome to the first in our series of galleries for Winter 2016/17. Our partners in resort have shared a whole range of inspiring and ‘make-your-friends-jealous’ images with us, which just make you want to get out there and ski!
Explore our pick of the best snow photos in the gallery below from the early part of this winter, including some exclusives from Steamboat Resort and Avoriaz.
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Keep up to date with recent snowfall as it happens in the USA, Canada, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and Japan. Check back here for updates throughout the season & don’t miss the Ski Independence Instagram page!
Get in touch with our team of Ski Specialists for more advice on where to ski this winter and to book your tailor-made ski holiday now. Call the team on 0131 243 8097 or request a tailor-made quotation online.
Fly Direct to Salt Lake City: Ski Utah in 2016/17
On Sale Now – Fly Direct to Salt Lake City next winter
Fly direct and non-stop from London Heathrow to Salt Lake City with Delta, from Winter 2016/17 onwards!
The journey to Utah’s excellent and often legendary ski resorts will be quicker and far more convenient than ever before and is a real bonus for UK skiers and snowboarders. This brand new route will run 4 times a week, all winter, and Delta will also be operating daily direct flights from Amsterdam to Salt Lake City, with connections from Edinburgh, Newcastle, Leeds Bradford & more.
Find out more by getting in touch with our team of Ski Specialists by calling 0131 243 8097. Read the rest of this entry »
Heavy Snow in Europe – just keeps on falling!
We’re delighted to report that huge volumes of the white stuff has arrived in the French, Swiss and Austrian Alps, with many ski resorts getting at least 40cm of heavy snow in the last few days. 2016 is off to a great start!
Our snow reports from Avoriaz, Morzine, Courchevel, Les Arcs and more on 5th January say “Heavy snow just keeps on falling” and significantly more snow is predicted to arrive over the next week. Now is a great time to book your 2016 ski getaway.
Here are just a few stats to whet your skiing appetite:
- 64cm in 3 days (La Plagne)
- 44cm in 24 hours (Verbier)
- Over 180cm forecast in the next week (Val d’Isère)!
- 120cm forecast over the next 3 days (Les Arcs)
From Val Thorens Facebook page – 4 January 2016
2015/16 Ski Season Snow Alert!
The snow has arrived and the 2015/16 ski season has officially begun!
All across the Alps, huge amounts of snow has been falling since Friday morning, cooler temperatures have set in, and another storm is on the way for the middle of this week. Val Thorens in the Savoie region now has a base of 50cm:
Val Thorens under a heavy blanket of snow this morning
8 of the Best Ski Resorts Now Open
Can’t wait for winter? Looking for an early season getaway? News of BIG North American snowfall is filling up our inboxes and many resorts are already open – or will be very soon!
The 2015/16 ski season is well and truly underway and things are off to a cracking start in the USA and Canada. Resorts in Europe aren’t far behind, with cold weather and plenty snow in the forecast – over a metre is predicted to fall in Avoriaz this coming weekend!
Here’s our pick 8 of the best ski resorts now open:
1. Lake Louise, Alberta:
Boasting one of the longest winter seasons around, Lake Louise is always one of the first resorts to open. What’s more, at least 50cm of snow is expected to fall in the new few days.
