Archive for ‘The Team’
Ski Independence’s Silver Anniversary
This year we’re celebrating 25 years of Ski Independence! As we look forward the ski season, we’ve put our heads together and have come up with 25 ski ‘silvers’.
Silver Star Ski Resort. Image: Blake Jorgenson
Chamonix for Beginners?
The walk in to La Vallée Blanche, Chamonix (image: Patrik Lindqvist)
The legendary alpine town of Chamonix Mont Blanc is renowned for its steep, extreme ski terrain and its mountaineering legacy. But did you know that Chamonix also boasts a great range of dedicated novice ski areas? What’s more, many of these areas offer special lift pass rates to save you splashing out on a full area pass until you’re ready to venture beyond the beginner slopes. Below is our short guide to Chamonix for beginners: Read the rest of this entry »
Colorado Multi-Centre Ski Holiday
I’ve just returned from incredible Colorado multi-centre trip thanks to Colorado Tourism Office and Norwegian Airlines. I wanted to share a few of my standout experiences and recommendations.
Steamboat, Colorado
Flight with Norwegian
The trip started off with an excellent flight with Norwegian Airlines from Gatwick to Denver – one of the great things about this flight is that you’re taking off at 10am so arriving in Denver around 1pm, with the full day ahead of you – so whether you’re heading straight up to the mountains, or into the city for a few days, it’s perfect.
On board Read the rest of this entry »
The 10 Best Winter Activities in Alberta
With such world-class ski resorts, you’d be forgiven for thinking skiing and snowboarding were the only winter activities on the menu in Alberta. But this beautiful Canadian province is packed with opportunity.
Whether you’re stargazing in Jasper, treating yourself to spa day in Banff or dog sledding in Lake Louise, Alberta offers up the chance for adventure and indulgence in equal measure.
Whet your appetite with a sneak peek at our choice of the best winter activities away from the slopes:
Go stargazing
Jasper National Park – Dark Sky Preserve
Alberta boasts some of the largest dark sky preserves in the world. Protected from artificial light pollution, Jasper’s vast national park is the perfect place to gaze at the constellations. During the winter months, there’s also a good chance you may witness one of the most breath-taking phenomena in the world: the Northern Lights.
The Jasper Dark Sky Festival is held every autumn. It’s a fantastic celebration of stargazing, hosting informative workshops and events for all ages. Read the rest of this entry »
Eco-Friendly Travel Tips and Ski Gear
From packing eco-friendly kit to the choices we make when in resort, there are so many ways to limit your footprint when heading off on holiday. Here at Ski Independence we’ve come up with some of our favouite eco-friendly travel tips to help you pack – and travel – more sustainably.
Your Resort
Beautiful Saas-Fee (PHOTOPRESS/Saas-Fee)
Choose Switzerland!
Named number one eco-friendly nation in the 2018 Environmental Performance Index, measuring a wide array of factors including climate & energy, air quality, water & sanitation, biodiversity & habitat, Switzerland boasts amazing air quality and champions environmental best-practice. Benefit from the extensive (and highly efficient) Swiss Rail network and car-free environments in resorts such as Saas-Fee and Zermatt – keep an eye out for the silent electric taxis though! Read the rest of this entry »
Opening Hours – Christmas and New Year 2018/19
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from the whole team at Ski Independence. If you need to contact us please call 0131 243 8097 and below you’ll find details of our festive opening hours.
Festive Opening Hours 2018/19
- Monday 24th December, Christmas Eve: 9am – 1pm
- Tuesday 25th December, Christmas Day: Closed
- Wednesday 26th December, Boxing Day: Closed
- Thursday 27th December: 9am – 5.30pm
- Friday 28th December: 9am – 5.30pm
- Saturday 29th December: 9am – 4.00pm
- Sunday 30th December: Closed
- Monday 31st December: 9am – 1pm
- Tuesday 1st January, New Year’s Day: Closed
- Wednesday 2nd January: 9am – 5.30pm
- We then revert to normal winter hours: Monday – Thursday: 09:00 – 18:30 | Friday: 09:00 – 17:30 | Saturday: 09:00 – 16:00 | Sunday: Closed
Image Nicolas Ansourian, Megève Tourisme
New in Zermatt for 2018/19 Ski Holidays
Zermatt offers snow-sure, unique skiing in the shadow of the famous Matterhorn. Surrounded by mighty summits, on offer is over 350km of pistes, with easy connections between Zermatt and the neighbouring Italian resort of Cervinia. As well as awesome skiing, the car-free village of Zermatt has a lively après-ski scene with plenty of restaurants serving everything from traditional Swiss cuisine to Italian pizza and several bars to enjoy live sports or dance until the early hours. Add in a handful of four and five-star luxury hotels, and Zermatt has all the ingredients for a great getaway.
So what’s new in Zermatt in 2018/19? While the resort offers the same quality experience year after year, we’ve put together a list of some of the exciting new additions for the upcoming season.
© Pascal Gertschen
Lifts & Access
The world’s highest 3S (three cable) Cableway, the Matterhorn Glacier Ride, will start operating in Zermatt in December and will transport passengers from Zermatt up to the Matterhorn glacier paradise. Enjoy the glorious panoramic views of the surrounding mountain range as you travel in luxury cable cars – a handful of which have been encrusted with Swarovski crystals and even feature a floor that becomes translucent three minutes into the journey!
The Matterhorn Glacier Ride (copyright Zermatt Bergbahnen)
Ski Resorts Go Green to Protect Our Winters
The growing impact of climate change has potential consequences for winter snowsports. But rather than dwell too long on the unthinkable prospect of a snow-free future, we think it’s important to act today.
The Ski Independence team are proud supporters of Protect Our Winters UK, partnering with them to help mobilise the snowsports world in the fight against climate change. After all, it takes a whole community of passionate climate heroes to meet a global challenge of this scale.
We can all take positive action to protect our winters. And supporting ski hotels and resorts that show a commitment to sustainable tourism and eco-friendly practices is a great place to start.
Take a look at some of the eco-friendly resorts and hotels leading the way when it comes to positive climate action:
Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts’ portfolio of world-class resorts include Vail, Breckenridge & Beaver Creek in Colorado, as well as Canadian big hitter Whistler, have publicly committed to an ambitious set of sustainability goals, otherwise known as their EpicPromise.
Beaver Creek, Colorado (image: Jack Affleck)
The EpicPromise sets its sights on achieving a zero footprint. That means zero net emissions, zero waste to landfill and zero net operating impact to forests and habitat – all by 2030. They’re working towards their goal through a wide range of actions from sponsored employee volunteering to investment in carbon offset programmes, 100% renewable energy and environmental stewardships. Read the rest of this entry »
10 of the Best Luxury Ski Escapes this winter with Ski Independence
It takes a special blend of ingredients to create an unforgettable luxury ski escape. Beautiful surroundings, luxurious facilities, first-class service and outstanding food – to name but a few.
That said, there’s no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to luxury ski holidays. Whether you’re looking for a peaceful getaway in an alpine village or an action-packed break in a lively resort, it’s all about finding the perfect 5-star ski holiday for you.
Why not take a look at our pick of the best luxury ski escapes this winter for a little inspiration?
Hotel W, Verbier
Best for: urban decor and stylish après ski.
Our Pick of the Best Family Ski Holidays
Our top 9 recommendations for 2018/19
A family ski holiday is one of life’s great pleasures. There’s nothing quite like being together in the fresh air of the mountains, watching your children grow in confidence and ability. Ski Independence have been a family ski holiday specialist for 25 years and we know from experience that the bet family ski holidays take a lot of careful planning and a good dose of detailed knowledge – so why not leave it to us? We’ve highlighted some of our recommendations for the best family ski holidays for next winter, and if you don’t see what you fancy below we’re happy to recommend a huge range of alternative destinations, accommodation & activities to suit your family. So, in no particular order…
The excellent nursery slopes at Aspen Snowmass
1. Les Gets, France
A short transfer from Geneva and a traditional pretty village are often two sought-after points on a family holiday wish list and Les Gets more than ticks these boxes. The centre of the village is lined with shops and restaurants serving a selection of Savoyard specialities along with a couple of lively bars offering laid back après-ski. Read the rest of this entry »