Posts Tagged ‘heavenly’
New for 2018/19 – Ski Independence Update
Find out all about what’s new for 2018/19!
We’re excited to announce that the brand new Ski Independence brochure has arrived, bookings are rolling in and early booking offers are high in demand.
Now is the best time to book and to give you some inspiration here’s an overview of what’s new for our European & North American programmes.
>> Order your copy of our Winter 2018/19 brochure now
Europe
Les Gets is a hotspot for families with its French charm and easy access to the huge Portes du Soleil ski area. Read the rest of this entry »
Why Do Skiers Care About El Niño?
We’ve heard rumours that El Niño is set to make a return in 2015, which could be great news for ski resorts in North America. With increasing confidence that 2015/16 will see a return of this weather phenomenon, Nick has delved a little deeper into why ski resorts and skiers care about El Niño.
What is El Niño?
El Niño, which means “the boy” in Spanish (as in Jesus – because its effects are most strongly felt in South America around Christmas), is a phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) when things heat up over the tropical Pacific Ocean. Read the rest of this entry »
Gordon’s EPIC Trip Part 1 – Lake Tahoe, California
I was lucky enough to take part in two trips back to back at the end of February, taking in both California and Utah and I loved every minute of it. Our aim was to visit and ski some of the resorts covered by the EPIC pass – a multi-resort season pass covering many of our most popular ski areas.
Blue Skies in Canyons
Read the rest of this entry »
Inside Track – Ski Bucket List, Nicole G
Nicole Graham joined Ski Independence in the summer having worked several winter seasons, including in New Zealand and in Méribel. Find out more about her most memorable ski moments as well as top must-visit resorts, her recommendations on where to stopover and where to go as a family… Read the rest of this entry »
Multi-Resort Ski Passes – Winter 2013/14
If you’re looking for the best value for money pass or planning more than one ski holiday this year, a multi-resort ski pass is your ticket to huge savings and fantastic resort choices. There’s a wide range of tickets to choose from for Winter 2013/2014, including the Epic Season Pass which not only covers some of the most popular resorts of North America and Switzerland, but continues to impress with new additions topping the already extensive list.
Canyons Resort in Utah is the latest addition to become Epic, very exciting news for skiers who want to try out one of the four largest ski areas in the US. The good news is the Epic Season Pass is just one example of the many multi-resort ski passes out there offering great value. Read the rest of this entry »
An Epic adventure…
Superlatives can be overused in the ski industry. We are sometimes guilty of bigging-up things as ‘awesome!’ or ‘fantastic!’ and that means that when you need a really big impact word – well… where do you go?! So with this in mind I headed out to Colorado to check out some of the Vail Resorts family and see if their ‘Epic’ tag rang true…I wasn’t disappointed.
The Vail resorts portfolio includes Vail, Breckenridge, Beaver Creek, Keystone and the Arapahoe Basin in Colorado, as well as Heavenly and Northstar in California. Each resort has its own character so there’s no ‘production line’ feel to things but the Vail Resorts brand does assure the guest of consistently high levels of customer service and excellent on-mountain facilities. Their Rock Resorts hotel brand maintains these standards off the slopes too. Read the rest of this entry »
Bigger & better resorts in Colorado & California
Vail Resorts, the management company who own Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone, Beaver Creek, Heavenly and Northstar-at-Tahoe are going to be busy over the coming months making their resorts even better for the coming season. Here’s a few details on what’s new in their resorts throughout Colorado and California.
Northstar-at-Tahoe™ is going to be bigger and better for the 2011-12 season.
Located on the North shore of Lake Tahoe, the resort of Northstar-at-Tahoe™ is receiving $30 million of improvements on and off the mountain. On the mountain, there is going to be a new high-speed quad chairlift on the “Backside”, new snowmaking facilities and a new restaurant at the top of the Tahoe Zephyr Express Lift. In resort, those who like to shop will be pleased to hear that there are going to be new Patagonia and Burton retail shops and a larger North Face store – perfect for picking up some kit for your holiday – and also a new restaurant in the Village which hopes to brings additional energy and entertainment to the resort.
California – 4 Resorts in 4 Days
I’m just back from a ski trip to California – yes there is skiing in California and it’s amazing!
During our visit we had epic conditions and certainly some of the best snow I have ever seen! 5ft of fresh powder in Mammoth and 4 days later 8ft in Squaw Valley… it was perfect powder as well – so light and dry (a bit unusual so late in the season!). Hope I’ve not made you too jealous!?
United Airlines operate a direct flight to Los Angeles from Heathrow which takes about 11 hrs. It ‘s often thought that California is much further away than the likes of Denver or Vancouver but in fact it’s only an additional 1 ½ hours. The flight arrives into LA in the evening so the best option is to spend a night in LA before making your way up to the ski resorts. We stayed at the Crowne Plaza Beverly Hills, which is located about 30 minutes from the airport, in the right direction to catch the Highway 395 towards the snow. So the next morning we loaded up our 4x4s and headed to Mammoth Lakes.
Conditions on arrival into Mammoth
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
Ultimate Convenience For Ski Rentals
What 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
