Posts Tagged ‘USA’
Getting the Most From Your Epic Pass
The multi-resort ski lift ticket is big business these days, but does it make sense for you to purchase one? Let’s look at what’s on offer and how you can get the best value out of an Epic Pass…
What is an Epic Pass?
The Epic Pass was born in 2008 as a way to use one season ticket for resorts under the ownership of Vail Resorts. What started then with 5 resorts in Colorado, plus 1 in California, has now become a network of 37 North American resorts plus 20+ international friends.
Read the rest of this entry »A Mammoth Adventure
If I’m going to sit on a plane for 10 hours I want to make it worth my while – and that usually means combining a ski trip with some kind of adventure. This years trip was no different – even if our original plans had to change somewhat due to covid. Read the rest of this entry »
BIG SKY – Thanks for another great trip
Our flights out of the UK all worked well and our Air France card meant we got the ski baggage for free and helped ourselves to the lounge at Heathrow. The change in Minneapolis was fine, and we had an evening meal there before the second leg to Bozeman. The transfer to the Hotel was pretty good at around only 50 minutes and we got into our room at about 0030hrs so not bad and we were able to get up ready for the first day.
Our hotel, The Summit, was really great, not quite the Four Seasons in Jackson Hole but close and had good eating options at reasonable prices and the included breakfast was extensive and totally met our expectations. The staff were friendly and helpful and everyone we met was really nice …such a break from London. Our studio room was fine and the fold down bed comfortable plus it had a great bathroom and handy kitchen. We’d say a studio was good for two, probably a bit small for four. Our mountain view from the room was nice with only a hot tub between us and the lifts…not sure we have ever had to make so little effort to get onto the slopes before and the swimming pool sized hot tub was really good and even had bar service – highly recommended! Read the rest of this entry »
Life in the Singles Lane
There is a lot you can learn being single, skiing single that is. In one day you can meet a lovely couple from Chicago, a teenager from Venezuela, a father from the UK, a guy on a long weekend “business conference” for Oil & Gas who works in Paris but is originally from Scotland! However, it is the locals who are the best value in the Vail area singles lane – they know the mountain. I’m talking about the guys who’ve been skiing Vail for over 25 years. Now, I’m not going to say that the only way to have fun at Vail is to meet and follow around local skiers BUT they have showed me this year where the great snow is to be found!
The mantra on the slopes early this season was how great last season was – the excitement was intense and contagious. The new season didn’t get off to quite the same start, but more recently to my delight I have not been hearing how “great last season was” five times a day. The new mantra at Vail is that the snow pack is working its magic, the back bowls are fully open and even the bumps are fun and knee-friendly so be happy. How lucky we are! Even better, the normal weather patterns are returning. Even as I write we’ve had 5” overnight! Read the rest of this entry »
It’s Snowing!
As resorts across the southern hemisphere close their doors to skiers and boarders it’s now the turn of Europe, the USA and Canada to get in on the action. After a week of newsletters bombarding my inbox with “It’s Snowing” in the subject line I’m in no doubt we’ve now seen the first significant snowfall of the 2011/12 season on both sides of the Atlantic.
In Europe, the Swiss Alps were the winners with up to 80cm of fresh snow falling. In France, Les Menuires in the Three Valleys also fared well with up to 40cm and Chamonix, Courchevel and Meribel awoke to a moderate covering of snow on Sunday morning. After a month of no resorts being open in France, Tignes re-opened the Grande Motte Glacier which will now remain open all the way through until May 2012.
Monday morning in Chamonix under the Autannes chairlift. Photo: Compagnie du Mont-Blanc
Snowboarding legend Shaun White signs deal with Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts has announced a long term partnership deal with the 2 time Olympic Halfpipe Gold Medalist, Shaun White.
With countless Winter X Games titles under his belt, as well as a highly successful skateboarding career, Shaun White is an ideal ambassador for Vail Resorts, sharing in their forward-thinking and innovative approach to the snow sports industry. Chairman of Vail Resorts, Rob Katz, said he “embodies the same leadership we aspire to at Vail Resorts” and the partnership is symbolic of a new energy seen in the snow sports industry today. Read the rest of this entry »
The Breckenridge Dream
Last Autumn Duncan Newbury was the lucky winner of an all expenses paid ski holiday to Breckenridge, thanks to Vail Resorts at the screening of “Light The Wick”, the new Teton Gravity Research film. Here’s how he got on…
I got hooked on Teton Gravity Research (TGR) ski and snowboard films back in 2005 when I first saw Tangerine Dream. So, when I heard that their latest release, Light The Wick, was going to be premiered at the O2 Shepherds Bush Empire last Autumn I grabbed a ticket straight away.
I genuinely couldn’t believe it when I was lucky enough to win a competition at the film screening for a trip to Breckenridge, Colorado, thanks to Vail Resorts and Ski Independence. The chance for my girlfriend and I to head out on an all expenses paid trip to some of the places I had seen in many a TGR movie was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Read the rest of this entry »
Top Tip – Free Cookies in Beaver Creek
The friendly folk in Beaver Creek want to make your ski holiday as enjoyable as possible. They know that a way to the heart is through the stomach, and this particularly true with children!
So, after a day on the slopes in Beaver Creek make sure you head to the Centennial Chairlift (Chair #6) at 3pm where you’ll find resort staff handing out hot, chocolate chip cookies. But don’t worry they are for adults too!
Beaver Creek Cookie Chef. Photo: MountainYahoo
Steamboat Snow Update
Very warm greetings from my cold, white world in Steamboat, Colorado! We’ve had 23cm of new snow in the last 24 hours, and we already have a 61cm settled snow base at mid-mountain at the top of the Gondola. I also see snowy days and/or cold days in the 10-day forecast, and although I would not dare second guess Mother Nature, all signs indicate an amazing Steamboat opening day on November 24.
I spent both weekend afternoons up on Emerald Mountain in downtown Steamboat Springs. On Saturday we hiked the 3-mile Lupine Trail up to the quarry in snow clogs, but after constant snow all day and night Saturday and through Sunday, too, we were very happy to have snowshoes and poles on the same trail yesterday. Read the rest of this entry »
How do you decide?
Hurrah for autumn! There’s a chill in the air, the first frosts make the world look white again, and in the Ski Independence office we start each day with a barrage of emails with photos of early snowfall. It’s also the time of year that suppliers from various ski resorts come to visit and remind us why theirs is the best ski resort!
It’s an exciting time for all the reservations team – we spend all day, every day, all year long spouting off all kinds of statistics and facts about snow and skiing, but at times we forget just how awesome getting out onto the snow really is. The visits from our overseas friends not only enable us to put faces to names and re-inforce our good relationships , but also remind us exactly what we’re missing when we’re sat behind our desks (thanks guys!) and we really appreciate the considerable effort it take to come to Edinburgh to see us. Read the rest of this entry »
