Travel Informations » ski holidays

Top Ski Resorts For Beginner Skiers

admin — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 18:36:41 +0000

Skiing for the first time is both an exciting and challenging event, the thought of getting your adrenaline flowing by sliding down large mountains makes you feel like you are about to experience something that will give you lasting memories. One thing that people do need to be mindful of is where the best beginner ski holidays are, as not all ski resorts accommodate for inexperienced or beginner skiers.

Places like Meribel, Val d’Isere, Chamonix and Engelberg are extremely popular amongst professional and expert skiers, however, it would make for an unsuitable destination for beginners. Ski holidays in certain destinations will cater for those with very little or no knowledge of skiing, as they usually have smoother slopes that are not all filled with experienced skiers. One thing that will put off any first time skier is watching the number of pro skiers slide down the slopes at full speed.

Ski holidays in places like Chamonix attract many people and contain a lot of challenging mountainous slopes and jumps. The first place that would be top on the beginners ski resorts is Villars in Switzerland. During peak seasons, this can be extremely busy and difficult to begin skiing lessons at; therefore, it is better to go during a quiet period and avoiding weekends. Learner terrains are ideal with great mountainous views and virtually no distractions from the hustle and bustle of pro skiers.

The next resort to consider is Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy, whereby the ski slopes are free from other skiers and have clear and smooth runways. All of the mountainous areas have a reasonable and comfortable altitude, all of which are good for making progress on. This is a popular destination so it is worth going at its quietest period if you are keen on going just to learn. The summer period sees Cortina turn into a relaxing and breathtaking spot for hiking and impressive sightseeing activity.

The final place to consider is Beaver Creek of the USA. This is ideal for first-time snowboarders and beginner skiers as it offers a separate beginners centre where learners can gain an insight into their upcoming skiing experience. Their previews include a video instruction and lesson about skiing, loading and uploading on lifts, and then a final question and answer session before venturing out onto the snow. This allows the student to understand the basic procedures before joining in on the practical sessions.

You will also get a chance to ski down slopes and trails such as Red Buffalo and Booth Gardens, all designed for beginner trails. One ideal place for honing your skills is the Buckaroo Bowl that allows instructors to help learners use the edges of their skis and speeding up the learning process of various skiing techniques. Ski holidays here do tend to be on the expensive side and is a very classy place to spend your winter period.

When choosing a beginners ski holiday destination, you should always look into the facilities that they offer as well as looking into when is the best season to start learning. Find out how much the extra tuition is and always get a clear idea on the lesson itinerary. Most importantly always purchase travel insurance, just to be on the safe side.

Enjoy A 2010 Ski Vacation

admin — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 18:35:18 +0000

The many mountains of North America make for great ski vacations. Many people choose to take ski vacations at one or several of the resorts in the United States or Canadian Rocky Mountains.

Known as the Rocky Mountain State, the U.S. state of Colorado is host to several ski resorts. It is also known as one of the best places to ski in the world due to its high elevation and heavier snow fall. One of these resorts is Aspen, well known for its magnificent slopes and well groomed runs as well as celebrity clientele.

Another wonderful Colorado ski resort is Breckenridge, a favourite among visitors from the U.K. due to the town’s quaint Old Western theme and its mining heritage. It also has ski slopes for all abilities. Check the internet for cheap ski holidays in this lovely resort town.

Winter Park is another great Colorado ski resort. Not only is it home to great skiing for varying abilities, but it is also home to other Winter events such as dog sledding, snowshoeing, and sleigh rides. After a day of skiing, you can enjoy your evening at one of several restaurants, then jump into one of the baths in the resort’s sulphur hot springs. If you travel farther South, you can enjoy the mountains of California and experience the skiing at Mammoth Mountain or South Lake Tahoe. Mammoth Mountain, considered to be the best snowboarding mountain in California, offers skiing from November to July due to its annual 30 foot snowfall each Winter. Though mostly geared to the intermediate skier, there are beginner runs as well. After a day of skiing, a free shuttle is offered so the town’s restaurants and bars can be enjoyed at night.

At South Lake Tahoe, while visiting one of many ski resorts in the area, an amazing view can be enjoyed. A lift ticket at South Lake Tahoe is interchangeable with more than 8 different resorts in the area. An Apres-ski is available for reservations at some of the area attractions. Plan a visit with friends and family for great group ski holidays.

North of the U.S. border in Canada, you will find the ski resorts of Whistler, British Columbia and Banff, Alberta. Whistler is known for some of the best powder skiing in the world and is one of the only places that you can enjoy Summer skiing on a glacier. It has high speed lifts, so the ski slopes can be reached quickly. In Banff, you have the benefit of a high speed enclosed gondola for a comfortable ride to the top of the ski slopes. After a day of skiing, relax the aching bones in one of the area hot springs pools. Check online for special discounts for a cheap ski holiday.

Top Ten Ski Tips For Families

admin — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:33:06 +0000

Planning a family ski holiday can often seem daunting, particularly if you have little ones. Here are some helpful tips you may not have thought of, which should ensure the whole family have a great time out on the slopes.

1. Get Properly Equipped

It’s important, especially for children, to be safe and comfortable. Rent helmets at the resort to save carrying them there. Wear layers, so that you can easily change your body temperature should you get too hot. Socks and gloves are vital as your hands and feet can get cold very quickly. You could save money by renting your gear or borrowing from friends and family.

2. Resort Choice

Choose the resort for your holiday with the age of your children in mind. Young kids need good beginner slopes and professional instructors, older and experienced children might want snowboarding pipes or something a bit more challenging.

3. Lift Passes

Kids can easily lose their passes if they’re not careful, especially if they’re away learning without you. Keep them safe in a zip-up pocket, so that they don’t get lost.

4. Child Minding

Consider resorts that provide nannies or crèches. If the kids get sleepy or need a rest, keeping them up on the slopes will just make them more irritated.

5. Alternative Activities

Skiing can be tiring, so make sure the resort has other activities to wind down with. Hotels often have other sources of entertainment such as play areas and DVDs. There are often leisure centres and shopping areas, too.

6. Proper Instruction

Hire ski instructors for the youngsters. It’s important for newcomers to learn to best and safest ways to ski, you’ll avoid injuries and better still your children will make lots of new friends. If none of your family has ever skied, you might want to consider trying out an indoor slope before heading on holiday.

7. Eye protection

Sunglasses and goggles are really important. You’d be amazed how brightly the sun can reflect off the snow and it easily damages your eyes if you’re not careful. Goggles obviously help from any snow that gets sprayed up as you skiing, too.

8. Keep hydrated

Keep water on you at all times. Skiing is fun but can also be hard work and you quickly become dehydrated. The air is thinner at high altitudes as well, meaning it’s important to have plenty of fluid.

9. Weather

You can’t predict the weather very far in advance but make sure you check a few days ahead. If it’s raining you’ll be glad of the heads up; you’ll know what equipment to take and can plan your day out.

10. The Local Scene

Pick up the local paper every day. It’s not just useful for weather, you’ll get a good idea of what’s going on in the area and can quickly find out about any events you might be interested in. A map of the area, particularly if it’s a large resort, is absolutely vital as well. Grab one up as soon as you arrive.

Popular Ski Resorts in Usa

admin — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 18:32:44 +0000

For winter sports enthusiasts, there is nothing better than rushing down a mountain on freshly snow-covered slopes. To help you find the right ski holiday that will fulfill your craving for an outdoor adventure, here is a list of popular ski slopes in the United States:

Breckinridge, Colorado

One of the better known Ski resorts in Colorado, Breckinridge totals 2,358 acres and has 155 trails. Its longest trail, Four O’clock, reaches a length of 3.5 miles and the resort spans over more than 10 peaks. Of the 155 trails this resort hosts, 36-percent are expert slopes, the largest percentage of slope difficulty, and 13-percent of the slopes have the easiest designation.

Aspen, Colorado

Located in the midst of the Rocky Mountains, Aspen, Colorado, is the Aspen Mountain Ski Resort. Sitting on 673 acres, Aspen Mountain is one of the smallest ski resorts around. It utilizes Aspen Mountain and Bell Mountain which has an elevation of 11,212 feet.

Killington, Vermont

This ski resort is the largest resort in the eastern part of the United States. Utilizing Vermont’s second highest mountain, Killington Peak, this resort sports 200 trails and 33 ski lifts spanned over seven mountains. It is estimated that nearly 17,000 people will visit Killington Ski Resort on a good day.

Park City, Utah

This tourist destination is home to three different ski resorts, Park City Mountain Resort, the Canyons Resort and Deer Valley Resort. Park City Mountain Resort covers 3,300 acres and has 104 trails. Canyon Resort, the bigger of the three, runs on nine mountains, totaling 3,700 acres and 155 trails. Deer Valley Resort recently underwent a nine million dollars renovation to add 200 acres and nine new slopes

Lake Tahoe, Nevada/California

Lake Tahoe, located on the Nevada-California boarder is home to Heavenly Mountain Resort. It features 95 slopes over 4,800 acres. At an elevation of 10,067, this resort is host to Lake Tahoe’s highest peak. It is the largest ski resort in California, with a total of 33-percent of its land developed.

Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania

The Pocono Mountains is home to more than ten different ski resorts. The largest one, Camelback Ski Area, has 33 slopes and covers 139 acres. At an elevation of 2,133 feet, its steepest slope is 800 feet. Located in close proximity to Camelback Ski Area is Jack Frost Big Boulder Resort. This ski area is two resorts combined into one with nearly 30 different ski slopes.

Learn to ski (Chapter 1 – Philosophy of skiing)

admin — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 06:53:27 +0000

Val d’Isère is one of the most exciting winter destinations in the Alps and offers visitors a combination of top class skiing, lively après ski and upmarket boutiques while still retaining an authentic Alpine village atmosphere. As a result, it has come to be recognised as one of the world’s top ski destinations and is a firm favourite with ski enthusiasts, families and thrill seekers alike. It has also become a popular destination for celebrities – Hugh Grant, Cameron Diaz, Bono and Kylie Minogue have all been spotted there in recent years!

Now in its sixth year, Highlife creates bespoke ski chalet holidays, catering superbly for singles, couples, groups or families. The Highlife concept and the reason that guests return again and again lies in the combination of exceptional service and excellent facilities that every Highlife holiday offers.

Signature finishing touches to Highlife’s award-winning programme include cosy log fires and super ski detox facilities with outdoor hot tubs, saunas and Jacuzzis. Every Highlife guest also savours delicious food & excellent wines as each stunning ski chalet comes with its own talented chef and hosts.

Simon Egan, co-founder and Director of Highlife says, “Our decision to expand to Val d’Isère has come about as a result of feedback from our customers, many of whom are keen to visit this fantastic resort. The skiing in Val d’Isère is among the best available anywhere in the world, so we are very excited to offer our guests the chance to experience it with Highlife.”

Highlife’s award-winning ski holidays are available at a lead-in price of €940 for a catered week in January 2008. This price includes direct scheduled Aer Lingus flights from Dublin, private transfers in 8-seater mini-coaches, chalet accommodation with ski detox facilities and delicious food & wine, a range of exciting ‘Snowtime’ programmes and excellent value for money. Generous child discounts are available throughout the season.

Full details on Highlife’s exclusive range of ski chalet holidays in France can be found at www.highlife.ie. The company can be contacted on +353 1 677 1100 and by email at info@highlife.ie

Ski Crash Montage

admin — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:53:28 +0000

Highlife is delighted to offer you a unique opportunity which brings together world-class 3 Valleys skiing with a refreshing yoga programme. Combining the best of skiing in the magnificent French Alps with the effective and thoughtful courses of Irish company Sunrise Yoga, this excellent holiday is designed to be as flexible as its participants!

The exciting programme gives you the perfect mix of the finest skiing and the most relaxing yoga at Highlife’s Chalet Amelie in Méribel. Start each day with an invigorating morning yoga class, followed by a wholesome breakfast, which includes cereals, porridge, French pastries, smoothies, yoghurts, fresh fruit, juices, tea & coffee, and a range of hot options including a Chef’s Special every morning. You can relax over your breakfast indoors or enjoy the crisp morning mountain air with your muesli (breathing deeply!), out on your private sundeck.

To ensure you enjoy a great week on the slopes, ski lessons or exclusive ski guiding with experienced Highlife guides is arranged each day. A second restorative yoga class awaits on your return from the slopes to help ease any tired muscles, as will a wind down in your Jacuzzi. The evening continues with your private chef preparing a delicious three course meal which you can enjoy with a range of carefully selected French wines and, of course, Highlife chefs are happy to provide excellent vegetarian and vegan options.

Sunrise Yoga teacher Caragh Egan will lead the yoga classes, offering a very special holiday combination for yoga lovers and novices, as well as practiced skiers and beginners alike. So relax and ski, all you yogis and yoginis – whichever combination suits you, Highlife has the perfect holiday!

SKI JUMPING EXTREME

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:53:29 +0000

If you are new to skiing, the whole idea of going on a ski holiday can be quite daunting. On a number of occasions I have seen people who have never skied before worry about things which just aren’t true. So, here I expose the top 10 ski myths:

1. A skiing holiday has to be expensive

Things have changed in the world of skiing – no longer is it an elite sport for the rich. It is quite possible to take a family of beginners skiing and for it not to break the bank. How?

- Go self catered. Self catered ski accommodation is often excellent and doesn’t cost very much per head. You can also choose to squeeze more people in on sofa beds to bring the price down even more. Don’t book via large tour operators – go directly to local estate agents or independent property suppliers.

- Drive. With four people in a car, and if travelling to areas in the Northern Alps, driving is a very cost effective way of getting to a ski resort. – Try and avoid the main school holidays (Christmas, New Year, Half Term) if at all possible.

- Keep an eye on when budget airlines release their flights and book early!

- You don’t need to go to the world’s biggest ski area if you are beginners. Go to a smaller resort where you willÂ find everything in resort (lift pass, ski hire etc) to be a lot cheaper.

2. Skiing is dangerous

Although skiing does involve travelling downhill on planks of wood without any breaks, the vast majority of skiers who learn to ski with instructors and ski within their limits will have a happy lifetime of incident free skiing. Yes accidents do sometimes happen, but more often than not ski related accidents are less to do with the actual skiing and more to do with amounts of alcohol consumed and not taking care on icy surfaces etc. If you learn to ski properly, you will also learn to ski safely.

3. The weather is cold and horrible when skiing

Well, yes, the weather is usually cold. And sometimes it can be snowing. That is a fact about holidaying in the mountains in winter. However, when the sun comes out in the mountains there is nothing like it. Alpine sunshine, clear blue skies and temperatures of -5 degrees can certainly feel a lot warmer than a UK winter day when the temperature might be 10 degrees. That is why people come back from ski holidays with sun tans!

4. I won’t understand what the ski instructor tells me

Gone are the days when your only choice of ski instructor would be a moustachioed instructor who’s only English was “Bend ze Knees”. Now there are many progressive English speaking ski schools and independent instructors, indeed there are many excellent British instructors working out in the Alps.

5. If I don’t enjoy the skiing, my holiday will be rubbish

If for any reason you don’t get on with the skiing side of a skiing holiday, wintering in the Alps is still an excellent experience. Most resorts have plenty of non skiing activities on offer such as dog sledding, snow shoeing, thermal springs, ice diving, para gliding. Plus many alpine resorts are very picturesque and so sightseeing and shopping aren’t out of the question.

6. Because of global warming, there won’t be much snow

It is true that global warming was blamed for the bad winter of 06/07 in the European Alps. However, this was down mostly to lazy journalists not researching their facts properly. The bad winter that year was down to the weather, and not the climate. Plus, the skiing wasn’t actually bad – it just wasn’t as good as it could have been.

The last few years have seen some of the best winters for skiing on record. Global warming MAY start to affect European skiing over the next 50 years, but at the moment there is no real evidence that it has started.

7. It is a lot of hassle on a ski holiday

It doesn’t have to be any hassle. You can opt for a catered chalet holiday where all you need to do is get yourself to the airport. The rest is taken care of by the chalet hosts. You are picked up at the airport and taken to your chalet, they arrange your lift passes and ski hire, they cook for you, they clean for you and they take you to the slopes every day. Where is the hassle in that?

8. My kids will have problems in French speaking creche/ski schools

Like the point about ski instruction, things have changed a lot in the world of Alpine childcare. Creches and kids’ ski school usually have English speaking staff, and it is not unusual to find a number of British kids in classes during the school holidays. Teaching your kids to ski at a young age is one of the greatest gifts you can give them!

9. I don’t like mountain food

Nowadays, eating out in ski resorts isn’t all about cheese and ham (although there is plenty of that on offer for those who look forward to their annual fondue or raclette). Most resorts now sport a wide variety of restaurants – some with real cosmopolitan ambiance and menus. And if you don’t want to eat out every night, a trip to the local supermarket will reveal that the gap between French and British food shopping has narrowed considerably over the last few years.

10. I can’t take a baby skiing

Nearly all ski resorts have excellent creche/nanny facilities. And for those people who worry about the cold/altitude etc, don’t forget that babies are born in the mountains every year and they do OK!

Hopefully the above will help to dispel the main worries of a nervous first time skier. And if you never try it, you might never know what you are missing!