Tag Archives: skiing

Jackson Hole: A Ski Lover’s Paradise

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Author Enricokamasa Source: Wikipedia

Are you crazy about skiing and want to ski your way out this winter? Jackson Hole is the ‘it’ destination. Book your tickets to Jackson Hole this winter for one hell of a skiing experience. Jackson Hole with its entirety is known for skiing. The area around Teton mountains serves as a paradise for skiers. Till the mid of 1980’s Jackson Hole as a cult skiing area remained undiscovered for millions. Situated in the top-left corner of Wyoming, with a backdrop of mountain ranges, Jackson Hole is a hub for passionate skiers. Be it with your family or friends, Jackson Hole will not let you down when it comes to skiing.  Also, if you are visiting Jackson Hole solely for skiing, choose your rental homes accordingly. To make things simpler here’s a quick know-how about skiing in Jackson Hole.

Book one of the beautiful rental homes:

Now if you have planned a skiing vacation along with your family in this gorgeous destination, it’s better to book one of the beautiful rental home in Jackson Hole. There would be a myriad of options available and you can book the most convenient rental home in town. Plus, there’s buzzing marketplace and quite a few restaurants which offer really good food. And you want to go for skiing you can go to the mountains via public bus service or shuttle service. In case you have come down to Jackson Hole with your pack of friends, just for skiing, then put up somewhere in Teton village, which is located at the base of Jackson Hole. You can easily avail the tram even before the snowboarders and downtown-based skiers.

Go skiing

Many a time, individuals get confused as to whether the Aerial Tram is just for professional skiers. To clear the air, it’s not. Even an intermediate level skier can avail the tram. Post that you can traverse down the Rendezvous Trails which is fine for intermediate level skiers. Now if you find it difficult down the Rendezvous Trail, you can make your way to relatively less steep areas on the mountain such as Casper, Apres Vous, Thunder etc. However, it all depends on your comfort level. At first, you need to check whether you are comfortable with the terrain and weather and decide for yourself accordingly. Winter is the best time for skiing in Jackson Hole. So, if you are planning a trip to the place primarily for skiing, make sure you set your eyes on winter. Starting from the month of December snowfall continues till March. So anywhere between December and March is suitable for skiing. Though towards the end of January and beginning of February, it starts getting warmer. But if you are lucky enough, you will have one hell of a time while skiing during this period. Also, November end isn’t a bad deal. To cut it short, November end and the entire month of December is tailor-made for skiers. So, before the month of December ends, pack your bags and get set ski peeps. 

What to pack for skiing:

 

Temperature fluctuation is pretty banal in this region, so before you make your way be prepared for the most critical situation. If you are skiing make sure you wear underpants, followed with a second layer of underpants. Now the second layer of underpants can be of wool or even silk, something that keeps you warm when you are off for skiing and also doesn’t restrict your flexibility. After the two layers wear an athletic pant which would make your skiing easy. Make sure that the athletic pants are the ones which dry up fast. 

Now comes the jacket.  Make sure you wear a jacket which is either insulated or has a wind-blocking shell. Many a time, the normal woollen jackets might give you the warmth but once you are skiing, the keeping-warm business goes for a toss. Also, don’t forget to carry a pair of high-quality socks, socks that would wick water off your feet. Good quality socks will keep your warm feet and avoid your feet from blisters. Talking of socks that you should wear while skiing, try picking socks that will make you feel comfortable in your boots. Last but not least, avoid wearing two pairs of socks as it causes blisters. 

 

Gloves, mittens and buffs are the other important which you should carry while you are packing your bag. To keep your hands really warm wear a pair of thin glove liners and then slid your hands into the glove. You can do the same while wearing mittens. Ensure that your gloves aren’t too tight because that will make your skiing uncomfortable and will make you feel colder. What else you ask? Well, a helmet, sunscreen, snow goggles, lip balm, and poles are among the other things which you shouldn’t miss out on. Also, do not forget to carry a small backpack while skiing. You might need to keep some extra pairs of gloves or socks, goggles etc. So do carry one to keep your essentials. 

Now that you know the basics of skiing in Jackson Hole, it wouldn’t be a problem for you to plan your itinerary. This winter, set your eyes on the pristine Jackson Hole make the most of its lovely atmosphere. Also, do not forget to carry the essentials for a fun-filled skiing jaunt. So folks, paint the town red this Christmas in Jackson Hole skiing your way to glory. 

 

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Granny Goes Skiing By Jan Speedie

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What makes a 70 year old granny get up at 03.15 on a frosty Sunday morning, drive to Gatwick airport, park the car, be checked for everything possible and eventually sit with a well earned mug of tea and bacon butty? Simple, its January, the festivities are over and it’s SKI time.

skiing3

We fly to Chambery, a small airport situated in the French Alps, collect our luggage and boot bags and leave the chaos of a small airport behind to  travel to our warm chalet in Courchevel 1650. Though the snow level is disappointing, Josh, our host, has laid on tea and homemade cake and promises us another ‘dump’ over the next few days.

Spirits revived, we rush to the ski hire shop so we can have our first run down the easy slopes before the lifts close.   I struggle into those boots, fix on the skies and I am ready, steady go.

Courchevel 1650 is situated at the eastern end of the Three Valleys and offers skiing for everyone on 650km of pistes and over 170 lifts.  It’s a small village with friendly bars and lots of ski shops offering the latest ‘must have’ outfits. Sadly our funds won’t run to these show pieces and our faithful warm sensible kit comes out from one year to the next.

skiing1

The next morning, we are up and at ‘em again, but mustn’t overdo it as we have a lesson with our lovely ski instructor later. Nervously we wait for Jason to appear and put us through our paces.  Because of the poor snow conditions in 1650 we take the shuttle bus to the higher resort of Courchevel 1850 and here conditions are much better, but will my skiing pass his beady eye?

We ride up in the bubble lift and catch up on a year’s news, look out of the lift window and think those slopes are looking awfully steep.  For the next 2.5 hours we faithfully follow our instructor and slowly the legs respond, our weight is on the correct ski, we complete neat turns and zoom down the piste.  Our first day has been completed successfully and we feel pleased and satisfied with our efforts. But will the legs move tomorrow?

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Relaxing in the evening and enjoying more great food and wine my friends discover an APP for their smart phones which tells you how far and fast you have travelled when skiing. Next morning the APP is turned on and we happily ski all day and ride down on the bus to our chalet. The results are amazing until Jason explains that our bus ride is included in those results: our bubble  bursts. So, not ready for team GB yet.

skiing2

Our week continues with more fun on the slopes. Waist lines expand from the food, and après ski sessions in a cosy little bar.  On Friday it starts to snow seriously and continues for the next 24 hours and all around is white and fluffy.  Our week is over, we are all in one piece and we feel exhilarated and energised by our efforts to perfect our skiing – can’t wait for 2016 when we will do it all again.

 

 

 

The North Face re-launch Covent Garden store

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North Face Cover

Starting in 1966 from humble beginnings, The North Face has transformed into one of the biggest outdoor brands in the world. As well as firmly establishing themselves as a recognisable brand all over The world, The North Face continue to make sure their focus on quality has gone from strength to strength and adapted to our ever changing environment.

 

Technology and innovation have always been important to The North Face having sent explorers out on some of the toughest and most challenging expeditions but also maintaining a brand which appeals to every person as well as athletes The North Face encourage anyone with a love for The Outdoors to Never Stop ExploringTM.

Alberto Orlandi©

Alberto Orlandi©

 

 

This week The North Face re-launch their Covent Garden flagship store and as well as showcasing their brand new make-over, the brand have celebrated by working alongside Street Artist, Charles Uzzell Edwards to produce The World’s Largest Base Camp Duffel. The Duffel is to be sold at an Art Gallery with all of the profits going to The British Exploring Society.

 

Alberto Orlandi©

Alberto Orlandi©

 

This store gets you excited to get your outdoor gear on with a wide variation on colours, styles and options and reminding you that their gear isn’t just for the ski slopes. With winter not even here yet it’s the perfect opportunity for you to get down to the still and try on all of their amazing stock. You can never have too many parkas, especially with our climate. The great thing about most of the clothing on offer here is that they are so functional and layered, that you can adjust the clothing to suit your needs. As well as that, technologies such asGORE-TEX®, Hyvent® andFlashDry™used within the jackets ensure durability for all conditions.

As part of their AW14 collection, The North Face have introduced their new Summit Series which uses a new FuseForm technology which sets out to deliver ultimate function, style and protection. Pieces are constructed from one single piece of fabric with less threads and fewer seams to make it lighter, stronger and more durable.

 

Thermoball
Thermoball technologies are engineered with lightweight layering to insulate but also pack down. Practical and with a warmth equivalent to 600 goose down this pushes the levels of insulation to new limits.

Alberto Orlandi©

Alberto Orlandi©

 

The North Face continue to be a brand which show passion to Outdoor exploration by staying on top of latest innovations and keeping the environment in mind when producing new products. Each of their garments are made with care and extensive research and this shows in their great quality.

New Ski Policies To Encourage Holiday Makers To Be Safe.

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UK INDUSTRY FIRST: ESSENTIAL TRAVEL DISCOUNTS SKI POLICIES TO ENCOURAGE HOLIDAY MAKERS TO SKI SAFE

15% discount for ski and snowboarders willing to wear helmets


EssentialTravel.co.uk is pioneering a new policy discount to encourage skiers and snowboarders to wear helmets on the slopes to launch as of 21 November 2011.

As part of its “Use Your Head” campaign EssentialTravel.co.uk will be working with mountain sports retailer Ellis Brigham and brain injury association Headway to educate skiers and snowboarders about the importance of head protection this season by offering a 15% discount to those willing to wear helmets.

EssentialTravel.co.uk is also offering a 10 per cent discount on helmets in store or online at Ellis Brigham to every customer who buys winter sports cover. These discounts were prompted after 75% of EssentialTravel.co.uk’s customer base admitting they would wear a helmet if a discount was levied against policies.

The leading travel insurance provider has also enhanced its winter policy this year to ensure better cover for ski equipment, piste closure and ski packs.

The Use Your Head campaign was originally launched last year after 40% of Essential Travel’s ski and snowboard customers said they would not be wearing a helmet despite 75% admitting to suffering an accident on the slopes that was serious enough to warrant medical assistance.

18.2% surveyed after the Use Your Head initiative last year said they wore helmets for the first time last year.

Stuart Bensusan from Essential Travel commented: “Following the initial success of our inaugural campaign last year we’ve decided to take serious action and lead from the front by being the first insurance specialist to offer discounts to skiers and snowboarders willing to wear helmets.

“An alarmingly high percentage of people are still intent on not wearing helmets and the reality is they save lives.

“Our survey showed over 65% of those individuals in a ski related accident believed that wearing a helmet lessened the severity of their injuries. We are urging skiers to recognise the importance of wearing a helmet for protection and to start placing the same value on helmets for winter sports as they would for cycling.”

Peter McCabe, Chief Executive of Headway, said: “We are delighted to see the number of skiers and snowboarders wearing helmets increasing year-on-year.

“Even a minor blow to the head can have major consequences, and even the most experienced of skiers are at risk of falling at some point during their holiday.

“By offering reduced premiums, EssentialTravel.co.uk is providing an incentive to its customers to wear a helmet, but the ultimate incentive should be protecting your delicate brain from injury.”

Mark Brigham, Founder of Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports says: “Ellis Brigham are delighted to be involved with the Use Your Head campaign for a second year. Helmets have become the norm on skiers large and small in recent year, they are now lighter, better ventilated and much more comfortable and we encourage their use.”

EssentialTravel.co.uk has launched a dedicated “Use Your Head” micro-site which features full details of the Ellis Brigham discount and Headway charity donation as well as snow injury facts and testimonies from customers who’ve been injured on the slopes.

For further information about Essential Travel visit www.essentialtravel.co.uk or call 0845 803 5434.

16 YEAR-OLD ONE YOUNG WORLD EXPLORER SKIS TO NORTH POLE IN JUST 4 DAYS

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PARKER LIAUTAUD – TEENAGE ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPAIGNER AND ONE YOUNG WORLD’S FIRST EXPLORER RECORDS ONE OF THE FASTEST EVER TIMES

April 13, 2011 – LONDON – Sixteen-year old arctic explorer, Parker Liautaud has succeeded in his mission to ski to the North Pole in just four days, as one of the youngest people to ever complete the mission.

Today, Parker and his teammate Doug Stoup completed the journey one week ahead of schedule and were the first team to return triumphantly from the North Pole – despite being delayed by three days due to adverse weather conditions.

This is his latest expedition as an ambassador for One Young World, the premier global forum for young people of leadership calibre.

Anticipated to last up to two weeks, Parker Liautaud completed the 112km expedition in 4 days, 2 hours and 47 minutes which puts his mission as one of the fastest Last Degree expeditions to the North Pole in history.

Parker completed his mission as the first One Young World Explorer, a role which supports the One Young World resolution on the environment that calls for international legislative action to ensure carbon emissions reduction targets are both agreed and met by 2020.

Throughout his journey, Parker undertook scientific research for the European Space Agency and the University of Alberta. He made 200 snow thickness measurements every day in accordance with the Pole Track 2005 updated protocol which will now be used in long and short term climate change research.

In 2010, Parker set his goal to become the youngest person to ski to the North Pole when he launched his organisation, The Last Degree, dedicated to inspiring, informing and engaging young people in a dialogue on environmental issues facing the polar regions.

Parker became close to his goal to be the youngest explorer in history to reach the North Pole and made it closer than any other team on the ice at the time. Unfortunately, due to atrocious weather conditions including zero visibility, heavy drifts and strong winds – described by NASA as ‘the worst since records began’- Parker had to be evacuated only 15 miles from the pole.

The extraordinarily high temperatures and open water that prevented Parker completing his first mission highlight the damaging effects of climate change and this remains the focus of his second attempt in 2011.

Throughout his new mission, Parker has been keen to communicate his message about climate change and sent regular updates of his journey from the arctic via Facebook > , Twitter > and YouTube > in addition to the expedition’s website http://oywnorthpole.parkerliautaud.com .

David Jones, co-founder of One Young World and global CEO of Havas, said: ““Parker is a fantastic example of the commitment, drive and leadership of the One Young World ambassadors. His is an inspirational mission to help communicate the environmental challenges facing the polar-regions and build international support for action against climate change. We are really proud to have Parker as the first One Young World Explorer and congratulate his success at reaching the North Pole.”

Parker Liautaud became a One Young World ambassador after attending the inaugural summit in London in February 2010, where 1,000 of the world’s young leaders gathered in London alongside global leaders including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Bob Geldof and Kofi Annan to impact global decision making.

Kate Robertson, co-founder of One Young World and UK Group Chairman of Euro RSCG said: “We are proud that Parker has achieved his mission to be one of the youngest people to ever reach the North Pole and has done so in astonishing time. His story is one that will inspire the next-generation of One Young World ambassadors.”

Parker said: “One Young World provides a unique opportunity for young leaders to share their visions, ideas and to have their voice heard on global issues that matter. I am thrilled to be the first One Young World Explorer and will draw attention to the need for government action to address climate change.”

Commenting on Parker’s expedition, Bear Grylls, adventurer and the UK’s Chief Scout, said: “A huge challenge and a huge ambition but such endeavours bring out the best in us. I so admire Parker’s dedication and drive and I know what can be achieved when a project has one’s whole heart and soul in it. I fully support Parker’s determination to bring this important message of climate change to world leaders.”

SKIERS HEAD TO SCOTLAND FOR BARGAIN BREAKS. {Travel}

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Scottish Independent Hostels are reporting a boost in visitor numbers, thanks to the early arrival of the white stuff!

All of Scotland’s ski centres are open, including Lecht, Glenshee and Cairngorm Mountain, with near-perfect skiing conditions – and as a result, lovers of snow sports are heading north and bunking up in nearby hostels.

For Ardenbeg Bunkhouse in the Cairngorms National Park, Christmas and New Year was extremely busy with no let-up in numbers over the coming weeks.

Rebecca Reid explains: “We have had a good number of bookings over the last few weeks, mainly for skiers looking to take advantage of the great conditions. Last year’s successful ski season and the bumper start to this year’s, has given snow lovers the confidence to make the trip to Scotland.”

Chase The Wild Goose Hostel in Banavie near Fort William is another perfect location for snowboarders and skiers.

Liz Fairclough from Chase the Wild Goose Hostel adds: “The benefits of hostel and bunkhouse accommodation is that it offers so much accommodation options, from en-suite family rooms, to the more traditional dorm-style sleeping arrangements. This works well for families and groups who like the relaxed environment and cost-effective catering, as well as the option to eat in local pubs and restaurants.”

Fraoch Lodge near Aviemore is within striking distance of the slopes, but also caters for other winter sports. The team offer guided walking tours, including a winter walking skills course.

For the more adventurous Fraoch Lodge also runs Snow Hole Expeditions during the winter months where participants help construct a communal snowhole. Once complete, Andy, the guide, cooks a three-course dinner by candlelight before bedding down for the night.

Andy enthused: “Nothing can compare to waking up in the absolute silence of a pristine winter wonderland bathed in the soft light of a Cairngorm dawn. It is truly magical!”

The Roy Bridge Hostel in Lochaber provides bunkhouse style accommodation at the budget price of £12.50 per person per night. It sleeps up to 28 people in private rooms for two, four or eight people. Just five miles from the Nevis Range, The Roy Bridge Hotel next-door serves bar meals daily and the friendly bar is open for après ski.

Andrew Donaldson, chair of Scottish Independent Hostels, concluded: “The year of austerity shouldn’t mean an end to holidays. A stay in a hostel is not only great value, it is also a great way to explore Scotland with friends or family. Our members offer so much individuality from collecting your own eggs for breakfast, to building a snow hole. The experiences are endless and all are star-rated by Visit Scotland.”

Details of all the hostels mentioned can be found on www.hostel-scotland.co.uk