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I spent this weekend with a friend of mine filming at Vogel, Slovenia. We built a nice step-down jump over the road with had a great view of the mountains behind. A perfect place to make a cool trick over and get away with a clean shot which could be published on an internet page, ski magazine or on a commercial.

Performing tricks in the park are usually much more easier easier to do than in the great back-country of the Alps. The big difference between doing a jump in a park or in the back-country is often it’s location. Doing one in the back-country often has a rough landing zone which is covered with trees. It’s often short with no pop at the end and also it’s often narrow and the in-run is hardly skiable without a good knowledge of skiing. Below I have set out, in my opinion, 7 ways of progressing from park to back-country jumping:

1. get really comfortable with a trick in the park
2. find a nice open place with steep landing and without trees in it
3. locate the area where you can build the jump and making sure that you will have enough speed to clear the gap
4. get focused on the trick and landing before getting counting the number of tries (max 3)
5. land the trick with perfection
6. check the shot with your photographer and cameraman
7. take a rest, go for a beer at a lodge on the hill

These are just a few tips for all you free-ride and free-style skiers out there. Be careful that the location is not exposed to avalanches and that the weather is perfect.

On the Cheap Ski Destinations for ‘09 & ‘010

A bad economy got you, your family, your pocket book or your bank account down these days? Maybe you’re like me and your life partner recently lost her job? Well, here’s how I feel about it: I can either let the winter blues get me glum till hit I hit rock bottom, or I can take advantage of some of the rock bottom deals taking place all across Europe this ski season. You see, the smarter resorts have lowered and molded prices to fit the flailing economy, and this keeps visitor numbers and profits up—this is good for you and for them. At any rate, rather than sit at home and count your dwindling centimes, it’s better to count all the savings you’ll have this year in Terry’s “On the Cheap Top Picks” ski holiday destinations guide. (This is just a small list of many deals spanning the EU.)

Andorra:
Vallnord Ordino, Arcalis: There’s not a whole lot of ski runs per se in Arcalis, but the deals are hot enough to melt the snow this winter—don’t worry, they won’t. For the price of a disco entrance and a drink in places like Italy and France, Andorra has some economy-considerate deals with hotel stays for as low as 50-some Euros per night. Ski passes may even drop lower than the usual 160-Euro high-season, six-day cost to boot. I could stay for a month at prices like that even with my penny-pinching lifestyle.

Austria:
Solden Glacier: Believe it or not, even the most popular and hottest places to ski this year have some of the sweetest and economy-thoughtful deals. Austria always has a long ski season so they know that even if they offer deals—like almost 10% pre-season—they’ll make up the loss with the influx of cut-rate skiers (like myself). One of the apartments goes for 265 Euros per night for a six person apartment. Allow me to do the math: that’s 43 Euros per night for an apartment in Austria. Get a good deal with Ryan Air or Easyjet and that’s about as close as one can get to “on the cheap” this year.

France:
Alpe d’Huez: Some resorts in Alpe d’Huez in the central French Alps are basically handing out keys to free rooms this year. OK, it’s not that great but it’s close: Take 40% off…heck go ahead and pay 50—no, 48—Euros per night for a self-catered studio apartment; that doesn’t do it for you, fine…try a French chalet for 17 Euros per person (if you fill the 14 person chalet with 13 of your friends). The ski pass is always under 200-Euros for six-days likewise. Even Val Thorens is jumping in offering some 20% off the ‘09-’010 ski holiday. The French, sacrebleu, have some of the premier deals this season.

Switzerland:
Saas-Fee: When I travel to Europe in any season, I know that a room will cost me, at least I tell you, 50 Euros per night, except Switzerland. That is, until now: For 50 Euros per person per night, you can stay in a four person apartment, or for a few Euros more, a three room four-person apartment in Saas Fee for around 50 Euros. If the 150 or so slopes don’t draw you here, then the roughly 200 Euro six day slope prices might. Switzerland may be where shady business folk go to hide their evasive monies, but it’s also a great place to ski on the cheap this winter (and spend your existing monies).

Other Considerations:
Italy, Spain and Slovenia are also offering up some economy-sensitive bargains. You won’t have to feed your family on a staple of beans and rice to take your ski holiday this year, either. Just be on the lookout for deals that offer all-inclusiveness, slope discounts and places where groups get kudos for being bigger. I only tell you this because I am at the bottom of the proverbial totem poll this year in earnings, and if I can have a ski holiday, then by Almighty, you can too.

My skiing slang may in fact be very different than your slang, if you get my (snow) drift. However, skiing words—like snowboarding—has evolved into something of a different language. The way you say something, indeed, will determine if others understand what you’re talking about. Should you find yourself on the snowy slopes of Austria, France, Spain, Slovenia or elsewhere, it’s a good idea to jot a number of these down to throw into the (English) conversation. Though many of these are intended to be funny, some aim to really teach you something—imagine that, me teaching you something, laughable at best. At any rate, here are some words, phrases and their meanings to get you skiing smoothly through the next round table of ski-talk.

Après-ski: If you are quintessentially American and speak only one language, then “après” in French means “after”. Après-ski literally means “after ski(ing)”. Generally, it’s used in unison with nightlife and what a resort has to offer off-slope.

Crash landing: This is when you perform a neat-o trick mid-air but then really boink the ending. That is, the landing wasn’t good at all and you probably crashed.

Face Plant: Falling, landing or tripping flat on your face. Not pretty. Hurts. Sometimes funny.

Biff: This one is easy to remember if you’ve ever seen the trilogy “Back to The Future.” Biff is when your body hits the slope but somehow you recover quickly and ski the rest of the way down.

Bomb Hole: A hold left by a bomb? Nope. This is the landing mark you make after catching some air and then landing in the snow. A heavier person might leave a bigger bomb hole than a skinnier person.

Bono: (This one is so wrong.) To pull a Bono means to face plant into a tree while skiing downhill (for Sonny Bono). Hopefully this doesn’t lead to death but only a mild concussion.

Carving: This happens when you turn your ski and make a nice half moon and stop (generally) without face planting.

Choco Chips: These are rocks that poke up out of the snow. They look like chocolate chunks inside a cookie or biscuit.

Freshie: If you get to the slope early enough then you might get to experience freshie. This is what the snow is called when it’s unskied.

Lift Licker: When you, your kid, or your partner decides it’s a good idea to lick the lift, which can cause one’s tongue to stick to the metal on the lift.

Off-Piste: This is part of the slopes that are not groomed by snow machines. These may be through the trees or even in the backcountry.

Planker: This is a word used to designate a skier, not a snowboarder.

Sick: This is often used to describe something that is extreme or hard. It is often interchanged with wicked, which has the same connotations of dangerous-ness.

Snotsicle: If you’ve ever had snot frozen to your lip, chin, beard or goatee, then you’ve had a snotsicle. These might be salty to the taste, however. Gross!

Even if you’ve never stuck your ski poles into fresh resort snow, you probably still know the basics of what to take on a skiing holiday. I mean, anyone can guess skis, ski boots, ski poles, perhaps a helmet, gloves, warm socks and so on, right? The same holds true for snowboarding I would guess too: snowboard, boots, helmet, perhaps a tailbone pad, gloves and the like. Well, since we all know what to bring for skiing, it’s time to create a list to bring for comfort. I always try to pack things that will make my trip not only fun but also more enjoyable. Here’s what to bring if you’ve ever caught yourself saying things like, “Oh, man my lips are chapped.” or “The sun is sure bright today.” or “My hands [or feet] are freezing.”

“My hands or feet are freezing.”

Let’s start with probably the number one complaint while on the slopes. One of my favourite tricks for keeping my hands and feet extra toasty while battling Mother Nature’s winter fury is to pack hand warmers. I know of two kinds: the kind that you sort of crack that produces a chemical heat and the kind you light a carbon stick with a lighter and put inside a protective box. I prefer the latter because it’s cheaper, and I find the kind of heat produced by it more pleasant. These babies keep my hands almost sweaty which sure beats the fingernail-pull feeling of fingertips going numb!

“I don’t know where the h&@#$* I’m at.”

I use to carry my cell phone with me just in case I found myself lost, if that makes any sense—if it does then you probably have too. In any event, if you’ve ever muttered “I’m lost” or an above variation, then you should carry a trail map with you. Ok, sounds simple enough but I run into skiers and boarders all the time that don’t have a map with them. “All the slopes lead down, mate.” I was once told. I wanted to punch that dude, trust me. Just ask your hotel lobby informant or take a quick visit to the tourist office to get the most up-to-date trail and piste map.

“The sun is bright today.”

Most people bring either glasses or goggles to protect from the glare of the sun. Others, however, walk around with frozen water droplets splattered on their glasses and goggles. To avoid this, if I may suggest, is to bring a small chamois or lens cloth. I find myself cleaning my goggles almost every time I’m on the cable or gondola lift. Trust you me, once you find yourself on the Harakiki in Mayrhofen (Zillertal) in Austria for minutes at a time for example, you’ll have to use an ice scraper on your goggles to see clearly again.

“I sure get hungry and thirsty while on the pistes.”

If you ever get the munchies while skiing, then you should always carry a snack or two plus water or drink with you. I enjoy trail mix or an energy bar but sometime I crave a simultaneous sugar and caffeine buzz. If this happens, I like to take my favourite candy or chocolate bar. Chocolate is a notorious snack that gives you everything you need to stave off a large meal that would make you sleep rather than ski or snowboard.

Though you shouldn’t eat it, I like also to take sunscreen, chapped lip salve, a padlock (or money change) for lockers and (to be sure) my favorite apres-ski clothes. “You are not wearing that are you?” my girlfriend has never ceased asking. “What, I like them tight,” I always retort.

Before you go:

1- Choose a destination. Of course, ski resorts are like anything else, fame equals high prices, but it just might not be what you need. Consider the maximum distance you wish to travel, the ski/snowboard abilities of everybody travelling with you, as well as the services and installations you cannot go without. Medium-size and smaller resorts, say Puy St. Vincent, France, could have an offer that exactly corresponds to your needs and wishes, but at a much lower cost than, say, Zermatt, Switzerland.

2- Consider all costs when choosing your destination. When you compare costs between two ski resorts, make sure to you consider ski passes, but also the average price of restaurants, ski schools, equipment hire and accommodation, and also transport to and in the resort (airfare, car hire and shuttle).

3- Call the tourist office. The tourist office definitely should be the first place you call once you’ve chosen your destination. You can get learn about very interesting deals and packages, and get insight on when to go. For example, at Easter kids ski for free in Saalbach.

4- Study all-inclusive packages carefully before you buy. It happens that these packages (that include airfare, accommodation, ski passes, equipment hire, etc.) are more expensive than if you purchased all items separately from different suppliers. It can also happen that they include goods or services you do not need nor intend to use but will pay for anyway with a package. Making your own package takes time, but it may be worth it!

5- Book ahead. Plane tickets, accommodation, equipment hire, and everything else you can book ahead deserve to be. Many providers offer first minute discounts that can be quite interesting, and you’re sure you’ll get the exact dates, accommodation or equipment you want.

6- Go for self-catering instead of a half-board or full-board. Apartments are usually the cheapest and most practical accommodation option, especially for families and larger groups. One exception: if you really don’t want to cook on vacation and intend to eat all your meals in restaurants, then it could be wise to opt for an accommodation providing half-board or full-board service.

Once you’re there

7- Visit the tourist office. Once you get to destination, make the tourist office your first stop to gather information about promotions and free activities going on. Many resorts offer some kind of club card or discount card that can be purchased at the tourist office.
8- Eat in instead of out. Whenever you can, shop at the grocery store and prepare meals using your accommodation’s installations. Pack a lunch when you leave for the day or get informed on the restaurants offering low-cost lunch menus.

Since I try to be the greenest possible at home (I recycle, make compost, cycle around town, buy local, etc.), I wanted to also ski green this winter. I quickly realized that green travel demands lots of planning so if you are also interested on skiing or boarding green (or at least greener) here are a few interesting leads you should start to think about.

When planning, make green choices

• Choose a destination closer to your place of residence.
• Choose train over car or plane, if possible.
• Choose a pedestrian resort such as Avoriaz, in France, or Saalbach, in Austria.
• Choose an accommodation close enough to the slopes so you don’t have to ride the shuttle bus.

On your way to the resort, move green

Travelling in itself implies the use of a mean of transportation: plane, bus or car. Except if you want to reach the ski resort by bicycle, your only option is to “offset” your emission.

• Plant trees in an equivalent amount to the carbon footprint of your transport.
• Buy carbon offsets from a recognized organization.

Calculate the carbon footprint your chosen means of transportation here.

In the resort, live green

• Choose privately owned restaurants, not chains, and prefer establishments where locally grown food is served.
• Opt for public transport, the ski bus or train, instead of renting a car.
• To discover certain natural beauties off the slopes, opt for snowshoes instead of a snowmobile. It’s certainly slower, but it’s quieter and you have better chances to spot an animal or a bird on your way.
• Choose green excursions and activities, most local tourism offices can tell you information about which companies are offering them.

On the slopes, ski or snowboard green

• Don’t litter, keep candy packages, lunch bags and other wastes in your pocket until you can dispose of it in a trash bin.
• Stay on marked pistes and, if you like freeriding, avoid breaking anything (branches, posts, etc.)

At night, sleep green

• Choose a hotel part of the BIO-Hotel Association or other recognized associations.
• Choose a locally owned hotel or bed and breakfast that respect high water-saving and energy-saving standards, even if it doesn’t have any certification.

Find the right compromise, the shade of green that fits you

I will not lie to you and tell you that I will exchange my 7-day ski vacation in the French Alps for a snowshoeing expedition in the city park!

Well… I think there is no perfect solution but every green action counts so I’ll start small this year, I’ll go to a car-free resort and find a green hotel to stay in. And you, what do you plan to do to ski or snowboard green?

…been there, done that, and loved it!

To get our share of fresh air, my companion and I spent four days in Innsbruck this summer.

On Monday, we arrive late and under pouring rain. After dropping our bags off at the hotel, we go to the tourist office to buy the 3-day Innsbruck card (€35/person) and 3 hours of wireless internet access (only €5,90: way cheaper than the one provided by our hotel). The Innsbruck card gives to its holder access to all public transport of the region, including the trams linking to neighboring villages, to all lifts (one ascent and one descent per lift) and all museums. This card is actually the way to go if you plan on using lifts because otherwise, it takes only two rides to spend more than €35…  We then find an appropriate restaurant and dine… In terms of dining out, Innsbruck has a dozens of restaurant to choose from, from Thai cuisine to traditional Austrian cuisine. Even though I’m not a big fan of Austrian cuisine, we always find something pleasant. Note that sadly, like in most of Austria, the city becomes very very quiet after 8 or 9pm.

Since clouds are low and rain is to be expected, we decide to dedicate Tuesday to the visit Innsbruck and some of its museums. Touristy and very well maintained, the older part of Innsbruck is interesting and small enough to easily be visited on foot. In my opinion, the museum of the Golden Roof is the only one really worth seeing, and a climb up the stairs of Stadtturm (the town tower) is definitely worth the sweat. If you cannot or do not want to go up all those stairs (140+), you can head to the 360° Bar. The view is not quite as nice as from the tower, but at least the climb to the 7th floor is done by elevator.

Wednesday, the clouds finally lift and we can admire Innsbruck under the sun, surrounded by majestic mountains. We take the tram from the city center to the village of Mutters, where we ride the Muttereralm lift up to 1,600m and then walk the Innsbruck Almenweg. I say walk instead of hike because it’s almost on flat land, cows and sheep are met along the way and many parts are accessible to strollers and wheelchairs. It was pleasant but not very demanding, and the poorly done marking of the trails made us at all time wonder it we were on the right path.

Thursday, we decide to discover the Nordpark so we take the cable railway from the Innsbruck Congress Center up to 860m (section Hungerburg), and then a cable car to 1,905m (section Seegrube) and a second one to 2,256m (section Hafelekar). The panorama offered at that height is breathtaking. We then ride the lift back down to 1,905m, where we have lunch in a mountain hut and hike down to 860m. There is some nice hiking to be done but to our greatest surprise and disappointment, here too the trail marking is confusing. From 860m, we go back on the cable railway and make a stop-over at the Alpenzoo. Mostly for kids, the Alpenzoo presents alpine animals (bears, wild cats, wolves, different species of birds, etc.). It is a clean zoo and animals can enjoy reasonable living space. One last short ride on the cable railway and we are back in the city.

Will we return to Innsbruck? I’m not sure we would go back in summer (after all, been there done that) but probably in winter to ski, admire a completely different scenery and meet a different crowd.

Get more information about sights and hikes in and around Innsbruck here.
Get information and book your accommodation in Innsbruck here.

Not sure what you want to do during the gap year you were sooo looking forward to six months ago? More and more young people put their gap year to profit to take courses and become a qualified ski instructor. Oh and obviously, you don’t have to get the qualification close to home!

Once again, The Skiing Department Blog offers great insight and info on the topic, with links to a few establishment offering ski instructor courses. See the post here.
Note that only one of the schools listed offers training in the Alps (in Verbier and Saas-Fee): the Warren Smith Academy.

1 area, 2 countries, 12 resorts-villages, countless activities included.

In my opinion, the Multi Pass Portes du Soleil is THE tool to fully take advantage of mountain holidays in the Portes du Soleil area, whether you intend to visit the French side, the Swiss side, or both. Valid until September 21st, visitors can by it at local lift and tourist offices. A day pass costs 6€ and a season pass, 50€, but if you stay at one of the numerous participating accommodations, it will cost you as little as 1€ per day of your stay to access all included activities.

The Multi Pass Portes du Soleil is valid in:
France: Abondance, Avoriaz, Châtel, La Chapelle d’Abondance, Les Gets, Montriond, Morzine, Saint Jean d’Aulps.
Switzerland: Champéry, Morgins, Torgon, Val-d’Illiez - Les Crosets -  Champoussin.

It grants its beholder unlimited access to the following installations in each of the above-mentioned resorts: tennis courts, swimming pools, mountain-lifts, bus shuttles, cultural sites and tourist road trains.

I actually fail to see why anyone would visit the Portes du Soleil area this summer and NOT get a Multipass, at least for a few days!

Don’t let your carefully planned mountain vacations be jeopardized by one or a few days of rain. If many activities cannot be conducted when it’s raining or on soaking-wet ground because it’s dangerous or simply unpleasant (mountaineering, mountain biking, etc.), most resorts are packed with interesting rainy day options.
Here is what I consider doing when weather isn’t cooperating:

1- Make the most of what you pay for
Whether you chose to rent a self-catered apartment in France or a suite in a 4-stars hotel in Switzerland, accommodations usually offer many facilities and equipments to occupy their customers’ rainy days. Get informed about the indoor pool, the sauna, the table tennis room, and also about the possibility to borrow books and board games. Catch up on your emails or plan the rest of you vacation on the internet in your accommodation’s WiFi zone. Hey, most of if is already included in your accommodation price anyway!

2- Take care of yourself
Head for one of the spas of the resort and choose a full- or half-day treatment with your other half.
For example the Aqua Dome in Sölden, Austria, offers many services, ranging from thermal spa treatments to hairstyling.

3- See the latest blockbuster
If like me you never have time to go to the movies at home, take advantage of a alpine vacation rainy day to hit the cinema and watch the latest blockbusters.
Cinemas in the mountains are plenty. There is a cinema in four of the five resorts forming Les Arcs, in France, and the very distinguished Crans Montana, in Switzerland, event has its own.

4- Learn more
Visit the museums in your resort, on your own or with a guide. It will allow you to learn more about the region you are in and the people who live there.
For example, here is a descriptive listing of the museums found in Valmeinier region, in France.

5- Be lazy
If you have no kids, stay in bed, read, watch TV (maybe in a foreign language), take a long bath, try the room service.

6- Be active
To keep your mountain holidays active, you can head for the sport center of your resort. Sport centers offer varied activities, from climbing walls to swimming pools, from badminton and tennis courts to football fields.
To take a look at the offer diversity, you can consult the list of indoor sport centers in Val Gardena, in Italy.

In my family, raining certainly rimes more with exciting than with boring! Any suggestions to keep busy during rainy days?