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I think, deep down, I was prepared for what was to come. I just didn’t want to face it until it was right in front of me. From the second our producer gave me the plane tickets to Vancouver and I saw the times of departure and arrival, I knew what it would be like.

I hate long distance flights. I avoid them whenever I can help it, which is why I never go on far away vacations.

I generally like flying, but definitely not for ten hours. I can’t figure out why I can’t sleep on planes, so I have to waste my time reading, watching movies, drinking, stretching. And it’s still annoying as hell.
This was a necessary intro if I want to stress how incredibly relieved I was when I landed in Vancouver after 18 hours. The first thing we had to do was to confirm our press accreditations which, in the last few years, thankfully took place at the airport; an incredibly practical idea. Next we picked up our luggage and were directed to the buses which would take us to Whistler.

This world renowned, up-class resort is the location to where the majority of the competitions will take place. It only made sense for my co-workers and I to find accommodation in the centre of it all.

Glad that everything was going so smoothly, I pushed my trolley towards the parking lot. I knew that I was facing yet another two hours of driving but the thought of a shower and a bed at the end of it all calmed me down considerably. That was the plan at least, before a young man with a fake Olympic smile informed us that the bus wasn’t there yet.

Five minutes, the young man told us. Two and a half hours later, when the bus still wasn’t there, I wasn’t the only one feeling borderline suicidal. All my co-workers from the Slovene National TV, our colleagues from Austria and the ZDF German crew shared our desperation.

Eventually, we did manage to make it to Whistler and this wasn’t to be the end of our problems. The driver wasn’t a local and by this I mean he had never yet set foot in Whistler. He did have a commendable desire to take everyone right to the doorstep of their hotel but since he didn’t know where he was half the time, this got more and more annoying. He typed the coordinates into his Garmin and then struggled with the town’s new driving regime, set up for the Olympics. When we did manage to find a hotel, it was usually located at the end of a series of narrow roads and passages and took forever to get back out again. Long story short, 7 hours after landing in Vancouver I got to my hotel room, too tired to even get upset.

The next morning when I woke up, Whistler was looking better than ever in the morning sunlight. I’ll write about the town itself later, for now I’ll just say that it’s very clean and there are two vast skiing areas on either side of the town. When I manage to find some free time during the day, I’ll definitely try out what the skiing is like here. That is, if the weather will get any better. Rain and overcast weather are coming in from Hawaii, the organisers haven’t managed to set up the men’s downhill training and the forecast is even worse for the upcoming days. It seems that even the backup plans and basic schedules for competitions will have to be altered.

The conditions are similar to Europe’s spring but it isn’t clear how long this bad weather will last. At the speed with which the weather changes around here, it might be that we will complain about excess snow in just a few days. The official opening ceremony is drawing nearer and nearer, the athletes have arrived and the spectators are gathering. The games can begin and we just need  the weather to cooperate.

More  Unique Adventures To Try in 2010

At the end of January I introduced you to some unique and even crazy pursuits to pursue and peruse this winter if :

A. You’re tired of skiing or snowboarding or the whole scene; or

B. You just don’t have the skills to be flailing down those impossible grades anyway. Now, I’ve got an activity for those with a problem.

C. You just aren’t into moving that much when on your ski holiday. Well, the kids aren’t the only ones who get to play from this day forward. Here are some other No Skills Necessary (not too difficult) Adventures (in their own way!) to try out this year.

Snowmobiling

If you like mounting a jet ski in the summer and riding over waves and pulling off 360s, then you’ll love snowmobiling; especially if you don’t want to have to do any work whatsoever. Snowmobiling gives you the chance to go out and about, cross-country style without the calorie-burning workout.

Everyone knows the Spanish love to get into a vehicle and go crazy, so odds are one of the best places to try snowmobiling this winter is in Spain or France. In the Sierras and near Malaga is where most Spaniards become suicidal adrenaline junkies. The area has some great inflatable tobogganing runs too—both unique minus the physicalness.

Dog Sledding

Though I’ve mentioned it before with horses, sledding with dogs can be one of the most No Skills Necessary approaches to having an exercise-free ski vacation. All you have to do is hold on and every-so-often yell, “Mush.”–Yep, that easy! If you want a romantic ride with a lover at sundown or organize an inter-familial race through the back country, both become possible behind a few mutts. They even make sit-down sleds that come with your own guide—talk about the ultimate of lazy leisure.

Ice Fishing

This does not mean you are looking for frozen fish. Ice fishing is probably the penultimate lazy leisure pastime, good for drinking hot cocoa, beer or other Russian-made mixed drinks containing 90% proof Vodka. The really cool thing about ice-fishing is you get your own little cabin, or you can share it with a couple friends. There’s not much to do but veg about when waiting on half-frozen fish to get hungry, so bring a book, a story-telling friend or a bunch of your favourite magazines and laze the day away.

Resorts such as Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy and Kiruna in Sweden, along with anywhere that has lakes and ponds, but bring your own auger if you plan on going alone.

Igloo Building

If you’ve always wanted to see yourself huddled in your own snowcapped igloo, look no further this ski season. Igloo building may take a little more effort than ice fishing or snowmobiling, but if you take your time, you won’t work up too much of a sweat. Often, people carve castles out of the ice so it’s not too much to ask to construct your own dog-house size home in the snow is it?

The areas on the border of France and Spain in the Pyrenees is likely igloo central for some odd reason. Plus, your kids will really think it’s cool that you built them a snow fortress, even if it is just a pile of dug out snow. Snowball fights don’t exactly take too much energy as well. Make two igloos and use them as forts of protection during the snowball fight. I think it was Puy Saint Vincent in France that even has a igloo building competition each year, but I’ll have to fact check that for you. Have a happy No Skills, lazy leisure ski holiday this year!

When I diverted my attention from the debate which was taking place at our table, I noticed a lone diner in the corner of the restaurant. The gentleman was eating a steak and enjoying a glass of red wine. He gave a distinct impression of a confident man, one who keeps himself and his surrounding under control. Makes sense, I thought. Otherwise he’d never be the most successful skier in the history of alpine skiing. To win 25 downhill races in the World Cup Championship, he needed to be daring, focused, egotistical and a bit crazy.

I got up and walked over to him. I spoke to him in German and invited him to join us for a drink at our table. I figured that such an important guest shouldn’t be left to himself in Kranjska Gora. Franz Klammer was visiting Kranjska Gora as a representative of Bad Kleinkircheim which, together with Tarvisio and Kranjska Gora, is a candidate for the organisation of the World Cup Championship in Alpine Skiing in 2017.

I introduced myself and when I told him that my colleague and winner of the Adelboden slalom in 2000, Matjaž Vrhovnik, is also at the table, he accepted my invitation. I must admit I was quite proud of myself as I waited on tenterhooks for the arrival of our intriguing Austrian guest.

After the mandatory greetings and introductions the atmosphere loosened up considerably and Klammer sat with us for a good hour and a half. It could have been even longer, but they were closing up the restaurant. Franz Klammer turned out to be a great person to talk to, both in German and in English, to which we switched so that the others could join the conversation.

He didn’t come across as self-centred for a minute, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say that a perfectly normal person was sitting amongst us – this was, however, the skier that dominated the slopes in the second half of the 70’s.

We mostly talked about skiing, and it was just a matter of time before we got to the winter Olympics in Vancouver. I remembered Kjetill A. Aamodt winning gold in super G in Turin with a performance that would normally come in 10th, at least that’s what the analysis showed. I wondered why those who ski incredibly well in races each week, can’t seem to put themselves together and do the same in the Olympics.

Franz Klammer heard me out and after a short pause replied that the role of a favourite in such an immense competition is a very ungrateful one, and that pressure is incredibly high. I replied that people like himself, or Michael Walchhofer or Didier Cuche as his modern equivalents, shouldn’t succumb to such nonsense. A skier that wins regularly in World Cup races has nothing left to prove to anyone. He thought again for a moment and said “If I hadn’t won gold in 1976 at Innsbruck, I’d still be a champion, but never a legend.” I remembered that race in a second; the day that every Austrian was sure Olympic gold was as good as theirs. Klammer made a series of mistakes on the upper half of the slope, but made up for everything in the middle and bottom, beat Bernhard Russi and won by 0,33 seconds.
A legend was born.

This is what athletes will be fighting for from the 13th of February. For themselves, for their country, for glory, for fans, for money. Two incredible weeks lie ahead, full of drama, surprises, sensations and tragedies – things only the Olympics can offer. Off to Vancouver!

The Littler Known Places to Go, Ski, and See

Just because a ski resort is little known (or not known at all) doesn’t mean that it is has no good outdoor winter activities. Quite the contrary: Some of the best kept secrets are that exactly—the places that not too many people think of going. Though the locals may know about their own best-kept secrets, it doesn’t mean that you can’t barge in for some serious skiing or boarding on your neighbors powder. I’ve come up with some out-of-the-way ski destinations and what you can do there this winter. It’s time to give up the crowds, expense and go native.

Andorra

Though you may have never thought of taking a visit to Andorra—that little speck tucked between Spain and France—there are some ski resorts you won’t soon forget. One that comes to mind is Vallnord Ordino, Arcalis. Arcalis is literally concealed between the main Cercle d’Arcalis, a valley with some snowy north-facing slopes with trees all around. Aside from some crazy locals and those living in the neighboring towns (across the borders), you won’t find this place overblown with tourists. The nearly 700 meter drop won’t leave you laughing except for the joy of being alive (OK, it’s not that bad) and  there probably more snow making machines per  hectare than any other European snow resort.

Austria

It’s a little harder than you might think finding a “small” or “reclusive” ski resort in Austria that no one has ever heard of. One that I came across, however, is not as small and popular as it feels. Lech (Zurs am Arlberg) is one of those getaways that you won’t be disappointed I when you get here. There’s a few more than 100 ski slopes to choose from and a cool children’s park and a few times a day you can jump on a horse drawn sleigh. The 2800 meter vertical will take up plenty of your day perfecting.

Germany

The little-heard of ski resort of Wallberg in Germany is a recluses dream ski holiday. Though there is one great toboggan run around 7 km long and a ski slope meant for true experts, Wallberg is meant for those who come to do other activities in the snow. Those few souls looking for outdoor adventure away from the crowds during the ski season come to Wallberg for cross-country skiing, primo explorations around lake Tegernsee and Nordic skiing. Others come for the views and the unconventional panoramic views from the restaurant.

Switzerland

If you’re looking for a small escape in the land of plenty, then a trip to the 10 ski slopes at Kandersteg will keep you solo and happy. The number of km for the slopes is about 50 km, so there’s some nice diversity in the long runs. However, Kandersteg really only caters to intermediate and expert skiers, again, making it an escapist’s snowy dream. (There are some blue slopes, so don’t fret.) You can even get up to 3000 meters and head down the 1700 metered slope as many times san-lines as much as your heart desires. Kandersteg probably has the cheapest weekly rates, starting at around 115 Euro per week. Not too shabby, eh?

It’s always hard to skip powder days because of the contests, but in this case it was worth it

Gloryfy bastards was a contest with the best format ever. Hitting the biggest hip of my life in Gerlos at night was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had.

I came to Gerlos on Friday night and missed the training and when I saw the feature I was blown away. A perfect shaped hip almost in the middle of the village was looking really cool and pretty big. 18m of flat at the top which looked sketchy to hit over but soon this myth was busted when I started to hit it during morning practice.

Within 6 attempts I decided to go a bit faster and jumped over for the first time. Came a bit short but everything was ok.

Qualifications started with a jam session of snowboarders before skiers and snowboarders didn’t step it up. One of them made it over with a backside 180 and that scared me a bit because my first goal was to do some cool tricks over.

It was snowing and there wasn’t much speed. Our time was up and the skiers were all pumped. I did a couple of jumps on the side and then surprised everyone by doing a smooth 540 over the whole thing. Since then everything just went crazy. Everyone saw that it was possible to do so they stepped up their game as well. It was madness already in Qualis. My team-mate and I made it through to the finals which was pretty cool.

The finals started with a best trick session where I made a mistake and didn’t land my 900 tail. But the team finals were still ahead of us. We did a run with his 180 and my 540 and decided to go for all or nothing on the second run. We didn’t make it so we had to be pleased with 3rd place which is  pretty ok for this invitational contest that had also beaten me up so many times before with big crashes.

Once I came up short and knocked my knee into my face and broke a lens. Another other time I went for a 9 and as soon as I came out I knew it was going to be big. I couldn’t see anything in mid air, but when I came out, I saw I was still 5m too high for a sweet landing and landed really deep and ejected out of my skis. The feature was 10m high and as you can see from the photo that I was already pretty high, so you can imagine how big the crash was.

As soon as I came home I got a call from my friends saying that powder time was on and we built a kicker in the back-country and got no shots which was a bummer.

Today, however, we went across one peak and found a perfect playground which helped us shred the best pow of the year and put a big smile on our faces.

So many things can happen in just a few days and I’m already stoked about the new snowfall which is coming in a few days!

The organisers of the World Cup races at Kitzbühel are looking forward to a very special visitor. During the 70th championship in Hahnenkamm, Daniel Albrecht will visit the Mecca of skiing. The Swiss skier fell badly during downhill training last year when he jumped the final jump on the slope. His injury was followed by weeks of recovery in an artificial coma followed by a lengthy rehabilitation, which still aren’t quite over.

He’s been in great shape for some time now and there is more and more talk about his returning to the slopes. In his case it’s more about his psychological recovery and the strength needed for him to revisit Kitzbühel. Luckily for him, he doesn’t remember the day of the accident.

Albrecht’s and Scott McCartney’s fall the previous year triggered several changes in the fear surrounding the Strife slope. The measures they took are not just safety related, the course itself was changed. This year, we won’t be able to see the final jump, where skiers flew for up to 80m; in fact, they changed it so much that skiers will barely leave the ground. This was an understandable change, since the skiing speeds have increased in the last years. But skiers enter the final jump straight on, so the speeds shouldn’t pose a problem. Even the famous “traversa” pass will lose much of its diversity this year.

The organisers have done their best to keep the slope as mellow as possible. No bumps and waves that threw skiers off balance this year. The most difficult and spectacular race of the season will lose some of its appeal this year. Wengen lost its final “S
and Brüggli, Kitzbühel the final jump and the traversa. Who knows, perhaps Bormio will shorten the infamous San Pietro next year. What will the people that put themselves to the test and won, fell and risked their lives on these slopes say?

Bode Miller said in Wengen that he was happy that he won the Lauberhorn race on the original slope. He said that it had lost its charm now, and that even the F1 races aren’t driven on straight roads. Drivers and skiers must know how to slow down on turns to a point where they can pull them off. Those, who do that best, are winners, and this is surely the point of these competitions. The problem is that in the beginning of the season we lost 3 or 4 contestants per race, and the FIS had to put a stop to it.

This year’s first training on the Streif passed without casualties, which was not the case in previous years. We’ve already mentioned Daniel Albrecht and Scott Macartney, but Ondrej Bank, Tomas Graggaber, Hans Knauss, Pietro vitalini, Josef Strobl, Brian Stemmle and Andrej Jerman are among them as well, to name just a few. That’s how the Streif myth was formed and that’s why winning this one meant much more than any other; and this shouldn’t change. There should always be a nervous silence at the start of Streif. After all, there are 50,000 people waiting for them at the bottom, ready to proclaim them the winner.

The Mousetrap (Mausefalle), the Slope (Steilhang), the Old Snare (Alte schneise), the Hausbrg break (Hausbergkante) and the final jump (Zielsprung) should remain as they are. Streif should remain intact, because this way, today’s winners are equal to those who won the previous years; and for them, winning Kitzbühel means becoming living legends.

Classically Chic France

Courchevel, as much of the great skiing in France goes, is located in Savoy, walled in by the Three Valleys, or Les Trois Vallees. I’ve never personally explored all of the Three Valleys in France, but I have come to rely on Courchevel as my port of entry, so to speak. Even when the dollar  falls, I still got a chalet with two other families for something ridiculously low (around 150 Euros each for the week). Blues and reds dominate the landscape and there’s always deals to be found, from happy hour to hotel specials. If you’re looking for a snowy French escape, it doesn’t get much more classically chic than in Courchevel, that much I’m certain. To find more pictures, hotel or apartment in Courchevel follow the link

Italian Mountain Adventures

Madonna di Campiglio is about as close to the Dolomites as I want to be. Not that I can’t find suitable skiing, but I swear I had a dream that the shark-like jaws of the mountains in the backdrop were eating me on my last skiing vacation there. Madonna makes experts wish they tried harder and leaves us blue and red skiers black and blue for days. The one slope I really like lasts almost 4 km with another 60 interlinking slopes to choose from. If you’ve wanted to take the family to a place where you could all get away (and hide for the day) then Madonna di Campiglio is the place to do it. Plus, the gastronomy is everything Italian and more. To find more information about Madonna di Campiglio hotel or Madonna di Campiglio apartment, click on those links.

Spanish in Style

If you’re going to ski spain, then you must ski Spain right. That is, Formigal is probably one of the best ski resort stopovers in the Pyrenees. I’ve skied it in the winter and hiked it in the summer, and the views, slopes and resorts are well worth the visit. Formigal wasn’t really much before it turned itself into one of the most comprehensive skiing resorts, if not in Europe then in Spain. The place, then, was built for skiing—purpose built—so there is no bad pistes to be found. The ski lifts are well oiled and get you to the top lickety-split. Formigal fits in with the rest of Europe’s over 100 Club (over 100 km of slopes to access) and has plenty to do for those looking for a mixer or two.

Outdoors in Austria

Anything outdoors in Austria is going to be amazing—they seemingly set the standard, or at least the bar for how a resort ought to be fun. Molltaler Gletscher is no exception to the Austrian rule of fast, and efficient fun. I think it was here I got stuck on the funicular, though it was exceptional, and had to wait about fifteen minutes on the side of the mountain. I mean, Obertauern is nice too, but I chose skiing Molltaler Gletsher because of how easy it is to get there from the Klagenfut airport or from Vienna. Plus, there’s just more to do than can be done in just a week or more. The snow park, alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and everything in between can’t be beat. If for no other reason, the ski season here is one of the longest till mid-April and the 50+ slopes offer something for all shades of skiing abilities. If you need some more information or looking for pictures, then visit Moelltal hotel and apartment page and check how easy it is to hit the slopes during the summer.

I like to jump, I like to go high and I like to do mellow tricks. I guess I’ve chosen Gloryfy Bastards over the Polish Freeski Open because of that.

This weekend I was invited to hit a 10m high corner jump with a drop-in from a digger’s hand. 8 teams with 2 skiers will compete together for best style, best trick and highest air jump.

SNOWBOARD:
Wolle Beer
Steve Grumser
Corsin “Cuga” Simeon
Davide Beltracchi
Steve Kröll
Rudi Kröll
Manuel Bernert
Jocki Köffler
Reini Rieser
Friedl Kolar
Anthony Smits
Werni Stock
+ 4 more tbc

FREESKI:
Mike Waltl
Martin Misof
Mike Hauser
Kevin Sagmeister
Fabio Studer
Christoph Söllner
Luggi Brucic
Matthias Egger
Bine Zalohar
Dominik Hasibeder
+ 6 more tbc

I’ll be representing Slovenia and hope that Redbull will also give me wings to go high enough!

See us in the air!!!

The mountains of Europe are undeniably some of the best in the world for skiing and snowboarding. Plus, Europe’s long on-the-powder history gives them an edge in resort flavour and development. Though there are hundreds of resorts to choose from sprinkled throughout the mountains of Europe. I think there are some key resorts and mountains worth seeing before you kick the bucket. The next time you’re writing out your own Bucket List (list of things you’ll do before “kicking the bucket”), be sure to include some of these mountain ranges and mountainous resorts in your pre-death itinerary.

Of  Course, The Alps

I don’t really intend on giving you a Wikipedia lesson here, but the Alps in case you were wondering is the name given to several ranges, sub-ranges and sections that start in Austria and carve their way through Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, Liechtenstein, France and Germany (not necessarily in that order). Even without Wiki, you’d probably still know that Mont Blanc is the highest summit of the Alps, over 4800 meters.

Ok, so back to the resorts. Mountains (though beautiful), only becomes accessible with the resorts. If you must see Mont Blanc, then book reservations at Chamonix, with plenty of off-piste and groomed slopes. Other must-stay resorts in the Alps include Cortina in Italy, St. Moritz, Grindewald and Zermatt in Switzerland, and Kitzbuhel and St. Anton in Austria. You can click here to find most of my descriptions by country of each resort I’m talking about.

Ah Oui, The Pyrenees

The Pyrenees are the mountain range that split France and Spain up—something had to. The Pyrenees are quite long and reach east to west across the whole of each country. Two years ago, I backpacked for several weeks along the GR10 trail on the “French side.” The resorts I really like that are in the Pyrenees (Spain and France) are Les Angles nearby to Mont Louis (very full of nature activities), Bareges, La Mongie and Font Romeu, Formigal and La Molina. The Pyrenees also house Panticosa and Baquerira Beret ski resorts, though some of these are not intended for beginner skiers. One of the great things about staying at hotels or resorts in the Pyrenees is their proximity to the stunning European cities, like Barcelona, Spain and Toulouse, France. If you get sore and tired and want a day’s escape (as I often do), it’s not hard to drive down and back up the mountains in one day or less.

Duh, The Dolomites

Though these might be considered by some as part of the Alps, they are situated in Italy, starting in Brenner Pass all the way to Monte Croce Pass. You may have also heard of Marmolada, the highest peak reaching almost 3350 meters. Even if you’re a beginner or intermediate skier, the Dolomites are great because you can always see the jagged scenery around you. Even while whimpering down a kiddy slope, you’ll still feel like you’re skiing some rugged terrain.

The Dolomiti Super Ski area is arguably one of the best skiing deals in Europe, with resort after resort offering some great high-season deals. Don’t miss out on such top-rated resorts as Cortina d’Ampezzo, Madonna di Campiglio, Val Gardena or San Martino di Castrozza. The Dolomites has something for everyone, of every ability. There are over 400 linked lifts and if those can’t get you where you want to go, there are inter-connective buses careening the mountain roads all day long. I love it here for all the choices.

There’s tons of other resorts and at least five or six more mountain systems, so do your research and get out there this year while the snow keeps falling and falling.

It’s great to make progress in skiing; but to have an impact on other kid’s progression, is way cooler.

Last weekend, I won the first stop of the “Quicksilver Slovenia Free-ski Tour”. A series of events throughout the season, intended for Slovenian kids only and designed to introduce them to the free-skiing world and help progress them in skiing through events like these. I couldn’t be more prouder than to see kids jumping on kickers bigger than on most contests. Even if they can’t reach the double cork level, they still keep up with style and confidence to hit the course with flat up-rail, 16m and 15m kicker in the line.

flat rail is fun if you fly out of it

loads of airtime helped me to do easier tricks with ease

representing 4frnt MSP skis…they’re true killing machines

and always good to have photos with my groupies

Next up is the Gloryfy Bastards Invitational event in Zillertal (25m kicker…plenty airtime) stooked!