J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by J2SkiNews

The legal case being brought by French authorities against tour operator Le Ski have been postponed for a second time.

The case, one of three wholly separate legal actions being brought on different grounds at present by French authorities against British companies and individuals in the ski travel business, began in its present form at the end of winter 2012-13 when Le Ski staff who were showing the company's clients around the slopes were stopped and questioned.

The French case is essentially that to do so the British ski hosts need to be fully qualified teachers under the French qualifications standard, the British case that they are not teachers or teaching, just providing a helpful orientation tour free of charge, so do not.

The case meant only limited ski hosting, or 'social skiing' took place last season where agreements with qualified teachers could be reached. British tour operators are supporting Le Ski, other businesses involved include Alpine Elements, Crystal Ski Holidays, Esprit Ski, Inghams, Mark Warner, Neilson, Ski Olympic, Ski Total, Skiworld, Thomson Ski.

The case was due to be heard yesterday having been referred from November 2013 at the joint request of the Ecole du Ski Français (ESF) and Le Ski as both parties concurred that the European legal issues raised by the case are complex and required careful examination.

Le Ski submitted a detailed written defence which shows, in particular, that they believe that the French regulations banning ski hosting are clearly discriminatory, as all French civil servants and teachers established in France are exempt from any qualification requirement.

The applicable section of French law is therefore unjustifiable under EU law, Le Ski claim.

"The ESF have requested more time to consider the legal arguments and extensive European Court case-law on which our defence is based. Given the serious implications of the outcome of this case, and in the interest of a thorough legal debate, we have agreed to a deferral." said Le Ski's boss, Nick Morgan.

The case is now due to return to court on July 2nd.

(Pic Credit: Dave Camara/Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, rider Alex Bidgood)

Arapahoe Basin, the only ski area still open in Colorado and now one of less than half a dozen still open in the US, has decided to extend its 2013-14 ski season by a further week to the weekend of June 6th-8th, 2014

After receiving two feet (60cm) of snow from the latest spring storm to hit the Rockies, Arapahoe Basin Ski Area (A-Basin) the resort says it will re-open for at least one bonus weekend June 6-8, 2014 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday), implying there could be more.

"If conditions remain favourable, and people still continue to be excited about skiing and riding this spring, our hope is to take this season even further," said Alan Henceroth, A-Basin's Chief Operating Officer.

Since opening for the season more than seven months ago on October 13, 2013, Arapahoe Basin has received approximately 35 feet (419 inches) of snowfall through May 13, well surpassing the entire 2012-13 season total of 307 inches.

In 2013, May brought 47 inches of snow to the Basin, and this May the ski area has already seen half of that amount. Currently, A-Basin is operating with an 80 inch base and over 80 percent open terrain.

If the season is extended further, regular operations will be on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only. Stay tuned to Al's Blog, the A-Basin Facebook page and ArapahoeBasin.com for snow conditions, photos and information.

(Sunshine after the snow at Arapahoe Basin in Colorado today)

There's been heavy snow in the Alps and Rockies, just as most ski areas have now finally closed for the 2014-15 season.

The latest snow fall follows a similar post-main-season fall in the first week of May – meaning that May is starting to look a snowier month than April at altitude in some resorts.

Of the areas that are still open, the Kitzsteinhorm glacier at Kaprun reported 20cm of fresh snow over night this morning. It's open in to June.

It was a similar story across the Atlantic where most areas have closed already, but Arapahoe Basin in Colorado, also open to June, also reported a 20cm snowfall.

Snow also fell at Tignes and Val Thorens, which had been the last two ski areas still open in France, but they closed at the end of Sunday, as did Ruka, the last area open in Finland.

Lake Louise closed in Canada leaving Sunshine and Whistler as the only areas still open there, for one more week. In the US Squaw Valley closed too leaving less than half a dozen areas still open there.

After ten months of construction, the Glacier Restaurant at the Jungfraujoch – Europe's highest rail-served point, high above Grindelwald and Wengen - has reopened.

Jungfrau Railways have invested approximately 11 million Swiss francs (£7.4m) in upgrading their 'Top of Europe' excursion destination which also offers skiing in summertime.

The Jungfraujoch is next to the Aletschglacier and there is one lift on the glacier. It's a big attraction for beginners and those who can't wait until next winter.

The centrepiece of the renovation is the newly created glass façade that offers two storeys with an unobstructed view of the Aletsch Glacier.

The Eiger group restaurant and Bollywood Restaurant offer a total of 360 seats. The completely new interior with multimedia equipment, a new toilet facility on the lower level and two independent modern kitchens increase the quality standard and offer guests greater comfort.

The full-surface glass façade extends from floor to ceiling on both floors, and it combines the cuisine with a view of the glaciers. Thanks to a sophisticated climate system, the building can be heated as well as cooled by the façade.

Intensive snow removal in June 2013 was required before the renovation work could begin and service at the Glacier Restaurant was discontinued at the end of the summer season on 23rd September 2013. Despite the difficult climatic conditions at 3,454 metres above sea level, the project was finished ahead of the tight schedule. Both restaurants opened earlier than originally scheduled. Although work was carried out while the restaurants were in operation, there were hardly any restrictions for guests.

The London ski show will be a day shorter this winter say the organisers, cut from five to four days.

The new format will include two late night openings, "…where you can enjoy an exciting après ski atmosphere with live entertainment," said a statement from The Daily Telegraph who currently run shows in London and Manchester.

The Manchester show takes place first from 24th-26th October and the shortened London show will take place from 30th October to 2nd November afterwards.

Last year The Daily Telegraph's shows operator scheduled their Manchester show that its dates clashed with the long running Birmingham Ski show after the new operator of Birmingham announced an all new invigorated show format.

Eventually the new Birmingham show organiser had to throw in the towel and the show did not happen for the first time in 20 years. There have subsequently been rumours of a new party organising a new show this autumn, but so far there's nothing officially announced and the NEC's site is not showing any snow event in October or November.

Similarly the Scottish snowsports show website is currently dead
(www.scotlandsskishow.co.uk) so it's not known if this will return to the SECC in Glasgow this autumn.

A new study in to the likely effect of climate change on Bulgarian holiday destination has reported that it's good news for the country's summer destination resorts, bad news for the ski areas.

The study, published by the Bulgarian Ministry of Environment and Water, said that the priod from spring to summer with warmer days would be longer and drier after 2020 in the southern European nation. Winter will be shorter as a result - and warmer too.

"Ski resorts and other activities related to winter tourism will be hardest hit by the climate change, which has a direct negative impact on the local communities depending on the jobs and the revenues generated by this type of tourism," a report in a Bulgarian newspaper, Trud daily, concludes.

The report also said that there may in future by five or six bad winters for every good year.

The news, along with a report that this last winter a smaller Bulgarian resort failed to make a profit as it sent more on snowmaking than it made in ticket sales, does not seem to have dampened the appetite for ski are development in Bulgaria.

Bansko wants to expand its ski area and a whole new resort is planned in the Rila mountains.

"It will not be possible to offset the costs for expensive equipment for artificial snow using tourism revenue and even now their use discourages a substantial number of Bulgarian tourists," the report states.

The Snow Centre, the nearest indoor snow centre to London, will celebrate its fifth birthday next week on Bank Holiday Monday, 5th May, and has just announced that Olympic medallist Jenny Jones will be joining the party alongside pro athletes Aimee Fuller, Ed Drake and Jamie Nicholls. www.thesnowcentre.com/5today

Along with the pro athletes, to celebrate their fifth Birthday, The Snow Centre will offer free 15 minute taster lessons available for complete beginners, skier or snowboarder, adults and juniors.

Pro Instructor Warren Smith will also be on snow offering tips for improvers and more advanced skiers on the main slope.

Under seven-year olds can try out the Burton Riglets (snowboarding for children) alongside the outside Superslide.

Next season's kit will be available to test out from Head and Salomon and gear from Columbia and Dare2b will be available to win.

The Travel Clinic will be open in The Lodge Bar & Kitchen giving advice on when and where to go skiing next year from UK tour operators Crystal Ski, Ski Weekends and Zenith Holidays.

"Jenny is an inspirational figure and we are so pleased to have her and the other athletes at our event," said Ian Brown, Managing Director of The Snow Centre,

"Interest in snow sports soared during the Winter Olympics in Sochi and with her bronze medal success she really has inspired many new people to take to our slopes. We're thrilled to be able to introduce people to the snow and the slope and to help nurture the next generation of aspiring athletes at The Snow Centre. We're very much looking forward to our 'Snowday' event and hope to see new and familiar faces on the day and on the slope over the Bank Holiday weekend."

Sorry both, Andy is right re SCGB Leaders and someone who read the draft of that story had already pointed it out to me (that SCGB leaders do take people off piste) and I had corrected my master copy this end but it looks like I skillfully managed to post the initial version - will correct now. There appear to be similarities and differences between 'leading' and 'hosting' (1) They both take Brits on guided tours of the ski area for no extra cost - you're supposed to be in the Ski Club to be led by a SCGB leader, or a client of the tour op for the hosting equivalent. (2) Leaders can go on all terrain, hosts stick to easier pistes (3) Neither hosts nor leaders need to have ski teaching qualifications it seems, though some do. I've been told anecdotal stories about bad SCGB leaders which makes you think the French may have a point. Then again I've had first hand experience of terrible behaviour by fully qualified ESF teachers who lost one of my kids on the slopes of la Plagne and hadn't noticed/didn't care. (4) In terms of French legal implications, Leaders get no cash payment but get help with expenses, hosts get paid overall for their week's work (a few tour ops, I'm told, seem to be arguing the hosting bit is an extras bit of voluntary work on top of regular paid duties, presumably to try to skirt around the French law)