J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by admin

Cairngorm Mountain above Aviemore in Scotland has finally decided to call it a day on their 2009-10 ski season after opening in June for the first time in 18 years.

Although final figures are yet to be published, it appears winter 2009-10 will have been one of the area's most successful for 20 years, with the lifts operating on around 150 days during the past eight months.

The only days the ski area was due to extreme weather, including too much snow in mid-winter, which took staff working flat out more than a week to dig out roads, lifts, restaurant and the funicular railways tracks. A local whisky distillery was so impressed by their efforts it rewarded each of them with a specially commissioned whisky.

Around 150,000 people have taken advantage of the great conditions and got out on the slopes.

Courtesy of and © Snow24 plc

In surprise news a second Canadian resort will be joining Whistler for snow sports next weekend. The Blackcomb glacier re-opens for summer snow sports from June 19th through to July 25th, but over on Vancouver Island, Mount Washington has also announced it will re-open its snow slopes, at least for the weekend of June19th/20th, at the start of its summer season.

Mount Washington was top of the world snowfall table for most of last winter with over 6 metres (20 feet) lying and the resort, which was the main pre-Olympics training base for international teams immediately before the Winter games in February, had over 15m (approximately 50 feet) of snow through the season.

It is now trying to clear snow that's still lying deep on the higher mountain bike tracks ready for the summer season, but has decided to offer summer skiing for the first time in its 32 year history too.

"The running joke at the end of the winter season at Mount Washington was that the snow would last until June and you would be able to ski and snowboard the opening day of summer operations. Joking aside, Mount Washington is announcing it will indeed open for skiing on the first weekend of summer." Said resort spokesperson Brent Curtain.

"We will be loading skiers and boarders onto the Eagle Express from 11am to 4pm on opening weekend," says Don Sharpe, Director of Business Operations at the resort. "Anybody wanting to head up for summer turns can do it for a special $25 lift ticket. As an added bonus, dads can ski or board for $10 on Father's Day when they head up the lift with their child."

Linton's Loop will be the chosen run for the summer skiing weekend. "Imagine telling your friends and family across the country that you skied on Vancouver Island on the first day of summer," adds Curtain. "It really is unbelievable."

Mount Washington Alpine Resort is located 30 minutes above The Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. WestJet, Central Mountain Air and Pacific Coastal Airlines service the Comox Valley Airport (YQQ).

Courtesy of and © Snow24 plc

Ian's covered it pretty well but just to add...

Starski is a good alternative ski school, with some excellent instructors.

There's a surprising amount of skiing for what's quite a compact resort, and a good lift system too. From what you say of your family, I think it would be ideal; early/nervous intermediates are very well catered for with some long confidence-building runs (best keep Mrs T off Le Lachat if you value your marriage though - head up there when you fancy a challenge!).

We've skied there a number of times and always enjoyed it. Food's great, locals lovely and scenery impressive. And if you like your birds, Eagles and Lammergeiers (3m wingspan) are regularly seen from the pistes. 8)

New run named "I'm In a Meeting."

Chile's Valle Nevado opens for its 2010 ski season this week with two new lifts allowing the creation of five new intermediate and advanced difficulty slopes including blue, red and black runs.

One of the ski-lifts is a double chairlift that is located in the Ballicas sector, the other a T-bar lift that climb to the highest part of the mountain in the Valle del Inca area, opening slopes of in a stunning location.

Both lifts will be in operation from the first day of the 2010 season and will be able to carry up to 1,300 persons per hour.

In the Ballicas sector the new Embalse (Reservoir) chair serves the new El Beso (The Kiss) and Chao Smog (Bye Smog) pistes. In the Incas Summit sector the new El Ancla (The Anchor) lifts serves blue slope La Felicidad (Happiness) and black slopes: A todo Pulmón (Full Speed Ahead) and Toy en Reunion (I'm in a Meeting).

Courtesy of and © Snow24 plc

The Otago Daily Times reports that...

The inquest into the death of Queenstown snowboarder Ryan Manu Campbell (30), who was crushed in a back-country avalanche last year, was deliberately timed for the start of the snowsports season "to point out to mountain users the dangers are real", the coroner said yesterday.

The full article can be found here but the summary points from the inquest are worth quoting :-

• Ryan Campbell was found under 2.5m of snow when a laptop-sized Recco device detected a weak signal from his digital camera.

• Communication between rescuers was an issue during the search, with limited mobile phone reception.

• The rescue dog did not find Mr Campbell because of the depth he was buried and the number of swirling scents from rescue personnel.

• Avalanche survival statistics from Switzerland indicate a 7% survival rate for burials of 120 minutes.

• Snowboarders are at a higher risk of burial because their boots are securely strapped to their board.

• New Zealand has the third highest per capita avalanche fatality rate in the world.

• A beacon, probe, shovel and partner are back country essentials

Ski Rebel reports damage caused by the river Glazne bursting its banks last month.

Dozens of hotels and houses flooded, streets and pavements destroyed, vehicles smashed and an avalanche of mud...

The deluge was caused by waters from the Glazne River, which flows through the resort's eastern area, near dozens of newly-built three and four-star hotels. After several hours of heavy rain water levels soared, and the Glazne River burst its banks, flooding hotels, cars and refuse bins, and everything in its path.

Local reports suggest that no one was hurt but that significant damage was done to roads and buildings with many of the resort's new developments caught in the flow of water and debris.

...

The Bansko Municipality are reported to have started work rebuilding roads and paths but non-resident owners of properties in the resort are being recommended to contact their local property management company, if they have one, to check on the status of their apartment.

Isn't this just because the (European) world and his dog have their half-terms in the same two weeks of February, and March is a quiet time on the slopes (even in Switzerland)?

bandit wrote:I think we've been here before Admin :D

Doh! :oops: