J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by admin

Several of Slovenia's ski resorts have undergone developments for the 2009/2010 season, offering skiers and snowboarders new facilities and greater access to the country's slopes.

The new ski piste linking Slovenia's Kanin ski resort with the Italian resort of Sella Nevea had its official opening on December 23rd 2009, creating the first international ski area in the region and the first lift to cross the old iron curtain.

The new aerial lift and ski run providing a wider choice of slopes for winter sports enthusiasts. A single lift pass will give skiers and snowboarders access to the pistes on both the Slovenian and Italian sides of the border. Daily lift passes for Kanin-Sella Nevea area start from €24 per adult and €15 per child.

December 23rd also saw the opening of a new gondola lift at Maribor Pohorje, Slovenia's largest ski area, situated in the northeast of the country. The new lift runs from the foot to the summit of the Pohorje Mountain in six minutes, with a capacity of 1,000 people per hour. This is double the capacity of the previous lift.

One of Slovenia's most famous resorts, Kranjska Gora, has recently opened a children's outdoor play area. A new magic carpet lift has been installed to transport young skiers safely. The area is open to all children and is free of charge.

For skiers and snowboarders looking for an adrenalin thrill a new snow park has been created at the Cerkno Resort in northwest Slovenia. The Cerkno Snow Park is aimed at snowboarders and acrobatic skiers and snowboarding and freestyle skiing instructors will available to teach beginners.
Courtesy of and © Snow24 plc

Val d'Isère is the latest ski resort to launch its own iPhone application, which provides useful information to iPhone owners across the Espace Killy, both in Val d'Isère and Tignes.

This application uses a patent pending technology to show your position on the traditional ski map allowing you to share this information with your "more traditional" friends using a paper map. Simply tapping on your location supplies the name of the slope you are on. You can even guide them to where you are. Of course you can zoom and pan the map as required.

For those of you using the iPod Touch or those who don't want to be dependant on network conditions in Val d'Isère or Tignes , you may preload a detailed map before travelling to the Alps on your home internet connection or any WI-FI network. This will also save money on internet charges in resort.

Another key feature allows you to obtain a detailed route from one spot on the mountain to another according to your standard of skiing. If you have the "roaming" option, it even gives you the exact skiing time, taking in to consideration the opening times of the slopes. If not, then use the WI-FI in your hotel to work out your route for the day before setting off.

For those lucky enough to be using 3GS iPhones, there's an enlarged summit identification database to help users identify the different mountains around them as they ski or board the Espace Killy.
Courtesy of and © Snow24 plc

A very Merry Christmas One and All!

Is it snowing where you are?

Congratulations to the 4-legged cornish pasty!

Have you started thinking about names yet? :lol:

But why the standby-midwife? Can't you just put mum in the fridge until you get back? :shock:

Munich's hopes of hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2018 have been lifted with the opening of a new 1.5 kilometre cable car service, capable of carrying up to 2,000 passengers per hour to the pistes of Garmisch-Partenkirchen – a key location for the Munich 2018 alpine events.

The eight million Euro 'Kandahar Express' represents a significant enhancement of the region's winter sports infrastructure and was partly funded by federal and state government, underscoring their support for the sports tourism industry and for hosting major events such as the Winter Games in 2018.

The news also gives a timely boost to Garmisch-Partenkirchen where the prestigious FIS World Ski Championships will be held in 2011.

The service was opened in style when German ski stars Christian Neureuther, Rosi Mittermaier and Martina Ertl-Renz became the first passengers.

Willy Bogner, Manager and CEO for the Munich 2018 Bid, "The Kandahar Express is an important investment for the future. It further establishes Garmisch-Partenkirchen as a superb winter sports region, offering benefits for the 2011 FIS World Ski Championships, Munich's bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2018 and tourism in the region. It also complements our aim to make the Games as spectator-friendly as possible."

The ´Kandahar Express`gives easy access to the three kilometre long Kandahar slope, which will stage most of the races during the World Championships. The re-built and modernised track was re-opened a year ago.

"Munich's application to host the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games reflects the region's enduring affinity with winter sports and its focus on protecting the environment in which winter sports are held." Said a bid spokesperson.

"The Games concept is based on sustainability and the short distances between innovative sports venues and its environmentally friendly Olympic Villages in Munich and Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Ice sport will be staged in Munich while Alpine events will be in Garmisch-Partenkirchen."

The Bid Committee has also developed a comprehensive environmental concept which is designed to set new standards for the Games.

www.muenchen2018.org

Courtesy of and © Snow24 plc

Schladming Spends €6m On Snowmaking and A Quad Chairlift

The Hauser Kaibling ski area above Scladming in Austria has invested around 6 million Euros invested in further infrastructure improvements to its 37 kilometers of ski runs this season.

The main focus has been on expansion of high-tech snowmaking capability, with 31 new snow canons purchased. The pumping stations have also been upgraded and a new water line installed from the River Enns.

The entire stretch from the Enns to the valley terminal of the Hauser Kaibling cable car has seen the installation of a second water line. This means that the 167 snow canons on the Hauser Kaibling slopes are now able to produce around 11,000 cubic meters of snow per hour, which equates to around 1,100 truck loads of snow. As soon as temperatures are far enough below zero, it only takes three to four days to guarantee basic snow cover from the summit down to the valley.

Half of the €6m spend has gone on a new summit quad chairlift reaching 2,015 meters above sea level.
Courtesy of and © Snow24 plc

johnski96 wrote:too crowded, too many rude French/embarassing English, overdeveloped, overpriced, bad food etc etc.

Yep, there are about half a dozen that can be like that... and about 300 that never are.

As jonG has illustrated, even the biggest resorts (and Les Arcs is fabulous) can be done without a daft budget if you're prepared to plan a little. But the easiest way to find what I think you seek is to look for the villages that have become ski resorts; and there are literally hundreds of them - often linked in to the larger ski areas.

johnski96 wrote:Can somebody recommend a French resort that will prove me wrong?

You enjoyed Champoluc, like a real town and lovely locals? Then The Aravis resorts (La Clusaz and Le Grand Bornand) should do you just fine. 8) The skiing's not bad either... and once you've realised how wrong you were about real French skiing you've got plenty more resorts to try. :D

Eurostar now saying there will be no *Eurostar* services running Sunday (20th); no change from Eurotunnel (so still "limited service").