J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by J2SkiNews

While Austria has had eight ski areas open for over a month now, Switzerland half a dozen and even Italy four, Francophile skiers have only had one choice – Tignes, since the start of October (OK Les 2 Alpes did open for one week only at the end of last month).

All that changes the weekend after next when French resorts begin opening for 2011-12 en masse, starting with Europe's highest resort, Val Thorens on the 19th of November
The resort will stage one of the biggest season-starting weekends in the Alps which last year attracted 8,000 skiers, all of whom descended on the resort to test out the new snow and equipment.

Because its season starts early, on the 19th of November, and continues until the 8th of May, Val Thorens' ski area, 99% of which is located above an altitude of 2,000 metres, offers exceptional conditions and guaranteed snow cover, meaning, Val Thorens says, that every season the resort boasts the highest number of open runs in Europe.

This year, to satisfy even more visitors and prolong the joys of the opening weekend, Val Thorens is offering two consecutive events. First up will be the fourth edition of the Ski Force Winter Tour on the 19th and 20th of November, and secondly, the resort is set to welcome the Rock on Snowboard Tour for the very first time on the weekend of the 26th and 27th of November.
The Ski Force Winter Tour offers a double opportunity with participants having the chance to be the first to try out the snow and test the new equipment for 15 of the biggest ski brands while benefitting from the advice of professionals. Just by showing proof of identity, skiers can receive a test card free-of-charge which allows them to try out unlimited equipment throughout the weekend.

Since this event was established in 2008, the number of people in attendance has doubled every year and the number of weekend tests has grown by 60%. To extend the fun, skiers can also enjoy a stop-off during the day on the ice-driving circuit to watch renowned drivers train during the press presentation of the Andros Tournament Trophy.

Val Thorens then welcomes the first stage of the Rock on Snowboard Tour for the very first time. Along with 30 snowboarding brands including Burton, APO, Rossignol Snowboard, Oakley, Nitro, Go Pro will be there to try-before-you buy on Val Thorens' actual runs. Just by showing proof of identity, snowboarders will receive a free test card which lets them try out as much equipment as they like throughout the weekend.

Located near the brand village, situated at the Rond des Pistes, a range of entertainment will take place across the event including the chance to try out freestyle on an airbag, and enjoy a mobile snowpark made up of fun modules (guitar, piano, microphone...) Mulled wine and a great atmosphere at the heart of the test village from 4pm on Saturday!

Packages are available from 78€ per person for 2 nights' accommodation and a 2-day Val Thorens ski pass based on accommodation in a fully occupied studio apartment for 4 people (0033 (0)4 79 00 01 06; www.valthorens-reservation.com).

Opening period day lift passes are 28€ for adults and 21€ for children (6-12 yrs). A two-day ski pass (valid for the tow opening weekends) costs 50€.

Lake Louise

A new discount card has been launched by four of the leading ski resorts in Alberta and British Columbia in Western Canada.

The new Louise Plus Card (www.skilouise.com/louisecard) has been created by Lake Louise in partnership with BC resorts Kicking Horse, Revelstoke and Castle offering 13,600 skiable acres of skiing between them and has a remarkable list of benefits for a $99 (CDN) card.

Holders can ski three days for free at any of the four resorts and then get $20 off all other day tickets, all season long with no restricted days. The card also carries a huge variety of other perks and savings, including discounts on heli and cat skiing of up to $85 per day and what the resorts call, "meaningful savings," in Lake Louise, Banff, Kicking Horse and Revelstoke at 13 different hotels and 17 different restaurants.

"We work very hard building our list of valued partners so our customers can of course ski, but also stay, play, dine, and shop all over Alberta and BC for less," says Lake Louise proprietor Charlie Locke.

"There is no question that the new revised Louise Plus Card provides more value and is the best deal for skiers in the Canadian Rockies wanting both."

Other 2011/2012 Louise Plus Card exclusive benefits include no line and no cover privileges at several Banff Nightclubs and discounts on rentals, tuition and equipment tuning at Lake Louise Ski Area.

After 10 days of what the resort reports were great conditions, Les 2 Alpes (www.les2alpes.com) glacier closed on the 1st of November. The glacier will open again on 3rd December for the winter season.

From 22nd October to the 1st of November, thousands of keen skiers and snowboarders had been on the resort's snow slopes to get a warm up for the winter.

On 22 and 23 October, the resort hosted "Enjoy the Glacier", a snowboard and skate board test event. With 4,424 participants, pros and non-pros were able to test this season's gear in Les 2 Alpes snowpark, which had some special features for the occasion including a pole jam, spine, rainbow and more.

Brands available to test included: Billabong, Burton, DCshoes, Apo, Libtech, Yes., Volcom, Electric, Analog, Nixon, Element, Spacejunk, Monster, Go-shred.com, Montagne propre, Nitro, Nidecker, Rome, Furlan, Gnu, Drake, Roxy, Jones and Northwave.

Tignes is currently the only ski area open in France until Val Thorens opens in two week's time.

The next week or two will see the first of the big non-glacier ski areas begin opening for winter 2011-12.
Around two dozen areas are already open but they're generally either small high areas in North American, bigger areas with limited terrain or small glacier areas.

Tomorrow (November 4th) will see Copper Mountain in Colorado open, then on Saturday, November 5th, Lake Louise is due to join the party and on the 10th, Mammoth Mountain in California – which only closed last July, will be next. Breckenridge begins its 50th anniversary season next day, November 11th.

In Europe Obergurgl in Austria (the country's highest village), as well as Beatles' favourite resort Obertauern (featured in the movie 'Help') and Val Thorens in France (Europe's highest resort) will open in the middle of November, both with snow guarantees, the latter guaranteeing doorstep skiing from day one for it's 40th anniversary season.
The season seems to be playing out reasonably normally at this early stage in most areas of the world except 'unseasonably warm' Scandinavia where no resort has been open yet and Ruka in Finland for example, which has opened in October every year for the past decade, didn't manage to this year and remains closed. This is a potential worry with world Cup events scheduled for the as area within the month.

Anyone who fancies brushing up on their race training skills ahead of the main season can sign up for a specialist ski race training camp being organised in Austria by expert coaching company the Alpine Training Centre (ATC - www.alpinetrainingcentre.com).

Aimed at ski instructors and advanced recreational skiers wanting to improve their skiing by honing their race training skills the camps run from 13 November – 10 December on the snow-sure glacier slopes of year-round ski centre of Hintertux.

Participants can sign up for the whole four weeks or, subject to availability, it shorter period within the four week stretch. The Top Gun camp is aimed at revolutionising people's skiing and the training concept is based on a schedule that is three consecutive days at a high intensity followed by one day off. The basis of the training is on ski racing and getting faster through the racing gates - a proven way to improve technique and speed.

ATC was set up by Olympic ski racer Sean Langmuir to provide quality ski training with the world's best coaches for both ski instructors and advanced skiers. The coaching line up for what has been named the 'Top Gun' camp which runs for four weeks from includes ex-Team GB athlete Alain Baxter, Sean Langmuir and Gherado Gambaro.
"I am delighted to be part of the top class ATC coaching staff. The Top Gun camp is a fantastic way to start the season and skiing gates is undoubtedly one of the best ways to get stronger and faster on a pair of skis." said ATC coach Alain Baxter.

The Top Gun camp also offers a variety of training activities away from the snow with recovery sessions, agility and balance sessions. The camp also includes video debrief sessions, ski tuning, yoga sessions and on site physiotherapy massage as well as daily fitness and nutrition support.

The full four week course including all training and coaching, four star, full board accommodation (pool, sauna, gym and free shuttle service to the lift station). s is £2880 (£2680 for returning athletes). Separate weeks and course only options are available.

The Aspen Skiing Company (ASC) which runs four ski areas around Aspen says it has been spending over $26 million [around £16.5 million] on on-mountain improvements ahead of the coming season.

It's the latest in a $164 million [£102 million] spend over the past eight years.

Although some of the new money is going on a new high-speed quad lift at the smallest of those four areas, Buttermilk, the lion's share of it is going on two spectacular mountain restaurants.

Firstly there's a complete remodel of the Merry-Go-Round restaurant at Aspen Highlands which is due to open this winter and secondly the money is going towards the first phase of the still more impressive new Elk Camp Restaurant at Snowmass.

During the previous eight seasons, ASC has invested over in
With four mountains on one lift ticket - Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk, villages with rich historical and cultural heritage, as well as these latest improvements, there are more reasons than ever to visit Aspen/Snowmass.

The Merry Go Round restaurant, situated mid-mountain at Aspen Highlands, has begun a $6 million [£3.7 million] remodel, due to be completed for opening day of Aspen Highlands on December 10th 2011.
The 'duct tape chic' restaurant will maintain its relaxed, informal atmosphere while benefitting from new interiors, improved amenities and enhanced kitchen facilities. Green materials will be used throughout the refit and the energy efficiency of the entire building significantly improved.

The Merry Go Round walls will preserve history and embrace new technology with framed photos of Highlands skiers past, present and future. Guests will be invited to submit photos for display in digital frames and digital monitors to show off real time information, streaming media and live feeds, like a newly-installed video camera on the Highland Bowl, as well as a photo booth for instant photos.

Construction work on Phase One of Elk Camp at Aspen's largest single ski area, Snowmass, is also underway. The new building will replace Café Suzanne and be located adjacent to the top of the Elk Camp Gondola at Snowmass and open for the 2012/13 season.
The $15 million [£9.4 million] project will provide a restaurant with seating for up to 300 guests and include summer and evening event space. The project is scheduled to be LEED Certified and will implement advanced heating systems with other green
materials to beat local energy codes by an estimated 30 per cent.
Elk Camp will be ASC's fifth LEED certified building, following closely on the heels of Sam's Restaurant (Gold) and Holiday House (Platinum.)

Killington Open Now

At least four more ski areas have opened in the US over the past 48 hours on both Atlasntic and pacific coasts.

On Friday Boreal became the first ski area in California too open for Winter 2011-12, joining Timberline in Oregon, Arapahoe Basin, Loveland and Wolf Creek in Colorado and the opened-but-closed again-since Las Vegas Ski resort in Nevada.

More heavy snowfall was also reported in Colorado with resorts including Copper (which is due to open next weekend) , Vail and winter park all publishing reports of 20-30sm of fresh snow.

Resorts on the East of the country which often open by late October thanks to snowmaking efforts had been struggling to announce opening dates as warm temperatures were preventing much snow being made. However a cold snap over the weekend has brought an unusually early heavy snowfall across the region, again bringing typically 20cm of snow, and allowing Killington and Mount Snow as well as Sunday River in Maine to open a few runs each.

North of the border Nakiska near Calgary in Alberta was the first centre in the country to open, on Saturday. Mount Norquay. Lake Louise expects to open next Saturday.

In the Alps Cervinia, Laax and Engelberg have both opened but Les 2 Alpes has closed after it's 'one week only' October opening and won't reopen until December.

Pre-ski-holiday fitness training is something often encouraged and increasingly advised not just so that we're all in shape to hit the slopes, but in this era of fast turnaround lifts with few natural breaks in the downhill ski day, so that we can actually keep going all day.

The Ski Club of Great Britain and the Warren Smith Ski Fitness team are giving anyone living in the South East of England who wants to the chance to increase their fitness by joining in the first ever official Ski Fitness session in Hyde Park, London which will take place on Saturday 12 November.

The fitness day is designed to help skiers to tune up for the winter season and even develop areas of their skiing technique... without setting foot on snow. Sessions will include an essential pre-ski warm up, ski physiology and biomechanics range tests, ski specific dry land training and an after ski cool down and stretch session.

"The four training areas help develop a range of movements essential for skiing which will increase performance and massively reduce the risk of injury, either on the slopes or during après-ski, They also introduce a dry land training system that covers many aspects of fitness, muscle development and technique which can be practised in the back yard." said a statement from the organisers.

The intention is that skiers will leave on the day with a better understanding of their ski specific fitness and with a good idea of what to work on before they go skiing.

The Ski Club of Great Britain Fitness Day will take place 11am-1pm in Hyde Park, Saturday 12 November. The meeting point is by the park gates near Hyde Park Corner tube station at 11am.

Tickets cost £15 for members and £20 for non-members and are available from skiclub.co.uk/tickets or by calling 0208 410 2000.
Non-members who wish to attend the Fitness Day can save £10 off Ski Club membership before booking and then save a subsequent £5 off their booking. Quote KEEPFIT11 at skiclub.co.uk/join.