J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by J2SkiNews

There was a cruise line company that was REALLY looking at putting indoor snow on a dcruise liner, but they were having 'technical difficulties' last I head (on board avalanche in a storm?)

Cortina was one of the first resorts in Europe to open, and was the first in the giant Dolomiti Superski region, way back on November 13th, and it will be one of the last to close – and again the last in the Dolomitii Superski region, after a near six-month season, on May 1st.
The combination of recent snowfalls and north facing slopes have helped the area and staff there say, "... conditions in Cortina are great." There are also special deals for families – with free lift passdes and accommodation for children aged up to eight during April. Children aged 8 – 11 pay half price.
Cortina is celebrating the last month of their long ski season with three sports events running through April to be held on the peaks of Mount Faloria. First up is the Carrera Punta Nera Freeride Challenge, scheduled for this Saturday 2 April for fresh snow enthusiasts on the summit of Punta Nera. Part of the Free Ride circuit I Free, spectators can watch from the Tondi mountain refuge.
The second event on the agenda, the Sport Festival, takes place on Saturday 16th April on the large and sunny terrace of the Faloria mountain hut. The event kicks off at 10am with friendly races organized by the ski schools and the ski club of Cortina, followed by an après-ski party at the Faloria refuge until the sun goes down behind the mountain.
The final event is the Faloria Ski challenge, planned for the last day of the season on Sunday 1st May – it's a giant slalom race on the Tondi piste open to all FISI categories.
And for all snow-enthusiasts out there who are not yet tired of skiing, the Alpine Guides and Dolomiti Ski Rock organize ski-mountaineering and free ride excursions, taking advantage of hopefully excellent snow conditions and the longer days.

Pistes Gourmandes week in Val d'Isere is where you get to mix good skiing with good food.
The special week is "devoted to discovering authentic, ethical products and the art of great food."
What this means is that the famous resort brings leading chefs and food writers to the alpine resort for a series of demonstrations, cookery lessons and tastings.
The event schedule includes cookery classes for both adults and children; meetings, discussions and conferences with leading chefs; 'Seed of Toque' which aims to teach children to eat healthily from an early age; and wine tastings.
The final of the first female-only cookery competition, La Cuillere d'Or or the 'Golden Spoon' will also take place during Pistes Gourmandes where guests will have the chance to see professional and amateur female chefs battle it out to prepare a sumptuous meal for 8 people in 3½ hours.
Anyone on holiday in Val d'Isère this week should be able to get some taste of the festival. Look out for everything from photo exhibitions, food tastings, street festivities, ice sculpture, fruit and vegetable carving...this cuisine-loving village will positively sizzle with gastronomic excitement.

Deep Snow At Alpine Meadows

There have been more huge snowfalls in California, reflecting a trend that has been the theme of winter 2010-11 in the Western US state since last November.
Several resorts including Squaw Valley have reported they've now received more than 50 feet of snow since the start of the season. In Squaw's case this has only happened three times before in the past 40 years and in those cases, never before April.
Snow depths are also at incredible levels with five Californian resorts currently boasting the greatest snow depths in the world at around 7.8 – 8.4m (26-28 feet).
The resorts – where the snow is continuing to fall heavily – are putting the excess snow down to a 'La Nina' affect from the Pacific Ocean. A report by the US Weather Bureau has now said that precipitation this winter has been the greatest for more than 50 years.
Although the vast snowfalls have got powder skiers and boarders highly excited, it has caused some logistical problems. Access roads have had to be closed and the snow has also been falling as torrential rain nearer to California's coast where the main population centres are, and resorts have had a hard job persuading people that as Spring gets in to full swing, they're still being deluged by snow at their higher elevation.
It was the same problem before Christmas when despite receiving a reported five metres of snow in a week, Mammoth Mountain lost 75% of their usual 10,000 guest tally in the week before Christmas due to impassable roads and perceptions of rain rather than snow.
On the slopes themselves groomed pistes are rapidly covered by powder so although its nirvana for powder skiers, those who like hard-packed pistes are having a hard time finding snow they don't sink deep down in tom, even on the trails.

The third National Ski-a-thon (Not to be confused with Telluride's annual 'Ski-a-thong') gets underway on May 17th this year and is a good excuse to spend a post-season day on the snow and all for a good cause.
Organised by Disability Snowsport UK's (DSUK) and open to skiers and boarders of all ages and abilities, the idea is that teams of six, alongside the British Disabled Ski team, attempts to raise at least £666 by making 666 descents at one of the UK's six indoor snow centres on Tuesday the 17th.
The participating centres are Chill Factor in Manchester; Tamworth Snowdome in Staffordshire; The Snow Centre – Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire; Sno!zone Braehead in Glasgow; Sno!zone Castleford in West Yorkshire; Sno!zone Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire. Equipment hire is included in the entry fee and there are prizes for the teams that raise the most money and ski the most runs.
The fun day will include quizzes and games as well as the relentless skiing and lift rides back up. Each participant also receives a goodies bag and a T-shirt as a memento of the day
DSUK's target is to raise a minimum of £35,000, "so get a team together now."
To enter visit: https://regonline.activeeurope.com/disabilitysnowsportuknationalskiathon
Or contact Sophie Wood: SophieWood@disabilitysnowsport.org.uk / 0161 749 2290.
Established in 1980 Disability Snowsport UK brings people living with disabilities the chance to experience the thrill and joy of skiing alongside, on an equal basis with, able-bodied helpers. The intention is to enhance quality of life for disabled people through fitness, mobility, freedom, social interaction and independence and also to identify and nurture potential athletes and help disabled people to conquer the barriers that confront them in daily life.

Delirium Drive
With the season drawing to a close at some resorts it's hard to imagine the others are just opening some terrain for the first time this winter, but that's exactly the case at Banff in Canada.
Despite the Banff area receiving record snowfall in January, the world-famous Delirium Dive opened for the first time this season this week. Named as one of the 'Top 10 Off-Piste Runs in the World' by the Sydney Morning Herald, the Dive attracts expert skiers and snowboarders from all around the world.
Despite not opening until mid-March, conditions permitting guests at Banff's Sunshine ski area have two months to enjoy the extreme freeride area, along with the rest of Sunshine's skiing, as the centre does not close until late-in-May, having one of the longest ski seasons in the world.
The area comprises 600 acres of steep and challenging ungroomed terrain and 2,000 feet of vertical for those with the ability and state of mind to take it on. Anyone venturing in is also required to be equipped with an avalanche beacon, shovel, probe and travel with a similarly equipped partner.
It adds to the extreme terrain available at Sunshine and the two other Banff resorts of Mt. Norquay and The Lake Louise Ski Area. All three are available on a multi-resort pass.

There's an unusual offer on the slopes of Bettmeralp in Switzerland this Saturday.
Anyone christened Joseph or Josephine can ski free of charge. They can also bring their spouse or any friend along for only 20 Swiss Francs per adults and children ski for 10 Swiss francs.
The reason is that this is St Joseph's day which is a public holiday in parts of Switzerland (even when it isn't on a Saturday).
St Joseph, the devoted husband of the Virgin Mary and reliable paternal figure to his step son Jesus would no doubt be delighted to know that 2,000 years after he walked the earth, people were skiing for free in a country that didn't exist when he was alive because they shared his name.

Recent heavy and persistent snowfall has led Nevis Range ski area near Fort William to announce plans to open all of its lifts for the first time in six years this weekend (19-20 March).
"Typically, snow falling early in the winter covers the north face of the mountain where the main ski area and the majority of the ski lifts are located. Recent snow and south westerly storms has meant that the snow has now filled in "o'er the back" in the area of the resort known as the Back Corries. This all round snow cover means the resort will be opening every lift on the mountain, including the Braveheart lift, installed in 1996, which allows riders to access the expansive Back Corrie area." explained Marian Austin, MD of Nevis Range MD.
Some reports say more than 50cm of new snow has fallen in the past week and Nevis Range will also be holding a Back Corrie workshop at the weekend, aimed at those seeking a better understanding of back country safety. Led by the resort's Ski Patrol team it will includes advice on assessing weather and avalanche risks and the use of safety equipment such as transceivers, shovel and probes.
"Throughout the season we will normally open the gondola and 6 further ski lifts, and this decision is made on the snow cover and the number of customers that we are expecting. However with the extensive snow cover and the amazing snow conditions we have at the moment, we are planning to open all 10 ski lifts this weekend. We have checked our records and the last time we were able to open every lift was in March 2005 (6/3/05). Thanks must go to our team of engineers and lifties who have been working tirelessly so that we will can open all of the lifts," added Marian Austin.
She continued, "Right now we have fantastic alpine conditions, the best of the season. There's powder off piste, soft snow on the runs and the groomed areas are great. We had to dig the terrain park out of the recent snowfall and it is now complete with rails and kickers, as well as a roller, spine, and a table top. As long as the snowpack settles and the wind and overhead conditions permit we plan to run all the lifts over the weekend and open the Back Corries. However, customers are always advised to keep watching the websites for the latest snow and weather conditions."