Weekly snow news roundup – 04/08/2009
Racing pigs!
Hot dog! What better way to start 2010 than to race pigs?! Not the first thing that springs to mind when thinking of ways to celebrate the new year, but that’s exactly what those crazy guys in Switzerland are planning on doing. More commonly found at county fairs, stag dos and “alternative” weddings, Klosters is bringing pig racing to its very own exclusive ski resort. Fun for all the family.
Check out this week’s snow news headlines.
THIS WEEK’S HEADLINES
Courchevel Bags Half of the First Five Star Hotels in France
Klosters Announces Plans To Kick Off 2010 By Racing Pigs
New 6 Seat Chairlift at Les Arcs
New Salomon Skis Feature Fibre Five Times Stronger Than Steel
New Slow Skiing At Davos
Third New Lift Under Construction at Solitude
Crystal Ski Launches UK’s Biggest 2009-10 Ski Programme With Savings Of Up To 20% On Last Season
Cartoon Network Sponsor A Piste
“Small Resorts Cost You 50% Less” says Peak Retreats’ Boss
Official Opening of the Mt Perisher Snowmaking Expansion
Courchevel Bags Half of the First Five Star Hotels in France
Six of the first 11 hotels in France to be awarded five star status are in Courchevel.
A recent change to French accommodation assessment has allowed hotels to claim ‘five star’ status in line with the maximum level in most countries around the world. Previously the highest grade a French hotel could achieve was 4 star deluxe.
The hotels now rated five star are the Amanresorts Mélézin, Annapurna, Les Airelles, Cheval Blanc, Kilimandjaro and the Lana.
Courchevel joins four other ski resorts worldwide that claim to have at least five, five star hotels. Swiss resorts Crans Montana and St Moritz as well as Seefeld in Austria claiming five each. The twin villages of Lech-Zurs, also in Austria, claims to have seven – the most in the world.
However more Courchevel hotels have applied for five star status and are currently in the assessment process, so the resort could ultimately have the most highly starred hotels in the world itself.
Klosters Announces Plans To Kick Off 2010 By Racing Pigs
The exclusive Swiss resort of Klosters has announced that it will celebrate New Year’s Day 2010 by racing pigs.
The race, known as ‘ Hotschrennen’ will take place in the resort centre on the afternoon of 1st January when around 2000 guests and local people can cheer on their favourite little porker.
“Little pigs racing into the New Year provide a great atmosphere.” said a resort spokesperson.
Spectators can choose their favourite animal from the ten starters and bet on the victory of their lucky mascot.
The pigs take part in the race to suitably rousing cheers. The locally bred animals are trained three times daily from the beginning of December and are thus well prepared for their big event on New Year’s Day.
www.klosters.ch
New 6 Seat Chairlift at Les Arcs
Les Arcs will add its latest six seater chairlift this winter with the installation of the new Arpette chair. The aim of the new lift is to carry skiers more comfortably and quickly to the top of Arc 1600/1800 ski area, and to get to Arc 2000 area much faster.
The new lift replaces the old double chairlift that was also called “Arpette” as well as the “Col des Frêtes” lift. So the overall lift count (and one element of the environmental impact) at Les Arcs will decrease again, whilst speed and capacity increase.
The new lift will be much faster than the old ones, moving at 5.5 metres per second and the capacity will be doubled on the route from 1500 to 3000 people per hour.
The ascent will take only four-and-a-half minutes compared to 11 minutes before, and will be much more comfortable.
In addition some 300,000 Euros has been invested this year, as every year, in improving the pistes, the safety and the signposting in the area.
There will be upgrades to the Arc 2000 Glacier with improvements to the Arandelières and Aiguille Rouge pistes. To make access to Villaroger easier, these two pistes will be realigned for greater convenience and easier access to the glacier for everyone.
New Salomon Skis Feature Fibre Five Times Stronger Than Steel
Salomon’s has launched a new range of skis especially designed to provide optimum performance in the park or pipe.
The new Suspect Skis feature Salomon’s ‘Double Edge Armor’ which has been specially designed for intense park and pipe use and consists of an extremely resistant polyethylene fibre cord, cross-laced between the ski edges for less edge depression and wrenching.
This fibre is the world’s strongest fibre – five times stronger than steel.
Competent on piste too, it’s teamed with a full wood core from tip to tail for a powerful rebound, plus vibration filtering.
www.salomonfereeski.com
Third New Lift Under Construction at Solitude
Solitude Mountain Resort in Utah has begun installation on Powderhorn II, $1.5 million improvement to lift infrastructure. A replacement of the original Powderhorn double, left over from its mid-70s installation – albeit with an improved lift line – comes on the heels of last winter’s $7 million investment in two, new high-speed detachable lifts.
Powderhorn II will start from the bottom of Sunshine Bowl, travel above the Concord ski run, and end in the same location as the original Powderhorn Lift. The move to a mid-mountain starting point allows expert snowriders to make continuous laps on the upper mountain – from Diamond Lane to Sunshine Bowl – without the need to return to the base area via beginner runs. The new lift will take a 7 minute t ride compared to 12 minutes on the old double, a savings of five minutes per run on some of the state’s steepest groomed terrain. Plus, Honeycomb Canyon will still be conveniently accessed from the top of this lift.
Users of beginner and intermediate terrain found lower on the front side of the mountain will also benefit from the new lift, as advanced and expert visitors will remain higher on the mountain, easing traffic in prime learning areas. Crafting this natural segregation put visitors of like abilities in terrain conducive to their ability, creating an improved experience for all.
Last winter’s new Apex and Moonbeam Express lifts introduced high speed lift access from both base areas to midmountain, allowing Powderhorn II to begin higher on the mountain. Accessible from all three detachable lifts, including Eagle Express, a greater on-mountain flow is achieved throughout the resort. Solitude’s goal with terrain and lift improvements, now and into the future, is to efficiently utilize pockets of terrain which are naturally separated by the layout and slope of the mountain.
www.skisolitude.com
The traditional ski region of Schatzalp/Strela at Davos will reopen in December for the winter 2009/10 season after a period of closure.
The operators of the Schatzalp funicular wants to offer the area to skiers who prefer their winter sport “slow and easy.”
The bottom station of the Schatzalp/Strela ski area is right in the centre of Davos Platz. From there the Schatzalp funicular takes only four minutes to reach Schatzalp, from where the journey to the popular ski area will continue by chairlift and draglift.
The revamped ski area will include two fairly easy pistes and a link from the adjoining Parsenn ski area to the Strela Pass, only negotiable on skis.
The earlier very popular downhill run from Schatzalp to Davos Platz (Guggerbach run) will also be open again, as will the Restaurant Strelapass, which has been carefully renovated.
“Schatzalp/Strela is intended as a place for those who prefer tranquillity tinged with a touch of nostalgia.” Said a savos spokesperson.
Crystal Ski Launches UK’s Biggest 2009-10 Ski Programme With Savings Of Up To 20% On Last Season
Crystal Ski, the UK’s biggest winter sports tour operator, has launched its new 2009/10 brochure with holidays to three continents, 13 countries and 127 ski resorts on offer.
New destinations are thin-on-the-ground for winter 2009-10, but the company has found one destination not currently offered by a mainstream operator – Itter, one of the villages on the Austrian SkiWelt. Crystal are also adding Mammoth in North America, Hinterglemm in Austria and La Toussuire in France.
However the company is most keen to promote its new, ‘SkiPlus’ deal which, as well as the usual flights, transfers, a week self-catering or half board and in-resort service, also includes a local lift pass and ski or board hire or ski carriage on the plane.
Prices for SkiPlus start from £479 per person and are valid for departures during non-peak times to the leading resorts of Les Arcs and La Plagne in the Paradiski, and to Flaine, all in France.
Crystal’s MD Mathew Prior said: “Times are hard for many but we know that in their hearts no skier wants to miss out on their ski holiday. We are committed to doing everything within our power to get our customers onto the slopes this winter at the lowest prices possible.”
“Crystal Ski Plus shows the advantage of travelling with the UK’s largest specialist ski operator. By applying economies of scale and negotiating with our partners in ski resorts we are able to pass on savings of up to 20% to our customers compared to last year.” he continued.
“It has also long been apparent to us that many headline cheap holidays and DIY arrangements are a false economy because of all the extras you need to pay for. Crystal’s commitment is to provide great value ski holidays in packages that protect the customer from hidden costs they can ill afford. Crystal Ski Plus puts all the essential components of a ski holiday into one fantastic value package and delivers a great holiday for a fixed price.” Mr Prior concluded.
The company is currently offering several early booking offers including a free half-day crèche or kids clubs worth £110 on selected departures in January and March (book by 13 September) and £100 off for all bookings to European destinations (charter flights only) for departures over Christmas (book before 13 September.
Cartoon Network Sponsor A Piste
Argentina’s Cerro Bayo ski resort has opened a children’s piste and fun park sponsored by the Turner group’s Cartoon Network.
The new piste features characters like Ben 10, Scooby Doo and the Powerpuff Girls
“Parents will only be able to enter the slope with the authorization of their respective children.” Said spokesperson Ghitta Lopez. “It will be slopes full of thrills and action.”
In addition, Cerro Bayo has a new Kids Club, divided in to the Copitos school, for children aged 4 to 6 years, and Bayitos for 7 to 12 years olds and based at level 1500.
The snow park has inflatable games, a special poma lift for children and a the Kids Freestyle Park.
A day-care centre takes care of the babies and children up to four years.
“Small Resorts Cost Your 50% Less” says Peak Retreats’ Boss
French Alps specialist Peak Retreats have launched their new 2009-10 programme to nearly 40 unspoilt traditional resorts which the company claims are not just cheaper and more pleasant to stay in than more famous ‘commercialised’ resorts, but also have queue-free, high-speed lift links to major ski areas.
The company’s self-drive holidays start at less than £100 per person per week including a Eurotunnel crossing with free FlexiPlus upgrade.
Stressing the value and affordability of holidays, Peak Retreats’ Xavier Schouller said: “Skiers staying in self-catering accommodation in the small, satellite resorts we feature can save more than 50 per cent compared to prices in big-name resorts. Groceries, bar drinks and restaurant meals are also cheaper, as are lift passes, ski school and equipment hire. And driving by car not only works out cheaper than flying - it is more flexible too.”
New to the company’s programme this winter is the resort of La Cluzaz, which joins Le Grand Bornand in having access to the popular Aravis Pass, and Bourg St Maurice, chosen for its links to Les Arcs and the Paradiski region of La Plagne. There are also new four star MGM-built Residences with indoor pools including Les Chalets de Jouvence in Les Carroz with links to the Flaine – Grand Massif ski domain (from £160pp).
Example prices include four people sharing a two-bedroom apartment on a seven-night holiday starting 9th January 2010 in the residence Les Fermes de Samoens, in the very pretty village of Samoens, pay just £135 per person – or £124pp when staying at Les Balcons de la Vanoise, in the little known gem of Termignon, now linked to the Val Cenis ski area. And in Saint-Jean d’Arves, now part of the 310 kilometre Le Sybelles ski area, prices start at £97 per person.
There are lower prices still for early bookers who save between 5 and 20% on many apartments booked before 31 October 2009.
www.peakretreats.co.uk
Official Opening of the Mt Perisher Snowmaking Expansion
Perisher has officially launched the final stage of its three-year $19 million snowmaking expansion.
The project involved installing kilometres of new pipelines and 68 automated snow guns, lifting Perisher’s total number to 271 and taking snowmaking-covered terrain to 53.4 hectares.
NSW Minister for Tourism Jodi McKay and NSW Member for Monaro Steve Whan officially opened the new snowmaking system.
“This network will allow the resort to ensure snow for longer periods of the season meaning more visitors, spending more time and money in the region, supporting jobs and the local economy,” commented Ms McKay.
Perisher’s Chief Executive Officer Peter Brulisauer said, “It will also enable Perisher to extend the snow season allowing more individuals and families to experience the thrill of the snow each winter.”
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