ACI – Vancouver

Winter is when skiers start to think about booking their skiing holiday. In Europe there are hundreds of destinations to choose from. France, Switzerland and Austria all have very popular ski resorts, but if you are looking for a bargain then try Eastern Europe. Borovets in Bulgaria and the high Tatra mountains in Slovakia are attracting increasing numbers of skiers. A survey by pricerunner.co.uk and travelex.co.uk revealed that not only are the Eastern European resorts much cheaper than the popular destinations in the Alps, but they are also rated quite highly. Bansko in Bulgaria, Jasna in Slovakia, Zelezna Ruda in the Czech Republic and Kranjska Gora in Slovenia all got a mention.

If you are unsure which resort to pick, companies such as Forbes create a list of the top ski resorts in the world. The list will contain many Western and European resorts primarily because of the quality of the snow and the village atmosphere. New England has snow, but it won’t feature much on the list. This is because its snow tends to be icy, not powdery like the snow in Europe which is better for skiing. However, skiing holidays are about more than the quality of the snow. Resorts such as Aspen are hugely popular and the slopes are crowded, meaning that you probably spend more time waiting for the chair lift than on the slopes. Another consideration is the après-ski scene. For some people this is the best part of the holiday. There should be plenty of opportunities for dining, drinking and swapping stories in front of a log fire. It is also a good idea to choose somewhere that has activities other than skiing, just in case your legs need a rest from the slopes. Your accommodation is also important and should be comfortable with easy access to the slopes.

Ski holidays can be expensive, but there are ways to save money. When you book your holiday you should consider a package deal as these often work out cheaper. A single lift ticket can be very expensive.  Try booking at the last minute and stay in catered accommodation to save on eating out. Book your ski pass and ski hire online and always pay in local currency.

Ski resorts that regularly make it into the top 10 lists are:

Aspen: Located in the beautiful state of Colorado, Aspen always features on the list of top ski resorts due to its excellent ski runs that are suitable for skiers of all abilities. It is also the place where you have the chance to ski with the rich and famous although the downside of this is that it is not cheap!

Cortina: Another top choice is this stylish Italian ski resort which hosted the Olympic Games in 1956. Cortina was one of the world’s first ski resorts. The Cortina Ski World is located in the Alps and is one of the most scenic places in the world, with 120 kilometres of ski trails and 52 lifts.

Mont-Tremblant:  Canada’s best known ski resort first opened in 1939 and has recently been given a $1 billion facelift. It is a compact ski resort lying in the pretty Laurentian Mountains. The village has a distinctive French feel to it and it has a number of cafes and bistros in cosy log cabins, as well as boutiques and restaurants. The skiing is suitable for mixed groups and there is a good ski school. Another plus for this resort is that it is just one hour from Montreal for those who would like to do some sight-seeing along with their skiing.

Stowe: Located in Vermont, this is another American resort famed for its picturesque setting. It has the largest vertical drop in the area and is famous for its double-black diamond ‘Four Front’ trails, suitable for experienced skiers. However, it also offers trails suitable for intermediate skiers and beginners. Away from the ski slopes it has over 90 shops and 60 restaurants.

Chamonix Mont-Blanc: Situated in the French Alps, it played host to the first Winter Olympic Games in 1924. It lies at the foot of Mont-Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps. It is renowned for its vertical drop of 9,209 feet and for having one of the world’s longest runs, the Vallee Blance, at 13.7 miles.

Banff/Lake Louise: This ski resort in Alberta, Canada is located in the Banff National Park. It is one of the most scenic mountain resorts in North America and has very reliable snow conditions. Covering 4,200 acres it offers tree-lined runs, smooth slopes and plunging bowls, providing ideal skiing for everyone from the novice to the expert.

Vail: Another ski resort in Colorado, Vail claims to be America’s favourite resort. With 5,300 acres of skiable terrain it has the largest ski area in the USA. Vail also has a lot to offer besides skiing with art galleries, ballooning, dog sledding, museums, ice skating, hockey and snowmobiling.

Zermatt:  Switzerland’s top resort is a picturesque village and a car-free area at the foot of the Matterhorn. It has the second biggest lift-served vertical drop in the world. Zermatt has large snowfalls and the longest skiing season in the Alps.

Kitzbuhel: The most famous resort in the Austrian Tyrol. Skiing began here in 1892 and the 700-year old village still retains its traditional charm. Kitzbuhel is home to the Hahnenkahm the most dangerous and famous of the downhill ski races and is Austria’s winter entertainment capital. It has excellent skiing and snowboarding, but due to its low altitude snow may be lacking on the lower slopes.

Whistler/Blackcomb: This resort in British Columbia provides the best skiing in North America with the biggest vertical drop. It has 8,171 acres of skiable terrain and has been voted North America’s Favourite Ski Resort by OntheSnow.com visitors. The village has cafes, spas, galleries, international stores and over 100 restaurants that feature cuisines from around the world including French, Chinese, Italian, Mexican and more.

Amber Mike
http://www.articlesbase.com/water-sports-articles/greatest-ski-holidays-721752.html

Why are barey any of the lifts open?

They make snow as soon as the temperature drops below -2 celsius. It’s going to get cold tonight so I would guess that they’ll be making lots of snow really soon.

I agree with the bad conditions. We’ll just have to wait a while.

From the Canadian Rockies to the Poconos, North America is home to many outstanding ski areas, all with unique attributes. It would be difficult to narrow down the choices to just a few, but here are some of the ones that are best known:

Killington

Located on the East coast, Killington provides many options for skier. In addition to the several intermediate and advanced level mountains, there is a beginner area that sees a lot of use. With amble lodging the resort attracts large groups, which, combined with the many pubs in the area, creates a lively atmosphere, something to consider when making your reservations.

Squaw Valley

Despite its reputation as the home of extreme skiing, Squaw Valley is actually a wonderful ski resort for skiers of all levels of experience. It offers a unique experience for novice skiers in that many of the lower level ski trails are located about halfway up the mountain. While many ski resorts cluster the beginner slopes at the bottom of the mountain, Squaw Valley allows less experienced riders the thrill of skiing higher up the mountain. When you are done skiing for the day, a quick tram ride down the hill takes you back to the resort.

Of course, if you are interested in extreme skiing, Squaw Valley is a great choice. There are a variety of runs down sheer drops, and you will have plenty of company in your madness. If you have never extreme skied before, but are interested in giving it a try, this is the place for lessons.

Snowbird

Close proximity to Salt Lake City makes Snowbird an easy resort to travel to. The area is known for lake-effect snow. Lake effect snow creates huge quantities of snow in areas that are susceptible to it, leaving nearby areas with a dusting or less. The winter of 2004 and spring of 2005 for instance, saw lake effect snows totaling over 600 inches through the winter. During that year, Snowbird had enough snow for skiing through the Independence Day holiday.

Snowbird is a huge resort, at 2,500 acres, with something for the advanced skier and the beginner alike. One unique trail at Snowbird allows the less experienced skier to ski the infamous Hidden Peak, taking a gentler decent, but covering the peak from top to the bottom.

What about off the trail amenities? Snowbird offers those as well. From a high end spa that boasts a roof top Jacuzzi to more affordable, but just as convenient condo-style lodging, Snowbird has something for everyone. If you need to cut your budget still more, Salt Lake City, a mere 30 miles away, offers an abundance of lodging options.

Jackson Hole

Jackson Hole covers 2,500 acres on two peaks. Backcountry enthusiasts can take advantage of the additional thousands of acreage that are available for skiing in the neighboring national park and forest lands. The trails at Jackson Hole range from beginner to double black diamonds, which include 20 foot jumps and narrow chutes. The base lodge at Jackson Hole has been recently updated and expanded.

Snowmass

This resort, located in Aspen, has a family friendly atmosphere. It also has a vertical drop of over 4,400 feet, which makes it the second longest drop in the United States. There is plenty of room to spread out at Snowmass, the area spreads across a large area, with a wide variety of terrain. Open, gently rolling slopes and steep gullies, as well as everything in between, will be waiting for you at Snowmass.

Taos, New Mexico

Taos, for the serious skier, is a must visit. The gorgeous downhill trails offer a variety of expert and intermediate trails. If you are a beginner, Taos has limited trails. After a day of skiing, a drive into the city of Taos for outstanding food and fabulous art.

Whistler and Blackcomb

These two well-know ski destinations are two mountains that combined their efforts into one ski resort. This area has a unique weather pattern, and it is not unusual for you to enter a lift in soaking rain, only to step off of the lift into brilliant sun and snow. Whistler and Blackcomb also have a unique ski trail design. There are an abundance of beginner trails on both mountains, but continuing up the mountain will find you facing some of the most extreme trails on this side of the Atlantic. Upcoming plans for the mountains also include a gondola that will make it possible for skiers to move from one peak to the other without heading down to the base and back up.

These are just some of the many wonderful ski resorts in North America. Whether you are on the West coast, East coast or Canada, there is a resort for you. Beginner, intermediate or advanced, there are trails at each of these resorts that will be a perfect fit.

Lisa Parker
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/top-north-america-ski-vacations-731233.html

I heard that Blackcomb is open until June. Is this true?

Actually, Whistler mountain will have to close on April 20th. They then open the bike park for the summer. But the great thing is that Blackcomb Mountain will remain open for spring skiing until June 8th.

Happy Skiing!
Hope this helps!

would you reccomend going there during the summer months?
what are the conditions like?

no . in the summer it turns into a high end golf resort . the time to go is asap . since the olympics are there in2010 . traffic holdups for road conditions and upgrading , along with price increase in 2009 , and after the olympics price sky high .. ther are great ski areas in british colombia . the best kept secret is manning park n. 100 miles east of vancouver . cheap passes , great snow , cheap accomadations . easier access than whistler which is extemly overpriced . the area is basicaly owned by the european buisness community , yes read detox in ther prices are sky high . road conditions and construction delays . having the olympics in b c is so far over budget at this point . they will need about 1 billion plus , to start paying bills . definate mistake but give it a whirl if you like . great area .

Whistler has possibly the best ski resort in the world with extensive terrain, good snow, and a renowned party nightlife. Whistler is a region in British Columbia, Canada. The ski resort is located in the valley between the two mountains of Whistler and Blackcomb. Whistler is proud to be scheduled as the host of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Travelling There
Flying there is probably the best choice. The closest international airport to the resort is Vancouver. Regular shuttle services and buses then provide transfer services across the 70-mile journey to the resort. Travelling within the resort is easy with public buses and taxis available regularly.

Accommodation Choices
The accommodation within the resort is abundant and consists of luxury hotels, chalets, condominiums and bed and breakfasts. Whistler has an impressive reputation for its accommodation services in that the resort caters for everybody’s needs.

History
The Whistler Mountain was initially named London Mountain when British naval officers explored the region during the 1860s. A woman named Myrtle Philip created Whistler’s first resort and is the reason for the development and success of the area. Whistler began to rise in popularity as a ski resort in the early 1900s when a rail link to the resort was constructed.

Sights and Attractions
Although skiing is the main reason for travelling to this region, Whistler has stunning natural beauty and an amazing landscape. During the summertime tourists travel to the area to hike through the meadows and mountain trails and enjoy the beauty of the area. Alternative sightseeing options are the Whistler Museum as well as Vancouver Island that is within driving distance of the resort.

Shopping
There are a variety of shops in the resort that offer more than just ski equipment and fashion. There are plenty of shopping areas to keep you busy that sell everything from souvenirs and essential items to gifts and unique bits and bobs. Whatever you are looking for, you are guaranteed to find it in Whistler! The Marketplace next to Village North is a good place to start, while the biggest shopping mall in British Colombia is located at Burnaby, within easy driving distance of the resort.

Dining Options
The village has a wide range of options for eating out. Cafés, restaurants, snack bars and pubs are the most popular places to get some food. The restaurants offer international cuisine but can often be a little dear. The resorts nightlife is great so if you are up for a party Whistler is the place to be.

Dan Oldfield
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/a-tourist-guide-to-whistler-118752.html

Whistler ski resort often gets voted as one of the best ski resorts not just in North America but in the world year after year. The popular Ski Magazine once quoted a fan of Whistler as saying, “If you can’t have a great skiing holiday at Whistler, then find another sport!”

The Whistler ski resort is also famous not only for its fabulous ski trails and spectacular scenery, it is also famous for its family friendly services and activities. It has fabulous activities for kids such as adventure zones, magic-carpets, play-fort just to mention a few.

Called by its official name Whistler Blackcomb Resort is actually made up of two big mountains. The resort is about an hour and fifteen minutes north of Vancouver, Canada. Holiday makers can fly direct or to Vancouver airport and travel by road to the resort. If traveling by road, then be cautioned that driving conditions during winter months can be dangerous.

This ski resort is so popular that it will be hosting the skiing events for the Olympics in 2010. The self contained Whistler Village has a thriving tourist economy and has a variety of restaurants, shops, inns and hotels accommodations.

The Whistler-Blackcomb resort more than two hundred mountain skiing trails covering over more than 8000 acres of terrain and nearly a mile of vertical drop with thirty-eight lifts and gondolas and boast of a whopping average snowfall of 30 feet per year.

As mentioned in the beginning of this article, Whistler ski resort is a family oriented vacation resort. There are very well organized programs for the children. Whistler Kids is one of the largest children skiing and snow boarding programs you can find in any ski resorts.

The Magic Carpets kids program make learning skiing easy for the young beginners. At the Adventure Camps, your kids get to stay with the same group of children learner and instructor all week long. The Whistler ski resorts even have a licensed childcare service. As for your teenagers, they can join a week-long “Ride Tribe”.

The Big Easy Terrain Garden in the resort is a gentler terrain park meant for kids skiing or snowboarding. Then there are Adventure and Play Zones too. Blackcomb Mountain has a Children’s Adventure Park, with runs through the forest and there is even a ski-through castle. For night skiing, families can ride the Magic Chair ski lift use the beginners’ slope or have fun on a number of added features such as rails and boxes.

With all these vacation goodies, is it any wonder why The Whistler Ski Resort is one of the most popular ski resorts in the world?

Chris Chew
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/ski-vacation-at-whistler-resort-119702.html

Whistler/Blackcomb Holiday Ski Resort was not even in existence some 40 odd years ago. There was virtually nothing on this now world famous ski resort but blizzards caused by the moist Pacific air meeting the craggy mountain tops on what was then known as the London Mountain. Sometimes, one can see an occasional lonely skier using a rudimentary tow or hiking up the slopes of the mountain.

This resort was renamed Whistler Mountain in 1965, named after the hoary marmot or the whistle pig. Today, this holiday vacation resort is one of the most popular and celebrated holiday ski resorts in the world.

Whistler Ski Village
The Whistler Village is an attractive, all purpose built-in resort and is known for its fascinating skiing vacations. This Ski Resort is also known as Whistler Blackcomb because of the two mountain peaks stood side by side and has the highest vertical drop in the country, both a mile high. A breathtaking and heart stopping drop indeed.

Although always complimented upon, Whistler Resort has its cons too. One of which is its low elevation. At only 2214 ft, the resort comes under the influence of the Pacific seaboard and tends to attract more rain than other resorts. Although this also attracts more snow on the mountain’s higher slopes, the prospect of going skiing in the wet is a dampener to the skiing vacation holiday mood.

For years, Whistler and Blackcomb were two entities and were fierce competitors until Intrawest, a major player in the ski resort industry and owner of Blackcomb bought over Whistler in 1997.

The two mountains are actually quite similar with each having more than a ski hundred trails many of which are long cruising runs through stunning pine forests. However, Whistler has more bowls such as The West Bowl, Symphony and Harmony while Blackcomb has glaciers like the Horstman. Blackcomb also have more couloirs such as the Couloir Extreme and Pakalolo.

Toward the bottom of the Extreme are two quad chairs, the Glacier Express and the Jersey Cream Express lies a magnificent collection of chutes and gullies which spreads across the mountain.

The Whistler Ski Holiday Resort also have an area for novice heliskiers. Intrepid heli-skiers can try it for a day before venturing into one of the remote heliskiing lodges for a whole week of heliskiing with Bell 210 or AStar helicopters. Then again, with such fantastic vertical drop in Whistler Ski Resort, who needs helicopters right?

Chris Chew
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/whistler-ski-resort-holiday-vacation-126045.html