- Skiing RSS Feed

Great ski getaways: SkiEurope, St Anton and Les Menuires

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 18:00:00 GMT

The end of the ski season is imminent ... but the snow is still falling and there are deals to be snapped up. All the below fly out from the UK in the next fortnight and get you a week on the slopes for under £400, excluding equipment and lift passes.

The ski market is on an upward slope

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

What sort of season have skiers and boarders had in 2012/13? A most unusual one. There was good early-season snow, and therefore good bookings. There have been no major operational problems: last weekend aside, airports have mostly stayed open and mountain roads have remained passable. And, unlike in the two previous seasons, the Christmas and the New Year peaks fell on dates convenient for tour operators and travellers.

Snow Report: Look north for next season's top ski destinations

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 18:00:00 GMT

The current ski season is in full swing, and still looking good for snow cover almost everywhere, but already news for 2013-14 is starting to appear.

Andalucia: head south for a holiday in the snow – with sunshine on the side

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 19:15:00 GMT

It used to be simple. People bought skiing holidays because they wanted to go skiing. Unlike the less single-minded skiers of other nationalities, we British – so the stereotype went – dedicated ourselves to high-mileage, dawn-to-dusk skiing.

Ski British Columbia's fresh frontier

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Of the many signs this was a less than ordinary trip, the bloodiest arrived one morning on a snow-covered logging road. I was in a pick-up truck, gripping the door handle as its driver, Danny Johnson, a laconic excavating engineer in aviators and a trapper's hat, roared through the forest. Miles from anywhere, we passed a roadside scene to bother my breakfast: two men butchering a moose. "Poachers, probably," Danny said. They didn't look up. We followed an oncoming trail of blood in the snow that lead to a crimson splatter where the beast was shot. "Guess they tried dragging it out," Danny added. "Got stuck."

Andermatt: A Swiss ski resort awakens

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Can you think of a good reason for going skiing in Andermatt? Probably not. First, because the Swiss resort fell off the British ski radar many years ago, despite being highly regarded by expert skiers; and second, because what one reads about it includes many good reasons for steering clear of the place. True, most writers agree that the original village centre is full of charm and cobbles, and that the skiing on Gemsstock mountain, which looms above the town, is awesome. But somehow, in context, that seems like faint praise.

Ever fancied creating your own snowboard?

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 16:53:38 GMT

Choosing a new snowboard can be tricky at the best of times, especially if you happen to be a tad on the tall side. As with many things in life, most boards on the market are aimed at people of “average” size, while those of us who are living it large (six foot six inches to be precise) simply have to make do with our feet dangling over the edges. This season, though, I decided to go bespoke.

Norway: Strap yourself in for a ski tour de force

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

If you want the adrenalin rush of downhill skiing, but in a virtually untouched landscape, there is a solution: ski touring. By boat. In Norway. Not only will it save you carting your worldly goods on your back, as you would going touring from hut to hut in the Alps, but you'll also be rewarded with spectacular views over the Arctic Ocean.

Ski secrets of the Portes du Soleil

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Skiing through the vast Portes du Soleil network, just south of Geneva, I stopped short at a notice at the bottom of the Mossettes chairlift that read "French-Swiss border: You must carry your identity card".

Snow Report: Avoid the airport crowds in this bumper season

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

It's too early to say for sure, but the current ski season, now halfway through, is looking as if it will be the one that sees a return to growth in skier numbers after four seasons of decline. Specialist travel agency Ski Solutions (020-7471 7749; skisolutions.com) is among those reporting record-breaking January sales, with bookings up 23 per cent.

The 50 Best ski resorts in Europe

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 18:00:52 GMT

The experts:

Hugh Monney is director of BASS elite snowsports schools, britishskischool.com

Vicky Norman works at the Ski Club of Great Britain, skiclub.co.uk

Patrick Thorne is editor of ‘In The Snow’ magazine, inthesnow.com

Duncan Worrell is the director of Snowboard Club UK, snowboardclub.co.uk

The 50 Best ski breaks

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 18:00:52 GMT

The experts:

Hugh Monney is director of BASS elite snowsports schools, britishskischool.com

Vicky Norman works at the Ski Club of Great Britain, skiclub.co.uk

Patrick Thorne is editor of ‘In The Snow’ magazine, inthesnow.com

Duncan Worrell is the director of Snowboard Club UK, snowboardclub.co.uk

The 50 Best Ski breaks

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 18:00:52 GMT

The experts:

Hugh Monney is director of BASS elite snowsports schools, britishskischool.com

Vicky Norman works at the Ski Club of Great Britain, skiclub.co.uk

Patrick Thorne is editor of ‘In The Snow’ magazine, inthesnow.com

Duncan Worrell is the director of Snowboard Club UK, snowboardclub.co.uk

Italy: Alps - On the quiet side of Mont Blanc

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Descending close behind my guide, Beppe Villa, my head rises when I hear shouts coming from a few hundreds metres to the right. A second guide is traversing fast towards us, his skis rattling on the glass-like snow. I stop as the men talk and reach for their mobile phones. I learn only later that they are calling Alberto, their friend and another guide, who, while leading his group, has fallen down a crevasse.

Skiing: Beyond the nursery slopes

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

I had been skiing only once, when I was 14, on a package with a friend's family to Formigal in the Pyrenees. Even though I never left the nursery slopes, I was terrified by the steep white snow dropping away in front of me. A grumpy instructor shouted at me as I ground slowly down to the bottom, skis wedged apart in the snowplough position. The abler kids in my group soon progressed to the next stage: "parallel turns". Not me.

Teaming up for the Tyrol's top 10

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

There are 121 ski areas in Austria's Tyrol region. Some of them are very small: the skiing at Hoch Imst, above the Inn Valley, about 50 kilometres west of Innsbruck, amounts to no more than nine kilometres of pistes, for example. Some are quite substantial: at St Anton, about 45 kilometres further along the valley, the skiing stretches for 127 kilometres. Tyrol does have still bigger areas such as Ski Welt, where a handful of resorts have made lift connections between their slopes; but such relationships are rarer in Austria than in France, where ski areas have linked up as frequently as couples at a wife-swapping party.

The 10 Best ski jackets

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

1. Schoffel Hermine

£299.99, ellis-brigham.com

Inspired by classic ski-fashion designs, the removable hood and snow skirt protect you from the elements while the Venturi softshell fabric insulates you from the cold.

Snow Report: Western Canada gets the snow – again

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The rise in popularity of western Canadian resorts among British skiers has slowed a little recently. The strength of the Canadian dollar means it no longer offers much of a saving on its US equivalent, and rising transatlantic airfares have added to the perception that there is less value to be had. However, for the second year in a row, Alberta and British Columbia have reported abundant powder snow, while south of the border in Colorado, the snow has so far arrived by the inch rather than the foot, again repeating the pattern of last winter.

Do the après-ski stretch

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

I don't associate skiing with healthiness. If you do it like most people – for a week, once a year, using knee joints and leg muscles that do little else for the other 51 weeks – a sudden ski trip can be a first-class ticket to a World of Pain. And that's before you factor in long nights, high altitude, sun exposure, and filling your body with as much glühwein as possible. Despite what some people want to believe, skiing doesn't make you fit.

The dolomites: Star quality

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:21:42 GMT

Alta Badia in the Italian Dolomites has long been the destination of choice for foodies, thanks to its abundance of local meat, cheese and wine. It also has three resident Michelin-star chefs (known locally as "The Dolomitci"). Fine dining on that sort of level is, of course, likely to be expensive. However, this season saw the launch of a more budget-friendly Michelin-star food experience: one you can enjoy for a reasonable price, at over 2,000m – and without having to remove your ski boots.

Ski news: You should have booked by now

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:20:52 GMT

February half term is crunch time for ski holiday bookings, particularly in the French Alps, which is the UK's most popular destination for ski holidays. With good snow conditions, next month looks like it will be very busy indeed.

British Columbia: Get the best in Canada's west

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:20:49 GMT

For many skiers and snowboarders, riding perfect powder runs, far out in the backcountry, is the Holy Grail. The difficult bit is actually finding them. In the world's biggest resorts – Chamonix, Verbier, Whistlers – crowded slopes are making this increasingly difficult. As a result, many skiers are heading to isolated, snow-drenched towns far off the beaten track. Towns such as Revelstoke, in Canada's British Columbia.

Steven Wood: An expert lesson in motivation

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:19:57 GMT

Say your young daughter is struggling to take her cycling to the next level, sobbing when you suggest removing the stabilisers from her bike. What do you do? Given that nothing is too good for your little girl, you call in Sir Bradley Wiggins to give her lessons.

Ski safari: Take the scenic routes

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:19:05 GMT

Going on a ski safari traditionally meant going off-piste with a guide and hiking uphill through deep snow to make the connections between each area. However, thanks to three decades of inter-connection between resorts in the Alps, you no longer need to be a super-fit expert with extensive off-piste experience and survival training to go on a village-to-village jaunt.

Chic ski retreats: Take a lesson in ski cool

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

What's the attraction?

The ski season is in full swing and snow conditions are promising. As Easter falls in March, there is also the chance for snow hounds to spend it on the slopes, and sleep in style. The design-conscious can stay at an ever-increasing number of stylish hotels and chalets in the Alps and beyond. High-profile architects and brands are also making their mark on the mountains: Zaha Hadid has designed a ski jump in Bergisel and four stations on the Nordpark Cable Railway in the Austrian Tyrol (bergisel.info), while Porsche has just opened a ski lift in Laax, Switzerland (laax.com), and BMW had designed a gondola for Hochzillertal in Austria (vipgondel.at).