Top ten Snowboard 2009-2008-2007

Skiing and Snowboarding in Chamonix

2009-11-13T06:28:00.000-08:00

Skiing and Boarding in Chamonix
Chamonix offers a multitude of slopes for all levels, each ski area having its own merit. Tremendously long slopes, skiing through the trees, freeride and off-piste, beginners slopes : an infinite number of possibilities for snowriders and mountain lovers alike.

Whatever your skiing style or choice of ski speciality, come and join the ski professionnals who know how to teach you the essential techniques whilst making it a pleasure all the way.

When is it possible to ski and board in Chamonix ?

Chamonix's ski areas are open from December to May, subject to snow conditions. Chamonix does not offer summer skiing.

The Ski Areas

Chamonix's skiing extends over 3 main areas : Brévent/Flégère, offering south-facing slopes and exceptional views of the Mont-Blanc chain, the Grands Montets, high altitude north-facing slopes which dominate the village of Argentière and the Balme area, wide open slopes at the top of the Chamonix valley, bordering on Switzerland. The sister resort of les Houches lies at the opposite end of the valley and is accessible with the Mont-Blanc Unlimited ski pass.

Chamonix also offers 3 smaller valley ski areas, ideal for children, beginners, or for experimenting new snowriding techniques.

Ski map
List of ski areas

Lift Passes available in Chamonix

The lift pass Chamonix le Pass, provides access to the 3 main areas (excluding the top cable car at the Grands Montets) and to all the beginners slopes
The lift pass Unlimited, provides access to all Chamonix's ski areas, the Courmayeur and funivie Monte Bianco areas and also to the sightseeing lifts and trains: Aiguille du Midi, train du Montenvers et tramway du Mont-Blanc.

Lift pass information

Easy Access

Both the lift passes and your guest card (supplied free of charge by your accommodation provider) give you free access to the shuttle bus service within the Chamonix valley. Frequent, environmentally friendly buses serve all the different ski areas - the simplest way to travel.

Las Clusaz Best Skiing & Snowboarding , freeriding and new glide.

2009-11-13T06:19:00.000-08:00

Mountain Layout — Snowboarding

Las Clusaz is known as a center for freeriding and new glide.

Boarders at every ability level will find a part of the mountain just right for them. Try out the terrain park-—with a halfpipe and a couple tabletop jumps—halfway up the Massif de L’Aguille. Take any of the Loup lifts to get to the top of the park.

Never-evers could make their first turns on the Poma lift (Champ Bleu) or the gondola (TC de La Patinoire) at the edge of town. Otherwise, take the new gondola from La Clusaz to the top of Massif de Beauregard for wide slopes. (Learning how to use Poma lifts shouldn’t be more difficult than strapping yourself to your snowboard.)
Beginners could spend time at Massif de Manigod; it is easiest to get there by car or shuttle bus. Here, there are two chair lifts and an assortment of Poma lifts. With enough snow, you can take the scenic cat track back to town.

Intermediate boarders will enjoy cruising the slopes on Massif de Beauregard or Massif de Manigod. However, the face of Massif de L’Etale or any of the eight lifts above the town provide steeper runs. At the La Balme area the groomed trails will probably suit intermediates best.

Advanced/expert boarders can go just about anywhere and have a great time. The Aguille chair lift provides wide, fairly steep groomed and ungroomed terrain (beware, though, for at some point after every snowfall, this face turns into a mogul field). At the top of the Aguille lift, take a right and board at your own risk down the Combe de Borderan, an expansive off-piste bowl. Also, at the top of Massif de l’Etale there are some pretty steep, open terrain, along with a few off-piste trails through the trees.

For a full plate, head to La Balme (with the higher elevation and lower temperatures, powder lasts longer here than the rest of La Clusaz). Enjoy the vast, ungroomed fields of snow and the many natural land features. Xavier, the head of snowboarding at La Clusaz said, “La Balme is a natural terrain park.” Countless mounds and ridges provide great big air jumps with even better landings.

For expert snowboarders, there are backcountry opportunities. Above the Aguille chair lift, a 30-minute hike will lead to La Creuze, a challenging bowl that eventually funnels down to marked trails. Above the L’Etale chair lift, one can hike and reach off-piste terrain. From the top of Col de Balme chair lift, one can take a long hike over a ridge and into the Combe de Bellechat, an extremely wide valley with snow as good as at La Balme. Boarders should consult local experts before venturing into any of this terrain (in most cases, hiring a guide is the safest and smartest thing to do). Information on backcountry boarding (and guides) is available at 450 32 66 05.

Val D'isere Best Skiing & Snowboarding Holidays

2009-11-09T03:01:00.000-08:00

High Altitude Glacier snowboarding! Val d isere has a vibrant and world renowned reputation...

Overview

Val D'isere is a world renowned Snowboarding resort with extensive shopping, a vibrant cafe culture is one of the best high altitude snowboarding resorts in France. "Val" is also known for it's apres ski antics and crazy party life, yet it is just as well suited to families that perhaps want a more sedate time in resort?

The snowboarding is very suitable to all abilities, and it offers an abundance of easy and intermediate riding all over the resort, and even has some easier blue runs right up on the glacier. The advanced snowboarders will find many more challenging runs too.

High Altitude Snow

At an altitude of over 3,250, and some very fine Glacier skiing and boarding, Val links straight up with its sister resort - Tignes, and enjoys a similar “Super-Resort” status. For those that are after famous Espace Killy terrain and value priced chalets, then our Snowboarding Holidays Tignes and Val D'Isere options are hard to match. The huge Espace Killy ski area is all included on the standard full area lift-pass.

Snowboarding in Val disere

Val D'Isere naturally offers some very good Snowboarding, alongside its world famous skiing. The Fornet area at the top of the valley - and at the base of the Glacier - is unbeatable in the powder and offers summit descents on wide, fast and extremely well kept slopes. The powder options are also very good and you will still find fresh tracks even days after a dump. Let's not also forget that it also snows very regularly here too - so it's often not "days" between snowfall anyway!

Skiing in Val disere

Like its' neighbouring resort of Tignes, Val has some very wide and easy "motorway skiing", with long lasting and highly efficient runs suited to all levels of skier. The lift system is very modern and has an abundance of express chair lifts which will whisk you up the mountain quicker and result in shorter lift queues!

The skiing is suited to all levels and ranges from netweorks of gentle piste to the steeper gradient mogul fields and powder runs!

Beginner snowboarding in Val d'isere

Val D'Isere offers plenty of runs to suit the beginners on the lower slopes however there are also many well linked easier runs higher up the mountain too, so beginners are not just restricted to the nurseries! There are a few free lifts that beginners can make use of on arrival and so it would be prudent to perhaps buy a pass from in resort rather than before hand.

Resort life

Val D'Isere has plenty of nightlife - that's for sure! Ranging from the loud apres ski bars which get going from 4.30pm to the chic cafes with impeccable service and beautifully crafted interiors. Eating out is big in Valdisere and restaurants to suit all tastes and wallets can be catered for.

Tignes Stats

Top Lift	3550m
Area	300kms
Longest run	15km
Circuit	35km
Lifts	106
Mountain Restaurants	16
Beginner runs	41%
Inter and advanced	59%
Off piste	10/10
Slope Style: Freestyle	30%
Slope Style:Freeride	70%
Pipes	2
Parks	2
Trees	30%
Backcountry	Yes
Travel Fly to:	Geneva
Transfer Time:	3.5 hour (approx)
Nightlife	Good

Courmayeur Italy Best Skiing & Snowboarding Holidays

2009-11-09T02:27:00.000-08:00

At the Italian end of the Mont Blanc tunnel, Courmayeur enjoys a phenomenal resort location.

Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe, guarantees snow; the Alps here are among the most spectacular in the range; and Courmayeur lies at the junction of Switzerland, France and Italy. If a skier tires of skiing the Courmayeur slopes, Cervinia and La Thuile in Italy are within striking distance; Chamonix in France and Verbier in Switzerland can also be reached for a full day of skiing.

Courmayeur is a small picturesque Italian village with the ski area across the valley. The village provides a cozy atmosphere with a warren of narrow cobblestone streets, small bars and fabulous restaurants. The slopes are reached by cable cars stretching across the valley, and the short return to town is by bus. During the past three years the resort has invested heavily in snowmaking to ensure good snow conditions on the Val Veny side of the resort. But, its star quality is found in the restaurants, where Italians seem to spend far more time than on the slopes.

Meribel France Best Skiing Holidays & Snowboarding Holidays

2009-11-09T02:19:00.000-08:00

Méribel has been developed into a first-rate ski resort, at the same time taking pains to retain a semblance of the traditional mountain architecture of the French Alps.

From a skier’s point of view, the resort has two sections. There is Méribel that basically stretches from La Chaudanne at 4,757 feet elevation with traditional village atmosphere with a major lift center and the tourist office, to the Altiport, a small area at 5,577 feet on the mountain with a runway and lot for pilots who have their own small planes. (Pilots must have special training to use the altiport.) About four km. up the valley is Méribel-Mottaret, a smaller village with a larger lift hub and more ski-in/ski out accommodation. These villages are set in the central valley of Les Trois Vallées. There are 53 lifts in the valley, 18 of them that start in the village and link up with another 200 lifts in Les Trois Vallées.

Here is the Meribel resort map in pdf format.

Old Méribel center, La Chaudanne, was founded by the British; it still retains many of its British trappings and English is spoken almost everywhere. Above this original center rises the rest of Méribel with 750 vertical feet of hotels and chalets built up the side of the valley toward Courchevel. It has excellent ski slope access. It is about a 10-minute ride from the Altiport and Rond Point des Pistes down to the tourist office.

Half as old and still growing, Méribel-Mottaret is higher up in the same valley. It has more direct lift access to Les Menuires, Courchevel and Val Thorens via the Cote Brune chairlift. Méribel-La Chaudanne is about a 10-minute ride from Méribel-Mottaret. They are linked by a free bus.

The lift to La Saulire provides the best access to the Courchevel valley and the lifts to either Roc des Trois Marches (8,868 feet) or Mont de la Challe (8,448 feet) provide the best connections to Val Thorens and Menuires.

Flaine Skiing & Snowboarding 2009 Resort

2009-11-05T06:16:00.000-08:00

Flaine is the name of a ski area in the Haute Savoie region of the French Alps, and is a part of the linked Grand Massif domain. It is in the territory of the communes of Magland and Arâches. Flaine is linked to Samoëns, Morillon, Les Carroz and Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval, with 267 km of pistes in total. It featured the first 8-seater high speed chairlift, called Les Grands Vans, and the first snow cannons to be installed in Europe

Skiing
Ski terrain

There is skiing for most in Flaine, as the resort enjoys a particular reputation as being all rounded.

The most notable runs in Flaine include Styx (Black); le Diamant Noir (black); Serpentine (blue/red); Fred (red); Tourmaline (blue) and Mephisto (red). The liaisons ski runs which take you out of Flaine, take you to Samöens, Morillon and Les Carroz via the run Dolomie (blue) and to the smaller ski resort Sixt via the long blue, Les Cascades, which has a spectacular view of the Ger Valley.

In Les Carroz, Morrilion, and Samőens classic runs include Marvel; a fabulously long green that goes through the forest, Sairon; a long blue with many jumps and banks on the side of the piste, Lou Darbes; a medium length blue run that is downhill all the way — an excellent run for 'bombing' down, and Aigle Noir, a steep, difficult black run.

The predominantly north-facing runs are very reliable: package companies offering "snow guarantees" often import punters from other French resorts when their pistes have lost the amount of sufficient snow that can be skied on. Flaine was the first resort to feature artificial snow making in Europe from 1973.

Interestingly, in each different grade of run (green, blue, red, & black) there is a theme in the Flaine bowl. For example most of the blue runs are named after metals/jewels (e.g. serpentine, turquoise, dolomie, cristal, tourmaline, emeraude), nearly all the reds are diabollically named (e.g. faust, mephisto, belzebuth, lucifer) and most black runs after stars (e.g. diamant noir, agate, styx). Most green runs are named after trees (e.g. meleze, pin, epicea). This only occurs in the Flaine valley though; the other resorts' runs are named separately. However the same named to feature in the different resorts. For example "combe" which means valley in English is a popular name because of the nature many runs leading into the valleys. The same with arete.

Lift system

There are 2 free lifts (Pre and Telebenne) which link the up and lower parts of Flaine. Flaine is in the process of implementing an upgrade program to its lifts and trails called Flaine Perspectives 2006–2010.^[3] For 2006, new gondola cabins were installed on Aup De Veran, whilst the base station was renovated for 2007. For 2008, the Les Greats lift was installed to allow better access to the new INTRAWEST village (Flaine Montsoleil). In addition the Tete Des Verns 6-person detachable chair was installed from the main base area. For 2009, Flaine aim to renovate the Telebenne, installation of a 4-person chair to replace the Bois button, to be called Aujon and the installation of a 4-person chair to link the western part of the INTRAWEST village.

Name	Type	Make	Year Built
Grands Vans	8 person detachable chair	Doppelmayer	2000
Aup De Veran	4 person gondola		renovated 2006/07
Bois	Surface lift	Poma	To be removed summer 2009
Aujon	4 person chair	?	Due winter 2009
Tete Des Verns	6 person detachable chair	Doppelmayer	2008
La Foret	4 person chair	?	Due winter 2009
Les Gerats	4 person chair	Poma	2008
Veret	Surface lift	Poma
Vernant	6 person detachable chair	Poma

ST Anton Skiing & Snowboarding 2009 Resort

2009-11-05T05:38:00.000-08:00

SUMMARY :
The best resort in Austria, with great freeriding for advanced and intermediate riders. It is a bit snooby off the slopes but nothing compared to nearby Lech.
ON THE SLOPES Austria's best
OFF THE SLOPES Great but a bit up itself
MONEY WISE Super expensive, but worth the money just for the slopes.
Terrain & parks

Halfpipe: No -
Terrain park: Yes - 1
Backcountry/off-piste:great
Tree runs:Lots

ST Anton
Those who know about where to ride would have to agree that St Anton has the best terrain in Austria, making this place an absolute must. This is a resort that has it all and will suit all styles of riding, though favouring freeriders the most. Whether you’re a freestyle freak, a piste carving poser, a freeride speed king or simply a nappy-wearing new kid, you will love this place.

The area does have the reputation for being expensive and attracting the fur-clad, Ferrari-owning skiers, but whilst they sip pink gins in mountain bars, snowboarders can roam freely over miles of excellent terrain. With steeps, deep powder, air, and trees on all sides of the mountain slopes, it’s hard to beat.

The Arlberg ski pass allows you to ride the linked areas of St Christoph and Stuben, and (via bus) the resorts Lech and Zürs which all offer great snowboarding terrain, with amazing amounts of powder.
New for season

06/07: the slow Galzigbahn chair is being replaced with a 24-person gondola

05/06 season: the slow 3-man chair from Alpe Rauz to Ulmerhütte (run 17) being replaced by 6-person chair. Some improvement in snow making facilities.

Snowboarding Legendary Athlete : Shaun White

2009-11-02T04:01:00.000-08:00

Snowboarding Legendary Athlete : Shaun White

Athlete Details
Country: United States of America
Sport: Snowboard
Past Olympic Winter Games Attended:
Torino 2006

Shaun White took up snowboarding at the age of six to copy his older brother. At the age of 13, he became one of the youngest athletes to sign up with a major equipment supplier and turn professional.

By the time he arrived at the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games, the young Californian had won several snowboarding titles at the Winter X-Games, as well as most of the major snowboarding competitions — the Olympic Games were the only event missing from what was already a long list of achievements.

On the day of the halfpipe competition in Bardonecchia, White fell in the first set of heats. He needed to produce a great performance to reach the final which he did by finishing seventh in the heats with a score of 45.3.

In the first leg of the final, White showed the full range of his talent, with an array of figures and difficulties in the halfpipe. The judges appreciated his succession of backside air, 1080° and other Haakon flips. The snowboarder was awarded an outstanding mark of 46.8 points out of a possible 50, and finished in first place.

Before starting his second run, Shaun saw his opponents’ results and knew that he was already Olympic champion. As a result, he was able to enjoy the moment to the fullest, giving spectators a display of rotations with great amplitude and style.

Snowboarding Legendary Athlete : Gian Simmen

2009-11-02T03:52:00.000-08:00

Snowboarding Legendary Athlete : Gian Simmen

Athlete Details
Country: Switzerland
Sport: Snowboard
Past Olympic Winter Games Attended:
Nagano 1998
Salt Lake City 2002
Torino 2006

When the snowboarding halfpipe event was added to the Olympic program at the Nagano 1998 Olympic Winter Games, Gian Simmen, a 20-year-old from Switzerland, was not considered one of the favourites.

The competition began with a qualifying round with the top six snowboarders advancing directly to the final.
The rest of the entrants took part in a second qualifying round where an additional six finalists qualified for the final. In the opening round, Simmen finished 21st. He scraped through to the final by placing third in the second qualifying round. Once in the final, however, Simmen performed like a champion.

Competing in a downpour, he put together two solid runs and won gold. "I can't believe it," he said. "I've never ridden like this before. Maybe only in my dreams." Simmen’s has since competed in the Salt Lake City 2002 and the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games, but has never returned to the medal podium.

Snowboarding Legendary Athlete : Karine Ruby

2009-11-02T03:46:00.000-08:00

Snowboarding Legendary Athlete : Karine Ruby

Athlete Details
Country: France
Sport: Snowboard
Past Olympic Winter Games Attended:
Nagano 1998, Salt Lake City 2002, Torino 2006

Snowboarding was introduced to the Olympic competition at the Nagano 1998 Winter Games. The inaugural women's event, the giant slalom, was delayed one day because of a snowstorm. Twenty-year-old Karine Ruby of France was the overwhelming favourite, having won seven of the eight pre-Olympic World Cup competitions. Ruby had no trouble living up to expectations. Her first run time of 1:09.33 led the field by an impressive 1.97 seconds. She protected her lead with a relatively careful second run and won by 1.83 seconds. She also participated in the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic Winter Games and earned the silver medal in the women’s giant parallel slalom event.

Snowboarding at Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games

2009-11-02T03:29:00.000-08:00

Combining elements of surfing, skateboarding and skiing, snowboard — one of the fastest growing sports — is a recent addition to the Olympic Winter Games.

The first official snowboard competition was held in Colorado in 1981.

Two snowboard events were introduced at the Nagano 1998 Winter Games — halfpipe and individual giant slalom. Parallel giant slalom replaced individual giant slalom at the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic Winter Games and snowboard cross was introduced in 2006, at the Torino Olympic Winter Games.

How It Works

In the halfpipe, one snowboarder at a time performs a routine of acrobatic jumps, twists and tricks on the inside of a half-cylinder-shaped snow tube or ramp while moving from one side of the halfpipe to the other.

The riders are judged on the height and style of their tricks.

In the parallel giant slalom, two snowboarders race head-to-head down a course, turning through a series of gates. The fastest goes on to the next round. The top finishers compete in a total of nine runs.

In snowboard cross, four racers start in a pack down a course, racing against each other over rolling terrain and a series of jumps and ramps. The fastest two racers from each heat move on to the next round.

Competition Events

Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom
Ladies’ Parallel Giant Slalom
Men’s Halfpipe
Ladies’ Halfpipe
Men’s Snowboard Cross
Ladies’ Snowboard Cross

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Mascot : Sumi

2009-11-02T03:25:00.000-08:00

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Mascot : Sumi

Sumi is an animal spirit who lives in the mountains of British Columbia. Like many Canadians, Sumi's background is drawn from many places. He wears the hat of the orca whale, flies with the wings of the mighty thunderbird and runs on the strong furry legs of the black bear.

Sumi’s name comes from the Salish word “Sumesh” which means “guardian spirit.” Sumi takes his role very seriously. He works hard to protect the land, water and creatures of his homeland. Sumi is a great fan of the Paralympic Games. He’s determined to learn all the sports, so he can play and race with his animal friends all winter long.

Transformation is a common theme in the art and legend of West Coast First Nations. Transformation represents the connection and kinship between the human, animal and spirit world. Revered animals, such as the orca whale, the bear and the thunderbird, are depicted in transformation through masks, totems and other forms of art. The orca is the traveller and guardian of the sea. The bear often represents strength and friendship. And the thunderbird — which creates thunder by flapping its wings — is one of the most powerful of the supernatural creatures.

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Mascot : Quatchi

2009-11-02T03:22:00.000-08:00

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Mascot : Quatchi

Quatchi is a young sasquatch who comes from the mysterious forests of Canada. Quatchi is shy, but loves to explore new places and meet new friends.

Although Quatchi loves all winter sports, he’s especially fond of hockey. He dreams of becoming a world-famous goalie. Because of his large size, he can be a little clumsy. But no one can question his passion. He knows that if he works hard and always does his best, he might one day achieve his dream. Quatchi is always encouraging his friends to join him on journeys across Canada. He is also often recruiting others to play hockey – or at least to take shots at him!

The sasquatch is a popular figure in local native legends of the Pacific West Coast. The sasquatch reminds us of the mystery and wonder that exist in the natural world, igniting our imagination about the possibility of undiscovered creatures in the great Canadian wilderness.

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic : Miga

2009-11-02T03:20:00.000-08:00

Miga is a young sea bear who lives in the ocean with her family pod, beyond Vancouver Island, near Tofino, British Columbia. Sea bears are part killer whale and part bear. (Miga is part Kermode bear, a rare white bear that only lives in British Columbia.)

All summer long, Miga rides waves with local surfers. But during the winter months, she often sneaks onto the shores of Vancouver to seek adventure. When Miga discovered that humans were ‘surfing’ on snow, up in the mountains, she knew she had to join the fun. Snowboarding soon became her favourite winter sport. Her dream is to land a corked 720 in the half-pipe one day…It will take lots of practice, and a few falls along the way, but she’s sure she can do it.

The sea bear is inspired by the legends of the Pacific Northwest First Nations, tales of orca whales that transform into bears when they arrive on land. The Kermode bear is a rare white or cream-coloured sub-species of the black bear that is unique to the central West Coast of British Columbia. According to First Nations’ legend, Kermode bears – also known as Spirit Bears – were turned white by Raven to remind people of the Ice Age. Orcas are also honoured in the art and stories of West Coast First Nations, as travellers and guardians of the sea.

Meet the Vancouver 2010 Mascots

2009-11-02T03:00:00.000-08:00

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic have three mascots

Miga is Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic who love snowboarding
Miga is a young sea bear who lives in the ocean with her family pod, beyond Vancouver Island, near Tofino, British Columbia. Sea bears are part killer whale and part bear. (Miga is part Kermode bear, a rare white bear that only lives in British Columbia.)

Quatchi isVancouver 2010 Winter Olympic who loves hockey
Quatchi is a young sasquatch who comes from the mysterious forests of Canada. Quatchi is shy, but loves to explore new places and meet new friends.

and Sumi’s who a Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic have amazing powers
Sumi is an animal spirit who lives in the mountains of British Columbia. Like many Canadians, Sumi's background is drawn from many places. He wears the hat of the orca whale, flies with the wings of the mighty thunderbird and runs on the strong furry legs of the black bear.

Top ten 10 Skiing and Snowboarding in Europe

2009-10-28T06:56:00.000-07:00

ST ANTON
This Austrian party town is closer to Zurich and Innsbruck than people realise. Possibly the best destination for a weekend of partying and hard skiing, it provides nonstop on and off slope action. You will need serious rest after a weekend here. Best for expert skiers; beginners should go elsewhere. www.stantonamarlberg.com

FLAINE
Close to Geneva. Do not be put off by the French resort’s concrete Bauhaus-style architecture. The ski area is fantastic, a number of more appealing, chalet-style four and five-star properties are springing up and you can always stay in prettier outlying villages such as Les Carroz or Samoëns. www.flaine.com

MÉRIBEL
France’s Les Trois Vallées are almost ruled out for a quick getaway because of the lengthy transfer from Geneva. But Méribel has an altiport and a plane hop from Geneva can be cheaper than a taxi. See how many of the Trois Vallées’ 630km of runs you can manage to squeeze in. And stay in a chalet – this is chalet central. www.meribel.net

COURMAYEUR
This gem of a resort is a little further away but still reachable. Just through the Mont Blanc tunnel in Italy, it is less than two hours from Geneva and is fab for shopping. Top for people watching, particularly the finely clad Milanese, who descend at weekends. Perfect for piste-bashing intermediates. www.courmayeur-montblanc.com

VAL D’ISÈRE
Close to Chambéry, this French resort has some of the best skiing in the world on its doorstep. L’Espace Killy lift passes cover Tignes too, in case there is not enough to entertain you in Val for 48 hours: Tignes is also more snowboard friendly. Val has fabulous off-piste but is also ideal for cautious intermediates. www.valdisere.com

LA CLUSAZ
Very French and relatively undiscovered by Brits, La Clusaz is less than an hour away from Geneva. It is also set in pretty countryside – the Aravis mountains are softer and smaller than the jagged Mont Blanc massif and dotted with gorgeous chalets. Lots of Gallic charm. The resort is great for intermediates. www.laclusaz08.com

CHAMONIX
The French Alpine mecca is a bit of a push for a weekend but it is nonnegotiable for the die-hard ski fanatic. Out of this world skiing and off-piste make it well worth the journey. Stay up the valley in Argentière to be really close to the Grands Montets – the best mountain in Cham. www.chamonix.com

ENGELBERG
This resort in Switzerland is strangely underrated. It is excellent for off-piste hounds and good intermediates and, crucially, is close to Zurich. A pretty, two-and-a-half-hour train ride (less by car) brings you to a resort with awesome off-piste and one of the longest verticals in the Alps. www.engelberg.ch

ALPE D’HUEZ
There is skiing and boarding for everybody at this French resort, close to both Grenoble and Lyons, although it is particularly good for beginners. Not a classically charming resort but it is in the big league, offering a giant variety of slopes. It is also blessed with plenty of sunshine. www.alpedhueznet.com

ZELL AM SEE
This Austrian destination is extraordinarily pretty, located beside a lake and very close to Salzburg. Kaprun is just up the road, with its glacier offering snow-sure skiing and more slopes. Zell, itself, is slightly limited, certainly for the adventurous expert. www.zellamsee-kaprun.com

Top ten 10 Skiing and Snowboarding Destination

2009-10-28T06:54:00.000-07:00

By Pallavi A

Planning a Ski vacation with your friends and family? Let's take a look at the guide below and learn more about the top Ski destinations of United States:

Aspen - Snowmass: Aspen - Snowmass is a popular winter resort complex and it is located in the Pitkin County in the western Colorado. The winter sports take place in the four adjacent mountains within the vicinity of Aspen and Snowmass Village. These four mountains collectively form one of the most popular ski/snowboard destinations. The four Ski areas are:
• Aspen Mountain
• Aspen Highlands
• Buttermilk
• Snowmass

Big Sky: Big Sky resort is located in Montana in Madison County which is an hour's drive from the south of Bozeman. It is considered as the biggest skiing resort in the United States of America. The mountains peak is at a soaring 11,100 feet with two additional mountains that covers up to 85 miles. During the off season, Big Sky Resort offers plenty of outdoor activities like golf, Frisbee golf, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, whitewater rafting and more.

Breckenridge: Breckenridge is located in the heart of Rocky Mountains and it is just 86 miles west of Denver. This mountain has 146 trails to ski upon and 27 lifts and over 2,200 acres of ski terrain, with the longest run over 3 miles in length. During summers, Breckenridge attracts plenty of outdoor activities like the hiking trails, fly-fishing in the Blue River, mountain biking, white water rafting and many more. With so many activities all round the year; Breckenridge is certainly an exciting destination to experience.

Brian Head: Whether you are looking for a laid-back or extreme adventure, you can tailor your own experience at Brain Head Resort. Located in southwestern Utah, Brain Head resort is popular amongst the people who are looking to escape the fast pace environment and crowds. You can have unlimited fun exploring the mountain with snow bikes, snowboarding, skiing, snow tubing, night skiing and more from 11,300 feet up the mountain.

Killington: Killington Mountain ski resort is located near Killington, Vermont. It is considered to be the largest ski area in the eastern North America. It stays open for a longer than other eastern ski resorts as it snows for an average of 8 months in a year. During the peak season Killington serves nearly 17,000 skiers or more in a day.

Taos: Taos, located in New Mexico has two major ski areas i.e. the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and Carson National Forest. The mountains peak is at a soaring 11,800 feet. Apart from skiing/snowboarding, the valley also includes other activities like skating, sleigh rides, mountain biking and more.

Apart from the above mentioned destinations, you can also check Copper Mountain, Crested Butte, Keystone, Lake Placid, Lake Tahoe, Mammoth Lakes, Mount Shasta, Park City, Alta, Snowbird, Steamboat Springs, Stratton Mountain, Sun Valley, Telluride, Timberline, Winter Park and more.

Snowboard Lesson : Backflips

2009-07-15T07:19:00.000-07:00

The backflip is the ultimate ‘crowd pleaser’ trick. Very impressive to look at, and really not that hard – it just takes plenty of balls to try it. Difficulty-wise, it’s about the same as a 360, yet even some pros admit they can’t (or won’t) do them. The main reason for learning backflips is that they are really fun to do on small, steep jumps.

Tip:
The whippier the jump, the better. A steep takeoff makes the rotation easier, and grabbing will tuck your body up and help you keep the rotation fast. A soft powder landing is definitely where you try this trick for the first time.

Ride towards your kicker/windlip/pile of snow.
Commitment is the key: start throwing yourself backwards as your front foot leaves the lip.
Pop hard off the tail, leaning backwards as you take off, and throw your head back to initiate the flip.
Pull your knees up into your body, and grab – Indy or Melon are easiest.
Keep looking upwards, staying tucked until you can see the ground.
Now you should be able to work out how much air time you’ve got to complete the rotation. Let go of the grab, open up your body to complete the rotation, and land.

Backside 180’s : Snowboard Lesson

2009-06-26T06:46:00.000-07:00

Backside 180’s - Straight Jump
with San i Ali babic
It might be a basic trick, but the backside 180 is one of the absolute classic moves, and a favourite of pretty much every pro rider. Why? Because it is one long, slow, blindside rotation that feels amazing, and, when done properly, looks amazing too.
The key to this move is letting your body feel the rotation, and staying smooth off the takeoff.

A pproach the kicker slightly faster than you would a straight air.

Keep your shoulders parallel to the board, and ride straight up the kicker, flat on the base with just a little pressure on the toe edge to keep you stable.

As you take off, slowly turn your head and shoulders backside, and do a small ollie.

Once you have taken off, you should be turning slowly, leaning slightly forwards, and looking down at the ground. Bring your legs up into your body and grab Indy.

If your balance feels right, at 90° push your front leg out in front of you for the tweak.

Keep looking down and between your legs for the landing.

Release the grab as late as you can, and get ready for touchdown.

Land, turn your head to face down the hill, and ride away switch.

Tip:
This is a ‘feeling’ trick, so practice it lots on small bumps before taking it to the big jumps.

Snowboarding Lesson : Shifty’s

2009-06-22T05:26:00.000-07:00

A Shifty is when you push (shift) your board in the opposite direction to your shoulders, either in a frontside or backside direction, or both (shifty-shifty). Done as a straight air or as part of a rotation, it’s a great way to add extra style to a trick, and shows full control.
It’s also sometimes used to get a trick back under control after you’ve lost it...

A pproach the jump as you would a straight air: looking forward, shoulders parallel to the board.
O llie off the lip, and start to bone your front leg off to the side.
A t the same time, turn your shoulders in the opposite direction, forwards with a b shifty, twisting at the waist.
K eep facing forwards, while fully extending the front leg and holding the board at 90 degrees.
A s the landing approaches, unwind at the waist, pull back your board to face forwards, and land.

2009 Salomon Official Snowboard - All-around best snowboards 2009!

2009-06-19T06:01:00.000-07:00

2009 Salomon Official Snowboard - All-around best snowboards 2009!

The final top ten snowboard is the 2009 Salomon Official Snowboard Salomon Official Snowboard. A freestyle, go-anywhere snowboard, the Salomon Official's Equalizer sidecut makes the ride smoother by evenly dispersing pressure across 3 straight edges. The Alien Light core uses hand-selected lightwood for dampening and strength, and isocell (air) strips to reduce weight without sacrificing performance. Plus rubber sidewalls work to dampen nasty vibrations from icy havens.

Buy this 2009 Salomon Official Snowboard for a price of $385 here

Besportier says it like it is: Impressive performance is backed up by awesome dampening for a very smooth ride. Overall one of the best snowboards of 2008 that's very fun, really easy to butter, and has great pop.

Here are our top ten Snowboards 2008 - 2009 ...

2009 Forum Grudge Snowboard - Best snowboards for park!
2009 Arbor A-frame Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!
2009 Ride Dose Snowboard - Best snowboards for big feet!
2009 Burton Vapor Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!
2009 Burton Fish LTD Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!
2009 Rome Mod Snowboard - Best snowboards for park!
2009 Lib Technologies Dark Series MTX Snowboard - Best snowboards for park!
2009 Burton Jeremy Snowboard - All-around best snowboards 2009!
2009 Never Summer Premier F1 Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!
2009 Salomon Official Snowboard - All-around best snowboards 2009!

2009 Never Summer Premier F1 Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!

2009-06-19T05:58:00.000-07:00

2009 Never Summer Premier F1 Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!

The ninth top ten snowboard and one of the best snowboards for powder is the 2009 Never Summer Premier F1 Snowboard. The Never Summer Premier F1 takes your free-riding style from the groomers to the backcountry and features a custom wood Flight core with a multiflex camber giving the board a powerful tail flex and a softer mid flex that provides you with primo carving ability and effortless turn initiation.

The Premier F1's carbon V-Twin laminate extends from the bindings to the ends of the effective edge to give you increased edge response and power out of turns. The RDS 1 Damping system provides you with a stiffer flex and reduces chatter for a stable and smooth ride at high speeds. Never Summer threw on a sintered Durasurf 4501 base to keep you riding fast in any snow conditions.

Buy this 2009 Never Summer Premier F1 Snowboard for a price of $424 here

Besportier says it like it is: A big mountain board for big mountain lovers. One of the best snowboards for powder that's affordable.

Here are our top ten Snowboards 2008 - 2009 ...

2009 Forum Grudge Snowboard - Best snowboards for park!
2009 Arbor A-frame Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!
2009 Ride Dose Snowboard - Best snowboards for big feet!
2009 Burton Vapor Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!
2009 Burton Fish LTD Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!
2009 Rome Mod Snowboard - Best snowboards for park!
2009 Lib Technologies Dark Series MTX Snowboard - Best snowboards for park!
2009 Burton Jeremy Snowboard - All-around best snowboards 2009!
2009 Never Summer Premier F1 Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!
2009 Salomon Official Snowboard - All-around best snowboards 2009!

2009 Burton Jeremy Snowboard - All-around best snowboards 2009!

2009-06-19T05:54:00.000-07:00

2009 Burton Jeremy Snowboard - All-around best snowboards 2009!

The eighth top ten snowboard of 2008-2009 is the 2009 Burton Jeremy Snowboard. The new Burton Jeremy is a freestyle weapon for city rails, huge hits, massive drops etc. An ICS binding interface allows nearly limitless stance options and the ability to run either standard or EST bindings.

This directional twin snowboard comes in three sizes: two mid-wide jib-sticks and a 159 that's a bit wider, stiffer, and more stable for fast run-outs and massive cliffs and kickers. Burton's Dualzone EGD construction increases lateral stiffness for superior edge and a Superfly II wood core delivers powerful pop and lively feel with enough flex to butter like a champ. The Sintered Vision base provides scratch-resistance and lightning-fast speed, 10:45 sidewalls stand up to rails, and a profiled tip and tail reduce swing weight for huge spins.

Buy this 2009 Burton Jeremy Snowboard for a price of $385

Besportier says it like it is: This is a well-rounded freestyle board!

Here are our top ten Snowboards 2008 - 2009 ...

2009 Forum Grudge Snowboard - Best snowboards for park!
2009 Arbor A-frame Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!
2009 Ride Dose Snowboard - Best snowboards for big feet!
2009 Burton Vapor Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!
2009 Burton Fish LTD Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!
2009 Rome Mod Snowboard - Best snowboards for park!
2009 Lib Technologies Dark Series MTX Snowboard - Best snowboards for park!
2009 Burton Jeremy Snowboard - All-around best snowboards 2009!
2009 Never Summer Premier F1 Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!
2009 Salomon Official Snowboard - All-around best snowboards 2009!

2009 Lib Technologies Dark Series MTX Snowboard - Best snowboards for park!

2009-06-19T05:49:00.000-07:00

2009 Lib Technologies Dark Series MTX Snowboard - Best snowboards for park!

The seventh top ten snowboard is the skate-influenced 2009 Lib Technologies Dark Series MTX Snowboard. Designed to to give progressive riders an incredible feel in the terrain park and on downtown rail, Lib Technologies Dark Series MTX features wave-shaped magne-edges that give this board multiple contact points, so even icy parks feel like they were just groomed.

Lib Tech's Golden Fleece composite core material makes the Dark Series pop like nothing else to help you boost bigger off every lip. And that's not it, the Lib Tech ride features ultra-tough UHMW sidewalls to hold up to the abuse of a rail sesh, and the fast sintered base lets you charge a big in-run with everything you have.

Buy this best snowboards for a price of $420 here

Besportier says it like it is: Get this one and go straight to the park!

Here are our top ten Snowboards 2008 - 2009 ...

2009 Forum Grudge Snowboard - Best snowboards for park!
2009 Arbor A-frame Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!
2009 Ride Dose Snowboard - Best snowboards for big feet!
2009 Burton Vapor Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!
2009 Burton Fish LTD Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!
2009 Rome Mod Snowboard - Best snowboards for park!
2009 Lib Technologies Dark Series MTX Snowboard - Best snowboards for park!
2009 Burton Jeremy Snowboard - All-around best snowboards 2009!
2009 Never Summer Premier F1 Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!
2009 Salomon Official Snowboard - All-around best snowboards 2009!

2009 Rome Mod Snowboard - Best snowboards for park!

2009-06-19T05:43:00.000-07:00

2009 Rome Mod Snowboard - Best snowboards for park!

The sixth top ten snowboard is the 2009 Rome Mod Snowboard. The Rome Mod has a true twin tip shape that lets you spend half your time riding switch, and its Air Core matrix gives you a ride that's mellow. Using Rome's PowerAmp technology, the Mod's core combines bamboo inserts and carbon stringers for insane amounts of pop so you can load and ollie this snowboard onto handrails or over ropes for quick powder runs. Air Core technology reduces this freestyle board's overall weight to give you easier spins and a more reactive ride all over the mountain. The boards carbon sintered base gives you crazy glide by creating a static charge between your base and the snow. Hardened impact edges withstand all the abuse your jib sessions can deliver.

Buy this best snowboard for a price of $385 here

Besportier says it like it is: Forget your outdated freestyle snowboard and get with the program with the new-school Rome Mod Snowboard! SUPER FAST, SUPER LIGHT, and SUPER FUN, the Rome Mod is one of the best snowboards of 2008. Not meant to be a powder board...its a twin tip silly.

Here are our top ten Snowboards 2008 - 2009 ...

2009 Forum Grudge Snowboard - Best snowboards for park!
2009 Arbor A-frame Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!
2009 Ride Dose Snowboard - Best snowboards for big feet!
2009 Burton Vapor Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!
2009 Burton Fish LTD Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!
2009 Rome Mod Snowboard - Best snowboards for park!
2009 Lib Technologies Dark Series MTX Snowboard - Best snowboards for park!
2009 Burton Jeremy Snowboard - All-around best snowboards 2009!
2009 Never Summer Premier F1 Snowboard - Best snowboards for powder!
2009 Salomon Official Snowboard - All-around best snowboards 2009!