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Archive for the ‘Ski Resorts’ Category

If like many people you have heard good reports about the skiing in the Alps, then you will be pleasantly surprised to find that you can come across some fantastic skiing holidays in the Alps without having to spend too much money. Of course, this isn’t the case with all holidays in this region, so you do have to take a bit of care when booking your holiday.

One of the cheapest countries to offer skiing in the Alps is surprisingly France. Despite having great snow and great scenery it is reasonably cheap because it is so close to the UK. When searching you should look for Ski deals in France so you can be sure that you are going to find the best deals.

You will find that if you look for Ski accommodation in France you will come up with a huge amount of deals. This can mean that you are going to have a lot of things that you have to search through, but it is worth it given the great deals you will find in amongst all of the results.

Of course, if your search has nothing to do with budgets, then you will find some fantastic deals out there. You can hire the most fantastic Luxury Ski Chalets on the internet. Of course, you have to really pay for them, but you end up with something that is going to make your holiday just perfect.

It’s always something of a shock to emerge from the damp woods of British Columbia onto the bright hard candy of Whistler. Whistler Village is still basically a small sporting town with a gigantic ski area in its backyard (more gigantic than ever if you count the nearly half-million acres of backcountry that makes up the Heli Skiing area). Come dusk, when the yellow lights come on and the snowy peaks turn pink, the Village Stroll becomes a parade of apres-skiers. The 2010 Olympics may crank the party and prestige quota up another level, but the folks piling into all those cozy bars and restaurants are concerned only with tomorrow’s powder.

Considered to be one of the top ski resorts in the World, Whistler’s growth in the last 10 years has been astonishing. Whistler has a philosophy that there is ‘something for everyone’ from skiing and snowboarding in the Winter to mountain biking and golfing in the summer, as well as other recreational activities such as shopping, dining, culture and arts. With regards to accommodation Whistler not only offers ski-in / ski-out condos and chalets, it provides many other options suitable for all price ranges.

Luxury property rentals in Whistler have become increasingly popular as people seek convenience, service and all their needs to be catered for, in their need to escape for their hectic lifestyles. Accommodation in Whistler caters for all needs, from intimate 1 bedroom cabins to decadent 6 bedroom mansion style houses catering for up to 20 people. All amenities are provided and careful thought has been given to ensure the guests stay in Whistler is as enjoyable as they had hoped. Property rental in Whistler is well advanced and therefore guests have high expectations when choosing their luxury getaway in this corner of Canada.

Its reputation precedes it – for the fifth time, one of America’s most prominent ski magazines, Skiing magazine, has named Whistler the Number One Ski Resort in North America. The Daily Telegraph (UK) ranked Whistler ‘Best Ski Resort in the World’ in 2003. Ski magazine voted Whistler the 2nd best resort and TransWorld SNOWboarding rated Whistler the best resort.

With a mile-high vertical rise, Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains are nothing short of the most remarkable skiing experience. It is the largest ski able area in North America served by one of the most advanced high speed lift system featuring 15 Express lifts in a total system of 33 lifts. It has the greatest vertical rise of any ski resort in the continent. Twelve incredible bowls, three glaciers, and more than 200 marked trails offer skiers of every level and age endless enjoyment.

Whistler Blackcomb is regarded by many as the top ski resort in the world, but why is this? On the slopes, every level of skier and snowboarder is catered for — every type of terrain imaginable can be accessed by a fast and efficient lift system yet the slopes remain relatively un-crowded. Off the slopes there are about 100 restaurants and about 200 shops to try, and dozens of other sports and leisure activities.

Today, people come from all over the world to experience world class skiing and snowboarding in the Winter, and golf, hiking and mountain biking in the Summer. Whistler is unique in offering such a diverse range of activities, of such a world class standard. Luckily for the millions of visitors Whistler receives each year there is plenty to choose from when it comes to accommodation In Whistler. Luxury whistler chalets are prevalent for those who desire more comfort after a days skiing. Many of these Whistler properties are ski in / ski out offering the best in convenience and luxury in Whistler.

When the days are short and snow hides the dirt and makes the water of Lake Tahoe WAY to cold for swimming, you do the only thing you can do: Go SKIING!!! There are fourteen ski resorts in and around Lake Tahoe in both California and Nevada. There are thousands of hotel and motel rooms, you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a gourmet, or deliciously funky restaurant, and there’s more music, theater, shows, gambling and amenities than you could possibly know what to do with.

But relax. It’s simple. Follow these two steps for the best winter vacation you’ve ever had: 1) go to Lake Tahoe. 2) go skiing! Everything else will come naturally.

Getting to Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is easy to find. If you’re flying (and you don’t have your own helicopter), the closest airport with good service is Reno Tahoe International Airport. All the major carriers fly in there including the beloved Southwest Airlines. From Reno the closest Tahoe ski resort are only 30 minutes away (Mt. Rose and Diamond Peak), and the farthest are barely over an hour. Flying in to Reno also puts you at an advantage as most of the traffic comes in from Sacramento and San Francisco, so tourist congestion is minimal.

From Sacramento or San Francisco take US Hwy 50 East to South Lake Tahoe, California and the casinos at Stateline, Nevada and Heavenly, Kirkwood or Sierra at Tahoe; or take Interstate 80 through Truckee to Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, Donner Ski Ranch, Sugar bowl, Northstar or Homewood. Good weather info can be found at weather.com (http://www.weather.com/weather/local/USCA0584?from=search_city), NOAA.gov (http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=rev&smap=1&textField1=39.25139&textField2=-119.97194), and snotel (http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/snotel/California/california.html).

Check traffic and snow conditions before you go at CalTrans(http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/), NDOT (http://www.nevadadot.com/traveler/roads/) and Magnifeye(http://www.magnifeye.com/).

Tahoe Terrain and Snow

Lake Tahoe is big: 22 miles long and 12 miles wide. Along its 72 miles of shoreline ski conditions can vary from north (Northstar at Tahoe) to south (Kirkwood), so it helps to keep track of the weather and snowfall rates. If you’re into groomers and perfect corduroy, or neck deep powder in the trees, check the snow reports on each resort’s website and hit the one with the most new snow.

Most of the resorts have terrain parks, and usually more than one. Heavenly has several including beginner, intermediate and advanced jumps, rails and boxes for all skiers and snowboarders.

Which resort should you go to? Well that’s complicated. Since everything at Tahoe is totally awesome, it can be challenging to find the right resort for you. The huge resorts, Heavenly, Squaw, and Kirkwood, offer fancy dining, big vertical relief, and incredible on-mountain amenities. The small ones, Homewood, Diamond Peak and Mt. Rose, offer a more low key experience that might be great for beginners or people who want to experience everything Tahoe. Every mountain has its specialties, secret powder stashes and amazing views of the lake.

Backcountry Skiing

Though there are some of the best ski and snowboard resorts in the world, there are FAR more mountains to be skied around Tahoe than you can reach at the end of a chair lift ride. Any of the peaks around the Tahoe Basin, however, can be reached at the end of a hike.

Whether by snowshoe, crampon and ice axe or ski tour you can reach endless untracked ridges and couloirs from the Pacific Crest in the Desolation Wilderness on the West shore to the Carson Range above Reno on the east. Many resorts also have hikeable backcountry terrain, like the Milkyway Bowl, at Heavenly which gives you a few more feet of vertical for a little bit of extra effort. Always check for up-to-date avalanche, snowfall and weather forecasts for the entire Tahoe back country area from the Sierra Avalanche Center (http://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org/) before you go out of bounds.

Lifts, Trams and Gondolas

Tahoe is the land of the six-pack high-speed chairlift. We have gondolas, funitels, and trams along with a life time supply of high speed 6 person chairlifts. The resorts here are fully modern with the latest in technology and as rich skiing history, like the old Trams at Heavenly and Squaw Valley. Skiing around Tahoe is a fully modern, fast and fun experience. The astounding uphill capacity at the resorts keeps you skiing with a minimum of down time.

On-mountain Amenities

What’s that? You want a little down time? Understandable. Skiing endless top to bottom mogul or powder runs can be tiring. You need a recharge now and then. No worries, no matter where you are at the resorts here you’re never far from a bite to eat. Mid mountain lodges, top of the mountain lodges abound with gourmet dining, and drinking, right off the runs with stellar views of the ski slopes and the lake and no shortage of wine and beer.

Tahoe Lodging

Sure, you could sleep in your car at the base of the runs after eating a ski-bum-gourmet meal of saltines and ketchup, but why now live a little? You want be good to yourself; that’s why you’re here.

As a year round vacation destination, Lake Tahoe has thousands of hotels and motels to choose from after a big day on the slopes. If you’re hungry there are enough dining establishments to feed tens of thousands! Great lodging rates can be found to keep your budget happy even at a hotel close to the slopes!

In a competitive vacation market such as Tahoe, resorts are always teaming up with hotels to offer ski and lodging packages to get you the best deal for your trip. Whether you’re skiing or snowboarding, you can bundle your lodging, lift tickets and equipment rentals into one great deal, so you spend less money and more time having fun.

Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe, in California and Nevada, is a world class winter destination mentioned in the same breath as Vail, Park City, and Banff. The snow is falling. The lifts are running. Come hit the slopes!!!