Sweden building world’s largest indoor ski resort

by Kraig Becker on

Swedish architects at the firm of CF Moller have unveiled plans for a massive indoor ski resort which, when built, will be the largest in the world. Dubbed Skipark 360°, the new resort would ensure plenty of powder, even in the worst of winters, and could enable year-round fun on the slopes.

Thanks to its main slope, which is 2300 feet in length and has a drop of 515 feet, Skipark 360° will be the only indoor ski resort capable of hosting a World Cup event. That means skiers and snowboarders will have an impressive slope to shred 365 days of the year. The perpetual winter fun doesn’t end there however, as the resort will also feature more than two miles of cross country ski tunnels, a biathlon arena, ice hockey rink, and a separate rink for figure skating. Visitors will also find a hotel, spa, multiple restaurants and shops, and even a conference center. In short, everything they need in one self contained environment.

The architects have designed Skipark 360° to be environmentally friendly as well. The resort will get its electricity by a combination of solar, hydro, and wind power, and it will incorporate geothermal heat sources to keep the place warm. The goal is to use 100% renewable energy sources to limit the carbon footprint.

Construction on Skipark 360° is set to commence in 2013 in Balsta,which is located a short drive from Stockholm. It is estimated that the resort will cost about $290 million to complete.


Swiss village Obermutten has more Facebook fans than residents

by McLean Robbins on



A tiny Swiss mountain village is taking social media to a new level. Obermutten in Graubuenden has promised anyone who “likes” the town on Facebook that they will put his/her photo onto the Commune’s official notice board. By doing this, they say, anybody anywhere in the world can “become Swiss”. After only three days, the village already has fifteen times more fans than residents, and this number is growing by the day.

The identity pictures are printed out by a councillor and pinned up on the noticeboard and the fans thus become part of the village community. So far, the fan list has grown so fast that they’ve filled the town’s message board and resorted to using a barn side to post pictures. The eighty inhabitants – many still without an internet connection – like to get to know their fans in this way.

The Commune, located in the Graubuenden holiday region, seems excited by their newfound fame.

“Obermutten is developing a personal relationship with its guests. Here it’s not a question of the total volume, but of each individual one. Why shouldn’t this be the same for us in the internet?” said Martin Wyss, Mutten’s village president.

The village president communicates with his fans in short video YouTube messages like the one seen above.

Wow, this is really taking “social” to a new level.

Longest zip-line in the world at Palau’s new eco theme park

by Jessica Festa on

Palau is no longer just a destination for underwater adventure. This destination in Micronesia, which is ranked as one of the top scuba diving destinations in the world, has recently opened the Palau Eco Theme Park, home to one of the longest zip line courses on Earth.

The three-course zip-line that allows participants to get really high about the trees, flying over the Taki Waterfall Park in the State of Ngardmau. Because story-telling is also a major focus of the theme park, these waterfalls were selected to provide the backdrop (or underdrop) for the experience not only because of their beauty, but also because of the legend that is associated with them. Apparently, an eel with magic powers once changed into the river itself, with its head being the waterfall.

With the length of each section running between 300 and 340 meters (about 985 to 1,115 feet), this course is no joke, and is said to be one of the longest zip line courses in the world.

For more information on Palau Eco Theme Park you can call (680) 747-1004.

Chicago named most mustache-friendly city in America

by Jessica Festa on

Chicago has recently been named the most “mustache-friendly” city in the United States by the American Mustache Institute (AMI). The research came in response to a “long-existing pattern of social and professional discrimination against Mustached Americans”.

Apparently, Chicago is leading the way in providing an ideal living and working environment for Mustached Americans. In fact, Dr. Aaron Xavier Perlut, chairman of AMI, claims, “Its vast pool of professional opportunities in first-responder fields and in the fishing industry centered around Lake Michigan, along with the heritage of retired Chicago Bears players who have continued to embrace a Mustached American lifestyle helped to set the Windy City Apart.”

Of course, with every achievement comes a celebration, which is why Chicago will be hosting a ‘Stache Bash on Friday, October 28, 2011, at Joe’s Bar on Weed Street. Tickets are $25 and include entertainment and beers. The event will serve as the opening for Movember, a world-wide mustache-growing charity campaign that works to raise awareness and contributions for the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG, the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Are the Dutch building a fake mountain?

by Kraig Becker on

The Netherlands are known for a lot of things (cheese, windmills, tulips!), but mountains aren’t exactly one of them. In fact, the country is famously flat, with more than a quarter of its land falling below sea level. But there is a movement afoot to change all that, and the Dutch are seriously considering building an artificial mountain designed to attract skiers, climbers, and other outdoor enthusiasts.

The idea for this fake mountain started when a journalist by the name of Thijs Zonneveld wrote a satirical piece suggesting the country overcome its lack of altitude by building an artificial peak. It was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, but the idea struck a chord with architectural firm Hoffers and Kruger, who put together the blueprints for a 7000-foot tall mountain. From there the idea only snowballed, gaining endorsements from the Dutch Ski Association, Dutch Climbing and Mountaineering Association, and Royal Dutch Cycling Union.

Now the project seems to have taken on a life of its own. A number of major corporations have reportedly inquired about sponsoring the construction and several Dutch municipalities have petitioned to be the home of the mountain. A research group has even been formed to explore the possibilities of actually taking the design off the drawing board and making it a reality.

The basic design is for a massive metal skeleton to be built and then covered in natural materials using technologies and processes that already exist. That design would include areas specifically constructed for skiing, climbing, mountain biking, trekking, and more. Even more amazing, the interior of the mountain would actually be hollow, housing a city that would include resorts, shops, transportation, and homes.

But don’t start planning your next alpine escape to Holland just yet. If the country does decide to go ahead with construction, it could take as much as 30 years to complete and cost somewhere between $60 billion and $420 billion. Considering the current economy, the price tag could keep this project from ever getting off the ground.