I wasn’t familiar with Kyle Wagner’s Road Tripper column until a friend of mine sent me the link, but I quite like it. In this episode, as it were, Wagner fills you in on what’s happening in Beaver Creek. From restaurant suggestions to accomodations, it’s a nice little primer if you happen to be heading one of the places he covers. The pictures kind of suck, tho.
Tips for Cheap Skiing
It’s that time of year when travel sections around the world turn to the white stuff. Yep, winter is upon us and so is ski season.
When I was younger I almost never skied because I simply didn’t have the money. Skiing is, after all, one of the more expensive sports one can take up. Now that I am older and have a bit more money, I still find the damn thing very expensive.
There are ways to cut corners, however, and every time I come across an article with tips for doing so, I anxiously cut it out and file it away.
The most recent effort to help me save money comes to us from The Telegraph. Skiing on a Shoestring offers a handful of great ways to ski cheaply, such as when to go (January), where to go (the underrated French Pyrénées), where to eat (self-catering), and when to book (early and late!). Some of the suggestions are common sense, but others I hadn’t thought of before. The article also lists a surprising number of cheap accommodations in Chamonix, France.
Now, all I have to do is fly myself over there.
Best Ski Resorts
Since we’re appraoching ski season even though there’s not yet any snow, I’m going to post a story about the top ten ski resorts in the country. The names here are going to be familiar to anyone who skis a lot, especially anyone who’s a fan of the West. But for some, they may provide some ideas on places to crash and/or do the apres ski thing.
Skiing Three Countries in One Day
Should you ever feel the need to impress your friends with the number of places you have skied in your life (and not go bankrupt as a result of it) head over to Slovenia. If you settle in the town of Bovec, home of Kanin, the highest ski center in the Slovenian Alps, you can venture out to nearby ski resorts in the neighboring countries: Sella Nevea and Tarvisio in Italy, and at the Arnoldstein in Austria. If you get the 7-day pass, you get two free coupons for skiing in Italy and Austria. The altitude stretches above 2000 meters (6000 feet) and a day pass will set you back less than $20.
Of course, you can ski three countries in one day in Chamonix if you are lucky, too, but it is a lot more expensive (closer to $50/day) and a lot more pretentious.
Crystal Gets Dumped On
While I tend to favor states like Utah and Colorado when it comes to skiing (and I’ll throw Mammoth Mountain in there as well), wen the fluffy white stuff falls heavy in the Northwest, I think fondly of a little resort called Crystal Mountain. Crystal is plopped down right there in the Cascades and is within view of Mount Rainier. The terrain there is excellent. And as I say, when the snow falls big, as it just did, Crystal rocks. The recent series of snowstorm have apparently dropped deeper November snow than ski areas have seen in years, drawing crowds to the slopes earlier than usual. Among some of the other areas that got a taste of the dump, Mount Baker got some 70 inches of snow in four days, boosting its base depth to 94 inches – the deepest at any ski area in North America. This bodes well for a fine ski season.