World-Wide Cheap Ski Passes

by Neil Woodburn on

Something which many families overlook while planning a ski holiday is the price of lift tickets. Sure, you might get a sweet deal for flight and accommodations to Chamonix, France, but once you discover that a children’s ski pass for Mont Blanc is €200 for six day, that “sweet deal” suddenly doesn’t sound so sweet anymore.

This was just one of many examples covered in the excellent On The Up: Lift Passes Around The World article found in yesterday’s Independent. Writer Patrick Thorne points families looking to save some money in (mostly) the right direction. I say “mostly” because his number one recommendation for cheap ski passes is Iran. Seven days of skiing at Dizin, just north of Tehran, for example, costs only £19! Of course, you might want to check out the political climate before the weather report while skiing in this region of the world.

If Iranian skiing still worries you, Thorne includes a handful of other recommendations infinitely more plausible.

Red Corner: Serbian Slopes

by Neil Woodburn on

It’s getting to be that time of year again and we here at Red Corner want to be sure to point you to the very best behind-the-former-iron-curtain ski locations.

This week, we look at Serbia.

One of the country’s more famous resorts, Kopaonik, was actually visited often during communism by Western Europeans because of the very nice conditions there. The civil war put an end to that, however, and tourism languished until just recently when foreign skiers began to slowly trickle back.

The resort, tucked into the snowy folds of the Balkans, has 21 lifts and fewer crowds than one might find elsewhere. And, in case you want to rub elbows with Serbia’s elite, the resort hosts the popular Suri Restaurant. The food, like the skiing, is affordable and very worthwhile.

Is It Skiing Time Yet?

by Iva Skoch on

Perhaps the only good thing about the summer ending is that one can start planning a ski vacation. My favorite place to ski is still the Alps. Granted, I have only skied in a handful of places in the US and Canada, but I still prefer Europe.

It’s not that the quality of snow is an order of magnitude better, but it has got two “C’s” going for it: cost and character. Especially in Austria, you can find pleasant chalet accommodations for as little as $30/person, including breakfast. I took this picture in Dachstein, a ski resort in Austria, just a hour away from Salzburg, last December. Sun and powder heaven. The beautiful thing is they still charge only 32euros (about $40) for a day pass. In the US, you can’t even ski the Poconos for that kind of money, sadly enough. If you have ever tried skiing the Poconos, you will understand exactly how sad that is.

Which brings me to my next point: character. Villages in the Alps are just so damn cute. I don’t care how accurately they try to replicate this quaintness in Whistler, it just doesn’t work.

Halfpipe Heaven

by Erik Olsen on

Ski season is almost upon us, and so I figured I’d take a moment to post about this piece on the top ten half pipes in the country. From the once great, but now middling Mountainzone, it’s a nice summation of what the various ski areas have on offer for snow boarders. I have to say I’m rather pleased that Mammoth Mountain got the top spot.

I’m a big fan of Mammoth, even if I remain a bit disdainful of the gazillions of skate rats who now roam pell-mell over the mountain dragging their knuckles in the show. What’s interesting is that Mammoth didn’t much allow snow boarders on the hill until just a couple of years ago. Then they realized they were leaving lots of dollars on the table and decided they would not just accommodate snow boarders, they would build an entire infrastructure in their honor. If you’ve ever been to Mammmoth, you know what I mean. The whole complex at the base of the mountain is amazing.

Well, after Mammoth comes Breckenridge, Colorado, Stratton Mountain, Vermont, Park City, Utah and Copper Mountain. Check out the article for details.

Jackson Tram to be Replaced

by Erik Olsen on

Say it isn’t so! Here is a story that will likely pluck the nostalgia heartstrings of many a Western ski fan, myself included. You know the wonderful old ski tram that has been hauling skiers up the mountainside at Jackson Hole all these years? Looks like they’re taking the thing down. It’s 40 years old, is rather inefficient and slow. But it’s still such a well-known feature of the Jackson landscape, it just seems a shame to let it go. But maybe it’s for the better .Things do change, after all. I mean, I worked at Squaw valley years ago, and I suppose it wouldn’t kill me to see them get rid of the tram there. It would be sad, but not the end of the world. But here’s the good news. They are replacing the tram with a larger, more efficient one. The current Jackson Hole tram carries 52 people at a time, but the NEW one will carry over 100 people. It will cost $25 million and is scheduled to open in December 2008. Until then, the resort has installed a chairlift to the summit. So bid farewell to the old, and welcome in the new. The more things change, the more they stay the same.