Go heliskiing in Nevada

by Kraig Becker on

For many skiers and snowboarders, a heliskiing trip is at the top of their list of “must do” adventures. By hopping a flight on a helicopter, they gain access to pristine backcountry snow and slopes of untouched powder. Better yet, these locations are usually miles away from crowded lift lines and busy lodges, allowing skiers to enjoy a mountain all to themselves.

Heliskiing has become a popular activity around the globe, with numerous options in the U.S., Canada, Iceland, New Zealand, Europe and beyond. But one place you probably wouldn’t expect to find a heliskiing operation is in Nevada. But way up in the northeast corner of the state are the Ruby Mountains, which are often overlooked as a destination for winter fun.

For 34 years Ruby Mountain Heli-Experience has been offering customers access to an amazing winter wonderland that can only be reached by helicopter. They have over 200,000 acres of wilderness at their disposal, which allows them to meet the needs of skiers or snowboarders of any skill level. The Ruby Mountain setting has everything from gentle, wide bowls to steep, fast drops for the real thrill seekers.

At the end of the day, after a spectacular experience in the snow, you’ll return to the lodge where yet another surprise awaits visitors. Ruby Mountain delivers some fantastic gourmet cuisine for their guests, which simply rounds out an already fantastic experience.

Ruby Mountain Heli-Experience is one of the most accessible and affordable heli-skiing option in the lower-48 states and an unforgettable experience for adventure travelers. With the winter season just about to begin, its time to start planning your next snow adventure.

[Photo credit: Ruby Mountain Heli-Experience]


Ruby Mountain Heli Experience Highlights 2010 from Joseph Royer on Vimeo.

Tahoe gets 8 feet of snow in time for Thanksgiving weekend

by Kraig Becker on

Thanksgiving weekend is often considered the unofficial start to ski season. Sure, plenty of resorts open up well before the holiday, but with lots of people traveling across the country this weekend, many will head to the slopes on the post-turkey day weekend for a little early-winter fun.

Those going in search of spectacular snow over the next few days should look no further than the Lake Tahoe region, where early season storms have already dumped more than 8 feet of of the white stuff on local resorts. Recent weather patterns have been more reminiscent of those that occur in late December, and as a result, conditions on the slopes are more like mid-winter than mid-fall.

The long range forecasts indicate that this early season snow isn’t likely to be an anomaly either. In fact, the Northern Sierra Nevada mountains are expecting to get higher than normal snow falls again this year, perhaps even topping last season’s 600 inches. That should earn Lake Tahoe a spot on any skier or snowboarders destination list in the months ahead.

With all this snow in the forecast, the Sierra at Tahoe resort is expecting plenty of visitors this year. But they are also trying to make it as easy as possible for beginners to join in on the outdoor fun too. With that in mind, they will be offering a Learn to Ski/Ride Package for new skiers and boarders. The package is available December 18 – January 1, January 15-17, and February 21-27, and includes a limited access lift ticket for the beginner park, all of your gear rental, and a 2.5 hour first-time lesson, for just $35.

For other great deals and options for skiing the Tahoe region, check out SkiLakeTahoe.com.

[Photo credit: Charles J Sharp via WikiMedia]

High tech ski goggles incorporate GPS, LCD display, kitchen sink

by Kraig Becker on

There is a decidedly high tech movement afoot on the ski slopes this season. First, we saw stat tracking and social networking brought to the mountains courtesy of RFID tags embedded in lift tickets in Colorado and now we have a set of high tech goggles that incorporate GPS functionality, a tiny LCD display, and a multitude of other features that will keep you in the know while playing in the snow.

The new Transcend Goggles from Zeal Optics incorporate a GPS chip that keeps track of speed, distance traveled, vertical drop, direction and location. That data can be examined on the LCD screen, which is mounted in the lower right hand corner of the goggle frames. The screen also displays the current time, temperature, altitude, and so on. Data is stored in an on board memory chip and can be uploaded to your computer later in order to measure progress and performance gains. The GPS tracking can also plot your tracks on Google Maps as well.

The new goggles are available now and come in two flavors, with the style of lens being the only difference. The “basic” model includes polarized lenses and costs $399 while the $499 models offer polarized and photochromatic lens, which provide even more protection for your eyes on those sunny days on the slopes. Both models also include built in lithium batteries that are good for seven hours of use between charges.

While I haven’t had a chance to try these goggles personally, they do look like the would be a lot of fun to use. It is amazing how technology had pervaded so far into our favorite outdoor pursuits, but when it is used in a unique and interesting way, it can really be a useful enhancement to the experience. These goggles look like they fall solidly into that category.

British explorer to ski to South Pole and back again

by Kraig Becker on

British adventurer Chris Foot is currently in Punta Arenas, Chile, preparing to set out on a long and difficult journey that will see him traveling on skis to the South Pole. That, in and of itself, is an impressive feat, but one that has done plenty of times in the past. But upon arrival at the Pole Chris intends to separate himself from the explorers who have gone before him, by turning around and skiing back to where he started, something that has never been done before.

The entire journey will cover more than 1392 miles through one of the most desolate and remote regions on the planet. To add to the challenge, Foot intends to make the trip solo and unsupported, which means he will be completely alone and won’t receive any supply drops or outside assistance for the length of the expedition. Instead, he’ll pull a sled behind him that will carry all of his food, equipment, and other supplies for the length of the journey, which could last for upwards of three months.

The expedition will begin and end at the new Union Glacier Antarctic base that we told you about last week, and could get underway as soon as today. Weather has delayed the start of Chris’ journey, as high winds and heavy snow have prevented planes from landing at the new base, but according to the latest dispatches from the former British commando, his gear has all been packed and weighed, and he is awaiting a clear weather window to allow him to get start the long, slow march to 90ºS.

Chris will be one of the first adventurers to hit the ice this year, but his arrival will mark the beginning of the Antarctic expedition season that will see other expeditions heading to the South Pole as well. Additionally, mountaineers will challenge themselves on several cold and remote peaks in the region and adventure travelers will get the opportunity to visit a place that few ever experience.

[Photo credit: Chris Foot]

New Antarctic base opens for adventure travelers

by Kraig Becker on

Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions (ALE) has opened a new base of operations in Antarctica that will serve as a launching point for mountaineers looking to climb nearby peaks, explorers skiing to the South Pole, and other adventurous travelers looking to experience the frozen continent. The outpost is located at Union Glacier and replaces a similar base, known as Patriot Hills, that had been in use for more than twenty years.

The new base has been in development for more than four years and includes a runway built out of blue ice. That runway allows ALE to fly Russian built Ilyushin jets from Punta Arenas, Chile to Antarctica, delivering explorers and adventure travelers to the ice. The Union Glacier base has a heated passenger terminal for visitors to stay in while they wait for the two specially designed 4×4 vans to shuttle them to the actual camp, which sits at the foot of Mt. Rossman, roughly five miles away from the airstrip.

The camp itself offers accommodations for 80 guests and includes a complimentary meal service. The base has been built from the ground up to be environmentally friendly and more efficient than the old camp at Patriot Hills, while delivering a more comfortable space for Antarctic travelers. Nearby, there are a series of groomed trails that have been clearly marked to indicate safe and dangerous areas along the glacier, allowing visitors to hike and ski through the remote and scenic area.

If all goes as planned, and weather permitting, ALE will fly its first guests to Union Glacier today. Amongst those first visitors will be adventurers skiing to the South Pole and climbers headed to Mt. Vinson, the tallest mountain on the continent. But clearly the base opens new opportunities for adventure travelers to visit Antarctica as well, offering them a host of new experiences, albeit at a price.

[Photo credit: Laurens via WikiMedia]