Breckenridge celebrates 50 years of skiing

by Kraig Becker on

One of the top ski resorts in all of North America is preparing to kick-off a season-long celebration of a half-century of operation. Colorado’s Breckenridge Ski Resort will turn 50 this year, and the iconic destination has big plans to commemorate the occasion.

The hill will officially open November 11th (11/11/11) and to get skiers and snowboarders excited, they’ve already launched 50 Days of Giveaways on the Breckenridge Facebook page. The prizes they’re giving away are increasing in value each day, culminating with the final giveaway on the 11th. Thus far have handed out gear, food and drinks at the resort, tickets to events, and much more.

The resort will also soon launch its “50 Wishes” campaign, during which visitors to the mountain can submit a wish that they’d like to see fulfilled while they are there. The staff will comb through those requests, and select 50 of them to fulfill at random times throughout the season.

Early season skiers and snowboarders will also have the opportunity to enjoy great savings as well. If you book your stay at the Village at Breckenridge prior to opening day, you’ll receive 50% off the normal rate rate for a condo, which translates to $118 per night, with a minimum of a two nights stay. That’s an incredibly great deal for the chance to stay at one of the top ski resorts in the world. They’ll even throw in 2 free drinks and an appetizer at a local restaurant as well. For more details on this offer, click here.

Last year was a record breaking season for snow in Breckenridge, with the resort receiving an unbelievable 519 inches of accumulation. The long term forecasts for this year indicate that we should expect more of the same, which should make for outstanding skiing and snowboarding once again. With plenty of snow and plenty to celebrate, Breckenridge should be a fantastic destination all season long.

[Photo courtesy Breckenridge Ski Resort]

Ski season is officially open!

by Kraig Becker on

It may be hard to believe, considering its only the middle of October, but ski season has officially begun in Colorado. Yesterday, the Arapahoe Basin Ski Area opened for business and today skiers will hit the slopes at Loveland for the first time as well.

Early fall snowfalls have already been dumping fresh powder across the Rocky Mountains, and when combined with the artificial snow-making machines, both ski areas have a good base for the start of the season. Loveland began the week with roughly six inches of snow already on the ground, and more has fallen over the past few days, and when A-Basin kicked off the season yesterday, it was covered in 18 inches of powder.

Last year’s ski season was one for the record books, with heavy snows falling across much of the western United States. Those snowfalls continued well into the spring, which extended the season into July. That has made for a very short off-season for Arapahoe, which was closed for just 100 days this year. Long term forecasts are predicting similar weather patterns for this winter, which is good news for skiers and snowboarders.

Over the course of the next few weeks, other ski resorts will begin to open throughout the U.S. as the new season gets into full swing. For now, those of us not lucky enough to live close enough to one of these hills, is going to have to sit and wait.

ItaliaOutdoors introduces ski adventures for wine and food enthusiasts

by Jessica Festa on

Beginning in December, 2011, ItaliaOutdoors will host snow and ski tours that also include activities for food and wine enthusiasts. These small group excursions will give participants insight into the culinary culture of the Trentino Alto-Adige region of Northeastern Italy.

Each tour can be customized to fit any fitness level and budget, from shorter trails to advanced mountain climbs. Groups will be limited to twelve participants and trips are all-inclusive (aside for airfare). And the best part is, no matter which package you choose, daily wine tastings are included.

The guides for these tours are Vernon McClure and Kathy Bechtel, two extremely qualified individuals to give participants a top-notch trip. McClure has more than fifteen years of experience designing, leading, and teaching ski excursions in Italy and throughout Europe, while Bechtel is a trained ski instructor as well as a chef with formal wine training. In fact, she hosts her own food and wine television show in Sugarloaf, Maine, where she shares travel-inspired tips and recipes.

For more information or to sign up for a tour, click here.

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.


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.