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.


Mosquito Repelling Gear: It Works

by Pam Mandel on
The last thing you want to bring home from your safari? Malaria. And if you’re a bug attractor like me, it’s not just the anti-malarials you’ll want to pack. You’ll also want a good sized helping of DEET infused goo. And some stuff made from fabrics that have mozzie repelling properties.

Once you’ve caved in to the fact that you’re going to be a khaki covered dork, your life will get a lot easier. Start with the BugsAway shirt from ExOfficio. In addition to UV protection, it’s made with Insect Shield, a fabric infused with permethrin, a bug repellent, that holds through 70 washings.

I liked this shirt a lot. I liked the side vents that let air in along the back, I liked the securely zippered pockets, I liked the cut. It comes in a couple of colors, not just khaki. It’s wrinkle resistant, so I could stuff it in my day pack and just shake it back out into shape. I wore my BugsAway shirt almost every evening in camp and in the buggier beach towns. The result? None of those nasty through the shirt mozzie bites. This is a great travel shirt, a fine addition to a tropical travel wardrobe. The shirt is 88.00 from ExOfficio — you might want to check out their complete BugsAway line.

I also wore an Cocoon Insect Shield sarong on a number of occasions. I wore it to the beach, I while hanging out on tour bus, in the tropics I used it as an extra layer over the paper thin sheets provided at my hotels. I wore it as a scarf on the safari rig and used it as a beach towel. Mine was a preview model — they’re not yet out on the US market, but keep an eye on the Cocoon site if you want one.

I always pack a wrap of some kind, it’s the most versatile and useful item. The bug proof features of this one meant that the I had a skirt/scarf/wrap that also kept the biters at bay. I got a minimal number of bites during my travels to mosquito choked places, and none of them were on the areas covered by the sarong or my bug proof shirt.

The rest of my clothing I sprayed down with Ultrathon insect repellent. Good for six weeks or six washings, it worked well and didn’t leave any detectable chemical smell in my clothing. I far preferred the treated clothing options to slathering myself with bug repellent; that stuff smells, gets sticky, and I was relieved to have to use it just on my exposed extremities.In addition to packing mosquito-proofed clothing, I included a sleeping bag liner/sleep sheet. Mine was cotton and also came from Cocoon. I was pleased that I’d decided to bring it along. Not only did it keep me from using the perfectly disgusting hotel sheets in Nairobi, it also provided just the right weight of coverage for those hot nights in camp. The liners are 36.00 and come in three colors.

The mosquitoes liked my sleep sheet no more than they liked my bug proof clothing, which is to say not at all. During my two week trip, I received the most bites the night I went tromping through the grass in the darkness without applying repellent to my sock-less feet and ankles. It was my own fault.

“Don’t get bit,” is one of the primary pieces of advice the doctor at my local travel clinic pushes on travelers bound to areas with mosquito or other bug-borne illnesses. It costs a little bit more to add bug repelling attire to your travel kit, but it’s worth it. This stuff works.

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.


First woman to climb world’s 14 major peaks without backup oxygen

by Jessica Festa on

Another record has been set in the world of extreme sports as Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, a 40-year-old Austrian woman from Germany, summited 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks without carrying backup oxygen.

Supported by grants from the National Geographic Society, Kaltenbrunner was one of four climbers who reached the summit of K2, the world’s second highest mountain at 8,611 meters high. The conditions had been rough, and the threat of avalanches had been too high for many of the climbers, including Kaltenbrunner’s husband, to continue. Despite having to trudge through waist-deep snow and battle aggressive windstorms, Kaltenbrunner continued on to success.

Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner began climbing mountains as a child. When she was 23, she realized she wanted nothing more than to climb an 8,000-meter peak. The then nurse saved her earnings for climbing expeditions and in 2003 became a full-time mountaineer.

In her blog, she writes, “…The burden of the last days were lifted off my shoulders – we had made it. My life’s dream has come true…”

International Mountain Bicycling Association launches “Destinations” program

by Kraig Becker on

The International Mountain Bicycling Association has announced the launch of Destinations, a new program designed to help mountain biking enthusiasts discover places to ride across the globe. The new initiative helps travelers connect with tour operators, bike rental companies, lodges, and more.

The IMBA hopes that Destinations will become a popular resource for mountain bikers and has built a host of tools to help them research their next escape. Not only do they provide a comprehensive list of bike parks and resorts, they also offer information on local bike shops just in case the need for repairs or new gear should arise. IMBA members also gain access to discounted rates on rental cars, airline tickets, and bike shipments.

Riders looking to book a mountain biking tour are in luck as well. The IMBA website lists more than 70 tours in the U.S., Canada, Chile, New Zealand, and more. Examples include multiday rides along the Tsali Trail in North Carolina and the Alps and Adriatic of Slovenia, amongst many more. All tours booked from the site generate funds for the association, which go directly towards their work in building and maintaining mountain bike trails.

Experienced mountain bikers will also want to checkout the IMBA’s list of Epics, truly great trails, usually found on public lands. These are truly some of the best rides found anywhere, and usually in some amazingly scenic places.

For cyclists, both road and mountain, the IMBA website is a great resource for planning a trip for finding an amazing tour. Be sure to hit it up before setting off on your next cycling adventure.

[Photo credit: IMBA]