The 10 most-affordable ski spots in North America

by Katie Hammel on

Skiing, like polo and yachting, is a rich man’s(or woman’s) sport. The equipment is expensive, and in order to participate, you need to go to a specific place. In the case of skiing, this means paying ski lift fees and traveling to a pricey ski resort. The costs can add up and make it prohibitively expensive for less affluent ski enthusiasts.

But there are some less expensive ski resorts. Ski.com has put together a list of the top ten affordable ski spots in North America.

Keystone, near Denver, makes the list because of the many extras it offers, such as night skiing included with a lift ticket on the day of arrival, plus access to nearby resorts like Vail and Breckenridge. Steamboat in Colorado is on the list thanks to affordable ski-in/ski-out lodging and convenient shuttle services. And Winter Park, also in Colorado, is praised as catering to a “moderate demographic, no luxury properties.”

Whistler-Blackcomb, near Vancouver, is normally a very pricey destination. But in an attempt to lure visitors before the Olympics, it is offering some fantastic deals right now. Airfare to Vancouver can be expensive, depending on where you fly from, but you can save money by flying into Seattle and taking a train to Vancouver.

Jackson Hole (Wyoming), Banff(Alberta, Canada), and Lake Tahoe round out the western top ten with plentiful deals, discounts, and special offers that help keep prices low. On the east coast, Stowe(Vermont) and Lake Placid in New York offer excellent mid-week prices.

Colorado offers free 3-month trip to “snow virgins”

by Katie Hammel on

My four-year old niece, who lives in Florida, once detailed for me all the places she’d been in the world. “I have been everywhere,” she said. “I have even been to snow!” (For the record, that means she has been to Michigan). If you aren’t as “well-traveled” as my niece and haven’t yet experienced the icy wonder of snow, Colorado wants to hear from you.

Colorado is looking for “snow virgins”, people who have never been in an area with extensive snowfall (entrants may be subjected to a background check) to enter its “Snow at First Sight” contest. Contestants must be at least 21 years old and residents of the US. To enter, they’ll need to submit a 60 second video explaining why they should be chosen to win a 3-month trip to Colorado to experience their first snowfall.

Entrants need to get their friends and family to vote on their video – finalists will be chosen according to popularity and creativity. Ten finalists will then go to Colorado for the official audition.

So what does the winner get, other than the chance to make their first snow angels and snowmen? They’ll receive a free trip to Colorado for three months (January 1 through March 31, 2010), an $800 stipend for each month, and attendance at promotional events arranged by the sponsors. They’ll get to take part in winter activities like skiing, snowboarding, and dog-sledding and will get to blog all about their adventures in Colorado’s winter wonderland.

University in Virginia opens year-round ski slopes

by Katie Hammel on

It’s always been that, at their most basic, skiing and snowboarding require two things – some sort of skis or a board and of course, snow. And snow usually requires precipitation and a sufficiently cold temperature(this concludes today’s lesson in meteorological science). But as of August 29th, snow – and the weather conditions required to create it – will become unnecessary for American skiers.

That’s the date when the Liberty Mountain SnowFlex Center opens. And it’ll stay open, all year round. How? The complex, on the grounds of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, will be home to a ski slope that utilizes a synthetic material called SnowFlex. SnowFlex aims to be the closest replication of snow. It’s already in use at several European locations and has been used at Olympic training facilities, but this will be the first public ski area in the US to use it.

The Liberty Mountain Center will feature a beginner slope, freestyle rails, and a quarter pipe. Prices are pretty reasonable – actually when compared with the cost of most mountains, they’re downright cheap. Thursday through Sunday rates are $7 an hour. Monday through Wednesday the rate goes down to just $5 an hour.

For die-hard skiers and snowboarders, I doubt this faux snow could ever replace the real thing, but for those looking to get in some more practice time, it’s one cheap way to spend summer on the slopes.

Daily deal – SeV “Scott Jordan Signature System” jacket and fleece

by Scott Carmichael on

My daily deal for today is for the newest product from SeV. The Scott Jordan Signature System is a combination of the new Quantum jacket and the popular SeV fleece. With the temperatures slowly dropping, now is (sadly) the time to start looking for a new jacket for the winter months.

The new Quantum jacket is the “cream of the crop” in the SeV lineup, offering an astounding 28 pockets and compartments. The jacket features a removable hood, and a built in waist-cinch tightens around your waist to keep snow and slush from shooting up your tummy if you are into snow sports. The jacket also has the patented SeV cord management system and a clear pouch for storing your iPod, while still allowing full access to the controls. The jacket has a waterproof, windproof and breathable membrane layer, which is designed to keep you warm and comfortable.

The second part of the signature edition is the SeV fleece 5.0. This fleece doubles as a warm vest thanks to its removable sleeves. Incorporated in the vest are 24 pockets, including several “deep pockets” for large items. This brings the total number of pockets to 52 when you add the jacket. Just like the jacket, the fleece also has the cord management system as well as 2 handwarmer pockets, a secure travel document pocket and they have even built a removable sunglass cleaning cloth right into one of the pockets.

These garments normally sell for $250 (for the jacket) and $140 (for the fleece), which is in line with the price of most other high end winter gear, but if you purchase them on the SeV pre-order page, you’ll only pay $270 for the two, which is a $120 discount.

The Scott Jordan Signature System is expected to ship to you from the SeV warehouse on October 10th, and shipping is just $5. The items are available from XS to XXXL. You can learn more about the new Scott Jordan Signature System here.

Extreme sledding, the latest in extreme sports

by Jamie Rhein on

If you think sledding using a flying saucer is a thrill–I do, the thing can spin, there’s a sled out there that adds a whole new experience to winter sports. Mad River Rocket makes maneuverable adventure sleds that help you get a feeling you’ve turned into Superman. You don’t really leap over tall buildings, but flipping, dipping and darting through trees, over ditches, up embankments, down snow covered stairs, human-made hills and naturally formed mountains is on the menu–if it’s covered with snow, you’re in luck.

Extreme sledding is one of the latest trends that has turned the thrill of childhood into a sport that can send adults hearts’ racing. Here’s a video to show just what a Mad River Rocket sled can do plus an ABC News article that details its wonder. What isn’t shown is how the sled can also be used to tow gear if you’re hiking in the winter. The company’s Web site details more extreme sled info with loads of photos. [Thanks Davis Cox for the tip!]