Dec
25
Ski in Ski Out Rare Find in Colorado Ski Resorts, Usa
Filed Under skiing | Comments Off
Helen Gienke asked:
Ski in, ski out accommodation isn’t really a concept the Americans have conquered yet, but more options are gradully creeping in to Colorado’s repertoire.
Most Europeans by contrast have grown up with ski in, ski out lodging as the norm. Alpine villages, and the ski areas they were associated with, grew alongside one another and developed into the large ski areas we know today. The ski resorts began as part of the centre of the town and naturally as new ski lifts and runs were added and more people wanted to ski, the towns expanded around them to accommodate their needs. Ski in, ski out properties just became a normal part of the expansion and although often commanding a premium prices are relatively easy to find.
Skiing in the US is increasing in popularity with the Europeans, but especially the Brits due its superior snow conditions and uncrowded slopes.
Several US ski towns such as Breckenridge Telluride and Aspen started life as mining towns, before they grew into the world famous ski areas they are today. Steamboat Springs was originally a ranching town and still retains much of its Old West character. Many of these ski towns in the US were already established before the ski areas were developed, so the ski lifts are a mile or two from the town associated with them.
Winter Park was originally home to railway workers and gradually developed into a small town. The town is about 3 miles from the ski area, but an easy 5-10 minute free bus ride. The vast majority of accommodation is still in the town of Winter Park and the small towns of Fraser and Tabernash, a little further along US Highway 40.
However, gradually the powers that be are recognising the importance and desirability of ski in, ski out accommodation. The base area is now being developed to include more lodging options closer to the lifts in addition to the one true ski in, ski out accommodation already completed - Zephyr Mountain Lodge Restaurants and shops are now also being added at the base area to give ski in ski out residents more dining options near their accommodation. Chalets USA have added a luxury one bedroom and a luxury 2 bedroom apartment in Zephyr Mountain Lodge to their portfolio to give their guests the option of enjoying this newly improved ski in ski out experience. They only have one ski in, ski out catered chalet, due to the very limited properties available near the mountain. Thunderhead chalet is in Steamboat Springs, sleeps up to 14 in 6 ensuite bedrooms and is literally ski to the door.
Maybe with higher gas prices and Americans gradually relying a little less on their vehicles, ski in, ski out lodging will become increasingly popular and perhaps more ski in, ski out possibilities may be just around the corner….
For more info on these new chalets or other luxury ski accommodation in Colorado visit www.chalets-usa.co.uk
Jacob
Ski in, ski out accommodation isn’t really a concept the Americans have conquered yet, but more options are gradully creeping in to Colorado’s repertoire.
Most Europeans by contrast have grown up with ski in, ski out lodging as the norm. Alpine villages, and the ski areas they were associated with, grew alongside one another and developed into the large ski areas we know today. The ski resorts began as part of the centre of the town and naturally as new ski lifts and runs were added and more people wanted to ski, the towns expanded around them to accommodate their needs. Ski in, ski out properties just became a normal part of the expansion and although often commanding a premium prices are relatively easy to find.
Skiing in the US is increasing in popularity with the Europeans, but especially the Brits due its superior snow conditions and uncrowded slopes.
Several US ski towns such as Breckenridge Telluride and Aspen started life as mining towns, before they grew into the world famous ski areas they are today. Steamboat Springs was originally a ranching town and still retains much of its Old West character. Many of these ski towns in the US were already established before the ski areas were developed, so the ski lifts are a mile or two from the town associated with them.
Winter Park was originally home to railway workers and gradually developed into a small town. The town is about 3 miles from the ski area, but an easy 5-10 minute free bus ride. The vast majority of accommodation is still in the town of Winter Park and the small towns of Fraser and Tabernash, a little further along US Highway 40.
However, gradually the powers that be are recognising the importance and desirability of ski in, ski out accommodation. The base area is now being developed to include more lodging options closer to the lifts in addition to the one true ski in, ski out accommodation already completed - Zephyr Mountain Lodge Restaurants and shops are now also being added at the base area to give ski in ski out residents more dining options near their accommodation. Chalets USA have added a luxury one bedroom and a luxury 2 bedroom apartment in Zephyr Mountain Lodge to their portfolio to give their guests the option of enjoying this newly improved ski in ski out experience. They only have one ski in, ski out catered chalet, due to the very limited properties available near the mountain. Thunderhead chalet is in Steamboat Springs, sleeps up to 14 in 6 ensuite bedrooms and is literally ski to the door.
Maybe with higher gas prices and Americans gradually relying a little less on their vehicles, ski in, ski out lodging will become increasingly popular and perhaps more ski in, ski out possibilities may be just around the corner….
For more info on these new chalets or other luxury ski accommodation in Colorado visit www.chalets-usa.co.uk
Jacob
Dec
19
Russian asked:
i have done cross country skiing for many years, pretty good at it to be honest
BUT
i am going mountain skiing in austria this spring…
does anyone know if its much different apart from the skiing boots
i have done cross country skiing for many years, pretty good at it to be honest
BUT
i am going mountain skiing in austria this spring…
does anyone know if its much different apart from the skiing boots
many thanks
Yolanda
Dec
18
C K asked:
I am not a pro skier but would like to be able to get some good runs in during new years. has anyone been there for new years. how was the skiing. how was the town?
Gloria
I am not a pro skier but would like to be able to get some good runs in during new years. has anyone been there for new years. how was the skiing. how was the town?
Gloria
Dec
17
Dec
11
XX asked:
I go skiing often and when I ski, I usally wear a hoody and a down vest. However, when it snows the hoody absorbs the snow and it gets wet. I have been considering buying a cold gear shirt from underarmour but, I also want to buy something to wear on top that will be waterproof. Is there something I can wear under my vest that is thin and waterproof and would match well. If you have any advice, that’ll be great. Thanks~!
Barbara
I go skiing often and when I ski, I usally wear a hoody and a down vest. However, when it snows the hoody absorbs the snow and it gets wet. I have been considering buying a cold gear shirt from underarmour but, I also want to buy something to wear on top that will be waterproof. Is there something I can wear under my vest that is thin and waterproof and would match well. If you have any advice, that’ll be great. Thanks~!
Barbara
Dec
2
Learning X-country Skiing. It’s Great Fun and Heart Healthy
Filed Under skiing | Comments Off
joe mac millan asked:
Some years ago my wife, Irma, and I decided we were going to take up cross country skiing. Some of our friends were doing it so we thought, why not us. Not being the guy who takes advice readily, I went out and purchased cheap wooden skis, bindings and boots. You would think that having read many hundreds of advice articles on purchasing outdoor equipment I would have learned something over the years. Not exactly. I find it easier to give advice rather than to learn from others.
Let’s start with the skis.
There are basically two materials of which skis are made. Wood or fiberglass. There are also two types of skis. Wax and non wax. Some people refer to non wax as fish-scale skis.
Not all wooden skis are poor quality. Some of the best wooden ski makers in the world are in Norway. They are nice and wide and are great for breaking trail. These skis must be waxed thus another problem comes into play.
Fiberglass skis come in waxable and non waxable. Waxable fiberglass skis are used by racers who need speed and grip control for every temperature gradient. The wax is applied to the bottom of the ski and is used to push against the snow and is not used to glide. Almost every recreational skier today uses fiberglass skis with fish-scale bottoms.
Now back to our cheap wooden skis. Irma and I were trying to teach ourselves to ski. We think it is the best method of learning x-country-skiing.
We were attempting to cross a creek. A narrow wooden plank had been placed there for that purpose but was too narrow for the skis. Irma crossed over and I threw one of her skis over and it broke completely in two pieces.
Next trip, the bail holding the ski-boot to the ski flipped out and disappeared into two feet of snow never to be seen again. We were coming to the conclusion that the cheap road was the wrong road. I then purchased a pair of those top quality Norwegian wooden skis. They worked beautifully. Well, that is, until I did it again. What is that expression, “the older we get, the dumber we get.”
This time I tried to break out a large chunk of snow with the back of my ski. We needed something to stuff in a hole in our shelter to shut out the wind. Then we could boil some water for tea during a cross country ski trip. My good wooden ski snapped off an inch behind my boot binding. Not very smart.
Finally we purchased fiberglass skis with fish-scales and good bindings. We then set out to learn to ski properly. We taught ourselves.
Because we didn’t have the luxury of groomed trails we had a problem making a 180 degree turn. We would come to a dead end area with a fence barring the way. Keeping our balance while turning one long ski at a time was tough to do. The proper way to turn while at a dead stop was to balance on the left ski while lifting the right ski and laying it down in the opposite direction and maintaining your balance, bringing the left ski around to parallel with the right.
We soon found some groomed trails to practice our skills. Place your skis in the tracks and push off. It’s only a matter of keeping your balance. That will come with time. Where the going gets tough is when you encounter a hill. Going up you must herring bone. You place your ski out from your body at an angle and bring the other ski out at the opposite angle and do this maneuver repeatedly until you reach the top.
The toughest challenge to master is descending a steep hill with a turn at the bottom. Track setters generally leave an area from the middle of the hill to the bottom without a track. This allows you to step around the turn in little steps. Almost like ice skating or roller blading. Try to keep the majority of your weight on the inside ski.
Learning x-country-skiing is great aerobic exercise for your heart and will keep you in a wonderful frame of mind as you roam the country-side.
Bobby
Some years ago my wife, Irma, and I decided we were going to take up cross country skiing. Some of our friends were doing it so we thought, why not us. Not being the guy who takes advice readily, I went out and purchased cheap wooden skis, bindings and boots. You would think that having read many hundreds of advice articles on purchasing outdoor equipment I would have learned something over the years. Not exactly. I find it easier to give advice rather than to learn from others.
Let’s start with the skis.
There are basically two materials of which skis are made. Wood or fiberglass. There are also two types of skis. Wax and non wax. Some people refer to non wax as fish-scale skis.
Not all wooden skis are poor quality. Some of the best wooden ski makers in the world are in Norway. They are nice and wide and are great for breaking trail. These skis must be waxed thus another problem comes into play.
Fiberglass skis come in waxable and non waxable. Waxable fiberglass skis are used by racers who need speed and grip control for every temperature gradient. The wax is applied to the bottom of the ski and is used to push against the snow and is not used to glide. Almost every recreational skier today uses fiberglass skis with fish-scale bottoms.
Now back to our cheap wooden skis. Irma and I were trying to teach ourselves to ski. We think it is the best method of learning x-country-skiing.
We were attempting to cross a creek. A narrow wooden plank had been placed there for that purpose but was too narrow for the skis. Irma crossed over and I threw one of her skis over and it broke completely in two pieces.
Next trip, the bail holding the ski-boot to the ski flipped out and disappeared into two feet of snow never to be seen again. We were coming to the conclusion that the cheap road was the wrong road. I then purchased a pair of those top quality Norwegian wooden skis. They worked beautifully. Well, that is, until I did it again. What is that expression, “the older we get, the dumber we get.”
This time I tried to break out a large chunk of snow with the back of my ski. We needed something to stuff in a hole in our shelter to shut out the wind. Then we could boil some water for tea during a cross country ski trip. My good wooden ski snapped off an inch behind my boot binding. Not very smart.
Finally we purchased fiberglass skis with fish-scales and good bindings. We then set out to learn to ski properly. We taught ourselves.
Because we didn’t have the luxury of groomed trails we had a problem making a 180 degree turn. We would come to a dead end area with a fence barring the way. Keeping our balance while turning one long ski at a time was tough to do. The proper way to turn while at a dead stop was to balance on the left ski while lifting the right ski and laying it down in the opposite direction and maintaining your balance, bringing the left ski around to parallel with the right.
We soon found some groomed trails to practice our skills. Place your skis in the tracks and push off. It’s only a matter of keeping your balance. That will come with time. Where the going gets tough is when you encounter a hill. Going up you must herring bone. You place your ski out from your body at an angle and bring the other ski out at the opposite angle and do this maneuver repeatedly until you reach the top.
The toughest challenge to master is descending a steep hill with a turn at the bottom. Track setters generally leave an area from the middle of the hill to the bottom without a track. This allows you to step around the turn in little steps. Almost like ice skating or roller blading. Try to keep the majority of your weight on the inside ski.
Learning x-country-skiing is great aerobic exercise for your heart and will keep you in a wonderful frame of mind as you roam the country-side.
Bobby
Dec
1
Aspen Ski Rentals - Gear Guide - Aspen & Snowmass Ski & Snowboard Rentals
Filed Under skiing | Comments Off
SkiColorado asked:
Don’t you just love the sound of your skis clicking into your bindings and the squeaky sound of ski wax on Colorado snow? There is something so invigorating about gearing up for a day of skiing or snowboarding. Read tips and information for selecting the perfect ski and snowboard equipment for your Aspen, Colorado vacation.
Many visitors find that ordering Aspen ski and snowboard rentals online in advance saves them a lot of time by not having to wait in line. The following information will also help guide you through selecting the ideal gear for your Aspen, CO vacation.
First, when selecting Aspen ski rental and equipment, you need to sort out what type of terrain you will be skiing, what are the current conditions like and the all important question “What type of skier are you”? These factors will determine a number of things when it comes to fitting your Aspen ski rentals.
As most avid skiers know, today’s equipment is far superior to yesterdays gear. With this advancement in technology, renting the ideal Aspen ski equipment can seem like a daunting task. You will most likely need to get fitted for boots, skis and poles. Some say, a proper fitting ski boot is the most important part of progressing in your skier ability.
Getting fitted for ski boots
Comfort isn’t king when it comes to renting ski boots. To improve your skiing ability and to progress to the next level, it is imperative to rent boots that support every inch of your feet. You want to prevent having what is known as sloppy feet. Sloppy feet happens when there is too much room in your boots which will lesson the amount of control you have on your skis. You obviously don’t want to strangle your feet so you can’t feel them, but you definitely need your boots to be tight. This will maximize your sensitivity to the terrain and increase your control.
Often times, ski rental shops in Aspen will size your poles for you, but if you’re an advanced skier, you might want to be aware of a couple of things. The ideal pole size changes with what type of terrain you prefer to ski. If you’re a big fan of ripping up fresh corduroy then you need to get a standard sized pole. You can measure what size pole you need by turning the ski pole upside down and grabbing directly under the basket. If the pole is correctly fitted, you’re arm should be bent at a 90 degree angle.
On the other hand, if skiing zipper line bumps is your thing, make sure you get smaller poles so you can plant correctly while bashing those bumps. Get the poles to long and planting on the mogul will push your shoulders back which will cause you to either be kicked to the back seat or redirect your skis. Since you want your upper body to be “quiet”, short poles will enable you to simply flick the top of the mogul while skiing through the line.
Skis are the number one question when renting gear for your Aspen, Colorado ski vacation. Common questions include:
1)How long should my skis be?
Length of skis depend on your skier ability. If your standing up, ideal ski lengths for beginner to intermediate skiers tend to fall anywhere between your upper chest and nose. For advanced skiers who tend to seek powder stashes, skis are generally longer to support their body weight while in the deep snow.
2)What’s the difference between powder skis and groomer skis?
Floating in Aspen, Colorado’s deep powder stashes is what a ski vacation is all about. In order to ski powder, it is essential you have skis wide enough to carry you on top of the snow. If you are on narrow racing skis, you will tend to sink too deep. Thiis will turn your powder day into a long leg workout. On the other hand, if you’re into carving flawless turns in Colorado cordoroy, then you need to rent skis that are a little narrower which will hold the line tighter while leaning into your turns.
3)What does parabolic mean?
Parabolic skis have revolutionized the ski industry. They have enabled beginner skiers to advance to intermediate while intermediate skiers have enjoyed tackling advanced terrain. Basically, parabolic skis enable for quick edge to edge turning radius. Simply pivot your knees, put the skis on edge, and they do the rest of the work for you.
4)What’s the difference between a flexible vs. stiff ski
Stiff skis are great for holding an edge on hard packed snow. They also allow a skier to ski faster without the skis from loosing an edge. Flexible skis are great for blasting through the crud and blazing over moguls.
Juanita
Don’t you just love the sound of your skis clicking into your bindings and the squeaky sound of ski wax on Colorado snow? There is something so invigorating about gearing up for a day of skiing or snowboarding. Read tips and information for selecting the perfect ski and snowboard equipment for your Aspen, Colorado vacation.
Many visitors find that ordering Aspen ski and snowboard rentals online in advance saves them a lot of time by not having to wait in line. The following information will also help guide you through selecting the ideal gear for your Aspen, CO vacation.
First, when selecting Aspen ski rental and equipment, you need to sort out what type of terrain you will be skiing, what are the current conditions like and the all important question “What type of skier are you”? These factors will determine a number of things when it comes to fitting your Aspen ski rentals.
As most avid skiers know, today’s equipment is far superior to yesterdays gear. With this advancement in technology, renting the ideal Aspen ski equipment can seem like a daunting task. You will most likely need to get fitted for boots, skis and poles. Some say, a proper fitting ski boot is the most important part of progressing in your skier ability.
Getting fitted for ski boots
Comfort isn’t king when it comes to renting ski boots. To improve your skiing ability and to progress to the next level, it is imperative to rent boots that support every inch of your feet. You want to prevent having what is known as sloppy feet. Sloppy feet happens when there is too much room in your boots which will lesson the amount of control you have on your skis. You obviously don’t want to strangle your feet so you can’t feel them, but you definitely need your boots to be tight. This will maximize your sensitivity to the terrain and increase your control.
Often times, ski rental shops in Aspen will size your poles for you, but if you’re an advanced skier, you might want to be aware of a couple of things. The ideal pole size changes with what type of terrain you prefer to ski. If you’re a big fan of ripping up fresh corduroy then you need to get a standard sized pole. You can measure what size pole you need by turning the ski pole upside down and grabbing directly under the basket. If the pole is correctly fitted, you’re arm should be bent at a 90 degree angle.
On the other hand, if skiing zipper line bumps is your thing, make sure you get smaller poles so you can plant correctly while bashing those bumps. Get the poles to long and planting on the mogul will push your shoulders back which will cause you to either be kicked to the back seat or redirect your skis. Since you want your upper body to be “quiet”, short poles will enable you to simply flick the top of the mogul while skiing through the line.
Skis are the number one question when renting gear for your Aspen, Colorado ski vacation. Common questions include:
1)How long should my skis be?
Length of skis depend on your skier ability. If your standing up, ideal ski lengths for beginner to intermediate skiers tend to fall anywhere between your upper chest and nose. For advanced skiers who tend to seek powder stashes, skis are generally longer to support their body weight while in the deep snow.
2)What’s the difference between powder skis and groomer skis?
Floating in Aspen, Colorado’s deep powder stashes is what a ski vacation is all about. In order to ski powder, it is essential you have skis wide enough to carry you on top of the snow. If you are on narrow racing skis, you will tend to sink too deep. Thiis will turn your powder day into a long leg workout. On the other hand, if you’re into carving flawless turns in Colorado cordoroy, then you need to rent skis that are a little narrower which will hold the line tighter while leaning into your turns.
3)What does parabolic mean?
Parabolic skis have revolutionized the ski industry. They have enabled beginner skiers to advance to intermediate while intermediate skiers have enjoyed tackling advanced terrain. Basically, parabolic skis enable for quick edge to edge turning radius. Simply pivot your knees, put the skis on edge, and they do the rest of the work for you.
4)What’s the difference between a flexible vs. stiff ski
Stiff skis are great for holding an edge on hard packed snow. They also allow a skier to ski faster without the skis from loosing an edge. Flexible skis are great for blasting through the crud and blazing over moguls.
Juanita