Val Thorens, the highest resort in the world’s largest ski area, France’s 3 Valleys, has invested more than 1.5 million euros to create a new 40 hectares area for beginners, equipped with no less than four new roof-covered magic carpets.
The new area has been designed not only to provide first-class facilities for first timers, but also improved access to the Cascades chairlift, getting progressing beginner skiers on to more green and blue slopes.
The two twin magic carpets that have been installed and named “Castor & Pollux” represent a triple innovation say Val Thorens.
In both cases a single roof structure covers both magic carpets for more comfort. The carpets are also the fastest so far installed in France, meaning more snow time, and travelling at up to 1.2 metres per second, increasing capacity to 3,000 people per hour.
The carpet lifts also run in two directions, providing a ride down when needed, as well as up over the 240m length.
There are two successive magic carpets, Musaraigne (the shrew) and Campagnols (the vole) which are more than 200 m long in the heart of the “grenouillère de Péclet” area.
To discover a larger area at your own pace, a special pass for beginners is available to access an area including nine ski lifts serving the easiest slopes at a reduced price of 50% off the full daily pass rate.
A new on-snow festival is set to rock the Andorran resort of Arinsal this winter. The Big Snow Festival will be staged between 14th and 21st March 2010, offering what the organisers predict will be a weeklong rollercoaster of skiing and snowboarding, combined with top music acts and pumping beats.
Launched by the organisers of the sell-out UK music event, The Big Reunion, The Big Snow Festival offers top music talent from world-renowned promoters including Judge Jules and Kissdafunk. Hheadline acts will be announced later this year.
Ian Kaye, Event Organiser at The Big Snow Festival, said: “By bringing together a mix of the biggest DJs, promoters and live acts and dropping them slap bang in the middle of one of Europe’s top snow resorts, The Big Snow Festival means booking this year’s winter holiday just got much, much easier.”
Arinsal lies in the heart of the Pyrenees, is nestled between France and Spain and is connected to neighbouring Pal. For those who want to tailor their trip, tickets with various flight, accommodation and wristband options can be purchased.
www.thebigsnowfestival.com
Continents With Resorts Open For Skiing: 4
Countries With Resorts Open For Skiing: 8
Ski Areas Open (Approximately): 24
* Up to a metre of snow falls on Austrian glaciers.
* Two more ski areas open in US.
* New Zealand ski area plans to open in to ‘Snovember’
* New snow in Canada.
On Tuesday 13th October up to a metre (40 inches) of fresh snow was reported falling on the half dozen glacier ski areas already open for winter 2009-10 in Austria. The snow fell right down to village level in many areas with resorts like Obergurgl reporting 10cm (4 inches) on village streets.
Temperatures are currently in double-figures below zero at most of Europe’s glacier areas and the snow has stopped for now, to reveal clear skies, although more snow is expected at the weekend.
The big falls come in the same week of the year as those in 2008 when the huge dumps that set up winter 08-09 as one of the best in recent years began in the second week of October.
Again it’s Tux in Austria that is the first to report big snowfalls too, with a metre (40 inches) falling since the start of the week.
In Kaprun, the fresh snow has arrived in perfect time for a series of freestyle workshops that the Kitzsteinhorn glacier is planning to run from this Saturday onwards. It reports up to 76cm (30 inches) of new snow taking base depths on the glacier up to 1.5m (five feet).
Also in Austria, which continues to have the most choice of seven glacier ski areas open, the Stubai glacier has reported 135cm (14 inches) of new snow taking snow depths to a metre and the Molltal glacier with a 40cm (16 inch fall). There’s also new snow at Pitztal, on the Dachstein and at Solden where the World cup kicks off next weekend.
Snow has also been falling on the open glacier ski areas of France, Italy and Switzerland. Tignes received a much needed 5cm (two inch) top up on its Grand Motte glacier and the snow was also good news for Cervinia in Italy which now joins Val Senales and Passo Stelvio as a third skiing choice in the country, although only opening at weekends until November when it resumes full time operations.
In Switzerland, Saas Fee and Zermatt remain the two choices with 90 – 150cm (3-5 feet) bases. Plans for Engelberg and the Diavolezza glacier near St Moritz appear to be on hold until more snow falls. Glacier 3000 at Diablerets has opened today for cross country skiing following fresh snow there.
Across the Atlantic in the US, Arapahoe Basin has joined its neighbour Loveland in Colorado is opening limited terrain. Donner Summit in California has also opened. On the east Cost Killington in Vermont is reported to have begun snowmaking.
North of the border, Mount Washington in British Columbia was among those reporting fresh snow, with 5cm (to inches) overnight tonight. The first Canadian resort to open is expected to be Mount Norquay at Banff at the end of the month. Sun Peaks has also reported fresh snow and Panorama reports that it has begun snowmaking operations.
