Skiing
Last trip was 2 weeks skiing in Les Arcs in Jan/Feb 2010 via Eurostar Direct Overnight (one train direct to Alps). I always go with
Skiworld (
www.skiworld.ltd.uk ) They have great service, excellent chalets, reasonable prices and very friendly people : highly recommended ! Super late offers too ...
Update : 30 Jan 2010 : we are on a 2 week skiing trip in Les Arcs France.
It has been excellent so far with fresh snow and some sunny days. Last night a lot of snow fell but the avalanche risk was high due to high winds. Once they had cleared the mountains with explosives, the powder snow was great. Temperature of -12c kept the snow good.
Yesterday in La Plagne
Aiguille Rouge summit in Arc 2000
Gula is now skiing red runs ! Amazing progress ...
2009
DC in action in the deep stuff - March 09
Great skiing trip : 8 days in Courchevel / 3 Vallees in March !
We started with sunshine and had a couple of foggy days but towards the end of the week there was a fantastic snowfall. On the last Saturday we had perfect conditions with deep fresh snow and sunshine. It was Gula's first ski holiday and she made amazing progress and was skiing parallel on blues and easy reds by the end of the week !
07 March 2009 - View of Courchevel 1650 from 1850
18 January 2009 - back from skiing in Tignes France
I had 8 days skiing (via overnight Eurostar Direct). Cold with sun and blue sky every day. OK, no fresh powder but great for covering huge distances ast speed. The base remains good and now there is fresh snow out there.
14 April 2008 - back from skiing in Les Arcs, France
I had 8 days skiing (via overnight Eurostar/Snowtrain and "Skiworld").
Really great conditions for first 4 days, then a bit warm and slushy, finishing off with a great day on Saturday with fresh snow and lower temperature. No rocks and no queues !
View of Aiguille Rouge and its epic steep black runs, from balcony in Arc 2000
View from balcony in Arc 2000, with the excellent Stoeckli Stormriders
20 March 2008 - Chimbulak Kazakhstan
I was invited to go skiing at Chimbulak near Almaty in Kazakhstan on Thursday 20 March. I was already there on business and as my shift offiically finished the day before, I decided to seize the opportunity. The snow was excellent and the sun was shining so we had a great 4 hours skiing.
Chimbulak red run :
Chimbulak fresh tracks :
16 Feb 2008 - completed 2 weeks skiing in Colorado
It was sometimes cold and windy but we got plenty of fresh snow with some epic powder days in Breckenridge, Keystone, Vail and Beaver Creek. Another trip is planned for Arc 2000 in April.
My other favourites are Jackson Hole, Trois Vallees, Les Arcs and Tignes. I'm crazy about skiing and usually do between 90km and 115km a day on the GPS.
Feb 08 : Breckenridge with fresh snow
Jan 07 : My famous run in Vail Back Bowls (revisited in Feb 2008)
DC in Jackson Hole (wearing famous "Cold War" hat)
Typical powder day in Jackson Hole with GPS track in blue (Garmin Foretrex 201)
Breckenridge tracks in Feb 2008 (note new gondola from Miner'e Lot & Centennial Chair)