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Snow in the Alps!
We're very excited to hear reports of the first snowfall in the Alps for the autumn. Some high mountain passes in Austria have been closed, including the Solk Pass in Styria, and the Grossglockner pass had 10cm of snow.
It's early we know, but it's a timely reminder that summer is over and winter will soon be here. Tomorrow Chalets Direct will be releasing our first Latest & Greatest newsletter for this season – lots of good offers promised, including discounts, special offers and free champagne! So watch out for that.
Temperatures across the Alps are forecast to drop over the next few days with more wet weather on the way. It's just a few weeks until the high altitude glaciers re-open for autumn skiing, attracting the hard-core enthusiast and of course the national race teams - whose final preparations will soon be underway for next year's Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
It also appears that local farmers in the Haute Savoie in France are predicting bumper snowfalls for this winter based on the abundance and size of the autumn berries on the trees and hedgerows. Sadly we are unable to vouch for the accuracy of these forecasts, but won't it be great if old Jean-Paul is right!
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It ain’t over till it’s over…..more snow on the way!
According to the latest weather reports it looks like spring will be temporarily put on hold next week as some areas could get up to 50cms of fresh snow.
For the resorts that will still be open it’s a fitting end to what has been, after all, an exceptional snow season. Snow is forecast across Austria, Italy, Switzerland and France – so for all die-hards the last ski of the season could well be in fresh powder.
Whilst a lot of ski resorts are closed or closing this weekend, those that are left have a few fun things up their sleeves to entertain visitors.
The highlight of Ischgl’s last weekend is the Top of the Mountain party at lunchtime on 2nd May, starring Kylie Minogue, and is free if you have a lift pass.
Chamonix’s lifts are open until 10th May – buy a 2 day Mont Blanc Unlimited pass and get the second day for just 1€.
Tignes ski area is open until 5th May, and the glacier continues until 11th May. The weekend of 2nd -3rd May sees the traditional Black Shoes, a telemark event, with live music in the evening.
Other resorts which continue into May include Saas Fee and Obergurgl. It looks like winter 2008-9 will go out with a bang!
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Chamonix gears up for the Boss des Bosses
Some seasoned skiers think that mogul skiing is an almost forgotten art. The modern penchant for perfectly groomed pistes means that learning to ski bumps is not on the top of everyone's list. So it's good to know that every year since 1990, teams of skiers from top resorts have got together to compete for the title of the Boss des Bosses (bosse: fr, noun; bump, mogul).
This year's Boss des Bosses, the 20th edition, is promising to be the biggest and best, and takes place on 18th March at the Grands Montets, Argentiere.History:
The competition began as a result of a bar-room argument over which resort had the best skiers – Chamonix or Val d'Isere. It was decided that the disagreement should be settled on the slopes. On the third Thursday of March 1990, the Val d'Isere team came to the Grands Montets for the first Boss des Bosses. The result was a tie. The following week, team Chamonix won the day 14-5 at the HOP course in Val d'Isere. However this didn't settle the argument and the competition was repeated the following year, with Verbier and Zermatt also getting involved.Since then the competition has grown in stature and now attracts mogul skiers from some of Europe's best resorts. This year's contest is between Zermatt, Chamonix, Val d'Isere, Meribel, Courchevel and Verbier.
Teams:
Each team consists of 9 skiers (2 women, 7 men), 2 snowboarders and 2 telemarkers. The legendary
extreme skier Glen Plake, of the famous mohawk, competed for Chamonix in last year's contest, and is hoping to be selected again this year. It is also rumoured that he will be playing guitar at the prize giving party to be held at La Terrasse in the evening. Spectators:
This is a fantastic day out for spectators and includes not only some fantastic skiing but also parties, piste-side barbeques, top DJs, live bands and sometimes very silly fancy dress!The competition starts at 11.00am on the pitch above the Rojan and Tabe chair lifts. It is free for spectators – although of course a lift pass is necessary. Supporters can buy a pedestrian pass or a special price ski pass.
Zermatt has held the trophy for the last two years, so the other competitors will be keen to knock them off the pedestal. Why not go along to lend your support!
For more information have a look at the Boss des Bosses and if you're looking for accommodation for the event try our Chamonix section or post your request on the Solutions Room.
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Skier Cross World Cup underway…
If you’ve been on a ski holiday in Les Contamines last week or in Flaine this week, you might have noticed large numbers of cat-suited racers skiing around – and generally a bit of a buzz about town as the TV crews rolled in.
Both resorts have just played host to the latest stages of the Skier Cross World Cup – the newest Olympic discipline, which comes under the umbrella of freestyle skiing. Four skiers are let out of the gates simultaneously onto a course of high speed jumps, banked turns, and other assorted obstacles.
Since 5th January, until Sunday, 19th January, the first four Freestyle FIS World Cup ski cross events are being held in three nations on two continents. Over half of the points in the ski cross World Cup are up for grabs in early January. These competitions will also be used to qualify for the 2009 Inawashiro FIS Freestyle World Championships and also as part of the qualification for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. In 2010, this exciting and risky sports discipline will for the first time be an Olympic discipline at the Winter Games in Vancouver.
If you’re in a resort where you can see one of these events it’s definitely worth taking some time out to see the racers come down and feel the adrenaline rush – the courses require both technical and tactical skiing, and this relatively new discipline has attracted some big names from other areas of the sport – such as Daron Rahlves, former World Cup downhill champion, who has competed in three Winter Olympics.
The competition now moves to North America, with events in Lake Placid, USA, and Cypress in Canada. It returns to Europe in February. For the full calendar take a look at the FIS site. -
Kylie in Chamonix!
It’s hot news – much loved pop diva Kylie Minogue saw in 2009 in style on a snowboard break in Chamonix.
Chamonix has long been regarded as the birthplace of mountain sports, and one of the coolest places on the planet for serious mountain lovers, but until now has not really attracted the celebrity glitterati, who have tended to favour more glamorous destinations such as Courchevel 1850 and Klosters.
But we always knew that Kylie was cool, so what better place to take your new squeeze snowboarding. Kylie was celebrating the New Year with her new beau in No Escape, in the centre of town. More pictures and the full story is in this week’s Hello magazine.
