Canada is a great place for outdoor adventuring especially skiing and snowboarding. There’s a lot of choice when it comes to great slopes and resorts so we’ve listed a few of our favourite places in this fine country.
The people of Canada are some of the friendliest in the world. An old joke goes ‘How do you get a Canadian out of your swimming pool?’The answer – ‘Excuse me, could you get out of my swimming pool’. And it’s true, they’re polite and pleasant but better still, they know how to have a good time. Often eclipsed by the States, Canada may often be tainted as the more boring neighbour – we know whose company we prefer!
Have a look at the following resorts but remember a great deal of Canada is covered in snow for a great deal of the year so there are many great ski spots not listed.
• Mont Temblant, Quebec. The first ever ski resort in Canada, Mont Temblant is old school French chic and luxury. Exceptional ski conditions, great golfing as well as snow sports, this is a resort that delivers a lively pedestrian village for the whole family.
• Banff, Lake Louise. One of the most beautiful places in the world. Even if you are not a skier, head up the gondola for views that will put you in heaven. The resorts in this area are particularly notified for their relentless vertical monsters!
• Whistler – home of the largest accessible vertical in Canada (Blackcomb – 1630 meters) Whistler is one of the best known ski resorts in the world and enjoyed by the very wealthy as well as other top notch ski lovers.
• Vancouver – Host to the 2010 Winter Olympics, Vancouver is currently considered one of the most desirable places to live in the world. The skiing is great, the beaches just as good and the culture and nightlife, also a great attraction
Even if snow hasn’t fallen in months, or you live in a mild climate, modern technology has made it perfectly possible to ski whenever the fancy takes you. Dry ski slopes covered with simulated snow or indoor slopes inside refrigerated buildings give those diehard skiers an alternative when the season is blighted with less than adequate snowfall or they simply do not live close enough to the slopes to take advantage.
The latest improvements to dry-slope technology prevents the kind of damage to skis that used to be a problem. It is also much safer for skiers should they fall on the slopes. Refrigerated indoor slopes benefit from the use of the same types of snowmaking machines used at ski resorts.
In the UK, dry ski slopes can be found in Scotland at the Midlothian Ski Centre near the capital, Edinburgh. This centre has a chair lift and five levels of slopes ranging from beginner to expert. In Ayrshire, the Newmilns Snow and Sports Complex is in the process of expanding their dry skiing facilities with a 2.9 million upgrade. The lack of adequate snow coverage and altitude means there is a wide selection of slopes to be found at other centres throughout England and in Wales.
In France, SnowHall in Amnville-les-Thermes in the Lorraine region was the first to have indoor ski facilities. At 620 metres long and 35 metres wide, the slope is maintained at a temperature of between -2C and -3 C. There is even a special area for children under age 12 can ski.
Snowtropolis Snow Dome in Germany is about an hour outside of Dresden and has indoor skiing and snowboarding suitable for skiers of different levels. Snowboarders will not be bored with the slope’s rails, kickers, and sliders.
So, even if you live hundreds of miles away from the nearest real ski resorts, you can still enjoy snowboarding, skiing and tubing whatever the weather!
Indoor ski slopes, or dry ski slopes as they can be called, mimic the attributes of snow but use materials that remain stable at room temperature. This allows people to ski in countries where natural snow slopes are unavailable or inconvenient and has also given a large section of the UK population a chance to get into the sport without ever having to make the expensive trip abroad.
The name “dry ski slope” is a misnomer as they are often lubricated using a jet or mist system that increases speed and minimises damage on to equipment from heat friction. Most European countries tend to have access to proper snow fields, as do the North Americas but the UK and Netherlands are home to many of the worlds indoor ski slopes because of the lack of access to snow the two areas have.
There are quite a few indoor ski slopes near London, including the Chatham Ski & Snowboard centre in Gillingham, Kent which has one of the longest runs. The range of slopes varies widely from 250m to just 20m for children and beginners. All of the indoor ski slopes near London offer mainly the same services such as children/adult parties, practise facilities, snowboarding or watersports and group bookings. Some of them even offer halfpipes and other assorted equipment for the trick side of skiing/snowboarding.
SNO!zone in Milton Keynes has one of the best reputations of the assorted indoor ski slopes, with two 170m slopes and a 135m training slope. They maintain a steady -2 C air temperature and have 1500 tons of real snow. Its good value and well connected to the rail network allowing for easily journeying there and back. It also offers accommodation if you need to stay overnight.
Bulgaria is only a small country, but its hospitable people and beautiful scenery make it a good holiday destination in both the winter and the summer. In winter skiing in Bulgaria is popular and the four main places to visit are Bansko, Pamporovo, Borovets and Vitosha Mountain.
Rila in Borovets, located on the Mousala ridge, is one of the country’s oldest and biggest ski resorts. The resort sits in pine woods at 1,390 metres with its highest ski tracks at 2,600 metres. Conditions are good in the winter season with plenty of snow. In addition Borovets is just 72 kilometres from Sofia. The resort has the reputation as a hotspot for nightlife on the European ski circuit. The pistes are well maintained and are suitable for all levels, the best being in the Yastrebec region. It has a good ski school for beginners and transport is well organised with numerous chair lifts and a gondola lift. The resort also has modern snowmaking machines ensuring that conditions are always excellent and there are some great ski deals to be had.
Pamporovo is in the centre of the Rhodope Mountain at 1,650 metres. It is 240 kilometres from Sofia and 85 kilometres from Plovdiv. The resort has many slopes that are suitable for beginners, but the Giant Slalom will challenge even experienced skiers. Off-piste skiing is also available, but a guide will be required. There is a good ski school with more than 100 qualified instructors and the night life and accommodation are good. Its unique Mediterranean climate and excellent snow conditions make it a popular resort.
Bansko is a more modern ski resort situated in the Pirin Mountains. The slopes are most suitable for beginners and intermediates with ski tracks 65 kilometres long. The small town that dates from the 10th century has plenty of hotels, restaurants and bars. The resort has a big new lift network and boasts the first fun park for snowboarders in the Balkans. The ski school is particularly good for children and they are also catered for by the Ulen Junior Ski Club. Bansko has the longest ski season and best snow record of any Bulgarian ski resort. Bansko is quieter than some other Bulgarian resorts and not really the place for those who like to party. Vitosha Mountain is just 10 kilometres from Sofia. Skiing conditions are good although the nightlife and hotels could be better.
Skiing in Bulgaria is a cheaper option than Western European resorts. A number of websites offer skiing in Bulgaria packages and it is worth comparing the prices under ‘Ski Holidays Bulgaria’ on several of these sites before booking your ski holiday.
If you’ve never taken a skiing holiday before, the whole thing can seem a bit daunting especially the cost and the fitness levels needed. However, many of these fears are unfounded if you do a little homework before you book anything.
If I find out I don’t enjoy skiing, my whole holiday will be ruined:
Not necessarily. If you don’t get the chance to try out some skiing before you go (and one of the UK’s many indoor ski slopes) and you get your first taste of it on holiday you may well not fall in love with it straight away. The good news is that many resorts have alternative activities like horesriding, snow tubing, spa baths and shopping that you can take advantage of.
A skiing holiday is out of my price range:
Ski holidays are no longer the preserve of the rich and famous – these days it is possible to get some fantastic deals on ski holidays particularly if you take the self-catering option and avoid the peak holiday times like school breaks.
Global warming has ruined the chances of really good snow:
Not so, well not yet anyway. Experts think that global warming might possibly start to affect European skiing over the next 50 years, but at the moment there is no real evidence that it has started.
Skiing is a dangerous activity and I’m bound to get injured:
The overwhelming majority of beginners who learn to ski with instructors will have a long lifetime of incident free skiing. Accidents do occur, of course, but more often than not ski related accidents are less to do with the actual skiing and more to do with amounts of alcohol consumed and not taking care on icy surfaces etc. If you learn to ski properly, you will also learn to ski safely.
It will be freezing!:
Well, yes, the weather will probably be pretty cold and it will sometimes snow heavily – that’s half the fun of taking a holiday in the winter. However, there are many special clothes you can buy/hire to keep you warm and all that skiing will keep away the cold too.
I might not like the food:
The food in ski resorts isn’t all cheese and ham – and most places offer a huge variety of restaurants and cuisines. Those on self catering breaks will also find good food in many of the local resort shops and markets.
So, if you want to take a skiing holiday then go for it – don’t let fear of the unknown put you off.
Unfortunately, every year many skiers injure themselves almost as soon as they step foot on the slopes and even if the injury is not a serious one it can leave you unable to move for at least a couple of days. Bad news after you’ve spent all that money for your holiday eh? Luckily, you can work on your fitness and strength before you start your ski holiday which should significantly reduce your chances of injuring yourself on the slopes. In order to get yourself slope ready there are three main areas that you need to work on:
*Cardiovascular fitness
*Building up the muscles you will use the most whilst skiing
*Flexibility and balance.
credit: fincher69
Cardiovascular fitness
Your lungs and heart really need to be in peak condition if you are to get the most out of your skiing holiday. Working on your cardiovascular fitness will ensure that you have enough stamina to last you an entire day on the slopes as many skiers end up injuring themselves as they become more and more tired during the day. If possible, try and start any regime at least a couple of months before your holiday to give your body a chance to get used to the exercise. Cardiovascular fitness is basically getting your heart pumping faster so brisk walking, jogging, cycling etc are ideal especially if you can find time to do them every day for at least 20 or 30 minutes. If you are a member of a gym you’ll also have access to running and rowing machines and circuit training classes which are excellent for this kind of exercise. As the weeks progress you should notice a change in your fitness and stamina levels which means you can increase the intensity of your workouts.
Building up your muscles
To help you ski to the best of your ability and for as long as possible, you will need to work on building your ski-specific muscles such as calves, quadriceps and gluteus maximus (your bum). Your stomach, back, and side muscles also need to be as strong as possible to ensure a good range of movement. Obviously the gym will offer the best kind of machines and free weights designed to help you build your ski-specific muscles but there are many exercises you can do at home like hamstring curls, lunges and squats. Improving the strength of your core whilst at home is easy as you can still practice sit ups and other exercises specifically meant for this region of the body.
Flexibility and balance
If there is one sport which requires great flexibility and balance, it is skiing – the more flexible you are, the safer you will be whilst out on the slopes. Luckily, there are many exercises that are brilliant for improving both your flexibility and balance and that can be done in the comfort of your own home such as the one-leg-squat-and-reach exercise. Most gyms also have an area set aside with exercise mats and various pieces of equipment such as exercise bands which are good for improving your balance and the strength of your core muscles. Another piece of equipment that you can often find in the gym is the wobble board which can be used to enhance your physical balance. It is also great for improving your reflexes. There are numerous exercises that can be carried out whilst standing on a wobble board, the most common being to simply stand on the board and move back and forth without allowing the sides to touch the ground. As the weeks progress you should start to notice some real improvements in both your flexibility and balance.
If you work hard to improve your cardiovascular fitness, strengthen your ski-specific muscles, and work on your balance and flexibility, you will give yourself the best chance of avoiding injury whilst on the slopes. Furthermore, if you are unlucky enough to suffer an injury, you will be able to recover far more quickly than a skier who has not put in the hard work prior to their holiday.
Oh what a fabulous two days we’ve had with some beautiful snow showers here in West Yorkshire and up in North Yorkshire where I work. Granted, the roads have been a bit difficult to drive on and it’s no fun without a big coat and two pairs of gloves but it’s sooooo fantastic to look out of the window, beyond the Christmas Tree and see huge big flakes falling down. I’vve got a bit of a chest infection at the moment so no sledging or snow hiking for me this weekend, instead I’m watching the fun from behind closed doors with a huge bowl of stew and dumplings and some trashy Christmas telly. It’s going to snow again tonight apparently – I’m beyond excited!
photo credit: Jarvist Frost