"Endless Winter Snow"

3.28.2008

Snow Alert -Washington on the west coast and Vermont Maine

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Snow Forecast
In North America, Whistler recorded more than a foot of snow on Easter Sunday and more since but at least next week should provide a few sunny days. Fernie has passed the 33 feet (10 metre) mark for the season, just behind Steamboat in Colorado which has set a snowfall record for there, passing the 37 feet (11.1 metre) mark last weekend. Of course these very impressive numbers are just the summations of all the snowfalls, and due to thinks like compaction, melting and evaporation, actual snow depths have never been more than a third of this. For really incredible actual accumulated snow depths, Timberline in Oregon will see the snow base reach 6 m over the next few days. Outside of the ski areas, the consequences of record snowfalls are very serious. Many low lying areas from the Midwest to Maine are presently sitting under record winter snow accumulations. Problems from flooding will begin when the spring thaw arrives, especially if this is accompanied by heavy rain. This seems likely. Areas most at risk from severe flooding include the Mississippi river basin, the Ohio river basin, the lower Missouri river basin. Hopefully there will be no repeat of the Great Floods of 1993. On a more positive note, Taos in New Mexico, one of four US resorts that still banned snowboarders, has opened its slopes to all after its final 'skier only' day, ahead of unrestricted opening from next winter on. Too late for this season's powder as it becomes very mild here next week.

North America continues to enjoy great skiing.
It has become Colder in Colorado but Canada, Montana and Wyoming still have the best conditions.
Another snowy week ahead but mild again next weekend in Colorado
East Coast ski areas will see two warm spells next week.
Spring snow conditions in California. Some fresh snow next week

It was snowy again in Scandinavia last week.
Scandinavia has once again had a cold week with new snow at most resorts. Further snow with some rain low down ahead of an approaching Atlantic system this weekend. Strong southerly winds may cause lifts to close. This system will move away towards Svarlbard. Then becoming colder again as a second Atlantic weather system takes a different route and tracks across the south of region in the middle of the week with winds turning easterly as that depression moves over Poland. The days are lengthening and the snow is in good shape as we enter the optimum time of year to ski in Scandinavia
Staying cold. Several snowy days, then sunny from Wednesday.

The Alps
Our forecast of a week ago was correct and the the Alps are currently enjoying superb snow conditions. Some snowfall totals over the holiday weekend period are worth a mention. Argentiere saw 106 cm, Tignes saw 75 cm and south-facing Crans Montana saw 141 cm. These are the kind of values that pretty much guarantee that there will be great skiing on offer well into April. For example, St Anton in Austria is open until April 27, Tignes in France until May 11 (although the glacier is open year-round for skiing), and Engelberg in Switzerland is open until May 25. Since the snow fell it has turned a little milder so the very best snow conditions are high up where there is untracked powder on offer - good snow lasts longer now that the winter crowds have gone and low visibility and difficult road conditions meant that Easter crowds were light. Austria, Italy and Germany also have exceptional snow conditions and the only area that really missed out was the far south of the French Alps. Your trusty editor took advantage of the unusual weather conditions to explore the Cantal slopes of the Massif Central at Le Lioran and also Monts Jura over the holiday weekend. Both of these offered exceptionally good riding between the trees on about 60 cm of fresh snow but it has since become warmer and low altitude snow is becoming heavy. Similar conditions in the Black Forest, Vosges and Harz mountain resorts, all of which have seen a lot of fresh snow.

The snow-forecast team www.snow-forecast.com

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Laax - Switzerland
Flims Laax Falera are over 2,000 m. At 3,018 m, the Vorab Glacier is the highest point in this huge ski area

Has snow-sure pistes from October to April in a fantastic setting between 1,100 and 3,018 m above sea level. Whether beginner or crazy carver, family or a fun-loving snowboarder, there is fun to be had by all on the 220 km of pistes.
SkiDirect
Use a SkiDirect card and avoid the queues. Load the lift pass of your choice via the Internet at home, and your SkiDirect card will provide you with automatic access to all the lifts once in the ski resort.

www.laax.com

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Alpine Meadows
Alpine Meadows Ski Resort is offering an unlimited Spring Pass for just $139. On sale now and valid every day from March 30 until season's end, the Alpine Meadows Spring Pass gives skiers and riders full access to the best spring snow in Tahoe for less than the price of three lift tickets.

The Alpine Meadows unlimited Spring Pass is available for purchase now and use begins Sunday, March 30. Purchase at the Alpine Meadows Special Tickets window or at SkiAlpine.com. Apply your $139 purchase price toward your 2008/2009 Adult Full Season Pass.

Live Music and Events
Live music every Saturday on the sundeck, and unique spring events - including the Annual Snow Golf Tournament and Mad Cow Downhill - are perfect compliments to Alpine's beautiful spring terrain.
Music Line Up
3/29 Dug (Deep Under Groove) - Wicked Jam Funk
4/05 Haphrodesia - Funk and Afro-beat
4/12 BLVD - Live Hip Hop House and Breaks
4/19 Monophonics - 8 piece Latin Funk
4/26 Absynth - Ambient Groove
5/03 Delta Nove - Afrobean Jazz Funk and Reggae
5/10 Sol Jibe - Flamenco Roots Rock with a Gypsy Soul

don't miss the D-8 Chutes, or Estelle Bowl or "Munchkins" for a thrill
www.skiapine.com
Corn-ology spoken here !

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Stubai Glacier - Austria Glittering snow, blue sky and lots of sun. Ideal premises for a perfect sun-skiing-day. Be one of the privileged who draw the first lines in an unaffected powder hillside or on a perfectly shaped slope. Enjoy boundless skifun on Stubai Glacier! For those who prefer taning in the sun, deck chairs on the big terraces are waiting. Including fascinating panoramic view
www.stubaier-gletscher.com

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Mt Hood Meadows - Oregon

UPCOMING EVENTS
3/2&3 Oregon Cancer Ski Out
3/5&7 OISRA Oregon High School Ski Racing State Championships
3/8 Women's Clinic
3/8&9 Demo Day
3/15&16 Full Sail Banked Slalom
3/15 Telemark Race
3/16 Telemark Clinic
3/21-23 USSA NorAm Finals

www.skihood.com

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The North Face
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Heavenly Valley - Lake Tahoe Ca

HEAVENLY BLOWS OUT SPRING WITH DEEP SNOW AND SPRING LOADED ’08,
THE WEST COAST ’S BIGGEST ON-MOUNTAIN SPRING BREAK PARTY

Photo: from teh East Peak of Heavenly Valley Looking at Lake Tahoe

Don’t miss out on fun-in-the-sun at the annual World Pond Skimming Championships of Tahoe on March 30. Costumes are recommended and style is required as gutsy participants attempt to ski or snowboard across a pond of slushy, frigid water. The event will be held at the top of the Heavenly Gondola next to the Adventure Peak activities area, making it accessible to sightseers as well as skiers and riders.
Hard-core mogul maniacs are invited to challenge freestyle superstar and South Lake Tahoe legend Glen Plake in the annual Gunbarrel 25 competition on April 5. This marathon mogul event dares entrants to complete 25 laps over 1,800 feet of vertical on Heavenly’s world-famous Gunbarrel run (that’s 45,000 vertical feet of moguls!). Winners for time and endurance from each of the five categories (top male, female, boy, girl and other) will be rewarded with a commemorative belt buckle and pin. The overall top finishers will get their names engraved on the Shotgun Trophy displayed in the Cal Bar. All entrants will receive an event T-shirt and an invitation to the post-event pasta feed in the Cal Bar at the California Lodge. Anyone who completes the 25 laps will receive a commemorative pin. Registration for the event is still available on-line at www.skiheavenly.com and is open to the first 125 entrants.
After a month of nights out with the Heavenly Angels, live shows at the Cal Bar, parties at Cabo Wabo, and thousands of fish tacos at Riva Grill, Spring Loaded ’08 concludes April 12 with the JackPot Rail Jam finals; an invite-only event that will include the top competitors from the previous JackPot Rail Jam events.
For more information on Spring Loaded ’08 events and package deals,
visit skiheavenly.com

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Jay Peak
A Beach party
Temps will hover around freezing at the base and get up into the low twenties at the summit. Conditions are and will continue to be good with mostly machine groomed granular surfaces on the open trails and packed powder in the glades. We’ve got all 8 lifts running accessing all 76 trails, glades and chutes.

Lots in the lineup for this weekend including our famous Beach Party and the 2nd Battle for Burlington both this Saturday, March 29th.
www.jaypeakresort.com

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Durango - Colorado
APRIL 5TH AND 6TH
10 AM TO 4 PM
Come out to Durango Mountain Resort for our end-of-season weekend and enjoy live music, terrific food and drinks, games and on-mountain events. It'll be more fun than you can shake a pair of old Olins at.
Special "roll back the clock" lift ticket prices of just $10 adults and $5 kids (season passes honored).
www.durangomountainresort.com/purgysparty

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Montafon - Austria
St. Anton im Montafon (650 m) lies at the entrance to the Montafon Valley and is popular with all holiday-makers. Here, within a radius of 2-6 km are all the requirements for an active winter holiday. The Skigebiet Golm ski area can be reached in approx 3-5 minutes free of charge and in comfort on the ski bus.

The Hochjoch, Silvretta Nova and Schafberg ski areas can also be reached in a very short time free of charge and in comfort on public transport. The athletically inclined can, depending on the snow conditions, also reach Schruns on trail-marked cross-country ski runs. St. Anton im Montafon and the parishes of Bartholomäberg and Silbertal are considered the “THREE CHARMERS

Events
Climb the Mountain - European Splitboardfestival am Hochjoch - 8./9.03.08

Schneehasenfestival am Golm - 9.03.08

"Swinging Spring" in der Silvretta Nova - 15./16.03.08

Musikfinale in der Silvretta Nova - 22.03.08

"King of the Water" in Gargellen & Hochjoch difrfernt dates - 29.03.08
A 20 m long pool - 2 skiers or snowboarders start at the same time and on their descent to the water have to pass through gates or over jumps. The one who arrives first on the far side of the pool goes into the next round. The event promises to provide an exciting day in Gargellen.

Großes Saisonfinale am Golm - 06.04.08

www.montafon.at/

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Valaisan Events - Switzerland
A selection of events from the beginning of March to the end of April 2008:
26.-30.03.08 "Caprices Festival", music festival in Crans-Montana
28.-30.03.08 Nendaz Freeride in Nendaz
12.-20.04.08 XSpeedSki in Nendaz/Verbier
16.-20.04.08 "Patrouille des Glaciers", glacier patrol in Zermatt-Verbier

www.valaistourism.ch

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Glacier 3000 - Switzerland
The Glacier 3000 ski area includes 10 installations and 30 km of ski runs ranging from 1350 to 3000 m above sea level. It is a part of the ski area shared with Gstaad Mountain Rides (250 km of ski runs) and the Vaudoises Alps (225 km of ski runs) and is particularly attractive for Freestylers and Freeriders. With the 7km long Olden ski run, Glacier 3000 is able to offer one of the most challenging ski runs in the area - a challenge for any skier or snowboarder

For people who like to have unlimited fun in the snow, the 7 km long Olden ski run is just the right one. The black ski run is one of the longest of this difficulty level in the region

Lifts
Name - Length - Vert - Top Station
P1 Reusch – Oldenegg 1624 m 572 m 1922 m
P2 Oldenegg – Cabane 2270 m 601 m 2523 m
P3 Col du Pillon – Cabane 1960 m 979 m 2524 m
P5 Cabane – Sex Rouge 1551 m 406 m 2930 m
P6 Oldenalp – Oldenegg 797 m 81 m 1922 m

glacier3000

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SUMMER SKIING - Patagonia
2008 Ski Season Rates are in! Please take a look at 2008 Early Bird Rates at Las Leñas and at the other ski resorts. Also you still have time to book for South America's summer and autumn season. We have great packages including horse riding at an "estancia", trekking in Patagonia and cruising between Ushuaia and Punta Arenas, to name a few of them. Also, we will be introducing a new website focused on Argentina and Chile Wine Routes. So keep checking for more news.
UPDATES for South America
Portillo:
1. A New skilift will open in Portillo. Its name is Caraca and it is in honor of a bird that inhabits that area. This skilift will be located at the first gully to the left of Roca Jack. This will be a "va et vient" skilift.

2.Portillo: Opening of Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa
A few days ago, Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa opened in the Chilean High Plateau. The boutique hotel belongs to the Purcell family, owners of Portillo Hotel & Ski Resort for the last 50 years. Tierra Atacama will offer the combination of adventures and outdoor sports with the hospitality, comfort and service at the Terra Atacama hotel

If you have any questions, please email us at info@skipatagonia.com

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Val d'Isère - France
Val d'Isère fills the tank with animations and events with each week: - the night ones of Thursday, - animations of snows. And throughout the season of many events like: -
From the 7 to April 10, 2008 "Scara" (international Competition of Alpine skiing for the 12 to 15 years) -
From the 15 to April 17, 2008 15th Festival "MUSICAVAL" Festival of chamber music -
From the 21 to April 24, 2008 the 12th Festival "Ventures and Discovered" (international Festival of film on the adventure and the discovery).

www.valdisere.com

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La Pinilla - Spain

Camp de Freestyle - Surf3 - School of Ski the Pinilla - Ski/Snowboard first camp of Freestyle Surf3 - the Pinilla, will be celebrated during the weekend of 9 and 10 of February, in that we animated to skiers and snowboarders to introduce itself actually of the Freestyle.. For that reason we sent to this course, distributed by the best titled professors of Surf3 and the School of Ski the Pinilla, so that campers begins of safe and progressive form in freestyle. In this camp we will make a review of the technique basic and perfected in track later to introduce itself in the technique of flat-tricks, basic maneuvers of freestyle in track and initiation to jibbing. After the hours of practice in track, we will make a shutdown to eat and later we will make exercises of transference to the jumps in our elastic bed and also we will make a video session correction to visualize it in the shelter in the evening. In summary ours camp includes: 4 hours of technique in tracks every day. 1 day of video correction and later visualization. 1 day of exercises of transference in elastic bed. Menu of food (optional): 12? day 4 hours of technique in tracks every day. Lodging in the shelter on foot of tracks in MP(opcional): 30?/di'a T-shirt of camp. Like main contents that we will work: Technique perfected in tracks. Initiation to the basic maneuvers of freestyle. Initiation of flat-triks in track. Initiation to jibbing.
LA Pinilla - Spain

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Traci Max - Speed Ski
Tracie has continued her racing and has worked hard to achieve her goals. Her hard work paid off this season. She is now the overall FIS World Cup Champion
Events
Mar 26-28 Salla (Fin) FIS World Cup (2 races)

Mar 30 - Apr 1 Hundfjallet (SWE) FIS World Cup

www.quickchick.com/

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N American Training Seminar

Mt. Shasta Climb and Ski - Now is the time to start planning and training for NASTC's annual climb and ski adventure at Mt. Shasta. This is an overnight course, where you will basecamp on Mt. Shasta, climb up to the summit and ski down. This is an ultimate mountaineering adventure offered exclusively through NASTC and the Shasta Mountain Guides.

Annual Summer Adventure to Portillo! This will be NASTC's 14th year to paradise, Portillo, Chile. Portillo is always a magical and special destination, there is something about spending the day out on this big mountain (all above tree line) with the group, then coming back into the lodge for apres ski, playing ping-pong or getting a massage followed by apres-ski in the bar, then a 4-course gourmet meal and Chilean wine for dinner and if your a night owl, hitting the dance-club downstairs for a fun night out. The best part of it is you get to wake up the next day and do it all over again! NASTC has been going so long, its like being with family there, we know it well! So join us for a skiing experience you will never forget. For families, there is the option of bringing the kiddos to our special "Kids Camp," in which they will have their own groups and instructors! There is something for everyone at Portillo, and we guarantee you will have the time of your life! www.skiNASTC.com