Skiing in Europe compared to the USA

The Daily Telegraph, writing on the acquisition of ski resorts in Europe by Vail Resorts, drew up this list of comparisons between North American and European skiing.

North AmericaEurope
AccommodationHolidaymakers have the choice of a condo-style, self-catered apartment, or a hotel. Expect even the smallest rooms to be massive by European standards.While continental Europeans have always preferred hotels, catered chalets – a dying breed post-Brexit – are still a firm British favourite. There are increasing self-catered options, but to American eyes, the classic French apartment, with bunk beds in the hallway and a sofa bed in the lounge, looks more rabbit hutch than holiday home. Edit value
Lift passesThanks in part to the Epic/Ikon business model, lift pass prices in the US are sky-high if you pay on the day. If you’re going skiing often, and especially if you’re travelling to different resorts, one of the multi-resort passes – which cost around $1,000 (£790) for the season – offers impressive value for money.Day pass prices have soared recently, but the savings on week-long holiday passes are still significant. Season-long passes are pricier than their US equivalents, and only really worth it for seasonaires or those living close to a resort.
On-slope etiquetteYou know those ralentir/langsam/ “slow” signs that everyone blithely ignores in France? Do that in the States and you might find ski patrol confiscating your lift pass. Not only are rules more strictly enforced, but lift queues are also more politely observed, with staff matching up groups to maximise capacity.The European approach to health and safety tends to be a little more laissez-faire. On the plus side, you’re also less likely to end up facing a lawsuit. Queue etiquette is often governed by who has the sharpest elbows.
Resort managementUS ski resorts tend to be on private land and owned by one of two large companies. Vail Resorts owns 37 across the United States and Canada, including big names like Whistler and Heavenly Lake Tahoe. The Alterra Mountain Company owns 17. Small operations still exist, but increasingly, they’re disappearing.In most European ski resorts, the land is owned by the municipal government, which then grants licences to lift operators. There are big lift owners, like France’s Compagnie des Alpes which runs 10 resorts, including Val d’Isere, Tignes, and La Plagne, but none approaching the dominance of the US duopoly.
AprèsExpect pitchers of craft beer, plates of cheese-laden nachos, and a well-drilled covers band banging through all-American classics like Free Bird or Wagon Wheel. Fun, but usually pretty well-ordered. Skiing drunk is usually frowned upon.France’s Folie Douce bars – and the drunken end-of-day ski down afterwards – would never be allowed in the States, but when it comes to proper après parties, no one beats the Austrians. If you’ve not danced on a table to the awful accordion remix of Take Me Home, Country Roads while drinking the medical-grade ethanol they sell as “schnapps”, have you really been skiing?
Off-piste rulesAlmost all US ski resorts have “in-bounds” backcountry areas that remain un-groomed but are otherwise just like pistes. They’re safe, and controlled for avalanches, but often crowded on powder days. Duck beneath the ropes into the “out of bounds” areas and you’re on your own.Anything that’s not groomed in Europe is off-piste, and ridden at your own risk, but the pisteurs will still secure the area closest to the pistes for avalanches. Search and rescue won’t discriminate if you venture beyond that, either.
Resort ownershipMany US resorts are essentially company towns, where everything – from the ski schools to the bars and restaurants, to the bulk of the accommodation – is owned by the same corporate entity.European resorts tend to be made up of a mix of independent businesses – family-run hotels and restaurants rubbing shoulders with the occasional bigger chain.
Seven differences between skiing in North America and Europe

Do you agree?

I’ve skied a dozen or so resorts in North America, and dozens in Europe. I’ve enjoyed them all, but Europe edges it for me with it’s cute villages and variety of cultures – both the local cultures and that of the visitors.

One big difference I saw between the two is that in the USA skiers don’t always put down the safety bar on chair lifts. Could never figure that out and never got round to asking.

Share Button

Skiing in the USA

How To Teach Kids Healthy Eating Habits

Be a good role model, set family meal times and involve your kids in meal planning
Family eating at dinner table.

You’ve probably heard the old adage, “You are what you eat.” While your child isn’t going to literally morph into a fruit salad or a loaf of garlic bread, the food choices they make (and that you make for them) have a very literal impact on their bodies. Read more about Cortexi.

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

Poor eating habits in childhood can follow your kids well into adulthood, causing health issues and difficult relationships with food. By teaching kids about food that’s good for their health when they’re little, you can set them up for a lifetime of wellness.

“It’s never too soon to start teaching kids good eating habits,” says pediatric dietitian Diana Schnee, MS, RD, CSP, LD. Check these sightcare reviews.

Healthy eating habits and tips

Food serves a lot of purposes. It can be tasty, fun and culturally important, and eating with loved ones provides opportunities for bonding and togetherness. But food is also science. And kids need healthy foods — full of the right vitamins and minerals — in the right amounts, to help them grow. –

“Food is the first type of medicine,” adds pediatric cardiologist Christina Fink, MD. “Kids need good nutrition to live, grow and be healthy. But inadequate or improper types of nutrition can lead to childhood obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, prediabetes and further issues once in adulthood.”

These tips can help you teach your kids eating habits that will equip them for a healthy future and a positive relationship with food. Try these legal steroids.

1. Set family meal times

Kids thrive on routines, so try to eat together as a family and serve meals and snacks around the same time every day if possible. This way, kids are less likely to graze and overeat. It’s also a good time to teach them healthy eating habits and table manners.

“Eating as a family is good for social, emotional and developmental purposes, and having meals together is an opportunity to teach kids about portions,” Dr. Fink says. “For example, you can show them that half our plates should be non-starchy vegetables and some fruit.”

Limit meals to a reasonable length of time, no longer than 30 minutes. You can even set a timer to reinforce this expectation and help kids stay focused during meals. These are the latest cortex reviews.

2. Embrace breakfast

Is breakfast really the most important part of the day? Well, they’re all pretty important — but eating a healthy breakfast gives your child the fuel they need to make it through the day and help them grow and develop properly.

“It doesn’t have to be a large or elaborate meal,” Dr. Fink says, “just something that’s nutritious to get their bodies going and fuel their metabolism for the day.”

Definitely don’t stress about the idea of making an elegant breakfast from scratch every morning. Instead, turn to easy, kid-friendly, dietitian-approved breakfast ideas, like whole-wheat toast with natural peanut butter or plain Greek yogurt sprinkled with a fiber-rich, low-sugar cereal and a handful of fruit.

3. Address picky eating early

It can feel nearly impossible to deal with kids’ picky eating preferences, but with intentionality and patience, you can nip it in the bud early.

Continue to offer a variety of foods during meals to encourage exploration and allow for exposure. Schnee says it’s good to let kids (even picky toddlers) choose from what’s on their plate, and it’s OK if they choose just one or two things. But don’t make separate meals for picky eaters.

“You’re not a short-order cook,” she says. “Make a decision about what you will serve, and stick to it. If your child asks for something else, you can explain that it is not on the menu for the day but offer to prepare it another night.”

For kids who are in kindergarten and older, Dr. Fink suggests instituting a three-bite rule. “Your child should try at least three bites of a food, just to give it a chance. Even then, they will need to try the food 15 or more times before they can say they truly don’t like it,” she says. “Sometimes, it’s just trial and error to figure out their palate.”

Share Button

Early Season Skiing in the USA

US West Coast Ski Resorts
Faced with the prospect of Autumn in the USA, I was interested to know if early season skiing was going to be a possibility. Generally European resorts don’t open until December, and often not until Christmas week. This last season there wasn’t enough snow for some well known resorts to open even for Christmas.

I have managed to track down opening dates in North America for last season, and it looks pretty encouraging. Most major resorts seem to open in November. In Colorado Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Keystone and Loveland opened on 7th November with Winter Park opening on 11th and Aspen, Vail and Beaver Creek later in the month. Arapahoe Basin opened on 17th October and Wolf Creek is a perennial early season opener.

Timberline Lodge on Mt Hood in Oregon seems to have a history of opening early.

The major resorts in Canada, on the East Coast and around Lake Tahoe open during November, as does Jackson Hole in Wyoming. Utah resorts open a little later, in late November through early December. Typically resorts have opened when they have enough snow to ski on, so season opening dates are pretty fluid.

I need to do some more research on opening dates for the upcoming season and find out a little more about early season snow and weather conditions, but the prospects of getting some turns in during the Fall look promising!

Share Button