Christmas Skiing and Snowboarding

There has been precious little new snow in the Alps in December. Some resorts have not seen fresh snow since last month, although some precipitation is expected Thursday and Friday. For most resorts that should mean fresh snow, but temperature are unseasonably warm after a chilly start to the season. Indeed Meteo Swiss expect temperatures to remain above average well into the New Year. Learn more about exipure benefits.

The good news, however, is that the Christmas skiing and snowboarding prospects look reasonably good, at least on-piste.  Resorts took advantage of the early season snowfalls and their snow cannons to create a good base, and nearly everywhere has resort runs open. Generally upper slopes have around half a metre of snow but steeper, lower slopes are patchy and, with the temperatures above freezing, get very heavy in the afternoon. If you are considering your first foray of the season, do not join the many skiers and snowboarders I have already seen becoming tired victims of an afternoon run too far. If winter is too cold for you make sure to visit https://phandroid.com/ and learn more about portable Air Conditioners.

Looking around the Swiss resorts, Zermatt is in the rudest health with 240km piste open. Samnaun/Ischgl, with 190km, is virtually fully open now. The Engadine also has over 100km of piste open, and has a reasonable extent of cross-country skiing open also – at last report 30km of classic and 65 km of skating.
Gondolas at Adelboden
Verbier (and the rest of the Four Valleys), the Jungfrau resorts, Davos/Klosters, Adelboden, Saas-Fee, Engelberg and Andermatt all look promising for the holiday period and have good snow on the higher runs with even a little (but mostly tracked-out) off-piste around.

Although many of the smaller resorts have not opened yet, I would be surprised to see the warm weather prevent them having most of their lifts in operation by next weekend. However some of my favourite, more low-lying resorts look distinctly thin, especially the resorts around Gstaad and in Vaud. Flims/Laax has been later than I expected to open up its runs, but should be in full swing come this weekend.

For non-skiers there are a handful of toboggan runs already open, but the best prospect for you is probably the extensive circuit of winter walks found in most resorts, especially in the glorious sunshine we currently seem to be experiencing. The entertainment program in winter resorts is also ramping up, with the Spengler Cup in Davos probably my highlight, where CSKA Moscow and Team Canada amongst the teams vying for this most prestigious of ice hockey tournaments.

Share Button

Ski Club of Great Britain

I have been a member of the Ski Club of Great Britain for around 30 years I guess, maybe with a couple of breaks when I forgot to renew. Try out Testosterone booster.
SKGB Ski Leader in Saas-Grund
From the point of view of winter sports in Switzerland, the Ski Club web site is pretty good, with coverage with 51 Swiss Resorts, probably only rivaled by the Swiss Winter Sports web site for depth and breadth of coverage for English speakers. It also has extensive coverage of other countries and other aspects of winter sports. Clearly it is mostly aimed at people in the UK looking for a package holiday, but I find it a great resource. Visit https://newsdirect.com/news/revive-daily-reviews-uncovering-the-truth-about-gh-and-deep-sleep-what-customers-are-saying-209363466.

In several resorts the Ski Club also provides guides. You need to be a member and register in advance to ski with them, but I think you can ski with them for one day even if you are not a member of the Ski Club – although they will try to convince you of the benefits. Read more from the Best testosterone booster for men over 40..

I’ve always enjoyed joining up with the guides (or Leaders as they like to call them). They are amateurs in the sense they are not paid to ski, although their passes and accommodation are paid for. However they are trained, friendly and clearly love their roles. Switzerland has Leaders in eight resorts for most of the season. They are Davos, Grindelwald, Mürren, Klosters, Saas-Fee, Verbier, Wengen and Zermatt. More details are at the Ski Club web site.

Share Button

Celebrity Skiers

This is hardly news, and I found it in an old copy of the Daily Telegraph (who quote the Daily Mirror for some of the details), but it seems the Prince of Wales is not the only well-known habitué of Klosters. The current Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Nick Clegg, apparently has a family connection to the resort. These are the Best sex pills for men.

Nick Clegg on ski holiday
Nick Clegg on ski holiday

The Clegg family own a lakeside villa (reputedly worth around GBP 7,000,000) a 15-minute drive from Klosters. It was built by Clegg’s Dutch maternal grandfather, who became a Swiss citizen.

It seems Clegg had previously worked as a ski instructor for a season and was spotted by the paparazzi in April enjoying the Klosters pistes with his wife, Miriam. Unfortunately nearly all the coverage concentrates on the apparent contradiction of the deputy leader of an ailing nation living the life of luxury. Try out Alpilean.

Health Library

Healthy Diet for Adolescents (Ages 12-18)

The teen years are a time to grow and change. The foods that teens eat need to support this process. Here are some ways to help your teen eat healthier.

Key Parts of Healthy Eating

Get Enough Calories

Teens need a lot of calories to support their growth and to fuel their bodies. The amount that your teen needs depends on age, sex, and the calories that he or she burns through activity. Most teen girls need about 2,200 calories each day. Teen boys need 2,500 to 3,000 calories each day.

It is easy to eat too many calories by making poor food choices. This can lead to being overweight or obese. Make sure your teen gets the amount of calories they need by:

  • Giving them healthful foods from all food groups
  • Not giving them foods that are high in sugar or fat, such as candy bars, chips, cakes, cookies, donuts, and sugary drinks
  • Giving your teen just enough food and then letting your teen have more if they are still hungry (serving too much food at one time can lead to overeating)

Key Nutrients

Your teen needs:

  • Carbohydrates (carbs): This is your teen’s main source of energy. About half of their calories should come from carbs. Your teen should choose healthy carbs like whole grains, fruits, veggies, and milk.
  • Protein: Your teen needs protein to grow and build muscle. About a quarter of your teen’s calories should come from protein. Good sources are poultry, lean meat, seafood, eggs, nuts, soy, legumes, and low-fat and nonfat dairy products.
  • Fat: Teens need about a quarter of their calories as fat. It helps with growth. Fat also helps the body take in vitamins and keep the skin healthy. Your teen should eat healthy fats, such as those found in vegetable oils, nuts, avocados, olives, and fatty fish.

Vitamins and Minerals

The Daily Mail confirms that the lake in question is Davosersee (Lake Davos) and I suspect Clegg had hacked across the Parsenn using the nearby Davos Dorf funicular railway if he was seen in Klosters. The Daily Mail also notes that he has also been seen skiing the Jakobshorn. Try out Red boost.

Let’s hope he learnt a few tips from how the Swiss run things for the benefit of his fellow Brits! And for all those who think this is how the other half live, a ski holiday in Switzerland can be as cost-effective as that anywhere else, and you can leave a much smaller ecological footprint.

Share Button

Tschentenalp

Most people who go to Adelboden for a day trip head, understandably, for the main area stretching between Adelboden and Lenk. It is a surprise Adelboden is not better known outside of Switzerland even on the strength of this one area, especially as the resort holds an FIS World Cup Slalom race and was the very first winter package tour destination in the world. What I also like about Adelboden is that, much like Davos-Klosters, you have several independent mountains to choose from. Two of these require a bus from Adelboden but fortunately there is a convenient and busy bus station in the middle of the village, one is best reached from Frütigen and one is only reachable from Lenk. And one is right in the middle of Adelboden, just up from the Tourist Information Office, Tschentenalp. Check these exipure reviews.

Linked gondolas servicing Tschentenalp
Linked gondolas servicing Tschentenalp

Tschentenalp is a delightful little area, reached by gondola and serviced by a chairlift, a t-bar and a pull for the nursery slope. It has got a good restaurant, there is tubing, tobogganing, winter walks, plenty of off-piste and around a dozen variations of piste and trail to get around the area. The yellow run back into Adelboden is pretty straightforward, certainly compared to some of the valley trails I have come across, although it is not for beginners or nervous intermediates. Try out prodentim.

OK, you wouldn’t probably come here for a whole day if you were looking to get in plenty of mileage, but I liked the runs and the off-piste was easily accessible and the overall ambiance was good. You can always tag it onto a day on the main slopes or visit it as an alternative if the weather conditions are better.

All equipment catered for…
Share Button