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The Alps: Destinations You Will Remember Forever
By Helga Brenner
a Ski Paradise at the foot of the Eiger
Grindelwald
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Germanyʼs Best of the Alps Resort
Why Ski the European Alps?
Nestled at the foot of Western Europe’s highest peak, Chamonix attracts the world’s
best skiers and snowboarders. The 13-mile-long Chamonix Valley is flanked by the
15,774-ft Mont Blanc to the south and the 9843-ft Aiguilles Rouges to the north.
An adrenaline rush awaits you on the daunting runs of the Grands Montets, the most
mythical skiing area with high-altitude north-facing slopes descending five miles to the
village of Argentière (6562-ft vertical drop) and to the La Balme area, which is defined
by wide-open slopes at the top of the Chamonix valley, bordering Switzerland. An
immense array of runs and vast powder fields for off-piste skiing await you. At the opposite end of the Chamonix valley Les Houches beckons. The entire glittering paradise is
accessible with the Mont-Blanc Unlimited ski pass until May.
The Vallée Blanche is off-piste terrain, offering more than 12 miles of spectacular
runs and an 8858-ft vertical drop. Even experienced snow riders are advised to ski the
Vallée Blanche with a local guide, for it’s off-piste skiing all the way down! Descending
from the 12730-ft Aiguille du Midi to Chamonix at 3609-ft, the Vallée Blanche is in a
league all its own.
Chamonix is not only a paradise for carvers, freeriders, heli-skiers, and snowboarders, but also cross-country enthusiasts will find the tracks of their dreams in this valley.
Two superb areas are designated cross-country skiing terrain: one starts in Chamonix
and leads to Les Bois, while the other one is located in Argentière.
Among the attractions of Chamonix is the Aiguille du Midi cable car. This engineering marvel was completed in 1955 and renovated in 1991. With exemplary safety, it
offers magnificent vistas of the Mont Blanc massif and the Aiguilles de Chamonix,
which rise like needles into the sky. Not to be missed is the nostalgic red cogwheel train
of Montenvers, which has been ascending to the Mer de Glace, France’s largest glacier,
for exactly 100 years.
Chamonix has also plenty of slopes for beginners and children. There is accommodation for every budget, ranging from bed & breakfast residences to four-star chalets and
hotel palaces. The resort’s gourmet restaurants, its legendary hotels, some of which boast
art deco architecture, and the lively nightlife scene leave nothing to be desired.
Chamonix seems tucked away in the Rhône-Alpes’ Haute Savoie region, but it is easily accessible. The car or bus ride from Geneva’s Cointrin Airport takes only one hour.
And through the Mont Blanc Tunnel, Italy’s Courmayeur is reached in just 45 minutes.
Who could ask for anything more? See www.chamonix.com.
A ski village rich in tradition, yet replete with
all modern facilities, Grindelwald is an ideal destination for skiers and snowboarders looking for
the benefits the Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau region has
to offer. A six-seat gondola whisks skiers to the
First region and the rack-railroad leads to the
Kleine Scheidegg and the Jungfraujoch-Top of
Europe. From Grindelwald-Grund Europe's
longest gondola cable car takes visitors to the
Männlichen.
New: The First Flyer, which lets four persons
glide simultaneously yet independently through
the air on an 800m / 2625-ft cable, at speeds of up
to 84km / 52 miles per hour. The construction
resembles four parallel Tyroliennes.
Serious skiers, thrill-seekers of every stripe,
intermediate skiers, beginners and families will
find runs for every level of skill. Located at 3392ft, Grindelwald is a favorite of the young and hip
Swiss set who enjoy the adrenaline rush of skiing
on the spectacular Lauberhorn run near Wengen.
With a huge terrain and lift-linked access to
Wengen and Mürren, Grindelwald is the preferred
base for skiing the Jungfrau region.
The resort’s major skiing areas, First and
Kleine Scheidegg-Männlichen-Wengen, offer 100
miles of runs with 30 lifts reaching an altitude of
7,500 feet. The Schilthorn near Mürren, popularized by the Ski World Cup, rises to almost 9,000
feet. Accommodation ranges from simple bed &
breakfast inns to five-star hotels. Even rooms with
a view of the Eiger North Face can be surprisingly affordable. See www.grindelwald.ch.
Nestled at the foot of the 10,000-ft Zugspitze,
Germany’s tallest mountain, the twin-town of
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is defined by Alpine
authenticity and state-of-the-art facilities. It is therefore not surprising that Garmisch-Partenkirchen,
Germany’s winter sports capital, is one of the twelve
members of the Best of the Alps group of classic
resorts, which represent a perfect mixture of Alpine
tradition and modern amenities and are spread
throughout the European Alps.
Beginning this ski season, winter sports enthusiasts can enjoy five world-class runs for the first time
with guaranteed snow cover. The legendary
Kandahar Run on the Kreuzeck Mountain was split
up into two sections, meeting FIS standards. As these
require that Men’s and Women’s competitions take
place on separate slopes, the women will start from
the men’s former downhill slope. And the men’s new
run features a very challenging lower section.
Another important run, the technically demanding
Olympia Run also leads right down to Kreuzeck’s
valley station. The two valley runs, Dreh and Horn,
are classics in the Hausberg Mountain area.
From January 30 to February 2, 2009 the FIS
Alpine Ski World Cup will take place on the two
Kandahar runs and on Gudiberg Mountain and in
2011 Garmisch-Partenkirchen will host the FIS
Alpine Ski World Championships, another cornerstone in the bid for the Olympic Winter Games in
2018. Garmisch-Partenkirchen has nine luxurious
four-star hotels with excellent price ranges as well as
a large number of budget-priced hotels and Bed &
Breakfast inns. www.garmisch-partenkirchen.de.
A myriad of reasons make the European Alps an ideal destination for skiers and snowboarders from the United States. One of the reasons is the great value for the money.
World-renowned ski villages vie with each other in offering their visitors even better rates
in 2009 than in previous seasons. Here are only a few examples:
Innsbruck: Four Hills Tournament package, 2 nights rooms from 149 euros, incl. breakfast, double room in a 3*** Hotel, 1 entrance to the ski jump competition on Bergisel on
Jan. 4, 2009 1. Innsbruck Card, 24 hours free entry to all museums/sights in Innsbruck,
public transport, lifts/cable cars in Innsbruck and surrounding areas, Swarovski Crystal
World in Wattens and the mint in Hall. See [email protected]; www.innsbruck.info.
Lech-Zuers Events: The White Ring Race, Jan 17. Bregenz Festival in the Snow. Feb. 6-8,
4-star Hotel Alpenrose January rates: from 73 euros/night, double occ. www.lech-zuers.at
Chamonix: 3-star Hotel Alpina. From 165 euros for 2 persons/night, half board (Jan 2027). www.bestmontblanc.com/en/alpina.html. Cham'Spring (April 13-May10). From 165
euros/night. (3 to 7 nights). [email protected] www.chamonix.com.
Mégève: 7 nights in 2** hotel in B&B, double room basis + 6 days Evasion Mont Blanc,
ski pass. From 507 euros (3 to 7 nights). A week of skiing in a typical alpine village. 6
days/7nights for 375 euros. Included: 6 days Grand Massif ski pass, ski rental, airport
transfer. http://ski-resort-france.co.uk/; www.megeve.com.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen: Gap-Ski-Classic. This classic package for 2 or 3 nights starts
at 110 euros, with ski pass. Super-Happy-Ski ski pass lets you cross borders! Enjoy the
benefits of using the special ski offers of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Zugspitze, Mittenwald,
Seefeld, Austria’s Tirolean Zugspitz arena for 178 euros. www.garmisch-partenkirchen.de.
Grindelwald: Free skiing on Saturdays for two children up to age 15 if accompanied by parents holding 1-day ski passes. Ski passes from 37 euros (1 day) to 312 euros (14 days)
Jungfrau WinnerCard. 7 nights accommodation with breakfast or half board. From 1185
euros perperson. www.jungfrauwinter.ch; www.grindelwald.ch.
St. Moritz: 7 nights at Hotel Laudinella for $890 pp, double occupancy. Breakfast daily.
Ground transfers. Hotel taxes & service charges. Valid Jan. 3 - Jan. 30 & Feb. 28 - Mar. 27.
www.ski-in switzerland.com/hotel/St%20Moritz-Hotel%20Laudinella.html. www.stmoritz.ch.
Cortina: Dolomiti Superski Pass, 12 valleys, 1,220 km of slopes for 39 euros/day. 193 euros
for 6 days. White Weeks: 7 days, half board, from 320 euros (1-star). Dolomiti Super Kids
offer for families, March 14th to end of Season - Free hotel and ski pass for children up to age
8. A 50% discount for ages 8 to 12. www.dolomiti.org/dengl/Cortina/ci/cipromo/index.html.
Chamonix – Mont Blanc
For more information See www.alpseurope.com or:
Austrian Tourist Office
212-944-6880 or www.austria.info
German National Tourist Office
212-661-7200 or www.cometogermany.com
Italian Government Tourist Board
212-245-5618 www.italiantourism.com
Switzerland Tourism
877-794-8037 or www.MySwitzerland.com
Maison de la France
514-288-1904 or www.franceguide.com
Jungfrau www.jungfrau.ch
Best of the Alps
www.bestofthealps.com
SWISS
877-FLY SWISS or www.swiss.com
Swiss Travel System www.rail.ch
PostBus - Ski Safari www.PostBus.ch
Ski.com www.Ski.com or 888-337-0300
Interhome
SKI CLUB NEWS
Ski Club Lodge Has WOW Factor for Younger Generation
By Bob Zeba, High Life Ski Club (NJ) From their Sitzmark
During the weekend of September 2021, our lodge was occupied by a group of
people in their thirties. This generation -the ones who know about Blackberrys, IPods, MP3’s and, well you get the idea,
were all friends of my daughter and her
fiancé who are members of our club. They
invited 35 of their friends to the lodge for
a combined bachelor/bachelorette party
weekend. No strippers or male dancers in
G-strings, just friends getting together for a
great weekend at the High Life ski club
lodge. I was there, too, and have to say
that I’ve never seen such a grateful group
stay at and take care of our lodge.
Although some are skiers, none had
ever heard of a ski club much less
belonged to one. My daughter gave information and pictures of the lodge to her
friends in advance. They came expecting a
cottage in the woods and were just blown
away. All weekend I heard “What a beau-
tiful house,” “who owns this place?” “how
did you do it?” “who maintains it?” “this is
a hidden gem!” “WOW, we can drink and
party, then walk a few feet and flop in our
beds!” Before the weekend was over, I
heard “This is a great place, we ARE doing
this every year.” They could not believe
all this for $40 a year and $20 per night. I
often heard, “OK, where do I sign up?”
This turned out to be more than a party,
more than any guest had expected. It
turned out to be a validation of all the hard
work put in by many club volunteers over
the years. This weekend the club and its
lodge passed the test by the hardest critics
of all -- the younger generation. They have
seen our lodge and issued their stamp of
approval.
It was a great weekend and the young
people loved it up there. It was a perfect
party weekend with no stress, no worries,
just plain ol’ good fun and good company.
This age group worked well at the lodge.
They were young enough to have fun but
old enough to be responsible and not trash
the place.
Editor’s notes: We reprinted this article
because it shows one way to get younger
people interested in a ski club: Simply
show them what you have to offer.
Granted, that’s easier when you own a
great ski lodge in the mountains, but ski
club parties are also events to which you
can invite your kids (or grandkids?) and
folks of their generation to show them how
much fun a ski club can be. If you are
going to have a booth at your local ski
show or outdoor organization show,
include photos of your parties as well as
those of your ski trips. If you have a lodge,
consider inviting the younger generations
of your families up for a weekend. You just
might lower the average age of your membership. Editor.
Page 18
The NATIONAL SKI CLUB NEWSLETTER
January-February 2009
SKI CLUB NEWS
Midwestʼs Sleeper Buses
from the Wichita Ski Clubʼs Newsletter
Brandywine Ski Association Uses EMS
Club Event to Attract New Members
Perhaps the most convenient, comfortable way to travel to Colorado from the
midwest is via a sleeper bus. Uniquely
designed, sleeper buses transport about 40
people arranged in booths, with four per
booth. Each booth changes into two bunk
beds so people can lie horizontally and
sleep while driving overnight to their destination. Passengers typically bring a pillow and a blanket or sleeping bag.
Sleeper busses have many advantages:
* You travel while you sleep, saving precious daylight hours for skiing.
* Your bags remain with you at all times in
the luggage bay on bottom of the bus.
* A professional driver is trained to drive
overnight through ice and snow.
*The booth design encourages you to meet
others on the trip and provides comfortable
roominess to play cards. You don't have to
stay in your seat the entire time and can
stretch and mingle with other passengers.
Beverages are provided on the bus and
people also bring snacks and games to share.
The Brandywine Valley Ski Association,
a member-club of the Eastern Pennsylvania
Ski Council, participated in a Club Day
Membership Drive sponsored by Eastern
Mountain Sports (EMS), a retailer that specializes in outdoor merchandise such as
camping, bike, and ski equipment. Eastern
Mountain Sports hosts club membership
days each fall and spring and the events are
open to any clubs that want to participate.
The store does not charge for clubs that
reserve booth space at the event.
The Brandywine Valley Ski Association
thought that this was a win win situation as
the clubs display what they have to offer
while the store distributed coupons that help
sell their merchandise. It was also a way for
the club to advertise its upcoming ski trips,
as well as activities such as hikes, bike rides,
sailing trips, and parties -- and, it’s an excellent way for the club to attract new members.
Ski clubs in the Northeastern U.S. might
want to see if there is an EMS stores in your
area and if that stores hosts a club day. See
their Web-site at http://www.ems.com/ for
more information.
Editors note: If there’s no EMS near you,
talk to your local outdoor retailer about the
possibilities of holding such an event as they
attract new customers for the store and new
members for participating clubs. We all win!
January-February 2009
The NATIONAL SKI CLUB NEWSLETTER
Page 19
By Dave Mertz, Brandywine Ski Association
Toledo Ski Club Facility Sold
The Toledo Ski Club sold its meeting
facility-clubhouse in September. With
scores of ski clubs in the northeast, a few
California and midwest clubs, and a couple of clubs in Colorado owning or leaseing ski area lodges, the Toledo clubhouse was, to our knowledge, the only
such facility owned by a ski club in the
SKI CLUB NEWS
Ski Club Grows by Giving Back to Community and Members
SKI COUNCIL NEWS
By Bob Wilbanks, NSCN
by Lennia Machen, board member, Idaho Falls Ski Club (ID)
The Idaho Falls Ski Club is located in a
city of only 50,000 people and they have
2,000 members. How do we do it? By
subsidizing ski lessons and ski trips -- all
of which is funded by hosting the largest
ski sale in the area each November which
nets the club $25,000 to $35,000 in profit!
We share the bounty with our race team
which provides much of the labor to hold
the sale, and the rest is spent on our members -- including free half-day group kid's
ski lessons at Grand Targhee. The lessons
usually cost about $50 but Targhee sells
them to us for $25 and we gave about 200
lessons last year. While the kid’s lessons
are free, we charge $10 for adult lessons.
The lessons are for any level, any type -downhill ski, boarding, nordic, ski/skate,
tele, beginners through top-level advanced.
There are eight lesson dates at Targhee each
year, plus two others at another local hill.
We charge $25 for membership, and a
voucher deal at Jackson Hole gives mem-
bers $26 off lift tickets and Targhee gives
us their frequency card for our members ...
giving them 25% off in a plan of buy 3, get
a 4th free, buy 3 more, get the 8th free.
Buy two more lift tickets and get a season
pass. It's like buying a season pass on time.
In addition, we put out a coupon book for
our members that has discounts from 50 to
55 retailers.
We reimburse our members for ski trip
car pools. If they go on a club organized
car pool trip, we contribute $4 per person,
per day, to the people who drive for gas.
We’ve been thinking “green” for years!
Our trips are locally planned and operated. Our trip leaders do the job, and all
discounts are enjoyed by the participants -plus the club subsidizes travel, lodging, and
lift tickets up to about $25 a day, depending upon the trip. We have 45 people going
to Chamonix in February, 150 will go to
Jackson Hole, another 50 will go to Big
Sky, 85 to Sun Valley, 40 will snow coach
into Old Faithful in Yellowstone Park, and
we have a trip to New Zealand -- all club
planned. We are 100% volunteer, clear
down to race team coaches and Web-site.
Our charter tells us to promote skiing,
so last year we started to promote and participate in a scholarship program through
the school district. Ten kids earn their way
into the learn-to-ski program by doing
stuff for the school and community. We
sponsor the kids and they learn to earn
their way. At $100 per kid, we would like
to do more of this sort of thing. We also
provide our community with two wall tents
in a nordic trail area that are free to use
(including stoves, bunks, and firewood!)
Overnighters are welcome. We provide XC maps and trail guides for our region too.
Several years ago we also gave several
cross country set-ups to the city for their
program of teaching nordic skiing at a
local golf course. It was just another way
to give back to the community.
Whatʼs Happening Among the Councils?
Michael Calderone, president of the Metropolitan New
Photo: NSCN
York Ski Council.
The Metropolitan New York Ski
Council will celebrate its 75th anniversary
at their annual race in Sugarbush on January
23. Congratulations!
Janet Kangas, president of the Metropolitan Detroit
Photo: NSCN
Ski Council.
The Metropolitan Detroit Ski Council’s
Ski Trip Expo will feature a trip leader
seminar to be taught by Gloria SaiyaWoods of Ski.Com.
Three reasons
Steamboat remains
one of the nation’s top
Ski Club destinations
And then there’s...
$AILY NONSTOP JET SERVICE TO 3TEAMBOAT
THROUGH MAJOR AIRPORTS
.EARLY MILLION IN ONMOUNTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS SINCE 2ECORD #HAMPAGNE 0OWDER4- 3NOW
3EASON WITH FEET THIS
PAST SEASON
Page 20
The NATIONAL SKI CLUB NEWSLETTER
January-February 2009
January-February 2009
Colorado
Colorado
steamboat.com
800.922.2722
The NATIONAL SKI CLUB NEWSLETTER
Susan Donlan, president of the New Jersey Ski
Council.
Photo: NSCN
The New Jersey Ski Council expected
to draw almost 2,500 people at their Ski
Jamboree at the Stadium Club of Giant’s
Stadium in November. The event is a combination of dance party, membership drive,
and ski show with resorts, retailers, and
member-clubs showing the general public
what the council and its clubs have to offer.
The Northwest Ski Club Council has a
Web-site dedicated to which resorts in the
area have requested government permission
for improvements and what action members
can take to send letters, e-mails, and petitions the Forest Service and other entities to
assist the resorts. For more information see
http://www.nwskiers.org/nwsa/index.htm.
The Texas Ski Council has published
their annual marketing report stating that
1,160 members from their 16 clubs attended the council’s five trips for total expenditures of $1,986,154.40. The council also
arranged for more than 100 Texas children
to learn to ski through the Texas Ski Council
Youth Federation program last season.
The Far West Ski Association held a
fundraiser showing of the Robins Mourning
film about Mammoth Mountain and Dave
McCoy in October. The film had previously
won the FWSA’s Dave Berry media award.
The Eastern Inter-Club Ski League
(EICSL) hosted the 13 Hours of EICSL at
Bretton Woods on December 13. New club
members received free lift tickets for the
event and other members paid just $25.
Page 21
TRAVEL INFORMATION
North American Airline Bag Surcharges
Compiled by Bob Wilbanks, NSCN
Luggage surcharges are becoming a significant item in the total cost of a ski trip.
Below are the surcharges as of November
10, 2008, for luggage sizes, weights, and
luggage rules for nine North American airlines.
Most airlines consider a ski bag and a
ski boot bag to be one piece of luggage -but there are two exceptions to that rule.
Air Canada considers a ski bag and boot
bag as 2 pieces of luggage, but you can
avoid that by preregistering your skis at
http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/airport/baggage/sports_equip.html. And Horizon
/Alaska Airlines considers a ski bag and a
boot bag as one piece of luggage only if
they are attached to each other.
According to their Web-site, Air Canada
also insists that skis be in a hard case that is
designed for skis to be accepted as checked
luggage and Southwest Airlines will accept
skis unconditionally (with recourse if damaged) only if they are in a hard case. It’s a
good bet that skis in a cloth bag will not be
accepted with full liability by most airlines
so, if you intend to fly with your skis, consider buying a rigid case for them!
Any luggage surcharges will usually be
totaled. That is, if a bag exceeds both the
62” total size and 50-pound weight limit,
United Airlines will charge you $250 each
way -- or $500 for a round trip -- for each
bag that exceeds that limit!
Most airlines will accept skis without
applying the 62” maximum-size rule for
ski bags or cases, but some will apply a
Airline
Surcharges for
1st bag 2nd bag 3rd bag
American
Airlines
$15
$25
$100
Air
Canada
Free
Free
$100
$15
$25
$100
Delta and
Northwest
Airlines
$15
$25
$15
$25
$125
$200 if going
outside U.S.
Free
All surcharges
apply inbound
and outbound
Continental
Airlines
Frontier
Airlines
Horizon &
Alaska
Airlines
Southwest
Airline
United
Airlines
U.S. Airways
Surcharges for
overweight bag
Surcharges for
oversize bag
Additional
Comments
$50 to 70 lbs
$100 to 100 lbs
$150 to 115”
100 lbs+ not accepted
115”+ not accepted
Bags over 50 lbs
are considered as
being overweight
Bags over 62” in total
width+lenght+height
are considered as oversize
$75 to 70 lbs
$100 to 100 lbs
$100 to 115”
$50 to 70 lbs
$100 to 115”
But skis OK
$80 to 70 lbs
$150 to 100 lbs
$150 to 80”
$50
$75 to 100 lbs
$75 to 80”
$25
$125
$50 to 100 lbs
Free
Free
$25
$15
$25
$125
$25 to 70 lbs
$50 71-100 lbs
$50 to 80”
$75 to 115”
Skis OK to 115”
$15
$25
$100
Must preregister skis/boots to avoid fee
Skis and boot bags must be attached to each other to count as one bag.
$125 to 100 lbs
Overweight charges are on a sliding scale for 1st, 2nd, 3rd bag.
Page 22
maximum size to ski cases or bags.
Continental’s Web-site states that ski and
boot bags may contain ONLY skis, poles,
and boots and must not exceed 50 pounds in
the total weight of both bags. If you place
clothing in a ski bag or in a boot bag, they
will consider both bags as separate pieces of
luggage subject to their number of bags surcharge. However, they will allow two pairs
of skis in a ski bag -- if the combined weight
limit of both ski bag and boot bag is under 50
pounds. All other airlines insisted on only
one pair of skis in a ski bag.
Our advice is to go online and print your
airline’s baggage/sports equipment pages
from their website the day before you leave
for any last minute changes because not only
your participants, but the airline employees
at the airport may or may not even be aware
of last minute changes. Our advice continue
to be, just ship your skis via Fedex ground 710 days in advance.
$65-$75-$150*/70 lbs
$115-$125-$200*/100 lbs
$50 to 80”
$125 to 115”
$100 to 80”
The NATIONAL SKI CLUB NEWSLETTER
Ski bag + boot bag = 1
bag by most airlines.
Surcharges will be totaled.
No oversize fee/3rd bag
Skis must be in hard case
70 lbs + not accepted
Ski bag contains only skis
2 pr skis + boot bag OK
Over 80” not accepted
Over 100 lbs not accepted
but skis 80”+ are OK
100 lbs + or 80” + are
not accepted
Over 100 lbs not accepted
If overweight & oversize,
only the higher is applied
Skis in hard case or tube
accepted with full liability
100 lbs + not accepted
115” + not accepted
The oversize fee will be
charged for 62”+ ski bag
January-February 2009
TRAVEL INFORMATION
Worldwide Tipping Guide for Travelers
When it comes to tipping, what is considered normal in the United States can get
people upset in New Zealand. I can
remember insulting a Queenstown cab
driver -- by just offering him a tip! He
actually said that to accept a tip was
demeaning. Some years later, I watched a
Denver bartender “lose it” after an Asian
national left only small change when paying a rather large bar bill. What we had in
both cases were people who observed tipping practices customary at home but that
were not the custom in the country where
they were visiting. (See the Asia column
for Bartender and Australia-New Zealand
column for taxis -- or just about everything
else for that matter -- below.)
Then I came across a world-wide tipping guide in the September 2008 issue of
Travel and Leisure magazine, then found a
SERVICE
By Bob Wilbanks, NSCN
tipping chart in Magellan’s online catalog,
and even a couple of blogs on the subject.
We thought that America’s ski club members could use the information.
These are general rules and some exceptions may apply. If in doubt, ask your tour
operator in advance what tip is appropriate
in certain situations. They should be familiar with the local tipping customs.
One other note; while it’s okay to tip
your maid at the end of the week at a
smaller hotel, tipping daily in larger hotels
assures you that the person who actually
made up your room gets the tip -- as the
staff may change daily. Concierge tips
should be proportionate with the service
provided and can vary greatly -- and
remember that all-inclusive resorts include
the tip in the price and further tipping is
unnecessary.
U.S. and
CANADA
MEXICO and
CARIBBEAN
SOUTH
AMERICA
EUROPE
10%
5%-15%
Bartender
$1-$2/drink
$1/drink
Concierge
$5-$20
10% (Mexico)
10%-15% in
CARIBBEAN
$2-$5
Porter
Maid
$5 or $1-$2
per bag
$3-$5
per day
Taxi
Waiter
15%-20%
10%-15%
In the U.S., expect to tip bartenders $1-$2 per drink.
Photo: NSCN
MIDDLE EAST
and AFRICA
ASIA
AUSTRALIA and
NEW ZEALAND
10% - 15%
none in
Japan
5%-10%
$1/drink
0 or small
change
2%-5% of
service bill
$5-$30 of
service bill
$5 or 10%
not expected
$1-$2
per bag
$1
per bag
$2-$3
per bag
$1-$2
per bag
$1-$2 in
India or $5
in SE Asia
$1-$2
per day
not expected
15%-20%
small change
to 10%-15%
round up
to next $
round up
to next $
Spa service
10%-20%
10%-15%
10%-15%
10%-15%
Hair dresser
10%-20%
10%-15%
10%-15%
Coat check
$1-$2/item
$1 per item
small change
varies from
0 to $5
$2-$5
per day
varies from
$0-$5
per day
$1-$2
per day
$2-$3/item
none or 5%10% for upscale dining
not expected
$1-$2
per bag
$0-$2
per bag
varies from
0 to 10%
none in
Japan
not expected
10%-15%
at upscale
resorts
10%-15%
at upscale
resorts
not expected
10%
not expected
small change
small change
not expected
$1-$2
per day
10%-15%
Notes: In Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, most service people do not expect tips. In the U.S., almost all service people expect tips. In Hungary, leaving money on the table is
considered rude. Hand the tip to the waiter instead.
January-February 2009
The NATIONAL SKI CLUB NEWSLETTER
Page 23
TRAVEL INFORMATION
Positive Effects of World Economic Turmoil
The U.S. Dollar is Rebounding Against Other Currencies
and The Prices of Ski Trips are Falling!
A Stronger Dollar
By Bob Wilbanks, NSCN
From an American’s viewpoint, one of
the few bright spots of the financial crisis
for those who may want to travel abroad is
the current drop of most other currencies
against the U.S. dollar. Travel abroad for
U.S. citizens is becoming less expensive -and may become a lot less expensive!
As of November 14, one euro costs 1.27
dollars -- down from over 1.60 dollars just
a few months ago! That’s a long way from
the 82¢ euro in 2000, but the trend appears
to be going our way for a change.
For those who want to stop in London
before or after a European ski trip this season, that’s also getting cheaper. The British
pound sterling is now $1.48 -- down from
over $2 just a few months ago and the lowest the pound has been since 2003.
South of the border, the dollar now buys
13 Mexican pesos as opposed to 10 pesos
this summer. And, perhaps the best value
of all; an Australian dollar is now 67¢ versus 98¢ in the summer.
The Canadian dollar, which was over
$1.10 U.S. in late 2007, was just over 80¢
as of November 16, 2008. That could mean
that the land portion of a ski trip to Banff, or
elsewhere in Canada, can cost as much as
30% less than it did last ski season.
It seems the world’s currency markets
are of the opinion that the U.S. will rebound
more quickly than the rest of the world.
Bargains in the U.S. Ski Market
Meanwhile, U.S. ski resorts are clearly
concerned about business this winter and
many ski resorts are offering reduced lodging prices, free airfare deals, free lift tickets, and lodging for the kids, free ski days,
reduced-price spa services, and reimbursement of the airlines’ luggage surcharges
when visitors bring their skis to the resort
to stimulate business this season.
Simply put: there are a lot of bargains in
ski vacations out there, so if you think you
can sell an extra trip this year and if some
of your members aren’t too worried about
the current economy, you might consider
scheduling an additional trip this season -particularly in the late spring, which would
give you plenty of time to promote and sell
a late season bargain-priced ski trip.
The National Ski Club
Newsletter
Subscription Information
SKI INDUSTRY NEWS
2009 Spring Group Ski Shows
Listing by Paul Webber, PRW Travel Shows
We send The National Ski Club Newsletter free
to the president, ski trips officer, and summer
trips officer of each club. To receive The
National Ski Club Newsletter, please fill out the
following information. If you send us your
newsletter and give permission to reprint the
articles, we will also send The National Ski
Club Newsletter to your editor free of charge.
Washington D.C. Ski Travel Show
May 1 Friday
North Bethesda, MD
[email protected]
New Jersey Ski Travel Show
May 3 Sunday
Whippany, N.J.
[email protected]
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
E-mail: _________________
Ski trip officer’s name:
_________________________________
Mailing address:
_________________________________
City:________ State:____ Zip :_______
Patrick Rothe and Charity Banker of Telluride and Kiera Skinner of the Lumiere Hotel in Telluride make the most of their eightminute appointment with the Danbury Ski Clubʼs David Zuraw at Mountain Travel Symposium, 2008 in Vail.
Photo NSCN.
This year’s group ski show dates and
locations have been announced. The
shows are a good opportunity for ski club
and council officers and even members to
meet face to face with sales representatives
of ski resorts, tour operators, resort area
lodging companies as well as government
tourism offices at the local, regional, and
even national levels.
The format of the shows varies by
organization, from the “speed dating” type
of 10-minute interviews with club officers,
to tables and booths set up for both club
officers and members to learn more about
a destination, lodge, or perhaps a company’s services. Here are this year’s shows:
E-mail:_________________
Vice President or Summer trip officer:
_________________________________
Mailing address:
_________________________________
Minneapolis Ski Travel Show
May 14 Thursday
Minneapolis, MN
[email protected]
Florida Ski Council Spring View
May 28-31 Thur-Sun Howey in the Hill, FL
[email protected]
E-mail:_________________
January-February 2009
Cleveland Ski Travel Show
May 9 Saturday
Cleveland, OH
[email protected]
Ohio Valley Council Summit
May 29-31 Fri-Sun Cincinnati, OH
[email protected]
City:________ State:____ Zip:_______
The NATIONAL SKI CLUB NEWSLETTER
Boston Mountain Travel Expo Show
May 6 Wednesday
Andover, MA
[email protected]
Metro Detroit Ski Council Ski Trip Expo
May 17 Sunday
Dearborn, MI
[email protected] or [email protected]
E-mail:_________________
Editor’s name:
_________________________________
Mailing address:
_________________________________
Page 24
Philadelphia Ski Travel Show
May 4 Monday
King of Prussia, PA
[email protected]
Metro. Chicago Ski Council Seminar
May 16 Saturday
Chicago, IL
[email protected]
City:________ State:____ Zip:_______
To receive The National Ski Club Newsletter, please fill
out and mail this form to P.O. Box 4704, Englewood,
CO 80155 or e-mail the information to [email protected]. Thanks. Bob Wilbanks, editor.
Dallas, TX
Crescent Convention
April 23-26 Thurs - Sun Myrtle Beach, SC
[email protected]
State:____ Zip code:________
Please circle the month you elect officers.
City:_________ State:____ Zip:_______
Mountain Travel Symposium
April 1-5, Wed-Sun
Keystone, CO
www.mtntrvl.com
Texas Council Bid Meeting
April 17-19 Fri - Sun,
www.texas-ski.org
Club Name:
_________________________________
Club’s permanent address:
_________________________________
City:
_________________________________
President’s name:
_________________________________
Mailing address:
_________________________________
Event /Dates /Locations/Contacts
January-February 2009
The NATIONAL SKI CLUB NEWSLETTER
Far West Ski Association Convention
June 4-7 Thur-Sun
Reno, NV
[email protected]
Page 25
Ziplines
SKI INDUSTRY NEWS
The Newest Resort Attraction
By Bob Wilbanks, NSCN
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Page 26
The NATIONAL SKI CLUB NEWSLETTER
Ziplines seem to be
popping up all over ski
country. Ziplines are
rides on stretched cables
where guests sit in a special harness that’s very
similar to that used for
paragliding. The harness
is attached to a safe NSCN editor on canopy
roller mechanism that tour or zip line in Costa
keeps riders from bump- Rica. Photo: NSCN.
ing into one another or from landing too
fast. Originally begun in Brazil, the concept quickly moved to Costa Rica (where
they are called canopy tours) and it is now
finding its way to the world’s ski resorts as
both a summer and winter attraction.
The first zipline at a North American ski
resort was Whistler’s Ziptrek, where five
lines are connected by suspension bridges,
boardwalks, and trails. Today, the resort
also offers a second ride, the Skyline, with
rides of up to 1,500 feet long at speeds as
fast as 62 miles per hour.
In California, Heavenly’s double
ziplines lets two people at a time get a
great view of Lake Tahoe while flying
down what is now the longest zipline in the
U.S., 3,300-feet with a 525-foot vertical
drop -- which can develop speeds up to 50
miles per hour.
In Utah, there’s a zipline at Park City
that’s 2,300 feet long and there are another
two more at the Utah Olympic Park -- one
easy ride for beginners and larger children
and an “extreme” zipline where your speed
can get up to 60 miles per hour. There is
also another zipline at Snowbird that lands
on the tram tower.
In the eastern U.S., New Hampshire’s
Wildcat Mountain and Pennsylvania’s Sno
Mountain both now offer zip lines. New
Hampshire’s Bretton Woods has a yearround canopy tour which consists of a
1,000 foot descent utilizing zip lines, suspension bridges, and hiking trails.
This December Grindelwald, Switzerland, completed the first zip line to be built
in Europe. It’s a four-wire ride about 2,625
feet long where riders can develop speeds
of over 50 miles per hour.
January-February 2009
SKI INDUSTRY NEWS
March 19, 2008:
The Day Hell Froze Over
From the Texas Twistersʼ Twistersʼ Tales
March 19, 2008 is the day hell froze
over. That was the new logo on T-shirts,
etc., because that was the first day snowboarders were allowed at Taos Ski Valley.
Excitement brewed everywhere. There
were snowboarders from everywhere and
Taos had a sellout crowd of 4,800. Booths
were set up around the base area, selling
helmets, goggles, and yes, snowboards.
All in all, it was a very positive day.
Everyone had a great time with all the
excitement because snowboarders had
brought youth back to Taos! We know that,
for a business to succeed, it must flow with
the times. Most of us love Taos and we
want it to be there for us in the future, and
now that’s possible. Families with skiers
and snowboarders will be able to return to
Taos Ski Valley in future seasons.
It was an awesome time to be present as
a part of the historic two days. Our snowboarders were totally sold on Taos and they
loved the mountain as we do.
We found this story in an old issue of
Twisters’ Tales and couldn’t resist reprinting the viewpoint of the change at Taos
from a club that runs annual trips there
and is a part of their core market. Editor.
Alta Badia Tops Over 100
Alpine Resorts in Study
By Patrick Thorne, AKA the Snow Hunter
An analysis of 111 Alpine ski resorts by
the Italian Touring Club Study Centre has
voted Alta Badia’s five ski villages the best,
scoring 68 out of 80 points, seven points
ahead of second place finishers, Zermatt and
Val Gardena. The club looked at 16 different
criteria, placing quality at the center of its
analysis. Alta Badia did well in the “geographical situation and mountain setting”
category as it is in the heart of the Dolomites
which are widely regarded as among the
most beautiful mountains in the world.
The climate and the quality of accommodation, lifts, the skiing terrain and variety of the slopes were also examined. The
intervalley connections were judged to be
excellent in Alta Badia, with the connection between five villages and the chance
of reaching more than 520 kilometers of
lift-connected slopes in the valleys around
the Sella Group. Snow-surety was also
analyzed and Alta Badia scored high with
90% snow making coverage.
They also considered summer access in
to the peaks, the presence of mountain
paths, woods, and picturesque destinations
for excursions, distance from major cities
and metropolitan areas, guest reception on
arrival and the overall image of the resort.
News about the
Eastern and Southern
Hemispheresʼ Ski Industry
By Patrick Thorne, AKA the Snow Hunter
Upgrades to Chinaʼs Largest Resort
China's leading resort, Yabuli’s is currently investing heavily in new accommodations, lifts, and other facilities to bring it to a
much higher standard than has been seen in
China before.
Some innovations at the
northeastern Chinese ski area are even
beyond the standards available in European
or North American ski resorts and more consistent with the quality of Asia’s high-end
big city hotels.
Upgrades include a new heated gondola
for VIP guests that features polished timber
trim, leather seating, a mini bar, cabin lighting, and a Bose stereo system.
Melco's Sun Mountain development at
Yabuli, 2.5 hours south-east of Harbin by
road or 90 minutes by train, currently has
three premium hotels under construction and
was recently invited to be part of the coveted
collection, Small Luxury Hotels of the World.
Melco China Resorts is the largest operator and developer of ski resorts in China,
transforming one existing ski area in Beijing
and four existing areas in the North Eastern
provinces of Heilongjiang and Jili. Skier
numbers in China are predicted to more than
double to 10 million by 2010.
SKI INDUSTRY NEWS
France
Whatʼs Happening in Europeʼs Ski Industry?
By Patrick Thorne, AKA the Snow Hunter
Switzerland
The southern French resort Risoul has
taken the concept of “speed dating” a step
further by moving the experience on to a
chairlift. The Clos du Vallon chairlift in fact,
a romantic two seater that takes about ten
minutes to climb the slopes. It's a far better
choice than the modern high-speed detachable chairs which just give you a quick ride
then dump you unceremoniously at the top.
It could be high pressure for anyone who
inadvertently stumbles upon the Clols du
Vollon chair during Risoul's second Singles’
Week which will be from March 28th to
April 4th this season. They'll find a glass of
vin chaud pressed upon them and then
they’ll be loaded on to the chair with a complete stranger for the 10-minute chairlift
“speed” date. At the top of the lift they can
decide whether to ski off hand in hand into
the sunset, or go back down and try a ride up
with someone else.
Switzerland’s ski resorts had their best
season in four years last winter with a
18.4% rise in visitation compared to the
2006-2007 ski season. They enjoyed 28.7
million skiers days last season. The resorts
of Davos-Klosters and Zermatt in the
Valais canton, were the top Swiss destinations with 2.5 million skier days each.
Visitors to St. Moritz will be welcomed
by a new cable car operating at Corvatsach
this winter. The new lift, which will follow
the same route as the lift it replaces, has
larger cabins each capable of holding 100
people, rather than the 80 person capacity of
the old lift. This new lift and other improvements will increase passenger capacity on
the route by 30%. As part of the reconstruction project both the valley and lift stations have been redesigned to be more
attractive. The total cost of the project was
13 million Swiss francs.
January-February 2009
The NATIONAL SKI CLUB NEWSLETTER
Montgenevre’s Serre Thibaud Télémix
lift (a combination of gondolas and chairs
on a single cable) which crosses the main
road to connect the resort’s Tremplin and
the Chalvet sectors, will serve three new
runs this winter adding 10km to the
resort’s ski area and the giant Milky Way
pass of which it is a part, one of the world’s
largest. In addition a second Télémix lift
will replace the existing Chalmettes cable
car, one of Montgenèvre’s main departure
points.
Andorra
Andorra’s Vallnord, which now encompasses the ski areas at Ordino/Arcalis, Pal,
and Arinsal, has invested ten million euros
this season, primarily for a new detachable
six-seat chairlift for Arinsal that replaces a
double from Arinsal to Comallemple plus
they have added a second new chairlift
from Pal to Arinsal.
Japan Ski Cost up Only 16% in 20 years!
Peter Brunner, of the STI Ski Lodge on
the slopes of Ishiuchi Maruyam, Japan,
compared some old expense statements
from a weekend trip to the Lodge in 1988
and he recreated the trip in 2008 to compare
costs. Most costs were almost unchanged
after 20 years, with zero inflation in the cost
of lift tickets, and both weekends came in at
40,000 Yen! However, the exchange rate
was up in U.S. dollars -- but only by 16%.
The full report of the comparison is at www
.stiskilodge.blogspot.com or [email protected].
Down Under
Page 28
The NATIONAL SKI CLUB NEWSLETTER
The Australian Ski Areas Association
reported that the southern hemisphere 2008
winter provided some of the most consistently good snow that the Australian alpine
resorts have experienced in a decade and
total national skier days were again over the
two million mark.
January-February 2009
Page 29
SKI INDUSTRY NEWS
Whatʼs Happening in North Americaʼs Ski Industry?
By Patrick Thorne, AKA the Snow Hunter, and Bob Wilbanks, NSCN
Crested Butte Mountain Resort is
offering a new adventure guide program
that combines backcountry ski skills and
education with guided in-bounds and outof-bounds skiing. Participants will learn
about the tools and knowledge for hiking
and exploring the mountain, using backcountry transceivers, probes, and shovels.
Costs will range from $380 for a half-day
session to $1,070 for a two-day class.
Boyne Resorts has agreed to sell Big
Sky Resort in Montana to CNL Lifestyle
Properties for $74 million. CNL loaned
Boyne Resorts $68 million in September
2008 and when that loan matures in 2010,
Boyne will sell Big Sky to CNL and CNL
will lease the resort back to Boyne Resorts.
The two companies have similar arrangements at Utah’s Brighton, Sugarloaf USA
and Sunday River, both in Maine, and
Cypress Mountain in British Columbia.
Citing debts of $344 million and assets
of $1.1 billion, Montana’s Yellowstone
Club has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy
protection, primarily from Credit Suisse,
which has sought to take the assets of both
the Yellowstone Club and Idaho’s bankrupt
Tamarack Resort. The Yellowstone Club is
an exclusive private ski resort, which
boasts homeowners like Bill Gates and
Dan Quayle, and is adjacent to Big Sky
and Moonlight Basin resorts. Membership
requirements are a net worth at least $3
million, an initial membership fee of
$250,000, and annual dues of $16,000.
New Hampshire’s Loon Mountain has
added a new carpet lift to replace the two
handle tows in their beginner area. They
have also added their first double-diamond
run, Rip Saw, and 14 acres of new terrain.
The NATIONAL SKI CLUB NEWSLETTER
January-February 2009
Breckenridgeʼs BreckConnect gondola now connects Peak 7 with town and the resort.
Photo by Aaron Dobbs and courtesy of Vail Resorts.
Breckenridge Ski Resort has opened a
new base area with lodging, ski school,
ticket sales and ski rentals, dining, and a
new connection between the town and
mountain via the BreckConnect gondola.
Whistler’s new 2.73-mile-long gondola
with 28 cabins from Whistler to Blackcomb Mountain is now in service.
Jackson Hole’s new tram began service
in late December and will transport skiers
from the base at 6,311 feet to 10,450 feet – a
4,139-foot rise! The 2.63-mile tram holds up
to 100 passengers for the nine-minute ride.
Killington’s new Skye Peak Express
has replaced the Skye Peak Quad and
reduces the ride time from 14 minutes to
less than five to Bear Mountain. It’s the
first lift installed at Killington Resort in
more than 10 years and brings the total of
high speed lifts to nine. The resort also celebrated its 50th Anniversary in December.
New Hampshire’s Waterville Valley is
celebrating its 40th anniversary this ski
season. Congratulations!
The Summit at Snoqualmie replaced the
Silver Fir triple with a high-speed quad lift,
the Silver Fir Express, which will shorten
the ride from 10 to just over four minutes.
Michigan’s Boyne Mountain celebrates
its 60th anniversary this ski season by
replacing the old Meadows chairlift with a
faster, conveyer loaded, fixed-grip chairlift.
Page 30
ANDORRA
gives you emotions
which you have never experienced before
MORE THAN YOU EVER IMAGINED
The ski resorts of
GRANDVALIRA and VALLNORD
will surprise you with the number of new events and activities
available this winter, so that you can enjoy the snow to the full.
“Open your eyes, listen to
the silence, feel the nature,
ßKK XNTQREKF VISH LELNQIER
and taste the essence of the
Pyrenees”
LIVE THE FREEDOM
$EUEKNO XNTQ CQEASIUE RSXKE IM SHE ROECIßED AQEAR
for freestyle and the snowparks scattered in all
the sectors. Dare yourself to do the most
spectacular twists and jumps.
PUT ACTION INTO YOUR LIFE.
When the snow falls a whole new world opens
which goes further than the ski runs, with all the
activities imaginable: snow motors, mushing,
circuits with snow shoes, ice skating, tubbing….
YOU WILL FEEL SURE OF YOURSELF
Bring the best out of yourself thanks to the 700 or more ski instructors from the 10 ski and snowboard schools in the country, who will
guide you to improve your techniques (9 snow gardens, 7 kinder
gardens and 2 infants circuits).
THE INFINITE DOMINATES
285 KILOMETRES OF SKI RUNS
3.075 HECTARES OF SKIABLE AREA
178 RUNS
111 SKI LIFTS
1.475 SNOW CANNONS
www.skiandorra.ad