It’s been a confusing season for ski marketing in both Europe and North America. Global warming has added an unwelcome element of unpredictability to ski resorts’ ability to provide snow and that problem has been compounded by the high cost of domestic and international air fares.

Europe entered the winter nervously as the snow was slow in coming but a major storm front in mid-December gave most of alpine resorts enough snow to carry them through the season. In the French Alps, Club Med’s ski resorts Peisey-Vallandry, Chamonix Mont-Blanc, La Plagne 2100, Valmorel and Tignes Val Claret boasted of a combined 20 feet of natural snow this season.

Switzerland also benefitted from the mid-December snow with resorts like Les Diablerets reporting eight feet of snow to date; Leysin, six feet; Villars-Gryon, five feet; and Chateaux d’Oex, nearly four feet.

“We really get very little traffic out of the U.S. in December anyway,” said Alex Hermann, Switzerland Tourism’s director North America.

“In January we did well, but skiing is an important but small part of our U.S. business.”

Even with their associations with winter sport, Europe’s Alpine countries attract many more Americans in summer than winter.

Austria, for example, attracted 70 percent of its American visitors between March and October.

Snowfall in the American and Canadian Rockies has not been as robust as in Europe. According to John Frasca, the president of World on Skis, a division of Central Holidays, “The ski season out West started badly with meager snow and, because of the cost of the air fares, a weak economy and the high cost of lift tickets in the Rockies, many skiers are looking for resorts they can just drive to. There are lots of specials, amazing deals, in both Europe and North America, but the air fares are a huge obstacle in a scary economy.

Europe is cold, has plenty of snow and some great deals, but air fares are throwing things off. A six-night package in Europe with breakfasts, transfers and lift tickets included can be had at prices much lower than Western resorts, especially with lift tickets in the Rockies priced at about $100 a day. But then there’s the air fare obstacle. Who is going to risk putting out the money and take a chance that there will be a poor snow cover?”

The January Trivago Hotel Price Index rated average hotel prices at ski destinations in Europe and North America. Romania had the least-expensive ski resort prices this winter.

The highest prices in Europe were reported in St. Moritz in Switzerland ($545), and in the U.S., in Beaver Creek, Colo. ($498). Swiss destinations such as Gstaad and Zermatt ($368) presented the most-expensive rooms in winter sports regions in January. Colorado’s Beaver Creek and Aspen ($474) reported the highest average prices in North America.

Almost everything is $49, including lessons, lift tickets, equipment rentals, child care, dining (for two entrees) and even a condo or town home for $49 per person, per night.

Panorama has enjoyed great snowfall from the La Niña weather pattern this season with over four metres of snow so far.

WINTER PARK, Colo.- Spring break for a family can be tricky. Do you go somewhere tropical with lots of pool time or play in the last of the season’s snow?

This year the decision is easy: Snow Mountain Ranch.

Located just outside Winter Park, Colorado, the 5,100-acre Snow Mountain Ranch has cross country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, sledding and tubing, even sleigh rides.

Guests can enjoy complimentary trail and Winter Fun Park passes. The staff at the Nordic Center will help with lessons and rentals. Nearby are classic downhill ski resorts Winter Park, Mary Jane, and SolVista Basin. Guests at Snow Mountain Ranch can rent skis and snowboard equipment for a 20% discount at Snow Mountain Sports.

Family members looking for a warmer escape, will find plenty to keep them happy too.

The indoor pool at Snow Mountain Ranch comes complete with water slide, rock climbing wall, and sauna. The Craft Shop has projects for all ages and abilities, from mosaics and ceramics to jewelry making and sun catchers. Roller skating, volleyball, ping pong, and boulder can be found at the Kiva Center.

Everyone can come together for family board games, movies, and other programs in the evening. Cozy lodge rooms can sleep up to 6 and multi-bedroom cabins are perfect for larger groups.
www.ymcarockies.org

Child and parent products, family resorts, and teaching methods are featured and reviewed. Also a place to find photos and videos of talented snowboarders under the age of fourteen.

www.FamilyShred.com, a website focused on the snowboarding family, is targeting on a new demographic of snowboarding. As snowboarding has grown much in popularity, it is still a fairly new sport.

There is a new generation of parents that grew up only snowboarding instead of skiing and are now starting to teach their children at a much younger age.

The snowboard industry has recognized this and now is making better products for kids. Resorts have also taken notice and are offering more programs that are for much younger children on snowboards compared to what has been offered in the past.

FamilyShred.com does articles on product reviews for children, resort reviews, featured companies, snowboard instruction tips, and general news that is relevant to the snowboarding family.

Another portion of the website features young snowboarding talent from all over the world. The website is for parents to come get information, share their experiences, and connect with other snowboarding families.

FamilyShred.com is a website focused on the snowboarding family. For further information, please contact us at (970)-946-0370 or bugstroope@familyshred.com

This legendary family-friendly outdoor show is held every Sunday at the base of the mountains and is completely free. Dress warm, grab a cup of hot chocolate and prepare to be amazed by the live entertainment including big air, fire spinners, live DJ and fireworks display.

Roxy All-Star Snow Camp – February 11 – 12

These camps are the best way to improve your skills and hang heavy with a group of female snowboarders or skiers. From park to pipe to all mountain, from beginner to advanced, these two-day weekend camps accommodate all styles and levels of riding and feature Roxy All Star coaches and special guests.

Performance Series: Portland Taiko – February 11

Portland Taiko is a premier Pacific Northwest drum ensemble. “Taiko,” meaning drum and an art form, is deeply rooted in ancient Japanese tradition and combines rhythm, movement, energy and culture into a single art form. Portland Taiko’s aspiration is to create a taiko performance of the highest artistic quality with a strong and beautiful voice for all to enjoy. The show starts at 8 p.m. at Millennium Place and tickets can be purchased at Millennium Place.

The Yeti Snowshoe Series – February 18

The Yeti Snowshoe Series provides an exciting outdoor outlet for participants of all skill levels, from beginner through to advanced level athletes. Taking place at the Whistler Olympic Park, the Yeti offers a six kilometre sport lap and 12 kilometre enduro course over flat undulating cat-track, double track and single track

Sigge’s P’ayakentsut Cross Country Ski Event – February 25

The second annual P’ayakentsut returns with traditional loppet races of varying distances for adults and older teens, ski cross event for younger teens, and fun ski tournament for kids.

Winemaker Après Series: Osoyoos LaRose and Nk’Mip at Steeps Grill – February 29

Come and sample locally inspired menu paired with wines from the best that B.C. has to offer during the Winemaker Après Series at Steeps Grill atop Whistler Mountain.

The afternoon includes five course meal paired with five glasses of wine.

New packages offer special savings and amenities for romantic escapes and family vacations.

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO. . . . Cheyenne Mountain Resort has created four new money-saving packages to make it easy for couples and families to enjoy a relaxing getaway to the beautiful Rocky Mountains:

Escape Package – Guests booking this package get two nights for the price of one to help them relax, reinvigorate and re-energize. Rates start at $139.00* for two nights based on availability. This package is available through May 15, 2012.

Romance Package – This package, which includes overnight accommodations, champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries upon arrival and a buffet breakfast for two at Mountain View Restaurant, makes it easy for couples to run away to the Rockies for a little romance. Rates start at $180.00* per night.

Rendezvous for Two Package – Couples can relax and reconnect over mouth-watering Colorado cuisine when they indulge in this package. It includes deluxe accommodations, champagne and strawberries upon arrival, and a three-course Colorado Fusion dinner for two and an elegant breakfast for two in Mountain View Restaurant. Rates start at $227.00* per night.

Family Getaway Package – This package is designed for making memories. It includes overnight accommodations, a family “Pizza and a Movie” night in-room, 25% percent off two adult admissions to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, and free golf for kids over 12 with a paying adult. In addition, kids ages 8 and under eat free at all meals!

There’s so much for families to do in Colorado Springs, and a great place to start is by enjoying s’mores under the stars on the resort’s Sundance Terrace. Rates start at $139.00* per night.

Packages are available throughout 2012 and are based on availability.

For more information about Cheyenne Mountain Resort or to make reservations, visit www.cheyennemountainresort.com  or call 1-800-428-8886.

About Cheyenne Mountain Resort

Nestled against the stunning Rocky Mountains on 217 acres in Colorado Springs and managed by Benchmark Hospitality International, the AAA Four Diamond Cheyenne Mountain Resort, recently underwent a $20 million renovation and offers 316 finely appointed guest rooms and suites, featuring Rocky Mountain-inspired decor clustered in eight residential-style lodges.

The resort features more than 40,000 square feet of newly renovated IACC-certified meeting space with 38 dedicated meeting rooms including a tiered amphitheater. In addition, Cheyenne Mountain offers three distinct dining venues including its signature restaurant The Mountain View, featuring Colorado Fusion cuisine. A vast array of recreational amenities include an 18-hole Pete Dye championship golf course, five sparkling pools, tennis and racquetball courts, a fitness center, aquatics center and a 35-acre recreation lake. For information or room reservations call 1-800-588-0250 or visit http://www.cheyennemountain.com

BRIAN HEAD, Utah – Spring Break marks the last chance to enjoy the ski season before the snow just a memory, so why not take advantage with great spring break savings at Southern Utah’s Brian Head Resort.

Spring Breakers will find some unbeatable ski and stay packages at Brian Head during the spring break season. Brian Head’s newest spa resort, The Grand Lodge at Brian Head, is offering midweek (Sun-Thurs) ski and stay rates of just $75/night per person for two adults.

Visit www.grandlodgebrianhead.com  or call (435) 677-9000, ask for promo code “Utah”.

Those looking for a condo rental can find spring break deals as low as $139/night, including two adult lift tickets. Visit www.alpinelodgingrentals.com  or call (702) 529-1490) for more details and booking info.

Located in scenic southern Utah, Brian Head Resort boasts the same great snow and conditions as Utah’s most well known resorts, but with a fraction of the crowds and costs. Brian offers a full range of terrain to suit all ability levels, and is home to a full service ski school and child care programs. Kids under 5 ski free at Brian Head, and discounted lift ticket rates apply for kinds 12 & under. Family members that don’t ski will find plenty of ways to stay occupied, whether it be snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, enjoying a relaxing spa treatment or racing down the lift-serviced tubing hill. Brian Head Resort is conveniently located with-in a few hours’ drive of major cities in Utah, California, Nevada and Arizona.
www.scenicsouthernutah.com

This retrospective of the designer’s 40 years of creativity features a stunning selection of 200 haute couture outfits along with numerous photographs, drawings and films. These illustrate the development of Saint Laurent’s style and the historical foundations of his work.

Organised thematically, the presentation blends design and art to explore the full arc of Saint Laurent’s career from his first days at Dior in 1958 through to the splendour of his final runway collection in 2002.

Highlights include:

The Gender Revolution galleries where visitors will see how Saint Laurent bent (and sometimes broke) the rules of what women were expected to wear impacting on the wardrobe of today’s modern woman

The Yves Saint Laurent and Women section, displaying the clothing of the historic women who wore and supported Saint Laurent, including Princess Grace of Monaco, Catherine Deneuve and Paloma Picasso

The Last Ball section, featuring exquisite evening dresses from the glory days of haute couture complete with a red carpet

The Colours of Yves Saint Laurent gallery, where guests will enjoy vibrant examples from his collections and hundreds of fabric samples

During his 40 years of designing, Saint Laurent (1936-2008) revolutionised the female wardrobe by borrowing the tuxedo, the trouser suit, shorts and the safari jacket from men’s clothing, transferring these symbols of power from one gender to the other. He empowered women with this new form of clothing, turning traditional menswear into haute couture. Saint Laurent reflected women’s changing role in society ahead of any other designer, setting the styles of the day. The show premiered in Paris in 2010 at the Petit Palais, Musee des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on 20 January 2012.

A dozen Denver hotels are offering YSL packages, many of which are now available to book online on the YSL Denver website. Guests who purchase the VIP hotel packages will receive two tickets valid for any date and time along with an audio guide for the exhibition for each room booked. The tickets also allow guests to enter the exhibit at the next available time slot, bypassing any queues.

http://www.visitdenver.com

Snow has been falling in the Alps for over a month now, so conditions are excellent for skiing with some resorts in Austria reporting up to 6 metres of snow. If you still haven’t had your share of skiing this year, book a late ski holiday now and take advantage of some great deals on apartments and chalets in the Alps. HomeAway.co.uk, the UK’s number one holiday rentals website, offers access to a great range of private holiday lets available to rent at a discounted rate.

Opting for private ski accommodation rather than a hotel can enhance your holiday experience. The added space and privacy allows you to truly relax after a hard day on the slopes, and with the low cost per head of a private ski chalet or apartment you can indulge yourself with affordable luxury. Whether you’re looking for a budget bargain in Austria, a large apartment in Switzerland or a luxury chalet in France, HomeAway.co.uk has something for every taste and budget.

So, head to the slopes now to experience one of the snowiest winters in decades and book one of the properties below or browse HomeAway.co.uk for over 47,000 ski holiday rentals worldwide.

Prices quoted are per property per week for the ski season and after discount. All properties still had good availability at the time of going to press.

AUSTRIA
Modern chalet with mountain and lake views, Salzkammergut
5 Bedrooms, Sleeps 12. £650 per week
Special Offer: 35% off until end of March
This is a beautiful chalet in an elevated position in the small hamlet of Ried on the outskirts of St Wolfgang. Skiing at the nearby Postalm a 20 minute drive is ideal for the beginner and intermediate with skiing for the more experienced being 30 minutes away. The property has balconies on two levels with access from three bedrooms which afford views of the lake and Austrian Alps.
The chalet sleeps 10, but can accommodate up to 13. There is a large kitchen/diner and a spacious lounge complete with a large flat screen television, satellite TV and a state of the art games console.
www.HomeAway.co.uk/p431713

SWITZERLAND
Superb ski in/ski out Swiss apartment in Portes du Soleil
2 Bedrooms, Sleeps 6. From £822 per week
Special Offer: 25% off per week (available w/c 21st and 28th January)
The apartment is located in a newly developed building, the Sundance. It is light, modern, well equipped and attractive with extensive use of modern pine and with spectacular views of the Les Dents du Midi from all rooms. It has laminated floors, wooden ceilings and whitewashed walls. There are three large windows looking out to the mountains and there is a balcony running the full length of the apartment. Les Crosets boasts a multitude of lifts, a ski school, a dedicated snowboard park and a number of nice restaurants, shops and bars. You can ski into France in minutes or stay in the Swiss area.
www.HomeAway.co.uk/p68678

AUSTRIA
Penthouse apartment with breathtaking views in the centre of Zell am See
3 Bedrooms, Sleeps 8. £1,409 per week
Special Offer: 15% off until end of March
This is a duplex penthouse apartment, furnished to a very high standard and with a large balcony with breathtaking mountain and lake views. There is parking for one car in the basement. The property is located in the centre of Zell am See within walking distance of ski lifts, restaurants and shopping.
www.HomeAway.co.uk/p90619

FRANCE
Stunning chalet with sauna, hot tub and panoramic windows in Chamonix
4 Bedrooms, Sleeps 8. From £3,207 per week
Special Offer: 20% off in January
This is a charming holiday chalet with wonderful panoramic views of Mont Blanc in Chamonix. The relaxing living room with a central fireplace connects with the dining area and opens out onto a terrace and balcony. The wooden gable end of the house has been replaced with glass to offer wonderful panoramic views of Mont Blanc. The four bedrooms are all en suite and the bedroom up on the second floor has a French copper bath with wonderful views from the top of the chalet. In the garden there is a wood fired hot tub as well as an amazing sauna.
www.HomeAway.co.uk/p820545

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About HomeAway.co.uk
Founded in 1996 and part of HomeAway Inc., HomeAway.co.uk is the UK’s number one holiday rentals website, listing over 250,000 self-catering properties worldwide. The site provides a simple, cost-effective way for holiday home owners and managers to market their property and manage bookings, with unrivalled worldwide exposure for a fixed annual fee. For holidaymakers, HomeAway.co.uk offers the best choice of any UK website.

About HomeAway, Inc.
HomeAway is the world leader of the online holiday rentals market, representing over 625,000 property listings across more than 145 countries. The company has contributed significantly to the popularity of the holiday rentals industry, making it easier than ever for both owners to advertise and profit from their second homes and for millions of holidaymakers to find the perfect holiday rental. HomeAway operates sites in 11 European countries and the market-leading sites in the USA and Brazil.

When you draw breath at the end of it, you’re always willing to get back on top and give it another go.

Skiing burns more calories, but that depend on how adventurous you are in the bedroom. You could always combine them for the ultimate workout.

The longer you go without it, the lower your standards get. After months without satisfying your cravings, abstinence from either could be a ‘slippery slope’.

The beer and shower afterwards can be almost as good as the real thing. There’s nothing more satisfying than a cold beer and a refreshing shower after a long hard session.

You can go at it alone, but it’s much better together, or even in a group.

You’re never as good at it as you think you are.

After having children, you’re lucky if you mange it more than once a year.

Skiers like to go large, big slopes, big challenges, big brags, but with the 2.2m skis a thing of the past does size really matter.

A good wax reduces friction and provides a much smoother ride. It’s all about the grip and the glide.

They say practice makes perfect, but nobody’s perfect so best to keep practicing.

Directski.com are continuously lowering their prices to make skiing affordable for all which means skiers can do it more often (it’s just a shame Directski.com don’t sell sex).

Departing 11th February Directski.com has a week’s ski holiday over Half Term and Valentines Day in the 4* half board Hotel Neue Post for £911 per person including return flights from Gatwick airport (£930 per person from Manchester) and transfers, based on 2 guests sharing. www.directski.com