Winter landscapes can create photography challenges because the snow’s bright white color and other features tend to throw off your camera’s automatic settings. While taking vacation pictures, you may have had success in the past relying on your camera’s automatic settings, including shutter speed, aperture and white balance, to provide great pictures. When you first arrive at your winter vacation destination, it helps to take out your camera and do a bit of experimenting. This allows you to see how shots turn out and get your camera settings adjusted properly so that, once your vacation is in full swing, you do not need to fiddle with the camera as much and risk missing out on great shots. Some cameras have presets for snow photography, but if yours does not, the following points can help you come home with some fabulous vacation photos from your winter snow adventures.
I definitely think skiing is a bit underrated. Sure, snowboarding is fun, but that doesn’t mean it’s any better than skiing! In fact, I tend to have a bit more fun skiing for several reasons.
Keep it Straight
I think one of the best parts about skiing is that you’re actually facing straight down the slope! When you’re snowboarding, you have to turn your body a bit which is kind of weird. It’s definitely doable for even older boarders, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
In my opinion, you just can’t beat facing straight down the mountain while skiing at top speed. If you use the shorter snow blades, it’s even more fun because you have a lot more control and go faster. Since I did a lot of rollerblading as a kid, my personal favorite is to use the speed skis, but most people don’t like them.
Need a Lift?
One of the most important things about skiing is being able to get on/off the lift, right? When you’re first learning it can be intimidating, especially if you’re on a snowboard.
No matter where you live, winter may be creeping in and turning your happy face into a crappy face. Trying to plan an exotic trip when time and money are in a crunch can often sink the spirits even farther. But you don’t have to go far away to have a good time and play. You can take a mini trip over the weekend and feel just as excited and recharged, as you would taking a longer one. Here is a list of the best winter destination getaways in North America.
San Diego
Sunny California is a perfect destination for winter blues. San Diego has many activities to please any type of traveler. The sun is almost always out and the weather is usually in the mild 70-80 degree range, all winter long. Short sleeve weather will have you enjoying your chill time on the beach, at the spa or one of many art venues. The city has great restaurants to please any pallet. Plus there are many famous outdoor activities. Kayaking, surfing, hiking or biking, what ever your adventure heart desires San Diego will be sure to please.
Denver
Denver Colorado is a great weekend getaway for snow bunnies and nature lovers. The city is close to world class skiing and hiking. Downtown Denver is a weekend trippers love fest. Whatever you want, shopping, fine dinning, camping, hiking, biking, theater arts Denver will have the goods to make you smile. You can explore Denver’s nature paths or shopping streets.
Alpe d’Huez is one of Europe’s most popular skiing venues. It is one of France’s oldest resorts and has skiing for all levels of skiers. 84 ski lifts and 249 kilometres of marked of piste make it one of the world’s largest ski resorts, with some fabulous runs down to nearby Oz and Vaujany. The resort was also host to the bobsleigh events of the 1968 Winter Olympics. More than just a ski resort, Alpe d’Huez is a very lively place and has the reputation of being something of a party town. It has some of the finest après ski facilities and by evening time, the town has livened up a great deal due to all the bars and restaurants within it. Apart from skiing, there are many other activities which can keep holiday makers active and in a happy mood.
Biking, Ice Skating and Dog Sledding
During summers, the resort is a popular venue for mountain biking, and it has been one of the main mountains for the Tour De France. During winter, the outdoor ice rink is open from all day until late and now they have even introduced ice karting as one of the activities. The skating rink is also very popular among youngsters every evening and a great choice for those on a family ski holiday. Among the other activities available in this lovely resort town are archery, airgun, and ice hockey. A unique adventure can be indulged in by taking part in dog sledding along snow bound pedestrian routes.
Dining
There are generally very good restaurants in the resort area, but early booking is needed in order to get a good table. La Cabane Du Poutat is one of the best places for gourmet food, and Chalet Du Lac Besson has acquired an excellent reputation for its great food and its rustic French ambience. If a great view and great food are the preferred choices then Le Signal is probably the correct destination. Captain Sandwich La Roy Larde Pizzeria serves the best pizzas in town, and Les Epicers serves good French food at reasonable prices.
Bars and Pubs
French, Scandinavian and English bars abound in this town, giving it the air of a place to see and be seen in. Close to the Sports Centre are the two most popular bars among locals, The Last Bar and the Freeride Café. Many believe that the best après in town is at The Underground, with the Melting Pot offering it close competition. Most of the bars are located at the Quartier Des Jeux, and Smithys Tavern is one of the trendy English themed bars here.
Nightclubs
Le Caves and The Igloo are the most popular nightclubs in their vicinity. Located below Smithy’s Tavern, Igloo is a good dance club. DJ activity and live bars at the Yeti Bar make it a popular haunt among youngsters. The Tropicana is another great party place and every evening there is a gathering here of fun-loving skiers and locals.
You already know that it is going to be cold when you go snowboarding, so getting your clothing right is extremely important. The smartest thing to do is to look at dressing in layers, as this gives you a lot of flexibility if the weather changes and you need to make yourself more comfortable. This isn’t as complicated as it maybe sounds, but let’s break it down in sections to make sure that we cover everything we need to. Let’s see if there also a way to get a stylish look as well as a practical one while we are at it.
The Inner Layer
You will want to keep your whole body warm with a thermal layer which goes on first. A pair of thermal long johns, warm socks and a t-shirt with long sleeves is the order of the day here. As these items are going to be hidden under the rest of your other clothes then quality is more important than looks with them. This means that you don’t need to worry too much about the colour or the brand when you are out shopping. Polyester and other synthetic materials will help your skin stay dry, while the likes of cotton items will absorb too much moisture for your liking. This is just one layer so there is no need to pile on different pairs of socks or anything like that.
The Middle Layer
This is the next stage and involves you add a fleece or wool top. Again, you should avoid cotton to make sure that there are no moisture retention problems. This will keep you well insulated and will make sure that there is plenty of trapped, warm air next your skin. You could add in several layers here if things are really cold, although on the best days of the year this probably won’t be necessary. Again, this layer isn’t likely to be exposed to public view when you are out snowboarding but it may be when you pop into the bar or restaurant afterwards, so you need to take a big more care with the style than you do with the inner layer.
Are We Killing Our Glades?
The popularity of glade skiing, especially in the East, has been on the rise and almost all of the Vermont ski areas have added mountain-cut glades to their trail network in the past few years. However, it could be argued that glades have been part of skiing since the beginnings of the sport in this country.
The first down-mountain trails meandered through the forests and skiing meant dodging trees. Some of the older trails in The Valley, Fall Line at Mad River and Paradise at Sugarbush still echo this history.
But, glade skiing and riding was taken to a whole other level in recent years as areas like Jay Peak, Stowe, Smuggs, Sugarbush and Mad River have developed new ultra-clean lines. Plus, the hardcore skiers and riders have been quietly clearing chutes away from the crowds for a long time. It seems to have reached a critical mass.
The Nose Knows
Picture an upcoming powder day. The first powder day that everything opens up. Deep uncut snow is everywhere; the mountain is a blank slate after months of patient and impatient waiting. After a couple trail runs cutting up the white, your nose draws you into woods. Pulling in to your favorite line, you notice something’s changed. It seems to be wider than you remember it and there are many more blow-downs than you’ve ever seen.
Switzerland is known for its award-winning ski resorts and winter activities. The country has many top-notch ski resorts both for beginners and advanced skiers. Even if you are skiing with friends who are more interested in the après ski, you can find the perfect balance of action and fun in Switzerland.
Sitting at an altitude that starts at 1,500 metres, Verbier offers beginner, intermediate and advanced level piste, with some great off piste options – especially for snowboarders, although a guide is highly recommended. With a total of 412 kilometres of piste and a centrally located luxury ski chalet in Verbier is one of the best options in town. Verbier has plenty of activities for even non-skiers including a 60 metre ice rink, glacier walking, husky sledding, snow walking, helicopter tours and of course, the mandatory shopping.
Laax and neighbouring resorts of Films and Falera have 220 kilometres of skiable areas. Being only 90 minutes from Zurich, the resorts are popular with locals on a weekend or during national holidays – it is one of the more snow-sure regions in the country.
Zermatt has 365 days of snow, if you venture it its very highest slopes and offers some of the best skiing in Switzerland – making it a perennially popular resort with outsiders. Some of its purpose groomed mogul runs and free ride areas are the best in Switzerland and that’s before you even get onto the food. Zermatt is famous for having possibly the best on-piste grub of any European resort.
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You might find yourself “asking what makes them better riders than me?” A lot of factors affect your snowboarding abilities and skill level. One that is commonly overlooked is your stance. Stance can make a world of a difference to your riding, and making sure that you’re properly setup for YOUR style of riding will make your life much easier. For those wondering, stance is the angle at which your bindings are set to.
What To Do
1. Figure out whether you are a regular (left foot forward) or goofy (right foot forward) rider. My favorite method (also the funnest one) is to run across a smooth floor with socks on and try stopping yourself. The foot that creeps its way in front of the other will be the foot you place at the tip of your board.
2. Angle the front binding outwards a bit and set the back one at zero.
3. After you’re no longer falling on your ass every few meters, start testing out different stances. Two things to focus on are stance width and angle.
Stance Width
Stance width affects your ease of turning and board control as you go down a hill. Riding too narrow or to wide will just make you uncomfortable and you’ll feel the pain in the side of your legs (one too many friends have complained about it, so I feel I must point this out). A good starting point is roughly an inch wider than your shoulder width and then feel free to adjust if you need. Theoretically, go wider for more stability.
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Best for something different – Gulmarg, Kashmir, India
In years past, a ski trip to India’s Kashmir province would have had “niche” written all over it, but with locations such as Japan, Russia and New Zealand having become real options for adventurous skiers and snowboarders, India isn’t as far-fetched as it first appears.
Gulmarg, an old Raj hill station, has reinvented itself as a ski resort, boasting the highest gondola on earth and guaranteed Himalayan snow. Expect ludicrously empty slopes (it was estimated that fewer than 500 people visited last year), epic scenery and unrivalled snow quality at 4,000m.
· Wild Frontiers Adventure Travel (020-7736 3968, wildfrontiers.co.uk ) run 11-day trips from £1,545pp inc half-board accommodation, internal flights and transfers, ski guides and liftpass.
Best for beginners – Soldeu, Andorra
Soldeu Ski School in the Pyrenees is the best in the world for British beginners. The vast majority of the teachers are native English speakers, they keep the class sizes smaller than in the Alps yet charge roughly €30 less for a week’s lessons.
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