Miscellaneous Information:
Did you know?
- The word 'ski' comes from
the Norwegian term 'skíð', meaning a split piece of wood.
- Modern competitive alpine skiing is split up into 4 categories:
Slalom, giant slalom, supergiant slalom, and downhill.
- Skiing is available in about 80 countries!
- Norway's army in the 1700s formed ski battalions. Many
believe that this is how ski races originated.
How to Stay Safe While Skiing (Alpine)
Although skiing is incredibly fun, there are some risks with it. Follow the steps below to insure that you have the most enjoyable and safe time while skiing!
- Proper equipment: Make sure you're wearing helmets and goggles, and potentially wrist guards. Make sure that the equipment you use are designed for skiing/snowboarding (don't use bike helmets!). Next, make sure that they're certified by CE, Snell, or ASTM. Lastly, follow fitting instructions!
- Stay warm: Most of the time it isn't enough to just put on a jacket
while skiing. You should do your best to dress in layers (thin base
layer to wick moisture away from skin, midlayer like a jacket/pullover
for insulation, outer layer to waterproof/snowproof yourself). You also
need to protect your extremeties (fingers & toes & ears) during cold weather as they
are the most prone to frost bites. Have
thick skiing socks, insulated gloves/mittens, and a face mask/scarf/toque for your ears.
During extremely cold conditions, you can even store
hand warmersHand warmerHand warmers are small (mostly disposable) packets which are held in the hand and produce heat on demand to warm cold hands. They are commonly used in outdoor activities. Other types of warmers are available to provide soothing heat for muscular or joint aches. Depending on the type and the source of heat, hand warmers can last up to 10–13 hours. (from wikipedia)
inside the pockets of your coat.
More detail here. - Ski with others: Traveling alone in a new environment can be suspect, especially for younger children/teens, but many adults feel this way too! It is nice to have the assurance that if you get stuck or lost somewhere someone will be out there looking for you! The social aspect of skiing also makes it more enjoyable! You can look for new people to ski with at the local Regina skiing club! (More info below safety tips)
- Hazards: While skiing, make sure you are aware of your surroundings! Watch out for other skiers, poles, trees, sudden changes in slope, and icy patches! Icy patches are formed when snow melts and freezes. They make slippery conditions for your ski. You can prevent ice related incidents by controlling your acceleration, not making sudden movements (your skis can't cut into ice), lowering your center of mass, and widening your skiing stance.
- Weather: Checking the weather reports & forecasts surrounding your mountain before you ski is essential! Skiing while it is snowing can be a pleasant experience aesthetically and texturally, but beware of blizzards. Your visibility will tank and the wind speeds will make you freeze. To mitigate the effects of undesirable weather, make sure you have a pair of snow goggles ( protects your eyes from snow and wind, & going snow blind). Also watch out for weather that is too warm (above 5 C). These conditions make snow slushy, sticky, making it harder to make turns.
Regina Ski Club
The Regina Ski Club is a way for people from Regina to develop a ski
community. It creates opportunities for recreational and competitive
cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, and snowboarding!
Member prices are:
Single: $40 for season
Two: $70 for season
Three: $80 for season
Four+: 90$ for season
~
All Regina Ski Club members automatically become members of the Saskatchewan
Ski Association (SASKI) and Canadian Ski Association (CSA). There are programs
for ages 3-93, available at all ability levels, and even including biathlon
programs. The Regina Ski Club organizes several Alpine and Nordic trips
each year, as well as
skiing lessons (Nordic is basically Cross Country).
I could go on and list everything that the club offers, but instead just follow
this link if you are interested in learning more:
Click this link to go to their website!
Top 5 Places to Alpine Ski in Canada
Aspen, USA
Aspen is a city and mountain resort located in
Colorado. It is comprised of 4 different mountains, within short
driving distance from eachother, and close to the Aspen-Pitkin County
Airpot. This ski resort provides a wonderful view of the surrounding mountains
There are over 5500 total acres, 362 groomed trails, 41 lifts, 4
incredible mountains, 2 amazing towns, and endless possibilities. A winter
vacation at this destination will be unforgettable.
Prices: (In USD, estimated, more info on Aspen website)
18-64: $179.00 for day & $999.00 for season.
7-17: $121.00 for day & $739.00 for season.
65+: $121.00 for day & $999.00 for season.
~
Les 3 Vallées, France
Les 3 Vallées is the world's largest ski area.
It has over 600km of pistes, 339 downhill skiing
pistes, 1512 hectares of maintained pistes, 163 ski lifts, over
2100 snow canons, and over 105km squared of skiable area.
Les 3 Vallées consists of 3 parallel valleys of Couchevel, Méribel and Belleville.
This resort can provide a sensational ski experience even for the most
experienced skiers. From the east to the west, the terrain for each valley is:
Courchevel - Steep forests, 1850m elevation, long gentle valleys,
interposed with steep ridges! It is a great place to learn to ski and to
experience steep couloirs!
Meribel - Narrow valley, cold and shaded, excellent snow quality and
diverse terrain (on and off piste). Perfect for intermediate and advanced
freeriders who like to adventure into the trees!
St Martin de Belleville (part of Les Menuires) - Broad, treeless. It provides
the longest, mellowed beginner & intermediate piste trails and some
off-piste trails at the top.
Val Thorens - The highest of the resorts, sitting on top of the Belleville
valley. #1 for lift & snow quality. It provides an exciting adrenaline
packed adventure with lots of terrain for skiing.
Prices: (more info on the Les 3 Vallées website)
13-65: €63.00 for day & €1370.00 for season.
5-13: €50.40 for day & €959.00 for season.
65-75: €56.70 for day & €1233.00 for season.
~
Zermatt, Switzerland
Zermatt has an elevation of 3883 metres from Zermatt
to the Breuil-Cervinia area, making it the highest ski area
in Switzerland! It is also considered to be one of the best ski resorts in the world! It won
the "Best European Resort" at the 2020 Ski Club Industry Awards!
It gets its name from the German word "matten" or valley. Skiers from
all over the world love Zermatt for its amazing food, great off-piste skiing,
huge vertical drops, and amazing chalets! At Zermatt, you can even ski
to Cervinia in Italy. You can brag about skiing to the best Swiss resort
to the best Italian one.
Prices: (In Swiss Francs, more info on the Zermatt website)
21-64: CHF79.00 for day & CHF1600.00 for season.
17-20: CHF67.00 for day & CHF1360.00 for season.
9-16: CHF40.00 for day & CHF800.00 for season.
65+: CHF79.00 for day & CHF1600 for season.
~
Gstaad, Switzerland
Gstaad has 200 kilometres of ski slopes nestled
between 1000 and 3000 metres above sea level. In addition to the resort,
Gstaad also known for its great restaurants and win-shopping, as well
as its superb hiking and biking trails. Its a lovely area where many
rich and popular people own houses.
Prices: (In Swiss Francs, more info on the Gstaad website)
18-64: CHF62.00 for day & CHF1100.00 for season.
16-19: CHF56.00 for day & CHF710.00 for season.
6-15: CHF37.00 for day & CHF475.00 for season.
65+: CHF56.00 for day & CHF710.00 for season.
~
Kitzbühel, Austria
Kitzbühel is Austria's best ski resort. It has
perfect pistes, state-of-the-art life systems, and 230 kilometers of slopes.
It is home to 57 ski lifts that offers fun for people just beginning to
ski and those who are more adventurous. Its 60 huts and restauraunts located
at the resort will keep you satiated throughout your trip.
Prices: (more info on the Kitzbühel website)
19+:€59.50 for day & €693.00 for season.
16-18: €44.00 for day & €519.00 for season.
6-15: €29.50 for day & €346.00 for season.
60-79: NA for day & €623.00 for season.
~
