Ski-Blog.comFirst Tracks!! Online Ski Magazine
First Tracks!! Online Ski Magazine
- Snowstorm Closes New Zealand's Mt. Hutt Ski Area
Methven, New Zealand - Over 31 inches of snowfall was more than road crews could handle on Thursday, blocking the access road to New Zealand's Mt. Hutt ski area. - U.S. Snowboarding's Gretchen Bleiler Wins Big at 2008 ESPYS
Los Angeles, CA - Gretchen Bleiler (Aspen, CO) took home the Best Female Action Sports Athlete award at the 2008 ESPY Awards this month. Bleiler, who dominated snowboarding halfpipes everywhere during the 2008 season, was on hand in Los Angeles to accept her award. - Snowboarding's 2008-09 Swatch TTR World Tour Gets Underway in New Zealand
Wanaka, New Zealand - It’s always snowing somewhere, and while some snowboarders are taking advantage of the summer conditions in the northern hemisphere, dedicated riders will soon be trekking down south for the first stop of the Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour’s 08/09 season, the 5-Star Burton New Zealand Open that begins on July 29th. - Gross Named to U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team Board of Trustees
Park City, UT - Phill Gross, a Boston area investment banker and enthusiastic skier, has been named to the board of trustees for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team Foundation according to President and CEO Bill Marolt. The Foundation plays a key role in supporting U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding athletes, as well as grassroots programs of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association. - Great Skiing Options in Chile Lie Close to Santiago
A Guide to Chile's Northern Ski Resorts by Tony Crocker Santiago, Chile - North American skiers and snowboarders looking for a summertime fix cast their gaze toward the Southern Hemisphere. While skiing is available in Australia, New Zealand and even South Africa and Lesotho, the biggest resorts and most dependable snow cover lie in South America. Santiago, Chile's capital city in the country's central valley and one of Latin America's most modern metropolitan centers, is the most convenient gateway to Southern Hemisphere skiing. Skiing from Santiago doesn't require a connecting flight when flying from North America, as New Zealand and Argentina ski resorts do. Chile also offers more flexibility and choice among ski areas than Argentina. In September 2007 I divided my time between Los Andes, an hour from Santiago and a little over an hour down the hill from Portillo, and the interconnected ski resorts of Valle Nevado, El Colorado and La Parva, located an hour and a half from Santiago. From Los Andes I also sampled two days with Valle El Arpa snowcat skiing. - Vail Celebrates Life of Ski Resort Founder Earl Eaton
Vail, CO - The Wildwood Shelter atop Vail Mountain is a fitting location to pay tribute to one of the Colorado ski and snowboard resort's founders; it is where Eaton and Pete Seibert arrived after their notorious hike up what is now Vail’s legendary original Back Bowl. A celebration of life service for Eaton, who passed away at his home this spring will be held on Saturday, Aug. 16 at 11:30 a.m. outside at Wildwood Shelter. The service will be immediately followed by a reception at Wildwood. - Israel Plans Indoor Ski Resort
Mt. Gilboa, Israel - In the wake of the success of Ski Dubai, planners in Israel are preparing for the Middle East's second indoor ski and snowboard resort. - New High-Speed Quad at Summit at Snoqualmie In Time for New Ski Season
Snoqualmie Pass, WA - The Summit at Snoqualmie has received the green light from the United States Forest Service to begin the installation of a new high-speed quad chairlift, named Silver Fir Express. Located just east of The Summit’s Central Base Area, the new Silver Fir Express will replace the current Silver Fir triple chair, originally installed in 1988. Construction is expected to be completed in November, allowing the chair to open to the public in time for the start of the 2008-09 ski and snowboard season. - Artificial Ski Slope to Be Built at Falwell's Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA - A portion of Liberty University's 5,000-acre mountain range will be receiving a makeover in the coming months with the construction of a year-round ski slope to be known as the Liberty Mountain Snowflex Center. - New Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Vail Resorts
Broomfield, CO - Vail Resorts, Inc. today announced the appointment of Derek Koenig to the position of senior vice president and chief marketing officer. Koenig will assume responsibilities for the Colorado-based ski and snowboard resort company’s corporate marketing and sales functions, including pricing and research, e-commerce, marketing services, corporate communications, strategic alliances, central reservations, and domestic and international sales. He will also ensure coordination of the company’s marketing efforts in its Hospitality and Real Estate divisions. Koenig will begin his new position on Aug. 25.
