Month: February 2020

While his favorite is Deer Valley, Clark Weeks brings you information on skiing all over the world. Today it is Davos in Switzerland. Formerly a mining town, Davos is Switzerland’s largest skiing resort as well as Europe’s highest city. It has six skiing areas which, by American standards would be considered large. Davos also has the biggest outdoor rink in Europe, which ice hockey and ice-skating fans will adore.

In addition to its famous off-piste skiing areas, Davos also prides itself as the World Economic Forum’s host held every January. Perfect for Clark Weeks since he looks at many different types of investments and stays abreast of the latest news.

Skiing in Davos

2003 witnessed the merging and rebranding of two skiing resorts, the Davos and Klosters. Today, they are called Davos Klosters. Another name for them is Madrisa. The two villages are linked to the same ski routes, so exploring both resorts is easy. The village of Klosters features a variety of après-ski events like sleigh rides, shopping, and cultural events. On the other hand, Davos provides limitless amount of ski terrain, best served to advanced and expert snowboarders and skiers.

One thing to note if you’re looking to spend the holidays in Davos, it is best to come before or after the World Economic Forum, as every hotel in the town will be booked. The four-day forum comes at the end of January and brings many political and business titans, adding traffic to the town.

The Ski Slopes of Davos

The Jakobshorn

Known as the event mountain, as people call it, this enjoyable park is heaven for both snowboarders and free riders. Jakobshorn features a variety of blue, red, and black pistes. Although the area is famous to novice skiers, there are also several black terrains which cater to the more adventurous ones. It is also known as an ideal take-off point for snowkiters and hang-gliders.

There are also many ski huts on Jakobshorn’s slopes where you can have a little mountain partying.

The Parsenn Gotschna

The region’s largest ski area, Parsenn caters to all difficulty levels, from children’s slopes to black terrains. With a length of 12 kilometers, this ski area is well-known for its long descents. It is also the country’s longest ski slope that runs from Weissfluhgipfel to Küblis.

The Rinerhorn

Rinerhorn slopes are definitely not for beginners. It boasts the most stunning views on a trickier environment. Because of its remoteness and difficulty, there aren’t many skiers venturing out in Rinerhorn. With impressive sights to see, its lengthy sledge slopes are open to romantic tours twice a week in the evenings.

The Madrisa

Mentioned above, it is also known as the child land. This ski area with over 47 km of ski slopes is an adventure park of ski entertainment for the family. The kids are taken care of by childcare services and are shown how to ski safely. Madrisa also offers a variety of slopes for the parents. This ski area is definitely family-friendly.

Schatzalp and Strela

Schatzalp and Strela is the first decelerated ski slope in Europe. Privately owned by Schatzalp Hotel, this ski area is situated directly above Davos and offers ideal runs for both winter sports novices and advanced skiers. The decelerated slopes are also best for beginner skiers. One popular activity for the expert off-piste skiers is the choice of going out away from the town and onto the wooded slopes with a guide.

The Pischa

This ski area can be found in Klosters. Similarly to Parsenn, Pischa is well-known for its superb freeriding choices with a less large crowd. This is definitely the perfect place for skiers who enjoy the more silent slopes of Davos. Pischa is excellent for snowshoe trekking, cross-country skiing, and winter hiking.

Hope Your Davos Skiing is Memorable

Davos is such a fun place to ski. Clark Weeks hopes you have enjoyed our write up of Davos and that you have found it useful. …

Clark Weeks Recommends Skiing in New Zealand

Clark Weeks love to ski and so we bring you this post about skiing in New Zealand. For others, click here. A bit far to get to, but an amazing country and great skiing.

New Zealand is a unique country located in a corner of the world. Of course, modern aviation has made the journey much more convenient and the distance can be covered within a couple of days at the most. So, if you are planning a skiing trip these holidays, New Zealand can surprise you with the options that are available. Both the North Island and the South Island offer adventurous slopes and exotic experiences. We have listed the top skiing experiences in New Zealand for first-time travelers.

If you decide to go, or for other travel plans here in the US or overseas, we have found the following site has some great deals.  Viv Getaway

Christchurch and Canterbury

Canterbury offers the largest number of snow peaks in the Southern hemisphere making it a perfect winter skiing destination for all age groups. But you need to remember, since New Zealand is in the southern hemisphere, their winter is our summer. Their ski season starts in June.

Mt Hutt

Located just an hour and a half away from the city of Christchurch, Mt Hutt is the largest ski area in Canterbury. It offers four terrain parks and a top-class snow school for beginners and amateurs. You can also free-ride across the mountain ranges with a quick helicopter flight to Methven Heliski. The Methven village also provides the perfect relaxation spots for the evenings when you want to experience some warm kiwi hospitality.

Hanmer Springs &Hurunui

The Hanmer ski area offers a perfect combination of ski slopes and spas in close proximity. Additionally, you are just under an hour’s drive from Kaikoura, so you can surf on the same day that you ski!

Apart from these two Selwyn 6, Mount Cheeseman, Mount Olympus, and Craigieburn are some of the other coveted ski areas in the Canterbury region.

Queenstown and Wanaka

Queensland and Wanaka offer more than a perfect skiing holiday destination. The ski season here begins in mid-June and stays on until early October offering a perfect option to avid skiers from the Northern hemisphere.

Coronet Peak

Even though the Coronet peak ski area is located at a lower altitude, it offers crisp snow slopes for avid skiers. The resort town is accessible by car and bus and you can enjoy at least a half-day of skiing even on a day trip.

Cardona

Cardona is easily reachable from Wanaka as well as the city of Queenstown. Complete with an all-action ski resort, Cardona slopes are ideal for beginners.

Mount Cook Mackenzie

Located in Mackenzie county, Mount Cook is a high-altitude inland basin located to the east of the Southern Alps. It is also New Zealand’s highest mountain peak. This also makes it relatively lesser crowded than other ski regions in this country and offers a perfect experience for serious or professional skiers. Off the snow, the region boasts of hot pool springs and spectacular stargazing.

Central North Island

Like every other popular ski spot in New Zealand, the Central North island also offers a unique experience that you just can’t possibly miss. The island is home to Mount Ruapehu, the country’s only skiable volcano. It also offers two of New Zealand’s largest ski areas, Turoa and Whakapapa. The old lava flows of the latter make for challenging terrain. Don’t forget to visit the country’s highest café at Knoll Ridge.

If you make there, we are sure you will enjoy it. Plus, the Kiwis are very friendly and welcoming.

For another destination, check out this post about skiing in Patagonia.…