MOUNTAIN NEWS
Welcome to our new series, bringing you up to date with the latest developments in your favourite ski resorts
ICE FLOATING IN TIGNES
Meditative ice floating is a new activity on offer by Evolution 2 this winter to liven up your traditional week’s skiing – or should we say, calm it down: Ski+board’s Henry John was in Tignes last month to try it out and can report it is a wholly relaxing experience. You are met at Tignes Lake by Alban, apart-time polar explorer who acts as your compère for the hour-long experience. As he helps you into a dry suit, his light-hearted compliments turn your fight with flame-orange neoprene into dressing for the runway at Paris Fashion Week! Once out on the lake, you slip into a five-metre-square hole cut into the ice that covers the lake. Immediately the world around you turns off; the only sounds being the gentle knocking of the ice blocks bobbing in the pool around you. Here, you are invited to lean back, relax and switch off. “And it’s very easy to do so,” confirms Henry. “Eyes closed and the worries of the world float away; eyes open and you are greeted with a spectacular view of the snow-capped peaks of the Vanoise National Park. ”After a hard day’s skiing around Val d’Isère-Tignes, there is an added benefit– fight just hard enough and you can pull yourself into a vertical position, and the pressure of the water around your legs helps relieve any post-ski aches and pains. Price from €50 per person.
CERVINIA-ZERMATT LINK
With its lifts running until 1 May, there is still time to experience Breuil-Cervinia’s160km of perfectly pisted slopes. But, despite the 2022 ski season still being very much in play, locals are already getting excited about next season and the opening of the futuristic Matterhorn Glacier Ride II. Until now, it has only been possible to ski from Breuil-Cervinia in Italy to Zermatt in Switzerland and back in winter. The construction of a new 3S cable car from Testa Grigia (Cervinia) to the Klein Matterhorn (Zermatt) completes the continuous link between Switzerland and Italy and makes it possible to cross the border without skis on. The one-hour journey will cover over 4,000m of altitude.
CHAMONIX ADDED TO IKON PASS
Here’s one for skiers who like to resort-hop: Chamonix has just been added to the Ikon Pass for winter 2022-23. The multi-resort pass gives skiers access to the most iconic mountains on earth throughout a season. It covers over 50 resorts in 10 countries across the Americas, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Skiers keen to experience the big mountain terrain and charming valley villages of Chamonix as part of their worldwide ski safari can choose from two Ikon packages: the full Ikon Pass (£820), which gives them seven days in Chamonix with no blackouts, or the Base Pass (£585)for five days with holiday restrictions. Buy now at ikonpass.com.
VAIL RESORTS BUYS STAKE IN ANDERMATT
The once sleepy and off-the-radar-resort of Andermatt has overgone radical change over the past decade – and continues to do so, what with Vail Resorts just announcing that it has bought a majority ownership of Andermatt-Sedrun. The investment ofCHF149 million, which represents a 55%stake in the Swiss ski area, will be used to “enhance the guest experience on the mountain” in Andermatt, including lifts, snow making, restaurants and other infrastructure in the ski area. The investment marks the first venture into Europe by Vail Resorts, which either owns or operates over 40 mountain destinations in the US, Canada and Australia.