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Blue Mountain Chalets: A Great Place For A Family Holiday

February 20th, 2010 No comments

A holiday in the Blue Mountain area near Ontario in Canada will open up a whole new world of family fun. It doesn’t matter which time of the year you go, there will always be lots to do and to see. For the family man Blue Mountain chalets offer the best alternative by far.

For a family or 4 or more, chalet accommodation makes perfect sense cost wise if compared to a stay in a hotel. Should you stay in a hotel, you will have to rent at least two rooms, which will sharply increase the cost of your holiday. To pay for two rooms in a hotel for a week or more will make a serious dent in the family budget and simply mean that there is a lot less money available to do all the things that you planned to do.

If you stay in a hotel, you will also not have any facilities to prepare your own meals. That means you will be forced to eat all meals in either the hotel’s restaurant or at a restaurant in town. This will further escalate costs quite sharply and once again mean that you will have less money to spend on all the activities in the area.

Another aspect of a chalet holiday is simply the increased space it provides to every member of the family. The majority of chalets are quite roomy. There will in all likelihood be a lounge area where the family can watch television, play games or just relax. Most chalets also have a large kitchen counter with bar stools where all of you can gather to have your meals or just sit and chat.

The Blue Mountain area can get very cold in winter. This is the reason why very often your chalet will come with a fireplace where everyone in the family can cuddle together on a cold winter’s evening. Most of us will agree that the ambiance of a log fire is far above that of an electric heater in a hotel room. These evenings will become fond family memories in the years to come.

Chalets often even have such facilities as a pool table to keep everyone busy during a long, cold evening when it’s pouring outside. A few of the upmarket ones even come with a private swimming pool and a hot tub. If there isn’t a private pool, you will most likely have access to a communal swimming pool, which is excellent for hot summer’s days.

Staying in a chalet doesn’t cut you off from the activities in the surrounding area. You can eat out every evening if you want and do so in a different restaurant if that’s your choice. There are sufficient restaurants in the vicinity to please every palate. If the children want pizza and mom and dad want a cozy candle-lit dinner, there’s no reason why everyone can’t have exactly what they want.

Blue Mountain chalets provide the perfect family holiday in so many ways. There such a lot to see and to do in the immediate area that nobody will ever be bored. There are activities and entertainment for all age groups and every single family member will return home feeling refreshed and ready to face life’s challenges again.

Planning to ski or snowboard but don’t have a place to stay? Save money by staying in Blue Mountain chalets instead of hotels. Enjoy the comfort of a home while being close to the mountain in these Blue Mountain accommodations. With breathtaking views and in an area with many unique experiences, you’re bound to enjoy yourself.

Dressing for the Mountain: A Beginner’s Guide to Snowboarding Clothing

December 18th, 2009 No comments

Dressing for success isn’t just for a first date or a job interview. It’s just as important out on the mountain, where the wrong outfit can mean a lot more than just looking silly. Whether you’ve been snowboarding forever or are just starting out, the most important thing to remember is that dressing for the elements is just as much a part of staying safe as having the right kind of board and staying off of runs that are too difficult for your skill level.

While choosing the right board and binding is important, no one, beginner or expert, should consider a day on the slopes without planning accordingly.

You should avoid cotton like the plague because, unlike other synthetic materials or even wool, cotton absorbs water, a potentially dangerous trait for your clothing to have in the middle of a snowstorm when it’s freezing outside. Trekkers and professional skiers all know that cotton kills, and it’s no laughing matter! Don’t put it on.

Layers are a crucial part of dressing for snowboarding because it’s much more convenient to be able to take something off or put something on at a moment’s notice than it is to unzip a one-piece ski suit and go from there. Sometimes, a drop in temperature will necessitate adding a layer, while other times, on a warmer spring day, three layers just won’t be necessary. Layers make adapting a whole lot easier.

Long underwear and non-cotton socks make up the first layer to any snowboarding outfit, known as the core or initial layer. The purpose of this layer is to wear material that clings closely, but comfortably, to your body, keeping the heat trapped in. The thinness also makes the layers that come afterwards feel and appear a lot less bulky.

The insulation layer of a snowboarding outfit goes on over the base layer, but does not need to protect from the elements like the outer layer. Also known as the middle layer, this is what provides extra warmth by keeping heat locked firmly in while allowing water to be wicked away. The middle layer consists of a sweater or zip-up, usually made of wool or fleece. Its purpose is to provide a little bit more warmth while not adding too much bulk to the outfit. Boots are also included in the middle layer.

The outer layer of any snowboarding outfit is the stuff that actually keeps you from getting snow in your clothing. It is important to make sure that even something as simple as a cap is not made of cotton, as it is just important for your body to be able to “breathe” while bundled up as it is for the heat to stay locked in. Hats should cover your ears as well as the top of your head, and as people lose almost all of their body heat through their heads, it’s important to find one that fits securely and keeps the heat locked in.

The outer layer of clothing for snowboarding also consists of gloves, which are particularly important given that most snowboarding falls put the most impact on the hands and wrists. Make sure to get a pair that has extra padding in the palm, as well as sufficient insulation. Sometimes, a thin wool glove is worn inside of the large waterproof glove, for extra warmth on particularly cold days.

One of the most important elements of outerwear are the goggles, which protect against just about everything, from ice and water to tree branches and too much sun. Goggles should fit snugly around the face and be attached with a secure band so that they don’t go flying off during a particularly invigorating run.

The most crucial part of your snowboarding outfit is the snowboarding jacket. A water and wind repelling jacket is a must for riders, as well as an inner-shell that fits a little more snugly and keeps water out in case you fall down at any point during the day. Once you’re all suited up, it’s time to hit the slopes!

If you are thinking about visiting the Japan Snow, try the Niseko resort. It is amazing for those who want to try snowboarding in Japan

Ski on Crystal Mountain

October 9th, 2009 No comments
by Alan C Bain

If you live in or near Washington State and like to ski you should visit Crystal Mountain. The mountain has an elevation of just over 7,000 feet and a drop of over 3,000 feet. Crystal Mountain actually sits below Mount Rainier, which has an elevation of over 14 thousand feet. Generally between the winter months of November and April it is normal for seven feet of snow to settle on Crystal Mountain.

There is a lot of rough terrain and therefore there is not a lot to offer the absolute novice as far as simple ski runs go. Nevertheless there are lessons available as well as ski equipment rental to help you get started with this great open-air sport.

With more than 50 routes to pick from this is the largest ski region in the state of Washington. To handle with the large amounts of skiers there is a number of alternative ski lifts, around ten in all. There is also a surface lift for the children.

The main season mostly starts from the middle of the month of November to the middle of April when the snow is at its most. If there is enough demand and there is still sufficient snow this can sometimes be extended.

Being such a favourite ski region there are lots of visitors who all need to eat. As such there are lots of diverse places to eat and of course abundant accommodation from lodges to luxury hotels depending on your requirements.

During the busiest months there is a bus service that runs direct to the base of the ski slopes close to the ski lifts. This service runs from lots of the favourite hotels and lodges and can offer a cost effective option to get to the slopes.

Despite the challenge of some of the ski runs, Crystal Mountain still provides a great choice for families wishing to go on a family skiing holiday. Remember to play it safe and avoid any runs that you think may be beyond your skiing expertise.

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