The perennial conundrum…take lunch up the mountain or buy it on the slopes?

For those of us who can’t afford catered chalets we all experience the daily lunch dilemma. You wake up to a fresh, frost bitten morning eagerly anticipating the snowfall from the previous evening.  You throw some bacon and eggs into a pan and have a coffee to clear away that fuzzy feeling that comes from one too many après ski beers.

And then it happens….the lunch debate!

Do you stuff some ham into a baguette and wedge it in the bottom of the backpack some poor sole has been nominated to carry all day. Or, do you air on the side of decadence and opt to buy lunch on the slopes?

A homemade baguette will end up completely flat and squashed, slightly damp and is always cold. Not to mention that you have to eat it sat on a snowboard exposed to the elements and with no access to a toilet. However, it’s virtually free in comparison to the 15-20 euros you’ll spend in an eatery up the mountain. That’s 15-20 euros you could wisely spend on beer that evening.

Whatever you chose one thing is for certain, it’s a question that will be asked every day of your holiday.

What do you do? Leave your comments below.

Burton Snowboards have launched burtongirls.com which the company say is their first online community dedicated to women and the snowboard lifestyle.

“With burtongirls.com we wanted to create a forum where girls could discover fun, unique and diverse content around the lifestyle and culture of our sport,” stated Donna Carpenter, President of Burton. “There are so many cool aspects to our lifestyle – from travelling and meeting people all over the world, getting to ride the best mountains on the planet and working with the best snowboarders, and burtongirls.com reflects all of that.”

What’s it about?
The site features five content sections, the first of course is ‘Snowboarding’, followed by ‘Travel’, ‘Health & Beauty’, ‘Style & Culture’ and ‘Après’.

Who’s contributing?
Content is provided by a group of more than 30 female contributors, with Burton team riders like Kelly Clark, Hannah Teter, Gabi Viteri and Linn Haug the foundation of the site, sharing stories about their travels, riding, fitness, fashion and favourite foods among them.

Backing them up is a diverse crew of what the company describes as, “cool and talented women” including the ‘Burtonistas’, who are outside contributors from fashion, entertainment, cuisine, photography and snowboarding; as well as a second group, the  ‘Inner Voice’ group, featuring women who work on the inside at Burton.

“I am beyond excited to be a part of burtongirls.com,” says actress and Burton girls contributor Joy Bryant, who currently plays the role of ‘Jasmine’ on NBC’s “Parenthood”. “Snowboarding is what I love to do most – I’m always on the mountain, dreaming about the mountain or trying to get to the mountain. And I can’t wait to share all of my on and off mountain antics with the Burton girls community.”

Why visit the site?
The site also allows girls to check out the ultimate Burton outfits, share content via Facebook and Twitter, and a calendar of events happening throughout the winter.

Find the ski resorts to suit you at the Ski Finder website.

If you’re thinking of treating yourself this winter then what better place to go than Retallack in British Columbia (Canada). It boasts an annual snow fall of 13 meters and has 38km of terrain covering three mountain peeks.

Sounds great doesn’t it? Well, I hope you’ve been saving because this resort does not come cheap. It has no ski lifts so all skiers and snowboarders are taken to the top of the backcountry runs by snowcat. The kind with an engine that is, not an actual snow leopard. Although, going by the prices I would almost expect to be pulled up the mountain by an endangered Felid (A Felid is a cat btw).

Things are looking good in Spain, the resort of Sierra Nevada will be opening with plenty of snow, loads of run open and beautiful early season conditions. If you can’t wait for your snow fix then get yourself out there.

For more about the resort of Sierra Nevada on the Ski-Finder website

What do you think?

Do you fancy trying the resort of Sierra Nevada this winter?

Packing the right clothing and footwear for your ski trip is always difficult. Deciding what to wear when you’re are off pisté, traipsing around the resort in the wet snow can be a conundrum.

Well, you no longer need to worry because we have found the ideal off pisté footwear for those more leisurely moments, where warmth and a steadiness under foot are of paramount importance.

Sorel have been making all-weather footwear since a time that pre-dates snowboards and the internet. This classic 1964 canvas boot has stood the test of time and has safely guided many a drunken après skier home after a hard day up the mountain.

I certainly could have done with a pair of these when trying to navigate the steep slippery paths of Alp D Huez last year.

How much do they cost?

You can pick up a pair from the Sorel website for £100, plus £5 postage.

Go to the Sorel website to find out more about the 1964 Premium boot

What do you think?

Are these the best boots you can have for walking about in the snow? Leave your thoughts below.

A trip to the resort of Serre Chevalier can be a good option for the budget-conscious. Serre Chevalier is a relatively unknown resort although it has a large ski area particularly suited to intermediate skiers, is one of the sunniest resorts in France and boasts popularity amongst snowboarders.

Serre Chevalier is south facing so you get plenty of opportunity to top up on the tan at lunch times. It also has an uncommonly friendly, laid-back, mediterranean feel.

The accommodation costs are reasonable, most likely because there is not one place to stay. The villages that serve the ski fields are spread out across the valley. There’s not a lot to do in the evenings, but perhaps this will help to reduce the cost of your trip.

How much does it cost?
British Airways are running return flights from London (Gatwick) to Turin in February for £78rt (inc. taxes). A six day lift pass for Serre Chevalier costs £180.

Find out more about Serre Chevalier at the Ski Finder website

What do you think?

Is it worth sacrificing on the Après ski in order to make some savings and get a good deal? Leave your comments below.

There are resorts to suit all budgetary requirements and you don’t necessarily have to sacrifice on the quality of the skiing or snowboarding.

Over the coming months we will be highlighting some of the different ski resort options available, based on price. In this article we have identified a low budget option that the more frugal of skiers might want to consider.

Bansko, Bulgaria
This year Bansko has been crowned the worlds cheapest resort for UK skiers, following research by the Post Office and Crystal Ski.  With over 35 miles of marked ski runs and a new gondola that cuts out the eight mile drive from resort to slopes, this is clearly still a viable option for beginner and intermediate skiers.  Hosting the only permanent half-pipe facility in Bulgaria also makes this an appealing resort for snowboarders.

How much does it cost?
Ski prices have fallen by five per cent since last season. The total cost for kit hire, lift passes, ski lessons, drinks and an evening meal for two came in at £263.

Find out more about Bansko at the Ski Finder website

What do you think?

We’re interested in your thoughts. Do you agree that this is the cheapest resort in the world? Leave your comments below.

We are going to be relaunching our blog for the 2011/12 season to ensure you stay updated with the latest news and information about all your favourite resorts, hidden gems and anything else ski or snow related this upcoming season!

We have recently launched our Beta version of our interactive Ski Flight Map. The map is really simple to use and allows you to find who flies where. You can select your local airports and see which destination airports you can fly to, you can also select your chosen destination and see which UK airports you can depart from. The map displays hundreds of popular resorts too to help you when making your decisions. Once you have found your chosen airline and route, you can click directly through to the airline website to book your tickets.

Try our Ski Flight Map for yourself now!

p.s. Please send any comments or recommendations to paul@ski-finder.co.uk

Saalbach Hinterglemmm Leogang in Austria, one of the country’s largest resorts with 200 kilometres of piste and 55 modern lifts, will add a new gondola this winter.

The T-bar lift located near to the Funpark will be dramatically upgraded through replacement by a modern eight person gondola with heated seats and the capacity to transport 2,800 people per hour with the total length of the lift being doubled. The top station will be situated above the ‘Gerstreit’ reservoir. As well as the lift construction, the floodlit piste and night park will also be expanded and enhanced.

The resort has also spent another 2.3 million Euros on new snowmaking equipment and on reshaping several pistes. 90% of the huge area now has snowmaking cover.

Another improvement is a new year-round ‘Treetop Path’ located at the end of the Saalbach Hinterglemm valley. Believed to be unique in the world the kilometre long path loops around the foresty, incorporating a 200 metre long hanging bridge, approximately 40 metres high.

In the last 10 years Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang has invested over 204 Mill. Euro.

www.saalbach.com