K2 Ski Reviews

As always the K2 range of skis have proved incredibly popular again this season. So much so, we thought we'd post a link which gives a short review and vital statistics for the full K2 range. Have a look and then go to Doorstep Skis to book your K2 rental skis.

http://www.ski-review.com/ski_reviews/c/k2/

Cold Weather Proofing

The guys at Yodel worry about as bit too much really, so just to make sure you're taking extra care in the cold they come up with a few handy tips.

Mobile phone

It is inevitable that when skiing you will need to take your phone, for safety if nothing else. The only problem being that in colder temperatures our phone’s battery can seize up and empty even if it’s fully charged. A simple solution can be found in just wrapping it up, you could use the case for your goggles rather than taking extra bulk up the mountain.

Camera

Similar problems can occur with your camera so it is also a good idea to ensure you have some kind of a case or warm wrap to protect it. Some people believe the battery lasts longer outside of the camera, so they keep it separate until they are ready to start taking photos. When returning from your days skiing try not to take the camera straight into the warmest environment but instead allow it to acclimatise in a cooler area.

Car

Always remember to lift your windscreen wipers away from the glass when you park otherwise you run the risk of them freezing onto it. Ensure you always leave your car in gear and preferably try to park with your wheels facing away from any slope. When appropriate, try to keep the handbrake off as moisture can freeze cables and brake linings.

Yourself!

If you feel yourself getting ill, which can often happen in the cold ensure you have a lie-in, relax and allow your body a chance to recuperate. It will be worth missing a morning’s skiing to save yourself for the rest of the week or even season.

Keeping Your Kit Safe

Lots of skis and snowboards are going missing in Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz at the moment. Whilst we're very sure that the problem isn't unique to our resorts, there are some very simple ways to keep your kit safe.

When you think about it, ski kit is an easy target in a ski resort. Where else would you leave a couple of hundred quid's worth of equipment outside a restaurant or bar unattended for a couple of hours? The low levels of crime in Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz make our resorts a great place to live, work and holiday. But in reality, we all need to pay more attention to our precious kit; the impact of it going missing could seriously affect your time in resort. In the last couple of weeks there have been quite a few thefts, mainly from outside of restaurants and bars on the mountain. Here's Yodel's guide to keeping your kit safe...

Lock your kit up

Some mountain restaurants have lockable ski storage areas for you to use, free of charge. But to be on the safe side, carry your own ski lock with you. These are small, simple devices and are available on Amazon from just £7.99! A small investment for a lot of piece of mind! If you don't have a ski lock, try to keep your skis or snowboard in sight at all times.

Loop your poles over your skis

While this might not prevent them from being stolen, it will prevent an accidental mix-up and it does make your poles harder to pick-up and carry away.

Separate your skis

If you don't have a lock with you and you can't keep your skis in sight, separate them. Put one on one ski rack and the other on another elsewhere. Or, swap a ski with a friend to make two mis-matched pairs. Most theives won't have the patience to search for the other ski.

Keep a record

Record the make, model, size and serial number of your skis, snowboard, boots and poles. You'll need these in the event of a theft as the local police will need them to record the crime.

Night storage

Almost all of the hotels, chalets and apartments in Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz have secure 'boot rooms' for you to store your kit in overnight. Always use them and if it's a communal storage area, check that the door to it is locked at the end of the day.

Stay safe!

‘Super Smoothy’ Wins FWT at Chamonix-Mt. Blanc

New Zealand’s ‘Super Smoothy’ Wins FWT at Chamonix-Mt. Blanc

Oakley White Allen lands on second podium of the season; Jackie Paaso wins women's title

By powder.com / Posted on January 23, 2012

From the Freeride World Tour — Winning a men’s ski contest on the Swatch Freeride World Tour deserves a place on the list of “hardest things to do in sport.” Sam Smoothy from New Zealand, who has battled through qualifiers and injuries over the last few seasons, proved that persistence always pays off and hit the top rung of the podium for the first time today in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France. (See the ‘Super Smoothy’ winning run, up top.)

In second place was one of the tour’s most consistent performers, Reine Barkered from Sweden. In third place was tour newcomer Oakley White Allen from the USA who, following his second place finish in Revelstoke, will go to the top of men’s ski rankings.

Smoothy chose the looker’s left line taken by a number of riders and looked to be fighting for a place on the podium with his control and fluidity in the upper face. Then he took a slightly different angle into the final section and dropped an absolute beauty of a cliff—longer, cleaner, sweeter than his rivals. Smoothy was almost speechless afterwards: “Winning here in the home of Freeriding, it doesn’t get better, it’s amazing”

In the women’s ski class, American Jackie Paaso, who delighted everyone with one of her trademark cliff jumps in the lower part of the face, took first place. In second was Angel Collinson, also from the USA and who seems to podium at every tour stop. In third, making it a great day for New Zealand riders, was Janina Kuzma.

Said Paaso, “I chose a line that suited my style and everything went to plan with two airs high in the face and another towards the end. I’m really looking forward to the next contest in Norway.”

The men’s snowboard contest saw local Chamonix rider Douds Charlet take first place followed by tour newcomer Ralph Backstrom from the USA and another French rider Aurelien Routens in third. The women’s snowboard contest was won by US rider Maria Debari. In second was French rider Margot Rozies, who has started the season in great form, and in third was another American rider, Shannan Yates.

The Swatch Freeride World Tour now moves on to Italy with a quick transit to Courmayeur-Mont-Blanc for the third men’s ski and snowboard contest of the season.

Find full results here, and a photo gallery here.

Men’s 2nd Place: Reine Barkered

Men’s 3rd Place: Oakley White Allen

Ski Food and Nutrition

Rosie Smith is a nutritionist and helps ski chalets to write a hearty and healthy menu for their guests. She is currently working with Skiology and here she tells Yodel why food is such an important part of your ski holiday.

Before your holiday…

To make sure your body is in the best condition for ensuring you get the most out of your ski holiday, consume a healthy balanced diet. You will need to have optimised energy stores before the start of your holiday so you get the most out of your ski holiday.

During your holiday…

Your skiing performance whilst on holiday will be affected by several nutritional factors. Firstly, as something we tend to forget about when we are on the slopes, hydration is key to delaying the onset of fatigue – something we all experience during a hard days skiing. Not only do you fatigue quicker, the all too familiar mid-afternoon dip, but being dehydrated can affect your concentration which is crucial for negotiating your way down a slope – whatever level of skiing you may be at. But who feels like drinking whilst on the snow?!

Being at altitude means the air is drier so we exhale more water when we breathe. Being out in the cold, we generally don’t tend to think about taking on fluids during a hard days skiing. Combined with the notoriously inaccessible bathroom facilities on the mountain we simply don’t consume enough fluids – and no not the alcoholic kind! Lastly, if you don’t consume enough food and therefore energy during the day then you won’t have the energy to ski as well as you could or ski for as long as you may want to. Carbohydrates are the main fuel used by the body when skiing. If you don’t consume enough carbohydrate, then your muscles will have diminished energy stores, in the form of glycogen.

With sub-optimal energy stores, your body will become fatigued much easier and quicker, which will directly affect your skiing performance. In addition, carrying heavy equipment and the effect of altitude altering your metabolism, your overall energy requirements will be increased.

So what should we eat?

Firstly, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and even more so when you are going to be spending a day on the slopes so this meal should not be missed. Try to base this around carbohydrates; a warming bowl of porridge will release its energy slowly throughout the morning compared with a bowl of cereal or toast and jam. Try adding stewed, fresh or dried fruit to your porridge to include 1 of your 5-a-day. A glass of juice also counts as another portion (no more than 1 glass counts as a portion in a day) and will contribute towards your daily fluid.

Alternatively, a cooked option such as scrambled eggs on toast is a good healthy choice. To keep hydrated during a morning of skiing, try and plan in a quick pit-stop mid-morning for a hot chocolate or tea using this chance to have a snack and top up your energy levels. Good snack ideas are dried fruit, which are easy to take with you; a pancake with chocolate and banana or a cereal bar. If you have a backpack then take a bottle of water with you or even fill up your camelbak if you have one.

For lunch, again base this on carbohydrates such as potatoes or pasta or bread to top up fuel stores and energy levels to set you up for an afternoon of skiing. A bowl of soup and a baguette; tartiflette and pasta dishes are the kind of foods to have at lunch and are nice and warming. Remember to include some vegetables in your lunch, whether it's a side salad or vegetables or a vegetable soup to provide essential vitamins and minerals. Don’t forget to take on some essential fluids to keep you hydrated and avoid fatigue.

Once back in your chalet after a days skiing, thiswill be a key window of opportunity to replenish your energy stores so a slice of cake; bread and jam or a piece of fresh fruit in the afternoon are good foods to enable fast recovery. Of course don’t forget a nice cup of tea or hot chocolate to top up fluids! Remember, fluids don’t have to be in the form of plain water, they can be any liquid such as soft drinks, tea and coffee (in moderation) and even soups contribute as well. What you eat during dinner won’t have a major impact on your skiing performance or energy levels. However make sure you do eat something to make sure you have re-fuelled in preparation for the next days skiing. If you’re enjoying a fair amount of the apres ski and nightlife, make sure you have a big glass of water before you go to bed to help prevent dehydration and your performance the following day.

What would the perfect menu look like…

It should be something both balanced and nutritious while at the same time being something that you actually want to eat! You are on holiday after all! Some dishes I’ve recommended for this year at Skiology include:

• Savoie diot stew with lentils instead of potatoes - the lentils act as a complex carbohydrate, giving a slower burning energy.
• A Pyrenean bull fighters beef stew - beef is hard to digest but when it is slow cooked this makes the fibres and meat tissue easier to digest and the nutrients are released quickly.

Rock the Pistes Details Announced!

Sauvages brought a whole new type of music festival to the pistes around the Portes du Soleil. Here's some of the line-up for this year's event kindly brought to you by Yodel ;

Described as 'the freshest French festival', the Rock the Pistes Festival or Festival des Concerts Sauvages as it was known last year is set to take place across the Portes du Soleil from 24th to 28th March 2012. French and international music groups will be playing on the slopes of the Portes du Soleil and the concept of the festival is certainly unique.

Over 5 days 7 acts will perform on specially erected stages in or near resorts across the ski area. And best of all, it's free with your lift pass!

Here's a few of the big names on the line-up:

Louis Bertignac – Saturday 24th of March at 1.30pm in Morzine-Les Gets

Ex guitarist of the famous French band Téléphone, Louis Bertignac has already released 6 solo albums, his last one being Grizzly – Ca c'est vraiment moi. He's the musician we can thank for Carla Bruni's 'Quelqu'un m'a dit'. A mix of blues, pop but also rock, you can also hear him opening for Johnny Hallyday's stadium tour.

Gérald de Palmas – Sunday 25th of March at 1.30pm in La Crosets

Well known French music god Gérald de Palmas has chose 2012 for his comeback. His first 'Best of' includes the best of his 7 albums such as J'en rêve encore (written by Jean-Jacques Goldman) and Tomber (Celine Dion translated it into Ten Days). Johnny Hallyday also recorded Gérald de Palmas' Marie. With 3 Victoires de la Musique (French music award ceremony) and 1 NRJ Music Award on his trophy shelf, Gérald de Palmas' comeback is much anticipated.

Archive – Wednesday 28th of March at 1.30pm in Avoriaz

British group Archive have been playing together since 1994 and have already released 8 albums. Their song 'You make me feel' has been used in a Levis advert. This year, Archive are back with their electro rock and trip hop sound (for which they first became known). After producing 3 songs on the Bleu Noir album of Mylène Farmer (famous French singer), Archive is back on the road touring Europe.

LYS are a French 4 piece who sing in English; they were on the same stage as Pony Pony Run Run, Philippe Katerine, and Radiohead; at both the Borderline and at the Printemps de Bourges. LYS also played regularly at the famous 93 Feet East club in London. But it's in 2011 that things really kicked off. Winners of the Warner Music competition during the Portes du Soleil's Festival des Concerts Sauvages, they got to record their first album in Warner studios. Produced by Steve Hewitt (Placebo's drummer) and Paul Corkett (producer of Bjork, Placebo, the Cure...), this album is eagerly awaited.

More acts will be announced shortly and Yodel will keep you updated! Keep an eye on the Portes du Soleil Facebook page too!

Big Mountain Battle!

Coming straight from The States, Les Gets hosts the European leg of the Big Mountain Battle at the end of January and the beginning of February. Want to get involved?

The Big Mountain Battle is a team based event and is open to skiers and snowboarders of all ages and levels. It is a battle though... each team of 2 people must cover the entire mountain, passing checkpoints at lift stations, runs through the resort and hike around the mountain within 3 hours! Each team is given a course map and a team card and will be tracked by GPS - so no cheating! The top three teams with the best times across the circuit win!

Have a read of the rules...

There are 4 Big Mountain Battle events taking place in Les Gets this winter:

Saturday 21st January 2012 - The Igloo Battle

Saturday 28th January 2012 - The Ba Bar Battle

Saturday 4th February 2012 - The Zebra 3 Battle

Saturday 11th February 2012 - The Bowling Battle

It costs €10 per person / €20 per team to enter each or €30 per person / €60 per team if you'd like to compete in all 4 events.

HOWEVER! Courtesy of the lovely people at the Les Gets Office de Tourisme, Yodel has 2 team registrations to give away! All you need to do is answer this simple question - the first two entries win and get to become the official Yodel teams for the first ever Les Gets Big Mountain Battle!

At what time does battle commence on each of the dates above?

Send your answer to competition@yodelmagazine.com

Now check out the vid...

Krafty Kuts in Morzine

Tickets are on sale right now for the Krafty Kuts gig at L'Opera in Morzine on 17th January- which we're all really looking forward to, so it was great to see Local magazine Yodel, having a quick chat with Mr Krafty himself (AKA Martin Reeves) about the Morzine gig...

The pioneer of breakbeat, funk, DnB and dubstep is renowned as one of the best DJ's on the planet. It's not every day that something like this happens in Morzine and it's the perfect warm-up for the Basscamp Festival, set for April.

Are you looking forward to playing in Morzine later this month?

Yes very much so always love playing at ski resorts especially here as I know you have some great runs which is a bonus.

Have you been to Morzine before?

I have not but have been doing my research and noticed you have some amazing runs and lots of dj's coming in over the next few months. Looking fwd to bringing some Krafty Bass & Beats for the first time.

L'Opera is Morzine's largest venue - what are you expecting from the crowd?

There are always good atmospheres in the ski resorts as everyone likes to party and enjoy the music. I have played ski resorts from Canada to Switzerland and France and the crowds love dirty beats must be the altitude.

Have you got any new tricks or tunes that you'll be pulling out of the bag for the Morzine mob?

Plenty of that instore as I have been busy in the studio making new tracks for my LP World Tour so loads of exclusive Monsters to play for sure !

If we see you at the bar, what you drinking?

My favourite tickle is Coffee Patron or a Cranberry vodka & red bull

Tickets for the gig are available in advance for €15 - more on the door. You can get yours from Le Tremplin, the Cavern or Attack Attack or call Justin on +33 (0) 6 78 34 19 09. Visit the Facebook page.

It goes like this...

4.00pm - 8.00pm - Apres with the awesome Hustle boys and Basscamp residents

8.00pm - Midnight - Pre party at The Cavern

Midnight - Krafty Kuts and The Hustle at L'Opera

Morzine Down Days

Most groups have a skier who isn’t desperate to be on the mountain every day and most people have a day of the week where the prospect of spending another 8 hours solid skiing or snowboarding just isn’t appealing.

Bearing this in mind, Local rag, Yodel, have put together a couple of ideas for those of you wishing to take some time out. Here's what tey haad to say...

Morzine is not just a ski resort but a lovely Alpine town too. As well as spending time exploring the shops and businesses of our lovely town, there are also all sorts of other activities to get involved with, rain or shine. Welcome to the world of the down day....

Enjoy Yourself

Relax and enjoy yourself at the new swimming pool complex in the heart of Morzine. Newly built for December 2011, the complex features a new swimming pool measuring 25m x 15m but that’s not all there is to enjoy. There is also 3 saunas and 2 hammams to complete your pampering experience. The separate kids and learner's swimming pools can only add to the serenity, peace and quiet of your trip to the complex!

Get Sporty

There are loads of indoor sporting activities to enjoy at Morzine’s Palais de Sport located under the suspension bridge. There’s a huge indoor ice rink so you can practice your figure skating and a climbing wall to perfect your skills ready for getting up the real mountains in the summer.

Contact: 04 50 79 08 43

Get Involved

The Office de Tourisme helps to organise all sorts of fantastic activities every week of the winter season. Typical weekly events include children’s workshops and historical tours. Every Wednesday morning there is also a local market by the Carrefour supermarket in Morzine. To find out more about what’s on in Morzine this month, see our events page in the centre of the magazine or the events calendar on our website.

Contact: 04 50 74 72 72

Toboganning

Enjoy the classic thrill of toboganning in Morzine. At the bottom of the La Clusaz lift there is an area dedicated to the past time. It is the perfect family activity, which the kids and the big kids of the family can all participate in. You can rent or buy sledges very cheaply in sports shops throughout the town.

Ice Skating

Morzine is home to its very own open air ice rink in the centre of town, close to the tourism office. It’s the perfect way to enjoy the fresh air and beautiful scenery while still being able to ice skate. The rink is usually open every afternoon and evening and everyone is welcome.

Treat Yourself

Head over to the Massage du Monde Spa on the Rue du Bourg to indulge in some heavenly treatments. The spa offers wraps, exfoliating treatments, hair removal and all the usual beauty treatments you can expect to enjoy at a spa. Go on, you know you want to!

Contact: 04 50 74 61 97

Catch a Film

There are two cinemas in Morzine showing plenty of films with English subtitles so you can still enjoy them even if your French isn’t up to scratch. There are also English film showings throughout the winter.

Le Colibri Contact: 04 50 79 00 86 Le Rex Contact: 04 50 79 03 05

Watch a Hockey Match

The Morzine Avoriaz Penguins are based in the Palais de Sport in Morzine and it is well worth going to a match during your time in Morzine. The fast paced and exciting nature of the game means it is enjoyable to everyone rather than exclusively to hardcore sports fans. Check Yodel’s event listings for details of the Penguin’s home games this winter.

Snow Thieves Winning "Battle of the Boards" - For Now!

After having some of our own rental equipment go "missing", we came across this encouraging report which shows there might just be light at the end of this dark tunnel...Read on

And to see how easy we/you/everyone makes it for the theives, have a quick look at this little clip....View

Lights, Camera, Action!

Morzine, Avoriaz and Les Gets have more than their fair share of talented photographers as the front covers of magazines regularly testify! Yodel magazine investigated and came up with a few tips from the best of the best to make sure you get the photos your holiday deserves.

Robbie Davies - Apresimaging on Facebook

To make your photos really stand out and have that ‘wow’ factor, you must experiment with your camera. Try different angles, foregrounds, backgrounds and focus. Never let disappointing images get you down – let it be a learning curve and think positive! Practise makes perfect!

Stewart Monk – www.reelfunmedia.com

Keep your equipment organised – if your kit was expensive it needs looking after so you’ll need to store it, pack it and carry it correctly. Use a faster shutter speed or a sports setting to capture action on the hill.

Damian McArthur – www.damianmcarthur.com

Look after your athletes. Without them you are a landscape photographer! If your waiting for your camera to come back up to room temperature but you need to begin the editing process straight away, take the memory cards from the camera and use a card reader. But seriously, leave the camera in the bag!

Neil Sharp – www.sharpography.co.uk

As a general rule of thumb when taking portrait shots, it’s best to have the sun behind and over either shoulder of the photographer. This means you won’t be shooting directly in to the sun and it won’t be shining directly into the eyes of the subject, causing them to squint.

Jacquie Cutler – www.jcutlerphotography.co.uk

Don't be afraid to use the flash, even if the sun is out! When photographing children it can be hard to get them in the correct position – if they are between you and the sun use your flash to off-set the brightness. To practise your skills find out about local events and experiment – if you're in the park for example, try looking for different angles to shoot from.

Emily Turnbull – www.emilyturnbull.com

Freezing conditions can considerably reduce battery life in cameras so carry spare batteries in your coat pocket. You don’t want to miss out on anything! It’s often difficult to handle your camera and it’s functions properly in the cold, especially if you’re wearing chunky gloves! Try wearing a thinner pair of gloves underneath your regular gloves to give you better control of the camera.

Jack Terry – www.jackterry.co.uk

Always allow your camera to come back up to room temperature before viewing your pictures to avoid the risk of moisture damage to circuitry. To make the snow look white rather than grey, over expose your photos by 1 f stop.

And Jack’s top-secret snow sports camera setting that works every time.....

Aperture f 5.6, shutter speed 1/1000 sec, lenses to have ideally 1 wide angle/fish eye, 24-70, 70-200

Yodel is always looking for talented new photographers to work with in Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz. Get in touch – info@yodelmagazine.com