Advice What’s Next? Micro Chipping for Kids?

By Amie Henderson Morzine Source Magazine

I’m the mother of two constantly moving, always excited little boys who live year-round in the mountains. In spite, or perhaps because of where we live, I’ve yet to lose them in a public place. Friends back in the real world recount stories of the sickening, heart-wrenching moment they lose sight of a little one for a few moments in Tesco. I’m told it feels like hours and there’s no doubt I still have this parental rite of passage to come.

But would I make little Hamish, aged 3, wear a tracking device while in ski school? Location monitoring for children is a big deal these days, with one ski school elsewhere in the Alps fitting devices to all their littlies during their lessons. “It’s so parents can see where their children have skied” they justify. The cynics out there (moi? Non…) wonder whether this ‘added extra’ is nothing more than a marketing ploy, pulling on the heart strings of modern parents and fuelling paranoia.

One of the most popular GPS watches on the market sells itself as ‘ensuring your kids are safe when out of sight’. But how can this be possible? Last time I checked, my smart watch didn’t have the super hero powers required to stop me skiing off a cliff in a whiteout and I’m fairly sure the kid’s version doesn’t either. And then there are the arguments about limiting children’s privacy and personal freedom, which I tend to agree with when it comes to older kids and teenagers.

So interested...READ ON

Top tips to help you prepare your kids for ski school

In Nanny news from Vacation Nannies

|By Charlotte Clay

It’s almost half term and the pre ski holiday panic has set in. What do the kids need for ski school?
Ski school with kids can be stressful. From dressing them to finding them after, the key is making sure you have done your research and the kids are dressed appropriately.
Top tips to help you and your kids prepare for ski school.

• It’s all about layers.

Make sure your children are wearing good thermal layers. I would recommend a vest, long sleeve thermal top and thermal trousers all tucked in; so they don’t get chilly and a fleece as a mid layer. Rugby skins make a great thermal layer, or Mountain Warehouse have a good quality and affordable range.

• Accessorise!

All kids have to wear helmets, so rather than a wooly hat I would recommend a long snood or balaclava when it’s cold. Buff have a great range. These can be nicely layered under the helmet and tuck down into their collar, keeping their neck and chin nice and warm. There’s nothing worse then chin freeze! Waterproof gloves are a must. If you have money to spend, Barts do a great range of novelty gloves.. This could be a good way of making sure they stay on! In very cold weather gloves liners will help keep their hands warm.

• Looking good on the slopes! READ on

Avalanche danger rating 3 - More dangerous than you think

By WePowder 

The avalanche danger rating scale can be pretty confusing for a layman. Avalanche danger rating 3 on a scale of 5 doesn't sound too dangerous right? It's right in the middle! So you might think that there isn't much of a risk when skiing off-piste. Let's get straight to the point: avalanche danger rating 3 (Moderate) can be dangerous. About 20% of the snow cover has weak spots and spontaneous avalanches of medium size are possible. The weight of a single skier or snowboarder on the snow cover is enough to trigger an avalanche. Ergo: it definitely can be dangerous. How come?

The problem is the objective of the avalanche danger scale

The avalanche danger scale has two objectives. One objective is to express the risk that a catastrophic avalanche will threat public life (roads, bridges, villages) and the other objective is the probability of an avalanche in the ski areas, that threat skiers and snowboarders. These are two objectives in a single scale.  READ ON...

2020 Winter Ski Gear Preview

2020 Winter Ski Gear Preview - Sneak Peek

Winter is in full swing, with big snowstorms bringing powder days everywhere from Lake Tahoe to Austria. While we’re definitely fans of living in the moment, it’s always fun to look ahead to what is coming up next. With this in mind, we wanted to bring a sneak peak of the newest and best 2020 ski gear that will be coming out in the fall of 2019. From lighter boots, to new 2020 skis, there is a lot to be excited about. Plus, who doesn’t love checking out the new topsheet graphics and outerwear trends?

READ ON... 

These Videos Will Inspire You to Always Ski With a Helmet

An estimated 1.7 million people per year sustain a traumatic brain injury in the United States

November 16, 2018 By Jillian Queri at Powder

An estimated 1.7 million people per year sustain a traumatic brain injury in the United States and Truckee, California, based non-profit, High Fives Foundation, wants to help change that statistic.

Founded in 2009, the High Fives Foundation "supports the dreams of outdoor action sports athletes by raising injury prevention awareness while providing resources and inspiration to those who suffer life-altering injuries."  READ ON...

7 Excuses to Visit Les Portes du Soleil

STORY BY Megan Hughes 

A hugely popular ski area, Les Portes du Soleil is one of the top destinations in the Alps. Here at InTheSnow.com we are giving you a rundown of 7 reasons why you NEED to visit Les Portes due Soleil this year.

1. Size Matters

With over 650km of marked piste and 196 lifts, Les Portes du Soleil is one of the largest ski areas in the world. It boasts over 300 runs, 2/3 of which are either red or blue, meaning that skiers of every level will be able to enjoy themselves with an abundance of runs to ensure good variety throughout your visit. Due to the immense size of the ski area, there are good pre-marked trails and circuits that are often popular with holidaymakers due to the ease that comes with their being well signed. If you prefer to make your own routes however, this is simple too thanks to a free app that creates and plans routes based on your ability level and preferences.

You could spend a whole season there and never get bored, so whether you’re thinking of heading off for a week’s holiday or working a winter season, Les Portes du Soleil will provide you more than enough pistes to play with.

2. Superb Snow Parks....READ ON

How not to lose a child!

If you’re Morzine-bound for your annual family ski holiday this month, consider this post to be a public safety announcement.

Every day at least one child goes missing while skiing in Morzine. That’s a stat that will send shivers down the spines of parents who love nothing more than a day on the mountain with their little ones.

Fortunately you’re in very safe hands as our local mountain professionals are highly trained to detail with the full range of mountain emergencies, and specifically, lost children.

From the piste security office at the base of Morzine’s Pleney, the hunt for lost children is coordinated with military precision.

“It’s actually not as difficult as you might imagine to lose a child on the slopes” the team told us. “It happens every day, at least once, and more times during the busy school holidays”.

Now, these tips on how to not lose your children during a ski holiday sound really obvious. But you’d be very surprised how many parents don’t know what action to take, should the worst happen.READ ON..

The European Outdoor Film Tour comes to Morzine & Montriond

Usually we’d need to head down to Annecy, Geneva, Lyon or a city much further afield to enjoy one of the big film festivals. So when the organisers of the European Outdoor Film Tour agreed to work with Morzine Source Magazine to bring their current tour to Morzine & Montriond, we were just a little bit excited.

The European Outdoor Film Tour is the most renowned tour on the European outdoor calendar, taking in 300 venues in 15 countries during 2019. Inspiring protagonists with a heartfelt passion for adventure and the great outdoors, the tour features eight different films, all with one thing in common. They need no actors, no blue screen, no second takes. Only true adventure.READ on..