Skiing and snowboarding fans in eastern Australia are raving this year: The snow just keeps on coming and it's a perfect season to hit the slopes Down Under. Australia might not seem the obvious destination for a ski trip, but it has the advantage of being an off-season extravaganza for Northern Hemisphere snow fans.

Resorts in the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales and at Falls Creek in Victoria are all reporting much higher than average baseline snow and predicting more excellent months of skiing in 2008.

On top of that, the weather's reaching much further down the mountains than normal, with snow settling as low as 3,000 feet above sea level; that's getting skiing Aussies and ski-laden visitors pretty excited. Who says the land Down Under is only for surfers?

Related Stories:
· 2008 Smashing Records on Snow Depth [news.com.au]
· Australia Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: avlxyz]]]> amandak 2008-08-15T09:33:11-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/6/2/221942/8681

Most New Yorkers would probably file indoor ski mountains among "things we never knew we needed." But if developers have their way, the NYC metro area will soon be home to not one, but two of these modern monstrosities.

The revamped New Jersey Meadowlands complex is set to open an indoor slope later this year near Giants Stadium. Now comes word that developers plan to bring another enclosed slope to Long Island.]]> BS 2008-06-03T09:30:02-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/2/25/225037/210

The International Olympic Committee claims women's ski jumping doesn't merit admission into the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver because the sport wouldn't be competitive enough. That has former Salt Lake City mayor Deedee Corradini protesting the decision, along with her Women's Ski Jumping USA Foundation.

Maybe if more ladies strapped on skis and started jumping, they'd join the cause. The facilities used for the 2002 Olympics are open to the public year-round, and a few local clubs offer lessons and camps to learn the sport.

An all-day personal lesson from Axis Freeride costs $500. Yeah, it sounds steep, but if you want to learn how to rocket down a big icy ramp and fling yourself through the air, you can't skimp. (A half-day intro class will run you $85, but you'll need to bring your own gear.)

By the end of the day, you'll be flying 30 feet off the K10 jump--and if you're especially talented, your instructor might let you try the K20 or K40, which send you soaring up to 100 feet. In addition to ski jumping, you can also learn bobsled, skeleton and luge. Try 'em all before deciding what kind Olympics protest to join.

Related Stories:
· Former Salt Lake City Mayor Leads Ski Jump Protest [24 Hours]
· Axis Freeride [Official Site]
· Active Travel coverage [Jaunted]]]> Christine Mattheis 2008-02-26T14:39:28-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/2/25/231557/092

We really like skiing and boarding. But that doesn't mean we want to spend our whole vacation just getting to the mountain. Our Ski Areas Near Airports Map will help you maximize your time on the slopes.

While the rest of the country slogs its way through a long and merciless winter, Lake Tahoe's ski resorts are getting pounded with near-record snowfall. Weekend storms dumped an extra three feet of fresh powder on top of an already high base level--over 12 feet at some spots!

Spring skiing has always been popular at Tahoe, and every year some lifts stay open until May despite balmy temperatures. With the snowpack at the highest its been in decades and La Nina likely to bring abnormally cooler weather, this year looks to be even better.

The North Lake Tahoe Express will get you from the airport to the slopes in about an hour, so those looking for a quick weekend jaunt need not involve an automobile; it'll keep your carbon footprint small, too. Then again, with snow like this, we 're starting to wonder what the hell Al Gore was so worried about.

Related Stories:
· Lake Tahoe Snow Conditions [Official Site]
· Easy-to-Reach Skiing: Squaw Valley [Jaunted]
· Easy-to-Reach Skiing: Northstar-at-Tahoe [Jaunted]
· Skiing coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Telstar Logistics]]]> benh 2008-02-26T10:00:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/2/14/8958/90495

How can we not keep thinkin' of love on Valentine's Day? We already figured out--a little sadly--that Paris is the ciy of arguments, if not a damn fine place to break up with your other half, at least for the British. But all is not lost with the we-thought-they-were-romantic French, because Singles Week at Avoriaz Ski Resort exists.

Yep, the UK Times checked out a special Singles Week in the French Alps. The travelers are all singles who've found out about the week through one of a variety of online dating sites, like the UK's Dating Direct.

Single you come, and single you might well leave unless you get really lucky, but in the middle of your week in France you definitely won't be lonely. Various games and activities are set up to help people get to know each other (there's a "musical snowball fight" for example), and big meals and plenty of booze help things along.

Being Europe, you may find yourself attracted to someone who doesn't speak your language--about two thirds of the last Singles Week participants were French-speakers--but the language of love is international, right?

Related Stories:
· Looking for Love in the Alps [UK Times]
· Paris, the City of Arguments [Jaunted]

[Photo: Yaaaaan]]]> amandak 2008-02-14T09:15:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/2/1/12130/53931

The powder paradise of Bridger Bowl Ski Area is but a twenty-minute drive from Bozeman, Montana. Even better, the town's nearest airport, Gallatin Field Airport, is just eight miles away.

Bridger's average annual snowfall of 350 inches buries the area's 71 trails, which are split pretty evenly between beginner, intermediate, advanced and extreme. If you feel like flexing that health insurance, hit up the extreme trails' 8,700-foot elevation, steep chutes and rocky cliffs. Or, if you enjoy skiing on trails that don't require the use of an avalanche transceiver, take one of Bridger's seven lifts to the area's less daunting pistes.

While Bridger can help guests find lodging, it's not the traditional resort. It's a non-profit mountain, so lift tickets are a reasonable $43 for a full day. You can also get in on some package deals. The PowderHound Package includes four days of skiing and four nights at one of the area's vacation rental homes for the price of three.

Related Stories:
· Bridger Bowl [Official site]
· Ski Areas Near Airports Map [Jaunted]
· Skiing coverage [Jaunted]
· Montana Travel coverage [Jaunted]]]> laurenuta 2008-02-01T13:30:02-05:00 45.920512 -110.86489 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/1/10/11357/8947

We really like skiing and boarding. But that doesn't mean we want to spend our whole vacation just getting to the mountain. Our Ski Areas Near Airports Map will help you maximize your time on the slopes.

Even though it spends months without much daylight, Lillehammer still manages to draw tourists to its slopes every year. Guess that's what happens when you've hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics.

Located less than two hours from Oslo's airport, Lillehammer is the ideal spot for skiers who want slopes more challenging than you usually find in cross-country-loving Norway. Lillehammer's old Olympic complexes give you downhill and has other winter sports, too.

Hafjell Alpine Centre is the largest alpine ski network left from the town's Olympic days, with 30 trails and 15 lifts. Though smaller in size, Sjusjøen Skisenter is the town's newest resort, having opened up in December 2003. Be forewarned: While Hafjell attracts serious skiiers of all ages, Sjusjøen is family-friendly, and we know what that means: too many bunny slopes.

For hardcore cross country trails, start at Birkebeiner Skistadion, the starting point for the sports '94 Olympic races. Want to go all out? Set up a biathlon at Birkebeiner's year-round facility. Get a group together and shoot it out with teams, relay exchanges and even penalties. Just be sure to leave your own gun at home.

Related Links:
· Lillehammer Tourism [Official site]
· Ski Areas Near Airports Map [Jaunted]
· Skiing coverage [Jaunted]
· Norway coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Forcery]]]> laurenuta 2008-01-10T12:30:01-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/