Still only 18 years old, James “Woodsy” Woods has quickly become recognised as a rare British ski talent. He joined Salomon Grom Camps at 13 and by 16 was already considered one of the best freestyle skiers in the UK.

After several trips round Europe with the Salomon UK team in the past couple of years, Woodsy spent last season out in Breckenridge … so who better to turn to for a round up of the resort.

“I first came to Breckenridge in December 2009 and the plan was to stay for a month before returning to Europe. However I ended up staying 3! Anyone who has ever been lucky enough to spend some time in Colorado will tell you the same, that there is just no place like it. I fell in love with the pace of life and the huge diversity of the ski areas available. Notably, the freestyle parks are some of the best in the entire world. Drawing in all the most talented major names in freestyle skiing and snowboarding, as well as hosting events such as the Winter Dew Tour (see video below), the freestyle arenas are well worth a look as well.”

For more info on Breckenridge including a piste guide and piste maps, check out Snowfinder Breckenridge, and enjoy this clip of Woodsy enjoying life out in Breck.

More Ski Videos

Lesley grew up skiing in Aviemore and has become a double Olympian and Scotland’s best known snowboarder. A pioneer of the women’s snowboarding scene, she’s the only British snowboarder to have won a half pipe World Cup event. As well as starring in and producing her own snowboarding films, she’s also a fully qualified BASI coach and runs the annual Roxy snow camps.

Here’s what Lesley has to say about Les Arcs, part of the Paradiski ski area:

“Les Arcs was one of the first of the big ski resort developments to take place in the swinging sixties, designed for funtionality, ski-in ski-out and to open up the slopes to the masses. Well, is has certainly managed that! A total of 4 seperate villages with all the fun and apres you could ever need, Les Arcs is one of the most beautiful mountain resorts in all of France.”

For more info on Les Arcs and the rest of Paradiski including a piste guide and piste maps, check out Snowfinder Paradiski.

One of the best snowboarders to have come from the UK, Scott caught the boarding bug when he was just 12. With character and bags of natural talent the sponsors (namely Red Bull and Oakley) came calling and Scott has spent much of the last decade getting extensive coverage in the UK and global snowboarding press, as well as featuring in a host of breathtaking movies.

So, here’s what Scott thinks about Avoriaz:

“Part of the Portes du Soleil, Avoriaz offers some of the best riding in Europe. It boasts 2 terrain parks and has some epic off piste areas, which allow you to get away from the crowds. I did my first season there about 7 years ago and I’ve uncovered pretty much every area there is. Compared to a  lot of places in Europe, Avoriaz still comes out on top. Just over an hour’s drive from Geneva you can be having breakfast in the UK and carving the slopes by lunch time. I’ll usually start the day with a few warm up laps down “Starwars”. This is an epic run and if you ever bump into someone who’s ridden here they’ll know exactly where I’m talking about.”

For more info on Avoriaz and the rest of Portes du Soleil including a piste guide and piste maps, check out Snowfinder Portes du Soleil.

James started snowboarding over 20 years ago and was recently voted the UK’s 4th best snowboarder ever. He began his career perfecting tricks in the snow park, and then developed into a pure backcountry boarder. He’s done over 10 seasons based in Chamonix and last season won 3rd place in the highly coveted World Freeride Tour event held there. His knowledge of the slopes in and around Chamonix is second to none.

Here’s what James think of Chamonix:

“Chamonix is situated in one of the most unique valley’s in the world. It never fails to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up as I drive up the valley at the start of the season and Mont Blanc comes into view, followed by the jagged peaks surrounding the Aiguille du Midi that dominate this long deep valley.

Chamonix is a traditional mountain town steeped in mountaineering and skiing tradition, winter after winter attracting mounatineers, skiers and snowboarders from all over the world looking to prove and challenge themselves. The valley has probably got the bext lift accessible terrain in the world, from the mind boggling Aiguille du Midi lift that puts you at the foot of Mont Blanc to the famous slopes of the Grand Montets.”

For more info, including James’s favourire runs and apres ski spots in resort, check out Snowfinder Chamonix.

More Snowboarding Videos

At eighteen, Ed Leigh did his first season in Val d’Isere and the resort captured his heart. After five seasons in the Haute Savoie, his professional career was cut short by injury. As editor of Whitelines magazine Ed visited every continent on earth in search of snow. He is now the snowboarding half of the BBC’s Ski Sunday presenting team and the voice of Olympic snowboarding commentary.

Here’s Ed’s view on Val d’Isere, after five seasons:

“I have visited a lot of resorts in a lot of countries and I still haven’t seen anything that rivals Val d’Isere’s diversity. With one of the highest tree lines in Europe it has fantastic bad weather riding, but it equals this with some fantastic high altitude big mountain riding. All this epic terrain is serviced with one of the fastest and best maintained lift systems in the world. In recent years the town’s reputation has certainly fallen from grace, from its heady days as the jewel in French skiing’s crown attracting the rich and famous, it is more of a stag do heaven these days. However, for those in the know there are lots of different areas to avoid the raucous nights, most notably the world’s most underrated resort next door, Tignes.”

For more info on Val d’Isere, including Ed’s favourite runs, piste maps and more, check out Snowfinder Espace Killy.

Zoe Gillings is Britain’s most successful Olympic snowboard cross athlete of all time. Zoe fell in love with the Portes du Soleil area at an early age and Morzine, with its mixed terrain, has always been a favourite. Ten years in the Portes du Soleil has seen Zoe compete in two Olympic Games, win world cup snowboarding competitions and regularly stand on World Cup podiums. For the last 4 years Zoe has been, and currently maintains the position of Great Britain’s highest ranked Olympic snowsports athlete.

Here’s Zoe’s take on the resort of Morzine:

“Ideally placed between Avoriaz and Les Gets, Morzine has a fantastic selection of tree lined runs where kids rarely get lost and access by road is easy. It boasts a vibrant night life and even an ice hockey rink! Though these days closely linked with Avoriaz, Morzine has kept its identity as one of the preferred resorts of the Portes du Soleil, with larger pistes and an “old town” feel bringing together excellent riding, a vast selection of restaurants and a fun night life. The only drawback with Morzine is sometimes a lack of snow, but being on the doorstep of higher resorts removes this problem and a little known gondola at Ardent takes you straight into a nice Portes du Soleil circuit where the snow is in abundance.”

For more info on Morzine and other resorts in the area check out Snowfinder Portes du Soleil, including Zoe’s favourite runs in both Morzine and Chatel. You can follow Zoe at www.zoegillings.com.

Pat Sharples is one of the leading names on the British ski scene. He started skiing at the age of 6 and by 16 had decided to leave school, and England, to work out in Courchevel. Living in Les 3 Vallees for 12 years, Pat developed a talent for freestyle mogul skiing and then hit the freeride tour in 1996. He’s competed in a number of big mountain freeride and freestyle competitions around the world and has graced a number of ski magazine from covers. Nowadays he runs the Salomon Freeski Gromcamps, works tirelessly to promote skiing around the UK and makes the occasional TV appearance!

Here’s what Pat has to say about Courchevel:

“Courchevel is one of the biggest resorts in Europe, is known for attracting the rich and famous and be the place to be seen in, but you can’t forget that it’s one of the best ski areas in the world with great off-piste, legendary couloirs and the perfect place for taking the whole family as it has something to offer everyone! The huge amount of terrain means you can go back there year after year and never get bored as there is so much to cover. The lift system in incredible and you hardly ever find yourself in lift queues. I love the atmosphere in resort, specifically 1650. You can also find untracked snow if you know where to look, even after weeks without a snow fall if you’re prepared to hike a little. I lived in Courchevel for 12 years and that included spending some summers there too. It’s my first choice of place to go, even now!”

Here’s even more info on Courchevel and the 3 Valleys ski area, including some of Pat’s favourite runs.

Sitting on a freezing chairlift trying to unfurl a soggy piste map will be a rare experience on the slopes of a dozen major ski areas this season as we unveil a brand new range of pocket-sized guidebooks.

Top names have contributed to the range of 12 guides, including Ed Leigh (co-presenter of Ski Sunday and High Altitude), Olympian snowboarder Zoe Gillings and top British freeskier Pat Sharples, who all pass on their insider’s knowledge of the slopes.

Covering ski areas in France, Austria and the USA, the compact books combine full colour piste maps with individual descriptions of each run to help skiers and snowboarders of all abilities plan their day on the slopes.

Each guide features a pro in the know who, as well as describing their favourite runs in each resort, reveal the best apres-ski in the area, top tips on places to go eating, drinking, dancing or clubbing.

- pocket sized piste guides
- easy to use & practical
- includes full colour piste maps & resort info
- knowledge & insight from pro’s in the know

Over the next few weeks we’ll be profiling the skiers & snowboarders featured in the new guides and will be featuring insights into their favourite ski areas.

We’ll be launching the guides at the Metro Ski & Snowboard Show at London Olympia (20th-24th Oct). For a full listing of all the resorts we’ve got covered just go here: Snowfinder ski & snowboard guides.

A charity that supports people living with multiple sclerosis is looking for skiers and snowboarders to sign up for its upcoming Monster Ski event, which will take place in Tignes, France from 3-7 February 2011.

Monster Ski is an exhilarating ski and snowboarding challenge, organised exclusively for the Multiple Sclerosis Trust. If you’re confident on a red run and want a ski trip that challenges and thrills, then Monster Ski is for you! Be part of this fast, exciting downhill adventure that will see you skiing the height of Mount Everest every day in one of Europe’s premier resorts.

Monster Ski is an endurance challenge to ski 90,000 vertical feet over 3 days. It might sound daunting, but if you are a confident and capable skier or snowboarder, with a good level of fitness, it should be within your grasp. This charity event offers you a unique way to experience the expansive Espace Killy ski area, whilst being part of something really special to benefit people living with a difficult life-long condition.

Located below the towering Grand Motte, Tignes is a high altitude haven with links to Val d’Isère. Due to its altitude, Tignes has a very reliable snow record with snow-sure slopes and superb glacier skiing. It costs just £150 to register for Monster Ski and each participant will be required to raise a minimum of £1,700 in sponsorship for the MS Trust. Included in this price are flights & transfers, accommodation (half board), a 3 day lift pass and ski guides.

Previous Monster Ski events in Colorado, Engelberg and Whistler have raised over £250,000 to support the MS Trust’s vital work. This is your chance to put your passion to a good cause and help people living with MS today. The Monster Ski experience will leave you with a real sense of achievement and great memories that will stay with you forever.

“I’ve just about recovered from the Monster Ski challenge! What a fantastic week… Fantastic place, fantastic friends, fantastic charity.” Keith, Monster Ski Whistler 2010

For more information about Monster Ski, please contact Laura Percival at the MS Trust on 01462 476707 or download a registration pack from: www.mstrust.org.uk/monsterski

Notes:

• MS is usually diagnosed in young adults. It is a complex and unpredictable life-long condition that attacks a person’s central nervous system, often leading to physical and cognitive disability. We currently know neither cause nor cure.
• The MS Trust is working to enable people with MS to live their lives to the full by providing evidence-based information; educating health professionals about multiple sclerosis; and funding research to help people living with MS now.
• In January 2008 18 people took part in Monster Ski in Colorado; 16 people took part in Engelberg, Switzerland in January 2009; 15 people took part in Whistler in April 2010. Case studies are available on request.
• More information about Monster Ski can be found at www.mstrust.org.uk/monsterski, including the Monster Ski blog and photos from previous events on Flickr.
• Monster Ski is run by Ski Independence, the UK’s leading independent ski tour operator. Visit their website at www.ski-i.com.
• Contact Laura Percival, Fundraising Officer for further details or photos on 01462 476707 or [email protected]

Here are Snowfinder HQ we cover all of the most popular resorts throughout Europe and the USA in our ski guides, but we’re always on the lookout for fresh inspiration and new territory. We recently came across this clip about skiing in Kashmir and holy pow has it got us dreaming of winter again.

More Ski Videos >>

“b4apres Media’s debut film, “AZADI: Freedom”, is a cultural documentary as seen through the eyes of skiers. Set in the disputed region of Kashmir, an area deemed the most dangerous place in the world during the violent militant insurgency of the 1990’s. What director Anthony Bonello and crew find in 2010 is an aesthetically beautiful landscape and a people eager for Kashmir to once again become paradise on earth. Whilst exploring the mountains surrounding the world’s highest skiable gondola, the crew meet vibrant local characters, ski picturesque forests and thin alpine air. Through beautiful cinematography, interviews, animation and quiet pauses, this backcountry ski film will give you with a greater understanding of one of the most negatively publicized regions on the planet… and leave you yearning for winter.“