Elevation Magazine 2018

IN HIGH SPIRITS

DON’T LOOK DOWN

DISCOVER

We take a bird’s eye view over one of our favourite resorts

One hiker almost doesn’t see the end of his Mont Blanc climb

More features, news, Ski Club news, adventures and gear

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CONTENTS

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WANDERINGS See how your favourite mountains transform in

FEATURES

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SKIING THROUGH HELL AND HIGH WATER An addict needs his skiing fix in the summer; but how best to find it? One writer dips his toe into water sports

summer with the best adventure photographs

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SKI CLUB NEWS A record breaking season for Freshtracks, a dive Photo: Joe Troman

into the archive and a chat with the new CEO

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NEWS Val d’Isère’s summer skiing, BSSNF success

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IN HIGH SPIRITS

and resorts get creative

We take a risk and try flying high in one of our all-time

with their cable cars

favourite winter resorts

DISCOVER

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GEAR We review the kit you’ll want by your side, come summer or winter

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ADVENTURE GUIDE

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Climbing in Snowdonia,

DON’T LOOK DOWN

roll on the Rhine river and

Hiking Mont Blanc can be an absolute blinder...as one

exploring Taiwan by bike

unlucky writer finds out

Photo: Alf Alderson

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EDITOR Harriet Johnston harriet.johnston@skiclub.co.uk EDITOR AT LARGE Colin Nicholson colin.nicholson@skiclub.co.uk

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PUNCTURED DREAMS A few days gravel biking in Wales turns out to be not without its roadbumps

MEDIA SALES Madison Bell madisonbell.com jack.daly@madisonbell.com 020 7389 0859

EDITOR’S NOTE The health benefits of headstands, my yoga teacher keeps telling me, are unlimited. She tells me it relieves stress, increases focus and strengthens muscles. And I can understand the theory behind it; sometimes a new perspective can be absolutely priceless.

A bird’s eye view of one of our That’s why this year in Elevation magazine, we’re taking everything favourite resorts (page 20) we know and love about ski resorts....and flipping it on its head.

We send one writer to Italy to get his skiing fix in the warmer months (page 14), and another takes to the skies to see an old favourite resort from above (page 20). On page 32, one writer is forced to change the way he sees things, when on a hiking trip up Mont Blanc takes an unexpected turn.

You’ll find much more inside these pages; including adventure guides, magnificent photographs and gear reviews.

It all just goes to show, who needs to stand on their head to see things from a whole new perspective?

Harriet Johnston Elevation Editor

ART DIRECTOR Amanda Barks amanda.barks@skiclub.co.uk

To read about a different kind of skiing thrill, turn to page 14

elevation ~ summer 2018 ~ skiclub.co.uk

OVERSEAS MEDIA SALES Martina Diez-Routh martina.diez-routh@skiclub.co.uk +44 (0) 7508 382 781 PUBLISHER Ski Club of Great Britain London SW19 5SB skiclub.co.uk | 020 8410 2000 DISTRIBUTION Jellyfish Print Solutions © Ski Club of Great Britain 2018 ISSN 1369-8826 Ski+board is printed by Precision Colour Printing, Telford TF7 4QQ All material is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the prior written permission of the publisher.

All prices are based on information available at the time of going to press. Opinions expressed in Ski+board are not necessarily those of the Ski Club of Great Britain, nor does the publisher accept responsibility for advertising content.

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wanderings

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LOCATION Bosigran, Cornwall CLIMBER George Evans PHOTOGRAPHER

Hamish Frost On one of the hottest days of the year, adventure photographer Hamish and his friend George took to one of the most classic UK climbing routes. Can you believe those clear waters and dynamic landscapes are right on our doorstep?

To read more about UK adventures, flick to page 32 or 40.

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LOCATION The Idbar Dam, Bosnia and Herzegovina

The mural of the gigantic woman was painted by Croatian artist Luka Tomac and friends in protest at proposed hydropower development in the Balkans region. They claim dams like this are destroying the wild rivers in the area. A new documentary, backed by Patagonia, tells the story of those who live and work on the rivers. Blue Heart is due to premiere on iTunes in August.

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wanderings elevation ~ summer 2018 ~ skiclub.co.uk

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SKI CLUB NEWS

Change is afoot with Ski Club’s new CEO

Record breaking season for Ski Club’s Freshtracks holidays

The Ski Club’s new Chief Executive hopes to move the club forward by focusing and investing in member services, like Instructor-Led Guiding, with the financial aid of the commercial elements, like Freshtracks.

Darren Neylon joined the Ski Club in March of this year, with his first few months spent observing and familiarising himself with the club and the industry.

He hopes that by generating revenue from the commercial parts of the business, money can be re-invested into the Ski Club’s membership services.

Darren hopes to improve the value of membership and hit “the passion buttons” of members.

“Let’s understand the needs of members and then apply our talents. Our members are social and adventurous; but there are a million people who want to broaden their experiences and we can help,” the Australian said.

He hopes to start making changes by June, when he says he’ll be leading from the front.

“I want to focus on where our members are, not where they used to be.”

It has been a record breaking season for Ski Club Freshtracks, with more passengers than ever before.

Over the winter period of 2017/18, Freshtracks took almost 100 more people away with the holiday programme than last year’s previous record.

The Freshtracks team runs over 200 holidays to over 60 different destinations, ranging from classic favourites like Val d’Isère and St Anton to more exotic locations like North Tohoku, Japan, and Narvik, Norway.

Peak Experience holidays, which are marketed to the over 65s are particularly popular, with new destination Zell am Ziller selling out in just two days.

Old favourites also sold out shortly after being launched, including holidays based in the Freshtracks chalets in Flaine and the Engelberg Extreme, an off-piste holiday in the Swiss resort. Booking early is also recommended for holidays which offer a single room with no additional supplement, as these are particularly likely to sell out fast.

Katy Ellis, Product, Sales and Operations Manager of Freshtracks, said: “What a crazy but outstanding season.

The weather gave us a nudge in the right direction — we managed to harness that and send more people out to the Alps for great holidays, which is fantastic.”

Members will be able to find a full

listing of holidays in the Freshtracks brochure, which is published in July although online sales for some trips have already started.

The number of bookings through the website increased by over eight per cent with the launch of the new site. Last season more than 650 people booked their Freshtracks holiday through the online system.

Some holidays for 2018/19 are already up on the website and can be booked, including the popular Pre-Season Progression in Val Thorens.

The website will continue to be updated in the coming months, with the full programme available later in the summer.

For more information go to skiclub.co.uk/freshtracks.

The Freshtracks chalets in Flaine continues to be one of the most popular destinations on offer

“No better place for Ski Club archive” than DMU A small part of the Ski Club’s re-homed archive

The Ski Club’s archive has been launched at De Montfort University, DMU, with Ski Club Treasurer Ian Holt saying “there’s no better place for it”.

The collection of books, trophies, artworks and other artefacts, which had been housed at the Ski Club’s

headquarters for over a century, charts a rich history of Britain’s love affair with winter sports.

The re-homing of the archive became a necessity following the Ski Club’s move from the White House to new offices. De Montfort University in Leicester has a world-renowned International Centre for Sports History and Culture, in which the Ski Club archive joins others such as the Special Olympics and England Boxing, in their Special Collections.

The archive was officially presented at a ceremony at the university in March.

The items are now in the process of

being catalogued, restored and archived correctly. In time, students will use the items for future learning, and the collection will be available to the public.

Ski Club Treasurer Ian Holt said: “Over the past few months we’ve been extremely impressed with the care and attention to detail from the team, and the passion they have for preserving and sharing this fantastic resource for future generations.”

The University is also looking to digitise parts of the Ski Club’s collection in order to make the hundreds of books accessible worldwide.

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NEWS

Colin Nicholson Recent restrictions on foreigners building second homes in Switzerland is only increasing demand among the ultra-rich, who are unlikely to rent out the properties. according to one property expert. David Bhagat, founder of Alpine Property Search, said new rules were pushing up prices, making those with assets of more than $30million keener than ever to invest.

83 year old hiking heroine in new film A new film about a woman’s drama as she goes hiking in the Scottish mountains comes with a twist — the heroine is 83.

Sheila Hancock plays Edie, who, after the death of her controlling husband, tries to capture the magic of youthful times spent in the Highlands.

Edie was nominated for the Michael Powell Award at the 2017 Edinburgh International Film Festival and went on general release on May 25.

Volunteers wanted for resort spring clean If you’ve ever wondered what happens to something dropped from a chairlift, many resorts in France are looking for volunteers to help with their big end of season tidy-up.

Last year, 70 volunteers scouring all areas of Alpe d’Huez picked up a tonne of goods, in a bid to prepare it for the summer season. Volunteers were armed with gloves, bin bags and grabbers and were rewarded with a barbecue.

Val d’Isère’s winter pistes open in summer for the first time in 82 years Colin Nicholson

There’ll be plenty of summer skiing in Val d’Isère

This winter’s record snowfall had led Val d’Isère to open non-glacier pistes for its summer season for the first time in 82 years. Since the 1930s the French resort has opened only glacier runs for summer skiing. But the amount of accumulated snow means the 2018 summer season will start on lower slopes.

Pistes scheduled to re-open on June 3 include the top of the OK World Cup Downhill run and the Verte. Skiers can reach the area by taking the Funival funicular from La Daille, and the slopes will be served by the six-person Marmottes chair.

On April 25, a week before the end of the winter season, the snowpack on pistes leading to the village was still more than a metre deep, with 245cm of

Hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity encouraging active retirees Harriet Johnston A charity which hopes to encourage physical activity for retirees has been granted almost £130,000.

Silverfit hopes to make physical activity and sports an attractive, fun option for people who are retiring.

They currently offer activities at 18 venues across London, with an average customer age of 67. Many are from areas of socio-economic deprivation and high ethnic diversity.

As part of their plans, they’ll launch ‘Silver Saturdays’ which will include tag

compacted slopes on higher runs.

Ironically, it is the sheer quantity of snow that has delayed the opening of the traditional summer skiing area on the Pissaillas Glacier, above Le Fornet.

This is accessible from the Col d’Iseran pass, but snow-clearing teams need extra time to clear the road, so the area is only due to open in mid-June, when the lower slopes will finally close.

The nine metres of snow that Val d’Isère recorded in 2017-18 meant that some residents had to climb out of firstfloor windows to get out of their houses and shovel snow into their homes to open the front door.

The summer season is scheduled to run until July 13, with pistes and lifts open from 7am to noon. Lift passes cost €28 a day.

rugby, Silver Cheerleading and pilates.

Silverfit is just one of 18 different organisations which received a share of the £5 million of National Lottery funding from Sport England.

Sport England’s Director of Sport Phil Smith said: “Leaving school or college, starting a family, retiring from work, or becoming ill — all are big challenges for even the most committed to sport.”

Photo: Susanne Hukuba

Sprawl of Swiss shuttered chalets set to continue

Silverfit hopes to encourage activity in retirees

Photo:Neil Mac Grain

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Rising stars feel public support through foundation money Colin Nicholson

Lake Garda elevated bike path to open Harriet Johnston

Fin Bremner, 18, is one of five athletes awarded grants

Athletes backed by the new British Ski and Snowboard National Foundation have thanked the charity, whose launch was spearheaded by the Ski Club, for the part it has played in their success. In the first season of its operation, grants were awarded to a handful of young Brits, including ski cross racer Emma Peters, 20, and freestyle snowboarder Fin Bremner, 18, who both made their World Cup debuts this season.

“The grant has made a huge difference to me,” said Bremner. “I am combining my studies with training, and the grant enabled me to go to Stubai in Austria for a training camp.”

The youngest recipient, halfpipe skier Lexi Rowlands, 13, placed fourth at The Brits in Laax, Switzerland, in April.

The £16,000 of funds split between

End of season brings a range of makeovers for gondolas across the mountains

Photo: Bruno Longo OT Val Thorens

Harriet Johnston Have you ever thought about how you could get out of a gondola if it was to stop mid way? That’s the question that faced skiers in France.

Toward the end of March, Val Thorens opened the Escape Game Caron in the resort’s 159 person Cime Caron cable car. Up to five players could take a cable car ride which pauses mid-way and were then given an hour to crack a series of riddles and safes related to the mountain’s history to escape.

The attraction was open for a limited

the youngsters was raised from donations made by recreational skiers booking holidays or buying kit, and Ski Club members renewing their subscriptions. They largely went towards the cost of attending pre-season camps and competitions.

The foundation’s chairman, Sir John Ritblat, said: “To see our first grants making such an impact is hugely heartening, and we look forward to supporting more athletes for many years to come.”

The foundation has already asked the home nations snowsport organisations and British Ski and Snowboard to nominate suitable athletes for next season.

To find out more or donate directly to the foundation visit bssnf.uk.

time to mark the end of the 2017/18 ski season.

Meanwhile a cable car in Snowbird has been transformed into a music venue to raise money to combat climate change.

Frontside Sessions saw several musical acts including OK Go performing in the resort’s cable car. Profits from ticket sales went to initiatives including Protect Our Winters.

Val Thorens is one resort being creative with lifts

elevation ~ summer 2018 ~ skiclub.co.uk

The first section of a elevated bike path around Lake Garda will open this summer, allowing cyclists to coast above its waters.

There are hopes to open the Ciclabile Garda fully to the public in 2021.

The path, which will cost €102 million to build, will measure 87 miles, suiting all levels of cyclists, and offers a unique perspective of Italy’s largest lake.

Zermatt introduces three wheel carts...

Veteran mountain bikers may see it as a sign of thing going downhill fast in Zermatt, but the Swiss resort has introduced three-wheel carts for this summer.

The go-karts, which come with wide tyres and effective brakes, will take visitors on a new 1.6km mountain bike trail from the Blauherd at 2,571m to Sunnegga at 2,288m. They have a low centre of gravity ensures great stability and are suitable for anyone over the age of nine....

...and affordable helibiking ...But mountain bikers distraught at the thought of trikes on their trails can get away from it all by taking advantage of the resort’s new helibiking package, which costs CHF80 for a drop-off at one of three peaks.

The departures from the landing pads at Äschihorn and Alphubeljoch lead over glaciers, so the tour must be done with a mountain guide, but the ride from the landing pad at Unterrothorn can be done individually.

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An addict needs his skiing fix in the summer, but how best to find it?

Lake Garda, Italy’s largest lake, will help you dip your toe in the water Words by Colin Nicholson

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N

obody warned me that skiing was addictive. Like a junkie, I find the more I do, the more I crave.

So in this season without end, I did my final trip of the winter visiting the Portes du Soleil in late March, to be followed by my very last fix in the Arlberg in April, closely followed by a relapse in Tignes at the start of May. This meant that by the second week of May I was at risk of going cold turkey. What to do?

For hardened addicts like me they say finding a substitute is the only solution. So why not tackle my addiction to the white powder by finding ways to ski or board without it? So in a flash of inspiration it came to me — go waterskiing and wakeboarding, both of which I had never done before.

There are a number of places you can do this — on Lake Geneva or on Austria’s Wörthersee in the southern province of Carinthia. But in early May, only Italy’s Lake Garda was open for business – and I needed my fix fast.

The lake attracts as diverse a range of visitors in terms of age and tastes as

skiing itself. Many of the adrenalinefuelled activities, such as rock-climbing, via ferrata and canyoning, are to the north, where the lake cuts spectacularly into the Dolomites, while the south is best placed for more relaxed day trips to Verona and Venice.

The eastern shore is best for watersports, and I booked through Thomson (sorry, Tui, as we must now remember to call it) into the newly refurbished La Perla hotel, with its large pool and mountain views, in the town of Garda itself. I had only been able to reserve my waterskiing and wakeboarding slots on the Tuesday, so arriving on the Saturday I had a few days to enjoy the lakeside setting in a more leisurely way.

I spent the first day cycling along the waterfront past palms and olive trees, weaving though the busy Sunday market in Bardolino and stopping at beaches made up of tiny shells to take a dip in the clear, still water. Here shoals of fish swam away from me in terror, and with good reason - I dined al fresco on a

seafood lunch at the next village of Lazise.

But the fish weren’t the only ones to feel the fear. I found myself increasingly nervous about what I had signed up to.

True, I couldn’t find a better place to try watersports, as the mountains funnel predictable winds over the region.

In the morning, the gentle northerly Peler wind blows from 9am to 11.30am, giving watersport novices a far better chance to stay upright than on the sea, as long as they avoid the stronger, southerly Ora wind, which starts at midday, or the evening’s powerful crosswinds, which I was happy to observe over a cocktail.

The next morning, a trek offered free of charge by the hotel every Monday helped distract me. A group of ten of us led by a guide climbed the 300m Rocca peak to be rewarded with beautiful views from its sheer cliffs over Bardolino, whose wine I appreciated over a swordfish steak that evening.

Then the day dawned bright and clear. Though both waterskiing and

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Water skiing is one of several water sports possible on Lake Garda

wakeboarding are possible on Lake Garda, the centre in Bardolino couldn’t guarantee it would be open if the weather wasn’t good. So I opted for two smaller lakes about an hour’s drive to the north, where the activities would definitely happen. The first was Lake Caldonazzo, where the Sci Nautica Trento centre nestled in an idyllic tree-lined setting down some steps off a busy road. I felt a flutter in my heart as I saw a pair of fat skis, with boots attached, standing next to a small speedboat on the pontoon.

At this point, I was still unsure as to how tricky this activity was going to prove. On the one hand, a Google search revealed a picture of a five-year-old in Speedos happily skimming across the water. On the other hand, Carlo, who was to be our guide, said that that was indeed a good age to start — his son started at the age of four and had gone on to become world champion.

Now in my 50th year, I was wondering if I hadn’t left it a bit late, until Carlo asked: “Have you skied before?” — which I could at least answer in the affirmative.

The lake was a delightful 20°C as I slipped in and assumed the crouching position I had been shown, waiting for

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the speedboat to start.

The demonstration made it look easy, but the first time the engine revved I let go of the bar as I felt out of control.

The second time I tried to pull myself up, the bar slipped from my hands.

This wouldn’t have been a problem if getting back into the starting position had been easy. But because the skis float, I was like a beetle caught on the water surface, helplessly twisting and turning this way and that to get myself upright.

By the third failed attempt I was ready to give up.

After a brief discussion with the boat’s driver, Franco shortened the cord between the tips of the skis that stops them splaying. It may have had only a psychological effect, but — to my delight and horror — I found that on the fourth go I was upright and shooting across the surface of the water — fast.

It was a strange, but exhilarating experience, travelling at speed over the calm waters in such a green landscape.

Across the lake I could see a little village sitting below mountains whose chutes were still full of spring snow.

I had been baring my teeth in either a grin or a grimace, but I allowed myself to relax and saw that on the boat there was plenty of gesticulating, with lots of pointing to backsides sticking out.

Did my bum look big in my wetsuit?

No, this was the command to pull my bottom in and keep my back straight.

By now we were fast approaching the far side of the 5km² lake. Up to now I had been studiously following a clear patch in the boat’s wake, but as the boat curved round Carlo indicated to try a turn.

Bouncing over the waves was nervewracking, but my skiing experience helped me stabilise, and it was great fun to come alongside the boat as if we were racing each other.

Wonderful as the experience was, I was conscious that the skis had no binding release (although I could have let go of the bar at any moment). And after the driver had ramped up the speed to 43kph I was relieved to see Carlo give me the signal to let go of the bar as we came alongside the pontoon and I swam the remaining metres to the ladder.

It was warm handshakes and congratulations on the jetty before I headed off to my next destination, the new wakeboarding centre on Lake Terlago. If the waterski centre had felt charmingly old-school, here a group of tanned, beautiful 20-somethings were luxuriating topless on a pontoon, one of whom introduced himself as Martin. A

elevation ~ summer 2018 ~ skiclub.co.uk

(Below) Waterskiing or wakeboarding is easier if you know how to ski or snowboard

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freestyle snowboard instructor in winter, he opened the centre three years ago and now runs it from May to October.

Why, I asked nervously, did one of his friends have bandages on three fingers?

“Oh, that was while he was building his own board,” Martin reassured me.

The wakeboards were indeed curiously made, being more diamond than oblongshaped. This, Martin explained, would make it easier to stand up, as you can ride them sideways as well as head on.

Given my limited experience of snowboarding, and my struggle with waterskis, this was what I wanted to hear. And indeed, after just a couple of tries, I was upright, as Martin controlled the speed of the pully on the 200-metre long wire strung over the lake. To cheers from his friend Michaela, who was giving me instructions, I even managed to adopt a professional looking pose.

Maybe I was a natural boarder after all.

Admittedly, I avoided the jumps and rails on which Martin had demonstrated various twists and somersaults, but soon I was slaloming around the buoys in the middle of the lake.

My next task was to achieve a wide swooping turn as I approached each shore, which would allow me to stay afloat while Martin reversed the direction of the line.

With my weight too far back and my front knee not suitably bent (apparently), I struggled to carve this beautiful arc and sank each time I lost the tension in the line. But I was still chuffed with my achievement, travelling at 25kph (the maximum line speed is 33kph), never catching an edge and even managing one lap goofy, even though I am right-footed.

Back on the pontoon, it was high fives all round and complicated handshakes that I couldn’t quite master. I am, after all, very much an old-school skier.

Michaela warned me not to worry if my shoulders hurt the following day, particularly if I raised my arm in salutation. That was normal.

Indeed, as I said goodbye to the staff at La Perla the next day, I waved and — ow, ow, ow! — it was just as Michaela had warned.

So am I cured of my skiing addiction?

Well, perhaps this trendy label of being an addict is misleading. It’s just that saying goodbye is very painful…

Colin followed in the wake of Martin and Michaela, though he’s yet to try any tricks...

Colin travelled as a guest of Tui Lakes & Mountains (tui.co.uk/holidays/lakesand-mountains; 020 8610 3139), which offers a week’s half board at the Hotel La Perla in Garda from £814 per person based on two sharing including direct flights to Verona from nine UK airports and airport transfers. He went water skiing with Sci Nautico Trento on Lake Caldonazzo (visitvalsugana.it; +39 339 2927663), which costs €30 for five to ten minutes, and wakeboarding at Lake Line Terlago (lakelinezeropuntozero.it; +39 328 7844650), which costs €20 for the first ten minutes, then €15 thereafter, doing both courtesy of Visit Trentino (visittrentino.info).

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Instead of gazing up at the mountains from below, how does it feel to ride high above them? One writer finds out Words by Joe Troman glanced down at my dangling feet and below that the village of Les Deux Alpes. I was hovering, levitating, hundreds of feet in the air.

Matthieu, the instructor strapped to my back, was guiding me, floating us from one direction to another. I glanced up into the huge four metre winged kite, and above at a handful of other tandem gliders, fluorescent winged beasts in the blue skies. 500 metres below, I could see the villages and slopes that makes up one of France’s most popular ski resorts.

I let out a long sigh, watching as a flock of birds soared through the valley ahead of me. But then, suddenly, we were plunging violently to the left, into the valley. A torrent of expletives flew from my mouth as we swerved, scenes of a violent death flashing before my eyes.

Would this be my end?

Instead I was greeted with booming French laughter, as Matthieu tugged the kite back under control.

“I am sorry, I wanted to clean my boots!” bellowed a French voice from above. Another pair of gliders had decided to play a practical joke, with the

instructor scraping his boots across the roof of our canopy. Matthieu and I joined in the laughter, though I must admit mine was a little strained.

I’d been nervous when signing up to paragliding but I never expected to brush so close to what felt like my impending doom. I know Les Deux Alpes well as a winter resort but it’s becoming an increasingly popular resort in the summer too. Alongside skiing on the glacier, mountain biking and hiking are popular in the area. On this visit, however, I was keeping my eyes on the skies and exploring the area from above; by paragliding.

The Outdoor Festival takes place in June and is the jewel in the crown of Les Deux Alpes’ summer programme. It is followed by the Pre-Paragliding World Cup. And, as thrilling as the Outdoor Festival seemed, with its mountain biking and obstacle course, I could hardly wait to get into the air. The town is dramatically perched along a ridge, lending itself to jumping off the steep cliffs…If you’re that way inclined.

“Where exactly are we going?” I ask

elevation ~ summer 2018~ skiclub.co.uk

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the morning after our group’s arrival. We were trooping up a winding path from the end of town, under the new Diable chairlift and through the woods.

“The locals call it the end of the world,” our guide says ominously. I stop in my tracks and wish I hadn’t asked. My stomach ties into knots.

As the woods open up, we wander into a meadow, where a handful of instructors with huge backpacks are waiting. Matthieu, from Air 2 Alpes Paragliding, was relaxed but reassuring, greeting me with a broad smile and a firm handshake.

It felt all too swift as he strapped me into a harness, then to the front of his body. From the enormous backpack, he had already laid the kite out behind us, carefully untangling countless chords which attached the whole kite to our harnesses. The clink of the locking carabiners that held us to the canopy did nothing to settle my nerves.

Though Matthieu kept chatting to me, I struggled to return his banter. I was thrown by the lack of instructions — it felt like moments ago I was eating croissants in the village. This couldn’t be it…Could it?

“When the wind is correct and I say go, we run and do not stop,” a thick French accent said from behind me.

Hardly reassuring.

A few moments passed, and the warm wind seemed to lick against my skin, rippling the canopy. Suddenly Matthieu barked “Allez Joe, go, go, GO!” I didn’t think, I just ran. The ground fell away from me, and over the end of the world we went.

Immediately Matthieu arced into the wind and the canopy lifted us even higher, much like a plane banking after takeoff. After the lift, there was a prolonged feeling of total weightlessness, as though we were floating in water.

It wasn’t long before I settled in to the rise and fall routine of the kite. I gazed down at the resort and the two original ‘Alpes’, the villages of Vénosc and MontDe-Lans. At the launch of the festival I’d listened to the mayors of each town as they addressed the audience together; though the two towns have physically merged into one, politically they have often been at loggerheads. The Outdoor Festival was a real symbolic moment as the first coordinated initiative between

Joe’s adventure in the sky was part of the Outdoor Festival, which comes each summer to Les Deux Alpes shortly before the Pre-Paragliding World Cup

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the two mayors. A kind of political moment that would go down in local history books.

I gaped at the view and Matthieu explained that paragliders could spend hours in the air, riding the thermal currents that occurred over certain geological features which were particularly rife around Les Deux Alpes.

To my left I could see the untouched Parc des Écrins stretching into the distance, whilst to my right my eyes followed the La Vénéon river. The only sound was the gentle clink of the harness and flutter of the kite, and my occasional gasp, followed by the Frenchman’s laughter.

We flew over forests, where the treetops seemed within touching distance of my finger tips. We came down to a bumpy stop, alone and after thanking Matthieu for landing me safely, I hurried back to meet my friends.

During my previous visit, the summer skiing had been the main draw — and it proved just as prominent this trip. A Glacier Experience Pass grants access to the Jandri lifts, the funicular and all the ski lifts up to the glacier for just €40.

And, despite being warned it was not a good year for summer snow, it beat any other skiing I’ve done in June. But I found my eyes kept flicking to the sky, with the thrill of paragliding still on my mind. When offered the chance to soar again the following day, I jumped at it.

This time we were collected at dawn from our hotel. “You’re brave enough to try again Joe?” Matthieu chuckled as he spotted me emerge from the group.

We were bundled into a car and driven through thick forests, finally emerging atop the Vallée Blanche area. We barely spoke as we hiked through alpine grass wet with the early morning dew, gazing at the golden peaks that surrounded us.

Less than half an hour later and Matthieu was clipping up my harness once again. We waited, the familiar feeling of the breeze swirling past my legs. When Matthieu shouted “Allez Joe”, I found myself running before he could say it twice.

High above the resort we soared like eagles. The instructors flew between gaps in cliffs, carving their way around the valley. Where I had whimpered on my first flight, now I howled — scary as it was, it was exhilarating.

Below us, chamois darted from rock

to rock like dolphins cresting waves.

Up and down we went, riding thermal currents to regain altitude, before Matthieu and I began our descent.

It was here that the paragliders decided to test our nerves. As Matthieu’s friend kicked the top of my canopy, other gliders corkscrewed towards the ground, performing a series of acrobatic stunts that made my stomach flip. Envious, I heard a quiet question whispered into my ear from behind.

“We can do the same if you would like, or we can go erm…Bigger?”

I knew there was only one answer to his question: “Allez, go go GO!” He threw us into a spiralling descent, blood rushing to my legs. I let out uncontrollable whoops and hollers, the type reserved for skiing the deepest powder. As we swirled through the air, plunging closer to earth, the canopy went below us.

We dropped towards a lush green landscape, and I felt adrenaline shake my legs as we came to land. With my feet on the ground, I grabbed Matthieu in for a hug, silently cursing his mates for their cheeky games but all the more grateful to have landed safely.

I couldn’t believe that some of our group had opted for a round of chipand-put golf over a second paragliding experience. As we boarded the eight minute gondola back to Les Deux Alpes, one of the instructors exclaimed “Uhhh nuuuuh, zee golf, it iz too dangerous.”

That night, as the whole group tucked into dinner together, I chatted to JeanBaptiste, the founder and owner of Air 2 Alpes Paragliding, as the instructors laughed and drank in the background.

“I take part in a lot of competitions around the world, and I can tell you this is the best place,” he said. But when I asked him why, he couldn’t decide between the freedom, serenity and wildlife. I’m not sure I can either.

What I know for sure is that while I had expected those feelings while paragliding, I could never have predicted the wild and free nature of the instructors.

Joe was a guest of Les2Alpes (les2alpes. com) and stayed in the three-star hotel Le Souleil’ Or: le-souleil-or.fr. Joe was guided in the mountain air by Air 2 Alpes Paragliding school air2alpes.com, prices start from €75 for a 10-minute flight.

elevation ~ summer 2018~ skiclub.co.uk

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DON’T LOOK DOWN Climbing Mont Blanc is hard enough, but one hiker almost didn’t see the end of his trip Words by Dan Thornton

T

hey say that when HoraceBénédict de Saussure first saw Mont Blanc in 1760, he found its physical presence overwhelming, later writing “My eyes could not encounter this mountain without my being sized with a pang.” Little did I know I would relive this when I hiked Mont Blanc, over 250 years later.

Initially when I heard about the trip, I hoped I would be walking the Tour du Mont Blanc. A bucket list pilgrimage for long-distance hikers, it’s an 11 day walk through 170km of dramatic landscapes.

Though a challenge, it felt achievable.

It quickly became apparent I would be taking on the three day climb, a tougher but, I was assured, equally achievable feat. This couldn’t feel further away from my day job; my average day

involves sitting at a desk from nineto-five. The only regular walk I do is to the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea. Though climbing Mont Blanc isn’t overly technical, I had little over three weeks to prepare myself. I began filling my spare time with training opportunities. I cycled the 10 mile route to work every day, and back, and took to jogging at lunchtimes.

I struggled to prepare myself mentally.

But I told myself a thousand times a day, no matter how much it hurt, I would stand on top of Mont Blanc. I just had to keep putting one foot in front of the other to make it a reality.

Before I knew it, I was on my way.

The journey from Geneva to Chamonix, where the route begins, is just over an hour, and it felt like no time at all before

I arrived in the majestic mountains.

Chamonix has long been considered a mecca for those who love the mountains in summer and winter; and I could see why.

I could feel Mont Blanc’s presence, as though it cast a shadow around every task. Chamonix was bubbling with life, and as other hikers raved how much they’d enjoyed their own trips up the mountain, I could feel myself getting more and more eager to begin.

Nervously, I prepped my gear, meeting Olly, the IFMGA guide who would be getting me up (and down) Mont Blanc safely. He was reassuring though; Olly has a knowing look in his eye and a calm tone to his voice which you only get from years and years spent in the mountains.

He talked me through the possibility of altitude sickness, what to expect from the

SKI CLUB CONTENT

The Goûter hut, where Dan waited patiently to discover the fate of his trip

huts (basic, but superb atmosphere), and finally, safety on the mountain. I was exhausted by the end of it, hanging on his every word.

After a few days of training hikes and acclimatizing, the day I’d been waiting for had arrived. I spent the morning of the hike packing and re-packing my bag, paying close attention to every gram of weight included. I had hugely overpacked and suddenly felt silly for bringing my ski goggles. I left them at the hotel reception, ready for me to collect on my safe return.

“Retro sunglasses,” Olly said, chuckling and pointing at a trusty pair of sunnies I’ve had for years.

“Trust me, you’ll be needing them up there.” A group of three of us set off through Chamonix to the Tramway

du Mont Blanc; all of us young guys, chattering and laughing nervously as Olly distributed our lift tickets. 15 minutes later and we were on the way up, taking in the sensational views towards the south of France. The tramway stops on a stunning perch overlooking the death throes of the Glacier de Bionnassay ice fall. From here, we started our ascent towards the Tête Rousse hut, which is at 3,167m. The next few hours are a pretty simple walk, along well walked path and glacial moraine.

By the time we’d arrived at the Tête Rousse hut, I was ravenous. A helicopter was hovering overhead, in the cloud.

Whispered rumours within the hut suggested somebody had died the night before climbing the Death Gully, an area known for dangerous rock falls. My elevation ~ summer 2018 ~ skiclub.co.uk

nerves built, and I tried to put it out of my mind as I went to bed, my stomach full of butterflies.

When Olly woke us early, he told us the weather was looking poor, with strong winds and bad visibility. Though he claimed we’d make it to the summit, I could sense his uncertainty.

Under his watchful eye, we set off up the Grand Couloir just after sunrise on a route that proved to be largely free of heavy traffic from other climbers. I teetered over the rocks, trying to put the helicopter out of my mind. Every noise made me jump. The area known as Death Gully lay ahead of me, a vast expanse of rock and boulders. At any moment, huge rockfalls could slip down the mountain, with boulders as big as fridges tumbling over the path. As we

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built on the inside of them. I was scared to stand tall for fear the wind would carry

The beginning of the Mont Blanc adventure; the Tramway du Mont Blanc

approached it, Olly stopped and turned to us both.

“Step where I step, look at my feet at all times. If I say walk forwards, walk forwards and if I say move back, move back,” he warned, before he stepped off and into Death Gully.

The two hour scramble was exhausting.

The towering mass of dark rock was all I could see, merging into grey moody clouds, seeming to ascend forever.

Once we had safely crossed over, I found myself gaining confidence. With my surefootedness improving, I began to enjoy myself. The constant sound of my steel crampons crashing against the rock, the seemingly endless challenge of the rocks and the feeling of being exposed on one side of the couloir was absolutely thrilling.

“Don’t look down,” I kept thinking to myself, re-focusing again and again on the climb ahead.

It was just as the rain started to fall, that the Goûter hut emerged from the cloud. Inside we found plenty of other climbers, all chattering about their disappointment at the weather and many planning their safest routes down.

Olly stayed quiet and my heart sank.

We waited. And waited. The group inside the hut got even smaller, with others wishing us luck before they headed back down. I was beginning to lose all sight of hope, when Olly tapped me on the shoulder.

“It’s now or never. Let’s go.”

We stepped out and immediately felt the full force of the wind. The cloud I’d watched so carefully all morning had closed in on us, and I couldn’t see more than 10 metres ahead. Yet, as we roped up, it wasn’t long before

we started to encounter others who’d already made it to the summit. Far from looking overjoyed at the achievement, they looked exhausted. Faces were caked in frozen rime that was growing horizontally from cheeks and beards.

It felt like encountering people on the moon. One of the climbers coming down leaned into me as our roped parties passed each other.

“You have a long way to go,” he warned, in a thick Dutch accent just loud enough for me to hear above the strong wind, before disappearing into the fog.

For the next three hours, we trudged along over the Dôme du Goûter. It felt relentless; the wind was blowing constantly, and when we eventually reached the Vallot hut, I knew it was a momentous moment. We tucked the kit we’d no longer need under the hut.

“From here on in, things are going to get really serious. Do what I do. Walk where I walk. Most importantly, don’t freak out,” Olly warned and we started to walk again. High above, clouds hid the summit, and the shadows of Mont Blanc’s ridges loomed. The ridge was narrow, and my heart broke with every false summit we crested, only to see another one looming. Far ahead, I could see the footprints of another group disappearing into the cloud above. I started to question if there was ever going to be an end, suddenly envious of my Dutch friend who would surely be back in the warmth and safety of a mountain hut.

The cloud was thick, the wind was freezing me, and my face was caked with dry frozen and wind blasted snow.

I pulled my sunglasses off after the snow

me right off the edge.

And then, as if I’d entered a wind tunnel, it suddenly felt as though the wind was five times stronger, but the snow was steadier underfoot. I edged forward, my heart leaping a little…

And in that moment, Olly reached for my hand, and bellowed above the sound of the wind:“Welcome to the summit of Mont Blanc. You made it.”

The elation was undeniable, though we could see nothing of the view. We took a quick snap, smiling into the wind, before Olly began to lead us back down the way we came.

The journey down was much faster than the way up and, although we were completely exhausted, it was filled with chatter from the group, elated with what we had just achieved. Olly only then revealed that he had been close to turning us back several times during our journey. Every step was making my muscles shake. There was no longer the option of ‘don’t look down’; staring at the descent was terrifying, but the joy of the hike carried me through. The clouds cleared away, and I gazed out over the shocking drops…Still in disbelief at what we had achieved.

Back at the Goûter hut, we swapped our boots and crampons for crocs. After nine hours of hiking, we’d done it. The pain was over. I’d successfully and safely summited Mont Blanc. We tucked into a celebratory meal, and I slipped into a deep sleep.

The pain came very suddenly, a sharp stabbing sensation in my eyes. I could barely believe I was experiencing something so painful in the safety of the hut. I stumbled across the hut, desperate to make my way to the bathroom, and positive I just needed to wash my eyes.

As I made my way into the hallway, I realised it wasn’t just pain; I couldn’t see. My vision was completely blurred, as though I was looking through a pane of glass. I had to navigate my way through the packed dorm, clambering over bags and crampons. I clutched the banister as I hobbled down two flights of stairs; it felt like an impossible descent.

Eventually I made it to the dining room, where I knew I’d find the hut guardian.

I beckoned him towards me, feeling rather foolish.

SKI CLUB CONTENT

Taking one look at me, he took my arm and in that moment, he said four words

A windy, yet sunny, day on the Bosses ridge and Mont Blanc summit

“HOW ON EARTH WOULD I MANAGE IF I COULDN’T SEE?”

Dan (right) hiking back down Mont Blanc with the help of a fellow climber

elevation ~ summer 2018 ~ skiclub.co.uk

to me that I will never forget.

“You’ve gone snow blind….”

My heart thudded. There’s nothing more frightening than being told you’ve gone blind; the pain in my eyes was not like anything I had ever experienced before. We were still thousands of metres above Chamonix. I couldn’t help but panic, thinking of the sharp descents I’d struggled to manage only the day before.

How on earth would I manage them if I couldn’t see? How had this happened?

And how long would this last for?

He could see the panic on my face, and I felt him smile as he explained that the condition was temporary; that I’d essentially sunburnt my eyes, thanks to my old sunglasses, and that he had a tube of gel which would soothe the burns enough to let me return to Chamonix in the morning. He also assured me that we could re-evaluate the situation in the morning; and that if necessary, a helicopter could be called to transport me down the mountain.

Tucked back in bed, under his instruction, I rubbed the gel into my eyes, and tried my best to sleep. When I awoke, disorientated and swollen, I was dreading the hike back to Chamonix.

Olly, however, was jovial.

“I told you that you needed better sunglasses mate!” he exclaimed. “No way are you getting a helicopter. You can’t say you’ve climbed Mont Blanc if you get a helicopter half the way down!”

Luckily, after several uncomfortable eye massages, the gel had worked.

Though my vision wasn’t perfect, it was certainly much improved. The three of us walked slowly back down into Chamonix, dropping my pitiful sunglasses into a bag of rubbish as we went. Though I felt utterly beaten, I felt fantastic, and it wasn’t long before I was guided by my new found friends to the nearest pub to celebrate.

And one thing was for sure; I’d never look at Saussure’s writings in the same way again.

Dan travelled as a guest of Mountain Tracks (mountaintracks.co.uk). The Climb Mont Blanc trip departs at various dates throughout the summer, and costs £1,995 Additional reporting by Harriet Johnston

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SKI CLUB PROMOTION

GUS UPTON Operations Manager at The Ski Club Freshtracks “I’ve been working for Ski Club’s Freshtracks for five years now - we’re like a well oiled machine. The summer period is completely different to the winter programme. As of April, things start to slow down with holiday bookings, and I begin to look forward to the contracting for next year. We get in touch with the companies who organise every element of the holiday - all the guides, hotels, flight companies - and negotiate on prices and dates for next year.

Some of the team will go out to new and existing resorts to negotiate, though we do a lot of it from in the office. There is a lot of juggling to make sure it all fits together, like a complicated but perfect jigsaw. We might pitch new types of holiday for the brochure, which we aim to have signed off by the end of June. We launched our first holiday for 18/19 in May so bookings are already coming in for next season.”

The Freshtracks Experience

All photos opposite: Jonny Cass

— from mountain guides, flight companies and hotels. This can take all summer, and many detailed and lengthy conversations.

Once these have been fully established, the team can look ahead at launching the holidays in both the brochure, and online. It’s a lot of hard work collaborating with the marketing department and the graphic designer to deliver a top notch Freshtracks brochure to you, with details of all the latest holidays which will be on offer for the following year.

This year’s brochure will be displaying holidays for the 2018/19 season, and will feature trips from around the globe, from the French Alps to Japanese mountains.

“It’s a little like putting together a complicated, but perfect, jigsaw”

Photo: JP Baralo

The brochure will include over 200 different holidays, many of which sell out quickly. It’s worth keeping an eye out for popular holidays, like Engelberg Extreme or Pre-Season Progression in Val Thorens. The same is true for for those seeking to escape with Peak Experience holidays, which cater specifically for the over 65s.

New destination Zell am Ziller sold out in just two days last season, so keep your eye on the SkI Club website to avoid missing out.

The summer also sees the launch of many of the holidays online. Some of the most popular holidays are already available to book at skiclub.co.uk/freshtracks.

After a record breaking season for Ski Club Freshtracks, you’d think the team would want a well deserved break. In 2017/18, they reached a new record for the number of people taken away on a Freshtracks holiday; 100 more than ever before.

Yet the action never stops in the Freshtracks department.

Though the winter months are undoubtedly busy, over the summer the team of seven are still working hard from the Wimbledon office to deliver holidays to you, from Gus, Operations Manager, who has spent five years working with Freshtracks, to Emma, who joined the team in November 2017.

Ahead of the Freshtracks 2018/19 brochure’s publication in the summer, the attention of Freshtracks is on contracting. They’re negotiating the very best prices and dates for Freshtracks holidays

?

The new look Freshtracks brochure will be out in July 2018.

Holiday details can be found online at skiclub.co.uk/freshtracks, in your Freshtracks brochure or call 020 8410 2022

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PUNCTURED DREAMS A scenic trip gravel biking through Wales hits some unexpected road bumps Words by Alf Alderson

F

or the self proclaimed smallest town in Britain, population 850, Llanwrtyd Wells is quite a humming little spot; it has a railway station on one of the most scenic lines in Britain, the A483 runs through the middle of the town and is usually busy with lumber trucks and passing tourists.

Some would say it’s best known for the weird and wonderful World Bog Snorkelling Championship, which descends on the former spa town every autumn. Others would say it once had a reasonable claim as one of the mountain biking capitals of the world.

Years ago, it hosted the Man v Horse v Bike race which saw some of the best mountain bike racers on the planet descend on the town. This 22 mile race inspired far more mediocre riders, such as myself, to come and explore the trails that snake out to the north-west of the town into the Tywi Forest and the wild terrain of the Cambrian Mountains.

The bike aspect of the race ended in the mid 1990s, due to some debate as to bikes on bridleways. Thanks to that and mountain bike trail centres sprouting up elsewhere in Wales, it wasn’t long before

mountain bikers became less common on the trails around Llanwrtyd Wells. Yet when I bought a gravel bike last year, I couldn’t think of anywhere better to put it to the test.

The region has always held a special place in my heart. It’s where I cut my teeth as a mountain biker on my ‘Muddy Fox’ bike; a stripped back beast with no suspension, indexed gearing or disk brakes. The trails we’d ridden all those years ago were perfect for those early, unsophisticated mountain bikes, being largely forest fire roads and old drovers roads; a gravel bike would surely be the perfect steed for a three-day foray through the Cambrian Mountains.

Or perhaps it wouldn’t. My riding companion Mark had refused to shell out for a pair of knobbly tyres strong enough to cope with the ride and was repairing his fifth — or was it his sixth?

— puncture of the day.

We were pulled over on the dirt road beside the most remote chapel of Soary-mynydd at the north-west tip of Llyn Brianne Reservoir. While he wrestled with tyre levers and inner tubes, I wandered around this most basic of God’s houses, said to be the most isolated chapel in the country, cursing his tight wallet strings, and praying for new tyres.

To get to Soar-y-mynydd, we had ridden a little over three hours from Llanwrtyd Wells, retracing a route I had last taken over 20 years ago through the forests of Cwm Henog and over to Llyn Brianne. The fact that we couldn’t

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find that old route, and that access to the forest is now closed to the public, showed how much things have changed since the 1990s. It was no big deal though; gravel bikes are as much at home on tarmac as dirt. Instead, we rode a virtually traffic-free route on a minor road up the beautiful Irfon Valley, which would eventually loop back round to Llyn Brianne.

The russet hues of autumn shaded the moorland either side of us, as the road suddenly became almost vertical at the Devil’s Staircase, a hideous, twisting climb with a 25 per cent gradient. The hooning descent down and along the banks of the eastern arm of Llyn Brianne was a fine pay-off for our struggles against gravity. The reservoir was built in the 1960s, and adds drama and beauty to an already wild environment.

It was at the southern end of Llyn Brianne that we hit the dirt, crossing the huge dam wall to follow the undulating gravel track along the reservoir’s western shores. That’s when Mark wasn’t stopping to mend punctures.

“Can I make a bold suggestion and advise that you buy some decent tyres when we next see a bike shop?” I suggested as he laboured over his front wheel at Soar-y-mynydd.

The trip to church didn’t seem to pay off, as we didn’t pass a bike shop until the end of the next day’s ride, although at least we found we were on quiet metalled country roads. It grew dark by the time we rode up, over and down the windswept moors of the ‘Desert of

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(Previous page) Alf rides along the remote shore of Claerwen Reservoir, Mark mends his umpteenth puncture. (Above) Mark makes his way down to Soar-y-mynydd

Wales’ (this is how the remote region was described by travellers a century ago) and into Tregaron, where we were staying at Y Talbot, an old coaching inn with fine food, fine ale and rooms boasting what are possibly the most powerful showers in Wales.

A better combination after a day of gravel biking (and puncture repairing) would be impossible to find.

Over breakfast the following morning Mark announced: “I’ll just have to take it easy riding on the dirt until we get to Rhayader, I could do without another rash of punctures.” I couldn’t agree more…

That said, Rhayader wasn’t quite our destination for the day. We’d actually booked rooms at the Elan Valley Hotel, a couple of miles outside the town, and to get there involved an easy start along an old railway line on the edge of Cors Caron, a huge raised bog for which Tregaron is famed.

Things began to go uphill at Pontrhydfendigaid, at first on smooth tarmac, then on potholed tarmac and finally on dirt, until some five miles further and one-thousand feet higher

“I CURSED HIS

TIGHT WALLET STRINGS, AND PRAYED FOR NEW TYRES”

we stopped for lunch looking out across one of the wildest panoramas in Wales.

The rolling moorland that surrounded us doesn’t rise much above 550-metres, and the dark, wind-rippled waters of the Teifi Pools that we gazed across are little more than just that — large pools.

But there’s a sense of the elemental here. Buildings and people are absent from the landscape and it would be easy to wander out across these moors and simply disappear. Our dirt road took us for around 12km along the northern shore of the Claerwen Reservoir and we didn’t see a soul, just three lonesome donkeys that Mark fed with cheese.

Day three and a visit to the bike shop in Rhayader meant that punctures were now a thing of the past. Mark’s bike was shod in some ‘right tyres’ as we cycled south from the Elan Valley.

The thickly wooded Wye Valley couldn’t quite hide the fact that the sky above us was turning ever darker, and the leaves cascading from tree branches warned that it was likely to be windy when we got up to today’s high point, an ancient bridleway over the moors of Rhos Saith-maen.

Indeed, the slog up from the village of Llanwrthwl saw the first splats of rain land as the road narrowed to a dirt track, and by the time we hit the bridleway it was beginning to fall as Welsh rain is

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(Above) Alf cycles over the ‘Desert of Wales’.

(Left) The duo cross over the bridge of the River Wye.

supposed to — heavily and horizontally.

It didn’t really matter though; once over the moors it was downhill along a series of small valleys, graduating from dirt track to minor road to B-road and eventually on to the busy and undulating A483 which led us back to our start point in Llanwrtyd Wells.

Riding past the Neuadd Arms in the centre of town we felt duty bound to pop in for a pint to round off our ride.

On the walls, honours boards held the names of the winners of the Man v Horse v Bike race from years gone by, and as I sank my beer I wondered if this lovely corner of Wales could maybe once again become a bit of a hotbed of cycling? If gravel biking takes off there’s no reason why it shouldn’t…

All Photos: Alf Alderson

Alf and Mark rode on One carbon frame gravel bikes (Alf rode a ‘Bish-Bash-Bosh’, Mark a ‘Dirty Disco’) with Continental Land Cruiser tyres. They stayed at Y Talbot (ytalbot.com) and the Elan Valley Hotel (elanvalleyhotel.co.uk). Thanks to Visit Wales (visitwales.com) for helping to arrange the trip. elevation ~ summer 2018 ~ skiclub.co.uk

Davos Klosters: The grand tour and spectacular nature experience You will feel like a real professional cyclist when you have crossed the Albula and Flüela passes on your Davos round trip. This grand tour is a popular circuit which has already been part of the famous “Tour de Suisse” many times. Various cycling tours around Davos Klosters are a little more comfortable but no less spectacular.

Davos has staged the Tour de Suisse 12 times – more often than any other Swiss mountain resort. The start of the round trip takes place in Davos, at 1560 m above sea level. After a short ascent, the route leads down into the Albula Valley. The ascent to the Albula Pass (2,312 m above sea level) begins in Alvaneu Bad at 1,181 m above sea level. From the top of the pass the ride continuous down to Unterengadin, then along the Inn river to Susch (1,438 m above sea level), where the ascent to the Flüela Pass (2383 m above sea level) begins with steep ramps and sometimes narrow serpentines. After about seven hours, 111.5 km, total ascent and descent of 2,591 metres each, and a journey through lovely valleys, rugged mountain flanks and spectacular views you reach the finish line in Davos.

Wild and romantic side valleys When it comes to wild beauty, the road bike tour into the side valleys are a must. Passing old Walser settlements the drive leads to Davos Monstein, a tiny village 1’620 m above sea level with a micro beer brewery, after a steep ascent. Back down in the main valley we follow the Landwasser river up to Frauenkirch, from where we turn into the wild and romantic Sertigtal valley. The 8 km long road leads to Sertig Sand (1858 m above sea level). We recommend a break on the terrace of the Walserhuus Restaurant with its unique view of

davos.ch klosters.ch

the surrounding 3,000 m peaks. Via Davos Clavadel we continue the ride into the Dischma valley on narrow country roads to Duerrboden at around 2000 m above sea level and finally on the same way back to the starting point in Davos.

The sun tour From Klosters (1200 m above sea level) the road leads out of the valley towards Saas and Küblis (815 m above sea level). Here the ascent begins past the historic centre of Luzein to the sun terrace of St. Antoenien.

The small, typical Walser settlement lies at 1450 m above sea level. The village centre with many old houses and a 500-year-old church conveys a homely atmosphere. A few kilometres further up in the valley the turning point at Berghaus Alpenrösli (1775 m above sea level) is reached. Insider’s tip: walk a few minutes to relax on the beautiful mountain lake “Partnun”.

Afterwards the same route leads back to the starting point in Klosters.

All-round support for cyclists Almost two dozen hotels of all categories in Davos Klosters offer cyclists a service tailored to their needs, such as a closed storage room and bicycle wash area, workshop for minor repairs or packed lunches for a small extra charge. The Rhaetian Railway has special baggage carts in which the bicycles are transported by self-loading.

Photo: Mirae Campbell

DISCOVER

38

40

From the slopes to the

Read up on the

sun; we review kit which

adventures you never

you can use year round

knew you were missing

GEAR

elevation ~ summer 2018 ~ skiclub.co.uk

ADVENTURE GUIDE

38

GEAR

Kit...come rain or shine Pack light, pack warm; and always think about the layers Words by Abigail Butcher Whether you’re out on the big hills during summer or winter, layers and extra layers are crucial: the weather can turn in an instant, and while it may be sunny and hot at resort-level, by the time you’ve climbed to 2,000m or then 3,000m or 4,000m, you could be battling snow, ice and howling winds. The key to summer mountain kit that it is warm, light, breathable and highly packable — and preferably is something that will also be useful in the winter months too.

1 Patagonia Cloud Ridge Jacket Where can I buy? ~ patagonia.co.uk And for how much? ~ £225 This highly-breathable, light, waterproof shell jacket has a clever three-layer membrane including a polyester backer, membrane and recycled polyester face. As well as summer mountain wear, this jacket works well on ski days with layers.

Very breathable, very waterproof and comfy to wear. Recyclable as part of the EcoCircle programme from Teijin Frontier Co. Packable in its own stuff-sack.

While this is doubtless a weightsaving exercise, there’s no inner breast pocket in the jacket or armpit zips.

Editor’s note: It just feels impractical to say that you can (and should) only use your outdoor kit in the winter. What we all really want is snow wear which is easy to use throughout the year, so that you’re not feeling guilty about investing a large amount of money on something which you’re only getting a few weeks of wear out of.

For me, the Patagonia Cloud Ridge Jacket is really one to look out for. At £225, it doesn’t feel too expensive for a sensible, yet stylish, jacket in a gorgeous sunshine yellow colour. Plus it’s recyclable.

Patagonia launched wornwear.com in September, a site where customers can buy second hand Patagonia kit at a much cheaper price.

Harriet Johnston

1

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2 Mammut Zephir Climbing Harness Where can I buy? ~ uk.mammut.com And for how much? ~ £85 This ultra-light (295g) climbing harness is a must-have addition to your mountaineering wardrobe.

Made with a split webbing design and Mammut Frame technology (a lamination process that increases its lateral stability) it distributes pressure evenly while you’re suspended, and when you’re walking or ski touring, you barely feel you have it on.

It would be hard to get in a muddle with it. Comes in a mesh pack for easy transport.

The leg straps aren’t adjustable so it leaves less room for manoeuvre.

2 4

3 Mammut Trovat Tour pant Where can I buy? ~ uk.mammut.com And for how much? ~ £110

5

A pair of lightweight, water-repellent trousers are key in the mountains and these do the job brilliantly, as well as offering a great option for wearing off the mountain, too. Made from stretchy “Storm Cotton” offering ultraviolet protection factor 50+, they’re super comfy and easy to wear.

Breathable, quick-drying, light, but warm, and water-repellent these are surprisingly comfy despite their slim fit. They also look quite smart.

In winter, they’ll be useful for travelling but not particularly in the snow.

4 Arc’teryx Cerium SL Hoody

5 Salomon Speedcross 4GTX

Where can I buy? ~ arcteryx.com And for how much? ~ £270

Where can I buy? ~ salomon.com And for how much? ~ £130

New this summer, this is very lightweight (215g for men, 200g for women) with a high warmth-to-weight ratio thanks to its combination filling of European grey goose down and Coreloft synthetic insulation — placed in areas where moisture will build up.

Ridiculously light, and very packable in its own stuff sack. Useful as a stand-alone layer as its Arato face fabric offers some wind and moisture prevention.

It’s hot, and not all that breathable, so it’s best used as part of a proper layering system.

These are quite simply magic trainers.

They’re constructed with Gore Tex Flex, with a moulded EVA footbed and liner to provide next-to-foot cushioning and anatomical support.

The most versatile all-round pair of shoes we’ve come across and available in a brilliant range of colours and fit.

They’re light and fast and brilliantly waterproof. The lace design makes them easy to slip on and off.

The large lugs can feel a little awkward to start with on tarmac. The fit comes up small and narrow, so you may need to buy a larger size.

elevation ~ summer 2018~ skiclub.co.uk

40

Trips you never knew you were missing Blow away your usual summer holiday with something a little unconventional

Words by Joe Troman, Matt Dickenson, Harriet Johnston, Chris Madoc-Jones For a holiday with a difference, it’s often good to push the boundaries of your expectations and try something new.

And you can’t really get more different than the three trips in this year’s adventure section. While on one holiday you’re praising the weather gods for keeping the rain off, on the other you’ll be grabbing some street food in the blistering heat. Hiking in Snowdonia offers a staycation to remember, whereas while cycling in Taiwan is a kind of once in a lifetime adventure.

Plus, we take a more relaxed cruise along the Rhine on one of Uniworld’s newest boats, the A. It’s everything you wouldn’t expect from a river cruise.

Each trip is different in almost every way; yet the stories share their similarities. Heading to the mountains in the summer offers a new dimension to our favourite places and an opportunity to explore something with fresh eyes.

And isn’t that just what we want from our adventures?

We never thought we’d advocate thinking twice before slathering on suncream. Yet, the news that Hawaii is to ban certain types of sunscreen has highlighted the potential risks of cream for the environment. Sunscreens including chemicals such as Oxybenevone have been shown to damage coral reefs in the area. But how does this impact us in Europe?

Studies in Switzerland have found two commonly used chemicals inside fish living in rivers and lakes. The findings imply that if people are wearing sunscreen, it’s also likely to be in their water. And with some reports that the European Union is looking to pass similar legislation to Hawaii, your best bet is to look out for mineral based sunscreens, as opposed to chemical.

Photo: Mirae Campbell @Miraecampbell

ADVENTURE

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UK

Photo: All images © Crown copyright 2018 (Visit Wales)

Staycation in Snowdonia

Above, a view of Dinorwig quarry, just one of the site’s famed for slate production

Top, Llyn Elsi, a lake above Betws y Coed Above, the Cregennan Lakes from a distance

Above, the Cregennan Lakes on the northern slopes of Cadair ldris

Perhaps the biggest draw of Snowdonia is the mountain after which the national park is named after, Mount Snowdon. Many of the country’s best mountaineers have cut their teeth on the crags of Mount Snowdon before going on to take on the great feats in the Alps and greater ranges.

The tallest peak in Wales is an imposing and jagged figure that can be tackled from many angles. Within a compact geographical area Snowdonia offers a high quality and diverse selection of climbing routes almost exclusively on good quality rock. There is a superb choice of long scrambles, multi-pitch rock climbs and single pitch test pieces. The circuit makes for a magnificent day out. Though the route is long and strenuous, it’s accessible for all. And if you want to brush up your skills, or kick start your fitness programme in preparation for the Alps, Snowdonia is the perfect place to do it.

Novice walkers ascend the Llanberis path, which runs parallel to the Snowdon

Mountain Railway which ferries passengers to within 50 metres of the summit. The more adventurous walker may wish to complete the more challenging Snowdon horseshoe which encompasses the infamous Crib Goch - more a scramble than a walk over terrain that wouldn’t look out of place in the Alps. More difficult variants include Person Arete, a memorable scramble rising up from the atmospheric Cwm Glas and Bilberry Terrace on the big cliffs of Lliwedd, a challenging Grade 3 outing.

One night, I base myself in the quirky Dolgellau (Dog-eth-ly) for easy access to the national park. Alternatively for a more boutique feel, Portmerion lies between the national parks and the sea and will keep your Instagram feed full for weeks.

woodland before skirting a tarn and ascending a steep path. After that an exposed ridge-line path takes you to the summit offering views of the national park and beyond.

Coed y Brenin forest centre offers families the perfect chance to experience the national park in a child friendly setting, as well as hosting some of the best mountain biking in the area.

For those who like a hands on Snowdonia experience, there are some fantastic crags to be climbed, particularly Craig Bwlch y Moch near Tramadog, which is widely regarded as one of the best climbing spots in Wales.

For a day away from the trails, with exhausted legs, I like to ride on the picturesque Llanberis Lake Railway on board a beautiful steam engine to the National Slate Museum. The area is renowned for its slate production which put the place on the map many years ago.

My favourite day walk though is Cadair Idris, in the south of the park.

At 893m the mountain still amounts to a challenging day on the hill, with the ascent taking you through thick

elevation ~ summer 2018~ skiclub.co.uk

Joe travelled independently and camped along a variety of trails throughout his trip

Join us today Enjoy hillwalking, climbing or ski-touring?

Sign up for Mountaineering Scotland membership to get the most out of exploring Scottish hills and mountains plus a 35% discount and a free gift!

Ski Club of Great Britain members can join Mountaineering Scotland at our ‘concession’ member price for just £19 a year...

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EUROPE

Photo: Sam Graves

Photo: Sam Graves

Photo: Sam Graves

Photo: U by Uniworld

Rolling on the Rhine river

Above, one of 28 castles that the A passes on its cruise

Top, the renovated A boat, in slimline black Above, a highlight of the ship, the top deck

Above, Rolling on the Rhine takes in cities from Frankfurt to Amsterdam

I’d never describe myself as a boat person; infamously doing everything I possibly could to avoid the Calais ferry on ski trips at university, haunted by scenes from Titanic. Yet, little over a month ago, I found myself relaxed and cruising on the Rhine.

U by Uniworld was set up last year under the umbrella of Uniworld, who specialise in river cruises, to cater for younger people. The thought process?

According to industry reports, river cruising is the fastest growing travel sector, particularly with younger people.

The ‘Rolling on the Rhine’ tour I find myself on chugs along from Frankfurt to Amsterdam in seven days, with a promise to stay in a different city every night.

The A is a re-purposed, rejuvenated boat with a sexy sleek finish. Originally The Ambassador, it’s one of two boats the company have given a hip modern makeover. It has a slick black exterior, which is decorated with neon lights.

Inside, it’s a playground of fun artwork and wild patterns. When I check in, a couple of Americans are singing the

praises of the Andy Warhol Marilyn Monroe prints in reception. My ‘Balcony’ room is a petite but cleverly designed cabin, which is almost entirely filled with one of the most comfortable beds I’ve ever slept in. With bright prints and jazzy patterns, it packs a punch, but the wallto-wall mirrors really make the most of the space.

The boat itself is the real highlight of the trip; from the photobooth in reception to the incredible top deck, with sun loungers and deck chairs, every detail has been thought about. The food is also to die for — there’s coffee and pastry for early risers, but between 10am and 1pm, brunch is served in the dining room; it’s a huge buffet, with everything from hot options, custom made omelettes, fruit salads and cakes plus salads. The menu for dinner pings to my phone via Whatsapp message every night, a five course extravaganza with local food picked up at each of the destination stops and cooked up into magic by the ship’s chefs.

The free to hire bikes are also great,

and I loved the freedom of cycling along the river, through landscape which felt unexpectedly tropical. Many of the boats so called “U-time activities” come at an additional cost, and are at risk of cancellation. The cancellation of blowkarting on a beach near Haarlem turns out to be a blessing, as I head to Keukenhof in Lisse instead. The tulip garden sees almost 7 million flowers bloom in a huge botanical garden and fields. I wander through the flowers, from garden to garden, amazed by the colours, the smells; my senses are overwhelmed.

It feels so far from the trendy river boat, but perhaps it’s the kind of a perfect marriage of opposites that could make this river cruise work; a one of a kind experience and completely charming in it’s own right.

elevation ~ summer 2018~ skiclub.co.uk

Harriet travelled as a guest of U by Uniworld. U by Uniworld’s (ubyuniworld.com) seven night Rolling on the Rhine cruises from Amsterdam to Frankfurt on The A .Costs from £1,249 per person, based on a double share. 2018 sailings run throughout the summer until 15 September.

SKI CLUB PROMOTION

Photo: Swiss Tourism

SKI CLUB TRAVEL INSURANCE

You probably know that Ski Club Travel Insurance offers specialist cover for skiers and snowboarders, but what you might not know is that it’s perfect for summer holidays as well, with a huge range of activities covered as standard.

Whether you’re simply planning on lying on a beach, or taking part in something a little more adventurous, there’s excellent cover. Activities covered as standard include bungee jumping, white water canoeing, canyoning, inshore sailing, golf, hiking/ trekking, mountain biking and windsurfing.

That’s just a selection – the full list of activities included is huge.

And with children up to the age of 18 covered for free on all family policies, it’s perfect for family holidays, however adventurous your children are.

Of course, if you take out an annual multitrip policy now, you’ll also be covered for next season’s skiing and snowboarding adventures. It’s always advisable to ensure that you have your travel insurance in place as soon as you’ve booked your holiday, so that you’re covered in case of cancellation.

Winter Sports Highlights: Off-piste skiing and snowboarding with or without a guide included Single trip cover up to the age of 85 (75 for multi-trip) Children FREE up to the age of 18 on all family policies Heli-skiing, glacier skiing, backcountry skiing and ski touring all covered You can also upgrade your Ski Club membership to Platinum Membership – and wrap up all your member benefits and the highest level of annual insurance in one great-value package.

Visit skiclubinsurance.co.uk or call 0300 303 2610 for a quote

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WORLDWIDE

Photo: All images Pedal Taiwan

One giant step for bike tours

Above, pedalling along the windswept east coast on the way to Kenting

Top left, descending the Taroko Gorge Top right, cruising on perfect roads in the south

Above, climbing past one of the many temples in the forests outside of Taipei

Talk to many keen cyclists in the UK and they may have scaled Alpe d’Huez, struggled up Mont Ventoux or lapped the 2012 Olympic course at Box Hill.

But how many of them have heard of, let alone ridden, arguably the world’s most challenging climb — Wuling Pass in Taiwan?

Snaking up from sea-level in the coastal town of Hualien to 3,275m (some 500m higher than the mighty Col d’Iseran above Val d’Isère), in little more than 80km of lung-busting uphill, it isn’t for the faint-hearted. Such is the challenge that the most recent Taiwan KOM race up the pass attracted two Tour de France winners — Cadel Evans and Vincenzo Nibali.

This led me to venture out to the island in autumn with Pedal Taiwan, a British company which is the first running guided tours for cyclists in the region. Taiwan is a melting pot of Asian cultures, and the towering mountains, jagged coastline and buzzing cities make it an exciting prospect for cycling.

On day one as we pedalled out of

steamy Taipei, it was clear that the Taiwanese take cycling very seriously.

We sped past two Giant bike shops – the company was founded here and the country has invested billions in cycling infrastructure — along pristine bike lanes.

Once out of the capital, the landscape changed. The high-rise buildings were replaced with lush forests and stunning views of the Pacific, but the immaculate cycle lanes remained. Lunch stops were a particular highlight – steaming hot bowls of beef noodle soup, fresh seafood and spring onion pies kept us fuelled up for our hours in the saddle.

The hills became increasingly large as the tour took us into the mountains around Lishan. With Wuling Pass in our sights, I must admit that after some deliberation we decided to take the easier option of riding down from the top, hopping on a support bus and saving our legs for the rest of the trip. We’d leave the uphill to the pros.

What this did mean was that we could fully appreciate the landscape around us, without the exhaustion of climbing

all day. At the top, the barren summit of Jade Mountain at almost 4,000m dominated the backdrop. As we wound our way down further, we sped past the sheer cliffs of Taroko Gorge and the thundering Taroko River took over to make for an impressive descent.

Then, after reaching the city of Hualien at the base of the gorge, our attentions turned to the coast. The next five days were spent riding along the ragged eastern coastline, via hot springs and aboriginal settlements, to the southern tip of the island and the sandy beaches of Kenting.

So whilst we hadn’t ridden up the Wuling Pass, we’d sped down it, covering well over 1,000km and climbing the equivalent of one and a half Mount Everests.

It won’t remain a secret for long and I will be back – next time I promise I’ll ride up Wuling Pass not down...

elevation ~ summer 2018~ skiclub.co.uk

Chris travelled with Pedal Taiwan (pedaltaiwan. com), on a fully guided autumn tours. Spring tours and bespoke trips are also available.

SKI CLUB BENEFITS

MEMBER DISCOUNTS The Ski Club offers its members a host of discounts at a variety of organisations to help save money both before and on your holiday.

To claim your discount visit skiclub.co.uk/discounts where you will also find full terms and conditions.

ACCOMMODATION WORLDWIDE PowderBeds.com 5% FRANCE Alpe d’Huez Chalets 5% Alpe d’Huez Alps Accommodation 5% Samoëns and Morillon Auberge & Chalets sur la Montagne 10% Sainte Foy Clarian Chalets 10% Portes du Soleil Fresh Tracks Oz en Oisans 10% Oz-en-Oisans Le Chateau d’Oz 10% Oz-en-Oisans Nomadic Ski Holidays 5% Chamonix Ski Cuisine 5% Méribel Ski France 20% Various locations Ski Talini 5% St Martin de Belleville Snow Retreat 5% La Tania Snow Trippin 10% St Martin de Belleville The Tasty Ski Company 10% Morzine, Le Grand Massif Valloire Reservations 12% Valloire SWITZERLAND Chalet Apartment Rentals 15% Verbier Design Hotel Matterhorn Focus 7% Zermatt Ferienart Resort & Spa 10% Saas-Fee Hotel Beau Site 10% Adelboden Hotel Belvedere 10% Wengen Hotel Bristol 5% Saas-Fee Hotel Schweizerhof 12% Pontresina Hotel Silberhorn 10% Wengen Hotel Wengener Hof 10% Wengen Hotel Alpenroyal 10% Zermatt

Silvretta Parkhotel 10% Klosters Sunstar Hotels Group 10% to 15% Wengen Swiss Quality Hotels10% Resorts in Switzerland and Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Germany Verbier Rentals 10% Verbier Grindelwald GriwaRent 5% Hotel Kreuz & Post 20% Hotel Glacier Various discounts AUSTRIA Fun & Spa Hotel Strass 5% Mayrhofen ITALY Maison la saxe 10% Courmayeur Hotel Triolet 10% Courmayeur Muu Village 10% to 20% Folgaria Alpen Hotel Eghel Folgaria 10% Folgaria Livigno Ski Holidays 10% Livigno NORTH AMERICA Holiday Whistler 10% Whistler LeaveTown 6% Alberta, British Columbia, Québec Summit Vacations 20% Breckenridge UK AND IRELAND Britannia Hotels 10% Caledonia House Ireland 15%

TOUR OPERATORS AND TRAVEL AGENTS Absolutely Snow 15%

Crystal Ski Holidays 5% Looking ahead to winter 18/19? Crystal are already taking bookings and you have a 5% Ski Club discount to claim!

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RYA is the National Governing Body of all forms of UK boating.

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Basecamp £250 off 11-week courses Basi (British Association of Snowsport Instructors) EA Ski and Snowboard Training 25% We are Sno £400 off

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TRANSPORT

FINANCIAL Caxton Fx £10 balance on registration WeSwap £10 Free travel money Eurochange Various discounts

SKI LUGGAGE BagSOLO 10% Loqski 10% Piste of Mind 10%

TRANSFERS AlpyBus 10% Ben’s Bus 5% off Grenoble transfers Cham Van 10% Holiday Taxi Innsbruck Airport 5% Le Taxi Savoyard 10% Looking4Transfers Up to 15% Mountain Rescue 10% on Saturday transfers PowderCab Airport Transfers 10% Sea-Lifts 10%

SWISS Up to £30 off flights A new summer discount for members, fly to both Geneva (£30 off) and Zurich (£25 off), with direct flights from Heathrow or London City.

Snow Express 10%

AIRPORT PARKING, HOTELS AND LOUNGES Cophall Parking Gatwick 26% FHR Airport Parking and hotels Up to 25% Holiday Extras Up to 15% Looking4parking Up to 20% Skyparksecure Up to 16% Stress free parking Up to 22%

Ski-Lifts 10% Ski-Lifts transfer over 60,000 passengers to over 200 resorts, in 10 different countries. All with a 10% Ski Club discount.

Whiterides Airport Transfers 10%

FOR CARS Volvo Various discounts

The Roof Box Company 10% APH Airport Parking & Hotels Up to 27% Book your airport parking with APH and receive up to 27% off parking across the UK.

The leading specialist supplier of vehicle loadcarrying gear. The range includes car roof boxes, bike carriers, ski carriers, roof bars, car seat covers, and practical pet products.

Polar Snowchains 15% Sanef Tolling France Free registration

CAR HIRE Rhino Car Hire 15% Zest Car Rental 5%

RESORT SHOPS, RESTAURANTS AND ACTIVITIES WORLDWIDE Skadi 20% Skiset Up to 60% Snowrental Up to 65% ANDORRA Restaurant Parador Canaro Soldeu 10% Hotel Nordic 10% Caldea 12% AUSTRIA Horny B St Anton 10% Alpine Angels Childcare 10% Various locations FRANCE Arc 1950 Freeride Up to 55% Bananas Restaurant Various discounts Val d’Isère Farenheit Seven Restaurant 10% Courchevel & Val Thorens Huski 10% Various resorts Le Vallon Blanc Up to 30% Tignes Massage Me 10% Various locations Polaire Star Up to 25% Bourg St Maurice Precision Ski Up to 55% Prosneige rental Various discounts Various locations Ski Chics Free Hydroflask Ski Republic up to 55% White Storm Up to 55% Various locations Chamonix Bighorn Bistro Various discounts La Moraine Various discounts Restaurant Le Basilic 10% Yogamala 10% Courchevel Aquamotion10% ITALY Courmayeur American Bar 10% Area Mont Blanc Rental Up to 15% La Boite Pizzeria 10% Le Dahu Café 10% Maison la Saxe 10% Le Prive Cocktail Bar 10% Rifugio Maison Vieille 10% Sherpa 3 10% Soffio d’O 10% 4810 Sport Rental shop Various discounts

SKI CLUB BENEFITS

Cervinia Al Solito Posto 10% Cervinia 2001 15% Heliski Cervinia Various discounts Lino’s Bar Cervinia Various discounts Les Skieurs D’Antan 10% Maison Jean Bich di Pers 10% Morange Sport 15% Yeti Bar Happy hour all day SWITZERLAND Andrist Sport 15% Various locations Iglu-Dorf Various discounts Various resorts Portes du Soleil Snowline Sport Shop Up to 25% Meiringen Chalet zum Steg 10% Mürren Craniosacral Therapy Up to 20% Stäger Sport 15% Zermatt Azzurra Sport Up to 15% Bayard Sports 10% Bar z’alt Hischi Up to 25% Edwards Bar 10% Glacier Sport 15% Matterhorn Glacier Paradise 20% Matterhorn Sport 10% Schweizerhof Kamin Bar 10% Silvana Mountain Spa 10% Whymper Stube Various discounts NORTH AMERICA Alpenhof Lodge and Bistro Jackson Hole 20% SOUTH AMERICA Powder South Heliski 10%

SHOPPING Absolute-Snow.co.uk 15% Banana Moon Clothing 10% Battersea Ski servicing 20% Bawbags 20% BBCO Headwear 15% Blacks 20% Burnt Custard 20% Chelston Direct 10% Carv Digital Ski Coach Various discounts Cotswold Outdoor 15% Craigdon Mountain Sports 15% Cycle Surgery Up to 15% Drift Innovation Action Cameras 20% Elliot Brown watches 10% Ellis Brigham 10% Ember 15% Finches Emporium 10% Freetime Mountain Sports Various discounts Freeze Pro Shop 10% Friski Wear 15%

Aquapac International 20% Best known for waterproof smartphone cases, Aquapac now offer a selection of backpacks, waistpacks and waterproof luggage.

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GO Outdoors an extra 10% With over 60 stores nationwide and a massive range of outdoor products, GO Outdoors offer an extra 10% off the Discount Card price Mountain Warehouse 15% Nature Shop 5% Nevisport 10%

iExtreme 20% With a love and passion for skateboarding, skiing and snowboarding, iExtreme design and produce stunning equipment with amazing graphics.

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GYM, FITNESS AND LEISURE Arthur Beale: London’s Yacht Chandler 10% Alpine French School £25 off Focus Study Tours £100 off H2Fitness 15% discount and no joining fee JK Physiotherapy 15% MD Physio 15% RYA 50% Serena Stubbs Orthotist 10% SkiA Ski Trainer 15% Skifitness 20% Ski-Mojo 10% Step-Inside Yoga for skiers 15% Train 2 Ski 50%

ARTIFICIAL SLOPES Ackers Outdoor Activity Centre 10% Alpine Snowsports Aldershot 10% Bearsden Ski & Board 10% Bowles Snowsports Centre 10%

Bracknell Ski Centre 20% Brentwood Ski & Snowboard Centre Various discounts Carlisle Snowsports 10% Chel-Ski 20% Chill Factore Up to 20% Dorset Snowsport Centre 50% Exeter & District Ski Club 20% Firpark Ski Centre 20% Folkstone Ski Centre 10% Glasgow Ski Centre 10% Gosling Ski & Board Centre 10% Llandudno Ski and Snowboard Centre 10% Mendip Snowsport Centre 10% Newmilns Dry Ski Slope 10% Norfolk Snowsports Club 25% Plymouth Ski Centre 10% Runcorn Ski Centre Junior rate for adults Sandown Ski Centre 10% Cardiff Ski and Snowboard Centre 20% Ski Rossendale 10% SkiEasy 20% Snowtrax — Outdoor Activity Centre 10% Snozone Castleford and Milton Keynes 10% Southampton Alpine Centre 10% Suffolk Ski Centre 15% Sunderland Snowsports Centre Up to 30% Swadlincote Ski & Snowboard Centre 10% Tamworth Snowdome £15 discount The Snow Centre Hemel Hempstead 10% Torquay Alpine Ski Club 10%

All discounts are based on information available at the time of going to press.

All are subject to partners’ terms and conditions and are subject to change without prior warning.

See skiclub.co.uk/ discounts for further information or call Member Services on 020 8410 2015

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Saving you money on more than just your ski holiday Although we’re the Ski Club of Great Britain, when we can’t get our skis out in the summer, we still need our fix of mountains, fresh air and stunning views. There’s a huge variety of summer discounts, so make the most of your Ski Club membership year round with discounts on your summer holiday.

Happy discounting!

Tour operators, chalets, hotels and apartments If you’re as comfortable on a bike as you are on skis, our partnership with Première Vélo gives you 10% off their bespoke cycling holidays based in Sainte Foy. With the Tour de France right on their doorstep, your bucket list trip is here. Alternatively, if you’re keen to explore the Alps in the summer, but not just on a bike, Première Summer offer a variety of summer mountain holidays!

Love boating? Then why not join the association that promotes and protects safe, successful and rewarding British boating. Join the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) today and take advantage of free advice and support on all aspects of your boating, as well as enjoying a range of fantastic personal member offers.

Getting to your holiday Road trips are a great way to take a holiday; but if you are taking bikes, or have too much luggage and need extra space, head to The Roof box Company where you’ll have a huge selection of choice and 10% off with the Ski Club.

Make use of your membership with airport parking. APH have car parks at various UK airports with up to 27% off and Stress Free Parking have a 22% discount for Ski Club members.

Our partnership with SWISS has been extended so fly from across the UK to Zurich (£25 off) and Geneva (£30 off) and explore the mountains this summer.

Save up to £30

Clothing, equipment and accessories

Prices are per person, based on a booking for two adults, for June.

GO Outdoors stock a huge range of outdoor products and offer an extra 10% off the Discount Card price online and in over 60 stores nationwide.

Save up to £220

Post-holiday Occasionally we can all feel a little bit full of aches and pains.

When you do want to work these out, we partner with a variety of physiotherapists such as 20% off at MD Physio and 15% off at JK Physiotherapy. If you’re looking to maintain your summer fitness join our gym partner, H2 Fitness, in Victoria and Soho with a 15% discount and no joining fee.

As well as the essentials, your Ski Club discount gets you money off a variety of accessories such as Aquapac, who produce waterproof smart phone cases (20% off). Protect your eyes this summer with a new, extended deal across sunglasses & goggles at the Sunglasses Shop (20% off).

If you’re thinking about your 2018/19 kit, iExtreme produce great skis, snowboards and skateboards, with amazing designs. Tested in Italy by freeride skiers, use your 20% Ski Club discount with iExtreme.

Save up to £100

Save up to £50

Currency

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Ski Club have partnered with both WeSwap and Caxton FX to provide you £10 free currency on your currency card. WeSwap cards can now be used around the world as well.

Save up to £10

Total savings, up to £400 with your Ski Club discounts We’re always adding partners to our portfolio so stay updated on the discounts page. Additionally, if you’re visiting a ski resort in the summer and would love a Ski Club discount at your favourite restaurant, or at your favourite retailer, send an email to james.connor@skiclub.co.uk All individual T&C’s apply.

ONLINE

Adventure advice aplenty with Mountain Tracks blog Mountain Tracks, the Ski Club’s mountaineering specialists, have an action-packed blog with articles to help you make the most of your summer Alpine adventures.

Training for high altitude climbing starts at home, and the blog on summer preparation shares useful pointers focusing on the cardiovascular and fitness benefits. When it comes to packing, you might have your own list of essentials, but a list approved by a mountain guide might flag up some handy items. But it’s not just what you pack, it’s how you pack it – discover the benefits of packing your bag right on the blog.

The Mountain Tracks blog is an invaluable resource for anyone heading out in the hills or mountains this summer. Learn more at mountaintracks.co.uk/blog

Mountain Tracks’ blog is full of advice, from packing to fitness tips

SKI+BOARD MAGAZINE RETURNS IN THE AUTUMN

The October issue We send one writer to ski from the summit of Mont Blanc, and take part in the wackiest of ski races Plus all the usual regulars, like news, the new freeride skis and freestyle snowboards, plus fitness

Past issues Did you know you can read back issues of Ski+board online? Head to skiclub. co.uk/skiandboard for more...

The Alpine Guide to Austria comes to the Ski Club’s YouTube channel Summer in the mountains can feel like a slow burner but there are moments for extreme sports too. The Ski Club’s video team discovered this first hand, when last year they returned to popular ski resorts in the Austrian Tirol in the summer. And of course, they documented exactly what they got up to along the way.

The Alpine Guides go on a journey to the Austrian Alps to take you through the area, with helpful information to save you time and money along the way. You can check these videos out at youtube.com/thesnowcast

To find out more visit

skiclub.co.uk

SKI CLUB PROMOTION

aged 18 to 25 and passionate about snowsports?

Applications are open for a brand new award that offers a young skier or snowboarder the chance to experience expert mountain training including technique, safety, on-snow leading and snowcraft.

The Ski Club Young Leader Award, in memory of Frank McCusker, offers the recipient the chance to attend the Ski Club Leaders Course in the Alps in December 2018, and become a Ski Club Leader during the 2018-19 season. The award aims to encompass the values of Frank, former CEO of the Ski Club, who passed away in summer 2017.

Photo: Melody Sky

The Leaders Course lasts for 12 days, with skiing and instruction during the day, and evening seminars. If the recipient passes the course, they will be guaranteed a Leading slot in one of 18 resorts for the 2018-19 season. The course has previously been run in both Zermatt and Tignes and normally costs around £3,000. This year’s location will be confirmed shortly. Applicant interviews will be held in September and October.

The award includes: • Return flights from London, plus transfers • Standard individual membership to the Ski Club of Great Britain for one year • The Leaders Course, which includes half board accommodation on a twin share basis, lift pass, Leaders’ uniform, and a performance clinic – three half days BASI technique instruction, plus eight days training with mountain guides and BASI instructors.

To enter you must be: • Aged 18-25 on 1 December 2018 • Available to attend the Leaders Course on 1-14 December • Able to ski, snowboard to an expert or advanced level.

More information can be found at

www.skiclub.co.uk/news-and-events/ the-ski-club-young-leader-award

Let’s go Somewhere 15% discount for Ski Club GB members using the code AF-SKIGB-M5 in-store and online.

You can also use your discount with: Proud to support

snowandrock.com | runnersneed.com | cyclesurgery.com Full T&Cs apply. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer or discount. Selected lines are exempt.

10% discount only on bikes. Only valid upon production of your Ski Club GB membership identification in-store or use of valid discount code online. Offer expires 31.12.18.

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