5 Amazing Eco Ski Wonderlands

As published in ZME Science (May, 2012)
Skiing is about connecting with Mother Nature, unfortunately however ski resorts can have a negative effect on the environment because of the energy consumption of the chairlifts, grooming and snow-making machines. In recent years more ski resorts have begun to understand the importance of being eco friendly and protecting the environment where they can.
The Ski Club of Great Britain has a green resort guide outlining how environmentally friendly each ski resort is, from this we have chosen our top five eco friendly ski resorts which will help you to feel less guilty about the environmental impact your holiday will have. All the resorts we have picked have been ISO14001 approved which is a worldwide standard of environmental management.

Saas Fee (picture attached), Switzerland

Consistently ranked as one of the top eco friendly ski resorts in the world, Saas Fee is a typical picturesque resort with plenty of alpine charm. Like most Swiss resorts Saas Fee is car-free and it recently was awarded second place, Zermatt came first, by Transport and Environment Association for its excellent environmentally friendly transport system. There are bio chalets which have been renovated to environmental standards using sustainable materials. All of the chalets have a commitment to reducing energy use, recycling and waste management.

Kaprun, Austria
This family friendly resort prides itself on its attention to preserving the environment and has ongoing efforts to minimise the environmental impact of the resort. Kaprun uses renewable energy sources, such as solar, to power its lifts and carries out environmental works annually, including tree and grass planting by using eco friendly techniques. The resort also promotes car free days and has electro bicycles, scooters and Segways which guests can hire in addition to the re-charge stations for electro vehicles.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming (USA)Jackson Hole strives to keep its resort as eco-friendly as possible and was recently given an ‘A’ on its environmental report card. Officials of the resort have signed a cap-and-trade approach for reducing carbon emissions and its recycles around a third of its waste, additionally it recycles all of its cooking oil and uses it as fuel for one of its vehicles, something it is hoping to expand. The resort has pushed for energy efficiency and environmental stewardship and has recently purchased four-stroke skidoos which are said to be less polluting than the two-stroke machines. The resort also boasts eco-friendly accommodation, the most well-known being Hotel Terra with luxury ski chalets and catered ski chalets which combines environmentally sustainable building with a luxury ski experience.

Avoriaz, FranceCommitted to being an environmentally friendly resort since it was first built, Avoriaz is a car-free resort with the majority of its accommodation boasting ski in ski out access. However if you want transport around the resort there is the option of horse and sleigh. The roofs of the buildings are designed to retain snow which is turns acts as a heat insulator. In addition all of the trees that had to be removed for the resort to be built have subsequently been replaced. Avoriaz is also home to Europe’s first eco friendly snow park ‘The Stash’. This completely natural park uses wood, trees, dirt and rock to create its jibs and features rather than environmentally harmful metals and plastics. It was also one of the first resorts to begin using the quieter and less polluting electric skidoos.

Aspen, Colorado (USA)
Aspen has built a solar array which produces enough electricity to power 20 homes as well as also developing a small hydroelectric plant on Snowmass Mountain. Over the next eight years Aspen has committed to reducing its carbon emissions by 25 percent across 2000 levels. Aspen has also put new green building regulations in place which will apply to new buildings and has donated over a million dollars to local environment causes through its environmental foundation.

30th anniversary of the Allalin Races – Feel the burn on the glacier

Legendary Allalin Races celebrate 30th anniversary in 2012.

On 13 and 14 April it will once again be time to say: on the slopes, get set, go!

The two-day event will see over 1,000 participants race the almost 9 km course, descending from 3,600 metres into the valley at 1,800 m. World-famous skier Silvan Zurbriggen will once again be at the starting gate. For 30 years the Allalin Races in Saas-Fee have been part of the Super Vier –a series of the top four amateur downhill races in Switzerland.
Each year the races and after-parties attract ambitious amateur racers as well as winter sports fans who join in simply for the fun of taking part. Alongside the races, there will, of course, be a colourful and varied programme of events. An array of charmingly decorated wooden chalets will be offering a feast of delights at the festival site. They include a wine/champagne bar, a raclette hut, a barbecue lodge or an Asian food stand.A fun party atmosphere is guaranteed, with live music starting from 11 a.m.and going on into the night. There are also many attractions for kids, including face painting and a bouncy castle. To top it off, Silvan Zurbriggen –the famous World Cup skier from the Upper Valais – will be mingling with the crowds on Saturday. Zurbriggen will take part in individual races before giving interviews and even conducting a few of his own on the village square. Fans of all ages will then be able to pick up an autograph from the star skier.
Just over 1,000 participants have registered so far for the 2012 Allalin Races.This gives the organisers strong hopes of surpassing last year’s number ofparticipants and seeing the event’s popularity continue to rise. A total of 552 skiers have already registered for the individual races. The categories with the highest numbers of participants are "Individual Men’s 18 –35" and "Individual Men’s 36 – 50", each with almost 200 on the starting list. At the moment 373 people are registered for the team races. They make up 66 teams in the "Team Race", 23 in the "Fun Team Race" and two in the "Team Snowboarding Race". In addition, 144 skiers have signed up for the His and Hers Race.
This year, most participants in the Allalin Races are from Switzerland (over 90 percent), whilst 5.8 percent are from Germany. The rest come from Italy, the UK, Spain and Austria. Among the Swiss participants, the highest proportion comes from Berne (43 percent), considerably more than the 12 percent from the Valais region. Close behind are the skiers from Aargau, who make up just under 11 percent, and from Zurich, who make up 8.9 percent. Hardly any skiers from Eastern Switzerland have registered.The oldest male participant comes from Germany. Born in 1936, he is participating in the highest glacier downhill race in the world at the grand oldage of 76. The oldest woman, born in 1949, will be competing at the age of63. The youngest male competitor is 16 and the youngest female 19. Invitation to all over-all winners from the past 30 years For the 30th edition of the Allalin Races, the organisers have come up with a very special idea. All the over-all winners from the past 30 years have been personally invited to this special occasion. For several of the former competitors this is sure to be a happy reunion with like-minded people and a chance to indulge in unforgettable memories of lightning-speed descents, comic moments and fierce competition. It will certainly be a great opportunity for all involved to enjoy the races in a jovial environment and to be up close tothe action once more.

9th Glacier Bike Downhill Race in Saas-Fee

On March 24th, 2012 the 9th annual Glacier Downhill Bike Race will be held in Saas-Fee. This is no usual ride over hill and dale. Rather this race goes over ice and snow down to the glacier village. The riders will start en mass at 3’500m. During the first half of the race, enthralling fights are guaranteed to ensue for the lead position. It’s a race without spikes and of high velocity, with riders reaching speeds of 144 km/h. This year, the prize pool has a total value of 5‘000 Swiss Francs.
The mass start is on the Mittelallalin station at an altitude of 3’500m and goes down over the snowy and icy slopes to the glacier village at 1’800m. The riders have to manage 1’700 metres of altitude difference and 7 km of distance. First they ride on a narrow trail along the Fee glacier, which leads them to the panorama hill. For less experienced racers this is a real challenge. The hill is steep and has to be crossed at high speed. On this part of the trail, riders have been measured, per GPS, travelling at speeds of about 144 km/h.
Further down, the ride leads past the restaurant Morenia before entering the Valley run. This is going to be a very exciting part of the race with extremely steep passages, flat transits and narrow curves, and it is a real assessment of the rider and his material. The last part of the ride, a very flat passage, needs strength to be managed. The outcome of the race is often decided during this section of the course.
Shortly before the finish, the route becomes a little steeper. After reaching the desired end of the race, the award ceremony will take place and in the evening the riders party will be held at the Metropol Nightlife.