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Fin de neige à l'amusement

Il est officiellement le temps de regarder le nord, les gens, car c'est là où la neige tombe maintenant et nous avons des photos de le prouver.

Si vous êtes un pro comme Mike Douglas Salomon Freeski alors vous avez probablement entré dans un hélicoptère et déjà prises pour la poudre fraîche qui est tombée la semaine dernière à Whistler Blackcomb . Nous avons les photos de prouver que trop (merci Mike).

Le reste d'entre nous peut saliver dans notre après-midi café et commencer à faire des plans tout en Amérique du Nord commence à parler de La Nina et comment elle va faire un hiver épique. En Jackson Hole , Wyoming, elle a déjà fait. Ils revendiquent plus d'un mètre de neige déjà. Oui, oui, nous avons les photos pour le prouver.

Nous avons aussi des photos de photographes les meilleurs d'Australie de neige et nous voulons que vous votiez pour le photographe de la saison et GAGNEZ votre propre appareil photo afin que vous puissiez nous faire saliver trop.

Lisez la suite pour la photo de la saison

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 13:43
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Riding haute - la prise de drogue dans les stations de neige

La gondole à Jackson Hole est appelé le «ganjala 'pour une bonne raison. Faites un tour au sommet de La Mecque du Wyoming en poudre connue pour ski de pente raide et profond sérieux bonne et se préparer à ouvrir une fenêtre, retenez votre souffle ou inhaler.

"Dérange si je fume" demandé à un gars comme il a ouvert un évent dans la cabine sur mon premier séjour à Jackson. L'autre couple dans la nacelle ont haussé les épaules et j'ai donc pensé à trois contre un règle de la majorité destinés, jusqu'à ce que je sentait ce qu'il fumait.

Dieu sait pourquoi j'étais tellement choqué. J'ai été dans l'industrie depuis assez longtemps pour reconnaître l'arôme piquant de hachage ou de mauvaises herbes, mais je n'avais jamais connu quelqu'un d'ouvertement toke sur un tout commun dans la présence des étrangers en captivité. Il est clair que j'avais été la tête d'une vie protégée.

Lisez la suite pour en savoir plus sur la prévalence des drogues dans les stations de ski à travers le monde

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 24:04
• Commentaires (18)

Sky is the limit: guide pour débutants à l'héli-ski

Le ski et de snowboard du monde est divisé en deux. Ceux qui ont l'héli-skié et ceux qui n'en ont pas. Ceux qui ont narguer ceux qui n'ont pas avec des queues de terrain de haute montagne extrême, la poudre sans fin et les virages du noyau dur. Ceux qui n'ont pas prévisible trembler de peur.

Je suis ici pour vous dire la vérité. Si vous pouvez faire du ski tous les entrants pistes de villégiature commerciaux en Australie et en Nouvelle-Zélande, puis vous pouvez l'héli-ski. Le mythe selon lequel l'héli-ski est seulement pour le malade mental criminel est maintenu en vie par de ski et de snowboard longs métrages où les fous vraiment-pour-un-vie professionnels sautent à partir d'hélicoptères, bascule sur le bord de 60 degrés pentes verticales et les avalanches course vers le bas la montagne. La vérité, cependant, est beaucoup plus docile.

Avec le dollar australien frappant à 99 cents US et déjà un pour un avec le dollar canadien, le moment est venu de réaliser ce rêve d'héliski en Amérique du Nord cette saison à venir. Si vous pensez que vous n'avez pas ce qu'il faut, détrompez-vous.

Lisez la suite pour un guide pour les débutants à l'héli-ski

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 24:42
• Commentaires (0)

So You Think You Can ski?

Celui-ci est pour les fanfarons. Ces mecs costauds grands qui parlent haut et fort sur le télésiège au sujet de leur capacité de ski et l'équitation, ceux de ski et snowboard ascenseur-nazis qui ont peu de patience pour les apprenants ou des minuteries premiers, ces gens qui jonchent leur barre de pare-chocs avec des autocollants de villégiature et le poivre de leur conversation avec le mots des héli »et« couloir ».

Donc vous pensez que vous pouvez faire du ski? Eh bien, nous avons parcouru le monde pour trouver les grands garçons avec accès station, ceux de ski accessibles-encore-extrême et de planche à neige pistes qui permettra de tester votre courage. Nous les appelons les «zones d'automne»; vous pouvez les appeler un désir de mort. De toute façon, cochez ces bébés de votre liste et ensuite viens nous voir.

Lisez la suite pour les droits de plus grands baddest vanter dans le monde du ski et de snowboard

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 13:37
• Commentaires (9)

Faire du ski de l'argent en Nouvelle-Zélande ce printemps

Neige Il a tout jamais été très bien avec la météo, la météorologie n'était pas mon fort à l'école. Mais vous n'avez pas à être Tim Bailey de savoir que le vortex polaire qui a enfermé l'air froid dans l'Antarctique cet hiver est en panne et se dirigea vers la Nouvelle-Zélande. Traduit? L'île du Sud de la Nouvelle-Zélande écopé tout un tas de neige de l'hiver frais et sec la semaine dernière avec plus sur le chemin.

Nouvelles encore meilleures pour les Australiens sont les plus faibles dollar néo-zélandais. Au moment de la rédaction, un dollar équivalait à 1,30 $ Aussie en argent Kiwi. En d'autres termes, une remontée d'une journée passer à la montagne meilleure famille en Nouvelle-Zélande, Cardrona, vous coûtera 68 $ de dollars australiens.

Si vous versez vos dollars durement gagnés dans les Aussie stations de ski de Canterbury, puis vous aurez aussi faire votre part pour aider la terre secouée folk et l'économie de Christchurch et ses environs.

Économisez de l'argent, donner en retour et de la poudre de ski? C'est un gagnant.

Lisez la suite pour savoir comment tirer le meilleur parti de la fin de l'hiver néo-zélandais et du dollar échec.

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 11:35
• Commentaires (2)

Alimentaire des aliments pas si glorieux - pourquoi la neige a besoin de Masterchef

Ce petit cochon ne peut pas faire ses pantalons de ski et le ski avec sa mouche en berne. Pour le dire simplement mon top muffin est maintenant un flan. Je ne me dérangerait pas si le nombre de livres supplémentaire était dû à certains repas au sérieux bonnes mais j'ai passé la plupart de la saison dans les champs de neige australiens où la saveur, la nutrition et de la valeur pour l'argent ne vont pas toujours main dans la main potelée.

Le champs de neige ont un marché captif et ils le savent. Une fois que vous êtes dans une station de ski australienne ou sur une montagne de Nouvelle-Zélande, c'est un long trajet de retour sur le marché des fruits locaux pour obtenir de la nourriture fraîche. Le même lecteur à long les montagnes utiliser comme un «prétexte» pour le coût élevé de l'eau embouteillée, frites chaudes ou une barre de chocolat.

J'ai eu quelques shockers cette saison, incluant réchauffé pré-emballés curry servi en tant que près de 30 principale avec un micro-ondes crumble d'une boîte de surgelés pour un dessert. Puis il ya eu les nachos sur-montagne qui sont venus avec du guacamole à partir d'une baignoire et les cheveux d'un chef dans les croustilles de maïs (noice).

La cerise sur le gâteau pour la valeur nutritive est venu quand j'ai demandé un café s'ils avaient quelque chose saine tout en parcourant leur vitrine. Le propriétaire a répondu «oui nous avons des biscuits et des muffins. De toute évidence la Fondation du cœur (et MasterChef) ne l'a pas fait ci-dessus la limite des neiges.

Lisez la suite pour le meilleur et le pire de la nourriture sur les champs de neige.

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 10:55
• Commentaires (15)

Les héros méconnus de la neige

Quand j'ai envoyé un e-mail demandant à mes contacts neige pour des héros méconnus de la neige «J'ai reçu la réponse suivante.

"Vous me montrer quelqu'un dans la neige qui ne chante pas leurs propres louanges, et je vais vous montrer un éléphant volant."

Il avait un bon point. La neige a tendance à attirer une foule d'auto-gratifiant où l'auto-praisers parler eux-mêmes à l'heure jusqu'à apres.

Il ya certaines gens alpin, cependant, qui font partie intégrante dans le respect industrie de la neige de l'Australie en vie et sont tout simplement trop occupé à la tâche de s'entendre avec elle pour envoyer un communiqué de presse dans le monde sur eux-mêmes. Ils n'ont même pas un compte Facebook.

Puis il ya ceux qui passent leur fonds de réserve heure soulever ou de redonner à la communauté, ou de formation pour représenter leur pays, ou sauver des vies sur une base quotidienne. I pour un stand humilié devant les

Alors préparez-vous à faire ressortir Dumbo mon ami cynique.

Lisez la suite pour désigner votre héros méconnu de la neige.

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 11:51
• Commentaires (0)

Bleus Booze - binge drinking à la neige

Là où il ya de la neige, il ya l'alcool.

«Apres des français est pour consommation excessive d'alcool quand les gens en Europe de ski dans les pubs sur les pistes et directement dans des bouteilles de mauvais goût fusée à combustible de type schnaps que ne sortent que quand la température est en dessous de zéro. Les Européens inventé le ski et ils ont inventé la boisson qui va avec.

Les Australiens sont déjà connus pour notre Lassez-faire attitude à l'égard de la bouteille alcool (une barbie n'est pas une barbie, compagnon sans un baril ou dix) de sorte qu'il serait impoli de ne pas boire à des champs de neige australiens, non?

Il est, après tout, un badge d'honneur à être refusé au service de Kooroora Buller ou Keller Thredbo où les pieds, et de l'intégrité, la religion s'en tenir à la parole. Si vous êtes refusé de servir ici, vous devez être martelé.

Nulle part ailleurs dans le monde, en dehors d'Ibiza, est beuverie si vénéré comme à une station de ski. Jaigermeister ont sans doute fait la plupart de leurs milliards au-dessus de la ligne de neige et l'invention du ski tir (un ski avec quatre ou cinq verres soudés à celui-ci) encourage l'amour communal à travers la bouteille.

C'est bien du plaisir, non? Jusqu'à ce que quelqu'un se blesse, leur boisson se cramponnées ou ils meurent.

Lisez la suite pour plus de faits qui donnent à réfléchir sur la culture potable à la neige.

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 12:24
• Commentaires (11)

Septembre est le nouveau Août - les meilleurs ressorts inflige désormais

Poudreuse à Hotham week-end dernier (Photo: Mark Tsukasov).

Les lecteurs de neige It All sont pour certains en exclusivité Septembre actualisée traite à la neige cette saison.

Je suis un sceptique de la neige à partir chemin du retour. Quand un journaliste de la neige déclare la neige comme «sec comme du Colorado avec des coups de visage pour tous:« Je s'esclaffer dans mon cou, mais gater même je ne pouvais pas nier les conditions de neige en Australie la semaine dernière.

Je me tiens sur la tombe de ma grand-mère et honnêtement déclarer j'ai skié la neige meilleur resort j'ai skié en Australie et en Nouvelle-Zélande, le mercredi la semaine dernière et je vais même aller jusqu'à dire que la neige était comme la lumière et sec comme la neige, j'ai skié dans le monde au Japon bar.

Août est venu par le biais des produits d'épargne de neige l'industrie de la neige en 2010, après un super Juillet sec qui a eu l'industrie du ski dans le désespoir. Tant les victoriens et de la Nouvelle-Galles du Sud domaines skiables ont enregistré près de deux mètres et demi de chute de neige en Août seul.

Il était le plus enneigé du Août en vingt-cinq ans et tous les signes conduire à plus de neige sur le chemin en Septembre. Nouvelles encore mieux, c'est le manque de files d'attente de levage que la saison se déplace dans le ressort ainsi obtenir votre matériel de ski et de snowboard fesses vers le bas pour les Alpes Aussie. Si vous avez eu de rabais sur vos vacances d'hiver cette année, c'est maintenant le temps de marquer à la fois un peu de neige sérieux et de sérieuses économies. La plage sera toujours là, la neige ne sera pas.

Neige It All aime à partager l'amour de sorte que nous avons fait la recherche pour vous les meilleurs prix sur l'offre dans les champs de ski de l'Australie en septembre prochain, y compris des offres exclusives pour Snow Il Tous les lecteurs.

Lisez la suite pour quelques économies méga pour Snow Il Tous les lecteurs au cours de ce mois Septembre neige épique.

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 16:14
• Commentaires (8)

Vie et mort sur ​​le champs de neige

McGuiness Lachlan concurrence dans le procès de sa sœur mémoire du temps. Crédit photo: Randy Wiemen de Hotshots .

Lorsque Amelia McGuiness sourit le monde était un endroit meilleur. La dynamique de seize ans aimait skier et c'est ce qu'elle aimait qui l'a tuée, sur les pentes de Perisher il ya douze mois cette semaine. Alors que le ski avec des amis au cours de la semaine du concours interschools, Amelia a heurté un arbre et il est mort, dévastant sa famille l'agriculture et de la vaste communauté de New South Wales école de ski.

Elle n'est pas la première à voir sa vie écourtée en faisant du ski. Cette année seulement, a vu un certain nombre de tragédies sur les champs de neige de l'Australie et la Nouvelle-Zélande. Quatre personnes sont mortes sur Mt Hutt à Canterbury sur l'île du Sud de la Nouvelle-Zélande cette année, l'une sur la route d'accès et trois sur la montagne dans des incidents séparés.

Mt Buller a eu deux décès cette saison dont un enfant de vingt-deux années qui a perdu son chemin après avoir quitté le pub le soir. Alors que l'éminent journaliste, Michael Meagher, 55, est décédé à Perisher en frappant un arbre.

Lisez la suite pour en savoir plus sur la prise de risque dans les domaines skiables

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 07:55 AM
• Commentaires (5)

Ski Racing, le sport oublié

Mettons-nous une chose au clair, je ne suis pas un fan de Lycra sur la colline de ski. Lycra devrait être laissée à ceux dont les corps n'ont pas encore de retourner vers le sud à la terre d'où ils venaient.

Je n'ai jamais été grande sur les courses de ski alpin, je blâme le Lycra. Le ski de compétition en Australie n'est pas un sport glamour tout simplement parce que nos coureurs sont usurpés par les antennes, bosses et cadre médaille snowboard. En dehors de Zali Stegall à quand remonte la dernière fois que vous avez vu un coureur alpin sur le podium olympique arborant le vert et l'or?

Lisez la suite pour la verité sur les raisons de ski de compétition australienne devrait être sous les projecteurs

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 12:45
• Commentaires (15)

Il n'y a plus d'une façon à la peau une montagne

Les hélicoptères peuvent être le nouveau noir du monde de ski mais un peu ancienne puissance pied façonné fait un retour et n'oubliez pas que vous avez entendu ici en premier.

Quand j'ai commencé à skier je moqué de ces gens en pantalon en lycra de marche jusqu'à la colline avec des bâtons de ski. Je pensais qu'ils avaient perdu leurs skis jusqu'à ce que je baissai les yeux et remarqué leurs bottes trek.

J'ai ensuite s'esclaffa les sbires sur les bords des frontières station de cerclage raquettes à leurs pieds, prêts à sortir clochard parmi les gommes de neige. Pourquoi aller vers le haut quand vous pouvez aller vers le bas? Pensai-je.

Ski et snowboard peuvent être des activités de glamour stations de ski avec la mode vêtements rockstar pour correspondre, mais n'écrivez pas hors ceux bonnet noir portant les gens avec les thermiques et de laine pour l'instant.

Lisez la suite pour les autres moyens de se faire plaisir sur une pente de ski

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 11:25
• Commentaires (5)

Bledisnow tasse - Australie ou en Nouvelle-Zélande?

Il est depuis longtemps une rivalité naturelle entre les Australiens et les Kiwis, quelque chose pavlova et Phar Lap, et le monde de la neige n'est pas différent. Les spécialistes du marketing de Nouvelle-Zélande ont injecté des millions de dollars à parler à leurs champs de neige pour le touriste encaissés jusqu'à Aussie qui reçoit un supplément de 20 cents néo-zélandais pour tous grâce dollar australien au taux de change.

Mais l'argent de côté, la Nouvelle-Zélande est vraiment mieux que le ski en Australie?

Lisez la suite pour le plus bas sur les néo-zélandais par rapport ski Aussie plus votre chance de GAGNER un casque Giro et un kit de lunettes.

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 11:35
• Commentaires (55)

La romance de neige - playboys de la neige

Chaque station de ski dispose d'un bar, vous devez être sérieux, même ivre pour envisager de conclure. Vous savez que vous avez eu un peu lorsque vous vous trouvez dans le Keller à Thredbo ou le Kooroora dans Buller avec vos pieds collés au sol d'alcool détrempée.

A cette heure la plupart des gens ont perdu leurs consonnes et les voyelles sont de revenir à communiquer. Pourquoi? Parce que quelqu'un quelque part a décidé que la poire carburant de fusée infuse et la neige vont de pair.

C'est dans ces moments-là que les lunettes de bière de sortir et les vacanciers sans méfiance sont jetés sur les playboys locales qui changent leurs partenaires de danse chaque semaine.

Croyez-moi, l'amour vrai se trouve rarement quand les lumières s'allument au moment de la fermeture ...

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 10:04
• Commentaires (6)

Façon de neige avant - les progrès dans le monde de la neige

Skieurs et snowboarders d'aujourd'hui ont eu la tâche facile. Imaginez randonnée au sommet d'une crête de montagne dans un pantalon de laine mouillée avec du cuir à lacets des bottes et des skis que mince et droite comme cure-dents, puis la poudre, de la glace de négociation, la neige fondante, crud et de la poudre, espérons en savoir plus sur le ski vers le bas.

Oui, oui, nous savons qu'il ya là-bas êtres barbus dans les collines qui font toujours cela pour le plaisir. La rumeur, c'est qu'ils vivent à l'extérieur de barres granola et dormir dans des grottes de glace, mais même ce qu'elles s'enclenchent en plus tard en fibre de carbone télémark engrenage et Don tissu respirant (dieu merci) pour y arriver.

Quille vêtements de couleur claire, un casque Skullcandy et des caméras de casque de côté, les skieurs et snowboarders d'aujourd'hui ont beaucoup de la technologie à remercier pour le confort nous avons maintenant l'expérience sur la colline. Nous ne parlons pas des chocolats chauds et des feux ouverts soit.

Lisez la suite pour les avancées technologiques qui ont changé la façon dont nous ski et de snowboard et votre chance de GAGNER un casque Giro G10 et des lunettes

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 11:47
• Commentaires (20)

Bang pour votre argent de la neige - les moins chers stations du monde

À l'époque de ma mère, il était impoli de parler d'argent. Mais un dollar allé beaucoup plus loin à l'époque. Maintenant que tu serais la chance d'avoir un quart d'une bouteille d'eau de source à un domaine skiable pour un dollar et ma mère serait heureuse de le faire en bas de la pente encore debout, de la bénir.

Heureusement pour nous il ya encore quelques stations de ski dans ce monde où le dollar australien vous feront vivre comme un roi. Où vous êtes assez changer à partir d'un billet de 100 $ pour faire le plein sur un repas de trois plats après que vous avez acheté votre billet de remontée.

Je peux vous entendre railler, en secouant la tête et dans votre tutting chocolat chaud - oh ye de peu de foi.

Lisez la suite pour obtenir les meilleurs du monde vacances à la neige et la valeur de votre chance de gagner une paire pour elle et lui de Dragon Lunettes

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 10:46
• Commentaires (47)

Charité bien ordonnée commence la neige

J'ai pris le ski comme un adulte et toujours senti que je ne «assez c'est fait" parce que je n'ai pas quitter le ventre de ma mère avec des skis de slalom attachés à mes pieds. Je ne dis pas les cliques de Thredbo et Buller regardé vers le bas leur nez goggled de moi, mais je dis qu'ils regardé directement à travers moi. Je peux aussi bien avoir été un snowboarder vers 1985.

Le ski est un sport exclusif, ce qui ne signifie pas toujours qu'il est accueillant pour ceux qui peuvent se le permettre. Le coût empêche seule de nombreuses personnes de passer le parc national de portes et de tout le sou des écoles privées ne sont pas propriétaires des domaines skiables qu'elle finance que les clubs de course.

Puis il ya les fanfarons et hards filière qui ont toujours été un endroit plus grand ou mieux que vous et skié ou roulé plus fort et plus rapide.

Mais comme la plupart des communautés du monde de la neige peut être incroyablement fidèle et ces preneurs de marque nous entrons dans leur élément, quand on donne de leur propre obtient dans l'ennui.

Lisez la suite pour la verité sur qui est de redonner à la neige et gagner de l'vêtements pour elle et lui Burton

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 11:35
• Commentaires (11)

Cents de neige - est le ski en Australie en vaut la peine?

(Cliquez sur la photo pour les entrées d'un concours photo de la semaine dernière!)

Ski en Australie coûte cher. C'est ce que j'entends chaque année, ironiquement des mêmes gens qui reviennent des vacances mêmes qu'ils ont pris l'année précédente. Où? Pour le champs de neige Aussie.

L'Australien Club Alpin faire de leur mieux pour polariser la communauté du ski autour de ce même temps par la sortie de leur monde de ski prix ascenseur enquête qui place quatre stations de l'Australie dans le top cinq des remontées mécaniques.

L'enquête, qui répertorie uniquement les billets plein tarif, a Resorts du Colorado Vail au numéro deux, mais toute l'Australie qui skie Vail sait que la station vise spécifiquement les Australiens avec des buy-huit jours et de ski-pour-14 'de style offres , ce qui sûrement les met dans l'une des extrémités du meilleur marché spectre de ski.

Silly-moi, je pensais que le ski et la planche à neige à peu près tout déchirer et de s'amuser avec des amis dans les grands espaces, sans compter la profondeur de la neige sur chaque course afin d'assurer j'ai obtenu mon dollar pour la neige de base vaut.

Lisez la suite pour la verité sur les prix élevés des remontées mécaniques et votre chance de gagner quelques sacs Crumpler fraîches.

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 24:20
• Commentaires (69)

Comment prendre les meilleures photos à la neige

Dan Himbrechts image de Robbie Walker at Snowpark la Nouvelle-Zélande

Pourquoi les gens pensent que parce qu'ils ont un iPhone avec un appareil photo qui fait d'eux des Herb Ritts ?

J'ai un ami qui insiste sur divertissant nous tous avec une «nuit diapositive» lors du retour de vacances. Il met en place un écran vidéo dans son jardin et dispose de chaises longues, comme un cinéma en plein air, jette les chicots sur le barbie et ouvre quelques bouteilles de vin. Mais peu importe comment il s'habille c'est toujours comme un album photo Facebook sur les stéroïdes.

Un ex-petit ami de la mienne l'habitude d'avoir une philosophie photo, s'il n'était pas en eux, il ne voulait pas les voir. En termes d'aujourd'hui, il dirait «si je ne suis pas marqué sur votre photo, je ne vais pas à cliquer sur votre lien. Il est clair que je n'ai pas marquer assez de lui ou nous serions toujours ensemble.

Pour enregistrer vos yeux amis et vos relations, cette saison la neige que nous avons obtenu les meilleurs conseils et les philosophies des vrais professionnels, les photographes d'aventure qui gagnent leur vie de capturer l'action à la neige.

Lisez la suite pour savoir comment prendre de meilleures photos à la neige et une chance de gagner un appareil photo numérique Nikon ...

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 11:21
• Commentaires (19)

Pourquoi les stations de ski ne peut pas mentir plus

Bulletins neige Décrypter s'apparentent à trouver la vérité dans les colonnes personnelles. La plupart sont écrits en code.

J'ai appris que «distingue bien gardé de direction» signifiait «homme chauve vieux avec le Botox et une circonférence d'un costume rayé pin 'au début de ma carrière de rencontres en ligne de la même manière, j'ai appris que centimètre à un journaliste de la neige est d'un univers alternatif où un journaliste de la perception n'est pas égale à la réalité d'un skieur.

Note à l'intention des champs de neige - la vérité sur lui-même grâce à un réseau mondial de texte en ligne de la bouche appelée Twitter, photos numériques en temps réel sur Facebook téléchargées à partir de téléphones Internet convivial et webcams en direct sur les sites Web sur le terrain de neige. L'Internet a officiellement changé la façon dont l'industrie de la neige peut se promouvoir dans un monde de consommateurs avertis.

Lisez la suite pour savoir comment la réalité de la fiction déchiffrer la neige, plus votre chance de gagner un voyage de ski héliporté en Nouvelle-Zélande ...

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 10:09
• Commentaires (17)

Seaux de neige - la liste doit ne cette saison

Skieur Pro Tom Costa ski Falls Creek à 9h45 aujourd'hui!

Stations de ski australiennes sont comme des enfants avant Noël cette semaine. Lutins du Père Noël ont été transpirer et de pompage des canons à neige, portant sur la substance blanche pour week-end d'ouverture (Falls Creek ont ​​pompé 60 000 mètres cubes depuis le lundi), puis vient le long d'une charge du godet de la substance naturelle qui tombe du ciel et de la monde de la neige est aveuglé par les sourires des stations qui, pour un moment, jamais pensé que cela arriverait.

Neige Il aime tout ce temps de l'année, quand gals comme moi deviennent tartes synoptiques obsédés par la pression barométrique, lorsque le Twitterverse se déchaîne avec 140 mots différents pour décrire la neige et Facebook devient un communiqué de presse personnelle pour les instantanés de vacances de neige dans la bataille pour le plus grand , l'expérience de la neige meilleur et le plus vantard.

Quand il s'agit de 2010 les droits de vantardise que nous avons fait la planification pour vous. Pour entrer dans l'esprit de la neige, nous avons créé notre propre liste seau ultime pour la saison sud. Mettez n'importe quel de ces aventures sur votre mur Facebook et de regarder vos amis passe au vert.

Lisez la suite pour avoir la chance de GAGNER un voyage de ski héliporté en Nouvelle-Zélande!

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 8:49 AM
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Où trouver les meilleurs au monde les parties de neige en hiver

Crédit photo: Perisher Resort

Neige Il est Tout partielle à une partie à la neige, capable de renifler le champagne à cinq cents pas, mais ce n'est pas tout vulgum pecus, paparazzi et le pinot.

La meilleure partie que j'ai trouvé est dans la loge club de montagne sur le terrain boutique de Craigieburn dans la région de la Nouvelle-Zélande Canterbury où les lits superposés et les conseils corvées sont de rigueur et de l'alcool est à apporter ou à risquer des heures d'ouverture irrégulières de la barre de base de la loge. Si moins de huit personnes sont commande après 21 heures le bar du club sera rapidement fermer et prendre le générateur avec elle ce qui conduit à des équipes tag hilarants et clignote mobbing pour le garder ouvert.

Il ne fait aucun doute que la socialisation et la neige vont main dans la main gantée de ski. Ski et snowboard est, après tout, le comportement de vie risquer. Il ne peut pas être naturelle à vous-même sangle pour des morceaux de bois et de pointer vos pieds en descente depuis le sommet d'une montagne, mais il est naturel de vouloir célébrer déprime vivant. Alors, où il ya une montagne il ya une partie qui doit être trouvé.

Lisez la suite pour obtenir les meilleurs du monde les parties de neige en hiver et votre chance de gagner des lunettes Anon ...

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 11:04
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Meilleur Prix en neige 2009

Comme chaque saison il y avait beaucoup de bonne conversation en 2009 des deux côtés du fossé.

Nouvelle-Zélande selon un nombre record de skieurs et les Aussie obtenu grâce à un financement K.Rudd 's 900 $ pas cher, comme-Chups vols à destination de la neige Kiwi. Bien que une entreprise peut avoir eu plus excité quand affirmant il ya 1,1 millions de skieurs et planchistes en Australie lorsque la Australian Ski Areas Association estime de façon conservatrice 500.000. Pas de blagues Kiwis comptage des moutons ici s'il vous plaît.

Nos stations propres a également affirmé un nombre record en Juillet quand la poudre a finalement atteint. Puis vint la mi Août et c'était un jeu de quelqu'un avec des températures chaudes, les pluies torrentielles et des vents soufflant en rafales dans les deux pays qui quittent marketing de ski à la recherche de nouvelles façons d'habiller les conditions tropicales milieu de l'hiver.

Ce fut une saison déterminée de premières. Mt Buller ouvert pour la première fin de semaine en mai, la plus ancienne jamais l'ouverture d'un ascenseur à l'hôtel. Une première qui a vu 5000 skieurs et planchistes se frayer un chemin de Bourke Street. La première, et géré par des professionnels, Jeux d'hiver en Nouvelle-Zélande a couru avec une ligne de classe mondiale en place mais certains événements malheureusement dû succomber à la météo. Le World Heli Challenge retourné pour la première fois à Wanaka en huit ans et One Hit Wonder lancé en Thredbo et est devenu l'événement de regarder, littéralement.

Nouvelle ligne des sites Mountainwatch qui se concentre sur des webcams et des rapports météorologiques honnêtes et le all inclusive Wintervolume concouru pour toxicomanes Web de neige, mais c'était un vieux chien qui leur a montré tous les nouveaux trucs quand Ski.com.au 's site Web remanié a montré que la fonction n'a pas pour être sacrifié pour la conception.

Avons-nous mentionné le nouveau Magazine de transfert de snowboard qui vraiment soulevé le jeu si nécessaire pour des magazines de ski et de snowboard dans ce pays sous la direction artistique noire, le contenu informatif et de l'attitude peu?

Chaque année, il doit y avoir des gagnants ou nous n'aurions pas le meilleur prix En neige. Miss Snow It All aime à partager l'amour, mais pas tant que ça. Prix ​​ne sont pas des prix à moins d'une personne entre eux gagne. Donc, sans plus tarder et tout ce qui ....

Lisez la suite pour voir qui gagne dans le meilleur troisième édition annuelle du Prix de neige pour en 2009.

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 14:25
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Comment faire du ski pour les moins vers le nord PLUS voter pour la photo de la saison

Pour célébrer la fin de la saison, nous vous donnons deux choses, une chose est libre et l'autre vous avez à payer, mais pas beaucoup. Avec un blog à gauche pour aller la semaine prochaine avant de Miss Snow Il s'arrête Tous boutique et se dirige vers le nord pour l'hiver, nous avons recherché le meilleur du ski et traite de neige va pour toutes les choses au nord de la frontière mexicaine et un peu de l'Europe lancée po Bien sûr, vous aurez à payer quelque chose, mais avec ces offres, vous ferez des économies sur les dépenses.

Nos amis de Burton ont également obtenu dans le festival de l'amour de la neige et partagent leur propre avec un son-et-sienne manteau neigeux lunettes Anon pour nous de donner. Vous aurez à travailler pour elle si.

Nos photographes préférés de neige nous ont donné accès à leur image préférée de la saison, les images qui résument leur hiver pour eux (vous les trouverez au bas du blog pour ceux qui veulent aller directement aux photos de jolies). Votez pour le meilleur en nous disant pourquoi vous l'aimez et que vous pourriez regarder la saison prochaine grâce à la neige ont augmenté lunettes colorées et le photographe pourriez gagner l'image de l'année dans la neige It All Meilleur annuelle des prix de neige.

Lisez la suite pour les meilleures offres cet hiver le nord ou sauter directement aux photos de votre chance de gagner gros ... des lunettes, ce qui est.

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 15:29
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Certains emplois de neige sont plus chaudes que d'autres - comment êtes propriétaire de votre propre neige station

Ye Olde cliché de clients relevant de leurs moniteurs de ski est toujours vivant aujourd'hui avec un grand nombre d'instructeur laissant une traînée de conquêtes à la fin de la saison dans la fonte de la neige derrière eux. Mais quand il s'agit d'emplois à la neige certains sont plus chaudes que d'autres.

Les pilotes d'hélicoptère sont chauds, mais perdent habituellement leur hotness à chaque pas loin de l'hélicoptère tandis que «pros ski et de snowboard ou des athlètes comme ils préfèrent maintenant être appelé disposent de leurs propres groupies sectaires qui salivent à leur chaque lancer, attraper et rentrer, mais même qu'ils ne peuvent pas battre le propriétaire station de ski quand il s'agit d'emplois à chaud.

Imaginez «propriétaire station" le titre sur votre carte de visite, puis imaginer une vie de l'envie des autres. Avec un peu d'aide de votre directeur de banque, il peut être possible. Stations de ski de neige, les opérations de chat, les entreprises heli même ne sont pas toujours détenue par la société. Certains des destinations les meilleurs du monde de ski ont été mis en place par un groupe de copains partageant une bière et une idée.

Lisez la suite pour la pointe à l'intérieur sur l'achat de votre propre montagne de ski ...

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 12:58
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Si j'ai eu mon temps de neige à nouveau - la saison dernière minute

Si je devais à nouveau cette saison, j'aurais été dans Portillo à la mi-Août, lorsque sept pieds de neige déversés dans les deux jours, j'aurais choisi la Nouvelle-Zélande dans la neige Juillet Août mouille pas, j'aurais été côté tuyau lorsque Shaun White a remporté le Burton Open et je serais allé me ​​coucher tôt ma première nuit à Falls Creek et ne pas avoir une cicatrice de points de suture à la tête de mes remerciements se déplace plutôt vigoureux sur la piste de danse de mon partenaire disco. Le recul est une chose wonderous.

Vous ne pouvez pas être en mesure de renvoyer cette troisième bouteille de vin ou de se lever plus tôt ce jour-là en poudre lorsque vous dormi, mais il est encore temps de régler le dossier saison droite et d'obtenir certains droits vantant de ce printemps si vous êtes prêt à donner Mère Nature une remise.

Septembre est souvent le meilleur moment de la saison où les pentes sont moins bondés et quand ces tempêtes de neige de la saison fin venir il ya plus de virages frais pour ceux qui restent. Avec quelques semaines de télésièges de tournage, il est trop tôt pour renoncer à l'espoir, le meilleur jour de la saison peut encore être en avance sur nous. Certains Kiwis dire que nous avons marqué à Treble Cone hier avec + de 25 centimètres de la plus sèche en poudre, j'ai skié cette saison le sud sous un ciel bleu.

Il a fallu un certain temps après une Août qui a vu trop de pluie et trop de soleil, mais la neige ne suffit pas. Neige Mlle It All a été campé à Canterbury et Wanaka sur l'île Sud de la Nouvelle-Zélande attend de la pluie et les nuages ​​de tempête de vent à une partie de plus d'une semaine avant qu'elle ne puisse cliquer pour revenir en quelques skis.

Dans les cycles météorologiques comme ceux-ci il ya beaucoup de temps par le feu loge à contempler la 10 'doit-faire de »ou« souhait-I-hads' avant la saison se termine.

• par Rachael Oakes-Ash à 12:05
• Commentaires (5)

Météo ou non - le jeu de la neige en attente

Je suis en amour avec une commitaphobe, de la neige. À l'heure actuelle, il joue dur à obtenir. Même si je suis en attente pour lui en Nouvelle-Zélande, il est clairement voir quelqu'un d'autre en Australie. Certaines saisons sont comme ça, tout est dans le timing, si vous êtes du mauvais côté du cycle de la tempête, puis quelqu'un d'autre sera en appréciant l'amour de la neige et vous vous réveillerez seul.

The current August weather cycle in both Australia and New Zealand has been more Pina Colada than mulled wine with high temperatures followed by gale force winds. Thankfully for the ski resorts snow returned this week with epic conditions reported in New South Wales and Victoria. The same epic conditions New Zealand was boasting a month ago.

Yet here I sit alone across the ditch, a photographer and ski pro in hand waiting to shoot the amazing clubfields of Olympus , Broken River and Craigieburn salivating over Facebook photos of my friends frolicking in the white stuff back home in Oz. Snow is on his way again in Canterbury on New Zealand's South Island. We just have to hope this gale force wind leaves sooner rather than later so I can enjoy his love.

There are, however, some ways to ensure he makes an appearance ...

• by Craig Platt at 2:02 PM
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We are what we eat at the snow

Eating bad food on holidays is no fun so why do ski fields insist on serving up sub standard fare? I'm no food prude, after all I did survive six hours in the backcountry of Japan on four almonds and was happy for the little protein I got, but I take offence at resorts who think we all want to eat high fat, high carb, high priced foods when taking some turns on the snow.

It is the same in most ski resorts, the satellite town or ski village offers a good mix of locally produced cuisine but once you have to transport food on the chairlift to the ski in mountain eateries or up a road to a base lodge it is another story. Apparently only processed, greased up, production line fodder can get a lift pass.

This season, however, Miss Snow It All has been pleasantly surprised by a number of on-mountain eateries that are getting it right. Whether offering real healthy options, or better pricing systems, or simply decent coffee.

Of course there are some items, like the $12.50 for chips and gravy at Cloud Nine in Falls Creek that are still sacrilege and not just because they are serving it on the mountain top where in the village below you can dine like royalty on some seriously good gourmet fare at the likes of Summit Ridge , Astra Lodge and Mo's at Feathertop AND get hot chips for a third of the price.

But overall we've been more delighted than disappointed.

Read on for the thumbs up and thumbs down of snow food this season.

• by Craig Platt at 2:41 PM
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Big names, big snow events

There's a buzz in New Zealand snow fields right now. It started when Olympic gold medallist, Shaun White , brought his superstar snowboard status to Cardrona's half-pipe for the NZ Burton Open.

Shaun's a legend in snowboarding circles, having taken a medal at the Aspen X-Games every year since 2002. If that doesn't impress you the Shaun White Nintendo video game will.

At Cardrona he took top honours with a "frontside lien air, backside 900 melon, frontside 1080 stalefish, a cab doubld cork 1080 stalefish followed by a frontside double cork 900". That's snowboarding lingo for a damn good run with a lot of acrobatic force. Either way it hasn't been seen on New Zealand snow before.

Shaun's not the only superstar of the snow world to descend upon Australia and New Zealand this season. August is a top month if you fancy breathing the same air as the world's best with a plethora of international competitions including the Winter Games luring big names south of the equator.

Read on to find out who is competing and where to see them this winter.

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 12:01 PM
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Gentlemen of the snow world

On a blue sky day out the back of Thredbo last weekend I met a gentleman on fresh snow. Actually, I met two.

Free skier Chris Booth may be all of 21, he may wear his pants low, he may consider 30-foot cliffs a mere speed bump, he may even count Boen Ferguson and Russ Henshaw as his mates, but he would carry your skis for you if you asked. Actually, he'd offer to carry them for you even if you didn't then he'd offer you the first place in line and share your joy as you whoop it up in the powder.

Gentleman number two, Phil Hannam, was leading Chris, his mate Dom and Miss Snow It All on a backcountry tour with Thredbo Outdoor Adventures into the outer Ramshead Range where chairlifts don't turn, the only coffee on offer is served in a thermos and turns are earned with hours of skinning and hiking just to get a couple of minutes of downhill fun.

Phil Hannam may be an outback loner, he may have skied across Greenland's 500-kilometre ice cap in 30 days, he may have guided in Pakistan and lived in a tent for weeks in Australia's high-country mid-winter but he would carry Chris, Chris' skis, his skis and you and your skis if he needed to and do it with a smile.

These are the kind of team-playing guys that make Australian skiing so great. Mountain-loving personalities who like to share their love of the snow and do it with thought, care, humour and grace.

• by Staff at 6:02 AM
• Commentaires (7)

Snow friends on a powder day

Skiing and snowboarding is a numbers game and we're not talking digits exchanged across a late night bar. The more time you spend skiing and boarding the higher the odds of injury or even death. Go backcountry and those odds are increased with avalanches now coming into play. Go without a guide, go alone or go without an avalanche transceiver and you're just asking for a eulogy to be written.

Who you do or don't ski with in-and-out of bounds can make a world of difference when it comes to staying safe on and off the piste. Ego driven, look-at-me, skiers may be able to ski fast, but will they stay with you if you get into trouble? Friends who take you to snow that's out of your league, just to show you how great they are, or unqualified mates who suggest you ditch the ski lessons in favour of one on one instruction with them, are not really your friends.

I have skied with a few of these types this year, one 'he man' leaving me struggling on a dodgy pitch with a dodgy knee in North America and the other leaving a panicked friend of mine in injury-inducing crud in the alps of Europe. I'm sure their mothers would be proud.

You can be guaranteed that people who care more about being first down the mountain than the common decency of helping others won't be smart in the backcountry, so make note. The first rule of thumb is choose who you ski.

Pressure equals mistakes and mistakes can be costly, very costly.

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 2:25 PM
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Out the back - the snow world's best kept secrets

There's nothing worse than a bragger - usually because we haven't done what they are bragging about and wish we had. Sigh.

The snow world is filled with braggers, wearing their boasting-right-destinations as medals on the outside of their Bogner suits.When we say we're going to Japan, they say they've been to Iran. When we say we're heli-skiing in New Zealand they say they did it in Canada. We say Utah, they say Alaska. Wherever it is, they were there first and skied it harder, longer and faster than you could dare to dream of.

Miss Snow It All doesn't advocate entering into competition with such boasters simply because it is a race one never wins and usually ends in discarded packets of Tim Tams, empty wine bottles and drunken texts as one enters the dark side of self-snow-obsession and the guilt that comes with it. But I digress...

Next time these folk rear their bragging heads, slap them down with one of these hidden snow experience gems and watch their head spin. Remember to duck lest you get caught in angry spittle.

Read on for the world's best kept snow destinations ...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 12:49 PM
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Cheap skates - where in the world to ski for less

Who doesn't want to ski for less bucks? That's a rhetorical question but if you answered 'me' then clearly you won Lotto.

Play your exchange rate right and it is possible to ski and snowboard overseas for less than home but don't be drawn in simply by the world's cheapest lift prices. Nakafurano's lift pass in Hokkaido, Japan is a mere $13.50 but its longest, and only, run is 400 metres.

The seriously cashed-up amongst us may consider the world's most expensive ski pass at $112 000 from Great Canadian Heli Skiing in British Columbia, Canada. Their Platinum Heli Skiing Season Pass offers unlimited vertical access in the Purcell and Selkirk Ranges with a guaranteed seat (weather permitting) every single day of the season. Season card holders also get a 'powder concierge' but for that money I want more than just a happy ending.

You don't have to sell your first-born to ski and snowboard overseas, you simply need to know where to go.

Read on for the world's cheapest ski resorts...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 11:53 AM
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Apres dark - what happens when the ski lifts close

Apres revellers at the Black Bear Inn at Thredbo

It's been dumping like a broken hearted woman possessed in the snow fields of Australia this past week and wherever there is snow there is a good time to be had. Snow and party go together like Amy and Rehab, Pina and Colada, Jagie and Red Bull .

Some snow destinations just scream 'apres' from the fur lined piste of Aspen in Colorado to the dance in your ski boots madness of St Anton Austria to the celebriski crowd of Klosters in Swizterland. Where there is snow there is someone wearing beer goggles, making the bright decision to toboggan home after dark from the pub, waking up next to a stranger with half an eyebrow shaved off, using the chairlift tower for pole dancing and smiling for Facebook cameras of strangers.

That's not to say every skier and boarder is a die hard heathen who loses his/her integrity at the lift ticket office but those who come just to ski or snowboard in style are not half as much fun to talk about.

Read on for your chance to WIN a celebrity filled weekend at Falls Creek with VIP passes to the MTV Snow Jam ...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 5:50 PM
• Comments (43)

Snow Cents - the costly business of snow in Australia

What's a ski season in Australia without some whingeing?

It would be un-Australian not to complain about the cost of skiing before the first snow has even touched the ground. The price of lift tickets usually tops the list when the Australian Alpine Club releases its annual lift ticket price comparison from around the globe. Where does Australia sit?

Perisher's $102 lift pass is fourth on their international list of twenty one resorts including Australia and New Zealand. In fact all of Australia's major commercial resorts are above the next closest international resort, Whistler and their $90 lift ticket.

The only resorts on the list with more expensive lift tickets than Australia are Vail , Alta and Snowbird and Deer Valley . Even the New Zealand resorts come in at under $75 a ticket, but then they have the currency exchange rate in their favour this year.

Spending money on lift passes is subjective. Sure you pay $102 for Perisher but you get 1245hectares of terrain in which to play. Pay $70 for the Remarkables and you're only getting 220 hectares. That's $0.08 per hectare in Perisher versus $0.31 for the Remarkables.

Die-hards will then start comparing mountain pitch, time spent on lifts and the weight-to-height ratio of their instructor just so they can say their mountain represents better value. But is skiing really about cost and dollars?

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 12:23 PM
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Snow Crimes - there is always one

If I behaved in Melbourne like I do at the snow I would be arrested. Only crazy people say 'hello' to strangers or get a peak hour bus to wait for someone struggling for gear. Talking to unknowns at a bar in the city is only asking for trouble, singing on a lift could see you in mental health grey and everybody knows hitchhiking or picking them up will end in a screenplay and a funeral (not in that order).

Somehow it's different at the snow when folks leave the wall that protects them in a city of millions at the gate to the national park. Then it's game on in the gondola, the lift queue and on the chairlift. Lifelong friendships and even romance have been found in a fifteen minute gondola ride when confined in small space. Though be warned the Jackson Hole gondola is called 'Ganja-la" for a reason, so take a good sniff before you decide who to ride with or not, depending on your persuasion.

The winter elements of snow and sunshine and the freedom of flinging yourself down a hill with a smile on your face is enough to soften the hardest stressed urbanite, until something goes wrong.

Miss Snow It All had, until now, lived in a world of oblivion, safe in her third person fantasy world, unaware of the seedy underbelly of crime lurking above the snow line...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 9:30 AM
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Snowed Under - Australians rocking the snow world

A snow obsessed American mate of mine gets a kick out of referring to our Snowy Mountains as 'the Alps'. The idea of Australia having snow is of great mirth to a man who spent his childhood years in thigh deep Colorado powder and schussing the slopes at three thousand metres. Well, mock away not-so-young-man, for while our 'hills' tickle your funny bone, they are the breeding ground of champions and entrepreneurs who spread the Australian word to the world.

Last season there were 2.03 million skier days in Australia and there is an average 800 000 skiers and snowboarders within our shores. Not that we're counting, but step foot on any slope around the world and you're bound to hear an Aussie accent in ski school, changing the sheets on your bed and mixing your martinis. They don't call Whistler Whistralia for nothing, not to mention Nis-Perisher-With-Sushi-eko .

It's not just the 'punters' either. Thredbo's ski patrol saved lives in Japan and Hotham ski patrol trained would be life savers in Gulmarg in India. Australians own Cardrona in New Zealand, Silver Star and Big White ski resorts in British Columbia and Big Red Cats in Canada.

Then there are the world champions - Malcolm Milne who was the first non European to win a World Cup, Olympic medallist Zali Stegall, World Cup Champion Steve Lee, World Extreme Free Ski Champion Andrea Binning, Snowboard world champion Torah Bright. You get the picture...

It doesn't stop there with so many Aussies coming up the ranks in snow business and snow sports. So just who are the Australian entrepreneurs rocking the snow world today?

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 2:48 PM
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Adultery in the Alps - cheaters on ice

Sex. We all have it, some of us more than others...when at the snow.

Snow resorts are a seething pit of sexual tension just waiting for consummation. When you've survived a day of throwing yourself down ice laden slopes and buried yourself in off piste powder it's natural to consider yourself invincible and invincible people are sexy. Think Superman, Wolverine and Jack Sparrow , Jack Sparrow, Jack Sparrow.

Add a fantasy world where everyone is on holiday with reality tucked safely back at home, fuel it with some booze and watch the hands begin to wander. Only some of those hands sport wedding rings and are wandering away from their partners.

Miss Snow It All doesn't like to judge, ahem, but she's seen her fair share of affairs, flings and one-night-stands occur from the most unlikely people when they get above the snow line. No worries, if you're single and Jack Sparrow, but the truth always comes out, the snow world is a small world after all.

If you think your man or woman is behaving his/herself on the boys' tour or girls' weekend up at the snow, then be afraid, be very afraid and think again.

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 11:59 AM
• Comments (28)

Build your own ski mountain

One man's mountain is another man's hill but don't tell that to the mountain man who is already hung up about size. Loyalty to your ski resort mountain of choice is a given for snow sports lovers - after all, one has to justify one's decision to spend thousands of dollars for a week or two at the same snow destination year after year after year.

Miss Snow It All is particularly passionate about her Australian ski fields, it comes with the passport. When schussing the big mountains of Europe surrounded by Britains she takes great delight in letting them know the first non European to win a World Cup was Australian . She is the first to discuss Australia's gold medal history at the Winter Olympics and to applaud our world extreme freeski champions and X Games winners. Put simply, her fluffed up feathers border on embarrassing with her need to prove her right to be on skis despite her accent and heritage.

Yes, she'll complain about lift prices at Thredbo , the long drive to Perisher , the dodgy weather at Mt Buller , the moisture content of the snow but she'll bite your hand off if you don't carry an Australian passport and dare to do the same, especially if you're a Kiwi. Then it's all about the glory of tree skiing in snow gums in Falls Creek, the 5.9km Supertrail at Thredbo, the 1200 plus hectares of terrain at Perisher, the double blacks of Hotham and the Buller chutes. I can speak ill of my mother but a hex on you if you do too.

The truth is there is no such thing as the perfect mountain ski resort that has it all, despite what marketers will try to have you believe. We know Utah competes with Japan for the driest powder in the world, we know the European Alps serve up endless backcountry, we know Alaska is steep, that Austria invented 'apres', that wine with snow is de rigeur in France but imagine if you could put all of that together in one resort....well now you can.

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 12:00 PM
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Break a leg - what not to do this snow season

Jagermeister can cover all amount of pain but sadly it doesn't heal broken bones, torn ligaments and shattered cartlidge otherwise I'd be bathing in it. There's nothing worse than having your ski or snowboard season cut short by injury. Well there's one thing worse, having that injury overseas and having to get home.

Able bodied friends don't help at all parading their goggle tans in the lodge and Facebook photos of powder shots online while you try to make sense of the Spanish speaking doc wielding a veterinary style needle and heading for your swollen knee like a kids party balloon ready to pop. Jagermeister helps, insurance helps more...

Read on for tales of snow injury horror at home and abroad

• by Craig Platt at 11:03 AM
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Best in Snow Awards 2008

What a season. No snow in June then come July the heavens puked up what they'd been holding down for too long - snow and lots of it.

Australians waxed their skis and schussed what many in the business called Colorado-style powder, which leads one to wonder how many in the business have left our shores. Believe them or not there's no doubt Aussie skiers and boarders had wide-mouthed grins this season.

Across the ditch in New Zealand Mt Hutt passed the three-metre mark and Mt Ruapehu broke five metres. It was a rocking season for some though Queenstown resorts didn't fare as well with Coronet Peak closing early.

Miss Snow It All and her minions schussed and carved, wined and dined and nosey-poked their way around Australasia's ski fields again this season in search of the Best in Snow.

The second annual Best in Snow Awards acknowledges ski and snow industry innovators. They're not designed to make everyone feel warm and fuzzy, awards cannot be given to everyone or they would not be awards which is why we at Snow It All keep it simple.

Read on for the winners...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 2:19 PM
• Commentaires (3)

First one down wins - breaking snow records

Photo credit: Chris Hocking. Hakuba backcountry, Japan

Some folk just like to be first. They can't help themselves, whether it's first to the bar on Friday night or first to the chairlift in the morning the world is a competition and they're winning.

These Type A personalities can be just as annoying as the 'been there done that crowd' who knock the excitement out of you when you announce your first time ski trip to Japan. "Been there, done that, got the t-shirt" they say as if they slugged it out themselves to insert the first chairlift tower in Niseko and the rest of us are just sheep.

Then there's that go where no else has been before crew. Those folk who know when they place their ski or snowboard down they're creating history that can never be changed nor taken away. They are the ultimate winners.

The first to the chairlift means nothing when you were the first to ski Everest or the first to ski and base jump the Eiger. Clearly they were sick the day the sensible gene was being handed out.

They're smart too, you won't find them first at the bar on Friday night because they know someone else will be there wanting to buy them a drink just so they can say "you'll never guess who I met first" to their buddies back at the lodge. Sometimes it pays to be second.

Read on for the snow world's winning first timers

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 10:12 AM
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Snow It All's guide to the Northern Winter

Photo credit: Chris Hocking

Miss Snow It All loves this time of year and not just for the spring skiing on blue bird days in a t-shirt. When one season ends it's time to plan the other and after a ripping season in Oz the powder bug will be itching beneath the skin of addicts crying out for more.

Folks north of the equator are also crying with glee at the dip in temperatures signifying winter is on it's way. Soon enough those in London will be filling the hallowed Olympia Halls for the annual Metro Snow show which traditionally signifies the start of snow madness in Europe. Miss Snow It All has the trailer for Matchstick Productions CLAIM ski film (launched September 14 in Whistler) on permanent repeat - clearly she has too much time on her hands.

The signs are there, it's time to go north for the winter, people. But with so many snow destinations on offer how does one choose between powder up to the sky Japan, schmick new school North America or the home of skiing Europe? You could toss a coin, put names in a hat or pin a tail on a donkey map or you could let Miss Snow It All provide you your powder, if you dare.

Miss Snow It All has created the definitive guide to the Northern Hemisphere snow world for your work day reading pleasure. Grab a Red Bull, a latte or a Jaigermeister, strap yourself in and read on...trust me, it won't hurt a bit.

En savoir plus ...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 9:27 AM
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Snow romance - when one night outlasts the season

A snow mad couple marry at Loveland, Colorado on February 14. Photo credit: Rachael Oakes-Ash

Jagermeister has a lot to answer for. Many a snow bunny or bud has ended their night with a walk of shame come sun up thanks to one too many jager bombs at closing time. It's all part of the snow experience, what's a ripping day on the slopes without some equally ripping apres?

Savvy gals know the ski fields are a sausage fest with seven men to every woman. Mathematicians will tell you with odds like these you can't lose if you're looking for fun. Though it's important to note that not all ski resorts are created equal. You can't compare Park City during Sundance when odds are even to heli skiing in Alaska where testosterone is served on a plate with the extreme territory.

Miss Snow It All doesn't kiss and tell but her friends do and while hearts are cracking with the sound of thawing ice and the onset of spring as their seasonal love affairs come to a close, others are celebrating long term love found in the mountains...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 9:55 AM
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On lines - the world's best ski and snowboarding websites

Extreme skiers Chris Davenport and Shane McConkey go surfing during a storm in Portillo

Who can trust a snow report? There's more spin in the world of snow than the US Presidential Election.

Savvy skiers and boarders collect and collate their own data from a variety of resources including friends at the snow, webcams and online communities. It's foolish to jump in the car and make a weekend trek to the snow without doing your research and even more foolish to book an overseas ski trip without getting your facts straight.

Miss Snow It All knows the world of media is filled with smoke and reflected with mirrors and she knows she prefers it shot from the hip. To help you make your all important snow decisions from what to buy to where to stay to when to go she's collated her top ten snow websites for north and south.

Read on ...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 10:26 AM
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Snow Worries - Aussies making it big in the global snow world

Aussie Kieren Gaul enjoying his Big Red Cats operation in Rossland Canada

Aussies who ski overseas are used to the raised eyebrows, the snickers behind hand covered mouths, the shake of the head and the thigh slapping laugh when revealing our nationality on the chairlift. According to the rest of the world we can't ski.

Who can blame them this indiscretion when Tourism Australia promotes our fair shores as ones filled with white beaches, red dusty outback and an arid land? You don't think Austria and think bikinis and you don't think Australia and think ski bunny.

Little do these global soothsayers know that Australian ski fields boast an average of two million skier days a season with around eight hundred thousand Australians who ski and snowboard. If they had done their research they would know that the first non European to win an FIS Worldcup was, yes, an Australian. Malcolm Milne won in 1969 in Val D'Isere.

They would also know that Australia is one of the top three international inbound markets for Aspen and Whistler, that over seventeen thousand Australians ski in Japan every season, close to fifty thousand ski in New Zealand and that where you'll find snow you'll find an Australian ski instructor.

Miss Snow It All pays tribute this week to Australians doing their bit in the snow industry here and abroad, those entrepreneurs who have seen an idea and skied with it, who have combined their passion for the mountains with their career and life skills.

Read on for more, plus the winner of the Heli Ski trip to New Zealand with Southern Lakes Heli and Azur Lodge.

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 10:02 AM
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Ski Inspiration - learning from four big boys and one tough chick

Chris Davenport in Portillo Photo credit: Diego Munita @ Ski Portillo

Freeski legend Chris Anthony is in my bedroom. He's not the first, the world's best, Chris Davenport, was on my bed earlier. They've come to give Miss Snow It All some motivation after a fall on the hill has left her in bed with her legs in the air - elevation of one's injured knee is the first stage to recovery.

The world's best freeskiers have descended upon Portillo in Chile this week to take on the mammoth Andes and Miss Snow It All has come along for the ride with twenty five others who are also pushing their limits and raising their ski level simply by charging the hill with the world's elite.

They build the mountains tough out here, hardy walls of rock that thrust from the valley floor to create an amphitheatre of powder filled couloirs, chutes and aprons. It's the kind of terrain Chris Davenport lives for, as one of the world's most famed freeskiers and all round good guy, if you're going to injure yourself then you want to do it around 'Dav' and his band of merry men and one tough chick.

These guys know about inspiration and motivation in the world of snow...

Read on for more on the Superstars and a chance to win a Heli Ski trip for two

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 8:58 AM
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Heli bent on a good time - heli skiing for everyone

Photographer credit: Rachael Oakes-Ash

There are two spare seats in the helicopter and they could be yours. There's no other way to say it, Miss Snow It All is giving away a heli ski or boarding weekend for two. Settle, settle, take a deep breathe, it's true.

Imagine the sound of chopper blades with your name on them descending to the ground to pick you and your big fat skis or board up for the ride of your life. You're channelling Bond, James Bond, as you head to the skies, rubbing your face in the nose of your primary school teacher who said you'd amount to nothing.

Surrounded by mountain peaks teasing you from all sides as the heli lands on a sweet ridgeline and sinks into the powder. Pinching your mate you've blessed with the second seat, you high five, whoop and holler and step out onto virgin snow. Now the fun begins.

Read on for your chance to WIN WIN WIN a Southern Lakes Heli Ski experience in New Zealand.

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 10:08 AM
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Olympic Winters

Bode Miller and his coaches Forest Carey and Craig Daniels at Treble Cone this week.
Photographer credit: Rachael Oakes-Ash for TC

There's something about sharing a hill with Herman Maeir, Mario Matt and Bode Miller that puts a spring in Miss Snow It All's sidestep. It must be August in New Zealand when the world champions and winter Olympic medallists come out to play.

It started on the Air New Zealand flight from Auckland to Queenstown, surrounded by the US Ski Team and seated across the aisle from Olympic gold medallist Ted Ligety. It was interrupted for a moment in Queenstown when introduced to another sporting legend, Andre Agassi, who had come to heli ski. All I needed now was Schumacher to share my cab.

But it was Treble Cone that delivered the goods for Miss Snow It All in the form of one finely crafted downhill beast strapped in lycra. World champion US legend Mr Bode Miller had come to play.

Bode was training with the world's best, the Austrian Ski Team, or at least sharing the gates at New Zealand's favourite expert mountain. When faced with Bode and the Austrians it's hard to take sides so lets just say the Austrians know how to après with the best of them including Miss Snow It All. Wanaka's Post Office Lane was filled to the brim this week with Schwarzenager style accents and Jaigermeister shots over the pool table.

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 9:43 AM
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Home and Away - why ski in Australia?

"Just like Canada", "snow like Colorado", "as good as overseas", the accolades from those in the snow just keep coming for Australia's current ski season.

When it's on it's on in Oz and those skiers and boarders who consistently diss, complain and rile our fields are forced to swallow their words. A Kiwi, who should know better, referred to Australia recently as "New Zealand's skiing kindergarten." Clearly he's not been in Perisher Blue or Falls Creek this week.

In a good season Australia will have over two million skier days, in the record season of 2004 it was close to 2.3 million. Not bad for a nation known more for it's desert centre and azure beaches. To put it in perspective, the iconic powder destination of Utah in the United States averages 4 million skier days, only double ours.

But can we honestly compete with the overseas market? We know Australian skiing is expensive and we also know the legitimate reasons why, that's been discussed in this blog here.

But at the end of the day most mass market skiers are blue groomed run lovers of chorduroy who want a week of family fun. You don't need neck deep Japan powder for that, any good commercial ski field in Australia and New Zealand can provide what they're looking for.

With super cheap deals to ski in Japan, Canada and North America for the same cost as here, would you choose to spend your annual two week ski trip on Australian soil?

(Plus - read on for your chance to win a weekend living as a snow star at Perisher Blue)

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 8:43 AM
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Ski and snowboard for free - the best jobs in the world

Photo credit: Dan Himbrechts image of Erin Tanner

Imagine a life of free lift passes, endless powder snow, private parties with elite athletes, helicopters, copious cocktails and entry to exclusive clubs. Now imagine it year round from one southern winter to the northern winter and back again.

That's the public life for private ski instructors, snow reporters, ski and snowboard pros, magazine photographers, even team physiotherapists and of course, the ski and snowboarding journalist.

Miss Snow It All could tell you the private tales of jetlag, of working late into the night to make deadlines, of demanding and gruelling itineraries fit for an elite athlete of Olympic fitness, of industry competition and scapegoating, of dummy spits, hissy fits and toys-out-of-the-cot-tantrums. But you wouldn't listen...the life of a ski journalist is a privileged one and few complaints will be heard from others.

She could also tell you tales of private instruction with Elle McPherson's ski instructor, nights out with the Austrian Ski Team and early morning on snow training with Olympians but then her mother would say she's boasting.

Thanks to her job Miss Snow It All gets paid to talk about snow and has experienced some of the best days of her life in powder perfection. She's met inspiring folk around the globe and been humbled over and over again both by mountains and ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

Truth is, skiing and snowboarding is a passion sport and if you're lucky enough to make your living from your passion then ski helmets off to you. At beer o'clock at the end of a hard day's slog, most folk would rather be lining up the lager in an apres bar in the name of work than clocking in overtime. Dancing in your work shoes takes on a whole new meaning in St Anton when you're doing it in ski boots for research.

If you think it's out of your grasp, think again.

We here at Snow It All believe in sharing the love which is why Miss Snow It All is giving her blog readers the chance to WIN their own chance to taste the good life - a weekend of living like a snow star at Perisher Blue Resort, your very own Nikon Coolpix S550 camera, half a day with a famous pro snow photographer, Dan Himbrechts , and a chance to take some turns with ski and boarding pros for a television snow report.

Read on for the world's top jobs that let you ski for free and find out how to live the snow life of your dreams...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 10:02 AM
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Is global warming the death of the snow industry?

This hot pic of Aussie ski pro Tim Myers moving the powder at Perisher Blue was shot by image legend Tony Harrington for the resort last week. That's right people, LAST week.

After a dry June, July has delivered the snow goods for Australasian skiing. Which begs the question - is global warming really impacting the ski industry and what are they doing about it?

Warming and snow tend to end in tears, or at least liquid. For every one degree rise of temperature snow lines rise by 150 metres. If science is right then it doesn't bode well for we lovers of all things white and frozen. Miss Snow It All is no scientist but the CSIRO employ them. Their 2003 report predicted Australian resorts would lose half their snow by 2050 and a quarter in fifteen years.

The report recommended doubling the amount of snowmaking to get resorts through to 2020 but the report was also partly funded by the ski industry who have been madly investing millions of dollars in new snow guns, reservoirs and towers since. Not that we're not grateful, the difference to Heavenly Valley, the Supertrail, Front Valley, Bourke St and Wombat's Ramble are phenomenal.

Global warming is a catch-22 for the snow industry who have in the past output a fair amount of carbon to allow us to have our winter fun. This increases global warming, in turn creating a suicidal cycle. But many of Australian and International resorts have turned to best environmental practices and innovative programs like Keep Winter Cool to reduce their carbon footprints and increase their chance of continuing snowfalls...or so they hope.

Read on to see how the industry is giving back, check out more hot images from the snow resorts this week that say "global what?", plus your chance to WIN a pair of Rossignol skis or snowboard.

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 9:19 AM
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Snow Way Out - life changing ski moments

Photo credit: Chris Hocking
My ski changing moment came while stacking between the legs of a well meaning bystander while under the chairlift being ridden, at that moment, by the Prime Minister of New Zealand in the South Island's Cardrona ski resort.

Having talked up my ability in order to get an official invitation to the PM's entourage, the humiliation was my ski defining turning point. Rather than giving up in despair I swore, then and there to commit to improving my turns and conquering as many mountains as possible in the shortest amount of time possible.

We all have a ski or snowboarding moment and they don't always involve humiliation. My second moment came in Thredbo when I went off piste for the first time and the entire mountain opened up to me. It was then I understood the magnitude of the mountain that doubled in terrain size.

Then there was the first time I 'got' why everyone raved about powder. That happened in Japan when I finally took more than three turns without cursing the world as I searched for my lost ski in waist deep powder during a faceplant.

My tree defining moment happened in The Gothics in Canada where I discovered a love of what I previously feared. Note to ski instructors: telling someone to look between the trees not at them is like saying don't look at the elephant in your lounge room.

Some mountains do that to you; change your ski and boarding 'career' forever, revealing another level to skiing and boarding you didn't think possible.

Read on for your chance to WIN WIN WIN a pair of Rossignol skis or snowboard.

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 5:51 PM
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The world's best off piste ski destinations

Photo credit: Rachael Oakes-Ash

Some snow folk salivate over super groomed corduroy ski runs like a dieting woman over chocolate. For them it's the joy of skiing and riding on impeccable snow like a rollercoaster with super smooth thrills.

For others the piste is not enough, it's what is off the piste that holds the attraction. They prefer the thrill of testing their skill, pushing their limit and conquering the steeps and deeps.

For them it's all about avalanche beacons and AvaLungs , boot packing, skins, cat mobiles and helicopters in their quest to ride natural terrain served up by Mother Nature.

Miss Snow It All understands the elation of freeriding the back country which is why she's devised the ultimate 'off piste ski destinations' for when grooming is not enough.

Read on.

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 11:03 AM
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Wasabi Powder - ski Japan, hot or not?

Miss Snow It All had long heard the tales of Japan's bottomless powder, no lift queues, five dollar lunches and super cheap lift tickets. She had also heard the tales of the Australian pillage of Japan's Niseko ski resort.

Some said the Australian lift company investors and property developers saved the ghost ski town, bringing it back to life and boosting the local economy, others said they brought drunken yobbos with no care for culture.

With seventeen thousand odd Aussies making their way to ski in Japan each northern season there's bound to be mayhem, right? Where there are hoards of Australians attracted to cheaper prices there will be chaos. That's the Earls Court and Kuta theory anyway.

Read on...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 12:04 AM
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World's worst ski injuries - shake, rattle and roll

Aaah, the sound of tearing flesh and breaking bones. It's enough to make a person tremble in their ski boots. If mangled knees and snapped wrists don't scare you then Sonny Bono will. The other half of Sonny and Cher skied into a tree, hit his head and died.

Miss Snow It All had her own Sonny Bono moment this northern season just gone. OK, it was on Blackcomb Glacier with no trees but it was near-death nonetheless.

A yard-sale of gigantic proportions as I took a wrong turn on a double-black steep entry, lost my footing and took a tumble, then another tumble, then another, picking up speed with every bounce as my body flung into the air, losing my skis and poles and any apparatus that could have slowed me down.

Not familiar with the terrain and skiing with my guide, I envisioned cliffs that would send me to my peril, rocks that would shatter my helmet and break my neck, all the while still tumbling, unable to determine what was up or down. Thankfully for me, I bruised my ego but my body miraculously remained in tact.

Others have not been so lucky...

Read on for the World's Worst ski crashes and injuries and a chance to WIN WIN WIN a Nikon Coolpix S550 camera.

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 9:23 AM
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Like a virgin - snow tips for the first timer

Some say it's impossible to learn to ski to an advanced or expert level once you're in your 20s, 30s and even 40s. Miss Snow It All says "bollocks".

Miss Snow It All herself was a late starter. She lost her snow virginity in her adult years then made up for it in record time. First there was Guernsey, then came Romeo, then Aldo, Mueck Mueck, Top Cat and a host of equally hot ski instructors.

She overcame her knock-kneed top heavy ski stance to go from green to blue to black to double black to boot packing and skinning the back country to heli ski weeks in less than five years. Not that she's bragging, ok, maybe a little but if she can do it....

First rule when losing your snow virginity? The world is a ski instructor, but unless your friends can show you their certificate don't listen to them they will take you to places that will frighten the bejaysus out of you and wonder why you won't come out from under your duvet the next morning.

Little Miss Snow It All is not a ski instructor but she does have some hot tips to get you through your first week on snow begging for more of the white stuff and then some...

Read on for more.

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 10:08 AM
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Snow guarantee - what's a ski holiday without snow?

Why are we waiting?

It's a gamblers game, skiing. Every season is the same, will the snow gods bless us with their presence or will the commitaphobe, snow, do a runner with not so much as a postcard?

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again but expecting a different result. We sit sweating over when the snow will come, forgetting that we do the same sweating every year. Perhaps that's why the maddest people I know are snow lovers.

It's kind of like waiting for the eligible bachelor who said he'd ring when he gets back from his overseas work trip. If he hasn't found somewhere better to play then chances are you're still in the game, if he has then you can sleep all you want with the imprint of the phone on your cheek, it's simply not going to ring.

So, will it or won't it be the 'bumper season' of your dreams in 2008? Is it time to book your ski holiday or cancel?

Read on to find out...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 8:25 AM
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Schuss with the celebrities

There's no better place to indulge one's inner Mary Millionaire or Barry Billionaire than at the snow. With the cost of lift tickets reaching almost $100 a day this season, just breathing at altitude will cost you money so you may as well act like you've rolling in it, because chances are you won't have much left by the time you get home.

Ski and snow holidays are all about living out a life of the rich and famous. Who doesn't think they're Bode Miller or Torah Bright when taking on the big runs? And we've all been guilty of thinking we're Cameron Diaz or George Clooney or even George Diaz after a Jaigermeister shot or ten, right?

If you want to hang with the celebriski crowd then you have to be at one of the top 10 ski fields with celebrity status, or win our ski trip to New Zealand's celebrity-filled Winter Festival .

Read on to find out how...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 8:18 AM
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Best in Snow Awards 2007 - the winners

Miss Snow It All and her minions have been schussing and carving, wining and dining and nosey poking their way around Australasia's ski fields this season in search of the Best In Snow.

The inaugural Best in Snow Awards 2007 are not about who loved Miss Snow It All the best this season. Miss Snow It All acknowledges that while the winners may or may not be her personal favourite mountains or resorts for her style of skiing they have been chosen for the quality and delivery of product specific to their market.

The awards are simply Miss Snow It All's choice based on her and her minions experience throughout Australasia in 2007. Awards can't be given to everyone or they wouldn't be awards, just ask Tom Cruise.

Snow Kisses this year are for those who made the list but didn't take home the booty.

Please note, Miss Snow It All has spent thousands of dollars on therapy so the Best In Snow Awards 2007 winners are final, really....

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 9:21 AM
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Snow dumps - I love you but the season is over

Little Miss SIA met an Austrian ski instructor once called Mueck Mueck. Well, that's what she called him anyway, it sounded good shouting "mushi mushi mueck mueck" into the wind on the hill.

In true Austrian ski instructor style she'd ask him if he was hot and he'd reply "yeth, I am hot, jutht athk me" (he had a lisp when speaking English, or is that lithp?) in serious austere style.

Miss SIA quizzed him about his conquests each ski season in his home Tyrolean town and how he managed to juggle the women who no doubt fell at his feet. Mueck Mueck replied "it's thimple, I tell her - I love you but the theathon ith over."

I can hear the sound of breaking hearts around Australasia as the snow melts and the classic breakup line is brought out again. It's not just the loved up that are suffering, Miss SIA has her own melancholy known as PMS - Post Mountain Syndrome. If this season were a lover then Australia was definitely the man and New Zealand was the woman....

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 10:51 AM
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What goes on tour goes on the blog - cocktail hour

New Zealand's Queenstown was built for Little Miss Snow It All and not just for the four ski fields. Picture 120 licensed establishments in one square kilometre, all within swilling distance of each other. It's enough to send her liver into hiding.

Little Miss Snow It All is the first to say she likes a drink or twenty so imagine her delight when the 42 Below Cocktail World Cup championship co-incided with her tour dates in the South Island. Well, imagine they didn't ... then imagine Miss SIA massaging her itinerary to ensure their dates were aligned.

Skiing and drinking go together like tequila and salt, vodka and gin shaken not stirred, oysters and champagne, Jaigermeister and redbull, dancing and midnight and like Berocca and the morning after.

My name is Miss Snow It All and the only twelve steps I know are the ones from the bar to the taxi rank and it's not a straight line...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 9:36 AM
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Foreign exchange - how to work a ski season overseas

Step into the village in Whistler Blackcomb and spot the Canadian. Like so many international ski resorts, Whistler relies on seasonal workers who jet in for the winter from around the world. It's more likely you'll bump into an Aussie than a Canadian as Australian powderhounds work the lifts, tend the bars, change your sheets and teach you to ski or board.

Niseko in Japan is known for it's Aussie contingent as thousands of antipodeans descend upon the land of the rising sun come November. It's even got it's own INSKI retail store from Australia and until recently the Hanazono lift company was backed by the Aussie dollar.

Vail Resorts regularly send their representatives to the Australian ski fields in the hope of recruiting those wanting to spend a season in the resort of their dreams, skiing or boarding by day and working by night. Australians have a reputation for working hard and playing hard and they are in hot demand.

As the Australasian season comes to a close it's not too late to consider heading north for the summer. It's still possible to find the dream season job and have yourself a white Christmas season. You just have to know how....

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 9:13 AM
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Jib, jib, jib - the world's best terrain parks

It's official, Little Miss Snow It All is a rat, a terrain park rat.

Terrain parks are the new black in the world of snow, no ski field is complete without one and some even have four. They can make or break a mountain and with more pre teen free skiers taking on freestyle in the park rather than racing the GS it's important to get it right if you want to keep future skiers and boarders on your mountain.

Little Miss Snow It All has put together the ultimate 'must do' terrain park list for those with rich daddy's willing to hand over the dosh for junior to risk orthodontic work should he/she miss their landing....

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 3:11 PM
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What goes on tour goes on the blog - ski towns

Miss Snow It All has seen better days. She's aged ten years this season, a year for every week she has been on tour and then two more for good measure. Don't tell her I said this but she's looking a little drawn around the eyes, when they're open.

Rather than the lean mean tight thighed ski machine she perceived herself to be come season's end she's a double of her former self. When asked 'how long have you been in New Zealand?" she answer's "four kilos". She blames the gluten, I say it's her inability to say no to the booze.

Ski towns are party towns and there are no better ski towns than New Zealand....

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 6:45 AM
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The white killer - when snow turns nasty

Miss SIA must confess, her biggest fear as a skier is to die in an avalanche. When talking about them outloud she believes she is jinxing herself, convinced that when next she ventures off piste she will be trapped by the great White Dragon. She knows she has more chance of being hit by a bus but there's been a lot of talk of avalanches lately.

An Australian died in Gulmarg, India earlier this year, caught in an avalanche. Thredbo Ski Patrol helped save 22 Japanese skiers in an avalanche in Northern Japan in February and a ski patroller ended up in hospital in New Zealand this year at Mt Olympus, also due to an avalanche.

Snow may look pretty but step on it the wrong way and it unleashes one nasty roar with a killer temper...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 5:39 AM
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What goes on tour goes on the blog - Heli Yeah!!

I love the sound of a chopper in the morning when fresh powder is a calling. It's been known to ruin relationships as powderhounds search for the ultimate fresh lines, leaving their girlfriends, boyfriends, wives and husbands behind. Snow whores will sell their soul for the good stuff. As the saying goes, there are no friends on a powder day.

The true powder barons are heli pilots. They hold the key to the ultimate rush because once you've had heli skiing you can't go back . . .

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 9:59 AM
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Snow Cents - why skiing and boarding costs more at home

Snow pockets down under are traditionally deep pockets. Little Miss Snow It All is constantly listening to skiers complaining about the cost of skiing and snowboarding in Australia and New Zealand.

If it's not the $90 plus lift pass, it's the $4.50 for a bottle of water on the mountain you can get for $1.50 at the supermarket in Sydney. Then there's the accommodation cost peak season when rooms the size of a matchbox go for $400 a night not to mention boots, skis, outerwear.

Little Miss Snow It All says, do the math. There's a reason we pay more for our snow down under if you read between the numbers...

• at 9:59 AM
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Snow Lies - why the ski industry can't tell the truth

The ski industry relies on Snow Lies to entice us out of the office and down to the snow.

When a resort says it received sixty centimetres overnight you have to wonder where they measured the snowfall - from a windswept stack of snow at the peak of the mountain against a tree or from the base village? I do wonder who measures snow depth, a man or a woman? We all know there are centimetres and then there are male centimetres often embellished.

Snow lies are like non truths, they may not be 100% correct but they're not 100% wrong either. Manipulating snow facts is an art most resorts around the world indulge in simply to survive.

So how do you cut through the pile of snow and get the real deal?

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 8:43 AM
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What goes on tour goes on the blog - Thredbo, sex on ski legs

It's the quiet ones you have to watch out for.

Charlotte Pass may be a family resort but Miss Snow It All's twenty four hours at the Kosciuszko Chalet were far from G Rated and I'm not talking about the imposed nudie run in the pool comp when she lost with seven of her own balls still on the table.

Oh the shame, the shame. Which is why she arrived at Thredbo in need of a panadol and a good lie down. "What goes on in Thredbo stays in Thredbo" is the marketing catch cry of this village conjuering up images of all night orgies with snow bunnies in nothing but yeti boots and a smile.

Miss Snow It All was looking forward to drinking French champagne from her own stilettos, beating off male ski instructors with a well worn stock and leaving her lipstick mark at bars across the village. The tour was coinciding with her birthday after all.

Instead she found surprises she wasn't looking for...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 9:41 AM
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Best in snow - winners and losers

Little Miss Snow It All loves an award. The chance to frock up, ride the red carpet and bask under a spotlight. With six weeks to go till the end of the snow season, it's time to start thinking who's been good and who's been bad.

Nominations are open for the first annual Best In Snow awards. Bribes (think French champagne) will be considered as 'gifts' and returned once opened.

Soooo who do you think is making the grade this snow season?

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 8:43 AM
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What goes on tour goes on the blog - Perisher Blue

Snow does things to people. They say it's the altitude, or perhaps it's the Jaigermeisters (no, I don't have a sponsorship with the Jaigie company despite putting the company directors kids through school).

Perisher Blue's Wild Winter Weekend is living proof of how far those in the snow will go to for a laugh. Near naked men and women in wacky get ups leaping off snow jumps into a two metre deep pit of freezing water is guaranteed a laugh, even if Miss Snow It All did get her own locks wet from splashback when standing too close to the action.

It's been a long time between winters and a while since Miss Snow It All stepped foot upon New South Wale's Perisher Blue snow. What a weekend and what a season to take on the 1245 hectares of untracked powder perfection with first lifts...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 10:33 AM
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World's Best Apres - on the piss off the piste

To some snow hounds, apres equals sex. If they got some then the town rates high on the après-metre.

To others it's about the variety of bars despite the fact the drink of choice remains the same, Jaigermeister. Loved up couples on tour, meanwhile, insist it's about an open fire, bottle of red wine and some shag pile carpet which is why you rarely see them.

Apres is all about sharing the days ski tales, boasting about fresh lines and swapping war stories from trips gone by. It usually involves a happy hour of some description and where you'll find happy hour you'll find ski instructors begging for booze from worn out clients.

Miss Snow It All has put together her own top ten apres destinations, ski instructors are optional...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 8:55 AM
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What goes on tour goes on the blog - Falls Creek

The mood was set at Falls Creek when Little Miss Snow It All arrived in time for a spectacular sunset skidoo tour filled with romance. I'd been promised 350 men ready to party, I was just never promised they'd be a) sober or b) single.

It was the annual Age Corporate Race and the odds were supposed to be in my favour 340 guys and 10 women and more corporate credit cards than an Anthony Robbins convention. Turned out half of them were more interested in piss than piste and their only race was the one to the bar.

Thank god for Winter Olympian Steve Lee , one of only three Australians to win a ski World Cup, and all round Falls Creek legend....

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 10:03 AM
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Snow divide - Australia vs New Zealand

Every Kiwi knows Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to conquer the world's tallest hill. We may not be able to beat that but we can still stand proud when it comes to Australians on mountains. It was an Aussie who was the first non-European to win a ski race world cup. Malcolm Milne took the honours in Val D'Isere in 1969. Steve Lee grabbed his World Cup title in Furano in 1985 and Zali Stegell did it again in 1997.

Not that we're competitive. They started it first. Comment? By infiltrating the Australian world of snow with tales of big mountain resorts a mere three hours away by plane. Once devout Australian winter loyalists turned their back on the snow gums and headed across the ditch in search of deeper powder pastures.

But when it comes to Australia vs Kiwi ski resorts do they really have us beaten?

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 10:06 AM
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What goes on tour goes on the blog - Mt Hotham

Photo: Jane Burke, 62, snowboarder. Mt Hotham.

It's best not to mention the war, at least last year. The ski season of '06 down under was a non event, more rock climbing and dirt scooting than snow sliding.

Resorts talked it up with a smile, hoping punters weren't bright enough to check the web cams and see the real conditions for themselves. This season it's another story. With record snow falls around the country the battle of '06 is forgotten.

Little MIss Snow It All is a sceptical skier, when a resort says it has over two metres she imagines they've measured the snow piled against the window by snowcats and wind. Her mission this season is to visit six Australian resorts before heading to New Zealand's mighty South Island and see the conditions for herself.

First stop: Mt Hotham in Victoria.

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 7:57 AM
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Personaliski - which one are you?

The snow attracts all sorts of characters from off beat and out there to cliched ski bunny and boarder stereotypes. Most tend to hang with their own as like attracts like and there's safety in numbers.

Brands are the new horoscope, revealing more about you by what you wear and who you choose to ski or board. I'm an Elan with a K2 rising, my moon is in Burton, my sun in Volcom with a DC persuasion and Dragon is my birth stone. Translated? I'm a loudmouth with look at me tendencies who can't let go of her youth.

It's easy to spot snow gangs from the chairlift. There's the snow nazi, the ski snob, the single above the snowline, tight arse trippers and at least eight more.

You just need to know what you're looking for...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 9:03 AM
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Save mountains of cash - the worlds cheapest ski resorts

It's five weeks into the ski season and already I've spent $2300 before stepping on the snow. If I wasn't such a fashion tragic that figure would be reduced by $1500 and I'd be skiing in last season's colours, without a helmet, in one desperately needed pair of new ski boots.

Kitted out, I'm now ready to spend another $480 on a six day lift pass and $800-plus on accommodation. My booze bill for the week will no doubt equal the homeland security budget, food won't be far behind and we haven't even got to petrol and parking.

Skiing and snowboarding doesn't have to be this expensive. Apparently there are ways to ski on the cheap, you just have to know where...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 8:56 AM
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Piste idiots - snow way to behave

We've all acted like knobs at the snow, or witnessed someone doing the same. What is it about a ski and snowboarding holiday that makes us think we're untouchable?

One friend of mine actually stole a groomer, yes that's right a six tonne snow grooming machine, while on ski holiday in Canada. This woman has never even had a parking ticket in her home town! Thinking no one would notice her and her monster truck, and in need of a lift home, she groomed a trail for the police to her door.

I once witnessed another well behaved princess dropped her Prada slacks and tried urinating her phone number onto the snow outside Beaver Creek's most toffee nosed diner. Let's just say lemon sorbet wasn't a winner on the dessert menu that night.

Some blame the altitude, others swear their Ghluwein was spiked. I call it Brain Freeze, an integrity threatening condition only found at the snow. What goes on snow tour stays on snow tour, right? Not any more, read on and see...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 9:36 AM
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Head bangers unite - world's best ski & snowboard stacks

WIN a ski and snowboarding trip to Falls Creek and some cool gear...see below.

Ski and snowboard fields are funniest home video sets just waiting to happen. I wounded my first ski instructor's manhood when skiing into his nether regions, my helmet head making impact at warp speed as I took a tumble. Let's just say he won't be naming his first born after me, if he could have one.

Then there was my yard sale (named so for leaving all equipment and clothing in one's wake while crashing) in full view of the chairlift. I know, serves me right for skiing under it.

But the really hot stacks, those gut wrenching I-hope-he-has-medical-insurance style numbers happen in the extreme terrain. It's good to know when you're arse over tit buried in snow that even the professionals have a bad day...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 8:25 AM
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World's best ski and snowboard bragging destinations

Ever met someone when they've come back from Aspen? They drop Aspen into conversation like a newly loved up teenager drops in her boyfriends name at every opportunity. "Would you like sugar in your coffee" may be met with "Aspen has coffee." I call it mentionitis. The ability to bring any conversation back to your favoured topic.

The snowsports industry relies on mentionitis, only they call it 'boasting rights'. Those hero ski and boarding destinations that give one kudos and make friends eyes glaze over in envy. So, which resorts rate on the world schuss-o-meter? Here's my must do locations to ski or board before you hang up the plank/s for good.

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 9:31 PM
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War and Piste - the battle between skiers and boarders. Bitch fest or love in?

Click image to watch Snow It All TV's streetword on War and Piste

ONCE UPON A TIME there was alpine skiing, a sport reserved for the entitled who used their silver spoon to eat snow each winter. Those with private ski lodges, goggle tans and family trusts were at the front of the lift queue, those in rental gear and borrowed parkas at the back.

Then along came snowboarding in the stealth of night, entering the mountain through the back door. The battle had begun and all the elite had to protect them was that same well worn family set of silver spoons...

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 9:33 AM
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Snow - a four letter word for sex

(For your chance to win a trip for two to Queentown's Winterfest, see the competition details at the bottom of this blog entry.)

You never forget your first time.

Mine was in Thredbo and he treated me bad, blindfolding me with a blanket of fog, whipping me with a harsh north easterly and leaving me beaten, bruised and begging for mercy. I went back to him of course, despite the bruises. We Snow lovers are a masochistic breed.

• by Rachael Oakes-Ash at 9:44 AM
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