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    Snowboard Blog Posts

    The Big Five Challenge

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    Having listened to the feedback from our clients over many years, we know there are a lot of good skiers and snowboarders out there. They often know Verbier well, having stayed here over many years, and are advanced level or expert on the snow.
    So we have developed the “Big 5 Challenge”, a special day out with an ES instructor who will guide you to the best unpisted runs, with the best snow. And we will give you a “Big 5 Challenge” certificate and gift at the end of it, if you complete the challenge.

    Ski the top 5 unpisted trails (“itineraries”) in Verbier, the freeride capital of Europe.
    -The Steepest
    -The Longest
    -The biggest moguls
    -The best tree skiing
    -The most beautiful itinerary runs

    Here is your day;

    1. Start with the itinerary that is the best kept secret in the 4 Valleys, through the trees in the morning on Les Otanes, on the Bruson side. If snow conditions permit, you can go all the way down to Le Chable.

    2. From here, take the lifts back up on the Verbier side, past Lac de Vaux to the top of Tortin.
    This run is legendary for its steepness, length, and bumps! You can dive straight down or, depending on conditions, take the trail off to the side, to tackle the soft moguls that can get as big as cars, with famously good snowholding on the north facing slope.

    3. Three lifts take you back up again to the top of Mt Gele (“Frozen Mountain”), where all of the ways down are steep and unpisted. Depending on conditions there are different options; all of them are steep, empty and wild.

    4. Take the swooping run in to your next itinerary, Gentianes. Play in the natural half pipes and fabulous snow, heading down towards Siviez and the other valleys past Verbier.

    5. Two more lifts take you back up and then you will finish by heading down the narrow track, often with over a meter of snow piled on either side, that takes you into Vallon D’Arbi. This long, steep, wooded itinerary takes you into terrain many Verbier regulars have never seen, finishing in La Tsoumaz. Take lift back out, then be last off the mountain on the long run back to Verbier.

    Instructor Beth Lloyd in the trees! Photo by James Rushforth.

    Depending on mountain conditions, including avalanche risk and run closures, some runs may be replaced with others on the day. For example, Vallon D’Arbi may be replaced with Col des Mines, a beautiful itinerary with spectacular views that takes you back into Verbier in the afternoon sun.

    Worth it for a certificate? Of course not, but this experience will stay with you for a lifetime.

    The “Big 5 challenge” is 595chf for the day. The price does not change if your friends and family join in, so you can invite others to share the experience with you. We guarantee there will be plenty to talk about for the rest of your holiday!

    By Laura Shadbolt

    8 Reasons why Verbier is Europe’s Premier Snowboarding holiday resort.

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    Everyone has a different idea of what they want from a Snowboarding holiday. If you’re going to spend your hard earned cash and accumulated holiday time, you want it to be an awesome holiday experience.

    With an abundance of pistes, totalling 56, and the longest being 15km long you can see why Verbier is a world renowned luxury resort. Throw in some epic snow and a crew to shred with, and you’re half way to heaven. From perfect groomers, a freshly shaped terrain park and world quality off-piste terrain, its difficult to see why Verbier doesn’t make all top 10 snowboard resort lists. It’s an absolute undiscovered gem of quality riding that only the few know about.

    Here’s why Verbier is probably Europe’s best snowboarding resort.

    1. WEATHER

    The amazing weather that Verbier offers is second to none. If you want sunny and warm conditions then this resort delivers. The town and a number of slopes are south facing so sunshine is not a problem to find. Perfect for some softer snow on a cold morning or for aprés beers after a long day of shredding.

    2. ENDLESS SNOW

    If fresh snow is what you desire then the slopes around Verbier have this covered. With lifts going up to 3300m, there is no problem finding fresh snow. Verbier town is situated at 1500m, giving a total vertical descent from the top lift to town of 1830m. If you are unsure of where to go and find untouched freshies, why not get a backcountry day. You might even pick up a tip or two.

    3. LIFT NETWORK

    A good lift is essential, and a network of lifts is even better. Verbier has 150km of pistes divided into roughly 45% easy, 45% intermediate and 10% advanced slopes. Verbier has an enormous ride area when joined with Nendaz,(links?)Veysonnaz, La Tzoumaz, Thyon and Val de Bagnes to create the 4Vallees. 94 lifts and over 400km of pistes all on one pass. It’s hard to see why Verbier is the most underrated for snowboarding in Europe.

    4. FRESH, UNTRACKED SNOW

    The off piste terrain is so incredible they hold the final of the Freeride World Tour here! Verbier is a freeride mecca and has been known as Switzerland’s version of Chamonix, with its high peaks and endless backcountry.

    5. A BIT OF A CHALLENGE

    If you are looking for a challenge then look no further. Verbier has a number of marked and controlled off piste routes for the more advanced rider. If you’re looking for a variety of terrain within one resort, Verbier’s itineraries has it covered.

    6. SNOW PARK

    Verbier hasn’t had the best reputation for its terrain park in the past, but over the last few years even more money has been put into improve the jumps, boxes and rails. There are many new features each year and the freestyle area continues to advance leaps and bounds.

    Here are the stats that are changing Verbier’s freestyle image. Located at 2250m, the La Chaux snowpark delivers guaranteed snow and sunshine. The park is suitable for all levels and is maintained daily. The park includes 2 starts, 5 lines, 1 airbag and a boarder cross race track.
    Features include:
    Green line (woops)
    Blue line consisting of 3 kickers and boxes for beginners.
    Red line consisting of 3 kickers and 9 rails.
    Pro/black line consisting of 2 kickers and 5 rails.

    7. APRÉS SKI

    Verbier has an endless amount of places to party after a long (or not so long) day on the hill. Up the mountain you’ll find Chalet Carlsberg, Bar 1936 and IceCube to name a few, with live music and DJs. To end a long day with a sunset then Le Rouge (Café del Mar Ibiza vibe) is the place to go, and you can ride right to the door.
    If you prefer to sing and dance your heart out then in the centre of town you will find the Farinet Aprés Ski bar. This place will blow your aprés expectations into the next universe. Live bands perform every day of the season with a new band every week. Verbier has 4 night clubs, so partying on until the early hours is possible no matter what your taste. If you are looking to party hard Verbier has got what you need.

    8. LOCAL SNOWBOARD SHOPS

    There are plenty of local ski and snowboard shops. If anything goes wrong, there is always a shop on hand with stock to cover all eventualities, so you can get back to riding as soon as possible.
    If you want to talk about progressing your snowboarding in Verbier, get in touch!
    If you still don’t believe us then Verbier’s British ambassador and BBC snowboard correspondent Ed Leigh will show you. He loves the snowboarding in Verbier so much he moved here with his family!

    By Matt Spragg at es-ride.com

    Matt Spragg: Snowboard instructor, ski instructor, mountain bike guide

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    Matt Spragg has worked with ES for eight years as dual-certified ski and snowboard instructor. Throughout his time with us, Matt has gained multiple qualifications, become part of our hand-picked team at The Lodge and helped thousands of people enjoy the mountains! But what does he do in the summer? You’ll be pleased to know that if you want to come mountain biking in Verbier, Matt runs his own guiding company! We’ll let him do the talking.

    “I love being active, so in the winter I teach snowboarding and skiing for ES, and in the summer I run Alpine Roots MTB. We offer a variety of mountain bike guiding and coaching for anyone on a summer holiday in Verbier.

    Mountain biking verbier Alpine Roots MTB

    Like ES, we aim to be super flexible around what you want to do. I operate and run the company, so I’ll be the person emailing you, talking to you on the phone and then taking you out riding as well. Guiding is available from July to October. We offer half-day and full-day guiding for anyone; beginners, intermediates and advanced riders. Our clients come from all over the world and range in ability from first-time bikers to professional riders.

    Our set-up is fun and safe, just like mountain biking should be! The focus is on guiding around the Four Valleys, with tips and coaching along the way. We also offer technical coaching including line selection, balance, technique and trail-side repair.

    Moutain biking Verbier Alpine Roots MTB

    I’ve been riding mountain bikes since I was a kid, and started cross country racing from the young age of nine. I have always loved the feeling of riding my bike off-road. I’ve raced mountain bikes all over the UK and Europe and haven’t looked back since (well, in the summer at least!).

    Before moving out to Verbier I was studying a BSc in Sport Science at Swansea University, and before even graduating I had already booked onto a snowboard instructor course and set myself up for the winter ahead. This was in 2007, when I fell in love with Verbier and have stayed here ever since.

    Mountain biking verbier Alpine Roots MTB

    After working as a bike specialist and group leader I decided I wanted to work with a local bike holiday company in Verbier. It was an exciting summer season and I soon realised that bike guiding could also be offered on a daily basis, as well as a week holiday. At this point I started developing the Alpine Roots brand in to what it is today.

    Verbier is known for its excellent terrain both on and off-piste in winter, and the summer is just the same with a growing bike park and unbelievable backcountry trails. The area and its riding opportunities are some of the best in the world, easily competing with world-renowned Whistler for its endless single-track trails and downhill tracks.

    Mountain biking Verbier Alpine Roots MTB

    The best thing about running Alpine Roots is the ability to live and work here in this beautiful place we call home, and that I get to ride +2000m vertical descents right on my doorstep. Come and ride with me and I’ll show you!”

    If you’re mountain biking in Verbier this summer, get in touch with Matt and let him show you the amazing trails it has to offer. Not quite sold? You can also check out his website for lots of useful information about mountain biking in Verbier. Don’t forget to check out the Alpine Roots Instagram to see what the Verbier trails have to offer. And if you think you’d like to ski or snowboard with Matt next winter, get in touch with ES and we’ll arrange it!

     

     

     

    Why Zermatt is great for snowboarding

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    European Snowsport Zermatt snowboarding

    At first glance, snowboarding may seem a bit under-represented in Zermatt. True enough, with the majority of its snow sport enthusiasts opting to move around on two pieces of wood rather than one, Zermatt definitely attracts a lot more skiers than it does snowboarders. Those adventurous enough to enter this ‘ski capital’ with a snowboard might feel a bit left out because of this. However, Zermatt does offer fantastic runs that will make any snowboarder feel right at home. [Read more…] about Why Zermatt is great for snowboarding