European Snowsport

Outstanding, independent ski schools in Verbier, Zermatt, Nendaz, St Moritz and Chamonix

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    Women’s Ski Clinics

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    “Yes I ski like a girl -try to keep up!”

    We are bringing something new for the ladies at European Snowsport this winter. We have specially selected female instructors with a great range of experience and skills to deliver our new women’s two day ski clinics. Their infectious enthusiasm for all mountain skiing will help you to find confidence and enjoyment on snow.

    Reach your personal best in a safe and motivating environment where ALL women are treated equally as you expand your terrain and develop your skills.

    So why make the move to an all girl group?

    It’s not a hard fact that guys and girls approach things in a different way, but it’s not unusual to see girls evaluating the risks a little more when it comes to skiing. We’ve all been in a situation where we aren’t feeling ready to try the task but others in the group are pushing the pace and putting on the pressure. Everyone learns differently right? You might be a listener, watcher, feeler, thinker, doer. You might be all of the above. But how we process information personally affects the way we learn.

    We take this all into account on the women’s clinic ski days.

    Some people respond well to being pushed and there’s loads of inspirational female athletes out there who are shredding everyday to prove it. Take Mikaela Shiffrin, Lynsey Dyer or Lindsey Vonn for example.

    Mikaela Shiffrin has won world cup races in slalom, giant slalom, super-G, downhill and alpine combined. At the age of 23 she became the youngest skier (men or women) to win 50 world cup races.

    What is important to realise is that women’s strengths can lie in different places to men’s. In place of height and strength (although of course some girls have this too) technique, tactics and head space all come to the forefront. With these skills any slope can be tackled.

    At the start of each day, enjoy a fresh pressed fruit or vegetable juice. Here the group can discuss goals for the day before heading out onto the hill.

    Then out on the snow you can learn at your pace in a no-ego, non-pressure environment. These sessions are aimed at all levels. Whether you’re looking to improve your piste performance, mogul skiing, or try your hand at off piste and itinerary routes, anything’s possible. Because the camp is based on individual coaching, everyone can improve their confidence and technique, no matter what your level is.

    On the first afternoon, after skiing yoga is included, designed especially for skiers. Gently stretch out those well-used ski muscles so you can head out on the second day feeling refreshed.

    These sessions aren’t just about your technical skiing, they include sessions on reading the mountain terrain, choosing your route, and being prepared for the conditions.  Think coaching, rather than lessons; our women’s clinics will help you master confidence at any level of skiing.

    If you would like to join one of our women’s clinics get in touch! We look forward to skiing with you soon.

    Resorts; Verbier and Zermatt

    Levels; intermediate and above

    Cost; 400chf per person for the 2 days

     

     

     

     

     

    ES Zermatt Opening Party

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    Here in Zermatt we’ve had a great week out on the slopes for formation, getting our ski legs back and exploring the mountain. The team have been looking sharp in our new Black Diamond uniforms and we’ve had plenty of snow in resort, setting us up nicely for the winter ahead.

    The Zermatt team out for a ski in their new uniform

    To celebrate we collected the entire team together down at the Cuckoo Club for our annual opening party. Friends and business partners from around resort were also invited to help us get the season started in style.

    We would like to say a massive thank you to Cuckoo Club for hosting us and to our commercial manager Alastair and Director Hannah for organising such a great evening.

    Zermatt instructors Ben, Bryony, Hanna, Jack, Seb and Verbier Commercial Manager and Instructor Charlotte. (From left)

    Here’s a selection of pictures from the night. There’s plenty of familiar faces in the crowd as well as some new ones who we are very excited to welcome to our team this year. Maybe you can spot your favourite instructor?

    To see all the photos have a look on our facebook page HERE.
    We look forward to a great season and seeing you on the slopes!

    Instructors Harry (far left) and Chloe (far right) with ES Zermatt director Hannah and her husband Steve.

     

    Glacier Sport‘s Basti, Verbier’s Assistant Director Martin and Operations manager in Verbier Jonas.

     

    Bramble Ski team members made an appearance!

     

    Alex and Charlotte from Petit Zermatt, ES instructor Beth and boot fitter James.

    Off Piste Equipment Guide.

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    Many skiers looking to take themselves to the next level turn their ski tips towards the off piste. What can initially seem quite daunting, easily becomes an obsession driving riders to go again and again, pushing for bigger and better lines. But how does one make those first few tentative turns? What equipment can guide us through these new variable conditions? And what dangers should we be aware of when leaving the piste?

     

    Well, before we do anything, there’s a gear checklist and not a whole lot of negotiation on it.

    Anyone heading off piste needs to be carrying the Holy Trinity: Transceiver, Probe and Shovel. These three things together are the base line when it comes to straying from the pistes. In the event of an avalanche they can enable you to search and dig out your friends or save your life if it’s the other way around. Just carrying them isn’t enough either, knowing how to conduct a search properly can save you precious seconds. 

    See the source image

    Transceivers on the most part, are fairly straightforward to use. That’s not to say you shouldn’t practice with them. They have two settings, transmit and search. When transmitting they give off signals in concentric arcs meaning that sometimes they can be misleading to follow. You should always get out and practice with your transceiver and the stages of conducting a thorough search.

    Probe. Also very lightweight and compactable, probes fold down to little more than a forearms length. When extended however they will allow you to push deep into the snow and feel for suspected burials once you have carried out your transceiver search.

    Shovel. A shovel’s a shovel right? Well yes, but the one you would carry for avalanche safety will likely be compact, light and possible to separate the handle. You’ll be pleased of this when it saves you space in your backpack.

    Getting some mountain safety advice from Mountain Guide Brian Farquharson

    Powder Skis.

    Skiing off piste snow conditions isn’t all about wearing the fattest powder skis you can find. In fact you can ski variable conditions on almost any ski with good technique. Having more ski underfoot does give you a better surface area to play with, which helps to create more float in deep snow. But realistically, unless you’re in the fabled powder fields of Japan, you’re not going to need anything drastically big. Very wide skis can also be less nimble and trickier to roll from edge to edge when the conditions firm up again. That’s where a decent all mountain ski comes in.

    We asked our friends at Glacier Sport Zermatt to recommend some of their favourite skis in this category. Their answer? The Volkl Kenja for the ladies and Kendo for the guys.

    Image may contain: one or more people, mountain, sky, nature and outdoor
    The women’s Volkl Kenja in their natural habitat

    Repeatedly voted top in ‘All mountain’ ski categories, the Kenja and Kendo skis are well loved for their versatility. With 90mm under foot they are easy to manoeuvre in variable snow yet can be rolled from edge to edge with ease back on piste. They perform well at speed and feel stable. Both of these skis would be a great option for those looking at trying a more all mountain approach for the first time, or a more playful ski for someone who’s intermediate/advanced. Interested? Head into Glacier sport to find yourself a pair.

    If you’d like to perfect your new found love of off piste skiing why not book a private lesson with one of our instructors? In Verbier we’ve just released the Big 5 Challenge for those who are already confident in variable conditions. Get in touch with us on our bookings page here.

     

    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

    Competition: Name the Penguin!

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    ES PENGUINS

    New for this season 2018/19 is our group size for ES Penguins at JUST 4 per instructor, our smallest group size. This will make sure that your little one gets the attention they need, whilst learning and playing in a fun, on-snow environment with friends.

    To celebrate, we are asking for your ideas to Name the Penguin. Penguin’s new name will be announced in our next newsletter and the prize for the name chosen will be a lovely cuddly stuffed toy Penguin (with baby Penguins for runners up).

    To enter the competition, send your ideas to [email protected], together with your reasons. Look out for Penguin on the slopes this winter, with their new name! See the story below:

    The Lonely Penguin.

    High up in the snowy mountains there was a dark, mysterious cave. There had been rumours that a lonely Penguin lived in there all alone, never to be seen. The Penguin was curious about the world outside but was shy and nervous to go out and explore. This made the Penguin sad. That was until one day some kids came sliding around on two long planks of wood. What are they doing?  the Penguin thought. They were laughing and having fun, jumping and sliding, and giggling and gliding. Something had to be done.
    The Penguin decided to be brave and ventured outside. Wearing a blue woolly hat the Penguin stepped out in to the fluffy winter wonderland. It was beautiful, the trees were white with snow, as were the little chalets roofs and the mountains were shiny and glittering.
    The lonely Penguin got closer and closer and the children’s laughter was getting louder. Perhaps the Penguin didn’t need to be scared after all.
    When the children saw the Penguin, they stopped and ran over with smiles on their faces. “Come and join us, we are skiing!” they said with excitement in their voices. The lonely Penguin stood and thought for a minute. It would be great to make new friends, and skiing looked fun too! There was just one thing that was in need of fixing… What would the children call the Penguin?

    The Penguin needed a name.