Mongolians take to the slopes at first ski resort

Mongolians used to harsh winters now have a new outlet for winter fun at the country's first ski resort, located on a sacred mountain just outside of the capital Ulan Bator.

For the locals, Sky Resort is a welcome distraction from at a time of year when temperatures fall well below freezing, but it rarely snows in the arid capital. The resort relies on Italian-made snow guns to cover the trails with artificial snow.

"It is a great way to have fun with our children, and they are picking it up really fast," said 40-year-old visitor Tsedsuren Luvsandorj.

Bumps and bruises lie ahead for many Mongolians who are new to the slopes. But if they like the sport, they'll find plenty of other ski mountains to try in neighboring China, which has also taken up skiing with a vengeance since it debuted in the 1990s. The Sky Resort, on the sacred Bogd Khan Uul Mountain just fifteen minutes drive from Ulan Bator, is mostly aimed at beginners and intermediates. But it has nine runs, two chairlifts, and even a dedicated racing slope.

Still, the new fad doesn't come cheap. At $24 for lift tickets and ski rental, a day of skiing equals nearly a week's salary for the average Mongolian.

Indoor ski slope opens at Bootle’s Strand shopping centre

THE UK’s first ski slope in a shopping centre was unveiled in Merseyside.

The artificial slope, measuring 14m long and standing 3.5m high, was an immediate hit when it opened in Bootle last night. But it almost did not arrive when the truck transporting it to The Strand shopping centre broke down.

Bootle town centre manager Chris White said: “The slope has provoked loads of interest. We are looking forward to having office people on the ski slope in their lunch hour.”

It opens from 10am-3pm Fri 27th and Sat 28th Nov.

About 50 fancy dress runners also took part in a 1k race in North Park.

Snow ski centre planned for Sunderland’s Stadium Village

Plans have been unveiled for a giant indoor snow ski centre with real snow in a North-East city. The multi-million pound development planned for Sunderland’s Stadium Village – surrounding the city’s football stadium – could also house an ice rink, leisure facilities, specialist sports shops, bars and restaurants.

It would be a first for the region and the only facility of its kind between Leeds and Glasgow.The Stadium Village already boasts the Stadium of Light and the £20m Sunderland Aquatic Centre, which opened last year. Sunderland City Council’s cabinet will consider the blueprint when it meets next Wednesday. The document, known as a development framework, could then be put to further public consultation.

The development framework suggests the area between Hay Street and the Metro line as the location for the centre.

Huge snow complex plan unveiled

A multi-million pound giant snow complex could be built in Blackpool on the site which had been earmarked for a super-casino.

Developer Greenbank Partnerships said the proposal included five ski slopes, bars, shops and a hotel and would see 3,000 jobs being created. Blackpool Council said the plan was at a very early stage but the development could change the face of the resort.

In 2007, the resort was overlooked as the destination for a super-casino. Officials chose Manchester before the project was abandoned altogether. Greenbank Partnerships has now been given permission to conduct a feasibility study on the Central Station site over the next 18 months.

It estimates that two million people would visit the facilities each year. Chris Baybutt, from Greenbank Partnerships, said it was a "significant development" for the resort which was an "obvious choice" for the project.

Snow for the Southern Alps!

The more southerly French resorts and the Italian resorts should benefit the most from the predicted storm, which could bring up to 100cm of fresh snow to some Italian resorts by Monday.

Cervinia, which has been open since early November, is expecting around 50cm over the weekend, and Madonna di Compaglio opened today, about a week ahead of schedule. They are expecting a phenomenal 100cm of fresh snow by Monday!

In France, Alpe d'Huez plans to open this weekend, along with Val d'Isère and Les Deux Alpes, and conditions are already looking good with a base of 60cm on the upper slopes and a light dusting expected on Saturday and Sunday.

Serre Chevalier is looking forward to 26cm of new snow thanks to the storm but doesn't currently plan to open until 13th December.

In Austria, it's been a great week for snow conditions and the Arlberg region and parts of the Ski Welt will be open from either Friday or Saturday. And in Switzerland, cold temperatures preserved the great snowfall that many resorts had over the weekend, and more is expected to arrive. Saas Fee and Zermatt should be particularly happy with over 60cm forecast in each resort!

Resort News

MONTGENEVRE - Chondolas (a mix fo gondolas and chairs) continue their inexorable alpine rise with not one but two opening in Montgenevre this season. Les Chalmettes gondola, which accesses the intermediate friendly north facing Gondrans slopes, is being replaced and another is planned to link this area with the Chavlet slopes. The good news? This will replace a soul-sapping uphill walk. Kids and families will rejoice!

HINTERTUX - Peak-time queues to get up the Hintertux glacier will be eased this season with the opening of a new 24-man gondola, the Gletscher I, from the base of the resort up to Sommerbergalm. It may sound like a spaceship but we are assured it is a conventional gondola. It replaces one of the old parallel gondolas which has now been decommissioned.

ZERMATT - Beginners get the benefit here with a new nursery slope at Leisse, just above the Sunnegga funicular and new linking lift this will be ideal for kids and first-timers.

LA THUILE - Small is beautiful in La Thuile this season. A new fast quad is being built near the base to serve three new runs, a blue, a red and a black. Keeping them short and sweet, the lift only rises 180m but all runs are powered by artifical snow.

TREMBLANT - Access to and from the sunny side of the mountai will be greatly improved this season with a new eight-seat gondola which will link the Versant Soleil sector with the centre of the village.