The La Tania Ski Blog
Latest news, snow, pics, gossip and information from the locals in La Tania – latania.co.uk
All the latest news from around the Three Valleys from the La Tania locals. A real blog since 2006, not just endless re-posts for search engine optimisaton! Photos, gossip, snow reports, what's on and all the latest on the Apres Ski scene... Now fully optimised for iPhone, Touch and Android Mobiles - just go to latania.co.uk/blog and view on your phone. Our other past blogs & favourites here
Escapade 31st Jan 2023 – Jake, Ben & Tom
From Jake:
You would be of seen the email from Johnny who completed the escapade along with Seb and Adam. We all started with the aim to complete as a big group but by the time we got to the bottom of Point De La Masse. They had got away from us on the flat run down to Masse. Leaving me, Ben and Tom to navigate ourselves through the rest of the escapade. 15 minutes behind schedule at the Cime Caron we had doubts we would make it back to La tania let alone Foret, with the thought of a dreaded taxi ride in our minds we skied quickly and “safely” I must add. Somehow navigating our way through the rest of the escapade to the bottom of Foret with 4 minutes to spare. Once at the top we had one final spin down Folyeres to get the La Tania bubble back up for a well deserved pint at the Bouc Blanc with the rest of the lads. For several more at the ski lodge later that evening.
What a day!
Sorry for the delay in getting this to you!
Can’t wait to have a crack at the new 2023 challenge!
Jake
What to Do on Your Ski Trip to Colorado
Colorado has a large number of ski resorts. Vacationers and residents can actively spend time, get a lot of positive emotions, and much more. Denver is the largest city in Colorado. And here you can have an unforgettable time if you have planned a ski trip
Mountains and natural places around the city stand out for their unusual beauty. When visiting cafes and other recreational places, tourists can admire the beautiful scenery and relax in the soul and body. In Colorado, you can ride ski not only hills but also visit other types of entertainment. There are a lot of them in Denver and neighboring towns. The infrastructure is quite well developed, so tourists can always find something to do during their ski trip to Colorado.
Let’s see how you can spend your time in Colorado other than just skiing.
Visit Various Events
Tourists can visit exhibitions of paintings, digital technologies, various conferences, and esports events in Denver. They are dedicated to development, business, media, marketing, and many other areas of activity. These events are most often held in the evening when the ski resort closes. Therefore, you can visit all the establishments and events you want.
For example, the city will host the two-day TECHSPO Denver Technology Show from May 8 to May 9, 2023. It will bring together the best brands, developers, technology providers, innovators, and more. Ski lovers will be able to appreciate the technology and innovation of the next generation.
These events tend to bring forth a lot of esports enthusiasts as well and you might find smaller tournaments throughout similar events. These tournaments will probably not be big enough to bet on. But if that’s what you’re looking for, you can find other professional games at almost all times online. Just make sure to grab an esports betting bonus to maximize your stake without increasing the risk.
Relax in Cafes and Bars
If you are looking for something to do during your vacation, then, of course, do not regard meals as something banal. You can have an active time in cafes and bars, sit in comfortable establishments with views of the mountains and ski resorts, and play entertaining games.
In addition to Denver, you should visit the city of Aspen. It is home to the popular blues bar Belly Up and the stylish Caribou Club.
And in September 2023, Denver will host the Great American Beer Festival. This is not just a festival but an actual cultural event during which the best American beer is collected for public tasting. If you find yourself here at this time, you are guaranteed a lot of vivid emotions.
Retire with Nature in Zoos and Botanical Gardens
Colorado has a variety of zoos. The most famous is the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs. It is considered one of the best in the state due to its exterior design. Denver also has its own Denver Zoo. Here you can see about 550 species of different animals. In addition, in Denver, you can visit the aquarium (Downtown Aquarium).
If you are a fan of zoos, then also go to Pueblo (Pueblo Zoo) and Keansburg (Wild Animal Sanctuary)
The state has several botanical gardens. Denver has a public Denver Botanical Garden located in Cheesman Park. Its area is 23 acres (93,000 m). There is a winter garden, many themed gardens, and a sunken amphitheater – it often hosts concerts. There is also a garden at Chatfield Farms. The Hildebrand Ranch Park and the Dead Zone Scream Park amusement park are at his disposal.
Loveland is home to Benson Park Sculpture Garden. Here you can just walk, enjoying the beauty around you.
Visit Stadiums
Are you a fan of sporting events? Great, you will have something to do in the state. Denver has a baseball stadium, Coors Field, and a football field, Sports Authority Field at Mile High. In Colorado Springs, you can spend time at the Olympic Training Center.
Get to Know Great Sand Dunes, National Park
If you like to immerse yourself in history, you will be interested in visiting the Great Sand Dunes, National Park. It is a nature reserve with giant dunes. In 2004, it received the status of a national park (since 1932, it has been considered a national monument).
The highest suspension bridge in the world is not far from the park, Royal Gorge. It passes over the canyon at an altitude of 321 meters.
Go to the Coal and Gold Mines
In Colorado, you can touch the era of the “gold rush.” For example, the Last Chance Mine is located in Creedo, and the Hidee Gold Mine is located in Central City. This also includes Crested Butte, now famous as a ski resort.
Visit Molly Brown Unsinkable House (House of Lions)
This is more than just a beautiful house and a museum. It has its history. It was owned by the home of American philanthropist, activist, and socialite Margaret Brown. The fantastic story is that she survived the sinking of the Titanic. She was called the “Heroine of the Titanic” for her service to the survivors. The museum features exhibits that showcase her life. Margaret’s house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
If you are planning a trip to the ski resorts of Colorado, consider visiting several other places. So your trip will become even more saturated with pleasant memories.
3 Valleys Escapade – Congratulations to Patrick and his Girlfriend, first of the season!
Catching up on some Escapaders – if you don’t know what this is, see below.
For 2023 we’re checking out a new challenge with 12 villages and 12 peaks/perimeters to tick off – probably 30 lifts in a day required (tough in these energy saving slower lift days). More here on the new ESCAPADE 2023
From Patrick Plaggenborg from The Netherlands:
In the week of my 40th birthday my girlfriend and I went for a ski and snowboard trip to Les 3 Vallees to celebrate. We stayed in La Tania, Courchevel and found out about this ‘hardest skiing day ever’, skiing the most important peaks in the Three Valleys in a single day.
The La Tania crew kept a list of the official checkpoint lifts to ride. However, their last list update was from 2020 and since then some lifts and pistes went out of operation. So I pulled up the latest 2023 maps and created what I felt would be the best 2023 version of the Escapade:
Snow conditions this week were not that good. Lots of thin covered and icy pistes and some crucial connections were closed.
With a busy Christmas holiday week, and the last lift closing at 16:20, it looked like almost impossible.
After 2 attempts the first days with long queues, bad weather, and navigation mistakes on my side, I decided to scout the valleys a bit more before making a final attempt.
On the fifth day, conditions seemed good. It was after New Years so queues were a bit shorter. Visibility was good. Snow was still icy and thin, but definitely ridable. This had to be the day.
By adding some detour lifts and piste alternatives I was able to make it just in time to to the final Forêt lift to get back to my starting point in La Tania.
A wicked day that took an incredible amount of preparation and on-day planning. Oh so satisfying!
What’s this all about?
The 3 Valleys Escapade was the lift company promotion of visiting (originally in 2006) 14 points across the Three Valleys and gaining a certificate & badge over the period of your holiday – then we had the idea of doing it in a day…
It’s probably the toughest day skiing ever for a recreational skier but lots of people have got involved over the years so we feature them in our Escapade in a Day Hall of Fame
This is no longer being promoted by The 3 Valleys but we’ll still stick you in the Hall of Fame if you complete it – send a Ski Tracks or similar trace in plus a pic of your group.
What started out as a late night “is it possible?” discussion became a challenge the following week – the history and our original route are here
Originally punch cards had to be stamped at each check point until electronic passes arrived – they could then be checked by the lift company. The original Escapade was 30 lifts, 13000m vertical and 70km and 2016 peaked with 34 lifts, 17000m vertical (twice the height of Everest) and around 100km total distance. It became a little less for 2017 and 2018 saw the use of the Roc de Tougne fast new chair instead of the drag plus we lost the Montaulever drag altogether. In 2019 we gained the new faster Legends chair out of Méribel and then an improvement in speed on the Mont Vallon lift too.
It’s certainly getting easier with the improvement in lift infrastructure and we should make it harder for 2023 – there’s now the new Pointe de La Masse and Orelle-Caron Gondolas too! However, it’s still a big, big day out with every run top to bottom and all the planning, chatting, moaning (and lunch) kept for the time on the lifts…
The 2020 PDF route with the 19 “Escapade Lifts” in bold
REMEMBER: You do this entirely at your own risk, act responsibly, take full ownership for your own actions and all of those with you, respect other people (& the mountain), ski & ride within your limits, always obey the skiers & snowboarders code, observe all signs, pay attention to all notices, advice & instructions from Pisteurs, only ski off piste if fully equipped & knowledgeable, it’s not a race (and you won’t be insured), think about the safety of others as well as yourself but above all, take care, don’t wreck things for others & don’t even think of blaming anyone else if it all goes horribly wrong…..
3 Valleys Escapade – Congratulations to Jon, Adam and Seb
Catching up on some Escapaders – if you don’t know what this is, see below.
For 2023 we’re checking out a new challenge with 12 villages and 12 peaks/perimeters to tick off – probably 30 lifts in a day required (tough in these energy saving slower lift days). More here on the new ESCAPADE 2023
From Jon, Seb & Adam
“Hi team La Tania (Toffa),
We’ve been out today and wonder if we’ve made it ?
We used the 2020 route, as the most recent we could find, with a couple of alterations that were required.
Roc de Tougne was shut due to strikes so we went to Tougnete 2 instead (big queue!).
Aside from that we did Vizelle instead of Saulire and Col (as you know) is closed, so we put in an extra run at the end (Plan Fontaine) then took La Tania bubble again for a beer in Bouc Blanc to celebrate!
Oh, we started (and are staying in) La Tania and kept the clock running to include our extra runs and beers!
Cheers,
Jon, Seb (Jon’s son & Adam (our mate).
PS for what it’s worth, you gave me an honourable failure in 2020 Jonathan on 29th Jan from Morel
PPS. And would you believe that we were sharing our chalet with a couple who did it the real way several years back, and they even had the badge with them!
What’s this all about?
The 3 Valleys Escapade was the lift company promotion of visiting (originally in 2006) 14 points across the Three Valleys and gaining a certificate & badge over the period of your holiday – then we had the idea of doing it in a day…
It’s probably the toughest day skiing ever for a recreational skier but lots of people have got involved over the years so we feature them in our Escapade in a Day Hall of Fame
This is no longer being promoted by The 3 Valleys but we’ll still stick you in the Hall of Fame if you complete it – send a Ski Tracks or similar trace in plus a pic of your group.
What started out as a late night “is it possible?” discussion became a challenge the following week – the history and our original route are here
Originally punch cards had to be stamped at each check point until electronic passes arrived – they could then be checked by the lift company. The original Escapade was 30 lifts, 13000m vertical and 70km and 2016 peaked with 34 lifts, 17000m vertical (twice the height of Everest) and around 100km total distance. It became a little less for 2017 and 2018 saw the use of the Roc de Tougne fast new chair instead of the drag plus we lost the Montaulever drag altogether. In 2019 we gained the new faster Legends chair out of Méribel and then an improvement in speed on the Mont Vallon lift too.
It’s certainly getting easier with the improvement in lift infrastructure and we should make it harder for 2023 – there’s now the new Pointe de La Masse and Orelle-Caron Gondolas too! However, it’s still a big, big day out with every run top to bottom and all the planning, chatting, moaning (and lunch) kept for the time on the lifts…
The 2020 PDF route with the 19 “Escapade Lifts” in bold
REMEMBER: You do this entirely at your own risk, act responsibly, take full ownership for your own actions and all of those with you, respect other people (& the mountain), ski & ride within your limits, always obey the skiers & snowboarders code, observe all signs, pay attention to all notices, advice & instructions from Pisteurs, only ski off piste if fully equipped & knowledgeable, it’s not a race (and you won’t be insured), think about the safety of others as well as yourself but above all, take care, don’t wreck things for others & don’t even think of blaming anyone else if it all goes horribly wrong…..
The Best Things to Do to Get The Most Out of Your Daily Commute
Some may think that commuting is a complete waste of time. Like when standing at a train station or a traffic signal, every minute that passes might feel like a minute wasted from an already hectic workday. Fortunately, there are ways for those wishing you might use your time more productively.
You can visit this site if you like to play at the top UK casino sites or try several entertaining and productive applications available to help you make the most of your time, whether a 5-minute stroll or a 50-minute bus journey. You can check the best ways below to help ease boredom and commuting waiting time.
Listen to Your Favorite Songs
The best way to enjoy your commute is by listening to your favorite music. And this can be considered the most popular thing everyone can do while traveling. There is nothing better than vibing to lively music to start your day.
So, if you don’t feel like being productive throughout your journey, you may try to listen to some music and take this time to enjoy yourself and relax. With that, you can have a great mood that can positively affect your attitude throughout the day.
Create A To-Do Lists
Like others say, traveling, such as commuting, is an excellent opportunity to be organized. And creating a to-do list is one of the simplest and easiest ways to make yourself productive, even commuting. A to-do list can help track the tasks you need to accomplish that day.
You may even include the tasks you have already finished to boost and motivate yourself. So, spend 10 minutes of your commute writing down your plans and daily goals. Then relax for the rest of the journey.
Try Listening to Audiobooks
If you like reading books while commuting, you might want to try listening to audiobooks. As the name suggests, audiobooks are audio recordings of various stories in different genres. You can even listen to your favorite book for more engaging and absorbing storytelling. So, audiobooks are the best way to solve both issues if you want to continue reading but must commute.
Keep Yourself Updated With The Current News
It is important to start your day by keeping yourself updated about the current happenings. And you can do that even while you are commuting. You can assess through various social media apps that you usually use.
Or even certain news apps that can let you choose from a large selection of articles worldwide. You can stay updated about the news without the need to bring a newspaper or magazines while you are on a commute.
Meditate and Do Self Reflection
Aside from using your phone or any devices to distract yourself while commuting, you can try doing some meditation and self-reflection. The best thing about meditation is that you can execute it regardless of the time and place as long as you have the will and means to do it.
Moreover, meditation is a good addition to your everyday routine. Simple meditation and self-reflection while commuting can help you feel less stressed and prepare your mind and self before starting work.
Enjoy Your Everyday Commute With These Tips!
For most individuals, commuting is an inevitable part of their working lives, but that doesn’t mean it has to be something you should hate. With the help of these tips, you can make the most of your commute, and your commute will quickly become a good start and ending to your working day.
World Championship Downhill above La Tania today – but quiet pistes first thing
Congratulations to Marco Odermatt, the Swiss racer taking Gold on L’Eclipse piste today – as predicted by young La Tania Club des Sport prodigy Jack Jardine over a week ago (he predicted La Tigre winning the first race, the Women’s combined too!). We should have had a bet on….
That’s La Tania on the telly…
Meanwhile first thing this morning there was once again some amazing piste skiing on empty slopes… Getting busier at last today, to local businesses relief.
The 2023 Alpine Skiing World Championships Men’s Downhill
This takes place on Sunday 12 February 2023 starting at 11:00 and the top section can be viewed from La Tania – this pic from the terrace of Pub Le Ski Lodge!
There will be training / practice on L’Eclipse top section most days leading up to the 12 Feb on non race days and qualification timings take place on the Émile Allan’s Stade in Courchevel 1850.
06 to 19 February 2023 – Alpine Skiing World Championships in Courchevel and Méribel
06 Women’s Alpine Combined – 11:00 Méribel Stade / Roc de Fer
07 Men’s Alpine Combined – 11:00 L’Eclipse, La Tania / Le Praz
08 Women’s Super G – 12:00 Méribel Stade / Roc de Fer
09 Men’s Super G – 12:00 L’Eclipse, La Tania / Le Praz
11 Women’s Downhill – 12:00 Méribel Stade / Roc de Fer
12 Men’s Downhill – 12:00 L’Eclipse, La Tania / Le Praz
14 Men & Women’s Parallel Giant Slalom – 13:00 Méribel Stade / Roc de Fer
15 Alpine Team Parallel – 13:00 Méribel Stade / Roc de Fer
16 Women’s Giant Slalom – 10:00 Méribel Stade / Roc de Fer
17 Men’s Giant Slalom – 10:00 L’Eclipse, La Tania / Le Praz
18 Women’s Slalom – 10:00 Méribel Stade / Roc de Fer
19 Men’s Slalom – 10:00 L’Eclipse, La Tania / Le Praz
Skiing World Champs – Program of Event & First Race is Alpine Combined, explained here
The Alpine Skiing World Championships take place from 6-19 February 2023 with Men’s events in La Tania / Le Praz and Women’s events in Méribel.
The first races are the Alpine Combined events.Women on Monday 6 Feb and Men on 7 Feb.
This involves a Super G race with the Men’s event starting at 11:00 until 12:50 near to the Bouc Blanc restaurant (although not really viewable from their terrace) above La Tania.
Then at 14:30 to 15:30 a slalom race (with winner of Super G going first, then second etc) on the bottom of L’Eclipse with the time combined.
Live Music from 16:45 to 18:00 followed by the medal ceremony from 18:30 to 19:00.
Road Closures
A REMINDER OF ROAD CLOSURES BETWEEN LA TANIA & LE PRAZ:
The RD98 road between La Tania and Courchevel le Praz will be closed to traffic from 07:00 to 18:00 on the 5 days of competition in Courchevel (dates may be subject to change due to bad weather etc):
– Tuesday 7 February
– Thursday 9 February
– Sunday 12 February
– Friday 17 February
– Sunday 19 February
Only the emergency services, police, event organisers and ski teams may drive on the road.
There will be no exceptions during these times, even for residents of Rue des Tremplins Olympiques and the inhabitants of Le Freney, La Nouvaz and Villaflou. Public transport is allowed to run to these villages.
Please use the free bus service (runs every 15 mins) between Courchevel Le Praz and Méribel on days when the road is closed, or the regular Courchevel buses, or take the road via Saint-Bon, La Perrière and Les Allues.
The road will be open to traffic as normal before and after these times, and on other days.
La Tania Kids Rule!
Congratulations to Jake Spence winning the GS Grand Prix in Les Menuires today.
And fantastic news that two La Tania kids have qualified for the U16 French Nationals which are being held tomorrow for 4 days at Les Orres. Congratulations to Baptiste Monod And Katie Jardine – Well deserved…
