Men give Sochi Olympics downhill course in Russia its first World Cup test

Aksel Lund Svindal snaps a photo atop top of Rosa Khutor downhill course.

UPDATE: Let the handicapping for the 2014 Olympics downhill begin with Beat Feuz  as the early leader, thanks to his World Cup victory on Feb. 11. Read more.

What will happen at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi? Who knows? But World Cup skiers got their first taste of the downhill course during a training run Wednesday (Feb. 8) on the Rosa Khutor slope.

What did they think? Didier Cuche called it “magnificent.” Bode Miller was highly critical. Find out why they disagreed.

When it comes to the training runs on the course, things are heating up. On Thursday (Feb. 9), for the second straight day, Austria’s Hannes Reichelt posted the fastest time. But after a slow start on Wednesday, bigger names like Miller (fourth), defending downhill champ Erik Guay (ninth) and two-time overall World Cup winner Aksel Lund Svindal (10th) moved up the ranks after him. Read more.

The men will  race a World Cup downhill on Saturday and a super-combined race on Sunday. Check back here for results. The women’s World Cup field will race here Feb. 18-19.

Swany Gloves is dedicated to bringing you the best of outdoor adventure. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter.

Find love on the ski lifts this Valentine’s Day

Is love on a lift in your future?

UPDATE: Check out the photos and story on the marriage ceremony held on Valentine’s Day at a snowy (yes!) Loveland Ski Area. And don’s miss Loveland’s AWESOME video of the event and conversations with some of the 60 couples who participated.

We’ve always thought that riding a lift “single” was a great way to meet people. After all, you have SOMETHING in common with the person next to you, even if they ski and you ride (or vice versa).

So it makes complete sense to us that ski areas across the country are offering “Speed Dating” events in honor of Valentine’s Day, which is coming up next Tuesday (you’ve been warned, guys).

Here’s a look at just a few opportunities for “love on the slopes” that we found:

• Okemo Mountain in Vermont will host The Running of the Bridesmaids on Valentine’s Day. Skiers and riders who show up at the ticket window wedding finery and formal wear get a discounted day ticket ($59), free chicken wings, and a photograph. Wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses, and tuxedos are among the suggested items.
• Black Mountain in New Hampshire beats the Valentine’s Day rush by hosting Chairlift Speed Dating from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday (Feb. 11).  The lift will give you 10  minutes to fall in love.  Sign-up at 12:30 p.m. and is free with purchase of a lift ticket. Cheap Date? Half-date tickets for $30 after 12:30 p.m.).
• Bear Creek Ski Resort in Pennsylvania hosts Lift of Love on Tuesday. Singles will be randomly paired on a lift, then have seven minutes to get to know each other. At the top, ‘ski daters’ can ski off together or take another lift ride. ‘Lift of Love’ runs from 6-10 p.m., free with the purchase of a lift ticket. Daters can mingle in the VIP area, which includes Cupid’s Fire, tarot card readings, a s’mores buffet and more.
• Snowbird Resort in Utah is rolling out a Valentine’s Day Singles Line on the Peruvian Express chairlift. And it doesn’t have to be a costly experience: Adult, all-day tickets will be just $40 on Valentine’s Day. After the lift closes, singles can attend a singles social at El Chanate, Snowbird’s Mexican restaurant, where they just need to mention the singles line to earn a buy-one-get-one-free appetizer and entree.
• Loveland Resort in Colorado skips the dating and goes straight to the (snowy) altar on Tuesday with its 21st  Annual Mountaintop Matrimony. That’s right, a mass wedding for those getting married or renewing their vows  takes place at noon outside the Ptarmagin Roost Cabin at 12,050 feet. Couples must sign in Tuesday morning and be at the cabin 30 minutes early. Important to note: skiing is FREE if you’re signed in, but you HAVE to ride or ski. No rides up or down.

There are many other Valentine’s Day deals out there. Just check with your local resort.

Swany Gloves is dedicated to bringing you the best of outdoor adventure. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter.

It’s time for a “snow dance.” Are you in?

It’s not snowing enough? Time to take matters into our own hands, since Mother Nature isn’t delivering enough of the white stuff to resorts across the country. (There ARE some places with snow: look here.)

As this story points out, the folks at Telluride held a “sacrificial bonfire” (we’re not sure what the heck they were sacrificing) and at Sol Vista in Colorado they did a group “snow dance.” That yielded a weekend storm in Colorado, but there’s more work to do.

Colorado Ski Country USA has created a “Show Us Your Snow Dance” page. Take a look at some of the videos there, then post your own.

And remember: It’s Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month in January, so get out there (even if you are NOT a beginner) and hit the hills.

Swany Gloves is dedicated to bringing you the best of outdoor adventure. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, enter our Outdoor Adventures Video Contest.

Here’s where to ski and ride free (and other good deals) this weekend

It’s always great to get a good deal, but “free” is the best deal of all, right? Here’s a look at a couple ways you can get your outdoor adventure this weekend at a price you like:

• Winter Trail Days is Saturday (Jan. 7). That means FREE snow-shoeing and cross-country skiing for all. Find a location near you.
• It’s Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month in January. Find deals on lessons at a resort near you. Anyone can do it! Here’s how.
• If you live in Montana, or are willing to travel, you can ski free at Big Sky through January. Learn the details.
• Looking for lift ticket deals across the country and in Canada? Visit Liftopia.

Swany Gloves is dedicated to bringing you the best of outdoor adventure. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, enter our Outdoor Adventures Video Contest.

Check out these scary ski runs, suggest your own

Is this one of the scariest ski runs?

When it comes to skiing and riding, “scary”‘ is a relative term. For an expert, not many things raise the hair on the back of their neck. In the eyes of a novice, an Intermediate run can make them weak in the knees.

But we think everyone will agree that Clint Williams has collected an awesome, challenging and (yes, for most skiers) list of Five Scary Ski Runs. We won’t give away the entire list, but let’s just say one of the runs starts with a 20-foot freefall onto a 45-degree slope.

Check them out and then let us know what YOU think is a scary run by commenting below.

Swany Gloves is dedicated to bringing you the best of outdoor adventure. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, enter our Outdoor Adventures Video Contest.

It’s ‘Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month’ in January

We have said it before and we’ll say it again: the lifeblood of skiing and snowboarding will always be the NEW skiers and boarders who join the fray.

So there’s no better time to remind all newcomers that it’s Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month in January. Go to the official web site to learn more, such as what kinds of deals are being offered at a nearby resort.

And it’s worth noting: these offers aren’t just for beginners. If you’ve skied before but want to get better, these offers are for you as well. So get out there and enjoy some winter adventures.

Swany Gloves is dedicated to bringing you the best of outdoor adventure. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, enter our Outdoor Adventures Video Contest.

What’s new at resorts near Washington, D.C.? Glad you asked

Hey, it’s not ALL about government in our nation’s capitol. They also like to get out on the hill and have some fun.

The Washington Post, mindful of that need, has compiled a list of ski resorts in the area that reveals what they offer and what they’ve added for the 2011-12 season. Check it out.

Winter’s not just about skiing around D.C., of course. Here are other things to do.

Swany Gloves is dedicated to bringing you the best of outdoor adventure. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter for even more.

Breckenridge is big-time now, but the resort traces its roots to humble beginnings 50 years ago

Styles have changed, but Breckenridge remains popular at 50. (Breckenridge Ski Resort)

These days everyone knows Breckenridge as one of the biggest and most popular ski destinations in Colorado.

But did you know that in 1960 the town’s population was 300 and many of its citizens worked as miners?

It’s true, and that’s only one of the many interesting nuggets of information in the first part of a five-part series, written by the Summit Daily News, on the ski resort’s 50th anniversary, which falls on Dec. 16.

You’ll also learn how many skiers Breckenridge hosted that season and the price of a lift ticket (you’ll wince) that gave skiers (no snowboarders in 1961) “access to one Heron double chairlift, a short T-bar for beginners and six ski runs,” according to the story. Read more.

• Breck in the ’70s.
• Breck in the ’80s.
• Breck in the ’90s.

Swany Gloves is dedicated to bringing you the best of outdoor adventure. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter for even more.

We show where to find the most snow and Liftopia shows where to find the best lift ticket deals

Here’s where to find the resorts with the most snow in North America.

Don’t have a season pass and want to find the best deal on lift tickets? That’s where a web site like Liftopia.com comes in handy. It can’t get you a deal every day at your favorite place, but it can find a lot of deals you NEVER would.

Here’s a sample of deals the site found in a number of states. Visit the site, localize it for your needs and see how it works.

• California
• Colorado
• Michigan
• New England
• New York and New Jersey
• Utah
• Wisconsin

Swany Gloves is dedicated to bringing you the best of outdoor adventure. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter for even more.

Use this handy map from Skiing Magazine to find an opening day at a resort near you

Now that Thanksgiving is just a week away, the question is less “Which ski resorts are opening?” and more “Which ski resorts AREN’T open yet?”

The big news in Colorado this week is the opening of Vail on Friday (Nov. 18) and Snowmass on Saturday (Nov. 19), while Snowbird and Alta are among four resorts opening this weekend in Utah. But big resorts are opening (or open) all across the country, including Mammoth Mountain in California and Sunday River in Maine.

Looking for an opening near you? Check out this interactive map from Skiing Magazine. Just by dragging a slider across the bottom of the map, you can see what ski areas are open now (Solitude in Utah, Sunday River in Maine), which will open on Thanksgiving (Mt. Snow in Vermont, anyone?), and those that will open in December (Seven Springs in Pennsylvania). Check ‘em out and head to the hills.

Swany Gloves is dedicated to bringing you the best of outdoor adventure. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter for even more.