Snowboard Resort Reviews

Sierra has to be one of my favourite resorts around Lake Tahoe in California. After speaking to a few local snowboarders, it was obvious that this was the snowboard resort that most riders that lived in and around Lake Tahoe loved to shred with their mates.

Why is Sierra so popular amongst snowboarders in Lake Tahoe? Yes, Sierra at Lake Tahoe gets a very decent snow fall with around 480 inches of fresh snow a year it also offers state-of-the-art terrain parks and wind protected slopes, but it isn’t these factors which make snowboarding in Sierra so brilliant. There is something about the authenticity of snowboarding in this resort, it is very calm and laid back which is how a snowboard resort is supposed to be. Sierra offers true Californian snowboarding at it’s best.

Another reason that I love snowboarding in Sierra so much is the fact that the resort can be very quiet, especially during weekdays. Most holiday companies that offer holidays in the Lake Tahoe area, will provide hotels in the more commercial areas like Heavenly Snowboard Resort although they will offer trips to resorts like Sierra. The fact that the resorts is reasonable quiet compared to others is probably another reason why local snowboarders favour this snowboard resort.

As a whole I would say that Sierra snowboard resort is best suited to intermediate and advanced snowboarders. The main beginner run can get very busy during the weekends and if you want to learn to snowboard then this resort is not one of the best. The other runs around the Sierra resort are relatively steep and are not ideal for amateur snowboarders but perfect for the more experienced snowboarders.

The terrain parks are very well groomed and very quiet, we spent a day snowboarding in the half pipe at Sierra and I think at one point in the day there were 4 other people riding the pipe with me, the rest of the time there were fewer snowboarders than this. One of the great things about the half pipe at Sierra is the Chair lift which runs directly above the pipe making it easy to access and rid for a whole day.

So if you are planning to visit Lake Tahoe and are reasonably experienced on your snowboard, then Sierra is a snowboard resort you just have to visit, talk to your rep about the day trips to Sierra or even rent your own car, you won’t be disappointed.

The snowboard resort of Bansko in Bulgaria is a snowboard resort that you have to visit with the right mind-set. Many other reviews of this resort will be very negative because the reviewer is comparing it to the more expensive snowboard resorts in France or Snowboard resorts in Austria.

Bansko is an up and coming snowboard resort and is being improved every year. There is a lot of building work going on around the resort and the town but unfortunately a lot of these buildings are half built which is more than likely down to the global recession. The area near the main gondola is not the prettiest of towns and you need to keep your wits about you at night because you may come across a few man-holes without their covers on.

There also seems to be an aweful lot of stray dogs around the town which could upset those people that are scared of dogs. They will do you know harm but it’s probably worth mentioning.

There is only one way to describe the transfer from the airport to the snowboard resort and that is different. When you’re not dodging potholes, you’re dodging oncoming traffic, the roads in Bulgaria really are terrible. The transfer from the airport is around 3.5 hours. The town of Bansko is nice and very cheap (especially compared to other snowboard resorts) to give you a rough idea, a 2 litre bottle of beer is around £2 from the shops and a Pint of beer in the pub is around £1.50. If you are a lover of meat then all of the traditional Bulgarian restaurants are perfect for you, large fillet streaks for around £6. If you’re a vegetarian then there is an excellent Italian restaurant opposite the gondola which is very popular with local people and visitors to Bansko.

The local people seem nice enough, especially down in the town and the staff on the mountains. Some of the local snowboarders and skiiers in Bansko can be very rude when it comes to queuing for the ski lift. They will cut in line and barge past you, but this is only a minority of locals.

The mountain itself is more than adequate, it is also great for snowboarding. For more advance snowboarders, you could find the mountain a little bit limiting after a while. This is not the type of snowboard resort that best suits those snowboarders that like to go as fast as they can down every piste it’s just not big enough. For a week away it’s fine, especially if it is your 1st snowboard holiday or you are beginner-intermediate snowboarders, but Bansko could be too small and unchallenging for an experienced snowboarder unless you a a fan of off-piste.

There are some nice off-piste nice tree runs between runs 5 and 10 and some gentle off-piste around the snowboard park which is particulary good for beginners. The snowboard park in Bansko isn’t really worth mentioning it has 1 kicker, 1 small pipe, 1 low box and about 5 rails, which were all badly looked after because there was no snowboard park crew. Hopefully the snowboard park in Bansko is something that will be improved over the next few seasons.

People who have been to the snowboard resort of Bansko would usually tell you they’d definitely go back there again. At a fraction of the cost of some of the other european snowboard resorts, why wouldn’t you? Everyone loves a bargain and Bansko definitely delivers this. In summary, if you visit Bansko expecting the resort to be like the three valleys then you will be truly disappointed, but if you have an open mind and treat it as a completely new experience, you will have a brilliant snowboard holiday.

Les 2 Alpes is going to be home to a brand new quad chairlift for winter 2010-2011. This new addition to the snowboard resort is one of the many upgrades that are being made in preperation for the coming snowboard season.

The new list will cost 2.7 million euros to build and it’s main aim is to improve the access to the La Fee sector of the snowboard resort. The new chairlift will be 474metres long and 164 metres high and it is estimated to carry 2,000 people per hour.

The new chairlift is already being worked on, the seven new lift towers are being installed this month and they plan to have everything read for testing in October so that the lift can be fully operational by November.

Some of the other improvements you can expect to see at Les 2 Alpes snowboard resort include a drastic improvment of the signage throughout the resort with more than 500 directional arrows, 160 sign posts and 15 electronic notice boards with scrolling information being installed over the next 2 years at a cost of over 1 million euros.

The areas of La Fee and Thuit are also being improved. There are plans to protect power lines and improve the safety of the resort employess by spending 700,000 euros on new CATEX avalanche triggers.

La Parva is located next to and just north of Valle Nevado and is a host to a plethora of refuges and rentable apartments for the winter season. Once you have purchased your lift ticket you are able to take the shuttle to and from lifts and lodges.  La Parva with 9,673 meters offers 13 chairlifts. It was easy to reach all parts of the mountain. La Parva seemed to be the most popular resort of the three and with good reason. It was well groomed, offered high altitudes with accessible lifts. They also offered Heli-skiing with their take off point from the top of a lift which was neat to see for people who dream of trying.

La Parva being bigger than Termas de Chillan offered a greater variety of runs, it was almost impossible to have the same run twice.

Termas de Chillan, located three hours south of Santiago is a resort, spa and casino! With many hostel options prior to the resort itself, you can save some money for boarding, food and the casino. With over twenty eight groomed trails and five lifts, Termas de Chillan actually offers the longest run in South America (13 kilometers). The lower height allowed for more trees and great scenery but unfortunately the resort lacked on the grooming and some of their black diamonds / tallest runs were pure ice and all bumps.  What were great were the long trails that went through paths of trees and also offered great side walls. For this reason I preferred Termas de Chillan over Valle Nevado.

Valle Nevado is located just east of Santiago in central Chile. With 3,000 meters in height and over twenty three thousand acres of accessible terrain it is said to be one of the most popular resorts in Chile.  As the host for the World Cup of Snowboarding the resort is ready for snowboarders with South America’s ONLY Super Half-Pipe. Valle Nevado also offers Heli-sking options. At such heights, Valle Nevado has little to no trees and high winds toward the top of the mountains. The view from that height is beautiful of mountains and more mountains. There are also little to no lift lines which helps cut back the time it takes to get all the way up the mountain. The style of the runs left little side wall available to play with. Access to three touching mountains, Valle Nevado, El Colorado and La Parva, allows for over thirty-five groomed trails.

The Chilean currency is used but for the most part prices are still comparable to major snowboard resorts. There are three hotels located within the  Valle Nevado snowboard resort, but because Santiago is less then an hours drive, it is cost saving to look into hostels below the mountain that also offer group discounts or rides to resorts. Unless you are going with a group, tour or guide be ready for the ride up to Valle Nevado. At 3,000 meters high car tires are required to have chains put on the wheels. Your car will most likely be a rental car, and unless you splurged for the four wheel drive, count on pulling over and dealing with these chains.  Because of the multiple resorts with one access road start driving early or mid morning to avoid the up mountain traffic.

Fix your summer snowboard craving and head south of the equator where the hemisphere allows you to feast on powder at high altitudes. The Andes are on the west coast of South America and are the longest continental mountain range. Resorts open for the season starting in June and go into October. Chile offers many options for high altitude boarding.

Below is a list of three snowboard resort reviews in Chile…

• Valle Nevado Snowboard Resort Review
• Termas de Chillan Snowboard Resort Review
• La Parva Snowboard Resort Review

The Andes in Chile offer powder at high altitudes, Heli-sking and amazing sunsets. If you have the motivation for a snowboarding adventure head south.

If you have been to any other snowboard resorts in Chile or in any other part of the world and would like to write a review of provide our readers with some feedback about a particular snowboard resort, then please send an email to info@snowboardrespect.com

Heavenly is one of the handful of resorts located in the Lake Tahoe Ski and Snowboard area of California. Being the tallest of the mountains in Lake Tahoe, Heavenly is very popular amongst tourists and locals alike. However it is still far less busy than slopes across europe, even during the weekends.

The lift pass is similar in price to everywhere else across America, however keep an eye out for deals because they are often cropping up. I believe you can currently get a ski/snowboard season pass at Heavenly for only $319!

Heavenly - East Peak Lodge

Heavenly has a vast selection of terrain from long winding blue and green runs to steep blacks and exciting off-piste. For more advanced skiers and snowboarders, there are also various freestyle parks and natural hits to really test your abilities. Snow conditions in heavenly tend to be very good because of its altitude but this is also down to the large number of snow making machines available should the conditions need them.

The Good

• Excellent lifts, friendly staff and most hotels are in the centre of the resort 5 minutes from the main gondola.
• Stunning views of Lake Tahoe from various points on the mountain
• Large snowboarding area, loads of variety in the runs, it’s hard to get bored here.
• The tallest of the snowboard resorts around Lake Tahoe, so lots of snowfall at the peak.

The Bad

• Food is quite expensive up on the mountain
• Some of the lifts are quite far appart (some irritating flat sections)

Who will love it?

• Everyone, the large area provides something for all snowboard abilities
• Snowboarders that love long wide blue runs and darting in and out of tree lines
• Any snowboarder that appreciates an awesome view, (the view of Lake Tahoe from the top of Heavenly is truly stunning)

Who will hate it?

• No-one, honestly if you want to snowboard, regardless of ability Heavenly snowboard resort is one of the best

Resort Tips

• Save money by purchasing your lunch down in Heavenly Village at the supermarket. You will save a small fortune.
• Once you have come down from your days snowboarding, head straight over to fire and ice for a bit of apres-ski.
• If you’re heading out for dinner in the evening, there is an Applebees restaurant about 10 minutes walk from the Heavenly village, great value for money.

Does your opionion differ from this snowboard resort review, please post a comment

Do you always snowboard in the same resort every year? With the same bars and the same people? Perhaps you are the adventurous type and want to experience a less commercialised snowboard resort.

Below we have a short description of some of these snowboard resorts.

Vallorcine Snowboard Resort in France

Vallorcine is located between Chamonix snowboard resort and the swiss border. Vallorcine is a small and charming snowboard resort and the fact that it is located only 10 miles outside of Chamonix, means that this resort could be a cheaper alternative for smaller budgets and great value snowboarding in the Chamonix Valley. Another bonus to this snowboard resort is the easy access from Geneva airport making it ideal for snowboarding weekends.

Vallorcine has had some newer snowboard lifts fitted in the past few years to get you up onto the pistes. This particular resort suits beginner and intermediate snowboarders best. However as an advanced snowboarder you would enjoy discovering the untouched powder and if you get bored you could always travel to Argentiere and Les Grands Montets or even to Chamonix.

Oz en Oisans Snowboard resort in France

Oz en Oisans is one of five nowboard resorts in the Grand Rousses area. This resort is the neighbouring snowboard resort to Alpe d’Huez. One of the greatest advantages of staying in Oz en Oisans over Alpe d’Huez is that the slopes of Oz boast some of the best snowboarding in the area when heavy snow is falling which are not always reachable by everyone else.

Oz en Oisans has a thriving town, very picturesque, with ski school, shops, bars and restaurants and even a skating rink.

Orelle snowboard resort in France

Located in the Maurienne valley, Orelle snowboard resort is very traditional and has preserved its rural character and its traditions. One of the benefits of staying in this snowboard resort is that it offers a backway into the Val Thorens snowboard resort. Over the past few years, more challenging runs have developed on the Orelle side of the mountain in the Cime de Carron area.

Orelle also offers some brilliant off-piste snowboarding.

Pragelato snowboard resort Italy

Pragelato snowboard resort is located in traditional village in the famous Milky Way snowboard area which extends over France and Italy combining 400km of unlinked pistes.

The Pragelato snowboard resort covers an area of around 50km which is suitable for all snowboarding abilities. For more advanced snowboarders, there are two Olympic runs and some excellent off piste. Accommodation in Pragelato is maily self catering apartments and the resort has excellent resort facilities because in 2006 the Turin winter olympics were held here.

Sonnenkopf snowboard resort Austria

Sonnenkopf is a small snowboard resort above Klosterle and you can snowboard here using the Arlberg snowboard pass.

This snowboard resort is close to the well known and highly recommended resort of St Anton. At Sonnenkopf you will find un-crowded easy runs and some excellent powder riding. This small resort is suitable for families and snowboarders who enjoy snowboarding in warmer weather as it is well known for the amount of sunshine it receives. This snowboard resort offers the usual services: restaurants, shops, ski school, it also offers some atmospheric ice bars.

Of all the places I have ever been, this is quite possibly the best snowboarding resort in my opinion. The snow is incredible, the terrain is vast, beautiful and full of variety, and best of all the people are some of the most laid back and genuinely friendly people I have ever met.

Banff itself is a small village located 45mins away from Calgary which is the most local airport to this snowboarding resort. Sitting inside a National Park, Banff is a stunning village surrounded by moutains. The main road through Banff (Banff Avenue) is lined with a large selection of hotels, shops, bars, night clubs and restaurants to suit all snowboarders, there is a little something for everyone in Banff.

Getting to the slopes is easy in Banff, buying a tri-area lift pass is a must, this includes all shuttles and will give you access to the resorts of Norquay (Banffs closest mountain), Sunshine Valley, and Lake Louise, believe me this list pass is worth every penny.

The bus schedules are displayed inside pretty much all hotels along banff avenue, and if they are not then I’m certain that your tour operator rep will have one for you.  There are three buses which run at various times depending on which resort you wish to go to.  These buses are very efficient and almost always run on time.  They pick up from various hotels along the Banff Avenue, you’re nearest pickup is never far away.