Canada Pulls The Plug On Big Air
Keywords: Canada, skiing, ski, extreme sports, vacations, holidays
Certain ski resorts in Canada plan to make their slopes more family friendly by removing all of their man-made snow jumps. This is good news to some, especially if your father is bunny hill material, yet he still pretends to be a stuntman from a James Bond film.
The Canadian resorts stretch from Quebec to British Columbia. They include Lake Louise, Fernie, Kimberley, Nakiska, Mont-Sainte-Anne, and Stoneham. The resorts want to put safety first and they believe that other major resorts will soon follow suit. Matt Mosteller, Senior Director of Business Development for Resorts of the Canadian Rockies states, ‘We are undertaking an industry-leading initiative. We have found that one of the main issues that increase the likelihood of serious injury on our mountains is big air. When we are making decisions about safety at our resorts, the big jumps in the terrain parks always come into the equation. We decided to make a change.’
Amateurs might be saved some serious injuries, but what about thrill seekers that actually know what they are getting into when they try to get big air?
Mosteller addresses this concern, stating, ‘We are committed to providing our guests with a safe experience at our mountains. We realize that this change may disappoint some guests who regularly use these man-made jump features. However, we believe we have a strong moral obligation not to compromise the safety of our guests.’ There will, of course, still be other resorts that cater to the more talented and adventurous.
But for people that think the idea of leaving the ground while on skis sounds like a worst-case scenario, this change of policy means the resorts will have more money to invest on other perks the average skier is more likely to appreciate. For instance, the same announcement mentioned that new rails and features for existing terrain parks are planned in Lake Louise, Fernie and Nakiska. The parks are also implementing new “family-friendly” terrain parks. These new parks feature small rails, boxes and rollers that help children get started on the slopes.
According to the RCR website, the company is aiming at ‘encouraging learning, safety and fun in a non-intimidating environment.’ This seems to be in line with the corporate vision of RCR, which states that the resorts should be “the ideal place to visit when you want to re-connect with your family, friends and nature.” The company, which has owned and operated the parks for the past five years, wants the parks to be family-oriented destinations.
Skiing in general is one of the more dangerous sports. Clearly, bowling might be a bit safer than flying down a hill on two sticks at very fast speeds. But the resorts no longer want the added liability of “kickers,” as skiers often call such jumps.
The Resorts of the Canadian Rockies also announced its plan to host a Rail Jam series that will take place at Lake Louise Mountain Resort, Fernie Alpine Resort and Nakiska in the same press release,. “Features used in the Rail Jam series will be suitable for a high level of competition, while also adhering to safe practices,” according to the RCR. So, expert skiers that are not particularly concerned with family fun will have some new features to look forward to at the RCR parks.
The removal of RCR’s “kickers” is the subject of quite a bit of online controversy, but it appears that the RCR is unlikely to reverse its decision in the near future. Perhaps this isn’t a bad thing for families, since daredevils will now feel a little less compelled to imitate the pros. This initiative will certainly save at least a few broken bones across Canada this winter.
Skiing information and holidays is available at www.yourandorra.com
Previous Articles Highlighter:
Changes In The Hotel Industry (1)
Such is the hotel trade in the last decade, when I began in the luxury hotel industry guests would mostly be there for a week, staying for a week whilst dining with friends and taking advantage of the locality.
Advantages Of Using A Business Travel Company (2)
As there is so much to organise with business travel from flights and accommodation to passports and travel insurance, it can take up to a whole day to get everything finished.
Why Stay In Villas When On Holiday? (3)
Depending on what kind of holiday you are going on you want to make sure that it's not going to be too noisy in the evenings, ensure that there is plenty to do and is children friendly.
How Having No Thumbs Will Stop You Hiring A Car (4)
Others are worried about how secure the hire companies will keep the bio-metric data. One major worry is that what happens if criminals manage to acquire bio-metric data. How will identities be protected then?
Things To Do In Sri Lanka (5)
It doesn't matter if you have never tried this before because there are plenty of diving schools around that will teach you everything you need to know in one day.
Moving To Spain To Avoid The Gannets (6)
I get to enjoy the Spanish cuisine and when I'm hankering for some good old fashioned British food, its also on hand. Spanish fiestas are a regular occurrence and the atmosphere of one of these carnivals is way above anything the British can do alone.
Reasons For Staying In Villas In Menorca (7)
Menorca villas range in size so whether there are two of you going away or ten of you there will be something for everyone. You will find studio apartments and a range from two to five bedroom villas.
Internet Most Popular For Booking Holidays (8)
Everything is more easily available and whereas before, if you wanted something you had to go out and get it, now you can get anything from food to holidays online.
7 Great Vacation Destination This Year (9)
This South American country is best known for its shameless beaches featuring topless women, but it offers a lot more! There is a wild nightlife for those who like to party and a very strong mixed culture that features foods with influences from around the world.
Eleven Essentials For Your Spectacular Summer Road Trip (10)
Antibacterial hand wipes. If you're traveling with kids, wipes are an obvious must, but even without kids, you are going to want to clean your hands after using that nasty gas station bathroom, or worse, an outhouse somewhere with no running water.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
Superb Discounts On Vacation Travel (1)
All vacation travel packages are discounted and travelers will look at each travel package to find the deal that is best for their family. Many hotels participate in credit card programs that offer travelers an extra night of lodging if they will simply use a specific brand of credit card when they check-in.
Motor Home Adventures In The Adirondack Mountains (2)
You won't see a big entrance with a ranger station as you come in. The Adirondacks are a protected wild area, and they are littered with towns, farms and homes where people go about their daily business.
Motor Home Guide To Idaho Outdoors (3)
It is a small and friendly mom-and-pop RV park with 21 spaces and full hook-ups. Located in Coeur d'Alene, it puts you close to grocery stores, restaurants and other city entertainments.
Motor Home Trip Tips For Dogs (4)
Bring along his medical records and the number of your vet in case there is an emergency. It's also a good idea to scout out a vet anywhere you will be staying for an extended time.
Vacation Travel Deals Create Delightful Travel Vacations (5)
People can get great discounts on airline tickets and know that they have confirmed reservations for an automobile that they can pickup at the airport. The travel agent can let clients pick and choose the arrival and departure times of their airline flights.
Holidays In Binibeca, Menorca (6)
Whether you want to go sightseeing, stay in one of the many Binibeca villas, participate in water - sports or lay on the beach all day, Menorca certainly caters for everyone's tastes.
Andorra Skiing More Affordable With Low Cost Airlines (7)
Flights from London, Glasgow, Bristol, Liverpool, Blackpool and Newscastle all connect individuals to their favorite skiing destinations. In fact, Ryanair announced in October of 2007 that they would increase the number of ski routes to 58, which is the largest number of direct routes from the UK to European ski destinations for one company.
Dealing With Travel And Rising Gas Prices (8)
Look into cruises that depart close to your home so that you don't end up spending a lot of gas and money on the travel to the actual port. In the end, we'll all pay for the rising gas prices because we want to travel and we enjoy getting away from home.
Holidays Keep Your Heart Ticking And Good For Your Looks Too! (9)
It will come as no surprise then when research have also shown that those that do not take regular vacations are never rewarded anything extra for their hard work and dedication to their jobs.
How To Get Up Table Mountain, TheEasy Way! (10)
Once you get closer, Cape Town's most famous land mark looms ahead of you larger than life. The question most visitors to Cape Town ask is, "is it that flat at the top?" The answer is yes, and it is all open to hikers and visitors from the Cable Car.