2 days and 3 nights of White & Black Rides in Gressoney – Monte Rosa

Not doing anything the weekend of February 24-26th? Come out and enjoy the fresh sounds of  emerging music artists as you ski freestyle!!

This great event is for those who love music just as much as they love to ski. black crows. The italian party is a cultural event, which gathers the core of skiing and contemporary artists of the emerging musical scene. It consists of 2 white days and 3 black nights held in Gressoney – Monte Rosa, the Italian Freeride Paradise.

black crows. The italian party relies on the identity of the free skiing brand Black Crows, which symbolizes the convergence of two worlds: Free Ski life with the mountains energy and urban cultures. This event intends to restore the nature of real snow sports: the pleasure of sharing days and nights, around free skiing and party sounds.

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For freestylers, who want to compare  their stylistic gestures with those of others, the competition, the search for speed, the choice  of snowparks is extensive. Among those local to the A’osta Valley is the Snowpark Gabiet.

Snowpark Gabiet boasts numerous professional structures more or less experienced alike including:

 - 4 jumps (4 straight jump from 3 m, 4 m, 8 m, and 2 table jump)

- 7 rail (1 butter box 100 cm, 1 rainbow big bonk, 1, 1 tank tall pole jam big box, 1 m, 1 box and 1 flat down box 3 m dish).

To ensure safety of its visitors, the park has two informational boards, which include the rules of conduct, as well as signposts, which classify the degree of difficulty of each structure. Trained staff are also on location, should you have a need.

Use of a helmet (which may be rented) is required to access the park, as well as a ski ticket (day or half-day), or a chairlift ticket to Lake Gabiet. 

 Snowpark Gabiet: express yourself in  an acrobatic Wonderland!

Even after five years, the Nissan MysticXperience is still a certain show for the public and a surely good time for the competitors.
The unique Monterosa charm, the potential for several off-piste lines, the fabulous faces selected for the competition…quite obviously being a 3 stars FWQ stage… make is desireable just be in the “starting list”!

Nissan MysticXperience: it’s a Freeride Big Mountain competition, and a very difficult discipline that is gaining popularity all over the world.

Each rider will have to prove his technical skill, skiing on a natural lines off-piste, and be judged by on the lines difficulty, fluidity, control, technical and overall impression.
Besides the athletes in the Freeride World ranking, a particular attention went to italian candidates. This year there are 18 Italian riders including: Didier Lacroix, who ranked tenth and best Italian in 2010; Davide Cusini, a rider who has proven his abilities both in Freestyle and Freeride; and Massimo Ferro, a snowboarder from Valle D’Aosta that will try to aim for victory.

For more information, please click here.

The fifth annual, NISSAN MYSTIC XPERIENCE MONTEROSA SKI will run from February 17-21 as a prestigious circuit Freeride World Qualifier as part of the World Cup of Freeride skiing and snowboarding (www.freerideworldtour.com).

 The Freeride World Tour for the 2011 season consists of 6 stages, including the final Nissan Xtreme Verbier by Swath, in which only 40 athletes may participate in the Summit of international rank, Freeride World Ranking.

 To be able to acheive this ranking, it  is necessary to take part in the qualifying stages, which are more than 30 races worldwide, from New Zealand to Norway, moving naturally for Nissan Mystic Xperience Monterosa Ski. Each stage of qualification is classified by 1 to 4 stars (1 = Basic, 4 = Top), depending on the slope tender, beauty, and quality of the organization of the event. 4 star races count as women’s World Cup. The best athletes will participate in the final in Verbier.

The Italian competition will be open to only 110 previously selected participants. Each race will be chosen between the valleys of the Monterosa Ski, Champoluc, Gressoney, Alagna and communicated to the riders before each test. The organizing committee and safety officials will analyze and decide where to play the two stages of the race according to the best snow conditions and safety for athletes.

For more information visit http://bit.ly/i9TijD

You will be guests of a real ice bar counter by Kike Team. Participate in musical animations, and pub games like Darts, Bowling, etc. You can finally realize the dream of sipping an aperitif before or after lunch, of course without taking ski or snowboard at only € 1,00. Also, the absolute novelty of this year is the “Galleon” Kike Team. There are loads of surprises waiting to be discovered, don’t miss it!!!

This year’s event will again be a part of the Tour de Ski VDA circuit, and will include 5 races,  held throughout January and February. While these races are meant to draw in ameteurs, professional and cross-country skiers are welcome.

The race always begins and ends in the characteristic area of Lake Abbas. Check in begins at 8:00am. A full service buffet (featuring local favorites such as salami, polenta, and cheeses) will be offered to the competitors after the race at Sports Haus Sports Center, where awards will be presented later in the day.

For more information, please click here. 

For track map, please click here.

More about Guide Monterosa

The Monte Rosa, one of the most eye-catching places in the Alps, is their base. The area offers a awe-inspiring insight into the high mountains of the Alps, where every activity from heli-skiing to trekking is unforgettable. For more info about Guide Monterosa, please visit their website at http://www.guidemonterosa.com

Cheers!

Chalet du Lys

Each year the ski instructors organize the now traditional year-end torchlight descent the tracks of Sant’Anna down to the village of Staffal. This year, the celebration continues enhanced by traditional local groups. This spectacular event will be held December 29th at 9:30pm. The evening concludes with mulled wine and sweets for all. 

For more information, visit http://bit.ly/fmcPPk

More about Ski Gressoney Monte Rosa

Take part in their courses and/or collective or individual lessons whether you’re young or old, beginner or expert skiers, snowboarders or telemarkers. Guided by teachers, you can discover the magnificent ski slopes of Monte Rosa. 180 km of pistes and endless off-piste descents await you: fun for all levels of skiing.

Visit http://www.scuolascigressoneymonterosa.it/default.asp for more info.

Situated at the foot of the Monte Rosa, a favorite for tourists every season without fail. In its very essence, it features some notable history and an pecular balance between a modern tourist resort and an old Alpine village enriched with typical Walser buildings. The ski resort here is part of the Monterosa Ski complex, amid the most extensive and the most modern in the world, with 200 km of ski runs and ultra-modern ski-lift facilities; it is the home of Italian off-piste skiing. Skiing in Gressoney means benefiting from the use of ultra-modern and fast ski-lift facilities, of powerful scheduled snowing plants and several refreshment stations all along the ski runs. From Gressoney, you can get as far as Alagna and Champoluc (also part of the Monterosa ski complex) with your skis on at all times. Its prestigious geographical position (it is the first side Valley as you enter the Valle d’Aosta) makes Gressoney one of the most famous resorts in the entire region.

For more information about skiing in Gressoney-La-Trinité, please visit http://bit.ly/e0gO6X.

Each day, visitors will be able to meander through the “streets” of the village in search of a gift idea or simply to admire the crafts on display: candles, handcrafted soaps, ceramics, wooden handicrafts, antique objects and furniture, clothing and accessories in boiled wool and felt, hemp, lace, Christmas decorations, typical food, wine, sweets and pastries from the region, articles featuring découpage or other decorative or craft techniques.

What to expect:

• Typical food specialities
• Bread and sweets of Valle d‘Aosta
• Crêpes and fritters
  • Bonbons
  • Sweet apple speciality from Valle d‘Aosta, hot chocolate and “fiocca” whipped cream
• Wines and honey from Valle d‘Aosta
• Hand-crafted designer ceramics
• Artistic candles
• Restored furniture
• Wooden articles
• Boiled wool clothing accessories
• Artistic ceramics
• Christmas decorations
• Hand-crafted soaps
• Traditional fabrics
• Oysters and Champagne
• Ceramic gnomes, elves and fairies
• Leather jewellery items
  • “Royal Copenhagen” porcelain
  • “Textiles and craft objects for the home
• Terracotta incense burners
• Wellness products
• Christmas creations

This event is being held from December 3, 2010 through January 6, 2011. For more information and for specific shopping times, please visit http://bit.ly/e9FmCh.

Happy Shopping!

~ Janine