The Internet Arrives On MT Everest

TeliaSonera subsidiary Ncell has just completed installation of a 3G base station at 5,200 meters (17,000 feet) that will reach the 8,848-meter peak of Mount Everest. Mind you, we've already seen a cellphone call made from the world's highest peak using a temporary base station in a Motorola publicity stunt. This time, however, it's permanent and faster allowing climbers to surf the internet or make 3G video calls. Why would Ncell want to build a base station in such a sparsely populated area? Because it is there.

Source Engadget

Tips For Skiing With Kids, Ski Saftey Tips

Ski helmets are a good idea. If your child wears a ski helmet, remember you may have to raise your voice more to get their attention because a helmet may impede their hearing. Make sure the helmet fits correctly. A ski helmet is not an item you buy for your child to grow into. Educate your child about the benefits and limitations of the helmet. Wearing a helmet doesn’t give permission to ski or snowboard faster or recklessly.
Dress in layers. Layering allows you to accommodate your body's constantly changing temperature. For example, dress your kids in polypropylene underwear (top and bottoms) which feels good next to the skin, dries quickly, absorbs sweat and keeps you warm. Your kids should also wear a turtleneck, sweater and waterproof jacket. Never dress in cotton. Cotton retains moisture which makes you cold.
Be prepared. nature has a mind of her own. Kids should wear a hat or headband, 80 percent of heat-loss is through the head. Kids should also wear gloves or mittens (mittens are usually better for kids who are susceptible to cold hands).
Be sure they wear sun protection, even on cloudy days. The sun reflects off the snow and is stronger than you think! A ski vacation with a sun burn is no fun!
Kids should have sunglasses and goggles with them. Skiing is a lot more fun when you can see. Always wear eye protection. The Sun is stronger at altitude so wear goggles and use sunscreen.
When buying ski wear, look for fabric that is water and wind-resistant. Look for wind flaps to shield zippers, snug cuffs at wrists and ankles, collars that can be snuggled up to the chin and deep pockets. Be sure to buy your children quality clothing products.
Be sure you child has the name and phone number of your hotel written down on a piece of paper and it's in a secure pocket. If you carry a cell phone, include this number too.
When you've decide what area to take your ski trip, call the ski resorts in the area and research how each area's children ski school programs are structured. Ask about the number of kids in the class? What if your child gets cold? What if your child wants to stop skiing after one hour? Does the ski school offer pagers?
Put your kids in ski school to get them on the right track. Children’s instructors know how to teach kids, it's their business. Then you'll enjoy skiing with your kids and they will be proud to show you their skiing abilities.
Although it is very unlikely that your child would get separated from the instructor, be sure your child has a trail map and is able to remember the instructor's name.
Make sure your child knows when to stop skiing. For example, if the clothing layer next to their skin stays wet and they’re chilled, if they’re injured, have a problem with equipment or even if they’re simply worn out. Teach them that it’s alright to stop before the end of the day and breaks are fun.
Make a place to meet if you get separated, for example, at the bottom of chairlift number 3. The walkie talkies now available are convenient and a big hit on the slopes.
Starting your kids early, opens a world of adventure, fun, laughter and beautiful scenery unsurpassed, from many other sports and interests. It's a tremendous feeling to learn that your kids' fondest childhood memories were of your family ski vacations and now skiing has become an important element in their lives. Your kids will be forever grateful to you when they become adults! Don't skimp on gear. Your child will remember the day on the sloops. Make it a happy memory. Ski boots are the most important after a helmet. Boots need to fit just right. After you buy ski boots bring them to a professional fitter and have a foot bed made. Foot beds are all over now. If you don't have one I will bet your feet hurt. Just get the kids a foot bed. It's worth every penny and your kids will have good memories.

Also remember with the ever evolving ski industry their are men's and women ski equipment. Girls have a different stance and need women's specific equipment or gear. My brother and sister and I all started skiing very young. I was 4. It is the most rewarding activity in my life. Thanks Dad!

Fort Myers FLA Cute Bear Caught on Video

This bear is so cute. Hey they have bears too.



FORT MYERS, Fla. - A black bear visited a Fort Myers business.

Florida Fish and Wildlife biologists have a trap set up to catch the bear.

The bear lives in woods near the Caloosa Tent and Rentals business on Metro Parkway, that's near Colonial Boulevard. On Monday the bear got food from a dumpster at the business.

Wildlife officials want people to stay clear of the dumpster until the bear has been removed. They are not saying where they will relocate the bear. Link To Story

Vail Resorts Starts Forum For Epic Pass Users

It took almost a year, but it looks like Vail Resorts is going to interact with EPIC Pass owners with email offers and a new forum. Communicate with fellow skiers and snowboarders, search for coupons and deals. LINK
The EPIC Pass forum is the first season pass forum as far as I know. Skiing sites are hard to make viral on the intranet. Their are 4 or 5 authoritative sites like TGR and EPIC. Most resorts have sites now but most don't have a forum.
With 59.100 EPIC Pass owners for 08-09 this forum has a pre-built community.

12 Hour Skiing and Snowboarding at Sunday River

There is a saying that the sun never sets in the land of cool and it could not be better suited anywhere than Sunday River. Thanks to the resort’s new 12-hour skiing and riding, you can keep on playing well into the evening.
With 12-hour skiing and riding on weekends and most holidays, there’s no need to rush to the slopes at sunrise and it doesn’t matter if you have to work on a powder day. There’s no need to wake the kids first thing in the morning for a full eight hours of skiing because with 12-hour skiing, you have the flexibility to ski during the morning, afternoon, evening, or all three. As the sun sets, there’s no race for the last chair because at the end of the day, there is still plenty of night.
Open trails will be groomed individually between 4pm and 5pm, allowing access to the majority of the terrain during this period and all terrain once grooming is complete.
Open for 12 hour skiing:
Dream Maker
Escapade
Second Mile
Southway
Broadway
Sundance
South Ridge Park
Who-Ville

Vail Resorts Epic Pass Available For 2009-2010

Vail Resorts announced that the popular EPIC PASS will be available for the 2009-2010 ski season. This is good news for anyone with the Ski Colorado itch. At $97 a day to ski or snowboard at Vail and or Beaver Creek the $579.00 cost of the EPIC Pass pays for itself after 5 days.
Vail Resorts based in Broomfield Colorado has also released the number of pass's sold for the 2008-2009 ski season at 59'100.
The no blackout EPIC PASS is good at all of Vail resorts including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone or Heavenly Ca.

Shaun White Wins Super Pipe At XGames 09

Shaun White has won the Super Pipe competition at The X-Games in Aspen Colorado.
This win marks the first time any competitor has won back to back gold in any event in the 13 year history of Winter X Games.
The competition was a little shaky as very few of the runs where complete. Most where washing out towards the ends of their runs. Aspen was in the mist of a blizzard which was filling the pipe with snow.
If you would like to attend the X Games make your arrangements early. X Games has locked in with Aspen until 2012. Aspen is big bucks. The earlier you make your hotel reservations the more you will save.

Ski Lift Accedent Leaves Man Hanging By Pants

JANUARY 6--In a bizarre incident that will surely lead to litigation (or an out-of-court settlement), a skier at Colorado's ritzy Vail resort was left dangling upside down and pantsless from a chairlift last Thursday morning. The January 1 mishap apparently occurred after the male skier, 48, and a child boarded a high-speed lift in Vail's Blue Sky Basin. It appears that the chairlift's fold-down seat was somehow not in the lowered position, which caused the man to partially fall through the resulting gap. His right ski got jammed in the ascending chairlift, and that kept him upended since his boot never dislodged from its binding. Read More at Skier Suffers Exposure - January 6, 2009

Unfortunately this is not the only incident that happened at A Vail Resort property over the Holiday's Probably unreported but my brother and myself where skiing at Beaver Creek during the same period of time and witnessed two chairlift incidents.
The first was at Larkspur chair when a woman fell and the operator didn't stop the lift in time hitting the woman in the head. They simply picked the poor lady up and put her on the next chair.
The second indecent was at the rose bowl chair. A snowboarder didn't load properly and fell out of the chair after launch, landing 10 feet in front of the loading area. Again the lifties simply picked the guy up and put him on the next chair.

Do you see a pattern here? None of the lift operators apparently offered any medical attention or even a apology during the incidents my brother and I witnessed.

Lady's Ski And Ride For $39.00 At Okemo Tuesday's

Know that all the holiday crowds have departed gather the girls and head to Okemo
Thats right Tuesday is Lady's Day at Okemo located in Ludlow Vermont. Women, Lady's, Girls can ski and ride for $39.00. Almost half off Okemo's $72.00 weekday lift ticket price.
Resorts are starting to follow ski manufacturers lead whom are designing and building Women's Specific Skis So look for deals for women from Ski Resorts, Ski Shops, and Resort Lodging,
Okemo also has the same deal for Vermont and New Hampshire residents on Wednesday's

Okemo MT Vermont Sold

With the economic down turn and families cancelling ski vacations this is no surprise. One of the last family run ski areas is being sold.
CNL Lifestyle Properties Inc., a real-estate investment trust based in Orlando, Fla., is expected to announce that it will acquire three U.S. ski resorts for $132 million. The purchase includes Crested Butte, Mount Sunapee and Okemo. The company owns several other ski properties, including Sugarloaf in Maine and Mammoth Mountain Village in California, as well as dozens of golf courses and water parks.
According to sources Triple Peaks LLC of Ludlow, Vt., which currently owns and operates the ski areas CNL will buy, will continue as operator of Okemo located in Ludlow VT.
Lets hope Okemo doesnt change with this sale. The Resort has become one of the best run resorts in New England by offering great service and on mountain food at affordable prices. No dried out hamburgers at Okemo. Theirs nowhere else that you can get a taco salad loaded with all the fixings for under $8.00.

Man With Jet Pack Fly's Over Royal Gorge Canyon

Jet Pack Man makes 1'500 feet accross the Royal Gorge Canyon in Canon City Colorado. Pilot Eric Scott has done it. Eric Scott had 30 seconds of fuel to set a World Record For a Jet Pack Flight.

Scott Said that the Jet Pack needed to be modified for his flight. We have found a Youtube Video of Eric Scott demonstraiting his Personal Jet Pack.

Skiing is slow in Colorado now and this Jet Pack Pilot has really created a buzz. You YES YOU can become a Jet Pack Pilot. Click Here for details on The Jet Pack Pilot Search.

Locally we had no live feeds from the site, so I'm keeping a eye on youTube for the release of a video and hope to update the Video and have The Actual Jet Pack Flight Accross the Canyon soon

Arapaho Basin and Loveland Tie for First Opening Day

Loveland Ski Area and Arapaho Basin tied for first ski resorts to open for the 2008-2009 ski season.
I haven't been but some boarders staying were I am told me the first day was packed with Colorado Resort Employee's.
I'm in Beaver Creek and have no ski's. Housing is so hard to find that I left my ski's at home and having them shipped once I have a full time place to live.
Yup that's right The Northeast Ski Zone is skiing Beaver Creek this season.
I have so many connections back home readers here will still find relevant information here plus Colorado info as a bonus.
Moving to Colorado to teach Ski School isnt easy. The housing situation is so messed up. There are 100's of people looking for housing and rents can go from $700.00 and up.
Well keep coming back we finally have a Wi-Fi signal and I will be posting regularly again.
Well Sundayriver Open Halloween is the next mile stone

Snow In The Forcast For Northern New England

Just when hiking and foliage was on our minds snow is predicted on both coasts this week 10/1. My favorite News Station NECN's Matt Noyes says we can expect snow showers in Northern Vermont Friday night.
The area snow is expected is in the higher altitudes in a area I like to call the snowbowl. The area northeast of Burlington Vermont were J Peak is located gets massive amounts of snow every year. Storms blow in accross the lakes, over Burlington and let it go. Huge amounts of snow get deposited in the mountains.
This is my favorite time of year. The leaves are turning and we can see the weather patterns turn towards what skiers like to see. Instead of the patterns swinging south and then back north with warm temps, the pattern tends to stay north and grab cool air from Canada. Start to look for reports of people hiking up Killingtons and Mad River Glen soon.

Good Bye Summer 2008, Fall In New England Is Here

Hope everyone had a good summer because it's over this weekend. Time to kiss your summer lover goodbye and start thinking about ski and Snowboard season. The 21st of Sept marks colder temps and leaf peeping. As a matter of fact snow flurries are predicted in northern Maine.

The Farmers Almanac is predicting lots of snow this winter so I suggest saving up some cash for gas and consider season passe's for you favorite resort. Resorts are dropping there price's for season pass's to get folks to the mountains.

Vail Resorts Introduces the EPIC 5 Resort Ski Pass 08/09

Vail Resorts Management run the hottest properties around the USA for outdoor enthusiasts and for Skiers & Snowboarders they have introduced the Epic Season Pass for there best winter resorts. The Ski Pass can save you money even on a vacation.
$579.00 gets unrestricted access to Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Breckenridge and Heavenly Ski Resorts. A single day lift ticket during peak season at any major resort is about $70.00 plus.
The Epic Season Pass is the only ski pass that offers Unrestricted (no blackout dates) and Unlimited (where you want, when you want) at the resorts.
This is a incredible value. You ski the best ski resorts in the country for a season for the cost of a weeks worth of passe's.

Experience Fairmont Ski Resorts

Wyndham Vacation Selects

Snowing In Summit County Colorado in August

Can you believe it. Snowing in Summit County above the Eisenhower Tunnel in August of 08. Arapaho Basin Ski area is in the background. See the snow. The weather around the country has been nice and mild in most places. Though a little extreme some places. Mount Mansfield VT has received 14 inch's of rain this August, But in the mid west the corn farmers are ready to harvest there best year ever according to Matt Noyes of NECN.

Reduced H-2B Visa's, Resorts Suffer, Ski Resort Jobs

So what are resorts to do when the government stops issuing Visa's for seasonal workers ? Everyone suffers. The patrons, business owners or the workers themselves. Everyone in my opinion. Here on Summer Base Camp Cape Cod I use to own and run a home remodeling company till I was hurt real bad. I use to hire 4 to 10 Irish students to work every summer. Once Ireland's economy turned around the students from Ireland stopped coming. The ones who did come to Cape Cod didn't want to work. They came for fun. We have always had a big Brazilian community, but the Brazilians didn't come to work for me or anyone else really they started there own business's. This created a stir around Cape Cod. Lots of upset folks saying they where stealing jobs. Total BS INMO.
Resorts and restaurants from Florida to Maine are reporting that they have received a 3rd less foreign H-2B Visa Workers this summer (08) and the customers are suffering.
So whats a resort to do ? Hire locals and have huge recruiting events. One of the biggest resort recruiting events is for Vail Resorts. Want a Ski Job at Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Heavenly, Breckenridge, Rock Resorts or Grand Teton Lodge. Go to Ski Jobs 1 . Vail has recruiting event around the USA, Australia, Canada and more during the summer every year. Usually in August and September. You can do just about any job you want. From driving a bus to giving ski lessons. They will pay you, house you, give you a season pass and much more. Could be the best days of your life.
A ski resort job is what you make it. Members of my family have been ski instructors for up to 30+ years and still only make $12.00 a hour so don't expect to get rich. Getting a ski resort job is more about enjoying life. If year seeking the comfort of your own home after work every day its probably not for you. If you are hired and offered employee housing you will have a room mate. Making the move to a Ski Resort Job should be thought out very carefully. You will need money before you get to your Ski Job. You will need to be able to support yourself for at least one month ! You will need to work all the Holiday Ski Weeks and if it's busy don't expect to have many Powder Days unless know one can get to the resorts and they don't need you.
All Ski Resorts need employee's and the 2008-2009 ski season they will need even more Citizen due to the Visa issues.
It's been my dream for many years to pack my bags and head to Vail. I lived less than 2 hours from Vail when I was very young and have wanted to work there basically my entire life. I even had a job at Vail ready for me driving a shuttle bus. Which is the best ski resort job you can have ! The week before I was to leave I broke my shoulder.
Lost Dream of working at a Ski Resort ? NO! Over the last four years I have built a Mini Web Site Empire with software named Build A Niche Store and I'm going to try to be a ski bum again. This time I will be more careful leading up to the move. LOL. I'm going to do it and I have my application submitted to Vail Resorts and will be at the recruiting event in Boston August 22 and 23rd 2008. Should work out for me. I have a nice income from building web sites and no kids to support, no dog and oil prices will be so high I can shut my house down and save $2'44.00 bucks in heating bills.
May not even work at a Ski Resort. I have actually done very well building web sites. When you brake your shoulder you can't do anything but sit and watch TV. Not for me, I bought a laptop and learned the SEM and SEO business, (Internet Marketing). My plan is to work at a Ski Resort just enough to get the Free Ski Pass, Food, shuttle bus discounts and a couple other benefits. More than likely part time ski school and find my own place to live. Many, Many Ski Bums rent condos and rent out rooms. Find a nice place to live is easy up till Thanks Giving or there abouts then price's go up. To rent your own place can range from $800 a month to 10K a month. The Towns of Vail and Avon (Beaver Creek) dislike cars ! so they have one of the best shuttle bus systems of the USA Ski Resorts. Roaring Forks. If you can't drop everything like me and just go for it try getting a part time job at a resort within driving distance. Any of the Ski Resorts listed in the sidebar here would be glad to have you. Watch for blog posts about moving to a Colorado Ski Resorts to Work. Hope I have better luck this time.

Barnstable County Fair July 18 Thru 26, The Village People

Located at Barnstable County Fairgrounds RT 151 East Falmouth Massachusetts. The Barnstable County Fair is one of the oldest County Fairs in the USA. The Barnstable County Agricultural Society held its first fair, consisting primarily of livestock and handicraft exhibits, in October of 1844 at the County Court House in Barnstable Village.
Today The Barnstable County Fair has been an annual summer tradition on Cape Cod for 164 years. The Fair is a place where families can spend the day together and share experiences they can only experience at the Barnstable County Fair. There are animal shows, 4-H demonstrations, petting zoos, horticulture displays, rides, games, live music, arts & crafts, food and commercial vendors with various arts and crafts for sale. The Fair also has a huge Midway from Rockwell Amusements.
Click Entertainment For Schedule. Demolishion Derby is July 23rd, thats my favorite, and The Village People are performing July 25Th. Remember them.

A locals way of getting around Cape Cod. Cape Cod and Barnstable County has some of the worst traffic of any tourist destination you will find. People have been known to sit in traffic for hours to go just a few miles. Locals hardly ever sit in traffic. Why ? The back roads of Cape Cod. Before coming to Cape Cod Buy a good map or get to know your 3G Smartphone , iPhone or GPS Map System. There are roads all around the Barnstable County Fair Grounds that you can use. If you are coming from Hyannis towards mashpee/ East Falmouth look for Barnstable Road. Barnstable road forks off to the right just before the Mashpee rotary and go's around the rotary. Follow it to the 1st stop sign and go strait through and follow it to Rt 151 and turn right. Once you turn right onto 151 you may come to a dead stop. look on your map for Johns Pond and the roads around it (Right Side Of 151). These roads are extensive so don't get lost, but some of the come out behind the Fair Grounds. You can duck out of traffic instead of sitting in your car wasting gas.
If you are coming from the Falmouth, Bourne area look for Sandwich Rd. If you take a good look at a good map you will find roads coming in from every direction. Basiclly you want to avoid Rt 28 and rt 151 as much as possible till the last minute. Click Directions To Barnstable County Fair for Google Mapping to the Barnstable County Fair.

New England Ski Museum Franconia Notch State Park

Need a idea for mini vacation or what is becoming known as "Staycation". How about The New England Ski Museum.

The museum is located at the base area of the Cannon Mountain Ariel Tramway in Franconia Notch State Park, Franconia, NH . Visitors can make a day of it by taking in the summer views of Franconia Notch by taking a ride on the Tram to the top of Cannon Mountain and maybe have a picnic 4,186' above sea level.

View From Peabody Base Lodge After lunch visit The New England Ski Museum and learn about the the history of skiing. The museum was founded in 1977; and opened in 1982 and is non profit. The New England Ski Museum is one of only four ski museums recognized by the USSA. Admission is free.
At the museum you will find a collection of antique wooden ski's, original film footage, news paper articles scrapbooks and much more. As you approach the museum the first thing you see is the original Tram Car and one of the last Mt. Cranmoore Skimobile Sleds.

The Mount Cranmore Skimobile 1938 to 1989

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Cannon Mountain Ariel Tramway Wheel House

Tram Cars Meet Half Way

Getting to this region of New Hampshire is easy. Access directly from I-93!
Take I-93 north, or south, depending on your starting point. Once you have reached Franconia Notch State Park, I-93:
Exit 34A - Flume Gorge & Gilman Visitor's Center (closed in winter months)
Exit 34B - Cannon Mountain Tramway (advanced skiers/snowboarders), New England Ski Museum
Exit 34C - Peabody Base Lodge with Snowsports School, Rental Shop, Retail Shop, Childcare and access to all terrain.

All photo's are the property of Northeast Ski Zone and are not to be used without written permission

UnionLeader.com - New Hampshire news - NH resorts celebrate best winter ever - Wednesday, Jun. 11, 2008

UnionLeader.com - New Hampshire news - NH resorts celebrate best winter ever - Wednesday, Jun. 11, 2008
LINCOLN – New Hampshire ski resort operators gathered in the 90-degree heat yesterday to bask in the warmth of their past season, which broke an all-time record for skier visits.

The state’s ski industry reported 2,366,706 skier visits at alpine ski areas, beating the record set in 2001 of 2,357,000, said Karl Stone, spokesman for Ski NH.

"Everything fell in place," Stone said. "It shows what weather can do for us."

The organization, which markets the state’s 31 ski areas, both alpine and nordic, held its spring meeting at the InnSeason Resorts in Lincoln.

"The numbers this year were pretty pleasing," Greg Goddard, president of Ski NH and general manager of Gunstock in Gilford.

Nationally, the ski industry also set an all time record of 60.1 million skier visits. A visit is recorded when a skier or snowboarder spends a day or a portion of a day at a ski area.

Cannon Mountain took the overall record this year for snowfall, recording 251 inches; many ski areas reported over 200 inches. Average snowfall for a New Hampshire ski area is about 120 inches a year.

Cross country ski areas benefited tremendously from the natural snowfall and saw 151,040 skier visits, almost a 50 percent increase from the previous season, said Alice Pearce, executive director of Ski NH. Snow tubing visits were at 119,053 a 30 percent increase from the previous year.

Alpine visits were up 20.7 percent from the past year.

Bill Quigley, marketing chairman for the organization and also marketing director at Gunstock, said the coming season’s message will be that New Hampshire ski areas are less than a gas tank away. The industry’s primary market is Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire.