By Jill Adler, Associate Editor  I  OnTheSnow.com

Vancouver, Canada-based Intrawest Corporation says it will lay off hundreds of employees at its three Colorado ski and snowboard resorts: [507R, Winter Park], Copper Mountain, and Steamboat.
They issued a statement in November saying, "Like many companies in North America, Intrawest is not immune in this current economic environment. As such, we are taking the necessary steps to preserve our ability to be competitive and ensure our future success. As part of this process we have taken the difficult step of reducing and realigning our work force. Impacted employees have been offered access to outplacement services to help in their transition. Although these are difficult decisions for us, our vision remains consistent and we are committed to delivering exceptional experiences for our guests, homeowners and employees."

The news put a damper on Winter Park's opening day, Nov. 19, but the show went on. The official number of employees and managers affected has not been announced. Intrawest employs 22,000 full- and part-time workers in the U.S. and Canada during the peak winter season in a good year.

Pre-season bookings are down at many Colorado ski resorts, and places like Steamboat are the ones most vulnerable to a struggling economy. When vacationers decide to forego extras like rentals, restaurants, ski lessons, and longer stays, it hurts Intrawest's business. Many industry analysts are murmuring about the fall of the destination resort this season as they clunk heads with negative cash flow.

The drive-to ski areas may see the positive to this negative as skiers and snowboarders bail on expensive destination vacations, opting instead to staycate with more frequent day trips to neighborhood resorts. Intrawest told OnTheSnow.com the employees effected would be from business units, not mountain operations.

PowderTools is Christy Sports premier full service snowboard department. The fun loving atmosphere entices every one of all ages to try snowboarding. They offer packages for all levels of riders from kids to "Demo's". Includes board and boots.
Jr. Snowboard Package
Snowboards for beginners to advanced junior rider age 12 and under. Snowboards are designed for ease of turning and stopping that will allow kids to carve a turn on the latest technology the industry has to offer. Includes board and boots.

Vail — Christy Sports is located at 293 Bridge Street Vail, Colorado
Rent at Christy Sports

ResortQuest Steamboat Vacation Rentals introduces a new and easy way to book discounted flights to Steamboat Springs. With ResortQuest Steamboat's new Flight Desk, you'll be flying down the Steamboat Ski Resort slopes in no time.
Steamboat Springs, CO (PRWEB) November 28, 2008 -- ResortQuest Steamboat Vacation Rentals introduces a new and easy way to book discounted flights to Steamboat Springs. With ResortQuest Steamboat's new Flight Desk, you'll be flying down the Steamboat Ski Resort slopes in no time.

Travelers to Steamboat Springs can contact ResortQuest's Flight Desk at (866) 599-8954 to book discounted airfare to airports servicing the Steamboat Springs market from virtually anywhere in the country.

Your ResortQuest Steamboat Flight Desk representative will find you the best flight possible, at significant savings over normal retail fares. Fly coach or first-class through United, American, Northwest, Frontier, Continental and Delta airlines at special reduced rates, plus, Kids Fly Free! These special fares represent a significant savings over normal retail fares. Combine these flight deals with Steamboat's Kids Ski Free (TM) and Kids Rent Free programs and a Steamboat family ski vacation is fun, and affordable! read more details

By Barbara DeLollis, USA TODAY
The O'Connor family of Centreville, Va., usually goes skiing in Colorado or Utah for spring break. Not this year. Even though Ed O'Connor believes his retirement account will eventually rebound from this fall's stock chaos, he's canceling their tradition this season due to the unpredictable economy and airline costs. Instead, the family of four probably will spend a weekend skiing at Wisp, a regional resort three hours away in Maryland.

"It is time to watch our cash flow," O'Connor says. "A $6,000 to $8,000 trip can wait."
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Steamboat Springs — A one piece ski suit makes a basic snow apparel choice —fashion or function — a tricky question. Five years ago, the lone blaze orange onesie hanging in a corner at The Click snowboard gear and apparel store would have been a joke, a non-fashion-forward way to stay dry or maybe to poke fun at the past. 

In 2008, the lone onesie is alone because the store has sold the style in every size that is not extra large. read more details
The Click employee Casey McGlone models some of the fashion trends for 2008-09 snowboarding season, including a printed jacket and brightly colored pants. Photo by John F. Russell

For 35 years now Steamboat has hosted the Cowboy Downhill, where 100 professional rodeo cowboys sporting chaps and cowboy hats race in giant heap down the mountain. This year it is scheduled for January 20th, so book your ski rentals online now at ChristySports.com for a 20% discount. Seeing the cowboys crashing all over the place is always entertaining even on the TV, the event is a great experience in person... and a great excuse to pick of ski rentals for the day or the weekend and make a family getaway out of it. There are many options for ski and snowboard rentals in Steamboat, whether you want to visit the store in person, or take advantage of rental delivery service. 

During the economic slump, there is no need to stop doing the things you love most... carving turns down the mountain with the wind in your face. When the national economy fails, you just have to be economic yourself by seeking out the deals that help alleviate many of the expensive costs of a ski vacation or getaway. Christysports.com offers a 20% discount if you book your ski and snowboard rentals online. So whether you are looking for ski rentals in Steamboat, rentals in Breckenridge, Beaver Creek, Vail, or any of the many Christy Sports locations, reserve your equipment online for a helpful discount. Avoid filling out rental paperwork at the store, and get that sweet Burton snowboard before the slacker that just walked-in. 

A day of skiing in Breckenridge from the Front-Range can easily turn into a day of hassle with traffic, parking, ski and snowboard rentals, expensive meals, and après ski traffic. An easy way to avoid much of the hassle is to place an online reservation at christysports.com to reserve equipment. To get to the mountain, carpool with the same friends and family on your ski rental reservation. The store opens at 8am, so the earlier you leave the better, for avoiding traffic and lines in the rental shop. For heading back down the hill to Denver, consider staying in town for dinner, and letting the traffic clear. If you have time, consider spending the night, in which case you could use the ski rental delivery service offered by Christy Sports, allowing you to avoid the hassle of the store altogether. 

Coming up from the 8th-14th of December, is Vail's Snow Daze where you can have a great day of skiing the expansive terrain Vail has to offer, demo new ski and snowboard equipment, enter a rail jam, and watch the Dummy Gelunde World Championships. After each long day of skiing, slide into the base area for a concert series featuring Big Head Todd&the Monsters and Leftover Salmon. The activities Vail has to offer during Snow Daze are great for participation and spectating, if you're in need of rental skis or a rental snowboard, there are convenient ski shops in the village at the base of the mountain. Snow daze is the perfect excuse to getaway to the mountains for a week or a weekend, get some rental skis or snowboards for your family and relax. 

It is a great idea to book your ski and snowboard rental reservations online at christysports.com in order to avoid the hassles of filling out ski/snowboard rental forms at the store. There is also the option of ski and snowboard rental delivery, where you don't have to worry about even leaving the comforts of your residence until you want to click on your skis or strap on your snowboard.

Coming up soon in December is the Birds of Prey World Cup downhill race. Beaver Creek will be full of race oriented events for the entire week of December 2-7, there are two training days and two racing days during the 4th-7th of December. Watching downhill racers soar down the Birds of Prey course is an incredible experience, especially if you are spectating from the side of the course on skis yourself. Take this great opportunity to bring your family to Beaver Creek for the week or just a day to witness the best skiers in the world. In Beaver Creek ski rentals and snowboard rentals are conveniently available at the base of the mountain. To get your ski rentals at a lower rate, consider renting down in Avon, the town at the base of Beaver Creek. Shuttles to the slopes are convenient and free from Avon.

Steamboat opens November 26th! This year they are kicking off their year with free skiing between opening day and Christmas. Schedule an economic vacation in Steamboat Springs for some great early-season skiing. Ski rentals are available in a number of ways... Walk into any conveniently located Christy Sports to get equipped to take advantage of Steamboat's offer, make advanced ski&snowboard rental reservations on the web at christysports.com, or have the shop come to you with ski and snowboard rental delivery. Visit Steamboat, Ski Town, USA, pick up your ski rentals at the base of the mountain or from the comfort of your residence, to seamlessly go from ski boots to après ski... never worrying about picking up a lift ticket. Snow is forecasted on opening day, request some wide boards when you get your rentals to float above the fresh, gratifying powder. 

Thursday the 27th is a great day. Not only does the entire nation have an excuse to fill our guts with several pounds of delicious food, but also Peak 9 in Breckenridge is opening, and snow is forecasted to flurry down upon the slopes. Make sure your Thanksgiving is one without hassle, and book your rental skis and rental snowboards online at christysports.com. For a truly hassle free Thanksgiving, use the ski delivery service in Breckenridge that Christy Sports has to offer. Schedule the time for your equipment to be delivered and fitted, and enjoy a large stack of pancakes in the comfort of your residence rather than the grumbling of your stomach as you wait in line at a ski and snowboard rental shop in town. You can still choose to rent that sweet Burton snowboard, you still have the choice available at a store. As you sit down for your Thanksgiving feast after a great day of skiing, you can be thankful that ski rentals are no longer a hassle.

Contributed by PRWebResortQuest Steamboat Vacation Rentals offers FREE Steamboat lift tickets with lodging package.

Steamboat Springs, Colorado (PRWEB) November 15, 2008 -- As Mother Nature and Old Man Winter join forces to blanket the Steamboat Ski Resort with nearly a foot of snow in the past 48 hours and snowmaking crews crank up the resort's state-of-the-art system, Steamboat is unveiling its warmest welcome to winter yet -- FREE Steamboat lift tickets from Opening Day through Christmas Day.

"Times are tough and travelers are shopping around for unbeatable travel deals"
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Best bets for you vacation from the experts at SkiSnowboard.comBy Charles Leocha and the staff of Skiboard America and Canada

The most important part of any ski or snowboard vacation is the snow. But when snow lovers are planning an early-season vacation for December, they have to give the white stuff special consideration. Without it, they’ll be out of luck and out of money.

According to the editors of Ski Snowboard America and Canada, the country’s best-selling ski guide, good snow can be found in December at a couple of dozen ski resorts across North America. But before you book, you need to look at the region’s weather history, the mountain’s terrain and the resort’s snow making prowess.

Where to go to find the snow Snocountry.com

The following are opinions of what several people have to say about the new Burton snowboards. Feel free to share your opinion on the new Burton snowboards.
Burton Snowboards going in the nude.
Contributed by: Ron Knabenbauer

With the opening of Keystone and Breckenridge ski resorts last weekend, the ski and snowboard season seems to be well underway. However, don't be surprised this season when you're carving down the slopes to be passed by a few naked women. 

The naked women of course are four Playboy bunnies on the Burton snowboard series, Love, with one woman on each of the four different sizes that the board comes in (152 cm, 155 cm, 158 cm, and 162 cm). 

The board which is intended for riders to mostly use in park and freestyle terrain was part of a collaboration with Playboy and designed by the request of two of the company's professional snowboarders, 18-year-old Mikkel Bang and 19-year-old Keegan Valaika. 

Boulder Freeride IT Director, Nathan Minatta, a 21-year-old junior film studies major at CU said he doesn't have a problem with the board, and likes how the company chose vintage Playboy models as its graphic. more details
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Seven Days
Vermont's Independent Voice
Burton's Offensive New Boards (UPDATED)
Contributed by Brian Wallstin

Burton snowboards has a reputation for pushing the boundaries, but the Burlington company may have gone over the edge with two new product lines that have outraged women's groups and anti-violence advocates. read more details

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Burton Community Message Board
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Snowboard designs go too far? Some think so.
Several ski resorts join protest over Playboy models, self-mutilation
Contributed by Associated Press

BURLINGTON, Vt. - A half-dozen ski resorts in New England and the West are joining in protests against two new lines of snowboards that feature images of Playboy models and cartoons of self-mutilation.

Smugglers' Notch in Vermont says it has banned employees from using the Love and Primo boards made by Burton Snowboards. read more details

I sometimes hear the question: "If I can't justify owning a 'quiver' of skis like some of my buddies, how do I begin selecting the one ski that will work best for me every time I ski?"  I would argue that justification really is not that complicated a task but I also understand that not everyone wants a garage full of skis.  I think the key to a successful one ski quiver is finding a ski that is narrow enough for hard pack snow days but wide enough to give you some float on a big powder day.  If you choose too wide a ski, especially in coastal areas, you can have a hard time with grip.  If your ski is too narrow you are going to spend that big powder day doing leg lifts.  Not fun either way.

Skis have become progressivley wider over the past decade and what was considered a powder ski even 5 years ago is now billed as an all mountain ski.  Length also plays a huge role in selecting the ideal one ski quiver.  A shorter ski is generally easier to turn on hard pack snow and a longer ski will give you more float in powder.  Bottom line for the one ski quiver is look for a ski that is close to the length that you are most comfortable with and has a waist width somewhere in 80mm range.

A few ideal "All Mountain Skis" are:

(From left to right)
K2 Skis Apache Recon (78mm waist)
Nordica AfterBurner (84 waist) they make more than just Nordica ski boots
Volkl Skis AC50 (85mm waist)

Matchstick Productions brings you "best ski film of all time" CLAIM featuring the most insane cast of ski talent ever assembled.
View theatre

My mother's birthday is coming up in December. I'd love to surprise her with a new pair of skis, but there are so many skis to choose from these days, I don't know where to start. She still skis on a pair of K2's from 1998! I guess anything will be a huge improvement! She is a solid intermediate skier and plans to ski into her 70's.
A friend of mine bought her daughter a pair of K2 Lotta Luv Ski with M1 11.0Ti bindings. I did a some research and found a good review on The Ski Diva site about the Lotta Luv K2 ski. 

I think what we should do is rent for a few weeks some demo skis and see what works best for her. She should try Volkl skis as well as K2. If anyone has any personal reviews between K2 and Volkl please pass it on!

The K2 Alliance; a six member women's team also referred to as the K2 women's development team was established in 2000. These women of varied skiing styles, ages, backgrounds, experiences, hometowns were recruited with one goal in mind—to develop a diverse line of skis, poles and helmets tailored to women of varying ages and abilities.




Today, the K2 Alliance continues to grow, and evolve. A K2 Alliance community thrives around the world; membership has grown spanning the world from California to Banff, Canada, St. Moritz, Switzerland to Shiga-Kogen, Japan. The U.S. Regional Alliance, an expansion of the K2 Alliance is growing bigger, stronger, and moving into its second year, totaling 10 Regional Alliances across the country and a total of 35 women members. Members including ski patrollers, weekend warriors, college students, ski instructors, and working mothers--all passionate K2 skiers are educating, teaching, spreading and of course skiing the K2 Luv around the world! Please check back October 15th to read more on this amazing Regional Alliance ladies!

For more information on K2 skis, K2 snowboards, K2 bindings and the Women's K2 Alliance visit us