HOTEL LE MOTTARET – MÉRIBEL,  3 VALLEYS

Located in Méribel-Mottaret, Hotel Le Mottaret enjoys a true ski-in / ski-out position at the heart of Les Trois Vallées, the world’s largest connected ski area with over 370 miles of pistes.

Guests enjoy doorstep skiing, indoor pool and spa facilities, south-facing terraces and easy access to the legendary resorts of Méribel, Courchevel and Val Thorens.

HOTEL IBIZA – LES 2 ALPES – outstanding value for over 200km if slopes,  from 1420 € for 7 nights, with breakfast, dinner, 6 day lift pass AND airport transfer (round trip)

For clubs seeking outstanding value and high-altitude skiing, Hotel Ibiza offers access to one of France’s most exciting resorts.

Les 2 Alpes rises from 4,625 ft to almost 11,800 ft, delivering over 7,000 ft of vertical terrain, glacier skiing, lively après-ski and more than 200km of pistes.

Exclusive Ski Club packages can include accommodation, 6-day lift passes and return airport transfers, with the option for guests to add a memorable ski day in neighbouring Alpe d’Huez,  with helicopter transfer, for just 110 € !

DISCOVER MORE WITH MADAME VACANCES

Alongside Méribel and Les 2 Alpes, Ski Clubs can also discover our hotels in:

• Les Arcs – high altitude skiing with direct access to Paradiski
• Les Menuires – fantastic value in Les Trois Vallées
• Chamonix – one of the world’s most iconic mountain destinations

Contact the Madame Vacances team today to start planning your Winter 2027/28 Ski Club trip.  Groupes2@eurogroup-vacances.com

]]> https://skifederation.org/industry-spotlight-10th-mountain-whiskey-spirit-company/ Sun, 02 Mar 2025 21:52:54 +0000 https://skifederation.org/?p=24545 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Company

A Rich History

The patriotic men of the 10th brought diversity, courage, and hope to the Rocky Mountains when they arrived in the 1940s to train just a few miles south of what is now Vail.

They were part of the greatest generation of men, wanting to make each day count and each day better than the last.  The mentality they had was strong after being shaped from the rigors of mountain warfare, their egos humble.

Camp Hale, the legendary home of the 10th Mountain Division, was constructed in 1942, located 22 miles west of Vail between Leadville and Minturn in the Pando Valley.

The initial population of Camp Hale included 15,000 soldiers, 3,000 administrative, medical, and other non-skiing staff, 5,000 mules, and 200 dogs.

In January of 1945, the 10th deployed to Italy’s Apennines Mountains, where they would battle the German army for the next two and a half months. On May 2, 1945, Germany surrendered to the Allies in Florence, Italy, ending the 10th’s Italian Campaign.

After World War 2, many of the 10th Mountain Division warriors came home to the USA and continued skiing. The 10th Mountain Division veterans started many of the US ski areas we now love. At least 62 ski resorts have been founded and managed by former 10th Mountain Division veterans.

The tradition of excellence established by the original 10th Mountain Division continues with today’s 10th Mountain Division Light Infantry (LI). Now based at Ft. Drum in Watertown, New York, the 10th Mountain Division LI has the distinction of being the most deployed military unit when a humanitarian, natural disaster, or conflict arises in the world.

The Mountain Lifestyle

When five-time World Cup Champion and ski racing legend Marc Girardelli first used a pair of Bomber skis in Aspen, he was instantly impressed—so much so that he called one of the owners of the company, Robert Siegel, while sitting on the gondola. “He said the skis were so special he wanted to represent Bomber,” says Robert, “and recognizing the power that comes with a world-class endorsement, we signed him to a multi-year contract as our global ambassador. Our designs really are that good, and it’s because we are uncompromising in our mission to create the world’s best skis.”

For a boutique company, signing one of the best skiers in history seemed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But then Bode Miller, the most decorated US Olympic skier in history and one of only two men to win gold in World Cup races across all five disciplines in a single season—the other being Marc Girardelli—tried Bomber skis. He determined that the quality of the skis stood so distinctly above others that he joined Bomber as an equity partner and global b

rand ambassador. In his own words: “For the first time I had found a ski company that enabled every skier to experience the quality that is normally reserved for the best in the world. I am excited to be part of bringing this level of quality to skiers of all levels, as it vastly enhances the ski experience.”

Superior quality

Robert’s own relationship with Bomber similarly resulted from using Bomber’s skis. But though he was impressed by the quality, he was reluctant to make an investment—“as the industry had commoditized skis. It trained consumers to think of skis as products for which they should bargain and that were not of value. The same people that spend over $100,000 on a brief trip to leading European luxury resorts would never think of doing so for their equipment, as there is not a significant enough distinction between brands.”

Robert’s view changed in 2013 when he and his long-time business partner decided to combine their shared interests of luxury brands and skiing. “I was reading Steve Jobs’ biography and a light bulb switched on in my head,” says Robert. “The iPhone was created because mobile phones were unattractive, utilitarian commodities. Likewise, skis were seen as the cheapest part of the ski experience. We recognized that people would appreciate the opportunity to use skis of the kind of quality normally reserved for a limited selection of the world’s most elite skiers, but that are designed specifically for recreational skiers of all levels.”

“WE ARE UNCOMPROMISING IN OUR MISSION

TO CREATE THE WORLD’S BEST SKIS”

Devotion to perfection

Bomber prides itself on the quality of its products, and its skis are as exquisite in their design as they are in technical craftsmanship.

The process of designing and producing Bomber Skis is free of cost constraints, with the sole focus being to produce the best possible skis.“There are limited sources for the metal used in our edges, and the wood or materials used for our bases,” says Robert. Such is the company’s devotion to ensuring perfection that it manufactures just 5,000 pairs of skis a year. Its designs are understated and elegant, but it also creates skis that use imagery from artists Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, as well as customized models.

Bomber’s primary focus may be enhancing the experience of the recreational skier, but its competition skis are also exceptional. Last season the number one US Men’s Mogul Skier, Jeremy Cota, rode on Bombers, while KC Oakley, part of the US Freestyle Ski Team, won the World Cup in Deer Valley on her Bombers. The company is also the official supplier to both the US and Canadian ski teams.

Placing no limits on quality, cost or design, Bomber Ski enables skiers of any ability the chance to have a world-class experience on the slopes.

www.bomberski.com, 212.980.2442, info@bomberski.com

Mammoth Mountain is many things: Some days it’s the steep rocky chutes that line the upper mountain, each falling away in great funnels of powder. On other days, it’s knowing how (and where) the Sierra wind buffs the slopes like nature’s groomer. With an average annual snowfall of 400 inches, Mammoth is also about consistent conditions that sometimes last deep into summer.

And powder. Mammoth is about powder. Sure, some resorts get more snowfall, but when a wicked Mammoth storm rolls in, nowhere does it pile up faster. We’re talking multiple feet in just a few hours. Enough snow to bury entire lifts—and leave locals delirious. On those storm days, Mammoth powder slaying is all about the trees beneath Chair 22, which can be lapped as feverishly as a dog chasing a tennis ball. That’s where you’ll find me. That’s my Mammoth.

Did I mention the sunshine? On bluebird days—and there are more than 300 per year—the immaculate groomers run for miles and provide stunning views of the Minarets, Mono Lake, and Nevada’s desolate White Mountains far in the distance.

And so, Mammoth, with its 28 lifts, 3,500 acres of skiable terrain, and 3,100 vertical feet, is about every thing and every kind of rider. On one run, you’ll see an old guy with a sublimely tanned forehead—sunglasses, no hat, maybe a one-piece suit, certainly a one-piece suit—knocking off 40-degree lines below the gondola. Farther down, you’ll find the groms in colorful outerwear soaring out of the mountain’s immense terrain parks like tropical birds from a forest canopy.

More than anything, Mammoth is about a dream. The lifts, the way the runs track the fall line, the vibe, the spirit of the place—it’s all the living manifestation of the vision of an adventurous man from humble beginnings who simply loved being outside and going fast. In Mammoth, founder Dave McCoy created one of the most unique ski resorts in the world. Poke around. Maybe your Mammoth is up high on the windswept peaks. Or you might find it skiing corn on a warm day in a vast bowl. It doesn’t matter. A few turns in and you’ll know exactly what drew McCoy here. Find your Mammoth.

Beginner

With its high elevation (11,053 feet) and 28 lifts, Mammoth can intimidate first timers, but there are numerous options where skiers and snowboarders can go at their own pace. The key is to pick your base area: Eagle, Canyon, or Main Lodge. At the Eagle base, take the Eagle Express quad to Sleepy Hollow, a gentle cruiser that winds through mature forests. At Canyon, the School Yard is perfect for those just learning to set their edges. And up at Main Lodge, the green circles off Discovery Chair will help new skiers build courage for the next step: the Panorama Gondola.

Intermediate

Mammoth’s Panorama Gondola, accessible from Main Lodge, is the centerpiece of the resort. For any visiting skier or snowboarder, it’s worth riding to the top, if only for the views (you can always ride it back down). Only advanced riders should descend from the summit; those uncomfortable with such heights can unload at the mid-mountain station, grab lunch at McCoy Station, and then take the Face Lift Express for a lengthy but mellow run down Saddle Bowl to Broadway or Stump Alley. Another favorite cruiser? The Solitude trail off the top of High Five Express. And if you’re looking to ditch the crowds, head on over to Chair 25 and the Cloud Nine Express for some introductory glade skiing.

Expert

If it’s dumping, call in sick, buy some flowers, and beeline it for Chair 22. Many relationships and careers have been ruined by the steep terrain accessed off this lift. Drop in, and you too will feel the urge to drop out of society. The tree skiing here is legendary, and when the wind is howling, there are few places in the country that are as much fun on a powder day. Trails like Shaft, Viva, and the Avalanche Chutes will keep you coming back for more. And then there’s Chair 23.

To experience Mammoth’s high-altitude zones, drop into Huevos Grande off the gondola and smear turns in the singularity that is Mammoth wind buff. Later that night at the bar, you might hear someone say “Dragon’s Back.” Smile, buy him another round, and if you’re lucky, he’ll show you the way tomorrow.

A Few Things You Didn’t Know About Woolly Mammoth

He’s all about progression. Seriously. The rest of his kindwent extinct 5,000 years ago.

Check it out, he telemark skis and snowboards. Evolve or die, people. Evolve or die.

For most of his time here on earth, seeing hairy dudes on skis carrying sharp stickes really freaked him out, but he’s cool with it now. No sudden moves though.

Your “Native Californian” bumper sticker cracks Wolly up.

Ski instructors follow him.

When he laughs, he trumpets.

Please know that he’s never intentionally twerked anyone.
What can we say? He has his mother’s hips.

Go ahead. Photobomb him. Good luck with that.

When he asks, “Are you going to eat that?” he means it. He’s a browser.

Tar pits really burn him up.

Technically hisname is Mammuthus primigenius, but he’s fine with “Wolly.”
Ski town casual, baby.

If a pretty lady scratches his belly he’ll make it snow.
(OK, that’s a lie. Just trying to be a goodwingman for Ol’ Woolly.)

Did you know??

Mammoth Mountain is a lava dome complex west of the town of Mammoth Lakes, California in the Inyo National Forest of Madera County and Mono County. It is home to a large ski area on the Mono County side. Mammoth Mountain was formed in a series of eruptions that ended 57,000 years ago. However, Mammoth still produces hazardous volcanic gases that kill trees and caused ski patroller fatalities in 2006.

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(Click for Trail Map)