Courchevel Top Tips

These seven steps to preserve the mountain have been provided by The Ski Club of Great Britain who launched their RESPECT THE MOUNTAIN Campaign during the winter 2005 season.
•	Be aware of your environmental impact as skiers and boarders. Educate yourself about your environmental impact on the mountains, and what you can do to minimise it
•	Do not leave litter on the slopes. When the snow melts at then end of the season, litter left behind by skiers and boarders will still be there. Bin it or take it home with you. Did you know it takes up to two years for an Orange peel skin to be absorbed by the earth; and a cigarette butt takes up to five years!! If you find litter on the slopes, be responsible and do the right thing - pick it up!
•	Do your bit to reduce global warming on holiday and at home. In hotels, re-use your towels each day, and where possible re-cycle your household waste. Many french ski resorts now have excellent recylcing facilities for plastics, cans and paper; glass and other waste. Additionally, if you're not in your chalet or hotel room, switch off electrical appliances when not in use. A TV that is viewed for less than one hour a day can actually use more energy when left on standby than it does during the time is being watched!
•	Encourage tour operators to adopt green policies. Find out if your tour operator offers train travel as an alternative to flying, if they use paper from sustainable forests for their brochures, if they use, for example, low-wattage light bulbs in their chalets and bio-degradable detergents
•	Investigate whether your chosen resort uses environmentally friendly practices. Many resorts now use bio-diesel fuel in piste-bashers, solar panels for heating, hydro-electricity/wind energy for power and a host of other initiatives. Some resorts use the International Standards Organisation (ISO) 14001 as a mark of their environmental credentials
•	Reduce CO2 emissions. By flying fewer miles, or switching from air to rail, you can help reduce the volume of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. When possible, use your bike instead of your car
•	Respect the natural habitat of mountain animals and plants. If you ski through trees, you can damage them by knocking off branches and killing young shoots under the snow. Take care. Many areas are out of bounds to protect the natural habitat of animals and plants - not just safety reasons

You can show your love of the mountains and how you care about their future by supporting their cause, and purchasing a RESPECT THE MOUNTAIN green wristband. Each of the wristbands costs £2, and can be purchased by visiting Ski Club of Great Britain. (All profits raised from the sale of the wristbands goes straight towards their tree planting scheme and research project.)

Snow-mobile (motoneige) Those who enjoy speed will love riding a powerful snow-mobile (like a motorbike with caterpillar tracks) through the deep powder or pistes in the quiet of the moonlight evening after the pistes close (5.30 – 9.30pm). Seated either one or two per bike, one follows the guide up the pistes, around a specially prepared circuit, over jumps and bumps, and sometimes off-piste through the powder. Half way through the hour-long outing driver and passenger swap places, and off you speed again. More experienced snow-mobilers can take a more advanced outing. Accompanied children aged four and above can ride mini snow-mobiles around a mini-circuit during the day. Top tip: wrap up warmly especially if you go after dark, and bring goggles if there is powder. Adrenaline factor: 9/10 Courchnet verdict: excellent fun for speed lovers, not for the timid. Contact details

Snowshoe outing (raquette à neige) Strap lightweight plastic snowshoes to your feet, and walk effortlessly through deep snow through the heart of the Vanoise National Park. Either set out on your own, or join a group led by a knowledgeable local guide and explore the hidden parts of the valley. On these half day group outings you will get off the beaten track to follow animal footprints, discover mountain flora and fauna and learn the history of the valley. This is a perfect activity for bad weather conditions, or for non-skiers. Snowshoes and ski poles are provided. Adrenaline factor: 1/10 Top tip: take energy bars and wear comfortable boots. Courchnet verdict: walkers and nature lovers will love these outings. Contact details

Tourist flights (vols touristiques en avion) Take off from Courchevel's Altiport in a light aircraft equipped with skis. Flights vary from a ten minute flight around the valley to a one hour tour of Mont Blanc. The small plane takes up to three passengers, and for those used to jet planes, it sounds worryingly sound like a diesel engine Morris Minor. Once airborne you forget the rattling and shaking and enjoy spectacular views. Adrenaline factor: 6/10 Top tip: chose a sunny day for maximum wow factor Courchnet verdict: Not to be missed, except by those nervous of flying. Contact details

Husky sledding (traineaux a chiens) Be in charge of your own sled and team of dogs, driving them along forest paths. After a brief explanation of how to make your team stop and start (you shout), and strict instructions not to led go of the sled if it turns over (the dogs would disappear for hours), you set off following the guide’s team. Your huskies want to keep up with their doggy mates, so the next hour is a breathless scramble to keep the sled upright, try to control the speed downhill, and hanging on for dear life when you upset going around corners. Going uphill you have to help push the sled, so this is hard physical work. Top tip: for a less physical outing, chose the version where you sit in the sled and the guide does all the work. You can book either a full or half day excursion. Adrenaline factor: 6/10 Courchnet verdict: an exhilarating experience. Contact details

Tips for riding your mountain bike on all terrain

Climbing Hills

Traction is the key to successfully climbing hills on a mountain bike, this can be hard to achieve on loose rocks, roots and mud as is common place in most mountain biking areas. The biggest problem to overcome is the rear wheel spinning and slipping as you climb, or the front wheel lifting and you ending up doing an unforced wheelie. To get the right traction, you just need to learn how to distribute your weight evenly across the bike whilst feeding power to the right areas of the bike; oh yeah whilst picking the best line, pedalling at the right time and in the right gear. Piece of cake eh?! Shift your weight slightly to the back of your seat and lean your upper body forward - Remain seated. Learning how far to slide back and how much to lean is where the finesse of hill climbing becomes a real skill. It takes practice to learn how simple variations in forward and backwards movements of your body can help you get over obstacles and up steep hills. Drop your elbows and keep them close to your side, lowering the centre of gravity - as you become more expert you can start to shift your weight slightly further forward which should additionally help with the front wheel lifting. Keep your head up to pick your line - we all do it, we all look at the next dangerous obstacle and panic about how we're going to negotiate round it. For beginner riders this invariably means that you tend head straight for it. Turning the handlebars to avoid an obstacle can more often than not upset your balance rather than just going over it. Where it's not possible to power on over, you should see the obstacle and focus your attention immediately on the best route around it. Keep your focus on this point of reference and you will usually successfully navigate the tricky obstacle. Get in the right gear - When approaching a hill a common problem is to flick into the lowest gear (aka 'the granny ring') and attack the hill. Instead, select the gear that's just low enough that doesn't mean you have to stand on the pedals. Keep your pedalling motion constant and rhythmic.

Riding Downhill

Downhill mountain bike riding has to be one of the most exhilarating, adrenaline pumping activities you can do on a mountain bike. It's also one of the most dangerous, where wipe outs are all too common. Before heading out to do some serious downhill mountain biking you should make sure you have all the correct safety equipment. Full face helmet, relevant limb protection and suitable back and torso protection. It's pretty obvious, but make sure that your brakes are in full working order too, you don't want to spend several days licking your wounds!! Place your weight over the rear of the bike - Keep your rear end as far back as you can without losing control of the front of the bike. Stay Low, holding the front of your body as close to the bike as possible - On steep sections, place your belly on the saddle. Keep your legs and arms relaxed and flexible - Even though you may be riding a full suspension downhill mountain bike, your arms and legs are the most effective shock absorbers you have, and flexibility in your legs is key when riding over humps and bumps. When riding over the bumps, get your weight back over the rear wheel, and either grip the saddle with your thighs, or place your belly on the saddle keeping your knees bent and relaxed. Your elbows should also be slightly bent. Keep your feet in line with the ground - Unless negotiating sharp tight switchbacks or corners your feet should be in a 'platform' position at roughly 3 and 9 o'clock. If you start to loose control it's easy for you to just jump off the back of the bike. Trying to dismount over the top of the bike is not always the most practical on the steep stuff. Break evenly using both the front and back break - Sure, you'll want to rip down the trail at high speed but control your speed in case of unknown obstacles, there could be another rider or leisurely hiker that's lurking around the corner. Some people prefer to use the back break to stop them being thrown over the front handlebars, but theoretically, if you weight is correctly positioned across the bike then there is no problem using both. Additionally, if you overuse one or other break it could potentially overheat and fail. Pick a line and stick to it - As you descend, look ahead 15 to 20 feet. The route you choose and your brake control contribute to a fluid descent as well.

Switchback Riding

Tight switchback turns are tricky enough for even the most competent of riders. Tight, steep trails taking you up or down the mountain mean that switchbacks are commonplace in the Alps. It is not a good idea to skid round a switchback not only does it rip up the track, but you end up with less control and run the risk of falling off. If you're not an expert at bunny hopping, then you'll need to slow right down. Stay on the uphill side of the trail as you approach the switchback this will allow you to make the widest circle possible and avoid any obstacles lurking in the inside of the corner. Place your weight over the rear wheel and put your outside pedal forward (that's the pedal closest to the corner!). This is important to ensure that you remain flexible to move the bike and rotate your upper body. Pick your line - As you approach the corner, ensure your weight is on your outside pedal and slightly back on the saddle. Put your wheel to the outside of the corner and lean your the opposite direction until you are almost falling to the inside. Ease off the brakes and let the your bike roll under yourself. Remember to look at the exit of where you want to go, try to avoid looking at the drop off! When you have passed the tightest point of the inside corner and are beginning to come out of the corner, let off the brakes and start accelerating away. Some riders will naturally favour one foot over another and therefore find switchbacks to the right (left foot forward) easier than switchbacks to the left (right foot forward).

Don't pollute the mountain Please make sure you don't throw your rubbish off the lifts (including cigarette butts) - the marmottes don't want it either. Put stuff in your pocket and take it home

Don’t schuss with your head tucked down, backside and poles sticking skywards - this is only allowed if under the age of 7. Instead, bend slightly from the hips, hands behind back, poles behind you

Don’t attach your ski pass to your jacket zip - when this is done up to your chin the ski pass will flap wildly and puncture you face with its sharp corners. Cool tip - keep it in your pocket

People who lift up the bar when getting off chairlifts far too early (and terrify those with vertigo), or who refuse to lift it up until the last second (thereby stressing out beginners)

Ski Rage Skiers who cut boarders up because they don’t understand how boards turn

Those who insist on travelling on the lift on their own, or waiting for their friends further back in the queue so they can travel together and don't fill up the chairs/bubbles even when there is a long queue behind them

Those who insist of skiing with a mobile phone turned on and make everybody else wait around on the piste while they chat, or make everyone on a cable car/bubble have to listen to their often, very loud conversation

Cheer-up a 'liftie' Smile and say ‘bonjour’ to the chair lift attendant - they're more likely to catch the chairlift and prevent it bashing the back of your legs

Don't get high for lunch The quality of a mountain restaurant tends to be in inverse relation to its altitude

Write your contact details on the back of your lift-pass This way if you, or your children, have a problem those assisting can have the important information. You also increase the chances of your lift-pass being returned should you loose it

Take a late lunch The pistes are less busy over lunch time. Ski between 12.00 and 14.00, and lunch late when the restaurants are quieter

Seek out the ‘ single skier’ lanes at many of the lifts in Courchevel and at the Pas de Lac gondola in Mottaret (Trois Valley) - and legally jump the queue.

Collisions become more common as the pistes become busier. To reduce the risk remember the rules of the piste: it is always the downhill skier who has priority; when overtaking leave enough room for unexpected manoeuvres, and slow down when approaching a beginners’ area or where two pistes cross. Most importantly, be in control of your speed at all times

How often should you have your skis and/or snowboard serviced? Although most people will only have used their skis for 6 days during your holiday, it is surprising how quickly the base of the skis can deteriorate. A good service can be the difference between a good and bad day’s skiing, and a good edge can make a world of difference where icy conditions are the day’s offering.

Any damage should be immediately repaired before it gets worse. Regular servicing will look after your skis or snowboard and will keep them like new for longer. New equipment benefits from regular waxing to build up a good strong base. Additionally, regular waxing will help prevent water from getting into the core. You will notice a marked improvement in your turns, speed and control if your edges are sharp, and your base structured and waxed.

After each ski holiday it is recommended that skis and boards are serviced with a thick coat of storage wax to prevent your skis or boards drying out. This needs to be removed before using the equipment on the next ski holiday. If you forget, don’t worry, your skis may feel a little sticky for the first few runs, but it will eventually come off during the day.

Backcountry Safety Code – Guidelines for staying safe in the backcountry (submitted by Mountain Tracks, Chamonix)

•	Never ski alone – always ski in a group and always ensure that your goals are realistic and achievable by the whole group
•	Before setting out ensure you have collected information about the weather, snow conditions and recent avalanche activity. Listen to the experts and ask for advice. If in doubt, don’t ski it
•	Equip yourself properly. Always check that your bindings release properly and your other gear is in good order. Always ski with the essential safety gear: transceiver, shovel and probe
•	Stay humble. Keep a sharp eye and ear out and heed your own instincts. Always ski within the limits of your ability
•	Pick your route carefully & be prepared to handle changing situations – with other skiers and with the mountain and the conditions
•	Remember that human factors are the most common cause of accidents on the mountain - fatigue, complacency, over-confidence, single-minded lust for powder. Listen to your gut and don’t take unnecessary risks
•	Take a course in mountain & avalanche awareness and have the knowledge to understand the dangers and the courage to make the right decisions
•	Never travel off-piste without adequate insurance
•	It is strongly recommended that you ski in the backcountry with a mountain guide

Warm up before your start skiing. Cold muscles and tendons are more likely to be injured - walking with all your gear for some of the way is good for you! (Avoid the classic exercise of swinging the leg back and forth - the weight of the ski boot can over-stretch leg muscles)

Throw away your cotton polo-necks. Your base layer should be of a treated man-made fibre which wicks away any moisture, and so prevents chilling when you stop excercising. Follow with fleeces and a wind/waterproof outer layer

Avoid the Suisses chairlift late in the afternoon and Cote Brune chairlift (Meribel) first thing in the morning. Give a miss to the Moraine and Col chairs in Val Thorens - they aren’t nicknamed the ‘fridge’ and ‘freezer’ for nothing! Use gondola lifts rather than tows or chairs. If you have a Three Valleys pass, follow the sun around the Méribel valley - ski on the Tougnete side in the morning and on the Saulire side in the afternoon

Wear special ski sun cream even if the sun isn’t shining - the rich formula helps protect your skin. Even better, wear goggles and a muffler to cover all of your face. Wear a hat and silk inner gloves and use the hood of your ski jacket

Try something new Make your holiday memorable with a hot air balloon ride, tandem paraglider flight, husky sledding, ski-dooing, or snow shoeing. All these are available in the Courchevel valley – Activities or Outdoor