Europe Explored » glacier https://europeexplored.com Travel through the most beautiful places in Europe Sun, 08 Sep 2013 13:36:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=3.6 5 European Ski Destinations that are Popular All Year Round https://europeexplored.com/2012/06/12/5-european-ski-destinations-popular-all-year-round/ https://europeexplored.com/2012/06/12/5-european-ski-destinations-popular-all-year-round/#comments Tue, 12 Jun 2012 19:54:21 +0000 Claire https://europeexplored.com/?p=8335 Skiing is a fun and highly athletic sport that can be done in groups or individually.  For those that love this sport, the summer months can cause a sense of panic, as the ski fix seems distant and as if it will never come.  There are several destinations, however, that do not close their doors […]

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Skiing is a fun and highly athletic sport that can be done in groups or individually.  For those that love this sport, the summer months can cause a sense of panic, as the ski fix seems distant and as if it will never come.  There are several destinations, however, that do not close their doors when the summer heat comes.  Rather, the slopes are still open and those who love to ski can still have fun doing the activity that they love.  The following outlines five European ski destinations that remain open and popular all year round.  Use them as your guide to travelling the world and getting that ski time you crave.

Cervinia Zermatt, Italy
Cervinia Zermatt, Italy / Joao Maximo

1. Cervinia Zermatt

Located in Italy, Cervinia Zermatt is a great option for those who wish to ski even when the summer sun is in the air.  The slopes are open all year round and they can be utilised by skiers from top to bottom all year round.  This venue is open to other activities as well.  Of course skiing can be completed on the mountain, with unique events being held to entice the consumer to the panoramic views that are gorgeous at any time, but there are other things as well.  Mountain biking is a common activity with races being held in the summer months for those who want to mix up their skiing efforts with another fun extreme sport.

2. Grande Mott Glacier

The Grande Mott Glacier in France offers a great option for those looking for a summer ski getaway.  There are several different options for skiers no matter what time of year it is.  Located in Tignes, the ski resort offers a choice of sixteen lifts and an amazing seven-hundred and fifty foot drop for the vertical enthusiast.  There is also a snow park open year round.  This includes activities like pipes and rails as well as bumps courses and jumping options making it a perfect choice for those who are seeking raw skiing and snowboarding without the frill of some of the higher end resort options.

3. Zermatt

Located in Switzerland, just near the Italian border, a hidden gem in skiing is located.  Zermatt is a beautiful location for summer skiing.  It has a history of great runs and many find it to be a great option for a skiing holiday during the summer months.  There is a lot of beauty in this location as well.  The Matterhorn is the background music to this skiing location making it both a popular and quintessential European skiing beauty.

4. Italian Peaks

Another great option for summer skiing in Italy are the Passo Stelvio and Passo Tonale glaciers.  These skiing locations offer summer skiing between June and July. The courses vary and can be limited by the summer weather however they offer great options for those who are looking for a summer ski getaway.

5. Stryn

Stryn is located in Norway and has a limited summer run, but a summer run none the less.  This course is available to skiers from May until July, making it limited but no less useful for those seeking a European ski course.  It is among the most popular in the country when it comes to summer skiing and offers many great events.  Beyond the skiing, there is a community of activities that are held around this location.  Included in this are the great partying adventures. (The activities that take place when the lights go down and the slopes close for the evening.) For this reason, it has grown not only in popularity because of its skiing but for the overall experience that can be had.

Luxury chalets can be found at all of the destinations listed above so if you want to head to a fun filled ski destination this summer, you have a lot of options to choose from.


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Ötztal – ski on exclusive slopes with a great elevation in Austria https://europeexplored.com/2012/01/24/otztal-ski-on-exclusive-slopes-with-a-great-elevation-in-austria/ https://europeexplored.com/2012/01/24/otztal-ski-on-exclusive-slopes-with-a-great-elevation-in-austria/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:29:56 +0000 Claire https://europeexplored.com/?p=6063 65-kilometres long Tyrolean valley Ötztal stretches in the Ötztal Alps massif. On its steep slopes extend exclusive pistes boasting a great elevation. Ötztal, or rather ski resorts that are located in this valley, offer the best of the Austrian Alps. Skiers will certainly enjoy a perfectly groomed slopes of all levels and lots of off-piste […]

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65-kilometres long Tyrolean valley Ötztal stretches in the Ötztal Alps massif. On its steep slopes extend exclusive pistes boasting a great elevation. Ötztal, or rather ski resorts that are located in this valley, offer the best of the Austrian Alps. Skiers will certainly enjoy a perfectly groomed slopes of all levels and lots of off-piste possibilities. You can also ski on the glacier here. There are several resorts situated in the Ötztal valley: large resorts Sölden and Obergurgl-Hochgurgl, medium-large Hochoetz Kühtai, and small resorts Vent, Niederthai and Gries.

Ötztal valley, Solden resort, Austria
Photo by oetztal.com

Ötztal Valley Resorts have a total of more than 300 km of ski slopes, which lie at an altitude ranging from 1377 to 3340 meters above sea level and thus can boast an elevation of nearly 2,000 metres. The most famous ski resort of Ötztal is exclusive Sölden, which offers about 150 kilometers of ski slopes, spreading partially on two glaciers and three peaks with a height exceeding 3,000 meters above sea level. This makes Sölden really a unique ski resort in Austrian Alps. More than 100 kilometers of slopes has another luxury resort Obergurgl-Hochgurgl. But Ötztal is also suitable for cross-country skiers as you can find here around 185 kilometres of cross-country trails.

Ski pass prices and opening hours
Lifts in the Ötztal runs from 8:30 to 16:30. One-day ski pass costs €45 in the most popular resorts like Sölden and Obergurgl-Hochgurgl, and six-day ski pass costs about €230.

Also an offer of après-ski activities is on a high level in Ötztal. In addition to restaurants, bars, shops, you can try out all sorts of winter sports and the icing on the cake is a luxury aqua park situated in the town Längenfeld.

For further info visit oetztal.com website.


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Kaprun – all year round skiing in Austria https://europeexplored.com/2012/01/02/kaprun-all-year-round-skiing-in-austria/ https://europeexplored.com/2012/01/02/kaprun-all-year-round-skiing-in-austria/#comments Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:20:52 +0000 Claire https://europeexplored.com/?p=5798 Kaprun is one of the most famous ski resorts in Austria, situated near another famous sports resort of Zell Am See. It lies in the State of Salzburg at the foot of Kitzsteinhorn glacier, which is, with a height of 3208 meters, one of the highest peaks of the Alps. Kaprun offers ideal snow conditions […]

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Kaprun is one of the most famous ski resorts in Austria, situated near another famous sports resort of Zell Am See. It lies in the State of Salzburg at the foot of Kitzsteinhorn glacier, which is, with a height of 3208 meters, one of the highest peaks of the Alps. Kaprun offers ideal snow conditions throughout the year. Center in Kaprun offers all kinds of slopes, almost no queue waiting for a lift and breathtaking views over the Alps.

Kaprun - Kitzsteinhorn, Austria
Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Cristian Bortes

Funicular Kaprun – Kitzsteinhorn peak has the highest mast in the world with a height of 120 meters. Kaprun ski resort, which is situated at an altitude of 2000 m can be reached only by cable car from the village below. Once there was also a funicular train, which led through a tunnel in the rock, but it had an accident on 11 November 2000, when the fire occurred inside the tunnel and claimed the lives of 155 people and only 12 survived.

Kaprun ski resort with Kitzsteinhorn glacier is ideal place for winter holidays but offers a wide range of sporting activities even in the summer. The charming town of Kaprun is situated at an altitude of 786 metres above sea level and forms a gate to the National Park Hohe Tauern.

During the winter holidays you can try many fun activities in Kaprun. You can take nice walks around, ice skating, snowshoe hiking, sledding or a horse drawn sleigh ride through the winter wonderland. This charming place offers a wide range of accommodation from comfortable hotels, through apartments and guest houses to chalets.

Kaprun - Kitzsteinhorn, Austria 2
Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Cristian Bortes

The big advantage of this resort is that you can ski all year round on Kitzsteinhorn glacier. Glacier at a height of more than 3000 meters is ideal for skiing also in the warm season. A huge number of beautiful slopes for beginners and advanced skiers attract also snowboarders. If you arrive with the cross-country skis, you enjoy a beautiful trail with a total length of 200 km.

Zell am See and Kaprun are the popular resorts in the sports centre of Europa Sportregion. 58 most modern lifts and funiculars will take you to the tops like Kitzsteinhorn (3,203 m) or Schmittenhöhe (1,965 m). There are already 130 km of beautiful slopes waiting for you. It is ideal both for lovers of the fast and also quiet skiing. There are also pleasant, not too difficult slopes, ready for families with children.

Season on the Schmittenhöhe, which is slightly lower than the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, lasts from December to May.


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Climb Mulhacen in Sierra Nevada – the highest peak in Spain https://europeexplored.com/2011/02/25/climb-mulhacen-in-sierra-nevada-the-highest-peak-in-spain/ https://europeexplored.com/2011/02/25/climb-mulhacen-in-sierra-nevada-the-highest-peak-in-spain/#comments Thu, 24 Feb 2011 23:06:16 +0000 Claire https://europeexplored.com/?p=2645 Climb Mulhacen is the highest mountain in Spain and the whole Iberian Peninsula (3478m above the sea level). It is located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the region of provinces of Granada and Almería. On the northern slope of Climb Mulhacen you can see the southernmost glacier in Europe. You can hike Climb […]

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Climb Mulhacen is the highest mountain in Spain and the whole Iberian Peninsula (3478m above the sea level). It is located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the region of provinces of Granada and Almería. On the northern slope of Climb Mulhacen you can see the southernmost glacier in Europe.

You can hike Climb Mulhacen in a single day from the villages of Capileira or Trevélez, but it is recommended to stay for a night either at the mountain refuge at Poqueira, or in the bare shelter at Caldera to the west.


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Nockberge National Park in Austria https://europeexplored.com/2010/09/21/nockberge-national-park-in-austria/ https://europeexplored.com/2010/09/21/nockberge-national-park-in-austria/#comments Tue, 21 Sep 2010 09:53:42 +0000 Claire https://europeexplored.com/?p=1528 The Nockberge National Park is one of the seven Austria’s national parks. The park was established in 1987 and it is European only high mountain national park. On the area of approx. 20ha the park offers great gentle, rounded mountain tops, alpine pastures and woodland. The particular beauty of this natural preserve makes hiking in […]

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The Nockberge National Park is one of the seven Austria’s national parks. The park was established in 1987 and it is European only high mountain national park. On the area of approx. 20ha the park offers great gentle, rounded mountain tops, alpine pastures and woodland. The particular beauty of this natural preserve makes hiking in the Nockberge mountains a wonderful adventure.

The distinctive shape of the gently rolling Nockberge Mountains is rare in the history of geology and unique in the Alps. The mountains developed hundred million years ago thanks to an interchange of lands, seas, desserts and jungles.

The name “Nocke” comes from the round shape of the softly rolling mountains and hills between 2,200m and 2,300m above sea level.

You can visit the following destinations that are close to this park:
Lake Bled – 67 km, the Julian Alps – 60 km, Triglav – 59 km, Ravines Vintgar – 64 km, Klopeiner See – 74 km, glacier Mölltal – 56 km, Wörther See – 46 km, Liechtenstein – 59 km, Waterfall Pericnik – 54 km, Kitzlochklamm – 70 km


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Ritten Earth Pillars – natural pyramids in Italy https://europeexplored.com/2010/06/03/ritten-earth-pillars-in-italy/ https://europeexplored.com/2010/06/03/ritten-earth-pillars-in-italy/#comments Thu, 03 Jun 2010 17:46:47 +0000 Claire https://europeexplored.com/?p=256 Just outside of the sleepy little village of Ritten which is located in the South Tyrol region of Italy, you will find some of the most amazing, naturally occurring pillars that can be dated back to more than 10,000 years ago. There is somewhere between 100 and 150 of these naturally occurring pyramids which are […]

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Just outside of the sleepy little village of Ritten which is located in the South Tyrol region of Italy, you will find some of the most amazing, naturally occurring pillars that can be dated back to more than 10,000 years ago.

There is somewhere between 100 and 150 of these naturally occurring pyramids which are built through thousands of years of glacial erosion. Atop of them one can find mammoth sized rocks which are the reason that the pillars first started to form. As the years went on, more of the land was worn away below the rocks resulting in some of the pillars towering more than 130 feet above the ground.

Ritten Earth Pillars, Italy
Ritten Earth Pillars, Italy by Internet Consulting

Eventually, as the pillar is work down below the point where it can continue to support the weight of the rock, it simply collapses. While these naturally occurring pillars of earth can be caused by a number of weathering processes, the ones just outside of Ritten, Italy were as a result of the glacier that had once covered the valley Ritten sits in today. 10,000 years ago, as this glacier melts with the ending of the last ice age, the pillars began forming and their formation continued long after the last remnants of the glacier melted away.

Today, the Ritten Earth Pillars are a well known and popular attraction throughout Europe. There are also a number of similar sites that can be found throughout the Alps. There is something mysterious about these pillars of clay. Some of the pillars have boulders on top of them that weigh several tons which only adds the enchantment of visiting this natural wonder. Over the centuries Ritten earth pillars have attracted the attention of countless tourists from all over the world. There are many legends that surround the creation of these and many other pillar sites throughout Europe.

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