The Japanese are known for adopting popular American culture. Think movies, TV shows and baseball. Snowboarding is another example, and the most popular site is Myoko, which features a main mountain elevated at 2,450 meters (about 7,400 feet) above sea level that annual draws about 14 meters (44 feet) of snow.

Myoko would be referenced as a ski destination, but the younger generation of Japan is really into snowboarding Japan has a number of modern snowboard and ski destinations, but Myoko is a small town with old-time Japanese culture, having served as a ski resort town since the 1930s, which makes Myoko one of the world's oldest established ski areas.

Myoko's snowboard and ski area is made up of 10 mountains. They are Myoko Akakura, Shin-Akakura, Ikenotaira Onsen, Myoko Suginohara, Seki Onsen, Kyukamura, Myoko Ski Park, Myoko Pine Valley, Madarao Kogen and Tangram Ski Circus. Each has its own distinctive features. You can get a combined lift ticket or "Myoko Big-4" season pass to the four largest resorts, which are Akakura Kanko Ski Resort, Akakura Onsen Ski Resort, Ikenotaira Ski Resort and Myoko Suginohara Ski Resort.

The Japanese enjoy evening activities, which means snowboarders will encounter numerous opportunities to try out flood-lit terrain parks in Myoko. While the Japanese are getting more and more into snowboarding, there still is a work ethic which frowns upon taking leisure time during weekdays. This means vacationers on weekdays find themselves with virtually no competition for fresh tracks.

Bars and restaurants are within walking distance of the Myoko village and feature both Japanese and Western food and drink. You can opt for sushi and sake or burgers and beer. If you wish to mix some big city life with the remote Myoko experience, well, Myoko is not so remote. Nagano is 40 minutes away on Japan's bullet train, and Tokyo is within two hours.

Sources:
http://www.myokokogen.net/index.html
http://www.myoko.tv/foreign/english/
http://www.snowseasonjapan.com/myoko/
http://www.myoko-nojiri.com/myoko.htm
http://www.snowjapanforums.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/298476/Re_Snowboarding_the_world_s_be.html

Ask the best snowboarders, or those most-traveled, to name a world-famous ski resort that has done the most to accommodate snowboarders. A frequent answer will be Tignes in eastern France.

Tignes, at its peak, is more than two miles above sea level. The lift is at 3,350 meters, which translates to about 11,000 feet. This has led Tignes patrons to describe "the closest slopes to the sun. At this height, combined with the effect of the Grande Motte Glacier, the climate remains so cold that there is deep light powder available for virtually the entire year. Another statement that snowboarders use to describe Tignes is as follows: "When it snows elsewhere in the Alps, it dumps on Tignes."

Many top resorts are known to accommodate only the highest caliber snowboarders and skiers. Tignes prides itself on providing vacation opportunities and fun for snowboarders of any level, down to beginners. Lessons for beginners are offered in English.

Still, for the snowboarding maven, Tignes is it. There are more than 180 miles of pistes available at Tignes, and so many off-piste places that Tignes annually hosts the Free Ride World Tour.

The Tignes area is so vast and high that freestyle snowboarders may take a lift and ride straight to a chalet, to the Tignes resort center or to one of 20 mountain restaurants. Runs are as long as 9 miles.

For snowboarders who wish to stay closer together, Tignes offers a pair of pipes and a vast terrain park.

In fact, expect some company regardless. Tignes possesses 47 lifts that are able to handle 75,000 boarders and skiers per hour. Just to make sure the slopes remain lightly powered, more than 200 snow cannons are at work at Tignes.

Tignes is so popular, in fact, that there are daily 85-mile bus runs from Geneva International Airport in Switzerland.

Sources:
http://www.j2ski.com/ski_resorts/France/Tignes.html
http://www.alpineelements.co.uk/snowboarding-holidays/resort/tignes.html
http://www.snowboardingholidays.net/location.php?LocationID=1266
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/snowandski/4030838/Snowboarding-the-worlds-best-resorts.html

You might be considering a snowboarding trip to Cypress Mountain in North Vancouver, British Columbia, before the winter breaks in March or April. After all, Cypress Mountain will host 2010 Olympic snowboarding events. The Olympic Alpine skiers, unlike the lowly snowboarders, get to head north to Whistler. Cypress Mountain is no Whistler, but still, it's a neat and high-class place.

Your question, in considering a 2009 snowboarding visit to Cypress Mountain, is double-edged.

The pro side: Cypress Mountain will be an exciting place to go in coming months, crackling with Olympic snowboarding preparations. Wouldn't it be great to have a chance to see what the world's best, the Olympians, will see in 2010?

The con side: Cypress Mountain will be all messed up because they are getting ready for the Olympics, carving up the grounds with bulldozers and making a cool vacation seem merely inconvenient instead.

The short answer seems to be, for snowboarders, that the "pro" side seems superior, and that you should consider a Cypress Mountain visit.

You would feel differently if you were a freestyle skier, because the Cypress Mountain freestyle venue is closed this winter, except for Feb. 9-10, when the Canada Post Freestyle Grand Prix will take place. This is a major World Cup event, and so the first half of February would not be a good time to schedule your snowboarding vacation.

However, Cypress Mountain snowboarding facilities are not closed in a similar fashion, except for April 2-6, when the Canadian Nationals Snowboard Championships are slated.

Leaders of Cypress Point had mixed thoughts early in the decade, when the chance to serve as an Olympics venue was offered. A $6 million grant from the International Olympic Committee helped answer that question, putting new lifts and tows in place. Meanwhile, Cypress Mountain has used its own money for a new 45,000-square-foot lodge.

Snowboarding at Cypress Mountain in 2009? Seems that it's worth a try, expecially if you wait until after mid-February.

As for attending those 2010 Winter Olympics at Cypress Mountain, they're from Feb. 15-27. Events for both women and men are halfpipe, cross and parallel giant slalom.

Sources:
http://www.cypressmountain.com/dh.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22995132/
http://www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/v-printerfriendly/story/280156.html
http://nsbsg.com/weeklywindow/?cat=25

In Ireland, there are plenty of people who are really into snowboarding, especially college students attending DCU (Dublin City University). After all, it's not like these Irish sports enthusiasts can exactly hang out at the beach during the summer. The summer's average daily high temperature is about 60 degrees.

With summers that are so chilly, you might think Ireland would get cold enough during winter that the surfaces for snowboarders would be piled high with fine powder. Well, not quite. The average daily winter temps in Ireland remain up there in the low 40s.

It's like having six months of early spring and six months of late fall. What's going on here? Dublin is just as far north as Moscow. But maybe you remember from school: The Gulf Stream. The North Atlantic Current.

Sometimes it snows in the mountains of Ireland up to 30 times per year. But the snow usually doesn't stay long, and there have been years where it doesn't snow at all. So what's a snowboarder to do?

Aidan Coughlan was determined to do something. He returned from his first snowboarding experience in Europe eight years ago, and he was enraptured. So Aidan created a web site, irishsnowboarder.com, which attracted nearly 900 members. He organized ways to get snow made as often as possible at a mountain in Kilternan, both for slopes and half pipes. He started an online equipment store. The DCU snowboarders joined in. Aidan Coughlin is now seeking help to maintain the web site.

Still, sometimes they have to use fake snow, and sometimes it sounds sad. One forum poster wrote of the fake snow: "Ouch. Just back from freestyle Sunday in Kilternan, and I'm proof that what you can do on snow just does not happen on the dendex (i.e. fake snow)... I just took spill after spill after spill. Believe me, if you are going up there after time on the snow give yourself at least 5-10 runs to readjust, ('cause) I didn't and I paid the price. Bad fall on my shoulder, hand, etc. Still though, I'll be back there next Sunday!"

So, Ireland doesn't have the greatest snowboarding on the planet - just some of the most loyal and dedicated snowboarders.

Sources:
www.irishsnowboarder.com
www.dcusnowboarding.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Ireland

For snowboarders, the State of Maine isn't along any sort of main route. There sits Maine, way, way up in the obscure, right-hand corner of the map of the United States. But can't you tell, just by looking, that a state with Maine's location is just bound to have some great slopes, terrain parks and half pipes?

Maine also is a very family-friendly state, so your rates and fees will be affordable.

Readers of Snowboarder Magazine voted Shawnee Peak, in Bridgton, as one of North America's 10 favorite mountains for nighttime snowboarding. The half pipe is a full 400 feet and not

two terrain parks are constantly open. Shawnee Peak is known for its weekly competitions and prizes.

Sugarloaf in Maine's Carrabassett Valley offers that state's steepest vertical drop, 2,820 feet, with an impressive 131 trails. Sunday River, in Beth, has a drop of 2,340 feet and 128 trails. The drop at Saddleback, in Rangeley, also exceeds 2,000 feet.

Have you ever heard of the Ragged Mountains? Well, yes, the Ragged Mountains are in Maine along the mid-coast shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean. The Camden Snow Bowl is run by the town's Parks & Recreation Commission, which will bring you some of the neatest snowboarding value prices that you ever will encounter. This is "where the mountains meet the sea."

Try Big Rock in Mars Hill. No, being in Mars Hill doesn't put you into outer space. You can find virtually everything you want for a top-notch, Maine snowboarding experience.

Need some snowboarding or ski lessons? Lost Valley Ski Area near Perkins Ridge employs nearly 100 instructors, some who teach year-round.

You gotta love a place called Katahdin Moosehead on Big Squaw Mountain. It's in Greenville, but the view is mostly white during the winter. Same goes for Black Mountain in Rumford.

How about Quoggy Jo on Presque Isle. The drop is a meager 215 feet, but with a name like Quoggy Jo, it demands some respect!

Sources:
http://www.visit-maine.com/current_category.2325/companies_list.html
http://www.mainesnowboarding.com/
http://www.mainetodo.com/article523.html

In the land of cheese, bratwursts and beer - Wisconsin - there is more than heavy food and drink. Snowboarding enthusiasts will be delighted with a less-publicized product of Wisconsin that is light and fluffy.

So-called "lake-effect" snow constantly falls near Wisconsin's coastlines along Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. This is different than the lake nearest you, because you need a really big lake to get lake-effect snow. Such as a Great Lake.

Skies can be clear in other places, but lake-effect snow still will be falling in these areas. Don't worry, snowboarders, this doesn't mean that you're going daffy. This happens because the water quantity is so great on the Great Lakes that the water stays warmer compared to inland lakes, ponds and rivers, which freeze over. The frigid winter air hits this warmer Great Lakes' water, and there you have it: lake-effect snow.

Buffalo, Syracuse and New York's entire northwest, upstate areas get socked for a similar reason, but Wisconsin gets less attention for its prodigious snowfalls. For example, Crystal Ridge Ski Area and Wilmot Mountain are located just a few miles from downtown Milwaukee, and Milwaukee = lake effect (as well as beer). If you head 35 north of Milwaukee, you will encounter Sunburst Ski Area, where the lake effect is in full effect. Then there's Hidden Valley Ski Area near Green Bay, but don't try to get Packers' football tickets, because there is something like a 20-year waiting list, and Packers fans generally aren't into scalping.

You can find great Wisconsin inland locations as well for a day of snowboarding, a weekend, a full vacation or even a reasonably priced season pass for just a few hundred bucks. Wisconsin is by no means a mountainous state, but the glaciers left behind some really neat gorges and long sloping hills. For example, there's Granite Peak, which is smack dab in the center of the state. You can get a 700-foot vertical at Granite Peak, which is virtually unheard of in the Midwest.

The snowboarding culture is fully alive in Wisconsin, sparked in part by the presence of the University of Wisconsin's main campus at Madison and other campuses that dot the state. UW is known both as a liberal school and a party school. Hey, what can you say about a school that had its marching band suspended this fall for hazing?

Also recommended: Tyrol Basin, Alpine Valley and Mt. La Crosse.

Sources:
http://www.travelwisconsin.com/Snowboarding_Wisconsin.aspx
http://www.snowboardingwisconsin.com

By legend, seeds were planted more than a century ago for snowboarders and skiers to head for the Banff/Lake Louise destination.

Construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1883 had reached the western edge of the Alberta province. Railroad President William Cornelius Van Horne had seen plenty of natural beauty along the route, but he still was flabbergasted to discover the stunning Lake Louise and the now-famous Cave and Basin Hot Springs nestled among mountains with 10,000-foot peaks. He declared, "Since I can't export the scenery, I'll import the tourists." Thus he built the landmark Banff Springs Hotel.

Snowboarders should take special delight. Banff/Lake Louise draws only about 30 feet of annual snow, compared to 100 or more at other locales. Still, 30 feet is plenty because the white stuff barely melts in the high and dry Rocky Mountain air. For snowboard and ski enthusiasts around the world, this is known as "Champagne Powder."

The best-known destination at Banff/Lake Louise is the Sunshine Village Ski & Snowboard Resort, and here the legend continues with roots in the year 1929. A pair of extreme sports enthusiasts, Cliff White and Cyril Paris, had trouble finding a Canadian Pacific Railway cabin. This caused them to ski all over the territory before they discovered the shelter. By then, they were so impressed that they shared information to all of their ski buddies. Sunshine Village was born, with a peak elevation of 9,000 feet and an impressive vertical drop of 3,500 feet. The longest run is 8 kilometers, which translate into 5 miles. More than 100 trails are available.

Lake Louise Mountain Resort lacks the history and tradition of Sunshine Village, but it's a tad bit bigger in scale. The third cog in the Banff/Lake Louise trio is the more modest Mount Norquay Ski Resort, with a vertical of only about 600 feet, but still challenging

All of this splendor is available within less than a two-hour drive from Calgary, Alberta, but Banff/Lake Louise is so close to the border that some trails cross into British Columbia. Talk about a snowboarder's dream: A trail so long that it spans two provinces!

The resorts' web sites, by and large, do not match the quality of the winter sport environment. However, readers may find better info by reviewing Wikipedia summaries.

Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_Village
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Louise_Mountain _Resort
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Norquay_ski_resort

Snowboarding in Ohio? Aw, c'mon. And Best on the Planet? Puh-leeze.

Give us a chance here. On one hand, you may perceive Best on the Planet as somewhere in Canada or Switzerland or France. But if you are not there at the particular moment, Best on the Planet doesn't do much good. Really, ultimately, and yes, selfishly, Best on the Planet should be wherever YOU happen to be on any given day. It's a state of mind.

Besides, the State of Ohio seems to decide most of our U.S. presidential elections, and therefore proper respect is due ...

Ohio's Alpine Valley, near Akron, tries so hard, advertising itself like this: "The 9 slopes at this ski hill are brilliant. The ski resort gets blanketed by so much beautiful snow, 10 feet per year, and that is an incredibly splendid coverage."

Then comes an admission: "A 230-foot vertical drop is, of course, not that much, but Alpine Valley makes up for it with other things ... Good exercise and just hanging out with our skiing palls surpasses anything."

They have a point. To go a step farther, let's say you are a really fly snowboarder and you come upon a place like Ohio's Alpine Valley. There are hundreds of Alpine Valleys across the country, of course. So are you too good for Alpine Valley? Baseball and football and basketball players, even golfers and tennis stars, play at clinics in disadvantages places. Why not you?

Alpine Valley does indeed have Xtreme areas and a permanent half-pipe with rails. Stop by, show off some of your best tricks, and then greet the locals as they come a-runnin'. Offer a few pointers. You'll feel good about yourself.

Ohio offers more than just Alpine Valley.

There's the Big Creek Ski Area (they have snowboarding too), a half hour from Cleveland, in which the members actually own their own mountain, buy their own snowmaking equipment and so forth. This may sound more like Russia than Ohio, but it's true, fellow traveler.

At Boston Mills Brandywine they're getting ready for the snowboard and ski season already, prepping for the 2nd Annual OktoberSTEEZ Rail Jam, followed by a Level One Productions video premier on the Big Screen Outside.

Then there's Mad River Mountain. Can you imagine a greater name for a snowboarding place? Alas, Wikipedia reports that "because the natural snowfall averages only 36 inches, snow is not always naturally available."

Scoff all of you Best on the Planet snowboarders, but ask yourself this: If Mad River Mountain were the only place remaining on earth to ride your board, wouldn't you go there?

Sources:

skicentral.com/ohio.html
alpinevalleyohio.com
bigcreeksi.org/trails.htm
bmbw.com
gottagoitsnows.com/skiareas/1253.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_River_Mountain

If you aren't among those who remain angry with the French for failing to support U.S. foreign policy, they you can easily discover some of the planet's best snowboarding.

Consider Chamonix, which features Mont Blanc, which is Europe's highest mountain. More than 90 percent of the slopes are higher than 2,000 meters, and if you wish to convert from meters to feet, you will have to remember some of your school math. (Okay, we came up with 6,561 feet and a few inches. How? See below.)

Chamonix also advertises "superb culture and nightlife," but of course we're in France, so everyone is going to say that. But it's true! Chamonix also has a reputation of being more "snowboarder-oriented." Publicists for the resort emphasize that beginners and intermediates need fear not, because Chamonix is not just for experts.

Among the offerings at Meribel, meanwhile, are "645 kms of pisted trails." Seems like they could have worded that a little differently. But indeed the trails are well-packed. And a cool thing about Meribel, like Chamonix and some other French resorts, is that they offer special vacations just for snowboarders. Many snowboarding super-enthusiasts feel they get more respect in Europe than in North America.

If you really want to make a snowboarding vacation out of it, Meribel is a neighbor of Courchevel and Val Thorens, located in the Trois Vallees. That's three valleys, of course, and the Meribel folks proclaim that theirs is the prettiest.

These three valleys, which in the United States would be called "tri-valleys" or "tri-cities," reach a peak of 3,200 meters. That's 10,495 feet and a few inches, by the way.

Other spots in France to consider: Alpe D'Huez Resort, Les Arcs 2000, Let Gets, Morzine, Sainte Foy, Tignes and Val D'Isere.

And now (drum roll), time for the math explanation: A meter is 39.37 inches or 1.0936 yards, give or take. Go from there. And if you don't remember that from high school or junior high, well, we won't speculate . . .

Sources:

http://www.alpineelements.co.uk/snowboarding-holidays/resort/chamonix.html

http://www.alpineelements.co.uk/snowboarding-holidays/resort/meribel.html

http://www.worldreviewer.com/experiences/snowboard/

Travelers visit Hawaii each winter to snowboard and ski - yes, you heard us right - on the Big Island. Even so, the Hawaii Ski Club recommends against it. Perhaps this is a case in which familiarity breeds contempt.

The destination is Mauna Kea, Hawaii for "White Mountain," because indeed the Big Island's biggest volcano often draws snow. After all, it is nearly 14,000 feet above sea level, or 2.7 miles.

Authors on trailsource.com are positive. They report that south of Waimea and northwest of Hilo, Mauna Kea Park offers "amazing backcountry snowboarding." No lifts are in place, but an access road is plowed a few days after each storm, "so you can drive or hitch to the summit" and ride down. Snow is most likely during the traditional winter months, but "can have 6-foot dumps" as well. In fact, prominent pro-snowboarding competitions have taken place at Mauna Kea.

A counterpoint is worded clearly: "Due to safety and environmental impact issues and health concerns, the Hawaii Ski Club no longer sponsors group ski trips to the Mauna Kea volcano, nor will we endorse or recommend travel agencies which may offer such trips."

The Ski Club formed to plan trips elsewhere, but leaders have found themselves subject to inquiry when outsiders discover that such a tropical place as Hawaii actually has a place where snow falls, and where people get out their snowboards and skis.

Club leaders note that winter sports activities are "iffy." They assert that snow often comes in the form of a shallow dusting. Even with deeper drifts, boarders and skiers may suddenly find themselves negotiating with lava rock and "being MEDEVACed to a hospital with massive injuries!"

As for driving up the access road or hitching a ride, members of the Hawaii Ski Club are skeptical. If you drive, then you have to walk back up a 14,000-foot mountain. And who would have room to give you a hitch, given that they already are loaded down with their own equipment? In the most common scenario, snowboarders or skiers rent a Jeep or a 4-wheel drive, and then members of the party have to take turns as the designated driver.

Snowboard or ski at Mauna Kea? Decide for yourself.

Sources:

www.hawaiiskiclub.com/ski_Hawaii.htm

www.trailcourse.com/scripts/four.asp?ID=18537&type=board

You wouldn't think one of the planet's best places for snowboarding would want to include the word "prairie" in its title, being that prairies are flat, but North Dakota's Bottineau Winter Park is "The Jewel Above the Prairie." This makes Bottineau and other N.D. locations all the more reachable by motor vehicle, which makes a nice amenity.

Images of the name given the Turtle Mountains also do not exude flashy speed and excitement, but do not blame the Bottineau folks. Those mountains were named long, long before snowboarding came along, and they are steep enough to also include a tubing hill and Xtreme areas. Bottineau offers everything from a beginning's area to un-groomed, expert glade runs and race courses. Five lifts support nine trails. The number is (701) 263-4556, or e-mail skibwp@srt.com.

North Dakota also offers the more excitingly titled Frost Fire Day Lodge, at the community of Walhalla, carved within the Pembina River Gorge. Frost Fire provides evidence that you need not have giant mountains to enjoy some great boarding. Geologists say this region in the state's northeast area once was beneath ice a mile thick, and then was flooded by a lake that flowed with such force that deep gorges were created. Among the most impressive of those gorges is the Pembina. Frost Fire offers a terrain park and a half pipe. Call (701) 549-3600, or send a missive to info@frostfireskiarea.com.

If not a gorge, then will the slope of the Missouri River suffice? This is the setting for Hull Hills Ski Area, 16 miles from Bismarck, which is North Dakota's largest facility with 16 runs. Rattlesnake and Antelope have narrow twists, as you might expect, but you also will find plenty of wonderful glades and some wide open areas for cruising. Contact (701) 663-6421 or info@huffhills.com.

And if you gotten curious, yes, North Dakota has just that one telephone area code for the whole state. No worries! They'll provide the snow, and you can provide the cool.
Sources:

www.skibwp.com

www.frostfireskiarea.com/about.htm

www.huffhills.com/?id=14&page=Amenities

To ride a snowboard is to embark on one of the most physically demanding sports on the planet. You need a lot of energy. Where do you get energy? From carbs. What kind of food has a lot of carbs? Pasta. So ciao, baby, you should be on your way to Italy!

No, not Rome or Venice. (You could make a stopover, of course.) You have to head for the mountains.

Our planet's best, the Alps, are in Switzerland, but northern Italy has its share of killer slopes. There is world-famous Torino, for example. Was it just two years ago they had the Olympics? Seems like longer. Regardless, the best Italian snowboarding getaway possibly might instead focus on cozy little towns without a bunch of pretentious ritz and glitz. You could find a place like this by skiing the web. (Can't we ski the web, or even snowboard the web?) One example is Prato Nevoso, which is advertised as having "plenty of trails, a superpipe, a world-class terrain park, a friendly local vibe and excellent Italian coffee." And nary a Starbucks.

Italian resorts, in general, tend to be cheaper and less crowded than their European counterparts. Does this mean worse? Well, several snowboarding mags say Italy is becoming more popular. Freestyle facilities still have some catching up to do, but freeriding is up to par with neighbors to the north. Lift systems are extensive, but at some sites they have not been upgraded in a while. This does not mean that you would fall, only that they have not been upgraded in a while. But bottom line, "cheaper and less crowded" are valid selling points. So is a fantastic dinner of pasta primavera, with anchovy of course.

When you are on the road, keep in mind that Italians indeed are the planet's fastest drivers. After all, this is the home of the Ferrari.

Don't you think it's only fair that Valdez, Alaska should be known for something other than the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill? Well, how about some fantastic snowboarding?

Valdez hosts the King of the Hill Snowboard Championship, along with the World Extreme Skiing Competition. In the 1995 movie "Endless Winter," audiences were thrilled to see a quartet of snowboarders descending the slopes of Valdez. In the 1997 Teton Gravity Research film called "Harvest," Valdez again was the primary location. So it seems that if you liked or flat out loved either or both of those flicks, you might want to head up toward Prince William Sound and see for yourself.

Promoters of Valdez Heli-Camps proclaim that they are "the logical choice for your next snowboarding vacation," featuring the steep lines and dry powder of the Chugach Mountains. The lodge is right in the center of the village, which means you can feast on a home-cooked meal before walking out to enjoy the nearby nightlife.

Valdez has five glaciers. Can you beat that? The mountains get 600 to 900 inches of snow each season. And you can get there by highway, air or cruise ship.

The folks in Valdez are big on history, with several museums to visit. Settled in the late 19th century, it was rooted in fur trading, salmon canning, and gold and copper mining. They didn't quite yet have snowboarding back then, but you get the picture.

Then, of course, came the lower portion of the 800-mile Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline during the early 1970s, and we know what happened in '89. The Valdez Chamber of Commerce advertises that "seawaters abound with sea otters, Dall porpoise, harbor seals, Stellar sea lions, & Humpback and Orca whales." The folks of Valdez deserve a break, and so do you. You can e-mail info@valdezhelicamps.com or call (907) 783-3243 to learn more about Valdez Heli-Camps.

Sources:
www.evostc.state.ak.us/History/index.cfm
www.valdezalaska.org
www.valdezhelicamps.com/heli-snowboarding.html

In southern Switzerland, Saas-Fee is the "Pearl of the Alps" and snowboarders can join the tradition.

What's a good way to enjoy the finest dry snowboarding powder without spending all of your time in frigid conditions?

Try finding a spot next to some glaciers

Saas-Fee is "Die Perle der Alpen," or "The Pearl of the Alps." It is found in the southern portion of Switzerland near the border with Italy, so this is not exactly a Nordic locale, evidenced by an unusually high tree line. But the highest Swiss Alps runs have elevations of more than 11,500 feet, and chill air comes from the glaciers of the Dom and the Allalinhorn. So, you can have your snow and sweat a little, too!

The main village of Saas-Fee has a population of 1,700, plus maybe three times as many ski visitors and tourists. You will have to stop at a car park outside of town, because motor vehicles are not allowed inside the limits, but an electric bus or cable car will greet you post-haste.

There's a halfpipe and a park for snowboarding, and the top European pros like to congregate here, especially during summer. Other stuff to try? There's snowshoe trekking, tobogganing, canyon climbing, ice climbing, paragliding and hang gliding.

An especially cool feature is the world's highest underground railway, which climbs to the top of the ski and snowboard area. Also at the top is a restaurant that revolves; therefore, this is the world's highest revolving restaurant as well. Only goes to figure! After your meal, you can head inside a glacier, witnessing natural crevasses amidst changing colors of the ice formation.

On a clear day, you have a spectacular view toward some of the Alps' other most fantastic peaks. And most days are clear, an average of about 300 days per year. Saas-Fee advertises that the village "enjoys a dry climate with few allergens, which is of benefit to people who suffer from allergies and asthma."

Hotel rooms are available, of course, but many visitors opt for village apartments. Homes are required to be constructed of at least 40 percent wood, maintaining Swiss tradition and character.

In the category of "gastronomy" (???) Saas-Fee advertises more than 100 restaurants in the region. Regional Valais cuisine makes generous use of mountain herbs. And if you need ask about the wine and cheese, you shouldn't be heading for Switzerland!

SOURCES:

saas-fee.ch<p>en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saas-Fee<p>saas.fee.ski.com

Not every individual or family has an unlimited budget for snowboarding. Glacier Snowboard Camp in Whistler, British Columbia advertises lower rates and smaller session sizes.

Glacier Snowboard Camp in Whistler, British Columbia has second-tier prices but maintains first-rate standards, insists Ben Wainwright, the owner and a member of the Canadian National Team.

"We pride ourselves on being a smaller, much more personalized snowboard camp," Wainwright writes on the Website, www.glaciersnowboardcamp.com.

Enrollment is limited to 40 snowboarders per session, while some larger facilities accept more than 200. This creates a ratio of one professional instructor for every five campers. The price is in the range of $1,495 for a weeklong session or $1,995 with accommodations. Campers and their families who want more instruction and fun, and who can afford the cost, may opt to stay for multiple weeks.

Glacier provides an array of jumps, hips, rails and boxes, along with a private half pipe cut by a 17-foot snow dragon.

"We offer the best coaching at the best price," Wainwright asserts. "In fact, you won't be able to find a less expensive snowboard camp in North America or a better one, no matter what you pay. Our goal is to improve your snowboarding and make sure you have the most possible fun."

A typical day focuses on instruction in the morning, and then mixes more time to experiment in the afternoon, including tips on the latest tricks. After-snowboarding activities include a bungee trampoline, skateboarding and paint ball. During summer camps, features include mountain biking, rock climbing and swimming.

Campers may choose to focus on freeride, which concentrates on core riding skills through powder, steeps and trees. Another option is freestyle, featuring tricks and the half pipe.

Pro Ride is the company that provides the format and staffing for Glacier.

"We will improve your riding in a fun, skill-based progression based on a foundation of all mountain discovery," says Anthony Crute, Pro Ride director, owner and lead guide. "Your program will be focused on what you really enjoy doing, and you have the flexibility to change your riding goals as it suits you.

"We live, eat and breathe snowboarding. We know Whistler inside out and enjoy sharing our vast snowboarding experience with people of like mind. This is our 11th year running snowboard camps specifically for snowboarders from all over the world. Come join us for one epic day after another!"

SOURCES:
glaciersnowboardcamp.com
proride.com/summercamp/index.cfm
snowboardcolonies.com/glaciercamp/friends