Gearing up for a mid-2008 launch, The Ski Channel Chairman and CEO, Steve Bellamy, has announced a series of acquisitions, partnerships, and contests. A deal with Skiers World, the series previously carried on Outdoor Life, produced by Double Black Diamond Productions and managed by famed action sports producer Chris Diamond, will give The Ski Channel hundreds of episodes of premiere ski content over 5 years.

Level 1 Productions has licensed their library to The Ski Channel. Owned and operated by Josh Berman and located in Denver, Colorado Level 1 Productions is one of the most renowned film makers in the action sports, giving viewers classic ski film titles such as High Five, Second Generation, Forward, and Strike Three.

The Teva Mountain Games will be the first in a series of summer-oriented events to be broadcast on The Ski Channel. The Games, an international summer mountain sports festival will take place June 5th – 8th in Vail, Colorado featuring competitors in numerous disciplines within: kayaking, climbing, biking, paragliding, rafting, and trail running. Many of the events in the games, such as the Bouldering World Cup bring together the world’s best athletes from the sport.

The Ski Channel, in partnership with the United States Snowshoe Association, Inc, the governing body of US Snowshoe Racing, has acquired television rights, as well as ownership, over a potential series of events including the US World Cup stops.

The Ski Channel is also launching a series of contests on its web site allowing consumers to win ski-in/ski-out vacations to Crested Butte and Jackson Hole, ski gear packages from Salomon, and clothing packages from Descente/DNA by writing stories, sending in videos, and signing up for The Ski Channel newsletter. Check out The Ski Channel for more details.

Traveling alone, with friends, or with the family, a summer ski vacation to Ski Portillo, Chile will be a unique experience. Located 100 miles from Santiago, Chile, with 30 ski trails, served by 14 lifts, the Portillo ski area is the oldest ski area in South America, celebrating 60 years in 2009.

When I say unique, I mean when is the last time you had a week of above treeline skiing on 1300 acres plus endless off-piste terrain and with lodging for only about 500 people? Before you think wild west and primitive skiing, be advised the limited accommodations are planned to be that way. The owners want to provide an affordable, big mountain, boutique ski area to be enjoyed by all travelers.

With the ski season at Ski Portillo running from June 21 - October 5, it's a good time to book now. Take a more in-depth look at this South America ski resort that is often described by visitors as "a cruise ship in the mountains" and pick a week from a season full of Special Event Weeks best suited to your travel time and a theme you would really enjoy.

Don't forget, if you are thinking about a summer ski vacation, to sure all passports are in order.

South American Skiing

• Ski Portillo, Chile - A Cruise Ship in the Mountains
• Ski Resorts in Chile
• Ski Resorts in Argentina

_{Skiing at Ski Portillo, Chile Photo Copyright Jonathon Selkowitz}

Dick Bass, owner and Chairman of Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort, and one of my personal heroes, was inducted into the Utah Tourism Hall of Fame during the fifth annual Utah Tourism Conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The award recognizes individuals whose personal efforts have contributed substantially to shaping the world’s perspective of the state of Utah. Bass received the honor for a career in the ski industry that began in 1962 and culminated with building Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort into an internationally known mountain resort.

Bass began work on Snowbird in October 1969 and had the first lifts turning by December 1971. He has since overseen the continued growth of Snowbird into a world-renowned, year-round destination mountain resort. SKIING Magazine has ranked Snowbird, along with Little Cottonwood Canyon neighbor Alta, the No. 1 ski resort in the United States five years in a row.

In April 1985, at age 55, Bass became the oldest person to reach the top of Mount Everest and the first to climb the highest peak on each of the seven continents. He is often given the credit of being the first to conceive the idea of climbing all 7 Summits. His adventures are chronicled in the book he authored, “Seven Summits.”

Snowbird

• Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort Photos
• Skiing Snowbird

_{Photo of Snowbird, Utah Copyright Mike Doyle}

Well, it sure was a great ski season everywhere. Near record snow accumulations and good cold weather for man-made snow bases carried us well into late April and early May all around, and a few areas are still going. However, I think, for most of, us it’s “dry land” for the summer months.

I know it feels good to dig your toes in some summer sand, but deep down, you're going to be feeling guilty if those belly muscles and quads start to get a little soft. So, before you get to where you can “pinch an inch” around your sides, head into the best gym in the world – the great outdoors.

There are many ways to stay in good physical condition year and still breathe in fresh air and hiking is one of best. Here's how hiking will keep your ski muscles fit in the summer.

Related Resources

• Hiking for Skiers
• Hiking Tips
• Off-Season Fitness and Training for Skiers

Photo © Mike Doyle

Snowbird, Utah has not only announced it is extending ski season at least into June, but is also reopening the Little Cloud chairlift, which was not scheduled to operate for the remainder of the spring schedule.

Snowbird lifts have run as late as July 4 in two previous seasons, but Snowbird's President Bob Bonar said it is too early to know if that’s a possibility this year.

Also open for skiing this weekend will be Arapahoe Basin, Colorado, Mammoth and Squaw Valley USA in California, Timberline and Mt Bachelor in Oregon and Brundage in Idaho.

_{Photo of Snowbird, Utah Copyright Mike Doyle}

Now that we're pretty much in mid-spring and heading toward the dog days of summer here in the Northern Hemisphere, you can be sure the weather is cooling and snow is in the air down below the equator. Where there is snow, there's skiing to some extent, and the developed ski areas of South America offer what some people consider some of the best snow and terrain in the world. The ski resorts of Argentina and Chile are all above the treeline, and offer great skiing and good value for anyone who wants the experience of skiing in a foreign country.

Aside from the fact that the dollar has not depressed as badly as in Europe, a South America ski vacation makes for a great family vacation, introducing children into a very different culture and language. Being able to pick any week in the summer, rather than being locked into winter vacations and having to figure around school, makes for much more flexible and relaxed planning.

New Zealand and Australia are also going into their winter season and each has a variety of resorts. While the culture is much closer to the U.S and the Australian resorts more like Eastern ski areas, New Zealand offers above treeline and even heliskiing. However, these two countries are a long way to travel and the dollar has not held a value as solidly as in south America but there is a definitely and opportunity for adventure down under.

I'll offer a more in-depth look at the Southern Hemispere ski countries as spring unfolds, but a trip to any of these summer ski destinations will require a passport. So, if anyone in the family needs one now is the time to apply. You will also need a passport for future travel into Canada, so obtaining one now will cover all north and south traveling.

South Hemisphere Skiing

• Argentina Ski Resorts
• Australia Ski Resorts
• Chile Ski Resorts
• New Zealand Ski Resorts

If you ski regularly at a specific ski resort, or two, now is the time to buy your season pass for next year. Discounted season passes are available at most resorts (online in many cases) and some passes enable you to ski at several resorts.

There's usually graduating cut-off dates for buying discounted passes - the later you wait, the more it cost, so don't wait too long. Also, season pass insurance is available to protect your investment.

Skiing Season Pass Information

• Choosing a Season Pass
• Season Pass Deals
• Ski Resorts

We are really pushing the envelope this ski season as evidenced in Maine where you can whitewater raft and ski on the same weekend. Sugarloaf Ski Resort has teamed up with Northern Outdoors adventure resort to offer skiers and paddlers a unique opportunity to partake in what are usually separate season sports.

So, if you are in the area, take your turns on the Dead River on Saturday and do them in the snow on Sunday at Sugarloaf. This is your only shot because Sugarloaf, where it snowed 8" this week, is closing Sunday.

Also around the country you can still ski at Jay Peak and Sugarbush, Vermont, Arapahoe Basin, Echo Mountain, and Loveland in Colorado, and Mt. Bachelor, Mt. Hood Meadows, and Timberline in Oregon. In California head to Heavenly, Mammoth Mountain or Squaw Valley USA. Also open is Brundage in Idaho and Snowbird in Utah where they got 18" of snow in the last two days.

For actual conditions and hours check Snocountry.com.

_{Photo of This Week's New Powder Copyright Sugarloaf Resort}

Just to wet everybody's whistle for the coming out of the 2009 line of skis, here's another look at the On-Snow Demo Days held back in February at Stratton Mountain Resort, in Vermont. Jointly sponsored by The Eastern Winter Sports Reps Association (EWSRA) and the New England Winter Sports Representatives, Inc. (NEWSR) this annual event brings retail buyers, shop owners, and staff together to see what the manufacturers will be offering for the coming season.

Impress was the operative word as all the major ski, board, and boot companies laid out their best 2009 offerings for a discerning audience. For example, Elan is introducing a new mogul ski called "Bloodline" which has major design input from Elan Team skier Glen Plake - Glen was on the scene to ski and answer questions - now, that's impressive.

Head was toting a new line of Ladies skis called the One series and the nice wide Sweet One was getting a lot of attention, along with another Head model, the Mojo 94, Head black with some white graphics - nice look and a nice ride. Right behind the Head booth was the Hart booth displaying some Hart Javelins, ah yes. Hart also has a mid-fat called the Twisted Twin, which should lead the Hart brand back into the big time.

Goode, with a home-base and factory in Ogden, UT, is showing a 95 mm that should float up some of that "Greatest Snow On Earth." I also think you'll be seeing a lot of the thinner Goode skis around the NASTAR circuit next season.

Volkl and K2 displayed some soon to be legendary fatties and K2 prettied up the Lotta Luv just so they would match my daughter's boots, which will be reason #2 that I have to buy them for her next season. Reason #1 being the way she says, "But, I'm your skiing buddy, Dad."

Check out my photos from the midway.

Photo © Mike Doyle

There's no doubt this past season was one for books for the U.S. Ski Team - including six victories by the disabled team. U.S. athletes scored 29 victories and stood on 92 podiums across all six ski sports. This is a good time of year to rest on some laurels, to look back at all the good times from the past season before the coming summer brings on the training for next year.

Overall, the most notable results include five alpine World Cup titles by three different Americans - Lindsey Vonn, Bode Miller and Ted Ligety. We also saw the first women's cross country World Cup win by Kikkan Randall and the best American nordic combined ranking by Bill Demong who ranked third in the World Cup standings.

Here's a review of the highlights in each discipline.

_{Image Copyright Getty Images Don Emmett}