Ski resort
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A ski resort is a
Ski resort
Ski resorts are located on both Northern and Southern Hemispheres on all continents except Antarctica. They typically are located on mountains, as they require a large slope. They also need to receive sufficient snow (at least in combination with artificial snowmaking, unless the resort uses dry ski slopes).
High concentrations of ski resorts are located in the Alps, Scandinavia, western and eastern North America, and Japan. There are also ski resorts in the Andes, scattered across central Asia, and in Australia and New Zealand.
Extreme locations of non-indoor (at least one ski lift outside) ski resorts include:
- The most northern ski resort near Tromsø, Norway
- The most southern ski resort near Ushuaia, Argentina
- The ski resort closest to the equator from north, near Lijiang, China.
- The ski resort closest to the equator from south, near Mahlasela, Lesotho.
Types
The ski industry has identified advancing generations of ski resorts:[1][2]
- First generation
- Developed around a well-established summer resort or village (e.g. Davos, St. Moritz, Kitzbühel, Chamonix, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Megève, Val Gardena).
- Second generation
- Created from a non-tourist village or pasture (e.g. L'Alpe d'Huez, Aspen, Breckenridge).
- Third generation or integrated
- Designed from scratch on virgin territory to be a purpose-built ski resort, all the amenities and services nearby (e.g. Sestriere, Flaine, La Plagne, Isola 2000).
- Fourth generation or village resorts
- Created from virgin territory or around an existing village, but more concerned with traditional uses (e.g. Valmeinier, Valmorel, Shahdag Mountain Resort).
The term ski station is also used, particularly in Europe, for a skiing facility which is not located in or near a town or village. A ski resort which is also open for summer activities is often referred to as a mountain resort.
Facilities and amenities
Ski areas have marked paths for skiing known as runs, trails or
Ski areas usually have at least a basic first aid facility, and some kind of ski patrol service to ensure that injured skiers are rescued. The ski patrol is usually responsible for rule enforcement, marking hazards, closing individual runs or areas as conditions require, and removing (dismissing) dangerous participants from the area.
The typical ski area base includes a ticket office, ski lodge, ski school, equipment rental/repair shop, restaurant/bar, shopping, shuttle bus stop and parking.[3]
Some ski resorts offer
Though the word "ski" is a derivation of the Old Norse skíð via Norwegian, the choice of French is likely attributed to the early popularity of such activities in the French Alps, with which it was then linked.[7]
Environmental effects
The process of resort development has progressed since the birth of the
Primary (direct) impact of resort development
In recent years, the use of
Secondary (indirect) impact of resort development
The required space for hotels, flats and secondary residences has increased the amount of space occupied by roads and buildings.[8] While a large number of people requires special water, sewage and electricity systems, a great deal of construction work is needed. Access roads and the treatment of salt are responsible for high amounts of erosion at ski resorts. In some cases, natural lakes must be tapped or reservoirs built to cater for the population demand. The urbanization of mountainous areas have increased the space of impervious surface, and prevents the natural flow of water into the ground, resulting in a disturbed water table and potential cause of erosion in undesired places. Lastly, when building ski lifts, its line of operation must be shaped and drained, and large concrete blocks must be set down for pylons.[8]
Gallery
See also
References
- ISBN 9780448224282.
- ISBN 9782225494123.
- ISBN 0-684-18207-6.
- ^ "après-ski". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
- ISBN 0-458-92780-5.
- ^ Lund, Morton (March 2007). "Tea Dance To Disco: Après-Ski Through the Ages". Skiing Heritage Journal. 19 (1): 6–12. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
- ^ Harper, Douglas. "ski (n.)". Etymology Online. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- ^ a b c d Chivers, John (December 2010) [1994]. Effects of the Skiing Industry on the Environment (PDF) (Report). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 Aug 2016.