/tags/snow.rss en-us The Baltoro Glacier runs through the Karakoram range in Baltistan, Pakistan, which has the greatest concentration of peaks over 5 miles high anywhere on earth. Karakoram’s Baltoro Glacier offers a panoramic view of the K2, Trinity, Laila, and some other pinnacles of lesser heights. It is a piece of heaven on earth. The Baltoro Glacier is 62 kilometers long: one of the longest glaciers outside of the polar regions. The melting ice from the glacier gives rise to the Shigar River—the tributary of the Indus River. Baltoro Glacier is fed by several tributary glaciers, and Concordia is the confluence of the Baltoro and the Godwin Austen. Several people come to Concordia to trek, which starts at the K2 base camp. These are the most popular trekking destinations, and the best way to approach is from Balti in Skardu. Baltoro Glacier is in the form of a wide trough, and is an environment where dynamic changes are taking place with the melting ice and the formation of new glaciers. However, in order to view these glaciers you should be fit and willing to trek through tough landscapes. Some people train for this kind of trekking holiday in the mountains. If you invest time in strength training before taking a trip to the Karakoram range glaciers, it can be pay off. The Baltoro Glacier trek is divided into various legs. The first leg takes you to Concordia, which is a spectacle to see in itself. This is where you get to the base camp at K2. From Concordia you reach Ali Camp: a kind of fluted slope that stands like a tower right in front of you. Another name for this glacier is the Bride Peak because it kind of looks like a wedding gown. From Ali camp you can go to Gondogora Lake where you are surrounded by a wall of glaciers. The sunlight that passes through these glaciers at sunset and sunrise is worth the visit. The next destination is Hispang, and as you progress, the weather and the Baltoro trek gets tougher. However, a visitor can drop out of the trek at any time they wish, so this adventure can be easily tailored to personal fitness levels and requirements. Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:33:53 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/baltoro-glacier http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/baltoro-glacier No, this is certainly not the Winter Olympics, but it might be the closest thing to it that locals and travellers to Maine will experience. The U.S. National Toboggan Championships provides some of the same excitement and adrenaline that you may typically find at the Olympics. Better yet, the championships take place each year, occurring on the first weekend in February during the middle of Maine's blustery winter. The annual event that takes place in Camden, Maine at the Camden Snow Bowl is a unique winter event like none other. The Snow Bowl is a popular and renowned northeastern U.S. venue for recreational activities that include hiking, bicycling, fishing, boating, swimming and tennis; although the recreation area is mostly known for its snow activities. Thousands of locals and tourists head to Maine's Snow Bowl each year for their winter activities, which include alpine skiing, tubing, snowboarding, and ice skating. All of this comes to a head for the National Toboggan Championships weekend. Something you'll find at few recreational parks, not only in the U.S. but the entire world, is the 400-ft. toboggan chute at the Camden Snow Bowl. Though certainly no official Olympic size chute, it offers a burst of adrenaline that can be experienced few places. The chute drops down 70-feet in elevation, meaning that toboggans can attain speeds of 40 mph. As such, from start to finish usually doesn't last any longer than 10 seconds. Having run for over 20 years, the U.S. National Toboggan Championships brings out several hundred competitors from both the U.S. and other countries. Most of the participants are actually from Maine and other northeastern states. Teams compete in two-, three- and four-person teams to see who is the fastest. The highlight of the 400-ft. race comes at the bottom where toboggans shoot out onto the icy Hosmer Pond (and can travel up to a quarter-mile on it before finally coming to a stop). Participation in the U.S. National Toboggan Championships is far less stringent than what you would find in similar levels of competitions. Participants simply have to pay a registration fee, have a toboggan, and be in good enough shape to climb to the top of the chute. There are no other requirements, such as age or skill level. Some of the other awards that are given out during the weekend include the fastest female team, and the best costumes. Wed, 29 Sep 2010 03:30:07 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/national-toboggan-championships http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/national-toboggan-championships Nestled in the French Alps near the borders with Switzerland and Italy, Chamonix Mont Blanc is probably the most famous destination in Europe for skiing. It’s not hard to see why – this beautiful area has a host of scenic peaks plus a wide range of slopes. From beginner slopes to longer tracts including free-ride and off-piste, there’s something to suit all levels. The town’s three ski areas are: Brévent/Flégère, which has south-facing slopes with amazing views of the Mont Blanc peaks; the Grands Montets, high altitude slopes facing to the north; and the Balme area, wide open slopes atop Chamonix valley next to Switzerland. There’s also a sister resort at the other end of the valley called les Houches. If you’re an absolute beginner, skiing Chamonix Mont Blanc is a great place to learn, as it offers five different ski instructor companies each offering multi-disciplinary courses to all age levels. Many also offer guides and group excursions for those more experienced at snowsports, who are certain not to be disappointed by the diverse range of slopes on offer. And as if snowsports aren’t enough for one trip, there’s a diverse range of other pursuits on offer in the area. Hiking, mountaineering, mountain climbing, mountain biking, paragliding, ice skating and even golf, swimming and tennis are all on offer in Chamonix during the high season months. No visitor to Chamonix should leave without experiencing the breathtaking panoramic views on offer at no less than half a dozen different local points. The most famous, known as l’Aguille du Midi, is easily accessed by cable car. Taking you to an altitude of 3,842 meters, the peak offers spectacular 360-degree views of the Swiss, Italian and French Alps, including the famous Matterhorn and Mont-Blanc itself. Once you’re wiped out from a day of skiing Mont Blanc's pristine runs, you may be surprised by the range of cultural and entertainment options in the town: there’s several museums and regular art exhibitions to see, a cinema with occasional live music shows, plus plenty of bars and restaurants and even a bowling alley. Thu, 27 May 2010 16:31:35 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/chamonix-mont-blanc http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/chamonix-mont-blanc For some nothing can be as dreary as a cold winter’s night, except in captivating Quebec where the city lives by three words, "Joie de Vivre!”, meaning "The joy of living!" The opportunity for a whole new way to experience winter in Quebec, Canada awaits you. Savvy travelers from around the world have noted that the winter wonderland reigns here! The foremost event of the year is the annual Winter Carnival. The festivities commence in late January through to early February, and have been a tradition since 1894. The Quebec Winter Carnival has garnered attention as a premier global celebration, rivaling the best of any Winter Carnival from around the globe, set amid one of most quaint and picturesque cities. Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:54:41 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/winter-carnival http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/winter-carnival Vancouver Canada is set to play host to the 2010 Winter Olympics, where the best of the worlds athletes will take center stage and battle it out for the chance to go for the gold! Entry to some of these historic events cost as little as $25 - $100 Canadian. It has been 20 years since Canada last showcased the Olympics, and this time around will play stage to over 86 different winter sports . The various sports can be categorized under, ice sports such as luge, hockey and bobsled, alpine with events such as skiing and snowboarding, and lastly those referred to as nordic, such as the biathlon, ski jumping and cross country skiing. The motto for the games was taken from the Canadian national anthem "with glowing hearts", surely only further inspiring the home grown talent. Other local influences can be seen in the 2010 Olympic logo, an Inukshuk which represents friendship. The count down is on, so if you are interested in going to the games be sure to check out the official site for more information on how to get your hands on a ticket. The scenery of Whistler and Vancouver, mixed with some of the finest world entertainment sounds like a great combination to me! Thu, 25 Sep 2008 02:23:38 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/2010-vancouver http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/2010-vancouver As the silent bergs glide through the cold currents off the coasts of Labrador and Newfoundland, the soft sighs of ice melting can be lightly heard above laps of the Atlantic Ocean. This stunning side of Canada offers amazing views of beautiful ocean countryside paired with clean crisp glimpses of giant icebergs floating down the coast. Calved from glaciers off the western coast of Greenland, the icebergs float generally for over a year before reaching the northern shores of Newfoundland. Of the 40,000 some odd icebergs produced annually from Greenland, 1%-2% tend to make it down to Ice Berg Alley. Many local companies run boat tours out along the coast to catch a closer experience with the majestic ice mountains. The sheer size of the bergs is a complex nature, many over two and three stories high, hide approximately 87% of their mass below the water. For the daring adventurer these currents are also widely sought as some of the best kayaking spots in the world. The great iceberg migration provides paddlers with the ultimate close encounter with these grand and glorious ice sculptures, and if that wasn't enough to wet your pallet the common whale sightings usually seal the deal. Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:09:09 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/iceberg-alley http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/iceberg-alley