Join the pros
Professional skiers are usually split between the athletes who appear in photoshoots, and instructors, who have spent years getting the qualifications to teach. Chris Fecher is one of the very few Britons who has moved from one camp to the other, graduating from Chamonix ski bum to sponsored pro to fully qualified instructor. He's running the "Head Skis Autumn Ski Clincs" on indoor slopes – on 10/11 October in Hemel Hempstead, 17/18 October in Milton Keynes and 24/25 in Tamworth. The full-day courses cost £125 and are designed to prepare keen parallel skiers so they are ready to improve as soon as they reach the slopes proper. See skiclinic.wordpress.com.
Himalayan record
Two Britons may have become the first people to ski down Manaslu, the Himalayan peak that at 8,156m is the world's 10th highest mountain. Guy Willett, 38 and Emma Jack, 33, set off at the end of August, and reached the summit last Monday before skiing from there to base camp at 4,800m. Quite whether they bagged a significant skiing first remains in question – two other teams were attempting the same feat on the same day, and the British team are out of contact on a seven-day walk out. Updates at dream-guides.com.
Why lug your skis?
Love having your own skis and boots, but hate the hassle of lugging them to the mountains with you every winter? A new company called Ski Carriage (01933 679842; skicarriage.co.uk) will do all the lugging for you, and even look after your kit in between trips. On becoming a member, the firm collects your equipment, stores it and then ships it to your resort in time for your skis or snowboard to be serviced before your arrival. Ski Carriage will ship your equipment back to the UK and store it until you next go away. Joining fee £22; storage fee £17 per item per year; return transporting fee from £10 boots, £90 skis and snowboard.
Off-piste in Corsica
When it comes to skiing in France, the island of Corsica is probably the last place you'd think of. But this season Ski Freshtracks (0845 45 807 84; skifreshtracks.co.uk) has a ski tour there for the first time. With accommodation in remote mountain huts, the nine-day trip – taking place from 27 February – is for experienced skiers and, while it's not likely to rival the Alps, it involves plenty of off-piste skiing, as well as skinning up mountains and descents to the stunning lakes, Capitello and Mello. It costs £1,195, including half-board accommodation, transport and mountain guides. Flights extra.
Cool shows
It's only in its second year, but the London Freeze has changed the face of ski and snowboard shows, by blending live action with big-name bands. It returns to London's Battersea Power Station from 30 October to 1 November (londonfreeze.com) and headliners include Orbital, Friendly Fires and Calvin Harris. Watch out for X-Games gold medalist Tanner Hall and UK Olympic hopeful Ben Kilner battling it out on a 32m-high jump, created using 500 tonnes of real snow. There are also Alpine-themed bars and shops. Tickets from £35 adults, £15 children (under-fives free). Meanwhile, the Metro Ski and Snowboard Show (metrosnow.co.uk) is at to London Olympia from 21 to 25 October, and the British Ski and Snowboard Show is at Birmingham's NEC from 30 October to 1 November. Entry to both starts at £5.
Avalanche survival
The Ski Club of Great Britain will run a series of avalanche awareness talks at six Snow+Rock stores across Britain. With nine dates from 3 to 21 November, the audio-visual talks are led by Henry's Avalanche Talk (henrysavalanchetalk.com). There will also be a series of transceiver training sessions on beaches from Poole to Formby. The talks cost £7; avalanche transceiver sessions £35. For dates and tickets see skiclub.co.uk.
FREESTYLE GAMES
Freestyle games
The Winter X Games is coming to Europe for the first time next March. The event, which is normally held in the US, will take place in Tignes, France (tignes.net), from 10 to 12 March. The world's best freestyle skiers and boarders will compete in eight different slopestyle and pipe competitions. Expect a fair bit of partying too.
