To ski the lights: Fantastic

On four nights of the year, when the moon is full and if the sky is clear, the ski resort of Zermatt in Switzerland offers the rare opportunity to journey to the 10,180-foot-high top of the Rothorn ski area, enjoy a traditional fondue dinner, and then ski down, with only the glow of the moon and stars to guide the skiers.

Similarly, on the slopes of Diavolezza in St. Moritz, a cable car stays open until 11:15 on moonlit nights, from December through April, for what they call "the souvenir of your vacation."

On such nights, "It is so quiet, you only hear the sound of your skis on the snow," Chantal Bittel-Kappeli, a marketing manager for Zermatt, says.

Martha Winfield, an American mother of two living in London, recalls a less romantic moonlight ski run in Zermatt last winter.

"It was both exciting and frightening," said Winfield, who was there with her husband and children, who were 10 and 8. "At times, it didn't appear as though anything was lit at all."

She said her family had trouble keeping up with the guide, who led their group down with only a torch to light the way. "Anyone with kids might want to consider bringing their own headlights," she said jokingly.

Most night skiing and snowboarding, however, does not require charting the phases of the moon. Modern lights have long been illuminating the slopes of small suburban ski resorts throughout the United States, particularly on weekends, when they turn into sporty social clubs for teenagers. Now many of the larger ski resorts in the United States, Europe, British Columbia and Japan are offering night skiing. And for those willing to brave the cold, the benefits — smaller crowds and a twinkling nighttime view — far outweigh the chill.

Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont offers 2,160 vertical feet of night skiing, keeping the slopes open every Saturday until 9 p.m. through March 15. Jeff Wise, the communications director at Stowe, said most runs are regroomed for the evening and are "perfect for skiers who like to cruise and carve away from the crowds."

Keystone in Colorado also offers "sunset" skiing on 15 lighted trails until 9 p.m. during peak times (Wednesday through Sunday from Jan. 9 to Feb. 24, then daily Feb. 27 through March 30). Amy Kemp, a spokeswoman, said the resort offered "the largest night-skiing experience in Colorado."

In St. Moritz, Corvatsch, known for its bowl skiing, boasts that it has the "longest flood lit piste in Switzerland," every Friday night during the ski season. In addition, there is a mountain restaurant, the Alpetta, which stays open for dinner, as well as the Hossa Bar, where a DJ entertains crowds and there are even occasional fireworks. Parents wanting a night out on the slopes can drop their children off at the nearby "Bambino land" from 7 to 10 p.m.

In British Columbia, night skiers and snowboarders can take in the twinkling lights of Vancouver, only a 15-minute drive away, while gliding down Grouse Mountain. It has 13 runs open daily during the winter from 4 to 10 p.m.

Across the Pacific, Niseko is one of the largest lighted ski areas in Japan and advertises some of the best night life of any Japanese ski resort. All-day lift tickets include night skiing on the final day of the ticket from early December to early April.

One advantage to night skiing is that it is less expensive then daytime skiing. A night-only lift ticket at Stowe costs $27 for an adult, less than half the cost of an afternoon (12:30 to 4 p.m.) ticket.

But for $75 a person, skiers can also take part in Stowe's winter Cliff House Summit Series on Saturdays. These are themed dinners (a jazz evening, Valentine dinner and Dominican Republic night) at a mountaintop restaurant, with the chance to ski off your meal afterward. On the gondola ride up, guests are given Vermont cider, a fleece blanket and a camp lantern to keep them warm.

For those skiers who like the idea of exploring the mountain by night, but prefer a more peaceful setting than a brightly lighted downhill slope, the Whistler Resort in British Columbia has the Lost Lake Cross Country trail system. It offers 20 miles of groomed trails that wind around the park, the grounds of the Chateau Whistler and golf courses that are open daily until 8 p.m.

But 2.4 miles of those trails are lighted from 3 to 9 p.m. What's more, skiing is free after 8 p.m. and every Monday after 3 p.m.

Even more slow paced, Keystone has the Full Moon Snowshoe Tour, a hike and a soup buffet dinner. It is open to anyone 12 and older for $35, including equipment rental.

Perhaps the most exceptional place in the world for night cross-country skiing is Finland, where it is dark most of the day during winter. At Kuusamo, in Lapland, about 25 of the 310 miles of cross-country ski trails are illuminated and have rest stops, some with fireplaces. Nonskiiers can take part in a two-and-a-half-hour snowmobile Starlight Safari, in search of the Northern Lights.

There are few safety issues associated with night skiing, as long as skiers follow the rules. Timothy White, a spokesman for the National Ski Patrol in Colorado, however, does advise night skiers to "add an extra layer for warmth, use the buddy system and never wander beyond the lit slopes."

But what do you do if the lights suddenly go out when you are skiing? To his surprise, Malcolm Hobbs, a seasoned West Coast skier, found himself in that situation a couple of years ago while skiing with his three children one evening in Utah.

"We were halfway down the slope when the lights went dark for no apparent reason," he said. "Everyone on the slope just kept laughing and talking to each other in the dark as we all tried to find our way down."

It was, he added, "not just fun, but also one of the family's more memorable ski moments."

NIGHT LIFE, OUTDOORS IN THE SNOW

In Zermatt, Switzerland (www.bergbahnen.zermatt.ch), the moonlight ski run costs 63 Swiss francs and 47.50 francs for children 9 to 16, or about $53 and $40, respectively, at 1.18 Swiss francs to the dollar. The price includes dinner and one-way transport.

At Diavolezza in St. Moritz (www.Diavolezza.ch) moonlight skiing costs 9.5 to 28 Swiss francs. At Corvatsch (www.bergbahnenengadin.ch), it is 20 Swiss francs.

Stowe Mountain Resort (802-253-3500; www.stowe.com) charges $21 to $27 for night skiing. The Saturday night Cliff House Summit Series requires reservations and costs $80.

Keystone in Colorado (800-344-8878; www.keystone.snow.com) charges $51 to ski from 4 to 9 p.m. Full Moon Snowshoe Tours ($35) are on Jan. 19, Feb. 22 and March 21; reservations required.

At Grouse Mountain in British Columbia (604-980-9311; www.grousemountain.com), night lift tickets cost 19 to 37 Canadian dollars, which is about the same amount of U.S. dollars based on current exchange rates.

A one-day adult high-season ticket at Niseko in Japan (www.niseko.ne.jp/en)is 5,200 yen, about $45 at 116 yen to the dollar. Tickets for children 7 to 15 range from 3,000 to 3,800 yen.

Night cross-country skiing at the Whistler Resort (604-905-0071; www.crosscountryconnection.bc.ca) costs 4 to 8 Canadian dollars. Family tickets are 16 dollars.

For information on skiing in the Ruka-Kuusamo area of Finland, see www.ruka.fi/winter_eng. Starlight Safari snowmobile outings are 65 euros a person, two to a snowmobile; 35 euros for ages 4 to 12.

(πηγή: www.iht.com, 9/1/2008)