Ski Lodge for International Women's Day

International Women's Day is today...and we women are supposed to show our strength and value by wearing red and not doing things.  While I get that, and I will wear red,  I'd prefer to focus on the active, productive, positive power of women.  Women in business, politics, sports and government are making positive progress every day.  Women skiers all over the world are demonstrating their strength and skills in the white Pow every day.  And in all sorts of other pursuits, women are making first tracks in many powerful, positive ways.

While International Women's Ski Day is celebrated in December, today's International Women's Day expands that to include all women, whether skiers or not. So my goal today is to combine both, and highlight a place that celebrates women (skiers or not) on a regular basis. And that's how I found this place;  and that's why the words "Every Day is International Women's Ski Day" impressed me so much.

The ski area is Whitewater in Nelson, BC.  Their interesting website features a blog, written by a woman, who points out that Whitewater is women-friendly (in many ways) everyday of the year! Check out Gina B and her blog for her eloquent description of how every day is international women's ski day at Whitewater...and while you're at it, check out Gina B's non-profit foundation, Outdoor Women's Alliance, which promotes leadership and confidence for women.  That vibe is the kind of positive female energy that I think today's International Women's Day is all about!

The Ski House of the Day is featured on Whitewater's site, and looks like the perfect place for a group of women to relax apres-ski (or any other time), celebrate their first tracks, revel in their abilities, share in each other's accomplishments, and generate positive female energy and encouragement.  The ski house is called Logden Lodge and is located in the Kootenays, of British Columbia, Canada.  It consists of four, very private cabins situated on an expansive 42 acres of forest along the Elise Creek, near skiing at Whitewater, and more.  (Gina B even says the cabins look like something out of Architectural Digest!).

To me, the cabins look charming and inviting...with warm and cozy spaces by the woodstove,

...bathrooms with (the oh-so-nice-after a hard day of skiing) large soaking tubs,

...and other things like luxury bedding, plush robes, and the all-important keep-your-feet-dry from the melted snow-droppings:  slippers!

This ski house seems like a perfect place for whomever might be there on International Women's Day today...hopefully it's a group of women wearing red while skiing (like these) at Whitewater...

 Whether you're a skier or not, whether you're a woman or not, I hope you will focus on the active, positive, productive power of women on this day...and every day.

And just one more thing about this awesome Canadian ski lodge.....it is co-owned by a woman!

A happy, positive and powerful International Women's Day to all!

Simply Wonderful

Villa Boreale, a beautiful Quebec ski chalet, is located near big skiing at Le Massif (with the highest vertical east of the Canadian Rockies).   Like the snow outside on the mountains, the immaculate cottage is almost entirely white inside.  Emblematic of a classic ski chalet, it has a hot tub out in the snow, a bunk-room, a wood-burning fireplace, animal skin rugs artfully arranged throughout....but the streamlined, elegant, minimalist theme is its dominant feature.

Fortunately for those who want to ski in the Charlevoix area, this modern, inviting chalet, with four bedrooms (accommodating up to 14), is a rental property.

I really like this place, but I've kept the theme of my comments true to the Scandinavian minimalist design of this house...allowing the chalet to speak for itself:  However, there is one fabulous feature (which I love) that I must comment on...it is a perfect feature that, for me, truly identifies this chalet as an unmistakably wonderful ski house:   the ski lift chair hanging next to the front door:

Apres-ski or off-season, you can be on the chairlift whenever you want at this ski chalet...simply wonderful!

C'est magnifique!

The Aspen Experiment:  Tiny Ski House

The Aspen experiment is this year's housing option for a lucky group of seasonal workers at Aspen Skiing Company who are living in one of the six brand new tiny homes this winter, according to Aspen Times.

Affordable, yet suitable winter housing is a tricky problem in an area where demand for seasonal housing swells with the ski season, and where the average rent is more than double (and sometimes exponentially beyond) that of the national average.   Hence, the Aspen experiment:  the creative solution of rolling in some very cool new tiny ski houses on wheels.

The tiny homes, similar to this one, were made by Sprout Tiny Homes.

Each tiny ski house is only about 500 sq ft in size...but, according to Sprout are strong, sustainable, green, energy efficient homes with chemical-free interiors.  Complete with kitchens and bathrooms, the tiny homes offer very modern, stylish, surprisingly upscale and functional interiors....with lots of windows to invite in those Aspen views.  Nice.  (Skico is reportedly targeting a rental rate around $600 per month per person for their employees in a tiny ski house).

The tiny ski homes have been set up in a local Aspen campground, which has both the infrastructure to instantly support the homes, as well as bus transportation to the mountain(s)/work.   Pretty sweet for those who got first tracks on this deal!

Skico purchased six of Sprout's tiny homes for the experiment;  and if all goes well, they could be in for many more in the years to come.  I'm hoping it works out, because it sounds like a step in the right direction.

It's a tiny experiment...with huge potential!