World Ski Destinations

The world’s best ski resorts can be rated on many factors, whether it be towering mountains boasting exceptional conditions, length of trails and vertical drops, fabulous apres-ski with exclusive glamour factor or all-round international appeal and popularity. The places that often get voted as the world’s best ski resorts, for whatever reasons, all promise the same thing – an amazing ski experience with the most spectacular winter sports scenery in the world.

Here’s the Top 10 of the world’s best ski resorts, in alphabetical order, chosen by Snow Menu. You won’t regret a visit to one of these!

Are – Sweden

Are village is the only ski resort in Sweden with a genuine Alpine atmosphere. The cable car takes to directly up to the top of the mountain and you can ski all the way down to the square. The range of pistes covers everything from advanced skiing on demanding slopes to relaxed skiing on easy slopes. If you are a keen shopper you can find all the latest trendy gear and the ski service here is top class. There are many restaurants, some ten on or around the square alone, offering delicious and characteristic food from all over the world. There is nightlife for any taste, every night and one of the largest stages in the mountains presents the best Swedish artists.

Aspen / Snowmass – USA

Aspen/Snowmass, anywhere else this would be four separate vacations. It’s not just one mountain – it’s Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk. With four choices and 5,303 acres, decide which mountain fits your passion. Snowmass, so many runs, so much variety – cruisers, steeps, glades, off-piste, terrain parks, superpipe and the longest lift-served vertical rise in the United States. Rising out of the heart of downtown Aspen and famous for its steeps, bumps and incredible views, Aspen Mountain and its double-black and tree runs are fun for skiers and snowboarders alike.

Chamonix Mont-Blanc – France

High mountain scenery, the sheer beauty of which will take your breath away, majestic ice falls and glaciers, one of Europe’s highest cable cars, cog railways that take you on a journey through time, a beautiful alpine town, witness to 250 years of mountaineering history, traditional villages and hamlets scattered along the 20km long valley and above all a heart and soul, beating to the rhythm of all those that live and love Chamonix!

Cortina d’Ampezzo – Italy

Cortina d’Ampezzo is the most charming ski resort in Italy, near the north-eastern border with Austria. The village, boasting a thousand-year old remarkable historical background, has nearly 7,000 inhabitants. It attracts visitors from all over the world for its lively international atmosphere, its fashionable shops, and excellent restaurants. It is surrounded by forests and wide ski slopes, below the towering craggy red rock mountains. It offers something for everyone and most keen skiers will be willing to visit it.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen – Germany

Garmisch-Partenkirchen is located at the foot of the Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany (2,962m / 9,724ft), and is both one of the principal climatic health spas in the Bavarian Alps and Germany’s premier winter sports metropolis. The city hosted the 1936 Winter Olympics and the 1978 World Championship and offers pristine nature, secluded spots, cultural and culinary highlights, new experiences, relaxation, wellness, and upscale shopping. A wide range of sports is available in both summer and winter. You can also pamper yourself with spa treatments such as ayurveda, thalasso, natural hay baths, and numerous health therapies.

Lillehammer / Hafjell – Norway

Lillehammer hosted The Olympic Winter Games in 1994, and is known for old farms, a modern town centre and surrounding alpine skiing resorts. Lillehammer is one of Norway’s oldest winter sports destinations. The Olympic town is surrouned by good alpine and cross-country possibilities. The wide variety of alpine slopes at Hafjell provide a diverse range of skiing challenges. The alpine facility is not about crisscrossing slopes, but about long and fast continuous runs. Due to the advanced and comprehensive on-site snow-making facilities, Hafjell is a resort with reliable snow and skiing conditions throughout the entire winter ski season. All the slopes at the resort lead to the same final destination at the bottom of the hill – simple and easy.

Portillo – Chile

The Portillo ski and resort experience is unlike that of any other commercial ski resort in Chile and abroad. There is no neighboring town, meaning Portillo is totally self-contained, much like a cruise ship nestled in the magnificent Andean peaks. Your skiing experience in Chile will surely be unforgettable. But Portillo is not just for skiing or snowboarding, socializing and relaxing, it is also for renovating and restoring the body and mind in a natural environment that is nothing less than spectacular. Portillo has been South America’s premier destination ski resort for more than 50 years, internationally famous for its majestic, Andean setting and powder snow. If there is a temple for ski sports in Chile, Portillo is it.

St. Anton am Arlberg – Austria

Tourism on the Arlberg dates back to the 19th century. But it was not until the advent of Alpine skiing, pioneered to a large extent by men from the Arlberg, that the region acquired the outstanding reputation it still enjoys today as a winter sports centre. St. Anton am Arlberg is a truly unique recreation paradise for the whole family. The cozy little town with 2,500 inhabitants has still maintained its genuine ambiance and charming atmosphere. Relax and unwind at the elevation of 1,300m where crisp and clean mountain air is guaranteed! Experience genuine Tirolean hospitality and spend the most beautiful days of the year among friends.

Whistler Blackcomb – Canada

You have read the articles in the magazines, seen glimpses in the ski and snowboard movies, heard all about it from your friends. Now it is your turn to experience the magic of Whistler. Get ready for the vacation of a lifetime! Whistler is a friendly ski town located in British Columbia, Canada and is home to almost 10,000 residents. One of the many things that makes Whistler so special is two unbelievable mountains – Whistler and Blackcomb. Side by side, they represent over 8,000acres of skiable terrain, rising a mile above the valley of Whistler. Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains offer unforgettable skiing, snowboarding, and unlimited winter and summer activities. Find something for everyone year round.

Zermatt – Switzerland

The village and the mountain: Zermatt and the Matterhorn. Both are legendary. The Matterhorn is the most beautiful mountain in the Alps, perhaps even in the whole world. And Zermatt (1,620m), a car-free health resort and mountain village with international flair offers relaxing and at the same time action-filled holidays whatever the time of year. There’s probably nowhere better to experience a high altitude mountain landscape so intensively as here. In international terms, we hardly need to point out that Zermatt is one of the most famous holiday destinations, as fascinating in summer as it is in winter.

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If you have never travelled to New Zealand and you like to ski or snowboard, then its time you check it out.

New Zealand ski resorts come in many shapes and sizes and cater to all types of skiers and boarders. In the Canterbury Highlands area located about one hour from Christchurch you have access to some of the best skiing in New Zealand. There are 9 ski areas all within an hour or two of Christchurch International Airport including commercial resorts Mt Hutt and Porters.

A unique aspect of skiing in New Zealand is its club fields. Club ski fields are small private operations dotted throughout the Southern Alps. There is a high concentration of club fields in the Canterbury Highlands region and includes the likes of Craigieburn, Broken River and Mt Olympus. Be warned however, club fields have no-frills and most have very primitive lifting systems called nutcracker rope tows. At some of these fields you will need to be a strong skier or boarder just to ride the lifts.

The best family ski areas in the Canterbury Highlands region include Mt Hutt, Porters, Cheeseman (club field). Further south you will find Treble Cone and Cardrona located near the beautiful Lake Wanaka. And of course, the most popular and best known ski resorts in New Zealand Coronet Peak and The Remarkables located within easy reach of Queenstown (the adventure capital of the world!).

There is generally no on-mountain accommodation in New Zealand (with the exception of a number of the club fields which have very basic and very limited lodging available). The main ski towns around the South Island are geared up to cater to every budget and every desire from luxury boutique hotels and bed and breakfasts to major resorts and back packers. Methven accommodation is some of the cheapest you will find anywhere with beds starting at less than NZD$20 per night whilst Queenstown accommodation is more expensive yet relatively inexpensive for the quality compared to other ski towns around the world.

Getting to the ski fields on the South Island is reasonably straight forward. The main entry point is Christchurch International Airport. Many international flights arrive in New Zealand via Auckland with a domestic flight to Christchurch. There are regular flights from LA and San Francisco to Auckland. Most Australian capital cities have direct flights to Christchurch and also offer indirect flights via Auckland (often at a discounted rate for the inconvenience). It is important to note that many package deal include these indirect flights and you can easily lose a day travelling here.

Getting around New Zealand is very easy. It is such a small country that everything is within easy reach. There are many bus services available between major ski towns including Methven, Wanaka and Queenstown. If you are planning on visiting several ski areas then hiring a car is the way to go. Car hire in New Zealand is reasonably inexpensive particularly of there is two or more of you travelling together. Be aware that if you intend on driving up to the resorts, the roads have a reputation of being a bit scary and there is a high probability that you will need to fit chains for most resorts. From the major ski towns mentioned above, there are regular shuttle services that run between the towns and the ski areas so if the adventure of driving to a resort is all too much you can drive between towns and catch a lift up to the mountain each day.

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Taking the plunge and going out to work my first ski season was one of the best decisions I ever made. Twelve years on two of the people I worked with are among my closest friends and it did wonders for my confidence, social skills and work ethic.

I actually had no idea about snowboarding or the mountains to a large extent. Persuaded by my brother to accompany him, for the first few weeks I certainly didn’t feel like thanking him for it. Before long though, my snowboarding improved and allowed me to appreciate the incredible privilege of having the mountains as your garden. Of course, your motivation for going may be more of a social one.

The work

The first thing you should be under no illusions about is that working a ski season will mean working extremely hard. Generally you’ll be part of a team of colleagues who are working together to get things done and get out skiing or to the bars and clubs. There won’t be any hiding place, lazy people will be found out quickly and will either need to pull their socks up or go home.

Generally ‘seasonnaires’ are expected to work 50+ hours with one day off a week. In among the shifts you’ll get plenty of time on the slopes – if you choose the right job. Childcare is one to avoid if you’re an avid skier or snowboarder. You’ll be taking care of the children while the parents ski.

I worked as a barman/waitor, kitchen porter and assistant manager of a hotel, and I probably got most time on the slopes as barman/waitor. Generally in this sort of job you would work shifts, which means a nice mix of day-times off, some nights, and some where you are working a ‘split’ meaning you do the lunch and dinner services but get out and ski in between. There are jobs with more slope time though. As a barman in a club, for example, you could get out all day and work in the evening.

The Pay

The wages in most jobs are very low. You are likely to earn between £50 and £100 per week with some tips if you’re in the right kind of role. The rest of your minimum wage is made up of free accommodation, lift passes and generally food too. Some savings will help but I always felt this was a great leveller. With everyone being short of money most of the time, people help each other out, you learn how to make the most of the cash you have and find regular haunts where you might get a few favours along the way too. Somehow we managed to go out most nights, often without a penny in our pockets. Lots of the nightclubs give seasonnaires free entry and there are other perks like cheaper drinks in some pubs for local workers.

For people fresh from A-levels this is a great learning curve. It teaches you how to manage your cash and is good practice for university too!

Accommodation

The accommodation varies quite a bit but as a rule you can expect it to be very basic. My ‘digs’ over the five seasons I worked ranged from a small room with four bunk beds shared with four other snoring, smelly blokes to a room to myself overlooking the stunning lake in Tignes during a summer season on the glacier there.

You are highly likely to share with at least one other and don’t make the mistake of taking too much stuff with you as you’re unlikely to be blessed with lots of storage space. You’ll tend to be fed on site if you’re working in a hotel/bar/pub and chalet hosts will usually be based on site too.

What to take

I was distinctly under-prepared for my first season. I had no board, boots, jacket, gloves or anything else of use for the boarding itself. Most companies will have a deal with a local ski rental shop who will help you out with free hire or a payment plan which allows you to pay off your board and other kit weekly over the course of the season.

Obviously your own skis/board and jackets etc will help a huge amount – not just to save the money in resort but also for your skiing/boarding development. Your own ‘rig’ makes such a huge difference to how much you’ll enjoy your time on the slopes it’s definitely worth the investment if you can afford it.

Do not take your entire wardrobe! We had one girl arrive in resort with seven designer cases full of expensive clothes for all occasions – she probably spent 90% of her time in one hoody and a pair of jeans. You’re in the mountains so things like heels and skimpy dresses are really not advisable. A few good, warm jumpers/hoody’s, a good jacket, your ski gear, a couple of pairs of jeans, a couple of beanies and two pairs of trainers with good grip (two pairs is a good idea so you can dry one and wear one) are really all you’ll need.

Other useful information

Safety – The Mountains are an unforgiving place and you should always have respect for them. Every year people are killed in avalanches, by the cold and of course on the slopes themselves. Read up on avalanches and basic survival techniques, make sure you go in groups if you are planning to go off-piste, check the weather for high winds or white-out conditions and ALWAYS wear a helmet.

You can do a lot to make yourself as safe as possible. Please take out some good insurance! Some companies will provide this but do check. I have numerous friends who had none, got injured and were left in extreme pain without any care until they got home.

Fitness – Living at altitude and boarding or skiing every day will make you fitter than you’ve ever been before. It is well worth doing some basic training before you arrive so the first few weeks while you acclimatise are not too hard.

When to apply? – You can apply for jobs at any time. Tour operators will generally want you to start in late November depending on where you are going. You will usually apply for a job then get offered certain places rather than applying for a specific role. This also gives you a better chance of getting a place. They are inundated with applications so make sure you push them and make yourself visible. I phoned up to check they had received the application, then called back to see how I was getting on. Originally, I hadn’t been shortlisted but they liked my enthusiasm so offered me an interview.

Where to go? – Well, in my opinion, within reason, it doesn’t matter. It’s about who you’re with. That said, obviously some resorts are far better than others. I spent two seasons in the three valleys in Meribel Mottaret and Courchevel 1850. The ski area is nearly 600KM and on a powder day there is nowhere better for sheer variety and volume. I was also placed in Niederau in Austria for a few months which is a tiny resort with just one real run and generally poor snow conditions. Although the skiing was extremely limited, I probably had a better time there than in Courchevel, purely because of the people I was working with and the pleasant town. If you are at a fairly advanced level, I would definitely try and find somewhere with a good ski area though.

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When you plan a ski vacation, you want to have fun. This applies any time of year. But many of us plan our trips based on budgets, deals, work, school schedules and holidays.

Another challenge is Mother Nature. We can’t predict when the skiing will be best. So many factors when planning ski travels: we can find ourselves in a ski town when there isn’t much snow on the slopes yet.

If you find yourself in a ski town lacking snow, you can still have lots of fun. Here are 10 things you can do:

1) Be a tourist. Go to the typical attractions like museums and historical places. Take lots of pictures. Buy silly t-shirts.

2) Visit the spa. Get a massage for those aches that didn’t stay at home. Indulge in a salt scrub or mud wrap. Unwind. Feel refreshed.

3) Get a lesson in good eating or drinking. Few ski towns lack fine dining. Even if you are on a budget, a brief hop on a barstool might give you a lesson in wine, malt scotches or tequila. Oh, and you can sip some, too.

4) Play off-slope. Early ski season is also known as mud season in most ski towns. Mountain biking, hiking, and road cycling are still good options when the snow is low.

5) Listen to local tunes. You will be surprised how many richly talented musicians abound. You may discover a new favorite.

6) Shop and browse. This is a good time to explore western-wear shops: try on boots and Stetsons. Or score some cozy clothes at the local thrift shop.

7) Update your gear. Gear swaps happen early in the season, and second-hand sports stores are loaded with treasures. This is when and where you will find last season’s brand-new, never-used equipment from the pro shops!

Get artsy. This might mean a tour of art galleries. Or maybe you’d prefer to see collections from local artists. Either way, you can get inspired with art.

9) Celebrate a festival. Before or during your trip, look for nearby festivals. You might taste a delicious pumpkin curry soup at an autumn harvest festival. Watch some independent films. Do a snow-dance!

10) Become part of the community. Ski towns survive on year-round locals. And people who live there like to have fun. So, go run a 5K, eat a brownie at a bake sale or other fundraiser. Be a local for a day.

If none of these entertain you, then maybe you need to do nothing more than snuggle up by a fireplace with a good book!

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If you are planning to go on a skiing trip soon, then it is always advised that you take out ski season insurance before you travel. You never know what may go wrong during your snowboarding trip and if an accident does happen then you will not have to worry about the cost of treatment and hospitalization when you get an insurance policy before your trip. One thing you should know is that by opting for this kind of insurance policy, it will offer coverage for medical expenses incurred during your skiing trip. It is nothing out of ordinary for young people to spend their winter months in locations that are popular for snowboarding or skiing. If you are planning to go away to any one such location, you should seriously consider taking out a ski season insurance policy.

You are not unaware that people injure themselves every year when they go snowboarding or skiing. So before you leave for your skiing trip, it is important for you to look for the right insurance policy that will be right for your snowboarding trip. The right ski season insurance can offer you right coverage. At the time of taking out the insurance, you will have to think of the winter sports that you will be taking part in when you are on your ski vacation. What winter sports will you participate in? Some of the popular sports that people participate in are snow boarding, sledging, heli skiing and cross country skiing. You may have to give this information to the insurance company.

There are many insurance companies that offering this kind of insurance policy to the travelers. To find out which agencies offer such a kind of insurance, you can look for the names of the companies online. The ski season insurance policies offered by various agencies will vary in cost and they will also cover specific winter sports. By getting this kind of policy, you will not have to spend a lot of money on medical bills if any unfortunate incident takes place because the insurance company will pay most of the expenses. It is important for you to search and compare the various policies that are offered by the different insurance agencies. This way, it will be possible for you to find the best deal. So spend a little time and look for the best ski season insurance policy for your upcoming skiing trip.

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Are you interested in going skiing? Then you will need some ski clothing. Of the 2 million skiers in China, 10% are found to own their own ski clothing. Twice this amount is found to be rent their ski clothing. The remaining 70% however are found to own very little or mostly incomplete skiing outfits-a statistic that poses great danger to the affected.

Question 1: Ski suits and their health implications.

The condition of ski suits is one of the major concerns of skiers. A s a result of this, not many skiers opt for renting a suit. Miss Yu, a skier reports having numerous terrible experiences with wet or unclean suits. Dripping from water, it is not uncommon to find pockets of snow still on them minutes after they have been used. As a result of the most skiers choose instead to buy their own suit. Doing this ensures that they suffer less risks to their health.

Question 2: cotton clothing can do for the ski suit

It is important to take into consideration the need for warmth and comfort when choosing ski outfits. It is important that skiing outfits be found to be light and fitted with proper insulation. Many skiers, in an attempt to save some money, opt to instead wear their own outfits buttressed with kapok. These attempts are wholly inadequate and fail to achieve the results of warmth that is desired.

Skiing outfits should be waterproof and windproof. High resistance to rain and snow is also another key area to be taken into consideration. Outfits made with these qualities guarantee that skiers are kept warm and dry when they go out skiing. They should also be as comfortable as possible to ensure easy movement for the skiers when they are worn.

To ensure that you receive the best protection on the slope, ensure that the fabric of your ski jacket be made out heat retaining fabric.

Finally it is important that you wear colored glasses. Leaving you eyes exposed to the sun will result in possible damage. Wearing contact lens is also not a good idea.

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Planning your ski travel holidays may at first seem to be relatively straight forward, however when considering the vast amount of and diverse choices one has in terms of the various ski travel holidays options, you will quickly come to realize that there is no shortage of options available. Making the right choices in terms of destinations will also impact upon whether or not you will be able to fully appreciate the venue and amenities when you take your level of skill and capabilities into account.

The successful planning and booking of any ski travel holidays requires specific destination knowledge and experience, often times something which only a seasoned traveler will be able to provide. One also has the option of doing some research via travel magazines, travel agents and even online when looking to plan this type of vacation.

There are a number of destinations that are available when it comes to catering to all types or levels of skill on the slopes, and across the world too. North America, within the United States and Canada offer some spectacular options when considering ski travel holidays. Some of the top rated areas that are accessible to the various level of skill include Aspen, Breckenridge and Crested Butte in Colorado with the state of Utah also providing a number of great options for ski travel holidays too. The Canadian offerings of Blackcombe and Whistler are exceptional and one would have come to appreciate these destinations within the recent Winter Olympics coverage of these regions. Naturally there are many options within the North American travel destinations that can be considered beyond the ones herein mentioned.

Europe has a wide variety and diversity of destinations when it comes to options available for planning any ski travel holidays, moreover there is a destination for virtually any type of budget too. Bulgaria, Poland, Russia, Slovakia and some of the other Eastern European countries offer great value, in terms of a more limited budget, and although some might say that the amenities are not as good as those of the more established French and Austrian options, they certainly are sufficient enough to allow for a great skiing or snowboarding holiday option.

Besides the mentioned and albeit traditional options of the European or North American ski travel holidays and destinations available some of the lesser known options include the likes of Indian, Australia and various regions within South America. All of these areas are slowly building up a reputation of quality and commitment to providing a great experience and option when it comes to planning vacations of this nature.

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Late winter early spring is a time when many people take to the slopes. The bitter cold of winter is beginning to subside, but it’s still cool enough to enjoy the thrills and chills of skiing. This particular sport, however, poses special risks because most people have not had formal lessons, and the possibility of back injury is great especially because skiing is a sport that abruptly twists and jerks the spine. Just as most people are not trained skiers, they also do not know the correct way to fall either at the end of a tow rope or down a mountain.

Risk is also associated with the skier’s level of conditioning. The out of shape weekend warrior is the most vulnerable of all. If you are planning a ski vacation, you should really begin getting into shape at least six weeks prior to the trip. One of the best training exercises is the pillow jump. Place a pillow on the floor and practice jumping with both feet facing sideways, from one side to the other. This exercise will help strengthen your legs as it simulates the turning motions you will make on skis. At the same time, it will help build your stamina. A good muscle building exercise is the wall-sit. Lower your back against a wall as if you were sitting down into a chair. You are in proper position when your thighs are parallel to the floor. Hold the position for as long as you can without discomfort. Try to increase your time over the coming days. Then, by the time you hit the slopes you will have toned some of the most heavily relied upon muscles for skiing.

Once at the slopes, be sure to stretch your muscles prior to slipping into those skis. Lunge and calf stretches will help to prepare your legs, but don’t forget about your arms. Stretch one arm at a time by stretching to the opposite side of your body, holding your arm parallel to the ground and keeping a slight bend in your elbow. Also, bend over and touch your toes, stretching out those back leg muscles.

Now, you may also want to consider taking a lesson, especially if you are unsure of your abilities or have had limited experience on skis. Not only can your instructor show you how to maintain control of yourself through proper leg movements, but he can also help to ascertain your level of skill and can show you how to fall down, if need be, decreasing the risk of injury.

By following this simple advice, much of the danger associated with skiing can be eliminated. It is almost inevitable, however, that you will experience some soreness after your ski vacation.

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