Go with the Snow
The Best Ski Resorts for Snow
With so many ski resorts competing for your time and money, it is sometimes an impossible task deciding which is the best one for you. Which resort has the highest lifts, the most runs, the richest ambience, and the best après ski? All these questions...all these decisions to make! However, it is all too easy to overlook the most vital ingredient for any decent ski holiday - SNOW!
After a
disappointing ski season last year, with snow coverage in many popular resorts
being distinctly unreliable, the importance of selecting a resort with
consistent snow coverage has never seemed more important. Below are five
resorts, hand-picked by our experts, which have proven to offer great snow
conditions time and time again. Even if you can’t trust the weather, trust us
with this selection of snow-covered gems!
If you want to stick around the Alps, the upmarket ski resort of Obergurgl is your best bet. Boasting one of the best snow records in Europe, and home to 110km of piste, the skiing in this resort is remarkably good. Despite retaining its beautiful, traditional village feel, Obergurgl has a modern lift system and is rarely crowded - making it increasingly popular amongst those in the know. Snow-making facilities bolster already reliable snow conditions, with the slopes offering a wide spread of runs predominantly for beginners and intermediates. An array of restaurants offer high quality local and international dishes, with après-ski centered around the numerous traditional and lively bars. Whilst Obergurgl is not the best place to go for those shopaholics amongst us, it still has all the essentials such as a bank, supermarkets and ski clothing & equipment shops.
Cervinia is a high-altitude resort, with slopes reaching 3,480m offering the most reliable pistes around. Don’t be fooled by the pricier neighbouring resort of Zermatt – it is this resort that gets the better snow and which had some of the best conditions in Europe last season. It is the famous Matterhorn, or Monte Cervino as it’s known to the locals, which dominates this affordable ski resort. An intermediates paradise, Cervinia provides excellent early-season skiing, with plenty more snow to be found on the Klein Matterhorn glacier of Zermatt. Skiiers of all abilities will be spoilt for choice, with plenty of off-piste challenges for adrenaline junkies to try out. For a truly memorable ski experience, try the Red 7 which is a leg-burning, lung-busting 8km run, and is widely accepted as being the best intermediate run around.
Ignore the more glamorous Val d'Isère, and pack your skis for Tignes. Sitting at 2,100m, Tignes has direct access to the 3,455m Grande Motte glacier, and so there will always be snow available. The skiing is simply superb, with pistes to suit all. Daredevils can gain a thrill from skiing practically blindfolded – something that is to be expected when the clouds come down and the world turns white! Experts can also try their luck on the scarily quick Les Trolles run, whilst intermediates and beginners are spoilt by the numerous blue and nursery slopes.
Not only does this resort pretty much guarantee you snow, but it is an absolutely beautiful village to stay in. Saas-Fee is a traditional Swiss village, and unlike other modern resorts, has managed to retain its untouched alpine charm. That is not to say that the skiing is in any way lacking. In fact, with a ski area stretching between 1,800m and 3,500m, and with the stunning Allalin glacier receiving plenty of regular snow, Saas-Fee is a favourite for pre-season skiers and end-of-season stragglers. Those pistes that are located either side of the glacier also offer good snow conditions – largely thanks to the 50 snow cannons which pump out fantastic quality snow all-season long. Add to this a world-class snow park and some scorching runs, and Saas-Fee becomes an excellent choice for ambitious intermediate skiers and beginners.
5. Aspen, USA
In contrast to the poor quality snow-fall generally found in Europe last season, North America instead had substantial snow coverage. With an impressive altitude, meaning that the pistes lie between 3,810m and 2,440m, Aspen has one of the best snow-fall averages around. On top of this, Aspen benefits from its relative under-use. Being a more up-market resort, the snow in Aspen is usually well-groomed and preserved from the swarms of skiers that typically descend upon Europe’s top resorts. Skiing in Aspen doesn’t come cheap, but the experience of skiing in this classic resort is by any resort unrivalled around the world. With $50 million to be spent on mountain improvements by 2010, the experience is only going to get better, with quicker lift rides and easier access. Après ski in Aspen is both lively and glamorous, with top-class restaurants in plentiful supply. More welcoming than most European resorts, Aspen is a fantastic choice for all grades of skier. Buttermilk and Aspen Highlands offer an excellent selection of green and blue runs which are ideal for novices. In turn, there are over 120 runs for intermediates and plenty to challenge those experts amongst us – with some seriously scary off-piste challenges.
For resort guides and some superb ski holiday deals, visit www.takemeskiing.co.uk
Added: 15 October 2007 - 16:29
