A Skier's Guide to Snowcations

“The sensual caress of waist deep cold smoke….glory in skiing virgin snow, in being the first to mark the powder with the signature of their run.”

For many a traveller, the ability to do something for the first time, to go somewhere no one has been before, is essential.  It doesn’t get much better than standing at the bottom of an empty slope admiring the first tracks of the day, your tracks, their snaking curves cutting through fresh and fluffy virgin snow. 

On a ski holiday, thrills like this are as common as they are varied.  One minute you’re carving your way down a freshly pisted slope, slicing through the snow like a knife through butter, and the next you’re knee deep in moguls, meandering through an obstacle course of snow mounds, or thigh-high in powder, sifting through light and fluffy icing sugar.  And to cap it off, you’re on top of the world.

Whatever your style, standard, budget or baggage, there’s a ski trip out there for everyone. 

Beginners

 “Skiing combines outdoor fun with knocking down trees with your face.”

Thankfully, not everyone has the pleasure of careering into, up or through trees and branches, but skiing is definitely a physical sport and beginners should invest in lessons.  Luckily for them, most resorts have a local ski school. If it’s your first time on skis and the thought of spending your savings on a new activity is a daunting prospect, head to Europe for a taster.  Renowned for its impressive number of ‘baby’ slopes and an award winning Brit-run ski school, New Generation ,France’sLes Arcs is a perfect spot for starters.

The resort also has a beginner’s lift – a useful tip as nothing can quite prepare you for T-bars, drag and chair lifts.  If you are worried about crowds and spatial awareness, head to Sainte-Foy Tarentaise , France, where nearby Val-d’Isère and Tignes draw away big crowds, leaving the pistes virtually empty.

Saving on those pennies, skiweeks.com are offering a convoy of plush coaches that take you straight to the Alps for as little as £239 per person. 

 

Intermediates

“Skiing is a dance where the mountain always leads.”

After a few weeks, when your pizza slices (snow-plough turns) have become chips (parallel turns), you’ll soon have a need for speed and penchant for peril.  To test your nerve and stamina on longer, harder slopes, visit California’s sunny Squaw Valley ski resort, where the six Sierra Peaks give over 4000km of mixed terrain from the ‘tamest to the toughest’.

Les Deux Alpes is a popular choice for returning skiers; with baby, intermediate and advanced slopes, there is plenty of space for you to glide down the gentler pistes or (if you’re feeling brave) trying your hand at the longest black run in Europe,‘La Sarenne’,running 16km, turning your legs to jelly and leaving your heart in your mouth.

Check out some more ‘skier slang’ here . 

Advanced

“There are no friends on powder days.”

Hardcore powder buffs can avoid part-timers in Jasna, Slovakia, where mixed terrain and free-ride zones have to be accessed on foot, providing punter-free rides and untouched champagne powder. For heli-skiing, fun parks and half-pipes, try America’s award winning Breckenridge Terrain Park.

A mountain sure to silence any boasting crowd is La Grave, France .  The Everest of the ski world, it is not for the fragile or frivolous.  Putting fear into the hearts of some of the most accomplished skiers, its distinct lack of pistes and unforgiving environment soon sorts the men from the boys (if you make it to the bottom).

To pursue the path to powder, have a read of this.

 

Family Skiing

“All things are possible. Except skiing through a revolving door.”

Austria’s reputable ski schools make it a top choice for family holidays.  By leaving your kids at Lech’s ski school, The Arlberg , the little rascals can mingle with other children in group lessons from 10am – 3pm each day.

Learning the basics has never been so fun at New England , USA’s Killington resort, where the Discovery Centre teaches curious kiddies how equipment works with a video gearing them up for a great day on the slopes. 

To enjoy the fun in Europe, enroll the kids in www.snow-camp.co.uk , a snow sport charity in London, Scotland and Italy.

Après Ski

Resort towns are filled with character, whether you’ve opted for a secluded Germanvillage with Hansel and Gretel-esque hillside cabins, or a luxury resort in Aspen , oozing Armani all-in-ones and Chanel-clad chalets. 

After an action packed day of powder bashing and rail riding in fun parks, you will be well rewarded in the steaming hot saunas or dozing in the afternoon sun on a balcony overlooking the valley.  What’s not to love?

For more skiing inspiration, visit http://www.supertravel.co.uk/ski

 

Photo credits:

Laura Dale 

Ian Thomas

Flickr Credit - forest star