A Piste of the Action

Take this season’s skiing or boarding holiday to the next level with a trip that goes way beyond pistes and pints …

Large it up in Austria (sort of)

If you’re all about going big or going home, then Austria’s Arlberg region might just be for you. We’re not talking boozy sessions – although there’s probably plenty of that too – but about big investment, namely the £35m that’s been spent on the area. And what do you get for your 35m big ones? The largest interconnected ski area in Austria, and what will be one of the largest ski areas in the whole world, that’s what. At the heart of it all are big infrastructure improvements – forget bumping along in a bus, instead there are four new lifts helping to link the resorts of St Anton and Lech, opening up 306km of downhill runs accessed with 87 lifts (all covered by a single pass). That’s one way to live it large.

Ski and sail in Norway

Can’t decide whether to splash your cash on a skiing adventure or a sailing adventure? It’s a tough life. Or is it? With Another World Adventures you can combine both on one epic, seven-night jaunt through the Lyngen Alps, northern Norway’s top ski destination. During the day you’ll be taking on the region’s natural surroundings, while evenings will be spent recuperating on deck, tucking into Norwegian cuisine and getting your nude on in the hot tub. Maybe. When you’re not soaking in hot water you’ll be exploring the harbour towns of Koppangen, Norlenangen, and Lyngseidet before a night in Tromsö, aka the ‘Paris of the north’. Head back to the boat and you’ll be rocked to sleep by the waves, ready to climb to the summits and ski down to the snow-covered beaches the next day. Nice.

Party at the Snowbombing festival in British Columbia, Canada

What happens when Europe’s biggest ski festival and Coors Light get together and up sticks to Canada? A massive music fest on the slopes of Sun Peaks Resort, British Columbia, silly. Taking place from 6-10 April, the full-on event is sure to feature the same key elements that Snowbombing Europe has become famous for – slope-side pool parties, elaborately designed stages, debauchery. The usual.

The party bus of big acts is yet to be announced, but last year’s festival (featuring the likes of the Prodigy and Andy C) has set our hopes high – 2,152m high to be exact. Expect gladed areas, bumps, steeps, long cruisers and alpine bowls – perfect for post-fest recovery.

Sleep in yurts and ski through the wilds of Kyrgyzstan

Campers, ski tourers and full-on adventurers, here’s a trip for you. New for 2017, Snoworks has introduced a big old touring adventure through the ski sites of Kyrgzstan. It’s certainly no Val D’Isere – this place is so far off the map you might have to Google it (the neighbouring countries are Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and China, FYI). You’ll be ski-touring your way through the Tian Shan mountains, part of the old Silk Road between the Mediterranean and Asia. The slopes will be accessed via snowmobiles and at night you’ll be resting up in a traditional yurt camp – which is a hell of a lot better than a two-man tent from Millets, we’d say. Competent, experienced skiers only, please. If there’s ever a time to know your limits, this is certainly one of them.

Blow some cash in Las Vegas, USA

No, we’re not having a laugh. Not this time anyway. If you can’t resist the lure of the neon lights, slot machines and roulette tables of the Strip, but want a face full of powder too (we’re talking skiing, remember) then head to Utah and Nevada. Ski Safaris self-drive trip will have you checking out the immaculate piste skiing and powder bowls of Utah before an optional add-on of Vegas, where you’ll swap padded jackets for casino-crawling gear. Fun, but an absolute packing nightmare, no doubt.

Learn to snowboard with Olympian Jenny Jones in the French Alps

The Summer Olympics are long gone, so it’s time to start obsessing about the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. Get into the mood with a new week-long snowboarding workshop, taking place from 11-18 March, with Olympic bronze medalist Jenny Jones. Designed to help adventurous boarders take their riding to the next level, the sessions will be led by Jenny and her stellar team of coaches, sports psychologists and mountain yogi, who will help you improve your technique and confidence, getting you clued up on the physical and mental tools that’ll advance your riding. You’ll be kipping in a chalet in the small but well-formed resorted of Sainte Foy, and learning (and maybe partying) with an Olympian in the process. Golden.

Take the family to Vemdalen, Sweden

It’s the age-old problem: keeping the entire family happy on holiday. Well, now you can. Head to Vemdalen, west Sweden, and you’ll find reliable snow and quiet slopes that are perfect for families and nervous newbies, as well as tougher runs that will also work for the more advanced. Three ski areas are covered by one lift pass and linked by an easy ski bus ride, keeping everything simple and, hopefully, relatively seamless. New for this season is a ski school specifically for three to nine year olds, while Sameland is a new family friendly experience that teaches children – and their parents – about the role played by the Sami people, the indigenous Finno-Ugric group who live in the area. It’s a chance to pat some reindeer, learn all about the Sami way of life and try a home-cooked meal in one of their houses. As learning goes, it sure beats algebra in our book.

Take the food as seriously as the slopes in Italy

If you look forward to your next meal more than your next descent, then Italy’s Dolomites may be for you. Even better, the Alta Badia region’s Gourmet Ski Safari (which starts from 11 December) is a great chance to sample the fantastic flavours of the Michelin-starred chefs who are whipping up haute slope-side dishes (and you may even get the chance to chat to them). In a similar vein, Sommeliers on the Slopes (which runs between February and March 2017) includes wine-tasting with a ski guide and a sommelier.

Swap après ski for fat biking in La Plagne, France

Fat biking has made a name for itself on the dunes of the desert, but hurtling down a snowy slope comes with the benefit of not having to wash sand out of your eyes, ears, nose and – ahem – other places. Après ski isn’t a huge deal in La Plagne, so after a day on the slopes you’re best off whizzing down them in another format – namely on a bike with giant tyres. You’ll be kitted out with a helmet and gear, and take on the slopes in a whole new way. If speeding down mountains is your kind of fun, along with the area’s 225km of marked runs you’ll also find yourself in the home of one of the most famous bobsleigh tracks in the entire world. With 19 turns and a top speed of 90mph, it’s just another way to make a speedy descent down the mountain. Last one to the bottom’s a big fat, er… bike?

Ski with Eddie the Eagle in Kicking Horse, Canada

If you’re old enough to remember 1988 (hey, Dad!) then you’re sure to recall Eddie the Eagle, who leapt to fame and became a household name in the Calgary Winter Olympic Games. If you’re a tad younger you’ll hopefully remember last year’s film about him, and if that’s not enough there’s now a ski tour, too. Your host is Eddie himself, who’ll be guiding you through the on-piste and off-piste action of Kicking Horse, Lake Louise and Revelstoke – taking on some of Canada’s best runs – with a visit to the site of the Winter Olympic Games, too.

Holiday like Prince Harry in Shymbulak, Kazakhstan

We’ve always been a fan of Prince Harry’s holiday choices – you can’t fault that naked romp in the Vegas hot tub, can you? While the Royals head to the likes of Courchevel for their annual ski trips, in 2014 Harry went for something more intrepid – Kazhakstan. Ok, so he may have had the use of a helicopter to get around in, but even without a chopper you’ll find Shymbulak, in the south of the country, offers decent off-piste skiing, sun on your face and the glitzy nightclubs of the capital just 25 minutes away (or you could rest up in tire on-site four-star hotel).

Get a far-flung culture hit in Japan

Dry, light powder, 48km of pistes, onsens (essentially soothing pools of hot water) and sake? The Niseko resort in Japan is one of the most famous ski and snowboard destinations in the country. Travel between December and March and you’ll be treated to some absolutely incredible powder, the biggest average snow fall in Japan and the opportunity for excellent backcountry jaunts. Then there’s the food – a warming nabe hotpot chock-full of noodles, veg and meat. With Inside Japan tours you can extend your trip with a couple of nights in Tokyo, where you can shop till you drop in the gadget shops or eat unidentifiable meat on sticks in pavement-side bars. The perfect twin after a few’ nights spent in the country’s mountains.

Snow kite in St Moritz, Switzerland

If glitzy and glamorous skiing is what does it for you then you’ll probably be well briefed on St Moritz, Switzerland, once favoured by Charlie Chaplin, Brigitte Bardot and Liz Taylor. The luxed-up living still exists, but if you’re keener to try out the more adventurous side of the destination then consider giving snow kiting a shot. It’s about as difficult as it sounds – kitesurfing (and that ain’t easy) but on skis or a snowboard. Your stage is the glistening, frozen Lake Silvaplana, which sits at the base of 3,000m-high mountains.

Of course, you can’t abandon the finer things on a visit to St Moritz. Book via the five-star Grand Hotel Kronenhof Pontresina and you’ll enjoy one-on-one tuition, fine dining on return, spa treatments to soothe those screaming muscles and heavy-curtained rooms. Don’t rest too long – there are 58 lifts and 350km of pistes to explore in this area, and the last remaining natural bob run in the world. A must, if you ask us.

Save some cash in Vogel, Slovenia

Need your ski fix but don’t have the funds to drop on spraying Cristal over the crowds in Courchevel? Do it on the cheap and head to Vogel in Slovenia. Here, you can combine the epic scenery of Triglav National Park (which sits above the pretty Lake Bohinj) with huge cash savings. Skiing takes place between two bowls and it’s best suited to beginners and intermediates, although there is a black run if you’re feeling crazy. Expect cosy inns with awesome lake views (complete with mountains reflected in the water) and somewhat limited nightlife – hey, this is about saving money, remember.

Great-value après ski in Andorra

Great hospitality, great bars, great savings – it’s a skiing dream come true if you’re looking to save some funds but also travel on the party train. If that’s the journey for you then you can’t get wrong with Arinsal, located towards Andorra’s western border with Spain. There are 95km of runs, long sunny days and a lively après-ski scene, concentrated around the small bars that are open until the early hours. Keen to hone your snowboarding skills? Try the resort’s ‘freestyle area’.