Towering mountains with fantastic slopes, fresh virgin powder parting like feathers, blue mountain sky beaming above and diverse skiing; yes, it’s that time of year again! From Alps to Aspen to Himalaya to Big Sky Montana and more, there is no shortage of ski hill for you and your family. If you love mountains and enjoy getting to the tops of them and sliding down on snow, here is a selection of top 5 destinations in the world for ski vacations. Hurry up; a great skiing adventure is waiting for you!
Aspen Snowmass
With history, diverse terrain, including the famous black-diamond, magnificent restaurants and legendary nightlife Aspen is one of the best-known ski resort destinations in the world. Comprising four mountains – Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk, rising up from the Roaring Fork Valley, Aspen offers 8 terrain parks, 4 half pipes and over 335 marked trails via 46 lifts. Aspen is also blessed with a wide selection of lodging, offering the utmost facilities to keep you happy and relaxed during your stay.
Found 220 miles southwest of Denver, Colorado, the mountain serves up a vertical smorgasbord of double-black runs for both skiers and snowboarders. And thanks to the Victorian charm and enchanting beauty of Aspen, the slope-side allure of Snowmass and the scenic wonder that is alpine Colorado, Aspen/Snowmass remains the soul of mountain Culture in North America like Tsakhkadzor is for Armenia. Aspen is the A-list resort that attracts the likes of Melanie Griffith, Kate Hudson, Antonio Banderas and Jack Nicholson.
Do not forget that Aspen Mountain offers free tours. Ah, and one more thing; along with great skiing, winter in Aspen also brings exciting events, like Winterskol, Big Air Competitions, ESPN Winter X Games and this is just the beginning.
Big Sky Ski Resort
Welcome to Big Sky Resort in Montana, where 400 inches of annual snowfall, 3,600 acres of skiable terrain, 150 fascinating trails with breathtaking views of the surroundings, 1,326 m elevation from top to bottom, plus amazing tube and terrain parks await for ski enthusiasts from all over the United States and other corners of the world to be experienced and enjoyed. The resort is ideal for family winter vacations and group ski holidays and no matter which level of skiing you have, you’ll experience a lifetime adventure.
Lodging options in Big Sky come in two categories: Ski base lodging near the Mountain Village, ranging from hotel rooms to condos to luxury homes, or else commuter-style lodging at The Meadows area, just a stone’s throw from the village. In Big Sky visitors will find the following services: Sleigh Rides, Shops and Dining, Ski School, as well as Snowcoach and Snowmobile Tours. Make sure to visit the majestic Yellowstone National Parks. Big Sky is where your mind will be moved and your soul be stirred.
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe boasts one of the largest concentrations of ski resorts in the world: not one mountain but many, not a few lifts but hundreds. There are seven resorts around the lake, each with its own personality offering unlimited possibilities for outdoor enthusiasts. They include: Alpine Meadows Ski Resort, Heavenly Mountain Resort, Kirkwood Mountain Resort, Mt. Rose – Ski Tahoe, Northstar-at-Tahoe Ski resort, Sierra-at-Tahoe Ski Resort and Squaw Valley USA.
The awe-inspiring Lake Tahoe is ideally nestled on the border, between the great states of California and Nevada, offering visitors an average of 125 inches of snow annually, and in high elevations even 500 inches per year. Enjoy some of the steepest, deepest and most scenic runs of the West in the alpine resorts of Heavenly Ski Resort, Sierra-at-Tahoe and Kirkwood; experience the rush of crisp winter air on your face as you zoom over freshly groomed trails on your snowmobile (wearing one of the new and more fashionable snowmobile helmets to stay safe of course), or enjoy spectacular views in Alpine Meadows Ski resort and more. A ski vacation at Lake Tahoe will put you inside the picture-perfect image of a winter wonderland.
Banff Canada
Ski resorts in Canada many and varied, offering a variety of ski terrains sure to leave skiers breathless. Banff lies in the heart of the Canadian Rocky Mountains and is considered the link town for the three ski areas of Banff Mount Norquay, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise, which combined boast some two hundred runs on 125 miles of skiable terrain to make your skiing and snowboarding a memorable experience.
Banff has more tourism during the summer months, however, it’s in winter that thousands if not millions of tourists flock to this fairy-tale like destination to ski at the ‘Banff Big Three.’ The town of Banff is located 90 minutes west of Calgary, Alberta, Canada and it takes two hours’ drive from Calgary International Airport. A ‘must do’ on your Banff holiday is to travel up the famous Sulphur Mountain for a dramatic view of Canadian Rockies. The place is also ideal for wedding couples who can stay in Banff luxurious hotels, enjoying top-notching service and warm hospitality.
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Defined as the ‘Alpine parlour of Italy,’ Cortina d’Ampezzo is one of the world’s most beautiful winter playgrounds that is considered the most upmarket of Italian resorts, often ranked alongside St. Moritz. Cortina became especially popular in 1956, when it was host to the Winter Olympics. Crowned by exclusive peaks, like the Cristallto and the Tofane, Cortina offers good quantity of well-maintained slopes, excellent long runs and access to the vast Dolomiti Ski Pass area.
Though the resort does have many virtues, the most obvious still remains the stupendous Dolomite scenery. On-slope, the views and the mountain restaurants are as important as the skiing on offer. From remarkable uncrowned slopes to marvelous beginner slopes, add to this fantastic shopping and dining opportunities, your Cortina vacations will become a memory to remember for a long time.
