Features

Ultimate-Ski.com features bring you insights into many aspects of the wonderful world of skiing.

Where to stay and ski in the 3 Valleys

No other ski area gives you so much choice. Les 3 Vallées has 600km (about 375 miles) of runs and over 160 lifts, connecting Courchevel, Meribel, Val Thorens, Les Menuires, San Martin de Belleville, Orelle and Brides les Bains. But with so much to choose from, it’s easy to get distracted, so here’s our guide to getting the most out of your ski holiday.

The Best of Aspen Snowmass

For many skiers, Aspen is an intimidating place with an extreme reputation. I was deep into my list of “places I’ve skied” before I even considered going to Aspen, and boy, what a mistake that was. Looking back, I should never have waited so long. Going forward, I will likely never miss a season without a trip back to the Roaring Fork Valley. In short, Aspen is a world-class town, with world-class skiing.

Arc 2000 and Arc 1950: ski resorts with a purpose

Arc 2000 and Arc 1950 are separated by just 240 metres but also by 24 years. Ideas of what a purpose-built ski resort should look like changed radically in that period, so the two villages appear very different. But the reasons why they were built, and why skiers keep on returning to them decades later, are very similar.

Visit Park City

How can it be that I hadn’t been to Park City in so long? There’s no more convenient destination in North America and yet it had been since the late ’00s that my skis had slid on the “Greatest Snow on Earth.” With so many new, direct ski flights popping up out of the NYC metro area, I had satisfied my wanderlust over the past decade or so – with mixed results. In my quest for the new, I had forsaken the obvious.

Where to ski in January in the Alps

AT Kitzbuhel 3s Gondola Ski Lift © Kitzbuhel Tourismus 170x96 Ski holidays are cheaper in January because there are plenty of January deals and special offers; the snow is crispier and the slopes are less crowded. But some ski resorts only get into their stride later in the season, so choose your destination carefully.

Best French, Swiss and Italian ski resorts near Geneva Airport

If the roads are good you can be on your skis within an hour of leaving Geneva airport. But which resorts have the shortest transfers? And which are the best for families, for high snowsure runs, for beginners, for off-piste or for a romantic weekend?

Family Ski Resorts in Europe

A key factor in making a family skiing holiday effortless is the choice of resort; pick wisely and everything will fall into place. Here are 10 great ski resorts in Europe for you to consider when planning a family skiing holiday.

Best Off-Piste Skiing in the Alps

Off-Piste in Val d'Isere 170x96 Whether you call it “off-piste”, “freeriding”, “piste hors”, or “backcountry skiing”, more and more skiers and snowboarders are venturing onto the ungroomed slopes beyond the safety of a ski resort’s piste markers. Here’s our pick of 12 of the best ski areas in the Alps.

Extreme Off-Piste Descents

Off Piste Here is our choice of twelve classic extreme off-piste descents in Europe and North America. But we recommend you do not attempt these descents without safety equipment or unaccompanied by a recognized local mountain guide.

First ski trip from USA to the French Alps

Which ski destinations in France offer the best skiing and the most fun early season over Christmas and New Year: the Espace Killy, the Three Valleys or Chamonix Mont-Blanc? Will it be truly memorable and how does skiing in France compare to skiing in the USA? Jules Gansl was determined to find out for herself…

Carinthia’s Hohe Tauern National Park

AT Kitzbuhel 3s Gondola Ski Lift © Kitzbuhel Tourismus 170x96 Carinthia’s Hohe Tauern National Park offers great skiing on uncrowded slopes, more than 30 peaks above 3,000m and spectacular panoramic views including Austria’s highest mountain, the Grossglockner at 3,798m. You can ski here in summer too: the Molltaler Glacier is open for skiing 330 days each year.