Bored with Val de Sloane Square? …then ski America
Winter 2009
Had enough of Courchevel?
Bored with Val de Sloane Square?
Then why not head west young man to a place where everyone speaks a language you understand and the cost of a hot chocolate won’t make your wallet froth.
America is only a few weeks from grabbling all the ski headlines as the Winter Olympics take over Vancouver and Whistler/Blackcomb so it’s probably not the best destination for skiing this February, unless you fancy your chances on the downhill slalom.
But there are some fabulous ski resorts in North America offering great deals and although you will face a more expensive flight, your pound will go much further when you get there.
Banff National Park in the Rockies is the highest place in Canada and offers spectacular skiing. Fly to Calgary and take one of the 10 shuttle buses each day to any of the resorts in Banff. You’ll be living at around 7,000ft with mind -blowing views.
Slipping south of the border you have a choice of two of the most famous ski resorts in the world – Vail and Aspen. Air access to both is via Denver. Aspen is 162 miles away and Vail is slightly closer at around a 2 hour drive from Denver airport. If spotting stars through their ski goggles is your thing, Aspen is the place, whilst Vail offers plenty of scope for those who want to be alone with ski terrains totaling over 5,000 acres.
More posh skiing is to found in the neighbouring northern state of Wyoming at Jackson Hole. Harrison Ford is a fan and clearly a very good skier as Jackson Hole has some of the most challenging terrain in the American continent. The skiing is 50% for experts, 40% intermediate and 10% for beginners.
Less flashy and therefore less expensive is Taos, just south of Colorado, in New Mexico. Taos is considered to have one of the best ski schools in North America. This family owned resort is small and ideal for families.
Travel west of Colorado to Utah and its three Park City resorts but you may wish to discount Utah for a few reasons. The resorts are a popular choice for corporate conferences, the ski season is relatively short AND Utah has very strict laws about alcohol consumption.
Mention California and images of sun and surf spring to mind, but skiing? Yes, some of the best skiing in the US is to be found in the sunshine state, albeit at the very north where California meets Oregon and Nevada. Mammoth Mountain has the United States’ highest slopes and also one of its largest.
If you prefer to avoid the extra few hours long haul to the mid west why not spend a few days in New York followed by a spell in Killington Vermont where seven interconnecting mountains create the best skiing in the east.
The deals are plentiful so simply drop the name of your preferred destination into Google and watch the offers appear. It’s a skier’s paradise.
(Photo: by kind permission of Laszlo-Photo's via Wikimedia)
Bored with Val de Sloane Square?
Then why not head west young man to a place where everyone speaks a language you understand and the cost of a hot chocolate won’t make your wallet froth.
America is only a few weeks from grabbling all the ski headlines as the Winter Olympics take over Vancouver and Whistler/Blackcomb so it’s probably not the best destination for skiing this February, unless you fancy your chances on the downhill slalom.
But there are some fabulous ski resorts in North America offering great deals and although you will face a more expensive flight, your pound will go much further when you get there.
Banff National Park in the Rockies is the highest place in Canada and offers spectacular skiing. Fly to Calgary and take one of the 10 shuttle buses each day to any of the resorts in Banff. You’ll be living at around 7,000ft with mind -blowing views.
Slipping south of the border you have a choice of two of the most famous ski resorts in the world – Vail and Aspen. Air access to both is via Denver. Aspen is 162 miles away and Vail is slightly closer at around a 2 hour drive from Denver airport. If spotting stars through their ski goggles is your thing, Aspen is the place, whilst Vail offers plenty of scope for those who want to be alone with ski terrains totaling over 5,000 acres.
More posh skiing is to found in the neighbouring northern state of Wyoming at Jackson Hole. Harrison Ford is a fan and clearly a very good skier as Jackson Hole has some of the most challenging terrain in the American continent. The skiing is 50% for experts, 40% intermediate and 10% for beginners.
Less flashy and therefore less expensive is Taos, just south of Colorado, in New Mexico. Taos is considered to have one of the best ski schools in North America. This family owned resort is small and ideal for families.
Travel west of Colorado to Utah and its three Park City resorts but you may wish to discount Utah for a few reasons. The resorts are a popular choice for corporate conferences, the ski season is relatively short AND Utah has very strict laws about alcohol consumption.
Mention California and images of sun and surf spring to mind, but skiing? Yes, some of the best skiing in the US is to be found in the sunshine state, albeit at the very north where California meets Oregon and Nevada. Mammoth Mountain has the United States’ highest slopes and also one of its largest.
If you prefer to avoid the extra few hours long haul to the mid west why not spend a few days in New York followed by a spell in Killington Vermont where seven interconnecting mountains create the best skiing in the east.
The deals are plentiful so simply drop the name of your preferred destination into Google and watch the offers appear. It’s a skier’s paradise.
(Photo: by kind permission of Laszlo-Photo's via Wikimedia)
Be Frank: agree or disagree? What do you think?
