Not everyone can afford the luxury of the Après Ski culture that you find at some of the top European and American ski resorts, their prices can be very hefty for the most simple and essential things such as a hearty meal however there are some resorts who focus more on the skiing and offer a great skiing holiday at a great price.
Bansko, Bulgaria
The number 1 ski resort in Bulgaria, Bansko is one of the most modern ski resorts in the country thanks to recent multimillion euro investment to modernise the area and add a new ski area by Yulen, the company which has the licence to run the skiing area of the resort. You can find great ski deals for the area, which is becoming more popular with Brits. Bansko also offers excellent tuition with many beginners learning the ropes here, you will also find that there is no posh expensive restaurants here instead food and drinks take a back burner to the skiing ideal for those who wish to go on a skiing holiday and enjoy most of your time doing just that.
Soldeu, Andorra
The busy Pyrenean village of Soldeu is set in the heart of Andorra deep in the Pyrenees Mountains, in 2002 the resort joined forces with its neighbour, Pas de la Casa, to create the Grandvalira mega-area, offering now an impressive 120 miles of pistes, spread out across a series of high and undulating hills. Although you will find five-star hotels and a vast four-storey spa, you do get far better value for money plus the resort is far less snobby than its other European rivals. As with Bansko, Soldeu is also a great place for learner skiers, the ski school is run by an Englishman and you will find a good flattish plateau halfway up the slopes offering snowsure nursery areas to practise on.

Off piste skiing also known as ski touring, backcountry skiing or ski mountaineering is a little different from what you may normally do on your skiing holiday. Off piste skiing is skiing in a rural region over unkempt slopes or pistes either within the ski resort’s boundaries or in the backcountry among trees and undergrowth and on freshly laid snow also known as powder snow. These areas are generally not monitored, patrolled or maintained and usually there is no access via ski lifts so a lot of the time you have to make your own way there. You can get guided tours at some resorts that can involve single or multi-day trips through the snow and camping or using mountain huts if available.

The types of off piste skiing, ski touring, backcountry skiing or ski mountaineering can vary from country to country and resort to resort, some resorts offer off piste skiing a few metres away from or between controlled trails and slopes where as some resorts offer ski touring or ski mountaineering which is not near marked slopes at all, or cannot be accessed by ski-lifts. All types of off piste skiing requires a good level of ability and knowledge of the area and some survival techniques if you get into trouble, you will also need a good level of fitness as because many places will have to be reached on foot and you can encounter dangers such as avalanches, exhaustion, and changing mountain weather, as well as cliffs, rock fall and tree wells.

If you are a competent skier and wish to try off piste skiing you need to check whether your resort will permit it so it’s worth when looking for ski deals to check before booking.

North Americas largest ski resort, Whistler is home to this year’s Vancouver Winter Olympics, the resort which has seen many major improvements recently including the impressive Peak to Peak gondola linking Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains which opened last season.

Whistler is also one of North Americas top ski resorts repeatedly in the top groups from around the world, it has a linked network of 39 lifts making it the closest North America has to a mega resort. It also has a varied terrain to suit all sorts of skiers from novices to Olympic level skiers a run for groups of mixed ability is the Burnt Slew trail from the top of Harmony Express chair all the way down to the village.

Whistler is an ideal ski resort for anyone who wishes to experience the most from their skiing holiday as it offers the closest thing to Alpine skiing in North America as well as there being no language barrier as well as a Canadian high level of service. You can also experience the European style après-ski culture missing from most North American resorts with its wide variety of bars and clubs not to mention top notch restaurants.

If you’re looking for good ski deals then Whistler will suit you, there are many bargains to be found as well as during your stay you won’t be overspending as the food and refreshments in the resort as you do get value for money.

Whistler Village

Picture courtesy of Joe Shlabotnik

When we think of skiing, naturally the Alps come to mind and it is here that you will certainly find some of the best skiing in the world. But, there is more to be had and your ski holiday specialist will be able to offer ski deals in more than 100 resorts in 20 countries throughout the world, not just in our traditional winter either, so if you are really keen you can ski somewhere all year round!

You ski holidays provider is the place to look as they update on a daily basis; ski deals are available and they will come up with a stream of offers to the best ski locations. Last minute chalet deals can crop up for a number of reasons and these can offer truly fantastic value for money, remember chalet ski holidays are all inclusive and you will eat fab meals and be awash with good wine to make merry with like minded people. Registering with a ski holiday provider is the best way to secure one of the great last minute deals, they will be able to contact you by text, mobile or e-mail so you can snap up a skiing bargain

Ski holidays are a much safer way to enjoy skiing, rather than trying to make your own makeshift slope at home. Ski resorts have numerous safety measures in place to reduce the risk of accidents from beginners to pro’s, plus there are paramedics close at hand to offer aid if you do manage to injure yourself.

No matter what your level of experience is you should always invest in a few ski lessons as terrain varies from resort to resort, obviously the less experience you have had the more lessons you will need.  It also helps to have guidance from experts who have been into these sports for years so that you can improve your performance and safety on piste. If you have never skied before there are plenty of fully trained staff to help get started and teach you how to ski, lessons are fun and easy.

All ski resorts give you the option to hire equipment if you do not own your own as you need to make sure you the correct equipment, suitable for your needs and fitted to the right size for you. This will then give you more protection against serious injury.

You can easily find great ski deals at resorts all around the world, so there will be no need to attempt to ski down some snow covered stairs.

Many ski resorts around Europe are offering Fresher’s Ski Week, running from16-23 January and 20-27 March, resorts in such places as Andorra, Austria, Finland, France Norway and Switzerland will offer free ski lessons, equipment and lift passes for beginners.

There are also some ideal resorts to visit if you are a novice at skiing, ideal if you are new to skiing or are still unsure and want a safe skiing holiday.

Le Gets in France

Set around an 11th century logging village Le Gets has 500 miles of virginal snow surrounding it, the village is also very picturesque making it very popular around Christmas time. The beginner ski slopes finish their course in the village, so no hard ski home at the end of the day and for those who gain more confidence the slopes also connect to other resorts.

Villers in Switzerland

Villers has had a world class ski school since 1932 which feature high tech equipment as well as 300 registered instructors, the resort is also surrounded by alpine glades and logging huts giving it a classical relaxed feel. There are also no ski lifts to reach the slopes instead a mountain railway takes you up, and once up there you don’t just have to ski there is also sledging and snow shoe trekking available too for a change.

St Wolfgang in Austria

A lake around St Wolfgang freezes over in winter to form a natural ice rink an ideal escape if you have had enough of skiing and fancy a change, while you enjoy learning at your own leisurely pace on the gentle gradients you can also take in some breathtaking scenery around this traditional mountain village.

Jasper in Canada

84% of the slopes at this resort have been graded at beginner level idea for those novices who like space, the resort is nestle in the Canadian Rockies meaning there is plenty of awe inspiring scenery to be seen and national parks nearby to explore. The area is also host to the next winter Olympics.

The resort of La Rosiere sits in the Haute Tarentaise region of France, a beautiful scenic resort close to the Vanoise National Park, and is linked to the Italian ski slopes by six chair lifts., making it an ideal destination for a ski holiday.

This venue is ideal for ski holidays and is great for intermediate skiers as just over 50 percent of the slopes are blue; a third are green runs, and the remainder are black (single diamond). 39 lifts service the slopes and the longest run is slightly less than seven miles.

The resort is very family friendly; children are welcomed and the hotels offer a range of activities for them.  Several restaurants provide wonderful French and Italian food.

Five airports are within three hours drive to the area, with Chambery, Grenoble, Geneva and Lyon being the closest. People can also take the train to nearby Bourg St Maurice, and then rent a car or take a bus or taxi.

The alternative resort of La Tania has a real community feel to it with virtually no traffic, and great programmes for beginner skiers and the children. It’s great for ski holidays. Six bars and eight restaurants service the area, and there are bars and nightclubs for evening entertainment.

You can fly into the Geneva, Chambery or Lyon airports to get to the area. Nestled in France near the Italy-Swiss border, it is a great place for skiers of any level, and also snowboarders. The area has 27 green runs, 44 blue, 38 red, and 10 black. You can enjoy downhill skiing and also cross-country runs.  There are 67 ski lifts giving easy access to the slopes. Many of the slopes are above 2,500 metres so you can ski and snowboard for most of the season. In other areas, they use snow cannons to ensure that the slopes are covered.

La Rosiere - France

Picture courtesy of Konrad Andrews

Switzerland was the home of ski holidays and there are many that will tell you that it is still the place to go if you want to enjoy skiing and traditional Swiss hospitality for your ski holiday, with some great ski deals which can often include a free ski pass.

Saas Fee has lots of gentle blue runs to progress to up the mountain, including on the glacier, where the snow is usually excellent, the best time to ski is usually March or April as the lower slopes can be in the shade in the earlier part of the year, Geneva is 140 miles away.

Verbier is a great chalet style resort for the more advanced skier, with extensive but challenging slopes and plenty of off piste and long bump runs. This is one of the few Swiss resorts to boast a seriously lively après-ski scene, starting on the mountain, which includes a pay-as-you-soak hot tub at Chalet Carlsberg and ending next morning at places such as Pub Mont Fort and the Farm Club, 100 miles from Geneva airport.

Laax is a snowboarder’s paradise with a huge terrain park and pipe here, which are among Europe’s best and often stage high-profile competitions. Snow boarders enjoy great free riding too, with lively bars and a clubs for that important après ski, 93 miles from Zurich airport.

Zermatt started life as a simple farming village, but developed from a mountaineering centre to the top class ski resort that we know today. A car free village, unless you are resident, with electric buggies operating from the hotels to collect you from the transfer transport. There are excellent terrains beneath the shadow of the Matterhorn better suited to good skiers and accessed from Sion 50 miles, or 150 miles from Geneva airport.

St Moritz home to the famous Cresta Run toboggan course and is full of upmarket shops, gourmet chefs, and other after ski activity. There are lots of long, wide, well-groomed runs with varied terrain with 350 Km of pistes in three separate areas, most are on open slopes above the trees, 137 miles from Zurich airport.

The Swiss village of Les Cerniers has set the bar for sustainable style and ethical adventure holidays in the Alps, here you can stay in futuristic pods in the resort of Whitepod which is made up of low-impact structures. This resort offers comfort and relaxation but with minimal impact on the environment. You can stay in either one of the 15 domes or go higher up to the dorms-based refuge, and enjoy a base camp” chalet with a restaurant and amenities including 7km of ski runs and lifts for guests’ exclusive use. There are also other activates available like dog-sledding, snow-shoeing and cross-country skiing that can minimise your carbon foot print.

Aspen, Colorado won one of the 2006 Responsible Tourism Awards thanks to the efforts of the Aspen Skiing Company, it is pioneering in environmentally friendly skiing as well as, investing in local farmland. Aspen is normally considered a play ground for the rich and famous which pushes everything to the extreme and most people probably don’t recognise the resorts green credentials and sustainability. It’s also pocket friendly as well with many chalets at reasonable prices meaning you don’t have to break bank to enjoy this eco friendly resort.

Europe, especially Switzerland seem to be steaming ahead with eco friendly resorts with Saas Fee in Switzerland been ranked as one of the best in the world. Saas Fee is a typical picture perfect village with hotels and shops that blend in ideally with the more traditional wooden chalets and farmhouses. There are many places in Switzerland that are now car free and this has also been introduced into ski resorts like Saas Fee, there accommodation here is also eco friendly like their bio chalets that were renovated according to environmental standards and using sustainable materials and the apartments and hotels which were built to high environmental standards.

Saas Fee

Picture courtesy of unovar

If you are planning a skiing holiday this is the time to spare a thought for how dangerous the mountains can be whether you are a first timer or a veteran at skiing and snowboarding, you need to know how to prepare yourself to be safe before you go. Over 100,000 people are injured needlessly in skiing and snowboarding accidents, so making sure your protected before you start is imperative.

Firstly if your either taking your own equipment or renting while you’re on holiday you need to make sure you have the correct equipment, suitable for your needs and fitted to the right size for you. Among some of the essentials needed are boots, bindings, protective clothing, goggles and helmets, if you have the right equipment it will drastically improve your performance and lessen the chances of you having an accident.

It’s advisable to take skiing and snowboarding lessons no matter what your level of experience as terrain varies from resort to resort, obviously the less experience you have had the more lessons you will need.  It also helps to have guidance from experts who have been into these sports for years so that you can improve your performance and safety on piste.

Many skiers and snowboarders now venture off-piste however it is essential you have specific safety equipment and knowledge of mountain safety before embarking on this cool’ free-ride movement, you can anything from steep, narrow chutes to wide open, moderate gradient bowls offering a mix of ice, crud or powder, one thing to be aware of is that when venturing off piste is that you are putting yourself at risk. If you are intent on venturing off-piste a way to ensure safety to hire a qualified mountain guide, who in most cases will provide the equipment necessary and you do need to gain as much experience as possible with the equipment beforehand.

boards

Picture Courtesy of iwona kellie