Five new ski adventures around the world
It’s that time when we’re all thinking about our next ski holiday. Here are resorts with major changes, improvements and expansions – somewhere you may not have heard of… and the ultimate ski getaway!
Deer Valley, Utah, USA
The Hail Peak Express chairlift opens this season, adding skiing to a whole new area in this fast-moving Utah resort – since December 2024 it has more than doubled in size.
Seven new runs and massive panoramas from Hail Peak expand the East Village area, which started life a couple of seasons ago with its Grand Hyatt hotel and continued last season with seven new lifts – six chairlifts and the East Village Express gondola. Hail Peak, topping out at 7,585ft, is Deer Valley’s closest skiing to Jordanelle Reservoir, a massive lake meandering amid the mountains, giving superb waterfront views.
And it’s not over yet… for the 27/28 season there will be the food hall and shops of East Village Lodge as the base grows to a contemporary lakeside resort with eight upmarket hotels, 30-plus cafes and restaurants and more than 40 boutique shops.
More info: https://www.deervalley.com
3 Zinnen Dolomites, Italy
A new and growing connected area in the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Dolomites. The 3 Zinnen – three peaks – are stunningly craggy, pale coloured mountains, and over the past few years five ski areas have been linked, now combining 115km of piste.
Sesto (home of tennis star Jannik Sinner) is at the heart of things in the main area spanning the three peaks, with 2,225m high point Monte Elmo, plus 2,000m Crossa Rossa and 2,100m Steirgarten. Off to one side is more skiing, Val Comelico, soon to be connected by more gondolas. San Candido is 10 minutes along the valley by free shuttle with its own 22km ski area (night skiing and tobogganing twice a week), Dobbiaco, with a couple of lifts, cross-country tracks and a Michelin-starred restaurant, is a little farther on a free shuttle train while Niederdorf is one more stop along, close to the little family/beginners area of Braies.
The Giro delle Cime is a 35km ski tour, linked almost all the way by modern gondolas (and a couple of shuttle buses). Nice hotels and lots of family slopes that have yet to attract the crowds. This season the area is being sold by Inghams, Crystal and others.
More info: https://www.dreizinnen.com/en/skiing/skiing/ski-resort
Avoriaz, France
This groundbreaking resort, high on a snowy plateau, a world of contemporary buildings, many like individual works of art, celebrates its 60th anniversary.
It was a Sixties dream that came true, timber and organic design meeting the future, car-free streets served by horse-drawn taxi sleighs. There are 650km of slopes on the Portes du Soleil ski area, stretching from Les Gets (itself celebrating its 90th birthday with events and a new beginners snowpark) through the traditional town of Morzine and across the Swiss border to pretty Chatel.
This season Avoriaz promises a season-long series of concerts, events and parties – although keeping them close to its chest until nearer the time! Meanwhile, one of the original developers, Pierre & Vacances, has revamped one of its earliest properties, ski-in, ski-out Residence Capella. Its 143 apartments – panoramic views of mountains and village from their balconies – have been reimagined, as have the public areas and there’s a new south-facing indoor swimming pool with lofty timbered ceiling and its own fabulous views.
More info: https://www.pierreetvacances.com/gb-en/fp_AVI_self-catering-residence-capella
Verbier, Switzerland
A long-awaited lift expanding the area means you can travel without taking your skis off, finally lifts off this winter.
The Esserts–Savoleyres Telemix, both chairlift and gondola, runs from Esserts in the open, sunny Carrefour area on the edge of town up to the Savoleyres ridge, a journey that’s previously involved a bus hop and a 1970 four-seat cable car.
The connection means that the area becomes much more part of the main arena and the runs over to the cheerful, great-value satellite village of La Tzoumaz are a destination themselves rather than, for so long, just a way to head home. A new run from Les Ruinettes, near the top of the main Medran gondola to Savoleyres further integrates the two sections.
More info: https://verbier4vallees.ch/en
Antarctica!
You can now ski the edge of the world as leading adventure cruise company AE Expeditions opens up the far reaches of the planet with sailings that have ski calls on six or more days.
The number depends on itinerary, weather and sea conditions. The ski touring excursions take in desolate peaks, runs down to gleaming bays, seeing icebergs, maybe a breaching whale, possibly passing penguins.
Early voyages have taken in 700m Mt Tennant on Ronge Island and mainland Mt Hoegh, an 800m run down to the glacial fjord of Andvord Bay. Skiing is optional, so plenty of other sightseeing and land excursions, including snowshoeing and kayaking. Cruises sail from Ushuaia, in Argentina, the world’s southernmost city, on AE Expeditions’ cutting edge,130-guest ships.
The 13-day Across the Antarctic Circle cruise on Sylvia Earle, with one-night pre-cruise hotel stay, departing November 13, 2026, starts at £23,335pp, cruise only but with £375 air credit. That might be a bit soon but the 21-day South Georgia, Falklands and Antarctic Odyssey, on Greg Mortimer, departs October 25, 2027, from £24,941. And 12-day Spirit of Antarctica, on Douglas Mawson, departs November 12, 2027, from £14, 548, then 13-day Across the Arctic Circle, on Sylvia Earle, departs November 24, 2027, from £16,703. Prices include food, drinks and all excursions and Zodiac cruises.
Skiing (or snowboarding) costs £1,074 for the trip. There’s equipment on board although bringing your own is recommended, and participants need to be able to tackle black runs and off-piste. It brings a new meaning to cruising down the slopes!
More info: https://www.aexpeditions.co.uk/voyage-calendar
The post Five new ski adventures around the world appeared first on The Travel Magazine.
