How to Ski All Year

The ski season runs from Christmas to Easter right? Well, the traditional northern hemisphere season in most resorts starts in December and ends in April, but there are many places that have snow at other times of the year.

It’s easily achievable to ski all year round and if you have the budget and the inclination then why not take a year off and follow The Snow.Guide suggested destinations for a world wide ski adventure:

January: Kitzbühel, Austria
The famous alpine resort of Kitzbühel in the Austrian Tirol is a winter sports haven for skiers of all abilities. In January the biggest race on the men’s world cup ski race calendar takes place on the Hannenkamm slope. The town goes party mad as the worlds best skiers hurtle down the steep and icy mountain.

February: Troodos, Cyprus
The month of February often means more crowds as holiday makers flood to the Alps for their annual ski trip. So head south to the Island of Cyprus for a more unusual ski experience on Mt Olympus. There are 4 ski lifts and several hotel options within a short distance of the ski area. Don’t expect the type of infrastructure found in the major European resorts but for an alternative ski holiday and a bit of fun in the depths of winter it could prove to be a winner.

March: Verbier, Switzerland
In complete contrast to the simple slopes of Cyprus, Verbier is a world class ski destination that can cater for all levels of skier but is particularly good for experts. The off piste options are endless and in march the snow base has had a chance to build and the possibility of sunny skies and powder snow draws some of the world’s top freeride (off piste skiing on extreme slopes) skiers to the town. The Nissan Xtreme Verbier is the final competition for the world’s best off piste skiers as they display their skills on the seriously scary Bec de Rosses peak.

April: Lillehammer, Norway
As the days grow longer and the temperature starts to rise, Scandinavia provides one of the longest ski seasons in the northern hemisphere. The town of Lillehammer was the location of the 1994 winter Olympic games and has several ski areas with extensive options for all levels of skier. Head up to the ski area of Kvitfjell, site of the Olympic men’s downhill run, for some seriously fun piste action.

May: Valdez, Alaska
Get out of Europe and head to Alaska where the helicopter rules the mountains. By this time of the year snow has accumulated to huge levels and the light is much improved compared with mid-winter. Heli-skiing by nature is generally for very good to expert skiers the slopes you ski on are always un-groomed. Qualified and highly experienced guides will always be required and a basic knowledge of mountain safety and avalanche rescue is advisable.

June: Colorado Rockies, USA
The 2010/2011 season saw absolutely massive amounts of snow falling throughout the winter in the Rocky Mountains. Although this is not guaranteed to be the case every year, there will be places that always hold enough snow to allow for some great ski touring. The resort of Arapahoe Basin along with a few others even opened their lifts for the 4th July Independence Day celebrations….they still had enough snow to ski on. Snowbird in Utah was open for 202 days during the 2010/2011 season, wow.

July: Queenstown, New Zealand
Turn up at the start of July to the southern hemispheres outdoor activities capital and catch the end of the winter festival where you can ski in the day and party at night. Queenstown has 2 ski areas within a short drive of the town that cater for all abilities. The stunning scenery never becomes tiresome and the choice of accommodation, eating and drinking venues would keep you happy for a whole winter season.

August: Thredbo, Australia
The ski season in the southern hemisphere is now at its peak and Thredbo is one of the countries top ski areas. Situated between Sydney and Melbourne in the Snowy Mountains, the resort provides a number of ski runs with the longest being nearly 6 kilometres long with a total of 14 ski lifts. Accommodation and restaurants are all situated in the Thredbo village which is right at the bottom of the ski lifts.

September: Portillo, Chile
The Andean ski area of Portillo is about a 2 drive from Santiago, the capital city of Chile. A large hotel dominates the accommodation scene and generally attracts good skiers from around the world looking for something a bit different. The month of September is heading towards to the end of the season but the snow base has built up and the chance to ski powder is still quite high.

October: Hintertux, Austria
When the southern hemisphere ski season is coming to end then it must be time to head back up north. Hintertux in Austria has one of the largest and most extensive ski areas situated on a high altitude glacier. By October, it often starts to snow at this altitude so the snow conditions can be very good. Plenty of accommodation options are available.

November: Tignes, France
Like Hintertux, Tignes has a glacier that is open much of the year. By November there is normally a good cover of fresh snow which can extend further down the mountain. There are plenty of skiers using the slopes at this time of year, all preparing for the new winter season. Tignes itself has a huge amount of accommodation spread over several satellite villages.

December: Zermatt, Switzerland
A town steeped in mountaineering history and dominated by the famous Matterhorn peak, Zermatt is a true jewel of The Alps with amazing scenery, fantastic restaurants both on and off the mountain, a bustling and international atmosphere and great skiing too. Rounding the year off in this truly special place would be the icing on the cake. Christmas time is a real snowy wonderland and the backdrop of the Matterhorn with a fireworks spectacular will put you in the mood to start all over again the very next day.