WINTER OLYMPICS

BEIJING’S BIG EVENTS

WINTER SPORTS
& THE PODIUM HOPEFULS

2021/22

ADVENTURES
IN SNOW
YOUR EXPERT GUIDE TO THE PISTES & PEAKS,
PLUS THIS SEASON’S TOP RESORTS, TRIPS & TIPS

+ AURORA NIGHTS
REINDEER, HUSKIES & REMOTE
GLAMPING IN ARCTIC SWEDEN
MEET THE ‘ICE MAN ’
EXTREME ATHLETE WIM HOF
ON THE POWER OF COLD

AUSTRIA // FRANCE // ITALY // NORTH AMERICA // SCANDINAVIA // SWITZERLAND // TOP SKI KIT
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National Geographic Traveller (UK) Commercial Director:
Editorial Director: Maria Pieri Matthew Midworth
Editor: Pat Riddell Head of Campaigns: William Allen
Deputy Editor: Amelia Duggan Campaigns Team:
Commissioning Editor: James Bendien, Jonathan
Carrillo Saez, Bob Jalaf, Kevin Killen,

Connor McGovern
Senior Editor: Sarah Barrell
Executive Editor: Glen Mutel
Associate Editor: Nicola Trup
Editor’s
Gabriela Milkova (maternity leave),
Adam Phillips, Mark Salmon
Head of National Geographic
Traveller — The Collection:

letter
Digital Editor: Josephine Price Danny Pegg
Deputy Digital Editor: Nora Wallaya
Content Editor:
Charlotte Wigram-Evans
Assistant Content Editor:

A
Angela Locatelli
Project Editors:
Jo Fletcher-Cross, Zane Henry, APL Media
Farida Zeynalova Chief Executive: Anthony Leyens
Project Assistant: Sacha Scoging Managing Director:
Head of Sub Editors: Hannah Doherty Matthew Jackson ſt er a two-season, pandemic-enforced hiatus, winter
Sub Editors: Chris Horton,
Ben Murray, Karen Yates
Sales Director: Alex Vignali sports lovers are poised to return to the pistes. With most
Operations Manager:
Seamus McDermott
Head of Commercial Strategy:
Chris Debbinney-Wright of the key destinations in Europe and North America now
Digital Marketing Manager:
Prabbie Kaur
APL Business Development Team:
Adam Fox, Cynthia Lawrence open for fully vaccinated British travellers, bookings for the
Art Director: Becky Redman Office Manager: Hayley Rabin coming winter in the mountains are on the up (see this season’s
Art Editor: Lauren Atkinson-Smith
Senior Designers: Lauren Gamp, Head of Finance: Ryan McShaw most popular ski spots in What’s booking, on p.9). Resorts have
Liz Owens, Dean Reynolds, Credit Manager: Craig Chappell
Accounts Manager: Siobhan Grover made innovations (our focus in How to ski smart, on p.37), and
Kelly McKenna (maternity leave)
Picture Editor: Olly Puglisi Accounts Assistants:
Ramona McShaw, Isabelle Gaze there are still plenty of places to escape the crowds (as revealed
Production Manager: Daniel Gregory on p.24). Still need persuading? There’s plenty more to entice,
Production Controller:
Joe Mendonca with inspirational ideas for your return to the slopes including
National Geographic Traveller (UK) is published by APL Media Limited, guides for everyone from beginners to bold off-pisters, advice
Unit 310, Highgate Studios, 53-79 Highgate Road, London NW5 1TL
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel from industry experts and interviews with such seasoned pros as
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Sales/Admin T: 020 7253 9909. F: 020 7253 9907. sales@natgeotraveller.co.uk Reinhold Messner (p.15). And don’t miss additional content
Subscriptions T: 01293 312 166. natgeotraveller@subscriptionhelpline.co.uk online, with updated information on Covid-19-related travel,
National Geographic Traveller (UK) is published by APL Media Ltd under license from including new requirements for vaccination passes in ski resorts.
National Geographic Partners, LLC. For more information contact natgeo.com/info.
Their entire contents are protected by copyright 2021 and all rights are reserved. Here’s to a happy, healthy ski season ahead!
Reproduction without prior permission is forbidden. Every care is taken in compiling
the contents of the magazine, but the publishers assume no responsibility in the
effect arising therefrom. Readers are advised to seek professional advice before
acting on any information which is contained in the magazine. Neither APL Media Ltd SARAH BARRELL, EDITOR
or National Geographic Traveller magazine accept any liability for views expressed,
pictures used or claims made by advertisers.
@travelbarrell
National Geographic Partners International Publishing
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CONTENTS
David Miller
Headquarters 6 Big Picture 34 Q&A: Wim Hoff
International Editions
1145 17th St. NW, Washington, DC
9 Where to book 37 Tech smart ski resorts
Editorial Director: Amy Kolczak 20036-4688, USA 11 Must try: roller ski 38 Go green: Eco kit
Deputy Editorial Director:
Darren Smith National Geographic Partners returns
12 Where the pros go 42 Sustainable ski
Editor: Leigh Mitnick 27% of its proceeds to the nonprofit 15 Interview: 44 Austria
Translation Manager: Beata Nas National Geographic Society to fund
work in the areas of science, exploration, Reinhold Messner 48 Avalanche training
Editors: CHINA Sophie Huang; FRANCE conservation and education. 16 In style: Ski gear 50 Ski touring
Gabriel Joseph-Dezaize; GERMANY
Werner Siefer; INDIA Lakshmi Sankaran; 19 Best trips for beginners 52 France
ITALY Marco Cattaneo; LATIN AMERICA
Claudia Muzzi; NETHERLANDS Arno 20 Profile: Peter Hillary 54 Advanced skiers only
Kantelberg; POLAND Agnieszka Franus;
ROMANIA Catalin Gruia; RUSSIA Ivan 22 Adventurous ski trips 59 Spa on the slopes
Vasin; SOUTH KOREA Bo-yeon Lim; SPAIN 24 How to escape the crowds 62 All-rounder resorts
Josan Ruiz; TURKEY Nesibe Bat
27 Top spots for families 64 Polar travel
Copyright © 2021 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All Rights Reserved. National
Geographic Traveller and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of 28 Lapland 67 Sustainable Arctic
National Geographic Society and used under license. Printed in the UK. 30 Norway 68 In pictures: Sweden
32 In focus: Winter Olympics 82 The info: No fly ski trips
ON THE COVER: Skier performing a backflip in
Bulgaria’s Bansko Mountains // Image: Getty

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4 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
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Snowy Alps. Top Location. New Designhotel.
Alte Arlbergstraße 2 +43 5446 35200
6580 St. Anton am Arlberg info@ullrhaus.at
WINTER SPORTS

BIG PICTURE
SOCHI, RUSSIA
John Daly takes a running start during
the Men’s Skeleton heats on day seven
of the 2014 Winter Olympics. The image
was captured in the fleeting moment
where coaches and officials had
stepped out of shot. The three-time
Olympian is part of the USA’s World
Cup Squad for this season. Will Daly
rule the ice in Beijing this February?
AL BELLO/GETTY IMAGES
abello.com
@abello55

6 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
WINTER SPORTS

Winter Sports 2021/22 7

 E S C A P E TO N AT U R E
Find me at my happy place!
Follow your dreams to a snowy Alpine forest in SalzburgerLand.
Skiing to make the heart beat faster, spa to slow it down again, food and drink to sigh for.
Holidays at the nature hotel Forsthofgut.
N AT U R E H OT E L F O R S T H O F G U T | L E O G A N G , A U S T R I A
I N F O @ F O R S T H O F G U T. AT | + 4 3 6 5 8 3 8 5 6 1 | W W W. FO R S T H O F G U T. AT/ E N
 WINTER SPORTS

WHAT’S BOOKING?
Skiing is back on track. Aſter some disappointing seasons, resorts have made
preparations, travel restrictions are easing and skiers, as ever, are eager for action
WORDS: NICK DALTON

“Skiers are people who tend to be more gung-

ho, as they’re happy to throw themselves off
mountains,” says Rupert Longsdon, founder
of the upmarket Oxford Ski Company.
The company’s bookings are up on recent
seasons. This initially involved a swing
towards chalets — including a new offering
with live-in staff who become part of your
bubble during your stay — but, lately, hotel
bookings have also come back strongly.
Longsdon concedes he deals with
travellers less likely to have been affected
fi nancially by the pandemic. “People have
been looking to go a little bit longer, or even
go twice.” He feels the travel demographic
likely to be most affected is the new-to-ski
crowd, perhaps nervy about the trip anyway,
further dissuaded by the crisis. oxfordski.com
Chalet rules
British operator Ski France has seen
a positive response to its new Catered
Contactless Chalets. “They have claimed
almost 60% of new bookings, whereas
chalets were previously only a quarter of our
winter sales,” says co-owner Joanna Laforge.
“It certainly seems that guests appreciate
their own space and not having to interact
with strangers.”
The chalets come stocked with food to the pistes by chairliſt is the best way to in place. Things are constantly evolving and
prepare provided recipes, and there are also return to the skiing that we all love,” says so are we — and we encourage people to take
some delicatessen dishes and plenty of wine sales director Gareth Crump. vip-chalets.com out Covid-19 travel insurance.” inghams.co.uk
and beer, with staff popping in mid-week to
clean and re-stock. Up, up and away Self-catering vs half-board
Pierre & Vacances, the French apartment Joe Ponte, CEO of major operator Inghams, Crystal, Britain’s largest ski company, says
giant, reports increased booking in resorts says, “Our ski bookings — not even including that, with so many skiers having been denied
traditionally known for chalet holidays, such Lapland, which is our most popular their trip for two seasons, bookings are well
as Val d’Isère, due to fewer chalets overall on destination for the coming season — are ahead of what would be expected. Despite
the market this year. It’s finding that British around 15% up. We have seen a high number this, there are great-value holidays and good
families are seeking more control over their of re-bookers and new bookings. availability. The company says it worked
holiday, with self-catering giving them the “We’re acutely aware that our customers hard to not increase prices and will continue
comfort of a family bubble. skifrance.co.uk really value having the confidence to book to do so into the season. Half-board hotels
pierreetvacances.com safe in the knowledge that if we have to are still the bestseller, but it has seen the
cancel, they can get a refund or simply move largest increase in self-catering, with people
Small is beautiful their holiday to later date. Combined with abandoning chalets for big apartments.
Chalet specialist VIP Ski says interest in our reduced programmes, this does mean crystalski.co.uk
small chalets (four, six and eight people) peak dates and popular hotels and chalets
is up by 20% on the previous season, and have limited availability, so people should NEED TO KNOW: The popularity of catered and
that more guests are looking to drive to the avoid hanging about and book. self-catered accommodation is up (steering
Alps, avoiding airports and transfer buses. “With vaccine passports and the fact that clear of restaurants gives the opportunity to
“There’s a definite school of thought that quarantining will no longer be required, socially distance). And if you’re concerned
Y T T E G :EGAMI

limiting indoor interaction by driving out we’re more optimistic than ever about this about being able to keep your distance on
to stay in your own chalet, eating lunch on winter. That said, we’re preparing for any ski liſts, in general, resorts have trimmed
terraces — a joy in itself — and navigating safety measures, existing or new, that may be capacity on chairs or in gondola cabins.

Winter Sports 2021/22 9

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ROLL WITH IT
When you can’t slide, why not roll? While the pistes have been
off-limits in recent seasons, savvy skiers have been keeping
fi tness levels up with rollerski sessions
WORDS: ABIGAIL BUTCHER
“How’s your balance?” asks Jordan. It’s a
bright summer’s day — about as far as you
can get from winter in the mountains — and
Jordan, my rollerski instructor for the
morning, is selecting kit from his van. Had
I realised my response (“quite good”) would
be directly applied to my ability to rollerski
the length of the Serpentine in London’s
Hyde Park, I may not have been so bullish.
A close cousin of crosscountry skiing,
rollerskiing uses the same muscle groups,
and much of the kit is interchangeable,
too: crosscountry poles, knee and elbow
protectors plus a cycle helmet. Rollerskis
are around 1.5ſt in length and equipped with
two wheels (wider for complete beginners,
narrower for the more confident or
experienced) and compatible with standard
crosscountry ski boots.
I’ve always found crosscountry skiing quite
frustrating, tripping on the long, skinny
skis with no edges, but this is different. The
rollerskis are of course shorter, but also more
Y T T E G :SEGAM I
forgiving when you try to edge — and if you’ve
missed skiing as much as I have lately, the
sliding sensation is immediately addictive.
Jordan and I practise balancing on the balls of
our feet, stopping, starting, getting comfy on
one ski and then two, before he allows me to
use poles. He teaches us to skate as we might
on skis — although you can employ classic
style, too (there are two crosscountry skiing
styles: classic and skate).
It’s a warm morning and I quickly work
up a sweat; it’s a total-body workout and
I definitely feel it the next day. Jordan, a
full-time rollerski instructor, teaches across
London and the South East, spending
winters competing in crosscountry skiing
marathons. “Rollerskiing is excellent for
both fitness and crosscountry technique,”
he says. The best thing, though, is being
surrounded by skiers. I arrived for my lesson
as the Saturday morning club session was
fi nishing and quickly fell into conversation
about winter, mountains and skiing. Verdict?
Aſter 90 minutes, I’m rolling with it.
HOW TO DO IT: 90-minute beginner sessions,
fi ve-week courses and one-day rollerski
events, as well as club sessions, are held in
and around London. From £35 including
equipment hire. rollerski.co.uk
WINTER SPORTS
OTHER WAYS
TO FEED YOUR
MOUNTAIN FITNESS
MOUNTAIN BIKING: Great for
general fitness, and accessible
year-round in the UK. If you don’t
have a bike, rental opportunities
in popular destinations like Coed
y Brenin, Wales and the Dalby
Forest, Yorkshire is plentiful
— and with a growing number of
e-bikes for hire, it’s easy for all
abilities to have a go. Mountain
biking is also popular in ski resorts
during the summer. britishcycling.
org.uk/getintomountainbiking
CLIMBING: A good test of balance,
strength, agility, proprioception
and flexibility, climbing is, like
skiing, a great social activity. With
the inclusion of climbing in the
2020 Tokyo Olympics, the sport
has ballooned in popularity. You
can hire kit and climb indoors
or out, and if you’re keen on ski
touring, the rope skills will be
invaluable, too. ukclimbing.com
WATERSPORTS: Many pro
skiers and snowboarders are
accomplished surfers, wakesurfers
and waterskiers. Jenny Jones,
Emily Sarsfield, Chemmy Alcott
and Glen Plake to name a few.
The sports use similar muscles
for balance and technique and
are more accessible than they
used to be — surf schools and
waterski/wakeboard academies
have popped up around the UK as
interest in the sports has grown.
bwsw.org.uk
Winter Sports 2021/22 11
04
WINTER SPORTS
CAN’T WAIT TO
GET BACK TO…
Aſter a season away from the snow, we ask
avid skiers, riders and pros where they’re
itching to make tracks this winter
JAMES COVE
I just want to click into a pair of
skis. I don’t care if it’s one of the
top resorts in the world or just a
small, little-known resort with
a couple of old liſts — I simply
want to see the mountains,
make some turns and enjoy the
company of my fellow skiers.
Skiing is more than a passion
for me; it’s a way of life. I plan to
live in Aosta, in Italy, for the first
two months of winter and then
I’m heading to British Columbia
for the rest of the season, where
I’ll be making up for lost time!
Founder of snowsports website
PlanetSKI, James Cove is a
journalist and ski instructor who
usually skis more than 50 different
resorts each winter
12 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
NIGEL SHEPHERD
Following the barren winter of
Covid-19, anticipation for the
coming winter and spring is
immense. I’m heading first to
Gressoney and the Monte Rosa
Massif — my spiritual home. Big
mountains, big runs and a true
feeling of adventure combined
with the finest hospitality.
When March arrives, I’ll be off
to northern Norway to ski tour.
Big-mountain thrills, perfect,
untracked slopes and no queues
— it makes my heart soar at the
thought. Fingers crossed, eh?
An IFMGA mountain guide since
Y T TEG :EGAM I
1979, Nigel Shepherd has climbed,
skied and biked the four corners
of the globe and written several
books on mountain safety

DANIEL WILDEY
One of my first jobs cancelled
due to the pandemic was a ski
touring trip in Arctic Norway.
It represents everything I can’t
wait to get back to: the pure
adventure of roaming freely all
over the mountain; using skis
for access rather than purely for
leisure (what they were originally
developed for, in fact); and the
satisfaction of gaining a summit.
And all this while still looking
forward to the exhilaration of a
descent through virgin snow. Ski
touring is the perfect expression
of adventure, and I can’t wait to
get on-track again.
Daniel Wildey is a filmmaker,
photographer and writer at
Wildey Media
KONRAD BARTELSKI
I can’t wait to get back to
exploring the backcountry and
breathing crisp, invigorating
mountain air again. Thanks to
the incredible ingenuity and
application of the scientists,
coming up so swiſtly with a
vaccination for the Covid-19 virus,
I’m hopeful that the key to those
snow-covered mountains might
well be returned to me quite soon.
That key will unlock the door
to a magical environment that
can be found in the mountains
anywhere on this sacred planet
— and is exactly what my heart is
so yearning for.
Former British ski racer Konrad
Bartelski today channels his love
of skiing as a photographer
WINTER SPORTS
CHEMMY ALCOTT
Having been fortunate enough
to be able to continue working
in the mountains last winter,
I’ve realised there isn’t a specific
place I miss: it’s more the
social side. And I don’t mean
après ski. Last season, because
Covid-19 numbers were so high
in the UK, I had people actually
exit the gondola on hearing
my British accent. So, staying
hidden behind my mask, making
gondola journeys in mostly
awkward silence, and not being
able to share the passion we
all have for the mountains was
really tough.
A veteran of four Winter Olympics,
Chemmy Alcott is a presenter on
BBC Two’s Ski Sunday
ED LEIGH
I live in New Zealand, and my
fi rst trip away from the Covid-
free nation was last January
to work on Ski Sunday for the
BBC. At a time when most were
trapped, I’d be given a pass...
then I hit a tree stump and blew
my knee to smithereens.
At the time of writing, I’m back
in New Zealand, where winter is
in full swing. The year of rehab
required to recover from my
injury means I’m now missing
out. What I’m most looking
forward to is simple: setting an
edge and driving through a turn.
Ed Leigh is a broadcaster and
journalist who, among other
things covers winter sport for
the BBC
Winter Sports 2021/22 13
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V i l l a r s - s u r- O l l o n • S w i t z e r l a n d • r e s e r v a t i o n @ r o y a l p . c h • c h a l e t r o y a l p . c o m

REINHOLD MESSNER:
THE MOUNTAINS & ME
Born in 1944 in South Tyrol, Italy, Reinhold Messner is one of the
world’s greatest adventurers. Here, he looks back at six decades
exploring our planet’s most challenging terrain
The Dolomites are made in chains that
came out of the sea 50 million years ago.
I grew up in a valley, and on the upper side
was the Geisler massif — maybe the most
beautiful chain of the Dolomites. When I
was five, my father took me to the highest
peak of this valley. Looking over and out
of the valley, there were only hills around
us. So, climbing this mountain — first on
the easy routes and later the more difficult
— I escaped from this dark valley to the light,
to the sunny places.
Between the ages of eight and 15, I’d go up
into the mountains every winter with skis.
There were no liſts or cars; we went up on foot
and came down on skis. But most of the time,
I used the Dolomites in the summer as a rock
climber. I climbed thousands of routes, and
I did my first ascents. I still remember doing
the most difficult climbs, on the biggest walls
— on the Civetta, on the Marmolada — and
doing new routes; there were a lot of emotions.
As climbers, we find a line in the wall.
The line only exists in your mind, but from
the beginning you’re concentrating only on
this line you’ve chosen. You go up, metre
by metre, overcoming the difficulties,
the exposure and also the danger: from
rockfall and from bad weather — rain, hail
and sometimes snow, even in the summer.
If you’re able to finish your line, there’s a
feeling of great happiness. Today, looking up
at those walls, all the moments come back:
I have them still in my memory. They’re in
YELKAO IUQCAJ :NOITARTSULLI
my ‘feeling memory’, too — I can still feel
at my fingertips the rock I touched 50, 60
years ago.
The Dolomites offer infinite possibilities
for visitors. For hiking, the easy peaks are
possible for fit people, or travelling with a
guide. These mountains are still quite wild
— at 6,500ſt, you’re in a perfect tourist area,
WINTER SPORTS
THE BIG INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW: JULIA BUCKLEY
REINHOLD
MESSNER:
A LIFE OF
EXTREMES
EVEREST: Messner made
the first-ever Everest ascent
without supplemental oxygen
in 1978, alongside Peter
Habeler. In 1980, he repeated
the feat for the world’s first
solo, unaided ascent.
THE ‘EIGHT-
THOUSANDERS’: Not
only the first to climb all 14
of the world’s 8,000-metre
peaks, Messner was also the
first to climb three ‘eight-
thousanders’ in a year.
RUPAL FACE: In 1970, with
his brother Günther, Messner
but if you go higher, it’s a true wilderness. became the first to climb
You can find yourself back in a scene from the world’s highest rock
1,000 years ago. And this was my world face, Nanga Parbat, in the
between the ages of 20 and 25. Himalayas. Günther tragically
Today, I’m more of a mountain man than a died during the climb.
climber. People living in the mountains are POLAR RECORDS: In 1990,
generally farmers — they care about their Messner became the first
cattle and their fields. They’ve continued a person to cross Antarctica
culture for the past 8,000 years, living a very on foot. He has also crossed
simple life. Climbers from the cities love the Greenland unaided.
possibility of getting in touch with mountain ITALIAN GREEN PARTY:
culture like this. Elected to the European
What can we learn from the mountains? Parliament in 1999, Messner
That we humans have limited time leſt — and is a lifelong environmentalist.
that we’re not able to control nature. MESSNER MOUNTAIN
All mistakes made in the mountains are MUSEUM: In 2006, Messner
made by humans, not by the mountains. opened a multi-site museum
They are only there, existing and changing, in the Dolomites, exploring
as nature is changing every moment. humankind’s relationship
We must be careful and accept that we’re with mountains. messner-
nothing against a mountain. mountain-museum.it
Winter Sports 2021/22 15
WINTER SPORTS

IN STYLE

SNOW KIT
Versatile ski boots and jackets for all-mountain wear,
plus the best helmet, backpack, gloves and more
WORDS: ROB STEWART

Bern Macon 2.0 MIPS

This one-helmet solution is certified for
mountain biking, skating and skiing, with
interchangeable liners for both winter and
summer. Unlike many Bern helmets, the
Macon 2.0 MIPS doesn’t have the classic
freestyle visor the brand is known for.
The resulting look feels equally at home
on the piste or in the park, while the
MIPS technology (designed to reduce
rotational forces on impact) provides
extra protection in the event of an
accident. £90. ellis-brigham.com

Dalbello DS 120 GW
A ski boot designed for recreational
piste aficionados keen for a high level of
performance plus comfort for long days
on the slopes. This customisable Dalbello
offering, which comes with a GripWalk sole
for easy movement out of skis, is lightweight
for a traditional alpine boot (a tad over 2kg).
You can expect a solid power transmission
from boot to ski with the 120 flex (level of
resistance as the ankle bends forwards);
women’s models available in 105 and 90
fl ex. £440. solutions4feet.com
Shred All MTN Protective
Glove D-Lux Black Diamond, Recon Stretch
US slalom giant Ted ‘The Shred’ Shell Jacket
Ligety’s eponymous brand develops Mountaineering brand Black Diamond
protective gear for skiers and the has launched a new version of the
latest offering is the All MTN D-Lux Recon Shell jacket for men and
glove. Shred’s SLYTECH system women, with the all-mountain skier
keeps fingers, thumbs and knuckles in mind. The versatile, lightweight,
heavily cushioned on any impact breathable and waterproof outer
and the PrimaLoſt insulation layer is made with a four-way stretch
does the job of keeping them fabric and works just as well when
warm. For skiers who like to carving groomed slopes in the sun
explore off-piste, slalom, park or ski touring in heavy snowfall.
and piste, that extra protection The understated look should
seems like a handy option. attract admiring nods. £330.
£139. shredoptics.com blackdiamondequipment.com

16 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel

Salomon Radium Pro Sigma goggles
When Salomon developed the Sigma
lens technology, it looked at how our eyes
registered light and colour and made
adjustments specifically for the whiteness
of snow. The new Radium Pro is a top-of-
the-range ski goggle with a wide-angle
Sigma lens that helps skiers handle bright
sunshine, as well as white-out powder days.
The design can fit over most eyewear, too.
£160. stores.salomon.com
Osprey Soelden/Sopris 22 backpack
Backpacks have become a common sight
on skiers both on and off piste, and with
better, lighter and more comfortable
designs evolving, why not enjoy the
convenience the extra space gives? The
Soelden (men’s) and Sopris (women’s)
packs from Osprey are designed with
backcountry skiers in mind, but the 22-litre
version is small enough to be used to carry
a spare fleece and lunchtime snack. If twin
ice axe loops are needed, they’re available,
too. £100. ospreyeurope.com
WINTER SPORTS
Armada Declivity 88C skis
The new Declivity range from Armada
includes the 88C all-mountain model, the
ideal all-rounder for piste and powder.
Carbon stringers strengthen the lightweight
poplar core, helping turn speeds in tight
spots, while keeping torsional strength
for carving at high speed. Wide enough
for explorations into backcountry, at
88mm under foot they feel at home on
the groomed pistes, too. The Reliance
82C is the equivalent model designed for
women. £399.99. armadaskis.com
Fjällräven Expedition X-Lätt Jacket
Having a mid-layer option is a must for
any winter sports trip, whether it’s used
under a shell layer in the day or during
the evening when strolling around.
This smart-looking top from Swedish
brand Fjällräven is made with recycled
polyamide and insulated with synthetic
materials. On mild spring days, it works as an
outer layer, and it’ll perform nicely on colder
days back home, too. £185.
allraven.com
Dolomite Move Road Low GTX
The Dolomite Move Road is low cut, but the
Gore-Tex material is waterproof and the
Michelin sole grips exceptionally well. This
one-shoe-does-it-all solution is equally as
comfortable on the aeroplane, in a restaurant
or around the resort. For tobogganing
in deep snow, a full-on boot is best, but
otherwise, this stylish option is more than
adequate for most activities. £150. dolomite.it
To Heaven’s Heights
If you can’t get enough of the slopes — even
while tucked up in bed with a book — then try
this new collection of ski stories from authors
including Bill Bryson and Ian Fleming. The
book was compiled by former British team
skier Ingrid Christophersen, and proceeds
go to snowsports charity Snow-Camp. £30.
unicornpublishing.org
Winter Sports 2021/22 17
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T +41 81 836 80 00 · info@kulm.com · www.kulm.com
 07
WINTER SPORTS

BARGAIN BREAKS
FOR BEGINNERS
You don’t need to break the bank for that
fi rst foray onto the slopes. We select the best
places to maximise fun at minimal cost
WORDS: NICK DALTON

Arinsal, Andorra Meribel, France

WHY? A pretty village with
modern accommodation, Catalan
dishes and duty-free drinks.
Arinsal links with the Pal and
La Massana ski areas (40 miles
of quiet, wide, improver-friendly
slopes) and the highly rated ski
school has UK instructors.
BEST FOR: Food-lovers.
BOOK IT: Seven nights from £434
per person, half-board, at Hotel
Xalet Besoli, with flights and
transfers. crystalski.co.uk
WHY? It’s located at the centre of
the Trois Vallées — the world’s
biggest ski area, with 370 miles
of piste — yet remains pleasingly
relaxed for newcomers, with
cosseted baby slopes at Altiport.
Courchevel and Val Thorens are
skiable if you really take to it.
BEST FOR: Confident explorers.
BOOK IT: Seven nights’ sole
occupancy at Chalet Aline for
£7,884 (£986 per person, sleeping
eight), all-inclusive. skiworld.co.uk

Ellmau, Austria Villard, France Borovets, Bulgaria

WHY? A little village with a
big beginner area, plus the
Hartkaiserbahn gondola, which
opens up longer novice routes.
It connects to resorts including
Söll, Scheffau, Westendorf and
Hopfgarten Ellmau, whose gentle
slopes are are unlikely to startle.
BEST FOR: Families.
BOOK IT: Seven nights at Hotel
Y T T E G :SEGAMI
WHY? An uncrowded place to
learn, with historic buildings and
good food. Villard/Corrençon
has two base areas linked by
easy runs, plus livelier options,
two beginner areas for children,
tobogganing and even a casino.
BEST FOR: Adventure-seekers.
BOOK IT: Seven nights in Le
Splendid apartment from £1,020
WHY? With ski liſts bookending the strip of
charmingly ramshackle bars and restaurants,
this is fun holiday terrain. Ski lessons, led
by English-speaking instructors, make the
mostly easy runs from the 7,380ſt summit a
joy. Plus, there’s a rousing nightlife, from live
music in Mexican restaurant Mamacita’s to
clubbing at Aſter Eleven Nightclub.
BEST FOR: Partying adults.
BOOK IT: Seven nights from £369 per person,

Claudia from £909 per person, (£204 per person, five sharing), half-board, at Hotel Victoria, including flights
half-board, with flights and including Eurotunnel crossings. and transfers. ‘Learn to ski pack’ (liſt pass, skis,
transfers. inghams.co.uk peakretreats.co.uk boots and tuition) £205. balkanholidays.co.uk

Winter Sports 2021/22 19

08
WINTER SPORTS

12th birthday party, but he remembers

it well. “It was at Everest Base Camp,” he
says. “It was an extraordinary experience,
to be able to look around, with dad saying,
‘This was where one of our old tents was’
— seeing things that had been leſt from
that momentous expedition.”
Dad, of course, was Sir Edmund Hillary,
and the expedition Peter refers to was in
1953, when Hillary and Tenzing Norgay
became the first conquerors of Mount
Everest. It leſt his son Peter, who grew
up in New Zealand, with a passion for
MY LIFE IN THE MOUNTAINS

PETER HILLARY
The son of Everest explorer Sir Edmund Hillary looks

It’s 55 years since Peter Hillary had his

back at a life among the peaks and poles
INTERVIEW: NICK DALTON

have made it to both the South and North

Poles. The latter was reached in 1985 as
part of a father-and-son expedition that
included astronaut Neil Armstrong and
round-the-world balloonist Steve Fossett.
Skiing looms large among Peter’s many
trips. “I love it; I got into ski racing, then
started skiing the biggest peaks in New
Zealand. I made the first descent of Mount
Aspiring, New Zealand’s Matterhorn; no
mistakes, no falls — and no restaurants!”
As well as death-defying feats, Peter
also does things the rest of us might
manage. “My daughter Lily and I went
mountaineering (despite his father’s to Japan two years ago and enjoyed the
attempts to deter him from following in wonderful powder of Hokkaido amid the
his footsteps). “He’d taken us on these almost bonsai birch trees.”
marvellous trips every school holiday Peter — a speaker, writer and Antarctic
— skiing on South Island, helping to build cruise host — still climbs, with Lily, 21, and
a school in Nepal, driving into Australia’s sons Alexander, 25, and George, 29, and is
Outback. The topic would come up of looking to revive a Covid-delayed family
what I should do. Dad would say, ‘Go to adventure to Everest in 2022. He and the
university and get a job — become an children also keep the family tradition
engineer. I found myself staring back, alive with the Edmund Hillary Collection,
saying, ‘I want to do what you do!’.” a mountain and winter clothing range that
And he did. Peter has made five Everest uses the same techniques and materials
expeditions, including two to the peak used to make the 1953 expedition gear.
— the second in 2002 for the National “It’s clothing that tells a story,” says Peter.
Geographic documentary Everest: 50 Years “Little features like the blue and white
On The Mountain, which celebrated his strips on almost every garment offer a
father’s feat. He’s also climbed the Seven connection with the sun hat my father wore
Summits (the world’s highest mountains on Everest. Lots of detail that connects to
by continent) and is one of few people to the amazing story.” edmundhillary.com

DRESS LIKE AN EXPEDITIONER

Y R A L L IH DN U M D E : S E G A M I

The SUMMIT VENTILE ANORAK replicates the A ski resort must, the SNOWFLAKE The VINSON THREE-LAYER WEATHERPROOF
style, colour and fabric of the jacket Edmund LAMBSWOOL JUMPER is inspired by a holiday SHELL JACKET is breathable and made from
Hillary wore on his 1953 Everest ascent. £151. photo of Edmund and wife Louise. £195. 100% recycled materials. £228.95.

20 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
WINTER SPORTS
THE BIG TRIP
BAFFIN ISLAND
Canada
Not many skiers can claim to have visited
Baffin Island. The remote landscapes of this
northern Canadian territory are accessed by
helicopter, allowing you to ski beneath the
midnight sun on nameless mountains that
may never have seen ski tracks before. You’ll
be based in a luxury Arctic camp, surrounded
by gigantic granite walls and glaciers
seemingly stretching to infinity; and it’s not
just about the unique skiing experience.
You’ll also have the chance to enjoy dog
sledding, Inuit throat singing performances,
snowmobiling and guided polar bear safaris
— definitely not your average ski trip.
C$ 175,000 (£101,000) total, excluding flights,
group booking only (eight people).
mabeyski.com
22 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
Aſter the privations of recent months,
we’ve scouted around for some
unique and spectacular ways to spend
winter in the mountains. From Iran to
Iceland, the Rockies to Russia, why
wait to book that ski trip of a lifetime?
WORDS: ALF ALDERSON
KAMCHATKA
Russia
Kamchatka might be on the other side of the
world (it’s 12 time zones away), but skiing
here is like navigating a different planet. In
the course of a single descent of up to 6,000
vertical feet, you may encounter smoking
volcanoes, steaming hot pools, vast powder
fi elds and unforgettable views across the
most active volcanic landscape in the world.
And all this before finishing up on a black
sand beach from where — if you’re brave
enough — you can skinny dip in the cobalt
NOSREDLA FLA ;Y T TEG :SEGAMI
blue waters of the Pacific Ocean.
James Morland of Elemental Adventure
advises clients that: “This is adventure skiing
rather than powder skiing. You should be
prepared for any conditions. If you are, it’ll
be the ski adventure of a lifetime.”
From €6,950 (£5,940) per person, excluding
fl ights. eaheliskiing.com

SKEENA MOUNTAINS
Canada
On the border of British Columbia and
Alaska, the Skeena Mountains offer
adventurous skiers the opportunity to
explore peaks so remote that many remain
unnamed. From a base of cosy log cabins,
helicopters transport just four skiers plus
two guides into a ski area the size of Greater
London — it’s safe to say it won’t be crowded.
The region combines a winning mix of snow-
sure alpine terrain and tree skiing. On a
seven-day trip with Last Frontier Heliskiing,
the average snow depth is around 10 and
the average ‘vertical’ more than 14,000.
From £4,843 per person, excluding flights.
lastfrontierheli.com
ÍSAFJÖRÐUR
Iceland
This trip combines sailing the spectacular
ords of northwest Iceland with ski touring
on the imposing peaks rising above the
icy deep waters of this stretch of Nordic
coastline. For ski touring, backcountry skiing
and ski mountaineering, this pristine part of
Iceland is world-class, and on this ‘sea to ski’
adventure, you’ll be sailing out of Ísaörður
on a beautifully restored old oak schooner.
Early season trips may be lit by the Northern
Lights, while late-season adventures in May
could well allow you to ski for almost 24 hours
a day (energy permitting). And on what other
ski trip might you encounter whales and
dolphins on your way to the mountains? This
is one for both experienced skiers and those
with good sea legs.
€1,800 (£1,540) per person for a six-day trip.
Flights not included. bergmenn.com
WINTER SPORTS
RIKSGRANSEN
Sweden
If a regular ski season isn’t long enough for
you, Riskgransen, just north of the Arctic
Circle, will provide you with skiing well into
June — including under the midnight sun,
should you so wish. It will also appeal to
those seeking to reduce their carbon output
since you can get to the resort by train direct
from Stockholm, and access the slopes on
skins. For avid downhillers, there are regular
ski lis and even helicopter transport. As
for just how much skiing is available, the
Riskgransen website answers that question
with laconic Scandinavian brevity — ‘a lot’.
Heliskiing from £2,460 per person for three
days, not including travel. mountainguides.se
DIZIN FROM LEFT: Hikers on
Iran Baffin Island; volcano
eruption in Kamchatka;
Skiing isn’t always simply about hooning an ice cave in Ísafjörður;
down snow-laden slopes, as a culture-packed skiing downhill in
ski trip to Iran will attest. You can, however, Riksgransen
do plenty of that in Dizin, in Iran’s Alborz
Mountains, thanks to the plentiful supply
of light and fluffy snow that usually graces
this vertiginous resort, set at an altitude of
between 8,500-12,000. But don’t just stick
to the slopes — a ski adventure in Iran also
offers the opportunity to go sightseeing
at historical and cultural sites including
Shiraz, Isfahan, the impressive pre-Islamic
monuments of Persepolis and, of course, the
capital city, Tehran. Add to that fantastic ALF ALDERSON is
food and incredibly friendly people and you author of Ultimate Skiing
have a unique adventure. Adventures – 100 Epic
From £2,000 per person including transfers, Experiences in
sightseeing, local guides and internal flights. the Snow (Fernhurst
mountainheaven.co.uk Books, £20)
Winter Sports 2021/22 23
WINTER SPORTS
ESCAPE THE
CROWDS
SKI WEEKENDER RECOMMENDS
France: Le Grand-Bornand
PAUL TURNBUL: This is a super-quiet, super-
friendly, hassle-free resort with some 50
miles of skiing — but neighbouring (and
more well-known) La Clusaz is just a free
bus hop away, so you have access to the full
Aravis region of 135 miles of piste.
On midweek days in January, we oſten feel
like we have the resort to ourselves, which
is a real treat. Once, we dropped into our
suggested mountain restaurant and found
that about 40 of the 45 people in there were
all our guests.
It’s easy to get to, just an hour from
Geneva, and provides great value when
compared to the big French resorts — lunch
on the mountain really is affordable.
Three nights from £339, half-board, at Hôtel
La Pointe Percée including transfers and liſt
passes but not flights. skiweekender.com
24 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
Four industry experts offer up
their insider tips on ski resorts
that deliver a big mountain
experience minus the hordes
WORDS: NICK DALTON
MORE TO TRY PAUL TURNBULL //
Short break specialist
ARÊCHESBEAUFORT, FRANCE at Ski Weekender
An off-the-radar traditional
village with 30 miles of piste but
great backcountry and off-piste.
A new gondola links its two CHRIS LOGAN //
sectors, Grand Mont and Planay. Managing director of
Crystal Ski Holidays
SAINT GERVAIS LES BAINS, FRANCE
Traditionally a spa town, now
linked to Megève and the 280-
mile Evasion Mont Blanc area. AMIN MOMEN //
A smart, welcoming village with Founder of tailor-made
sensible prices. specialist, Momentum Ski
PRALOGNANLAVANOISE, FRANCE
A compact, off-the-beaten-track
resort at the end of a cul-de- THOM HENDERSON //
sac valley with great touring Founder of bespoke ski holiday
potential, near Vanoise National specialist, Skifix
Park and its glaciers.

CRYSTAL SKI RECOMMENDS
Italy: Kronplatz
CHRIS LOGAN: Among our big programme of
Italian resorts, this is a real hidden gem. The
ski area has 70 miles of runs, some with good
scenic skiing for all levels, including steep,
long blacks on the north-facing Riscone
area. But it’s actually on the vast Dolomiti
Superski area li pass: there’s a regular bus
connection to Alta Badia on the Sella Ronda.
This is the place for a relaxed holiday with
quiet slopes and gourmet food — Kronplatz
is near San Vigilio, which is home to shops,
restaurants and one apres-ski bar. Riscone, a
bus ride away, has livelier nightlife.
Seven nights at the Hotel Majarei, half-board,
from £611 including flights and transfers.
crystalski.co.uk
MOMENTUM SKI RECOMMENDS
Switzerland: Lenzerheide
AMIN MOMEN: This is one of those towns
that’s fallen under the radar. It used to be
D N A L R E D E N I U T ;SER U T C I P A N I O R D N U S ;YRDUH T N E M E L C :SEGAM I
really popular and now no one seems to have
heard of it. However, it’s a great area linked
with Arosa in the next valley, one of the big
resorts, more like St Moritz.
It’s a breath of fresh air, really old school
and doesn’t come across as touristy. The old
town is wonderful — there’s one restaurant,
in the Hotel Kurhaus, that looks like a scene
from Game of Thrones, all chandeliers, red
curtains and burlesque cabaret. And there’s a
great variety of reasonably priced hotels.
The skiing is fantastic, as is the scenery,
and there are lots of really gorgeous
mountain restaurants, ranging from
traditional to super-slick modern places.
Three nights at Revier Mountain Lodge, B&B,
from £595 including flights. momentumski.com
MORE TO TRY
LA THUILE, ITALY
A quiet village of cobbled streets,
family chalets and great beginner
skiing. In the 95-mile Espace San
Bernardo, you can ski to France.
LA TANIA, FRANCE
Quieter than other 3 Valleys
resorts, but with access to this,
the world’s biggest ski area, plus
ski in, ski out accommodation.
BAD HOFGASTEIN, AUSTRIA
Laid-back sister resort to the
historic spa town of Bad Gastein in
the 125-mile Gastein Valley, where
the nightlife is less frenetic.
Lenzerheide, Switzerland,
is a quiet resort linked to Arosa.
FROM LEFT: Le Grand-Bornand, France;
laid-back Kronplatz has access to the vast
Dolomiti Superski area, Italy
MORE TO TRY
ENGELBERG, SWITZERLAND
Small and quirky with cosy bars
and a huge monastery. It’s north-
facing, has a glacier and slopes up
to 9,850 — a very cool ski area.
NEUSTIFT, AUSTRIA
A nice town near Innsbruck and a
bus ride from the amazing Stubai
Glacier — there’s brilliant skiing
as well as really good beginner
slopes. Another great area, Schlick
2000, is just down the road.
CRANS-MONTANA, SWITZERLAND
A place where very few Brits
go, vastly underrated. There’s
scenery to die for, a glacier and
mountain restaurants with some
of the best views in the Alps.
WINTER SPORTS
SKIFIX RECOMMENDS
Austria: Maria Alm
THOM HENDERSON: Maria Alm in the
Hochkönig region is five traditional villages
spanning six valleys, with 110 miles of varied
slopes and loads of backcountry.
It’s just a 50-minute drive from Salzburg,
yet is oen overlooked by the big ski
companies. It really is a place to escape to
— you won’t find li queues or overcrowded
runs, even in high season in February.
Recent investment means fast chair lis
and modern gondolas now service the entire
region while Maria Alm itself is a lovely
village with great hotels and quiet bars.
Two-nights at Hotel Johanneshof from £259,
B&B, including transfers and a day’s guiding
but not flights. skifix.co.uk
MORE TO TRY
FIEBERBRUNN, AUSTRIA
What was once a small, self-
contained resort is now part of
the huge Skicircus — 170 miles
of pistes linking mega resorts
including the glacier at Kaprun.
SPORTGASTEIN, AUSTRIA
The crown at the far end of the
Gastein Valley reaching 8,600.
There’s not much here — a car
park, one restaurant and a single
li to a freerider’s nirvana.
GULMARG, INDIA
A couple of cable-cars reach the
incredible height of 15,000.
Stayed a month in my twenties
— snow leopards, monkeys and
views of K2. Utterly magical!
Winter Sports 2021/22 25
 GSTAAD PALACE
SWITZERLAND

Winter Season
20 December 2021 to 6th March 2022
th

Palacestrasse 28 • 3780 Gstaad • Phone: +41 33 748 50 00 • info@palace.ch • palace.ch


SNOW DAYS
If you’re planning to hit the snow
with kids in tow this season, these
resorts should be top of your list
WORDS: NICK DALTON
LA PLAGNE, FRANCE
WHY? Small resorts are oſten
hailed as family-friendly, but
are limiting for those parents
who really want to put some
miles under their skis. Here,
ski in, ski out villages sit on
265 miles of piste, linked to Les
Arcs. There are Coolski beginner
zones throughout the region and
ski schools include Oxygene,
which has British instructors.
Attractions include a zip-wire
and the chance to have a go on
the Olympic bobsleigh run.
HOW TO DO IT: Pierre & Vacances
has seven nights at Residence
Les Constellations, Belle Plagne
(one bedroom, sleeps five), self-
catering, from £399 excluding
fl ights. British Airways, Jet2
and EasyJet fly to Geneva.
pierreetvacances.co.uk
LEVI, FINLAND
WHY? For fairytale skiing amid
MOC.ELYTSDNATOOHS ;KU.OC.IKS LATSYRC :SEGAMI
twinkling lights (slopes are
illuminated on short midwinter
days) wrapped in beautiful
Lapland scenery with friendly
English-speaking instructors.
Levi Hotel Spa has Spa Water
World, with 17 indoor/outdoor
pools. Treats include reindeer
sleigh rides and Northern Lights
viewing by husky safari.
HOW TO DO IT: Inghams has seven
nights at Levi Hotel Spa, half-
board, from £889 per person for a
family of four, including flights,
transfers and entrance to Spa
Water World. inghams.co.uk
ALPE D’HUEZ, FRANCE
WHY? Mile upon mile of
motorway-wide runs bring
families together, skiing all day
and barely touching the same
piste twice. Learners will enjoy
the two huge areas of green runs.
The slopeside sports centre has a
huge open-air heated swimming
pool, ideal for apres-ski fun.
HOW TO DO IT: Ski France
has seven nights at on-slope
Chalet Sophie, sleeping 12 in
fi ve bedrooms from £4,399
(£367 per person). Price includes
‘contactless catering’ (the delivery
of ‘cook at home’ style restaurant
food boxes). Flights to Lyon
EasyJet and return transfers can
be arranged from €80pp (£68).
skifrance-classic.co.uk
ALPBACH, AUSTRIA
WHY? One of Austria’s prettiest
villages, Alpbach is small, quiet
and perfect for children, with
beginner runs at base level and
the chance to progress higher up
Ski lessons in a snow park,
Alpbach, Austria
WINTER SPORTS
the mountain. It’s also set close to
one end of the Ski Juwel circuit
connecting Niederau, Oberau
and Auffach: 68 miles of easy
going, peak-leaping runs that
offer parents and blossoming
youngsters the chance to ski
together. Other activities on offer
include skating, tobogganing and
sleigh rides.
HOW TO DO IT: Crystal Ski has
seven nights at Hotel Alphof,
which has an indoor pool, half-
board, from £625 per person (two
adults and two children sharing),
including flights and transfers.
crystalski.co.uk
LA ROSIÈRE, FRANCE
WHY? Great for children and
parents alike. The relaxed village
is on the Italian border and the
95-mile Espace San Bernardo
gives two-country skiing over
to the resort of La Thuile.
Youngsters can learn in peace
(Ski Esprit, the operator listed
below, runs small classes), then
progress to the wider ski area,
which reaches more than 9,000ſt.
HOW TO DO IT: Ski Esprit has
seven nights from £679 per
adult in a family suite at Chalet
Arnica (sleeps up to four), with a
child (aged between two and 10)
from £364, including flights and
transfers. Extra-cost childcare
is available (from 17 months).
espritski.com
Winter Sports 2021/22 27
WINTER SPORTS

SANTA & SNOW

For a Christmas-themed trip that both
parents and children would include on their
wish list, the best advice is to book is now
WORDS: SARAH BARRELL

Where is the ho-ho-ho hub? season, demand for the classic

The Finnish Lapland village of
Rovaniemi is considered Santa
central. Home to an Elf School,
Santa Claus’ Main Post Office
and Santa Claus Village, plus the
plastic fantastic SantaPark, this
is the destination for most Santa
packages. With the likes of Best
Served and Tui. santaclausvillage.
santaparkarcticworld.com
infovisitrovaniemi.fi
best-served.co.uk tui.co.uk
And beyond?
While there’s no doubt most kids
get a kick out of Rovaniemi’s
theme park-style fun, if you stray
further, Finland has plenty of
places that offer more authentic
Lapland experiences. Northern
Norway and Sweden are worth
considering, too. This season,
the latter is connected by new
seasonal flights: London to Lulea, Where should I book?
gateway to the Sami region of
Inari. fl ysas.com
Christmas break will be stretched
by rebookings. This sort of trip
is something that can only be
delayed for a certain amount
of time before children get too
old and the Santa spell wears
off, so operators are expecting
something of a scrum for tickets
in whatever windows of travel the
pandemic allows this winter.
“Lapland is proving it’s the
place to visit this coming winter
and next,” says Joe Ponte,
Inghams CEO. “By late summer,
around 75% of our seven-night
Lapland holidays and more
than 90% of our Santa breaks
were booked for this winter.
So we’ve added more trips and
opened bookings for Lapland
2022/23 in an effort to keep up
with demand.”
One of the most popular
adventurous Lapland
destinations is Levi, two hours
Wilderness Lodge, north of the
Arctic Circle, in the Sami region
around Inari. This family-run
property, about 10 miles from
Saariselkä village, on the edge
of Finland’s Urho Kekkonen
National Park, has minimal light
pollution, meaning increased
potential for Northern Lights-
spotting on your doorstep. This is
sure to be a boon for youngsters
who won’t tolerate hanging
around in the cold for too long.
Other activities include husky,
reindeer and snowmobile safaris,
and the chance to snowshoe or
cross-country ski on 185 miles of
trails. There are also Christmassy
£2,738 per person, flying non-stop
from Gatwick into the region’s
hub airport of Ivalo. inghams.co.uk
Which age groups are
best suited to these more
adventurous trips?
Active Lapland trips suit families
with children aged from around
fi ve. Many activities, along with
the cold, will exclude toddlers,
although robust under-fives oſten
enjoy the excitement of simply
being in Lapland. Most operators
don’t recommend travelling with
a child under the age of two.
Other operators offering family
trips include: discover-the-world.
Y T T E G :SEGAM I

When should I book? north of Rovaniemi. For a experiences such as gingerbread co.uk nordicexperience.co.uk
Now. With many families having more ‘remote feel’, Inghams baking, tree decorating and a visit scanadventures.co.uk
postponed the ‘big trip’ last recommends a stay at Muotka from Santa. Seven nights from transun.co.uk

28 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
The Gran Masta Park Adelboden-Lenk is one of the biggest terrain parks of Switzerland.
There are over 30 daily shaped kickers, rails and other creative obstacles.
The mecca for the young and the young at heart. Whether pro or beginner, snowboarder
or skier: The Gran Masta Park offers elements of all difficulty levels – try it out! Thanks
to kickers, rails, boxes and other obstacles, there are no limits to creativity.
So: Let‘s go – see you at the Grand Masta Park, your casual meeting place in the
Adelboden-Lenk ski region! be-welcome.ch
WINTER SPORTS
NORDIC
WINTER
KNOW-HOW
Ready to embrace the wilderness, whatever the weather?
Then you too can capture the spirit of Norwegian ‘friluſtsliv’
WORDS: KERRY WALKER
Step into the powder-soſt snow. Jump into
icy water. Feel the cold. Relish it. Take a
big, life-affirming gulp of the chill, winter
air. Ski in quiet exhilaration through the
backcountry to a lonely mountain hut. This
is friluſtsliv, the distinctly Norwegian concept
of embracing outdoor living no matter the
weather. When winter darkness descends
and temperatures plummet below zero,
the Norwegians don’t just snuggle under a
blanket, whack up the heating and binge on
Netflix, they go outside. Why? Because, they
say, time spent in natures heals you: it jump-
30 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
starts your immune system and awakens
every cell, lets endorphins flow and gives you
the space to regain purpose and perspective.
But friluſtsliv isn’t just about climbing
peaks and pushing limits, it’s about making
the wilderness — however small — your own,
whether you’re making yourself at home at
a winter camp, walking in a frozen forest or
spending the evening by a campfire with the
Northern Lights dancing overhead. Ultimately,
friluſtsliv is about intuitively reconnecting to
the environment, elements and seasons in a
way that makes you feel truly alive.

WINTER
GLAMPING
EPIC ARCTIC VIEWS: The Glacier
Far north of the Arctic Circle, where the
land splinters into ords, expect a front-
row view onto the only European glacier to
calve directly into the sea. Geodesic pods
(billed as modern-day ‘igloos’) are where
big wilderness meets eco-minded Scandi
cool, in a glacial palette of greys, blues and
whites, plus wood-burning stoves, goose-
down duvets and telescopes for Northern
Lights gazing. It’s tempting to hibernate, but
venture out for dog sledding, glacier hiking,
ski touring and whale-watching, returning
for a soak in the seafront hot tub: pure Nordic
magic. From £420 a night. theglacier.no
INTO THE TREES: Woodnest
Slung high above the sapphire-blue,
mountain-rimmed Hardangerord, these
pinecone-shaped treehouses combine
master crasmanship and sustainable
principles with an architect’s eye. Trees
grow right through the black alder interiors;
curving panoramic windows overlook the
ord. This smart site hits the adventure
sweet spot, too: snowshoe up the cliffs
at Trolltunga, kayak to frozen waterfalls,
explore ords on a rigid inflatable boat or ski
in Hardangervidda and Folgefonna national
parks. From £267 a night. woodnest.no
REMOTE ECO RETREAT:
Elements Arctic Camp
Only the splash of your kayak paddle breaks
the silence at this retreat on the island of
Rebbenesøya in northern Norway. There’s no
road access, TV or wi-fi. Energy comes from
the sun and wind; water from the stream.
It’s off-grid and back to nature in the stylish
yurts, with wood-burning stoves and a glass-
domed ceiling for stargazing and aurora-
spotting. Meals of foraged seafood, fish
and reindeer meat provide gourmet fuel for
active days spent sea kayaking with expert
guides, when there’s the chance to glimpse
seals and porpoises from the water, and elk
Y T TEG :EGAM I
and reindeer on land. Winter tours can be
combined with snowshoeing and skiing.
From £534 a night. elementsarcticcamp.com
WINTER SPORTS
HARNESS THAT WINTER
ENERGY: HUSKY SLEDDING
ON WHALE ISLAND
I’ve been here before in my dreams. I push off with the simplest
of intentions and lightest of steps, then take flight — weightless,
euphoric, free. Except that now the sensation is as real as the chill on
my face, thanks to a six-strong team of yelping, panting, run-hungry
huskies. In the blue dusk of the polar night on Kvaløya (‘whale
island’), just west of Tromsø, peaks rise up like great fins above me,
glowing pearl-white as if lit from within. I fancy I see a flash of green,
a sudden shi on the horizon. The Northern Lights? Quite possibly.
They regularly come out to play during these dark, winter months.
“Lean into the bends,” my guide shouts, his voice echoing into the
frozen night. “Relax and go with the curves. Don’t resist it. Use the
foot break to slow down and, if you need to stop, shout ‘whoa’ in a
deep voice. Oh, and whatever you do, don’t let go. These guys stop for
nobody. Just trust them.”
And I do. It takes a while to get the knack, but dog sledding, or
‘mushing’, is ultimately not about taking control but being able to
relinquish it; to intuitively put your trust in another creature. There’s
something almost primevally beautiful about this — the rediscovery
of a deeper instinct that we’ve lost over time.
Now, as I mush with greater success, finding confidence to pick
up speed, we glide on, dipping and rising through bowl-shaped
valleys, cresting ridges. The bitter, sub-zero cold numbs my face
and feet until there’s no sensation le — an alien feeling that’s more
invigorating than unpleasant.
The valley opens up before me, unexpected, the gleaming white
Narnia of the north. Ahead, another sled takes a topple into a huge
dri of snow, the musher, passenger and dogs mercifully uninjured.
We plough on. The marathon runners of the dog world, huskies are
born to train, born to race. A fully trained animal can easily run up to
100 miles a day or more. It’s clear they’re in their element.
And so am I. Silence rings in the Arctic twilight. Everything
is reaction and sensation; moving in sync with the huskies,
concentrating on the snowy path ahead. An object flickers in the
distance. A reindeer, perhaps.
The moon slowly rises over the brow of a mountain. I’ve been
sledding for just a couple of hours, but this feels like a small eternity
in the Arctic. I’m frozen to the bone and full of wonder. Give me a
break and some hot grog by the campfire and I’m sure that, like the
huskies, I’ll be raring to go again. I look into ice-blue eyes of the dogs
that have become my faithful companions, sink my fingers into their
thick fur, and wordlessly thank them for allowing me to finally fulfil
my dream of flying.
HOW TO DO IT: Kvaloya Husky, Active Tromso and Tromso
Villmarkssenter all offer dog-sledding adventures out of Tromsø,
ranging from a couple of hours (around £160 per person) to two-
day trips sleeping overnight in tents (around £450 per person).
kvaloyahusky.com activetromso.no villmarkssenter.no
Winter Sports 2021/22 31
WINTER SPORTS

SNOW BUSINESS

THE COMPLETE
GUIDE TO THE
WINTER OLYMPICS
The ‘greatest show on Earth’ dons its winter gear as
Beijing plays host to the 2022 Winter Olympic and
Paralympic Games. From new sports to key dates and
Great Britain’s medal hopefuls, here are the highlights
WORDS: CONNOR MCGOVERN

What’s new for 2022?

Plenty — there are seven new events this THE VENUES
year, including women’s monobob and both
men’s and women’s freestyle skiing big air. The Games will take place in 13 venues, both new and existing, across three ‘zones’:
There are new events with mixed teams, too: Beijing, where the ‘Olympic Green’ will be the hub of the action; the suburban area
aerials, short-track relay, ski jumping and of Yanqing; and Zhangjiakou, a separate city in Hubei province.
snowboard cross.
When to watch?
The opening ceremony takes place on 4 ZHANGJIAKOU
February, and 8 February is a busy day, with Biathlon
medals being awarded in 10 sports, including Ski jumping
Nordic combined
alpine skiing, biathlon, luge, snowboarding Freestyle skiing
and speed skating. Snowboarding
Mark 20 February on your calendars, too:
that’s the day of the men’s ice hockey final,
as well as more medals in bobsleigh, curling
and cross-country skiing, before the closing YANQING
Bobsleigh
ceremony in the evening. The spotlight then Skeleton
turns to the Paralympic Games, which takes Luge
place from 4-13 March. Alpine skiing
What are Team GB’s chances? BEIJING
Britain’s best hopes are mostly in skiing Opening and
and snowboarding, both in the Olympics closing ceremonies
and Paralympics, with several homegrown Curling
athletes, such as freestyle skier Izzy Atkin Ice hockey
and snowboarder Katie Ormerod, hoping to Skating
build on success in previous tournaments. Freestyle skiing

32 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel

Speeding bullet
TRAVELLING AROUND HAS BEEN MADE AS EASY
AS POSSIBLE — THE JINGZHANG BULLET TRAIN
CONNECTS EACH OF THE OLYMPIC ZONES.
OPENED IN DECEMBER 2019, IT’S THE WORLD’S
FIRST DRIVERLESS HIGH-SPEED TRAIN AND CAN
REACH SPEEDS OF UP TO 215MPH. THIS MEANS
ALL THE ZONES CAN BE REACHED WITHIN AN
HOUR OF EACH OTHER.
COLD SHOULDER?
Some countries have threatened
to boycott the event, given
China’s human rights issues,
diplomatic tensions and
pollution, plus the environmental
costs of making artificial snow.
Y T TEG :SEGAM I
IN NUMBERS
BEIJING 2022
80
The number of nations already
qualified for the 2022 Games, from
109
Albania to Uzbekistan
The number of events taking
place across 15 disciplines, within
80,000
seven sports
The capacity at Beijing National
Stadium, venue for the opening and
closing ceremonies
beijing2022.cn
DEJA VU
Five 2008 Summer Olympics venues
are being ‘recycled’ including the
ceremonial ‘Bird’s Nest’ National
Stadium; Wukesong Arena, which
will go from hosting basketball to ice
hockey; and the National Aquatics
Center, where the pool will be
covered with ice to host the curling.
GB hopeful Izzy Atkin competes
in the Aspen 2021 FIS Snowboard
and Freeski World Championship at
Buttermilk Ski Resort, Colorado, USA
LEFT: Beijing National Stadium, also
known as the ‘Bird’s Nest’, will host
the opening and closing ceremonies
WINTER SPORTS
TEAM GB
ONES TO WATCH
IZZY ATKIN, FREESTYLE SKIING
One of the biggest hopes, Atkin took
bronze at Pyeongchang in 2018 when
she was just 19, Britain’s first-ever
skiing medal at the Winter Olympics.
Slopestyle is the British-American’s
forte, as proved by her silver win at
Aspen’s Winter X Games this year. Can
she get gold in Beijing?
MILLIE KNIGHT, ALPINE SKIING
The 22-year-old from Canterbury lost
most of her sight before she was seven
but has taken British skiing by storm.
She was flagbearer for Sochi’s opening
ceremony in 2014, age 15, took a gold in
the 2017 World Championships, and two
silvers and a bronze in Pyeongchang.
She’s one of the country’s brightest
stars for alpine skiing. Will she follow in
teammate Menna Fitzpatrick’s footsteps
by clinching gold in slalom?
GUS KENWORTHY,
FREESTYLE SKIING
Born in Essex and raised in Colorado, the
Anglo-American skier will hope to build
on his success in Sochi. With a string
of medals from the X Games and Dew
Tour representing the USA, he won his
first gold for GB at last year’s Ski World
Cup in Calgary. He keeps busy off the
slopes, too: as well as raising $250,000
(£180,000) to fight HIV/AIDS, he’s also a
YouTuber and actor who starred in TV’s
American Horror Story in 2019.
KATIE ORMEROD, SNOWBOARDING
Ormerod is Britain’s best shot at
snowboarding glory, having taken a
bronze at the Winter X Games in 2017,
and landing a double cork 1080 (two full
flips and one full spin) in 2016, the first
woman in history to do so. A gold at
Beijing will top a great 2019-20 season
for Ormerod, in which she claimed
five slopestyle medals — particularly
as she cruelly missed out on a spot at
Pyeongchang due to a heel injury.
DAVE RYDING, ALPINE SKIING
Appearing at what will be his fourth
Winter Olympics, Ryding’s slalom story
has something of an underdog quality
to it: he finished 27th in Vancouver in
2010, rising to 17th in Sochi and ninth
in Pyeongchang. The Lancashire-born
athlete has fared better at World Cup
events, as a runner-up in Oslo 2019 and
taking third place at this year’s heats
in Adelboden, Switzerland. Let’s see if
British hopes of an alpine skiing medal
rise with this star’s ascent.
Winter Sports 2021/22 33
WINTER SPORTS

COLD COMFORT
IN CONVERSATION WITH:
WIM ‘THE ICEMAN’ HOF
The popularity of fitness training in extreme cold conditions
is fast gathering fans, largely thanks to the Wim Hof Method,
pioneered by its Dutch namesake. We ask him how he does it
INTERVIEW: KERRY WALKER

Tell me about how you first got into How does cold-water swimming ABOVE: Wim Hof
RIGHT: Isle of Harris,
ice-bathing? change you physically, and how long Outer Hebrides
I started ice-bathing in the Netherlands back does it take to adapt?
when nobody else was doing it. It deeply It happens instantly. The cardiovascular
resonated with something inexplicable system is more than 60,000 miles long and
within me. Naturally, when something the cold tones up lots of little primitive
deeply moves you, you keep on doing it, muscles. This allows the blood flow to reach
as I did. Through ice-bathing, I found the cells, increasing energy and dramatically
that deeper breathing was an effective lowering the heart rate. Through cold-water
means of changing my physical power and swimming, you become peaceful.
biochemistry. It was a great discovery.
Why is getting outdoors and cold
Why is the cold so powerful? water bathing important in winter?
When you live in a city, you can find deep Make a summer of your winter — going
stillness and a real energy boost by going into outdoors is a physical, mental and spiritual
cold water. Your inner nature is activated, and challenge that has no equal. A lack of
it makes you understand your true lifeforce, sunlight and dopamine in winter can cause
which in turn can be spiritual. There’s depression. The cold boosts dopamine
amazing power in ice-bathing and cold-water levels in the bloodstream by 250% and
immersion. It’s the answer when it comes to noradrenaline by 530%.
strengthening the immune system.
Y T T E G ; D O H T E M F O H M I W EHT : S E G A M I

Any tips for ice-bathing beginners?

Why do you personally love the cold?
I love the cold because of the physical
strength it gives you and the spirituality
of being — no words are needed. To be or
not to be, cold is the answer! It’s excellent
cardiovascular training: energy-enhancing
and the ultimate immune system booster.
I believe people who train regularly in the
cold don’t become sick.
Start gently and gradually build up your WIM HOF is the
tolerance. Begin with a 15-second cold bestselling author of The
shower, increasing this by 15 seconds every Wim Hof Method, and
day until you reach around two-and-a- holds 21 official world
half minutes. This is a safe and effective records, mostly involving
withstanding extreme
way of bringing your vascular system to temperatures. For details
its natural state. Don’t wear too many on his workshops and
layers: thermogenesis is a healthy means of classes, visit
exercising the cardiovascular system. wimhofmethod.com

34 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel

THE POWER OF COLD: A HEALING
SWIM IN THE ICY OUTER HEBRIDES
It’s a crisp autumn morning and the sea is
flint-blue and unruffled. I slip on Crocs and
pick my way across dark boulders that are
slick with bladderwrack to the water’s edge.
A thatched cottage hunkers low on the brow
of the hill and I can feel the island’s collective
gaze watching — surely thinking ‘mad
woman’. The trill of seabirds reverberates in
the still air. I ease into the water. The cold hits
me like a le hook. I gasp. My heart hammers.
No matter how many times I do this, the
shock catches me unawares.
I flail more than swim initially, but
moving helps ease the shudders. Within
a minute or two, I’ve acclimatised, found
my stroke and can observe my surrounds:
the Sound of Harris with its skerries and
islands, a salt-white beach licked by a sea of
brilliant turquoise, machair-cloaked dunes.
In the distance, the wild North Atlantic
booms and crashes. A fisherman once told
me that if you fall in by accident, the cold-
shock response can be deadly. I can believe
it. I hear a loud ‘p’, like a deflating balloon,
and a seal emerges slickly from the inky
depths, looking at me with big eyes and
blunt curiosity. And then I’m out,
covered in goosebumps, wrapped in a
blanket, a flask of hot tea waiting on the
shore. I feel exhilarated, elated — every
fibre of my being buzzing.
Since my first time swimming in the
Outer Hebrides, everywhere I’ve lived or
travelled, I’ve sought out the sensation of
cold and the physical, mental and emotional
strength it brings. I’ve plunged into ice holes
in Scandinavia, rolled semi-naked in snow
in the Alps, swam in lochs and ords and
paddled down the Towy River at home in
Wales. Beyond the thrill of the cold, there’s
the beauty: when you wild swim, you’re
noiseless and unobtrusive, at nature’s level.
I love the warm Mediterranean Sea as
much as anyone, but it doesn’t have the
same profound effect on me as the cold.
The cold toughens you up, helps you
breathe deeper, grounds you, heals you.
And in winter, this is more important
than ever: boosting flagging moods and
immune systems. Wild is best, as it gets you
outdoors, but even a cold shower can move
metaphorical mountains.
WINTER SPORTS
SWIM SAFETY
TOP TIPS FOR COLD DIPS
BEGIN SLOWLY: Increase
exposure and time spent in
the water gradually.
KNOW YOUR SURROUNDINGS:
Check tides and currents, and
safe entry and exit points.
ALLOW ACCLIMATISATION:
Give yourself a few minutes for
‘cold adaptation’, letting your
breathing regulate.
ARRIVE WARM, LEAVE WARM: Dry
off quickly, and have a hot drink
and warm, dry clothes ready for
aer your swim.
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY: Get out if
you’re really uncomfortable or are
shivering uncontrollably.
CONSIDER THE KIT: A wetsuit isn’t
necessarily a must; swimming
‘skins’ (just a swimsuit) adds extra
invigoration, but a neoprene cap,
gloves and socks can help insulate
vulnerable head, hands and feet.
Winter Sports 2021/22 35
THE GRANDE DAME OF THE SWISS ALPS.
Steigenberger Grandhotel Belvédère Davos – Magical winter hideaway
Sincere Hospitality Culinary Delight
Historical. Modern. Chic. – Just like the hotel itself, the 96 rooms Delicacy. Indulgence. Authentic cuisine. – While the Belvédère
and 30 suites delight its guests with a mix of historical flair and restaurant offers a varied menu with four to six courses, guests can
modern comfort. enjoy easy food as delicious Tapas and High Tea at the Bar or
authentic Pizza at the restaurant Romeo & Julia.
Sport Adventure
Skiing. Cross-country. Family-friendly. – With its six ski resorts and
300 kilometers slopes, there is a lot on offer for all snow sports
enthusiasts. The possibilities are endless!
Wellbeing
Health. Self-care. Spa. – Guests relax in the extraordinary in-house Book now and get 25 % discount with the code word
Belvédère Spa with a spacious pool, a separate whirlpool, several Davos 2021. Bookings can only be made via phone
saunas, a steam bath and an extensive selection of massages and are up to availability.
and beauty treatments.

Steigenberger Grandhotel Belvédère Davos

Promenade 89 | 7270 Davos, Schweiz | T +41 81 415-6000 | davos.steigenberger.com

HOW TO
SKI SMART
With Covid-19 regulations having forced ski
destinations to rethink their operations, new tech
innovations promise a smoother resort experience
WORDS: ROB STEWART
The ski destinations that were able to stay
open in recent seasons offered proof that
necessity really is the mother of invention.
With restrictions on skier numbers,
contactless service and providing skiers
with real-time digital information all
top priorities, they squeezed five years of
planned development into a five-month
period. The result? Nothing short of a tech
revolution in the skiing industry.
A recent survey by online business
community Mountain Trade Network
found that 88% of the ski destinations that
took part said they wanted to invest in
new technology to improve the customer
experience. But the demands of the
pandemic made that future desire an
immediate necessity. Major operators such
Y T TEG :EGAM I
as Vail Resorts, with a whopping 37 ski areas
in North America and Australia, quickly
launched new tech. In Vail’s case, a fully
integrated online reservation system in just a
few weeks. This came aſter the introduction
of RFID (radio frequency identification) liſt
passes, a contactless keycard system that
electronically provides access to ski liſts.
Over in Norway, the twin resorts of Haell
and Kvitell had dreams of implementing
technology to help skiers avoid queues via
a real-time app. When Covid hit, resort
capacity had to be cut by 50% and large
crowds avoided, so it was all hands on
deck. Cameras were installed on all major
ski liſts in just a few months and linked to
the resort app — they monitored the number
of skiers in queues and fed that back to the
app. Skiers could then avoid any bottlenecks
and crowds. The planned five years’ worth
of tech development was delivered within
a year.
Ever-evolving smartphone technology
will eventually replace cards. The benefit
WINTER SPORTS
SLICK SERVICES
SKITUDE
A powerful app that
allows users to prebook
lift tickets and other
resort services and view real-time
resort information. Features also
include tracking and analysis of skiing
performance and a social network that
can help link skiers together, both on and
off the slopes. skitude.com (available on
the App Store and Google Play)
SKEO
A ski instruction app
that tracks, analyses
and provides feedback
on performance, including technical
ability, turn style, body shape and
stamina. The app’s Universal Alpine
Ranking System, which gives scores
from one to 100, has been developed
by US ski racing legend Bode Miller.
snowcookiesports.com (available on the
App Store and Google Play)
HUSKI
This British-run, Alpine
version of Deliveroo
brings ready-to-heat
meals to skiers across the French Alps.
From its kitchen in Bourg-St-Maurice,
Huski offers classic Savoyard food, as
well as international dishes from curry to
cottage pie. Order online up to a day in
advance, and get deliveries to your door.
hu.ski
to customers is clear — less queuing time,
cashless purchases, seamless ski hire and
resort information at your fingertips. For
resorts, the chance to collect customer data,
save costs and drive sales is just as attractive.
Food delivery, unthinkable in most resorts
fi ve years ago, has seen catering companies
capitalise on the perfect storm of Covid-19
limiting restaurants, and Brexit, which all
but did away with British-staffed catered
chalets. With self-catered accommodation
dominating operator offerings, there’s been a
boom in food delivered to the chalet door.
Technology companies have also stepped
into the void, too, with a range of services for
destinations and an app for customers. One
of those, Skitude, now offers real-time resort
information, tracking data and ski activity
statistics, contactless payments, plus the
ability to connect with other skiers on the
slopes and in-resort.
Winter Sports 2021/22 37

WINTER SPORTS
GO ECO
KIT WITH
A CONSCIEN E
Until recently, ski gear had been heavily dependent on unsustainable
materials, but a growing awareness of climate change and the
environmental costs of production means things are changing
WORDS: ABIGAIL BUTCHER
Energy, water, plastic: the unholy trinity that’s
traditionally used to make winter sports kit
and clothing. Add to this the use of hazardous
chemicals (PFCs and PTFEs used for water-
and wind-proofing) and scant recycling, and
you have a woefully unsustainable industry.
Yet attitudes are changing; ethical and
environmentally friendly manufacturing has
been brought to the fore by organisations like
Greenpeace (with its 2011 Detox campaign,
and 2015 Footprints in the Snow report),
nonprofit conservation initiatives like Protect
Our Winters and pioneering companies such
as Patagonia and Picture Organic.
With the ski industry at the sharp end of
climate change — melting glaciers, unusual
weather, shorter seasons, microplastics
and PFCs in the mountains — brands are
transforming the way goods are produced
and disposed. Rab and Amundsen Sports, for
example, make jackets with down sourced
from old pillows and duvets. Meanwhile, entire
product lines from companies such as Yuki
Threads are made from recycled materials and
it, along with brands like Haglöfs, sell factory
seconds rather than binning them.
38 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
17
THREE TO BUY
SPEKTRUM TEMPLET
POW EDITION
STONE GOGGLES
The plastic parts of these 90%
bio-based goggles are made
using plant-based polymers
and recycled polyester, while
the straps are mainly made of
hemp. A collaboration with
conservation project Protect
Our Winters, which receives
15% of the profits. £154.
snowandrock.com
SALOMON S/MAX ESKIN
NORDIC SKI
The core of this ski is
constructed with 45%
recycled polyurethane
foam derived from recycled
plastic bottles, and the eSkin
technology doesn’t require
wax (a snow contaminant).
All packaging is Forest
Stewardship Council-certified
and made without glue or
plastic at a factory that runs
Companies including Maier Sports, Vaude entirely on renewable energy.
and Parámo are offering clothing-recycling £400. salomon.com
schemes, and ski boot manufacturer Tecnica
has launched the Recycle Your Boots initiative:
buy a new pair and the company recycles your
old ones (of any brand) into new ski products.
Houdini Sportswear and YKK are exploring
the use of digital zips to track an item’s
lifecycle. And to breathe new life into old kit,
Nikwax offers a range of wash-in products
that come in recycled bottles and contain no
environmentally damaging chemicals.
Launched last year, EcoSki is another YUKI THREADS TEAM
sustainability pioneer, offering a range ZIP HOODIE
of upcycling, recycling, repair and rental This brand’s entire
options. “I wanted to provide consumers outerwear line is made
with better choices, encouraging brands using recycled waste, such
to push further with innovations and help as plastic bottles, as well as
give back at the same time,” says founder Zelan R3, a water-repellent
Rachael Westbrook, who supports charities coating made from tree
via 1% For the Planet (a nonprofit global sap. This gender-neutral
organisation whose members contribute at hoodie is made from 60%
N O M OL A S : E G A M I
least 1% of their profits to environmental organic cotton and 40%
causes). “Ultimately,” she says “the ‘greenest’ recycled polyester, designed
purchase you can make is the one you decide for riding and après-wear.
not to buy.” £99. yukithreads.com
 A p e r f e c t l o cat i o n f o r a
unique alpine experience!
Located in the heart of the 3 Valleys, the largest skiing area in the world, the Hotel Annapurna
positioned itself throughout the years to become a reference within luxury hotels in Courchevel

www.annapurna-courchevel.com
Phone : +33 4 79 08 04 60 - info@annapurna-courchevel.com
| PA I D C O N T E NT FOR DAS E D E LW E I S S SA L Z B U R G M O U N TA I N R E S ORT

A DESTINATION FOR EVERYONE

Grossarltal
Whether you’re looking to experience high-octane activities, enjoy
great cuisine or make memories with the whole family, this
Austrian valley offers boundless scope for winter adventures

L ocated just 40 miles from the arts

hub of Salzburg, the Grossarltal
valley offers everything from
fantastic skiing and wonderful
walks to welcoming mountain huts. Nestled
in this setting is the town of Grossarl;
zoom in further, and at the foothills of the
mountains you’ll find DAS EDELWEISS — a
luxurious base for exploring this adrenaline-
packed area of Austria’s Salzburgerland.
AUSTRIA’S LARGEST SKI AREA
BEST FOR: THRILL-SEEKERS
Grossarltal lies at the centre of Ski Amadé,
Austria’s largest ski area — a network
encompassing five regions and 25 ski
resorts, which together count over 420 miles
of pistes. The Grossarltal-Dorfgastein ski
area alone has over 40 miles of slopes, from
beginner to daredevil, with opportunities for
cross-country skiing and freeriding. What’s
more, all of this can be easily accessed on a
single ski pass. DAS EDELWEISS’ location
next to the ski school puts it at the centre of the
action, with ski in, ski out convenience and
a well-equipped ski depot for good measure.
After a day on the slopes, guests can kick
back at the 80,700sq ft spa, which includes
an adults-only department, complete with
a steam bath, two saunas and infinity pools,
and a family area, with five water slides and
a spacious pool.
INSIDER TIP: Enjoy untouched powder with a
Skikeriki outing, which starts at 7:15am each
Wednesday. Afterwards, enjoy the generous
breakfast buffet back at DAS EDELWEISS.
THE VALLEY OF THE MOUNTAIN HUTS
BEST FOR: FOOD-LOVERS
During the winter months, mountain-goers
can discover nine traditional mountain
huts on the slopes above the Grossarltal (in
summer, there are five times that many).
With their welcoming atmosphere and
delicious food, they’ve been enticing skiers,
snowboarders and winter walkers for years.
As well as on skis, many of these huts, such
as Filzmooshörndl and Loosbühel in the
Ellmautal valley, can be reached along ski CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Ski mountaineering
touring routes — which are numerous and in Grossarltal; DAS EDELWEISS, at the foothills of the
varied in the Grossarltal, and further up the mountains; the spacious spa area, with beautiful views
valley around the village of Hüttschlag. of the landscape; a delicious meal at DAS EDELWEISS
 | PA I D C O N T E N T F O R DAS E DELW E I S S SA L Z B U R G M O U N TA I N R E S ORT

A FAMILY
BUSINESS
The story of DAS
EDELWEISS has always
been a family affair, with
no fewer than 14 members
of the Hettegger family
now actively involved in
running the hotel.
1977
The hotel began life
in 1977, when the
grandparents of the
present owners opened
a small guesthouse in
Grossarl with just 14 rooms.
1990S
DAS EDELWEISS grew,
through several phases
of enlargement and
refurbishment, into a five-
star property. Over the
years, these expansions
The food journey continues back at DAS Its Children’s World includes the Aquapark, saw the opening of four
EDELWEISS, whose half-board cuisine has with five intertwining water slides over restaurants and bars
been awarded two Gault & Millau toques three floors, while the playrooms have craft — Sirloin Grill & Dine,
(similar to a Michelin star). The culinary materials and a climbing wall. Professional Petrus Fine Dining
offerings include grilled steaks at Sirloin, five- childminders oversee all the fun while Restaurant, Kork & Gloria
and seven-course fine dining at Petrus and parents enjoy adults-only areas. and the Alpine Bar — and
Kork & Gloria wine and sushi bar. INSIDER TIP: To explore the valley with the the spacious Mountain
INSIDER TIP: During Advent Season, Grossarl whole family, try a horse-drawn sleigh ride Spa, with both adults-only
hosts a traditional Advent market — expect — snuggle up in warm blankets and enjoy and family areas.
lots of local food and drink, plus artisanal the mountain views unfurling around you.
R E B U H L E A H C I M ; R E L G N E D S A I H T TA M ; K C O T S R E P U S : S E G A M I

handworks and folk music. 2018

DAS EDELWEISS offers spacious double rooms, Peter and Karin
MEMORIES WITH THE CHILDREN junior suites and premium suites, including the Hettegger took over
BEST FOR: FAMILIES biggest presidential suite in Salzburgerland. running the hotel from
Grossarl is well equipped for younger Peter’s parents, and set
visitors, both on and off the slopes. For about reimagining and
budding skiers, there’s a kids’ slope, transforming it into the
complete with snow tunnels, and a snow stylishly designed resort
park, where older kids (and the occasional we see today, while never
grown-up) can practice their best moves. Off losing sight of the family’s
the slopes, try the torchlit evening hikes, or a core values — offering a
two-mile toboggan run, well away from any luxurious and welcoming
traffic and (because no day of tobogganing holiday to their guests.
is ever long enough) illuminated after dark. READ MORE ONLINE AT
A family-run resort, DAS EDELWEISS takes EDELWEISS-GROSSARL.COM
entertaining its younger guests seriously.
WINTER SPORTS

BIG SKY
THINKING
Can skiing be eco-friendly?
Perhaps, say the resorts
upping their sustainability
game and nurturing dreams of
a carbon-neutral future
WORDS: KERRY WALKER

When you’re carving up a well-groomed

piste, inhaling the crisp winter air and
peering up at snow-encrusted mountains,
it’s easy to forget your eco footprint. Ski
resorts have traditionally fared poorly on
the environmental front: flattening forests,
causing erosion and uprooting wildlife; and
using snow canons and piste bashers that
guzzle precious energy and water. Some say
the damage is done before you even hit the
slopes, with skiers jetting in for a few days
of downhill fun and each flight taking its
irreversible toll.
The impact of climate change is
undeniable on piste. Winters are getting
shorter. Temperatures and snow levels are
rising, having a direct knock-on effect on
low-level resorts, some of which are now
up to 80% artificially snowed. According
to the Copernicus Climate Change Service,
winter 2020 was the warmest on record: 3.4C
hotter than the 1981-2010 average. Continue
at this rate, experts say, and there’ll be no
snow in 100 years time. The message is clear:
change or face a future without skiing. Some
ski resorts are taking note, just in the nick
of time.
Sustainability is more than just a
buzzword in Alpine resorts like Zermatt, in
Switzerland, where some of Europe’s most
fabulous slopes unfurl at the foot of the
Matterhorn’s 14,692ſt fang. Shouldering up to
Italy, the car-free resort is easily accessed by
train and wields impeccable eco credentials:
a photovoltaics (solar) system powers its
tricable gondola liſt station; electric buses
whisk skiers from A to B; snow groomers
Y T T E G :SEGAMI

Solar Panels on the roof

of the Monte Rosa Hut,
Zermatt, Switzerland

42 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel

run on eco-speed diesel (generating 11%
less carbon monoxide); and environmental
experts oversee construction work.
Recently, the resort has taken recycling to
the next level by repurposing waste plastic
to resurface roads. Conservation-wise,
Zermatt has protected forests and wildlife
sanctuaries, where chamois, deer, ibex,
marmots and alpine hares can seek respite.
Many other Swiss resorts are following
suit. Renowned for hardcore skiing and
boarding, the resort of Flims Laax Falera, in
Graubünden, is taking the fast run towards
self-sufficiency and 100% renewable energy.
Its electricity already comes from CO2-
neutral sources and all new li facilities
are equipped with photovoltaics. There
are e-vehicle and e-bike charging points,
recycling stations, drinking water fountains
(to minimise on plastic waste) and protected
zones for animals and plants. Even the ski
wax is biodegradable.
Elsewhere in the Alps, a flurry of
resorts are raising the sustainability bar.
French destinations have set their sights
high, with a clear roadmap for achieving
carbon neutrality by 2037. Among them
is Chamonix, with its vast backcountry,
sensationally varied slopes and Mont Blanc
views. The Flocon Vert (‘green snowflake’)
resort has improved energy efficiency and
introduced new eco-buses and hydroelectric
plants. Guests can use public transport for
free in the valley.
Across the pond, the desire for cleaner,
greener skiing is equally apparent. At the
gateway to Yellowstone National Park, Big
Sky in Montana is a stellar example. In 2019,
the resort formally outlined a path to net-
zero emissions by 2030 through the Forever
Project, which recently earned the NSAA’s
Golden Eagle Award for Environmental
Excellence. The lis run on carbon-free
energy and guests are actively encouraged to
offset their carbon footprint.
“Sustainability is at the core of our
business and with that comes tremendous
momentum within the ski industry
to become stronger stewards of the
environment,” says Big Sky public relations
manager Stacie Mesuda.
Meanwhile, in Colorado, Vail resort is
so far making good on its ‘Epic Promise’ to
achieve zero net emissions and zero waste to
landfills by 2030, with 50% progress toward
this goal by 2025. It has installed low-energy
snowmaking equipment, adopted green
standards for building and construction,
planted or restored forest impacted by the
resort and partnered with Eco-Products on
restaurant supplies — initiatives that have
been adopted in Vail Resorts’ slew of ski areas
across North America.
But while ski resorts have an important
environmental role to play, skiers can also
take action to minimise their impact, starting
with wise travel choices. Take the train,
not the plane, says snowcarbon.co.uk which
provides rail-ski packages that reduce carbon
emissions by up to 90%.
In reality, skiing might never be whiter
than white, but both resorts and skiers
can certainly work towards a future that’s
significantly greener.
WINTER SPORTS
FIVE MORE
SUSTAINABLE
SKI RESORTS
SAAS FEE, SWITZERLAND
Glacier-capped Saas Fee
in Valais is the world’s first
carbon-neutral municipality.
The car-free resort runs on
hydropower and has nailed it
transport-wise, with an e-car
sharing service and emission-
free ski buses. saas-fee.ch
WOLF CREEK, COLORADO
Deep, steep and snow-sure,
Wolf Creek is a shining
model of sustainability.
The resort is carbon-free,
conservation-minded and
runs on 100% renewable
energy. Its snowcats even use
biodegradable grapeseed oil.
wolfcreekski.com
KAPRUN, AUSTRIA
At the foot of the mighty
10,560ft Kitzsteinhorn
Glacier, Kaprun is going
green. Cue high-elevation
recultivation projects, lifts
running on 100% ecologically
generated energy and free
ski buses. kitzsteinhorn.at
PEJO 3000, ITALY
This green-minded resort
in Stelvio National Park,
in Trentino, is plastic-free
and has hydroelectric
plants providing renewable
energy. Plans are in place to
introduce hybrid snowcats.
skipejo.it
AVORIAZ, FRANCE
The greenest of France’s
Portes du Soleil ski resorts,
Avoriaz has launched projects
to revegetate slopes, protect
natural snow and keep
snow-groomer emissions to a
minimum. seeavoriaz.com
Winter Sports 2021/22 43
19
WINTER SPORTS
SKI SPOTLIGHT
AUSTRIA
With a boldy revamped spa hotel and ever-
expanding linked ski areas, Austria’s resorts
have been busy during lockdown
WORDS: NICK DALTON
THE BIG MAKEOVER:
NATURHOTEL FORSTHOFGUT
This fourth generation family-run hotel on the site of a 400-year-
old family farm has spent more than £10m reinventing itself during
the quiet times. An hour from Salzburg, the traditional, chalet-style
hotel now sees itself reflected in the extraordinary timber-and-glass
Lakehouse addition, home to contemporary loſt suites with rustic
mountain touches — all old wood, stone and loden (a heavy wool
fabric) with the finest leather. There’s also the Mizūmi restaurant
(Alpine-Japanese fusion using ingredients from the organic farm),
which overlooks a steaming onsen-style hot pool and a summer
swimming lake. That’s along with the hotel’s two other restaurants,
a market-style breakfast buffet and a fine-dining venue, where ‘R50’
is champion (meaning ingredients are sourced from within 50km/30
miles). There are adults-only and family spas and a 70ſt indoor pool.
The piste, in the mighty Skicircus area, flashes past the door to the
gondola, heading for Saalbach, just below. And the hotel not only has
its own toboggan run but also a wildlife park, with snowshoe treks
among deer. Double rooms from €380 (£309), half-board. forsthofgut.at
Skicircus, soon to be Austria’s
largest linked ski area
BELOW FROM LEFT: The slopes at
Skicircus; the new luxe mountain
hut, KRAFTalm, Itter
CHECK IN, SKI OUT:
AUSTRIA’S NEW ALPINE HOTELS
KRAFTalm, Itter
A grandly subtle new creation on the site of
a century-old mountain hut. The hotel sits
at 4,450ſt by the Solvista liſt in the Tirol’s
SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental ski area.
The 29 rooms have cool designer touches,
while the spa has an indoor/outdoor infinity
pool, sharing the mountain panorama of the
glass-walled sauna. There’s modern Alpine
food on offer in the restaurant, too. Doubles
from €280 (£240) half-board. kraſtalm.at
Sport & Spa Hotel Strass, Mayrhofen
One of Austria’s biggest ski hotels, and a YHPARGOTOHP OCSECNARFED ;KFJ SERUTCIP APXE ;MOC.HEGAJRIM :SEGAMI
popular hub for the Snowbombing clubbing
festival and Altitude comedy festival, Sport
& Spa Hotel Strass has transformed more
than 70 rooms. Its wellness area has been
revamped and its twin spas now share an
indoor-outdoor pool. Crystal Ski has seven
nights from £854, half-board, including flights
and transfers. crystalski.co.uk/hotelstrass.com
Carpe Solem, Rauris
Rauris (only 20 miles of piste but topping out
at 7,200ſt) is an hour from Salzburg, and this
79-apartment resort is right beside the liſts.
Opened in July 2020, it has a heated infinity
pool in a spa with saunas, infra-red cabins
and an ice grotto. Rooms are contemporary
and there are links with local producers for
self-catering. Apartments from €119 (£101)
per night (one bedroom, sleeps four).
alps-residence.com

BIG THINGS FOR THE SLOPES
Austria’s innovative ski chiefs floor, opened with fanfare,
went into lockdown with a connecting the Skicircus to the
dream: making the Skicircus top of Zell’s main Schmittenhöhe
Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang area. The plan was for a li to take
Fieberbrunn area Austria’s biggest people back again, but works were
li-linked ski terrain. The lakeview thwarted by the financial trials of
resort of Zell am See was to be last winter.
seamlessly connected, creating a The swish new gondola is slated
ski paradise of 253 miles of piste. for completion next season, but
All was underway in December that doesn’t mean visitors can’t
2019: the second section of the sample the full ski offering now.
plush 10-seater ZellamseeXpress It’s a fun journey with a gondola
gondola, all the way to the valley wi-fi sound system, so you can
turn your cabin into a personal
jukebox. Until the final li
opens, there’s a modest three-
mile bus hop.
This makes the region some
80 miles bigger than Austria’s
biggest, St Anton’s Ski Arlberg,
connecting the vast, easy-going
pistes around pretty Saalbach
to the ornate lakeside town of
Zell, with the 10,500 slopes of
the Kitzsteinhorn glacier next
door. saalbach.com
WINTER SPORTS
PICK OF THE
PEAKS
SAALBACH
The peak of intermediate
skiing with cruising runs
valley-long: a perfect,
unhurried spot with plenty
of huts for lunch. The pretty
town has an onion-domed
church and lively nightlife .
HINTERGLEMM
Saalbach’s sister along the
valley, with lots of low-level
lifts for beginners tucked
away below the runs most
visitors take on a day out.
LEOGANG
A village with easy access
to the main circuit but
with fabulous long, wide,
uncrowded runs. Many
visitors feel no need to stray
beyond the resort.
FIEBERBRUNN
This quiet market town at the
very edge of the Skicircus
often offers great-value
holidays. The Streuboden
gondola heads high for long,
easy slopes away from the
main circuit.
ZELL AM SEE
A beautiful lakeside
town with views from the
slopes over the classical
rooftops and the icy blue
waters. Plus, a waterside
promenade, posh shops,
elegant restaurants and an
extravagant casino.
KAPRUN:
This village on the outskirts
of Zell is a resort in itself. It’s
centred on the high-altitude
Kitzsteinhorn glacier with
big, open runs for all levels
and a funicular at the top.
Winter Sports 2021/22 45
| PA I D C O N T E NT FOR T S C H U G G E N H O T E L G R O U P AG
The renowned resort of St Moritz
is home to winter sports, Alpine
cuisine and thermal waters
— all against the backdrop of the
majestic Swiss Alps
Chasing peaks in
St Moritz
GET MOVING IN THE ENGADINE
The pull of the mountains is never stronger
than in sky-high St Moritz, 5,978ft above sea
level. On the sunny side of the Swiss Alps in
the Engadine Valley, this peak-rimmed,
glacier-frosted, lake-hugging resort is a
knockout. Whether it’s a morning yoga
session as the summits slowly pinken under
the sun’s warming rays, a high-altitude
hike to piercing-blue lakes beneath Piz
Nair or world-class skiing at Corviglia, St
Moritz throws you right in at the deep end
of nature.
Fancy more? Follow the snowshoe trail to
the cosy Ustaria Rabgiusa hut, race down
black runs from Diavolezza with the Bernina
Alps on the horizon, hurtle along a track
at 80mph on the Olympia Bob Run or catch
the breeze snowkiting on Lake Silvaplana.
Guests can get fit at Carlton Hotel St Moritz
with a customised training programme
designed by Matt Gleed, trainer to Formula
1 drivers and Hollywood stars. The
programme is based on his holistic approach
to working out — plus years of experience.
PLAY AROUND IN THE MOUNTAINS
St Moritz isn’t short of one-of-a-kind
activities. Soar above snow-encrusted
peaks while paragliding with a pro,
create fresh tracks through snow on a
guided torchlit hike or crack the ice of
Lake Sils winter fishing for your dinner.
Not enough? Explore the ice caves of
the Morteratsch Glacier or slide down
one of Europe’s longest illuminated
toboggan runs, from Preda to Bergün.
Book curated experiences at Carlton Hotel
St Moritz, such as carving ice sculptures or
renting an entire mountain for an evening.
GA P U OR G L E TO H N E G G U H C S T : S E G A M I
TUCK INTO NOURISHING CUISINE
St Moritz is known for its cheese-rich, meat-
heavy Alpine cuisine, but across the resort,
chefs are seriously upping their game in the
kitchen to give ski classics a more modern,
nutritious twist.
Dine at one of two restaurants at Carlton
Hotel St Moritz; Restaurant Romanoff or the
two-Michelin-star Da Vittorio. Chefs here
are working with renowned nutritionists to
 | PAI D C O N T E N T FOR TS C H U G G E N H O T E L G R O U P AG

introduce nutrient-rich, plant-based menus yoga and aromatherapy to special dinner

(with the option to add fish or meat). menus and bespoke pre-sleep rituals. MOVING
MOUNTAINS
GET SOME REST, ST MORITZ STYLE GIVE BACK FOR A GREENER FUTURE Perched above the lake
St Moritz was feted for its thermal waters Nature is one of St Moritz’s greatest assets, with views of mountains,
long before the skiers rocked up — indeed, and the municipality is working hard to Carlton Hotel St Moritz
the Romans praised their healing powers. keep it that way. Since 2004, St Moritz has been home to
Its spas still rank among Switzerland’s finest has held the Energiestadt (‘energy town’) five-star luxury in the
today and are well worth a visit. When you label, and it punches high when it comes Swiss Alps since 1913.
unplug, slow the pace and tune into nature to solar and hydropower. With e-cars, a Its Moving Mountains
— whether it’s walking in a forest blanketed solar-powered funicular zipping up to the programme offers guests
in snow, gazing up to a star-studded sky snowy slopes of Corviglia and a hiking trail one-of-a-kind, immersive
from an icy mountain summit or bathing in spotlighting clean energy, St Moritz treads experiences packaged
a mountain lake so cold it makes you gasp. incredibly lightly. under the five pillars of
With the help of the leading Holinik sleep The Tschuggen Hotel Group has been Move, Play, Nourish, Rest
centre, Carlton Hotel St Moritz has designed climate-neutral since 2019. It aims to give and Give. Inside, expect
a science-based sleep programme for its back by buying local and partnering with opulent lake-facing suites,
guests, featuring everything from evening local foundations to support artists. a three-floor spa and
the two-Michelin-star Da
Vittorio restaurant.
moving-mountains.ch
LEFT: The dramatic Engadine Valley READ MORE ONLINE AT
BELOW FROM LEFT: The stylish interior of Carlton Hotel St CARLTON-STMORITZ.CH
Moritz; hiking the slopes of the Swiss Alps under blue skies
WINTER SPORTS
IN THE KNOW
AVALANCHES
Snowboarder, three-time Freeride World Tour
champion and near-fatal avalanche survivor Xavier De
Le Rue tells us what he’s learnt about safety on the snow
As weather patterns become more
extreme, snow stability can be increasingly
unpredictable. Normal weather trends,
which lead to the snowpack behaving in
a certain way, are changing. Snowpack
safety is entirely related to the weather
— direction of wind, temperature, amount
of snowfall and so on — and last winter
was the pinnacle of unpredictability. It was
impossible to interpret or judge what would
happen with the snow, because it was acting
so strangely.
It’s hard to say if this is down to climate
change, but extreme and irregular weather
patterns are increasing.
You’re on your own in the mountains if
anything goes wrong. Since 2008, when I
was caught in an avalanche and had to be
resuscitated, I’ve been educating others on
mountain safety through various webinars
and my series How To XV on YouTube with
The North Face. However, when you’re there,
digging your way out, the feeling of being
overwhelmed is so strong.
I was first on the scene when a friend died
in my home resort of Verbier last season
48 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
(January 2021) and it felt really hard to act
in an effective way. Rescue (not always
guaranteed in the mountains) is likely to be at
least half an hour away and, believe me, that’s
a very long time. Until help arrives, you rely
on the people around you, but there’s only so
much they can do — and that’s assuming they
have experience and training and that the
elements allow them to act effectively.
Now, I’m not afraid to turn back and say
no. I’ve lived the consequences of being over-
confident and was lucky to survive. There’s
no such thing as zero risk in the mountains.
While you can minimise risk, it gets to a
certain point where you’re just guessing.
How quickly a great day turns bad can be a
split second: one tiny mistake (or bad luck).
The older you get as a freerider and
mountaineer, the more you realise how
unpredictable snowpack is. Year aſter
year, seeing things you thought wouldn’t
happen, actually means it gets easier to
make the decision to say no. And this isn’t
once a season, it’s every day. Around 50%
of the time, it’s a no-go or change of route.
Interview by Abigail Butcher.
FROM LEFT: Xavier De Le Rue
ski touring up a mountain;
essential avalanche gear,
which includes a probe,
shovel, transceiver and airbag
STAYING SAFE
IN THE SNOW
Avalanches can happen anywhere
in the mountains, but are far more
common away from the groomed
piste areas. Here are Xavier’s top
tips for off-piste safety.
NEVER GO OUT ON YOUR OWN:
Always take avalanche gear (probe,
shovel, transceiver and airbag) and
know how to use it. Make sure the
others you ride with know how to use
their kit, too, and constantly refresh
your training.
RIDE IN ANTICIPATION OF AN
AVALANCHE: Even if it’s unnecessary
and boring, develop a safe pattern
— ride one by one, plan your escape,
make stops in protected spots. One
day it will pay off.
DON’T STOP ON A WHIM: Ride from
safe spot to safe spot, and constantly
assess whether the snow has moved.
That takes years of experience and
local knowledge, so it’s always good
to travel with a guide.
A TINY BIT OF SNOW CAN PULL YOU
YMA LA ;YHPA RGOTOHP OPER ORET :SEGAMI
OFF YOUR FEET: Snow has so much
more power than you think — if it
starts to slide, your best chance is
to move to a safe spot as quickly as
you can. If you’re taken, release your
airbag, try to swim a little and make
some space around your mouth and
body while the avalanche comes to
a stop. Most avalanche deaths are
from crush injuries, not suffocation.
xavierdelerue.com
 | PA I D C O N T E NT FOR H O T E L A L P E N R U H E

On a
natural high
Big-mountain scenery, epic views and old-world
charm make the traffic-free Swiss resort of Spectacular Alpine scenery, Jungfrau
Wengen a first-class ski in, ski out destination BELOW: Hotel Alpenruhe

T he Jungfrau region is home to some of the most

famous peaks in the world, as well as gigantic
glaciers and spectacular Alpine scenery. It’s
Switzerland at its best, with quintessential
mountain villages, fast, efficient lift systems and
mouthwatering cheese fondues.
It’s also home to a favourite among nostalgic Brits looking
for old-world charm: Wengen. The only way to reach this
car-free resort is by a classic cog railway that chugs up
the mountainside like an oversized clockwork toy from
Lauterbrunnen. Once there, everything is within walking
distance. Beginner slopes are in the heart of the village
and the more advanced pistes are reached by a cable-car
to Männlichen, or the train, which climbs from Kleine
Scheidegg to the Jungfraujoch, the highest railroad station WENGEN: RESORT HIGHLIGHTS
in Europe, at 11,332ft above sea level.
The scenic train journey unveils epic views of the region’s STAY: Enjoy a relaxed SKI: Test yourself on the
trio of famous peaks (the Eiger, the Mönch and the Jungfrau) atmosphere and spectacular Lauberhorn downhill course
and passengers may even glimpse climbers scaling the views onto the Jungfrau — one the longest and
Eigers’s epic north face through the viewing window. range and Lauterbrunnen toughest on the World Cup
While most of the skiing in Wengen is on gentle blue and Valley from Hotel Alpenruhe. Ski circuit, where pros reach
red runs, there are several tough black pistes and more Expect a warm, friendly speeds of up to 100mph.
advanced skiers can find plenty of challenging runs at the welcome from hosts, Jana and Some runs — mostly black
neighbouring Jungfrau resorts of Grindelwald and Mürren. Andreas, and their team who — are open to the public
To reach the highest slopes in Wengen and Grindelwald, provide excellent service and offering views of the region’s
skiers can take the modern Eiger Express gondala which the finest attention to detail. famous peaks, the Eiger,
gives acess to the Eiger Glacier station in only 15 minutes. The interior of the 24-room Mönch and Jungfrau.
hotel is defined by peaceful
colours and stylish Swiss SEE: Take the Wengen-
20th-century design and each Männlichen cable car for
day begins with a superb breathtaking views at
breakfast using local produce. Royal Walk. Or explore
Children are welcome from Jungfraujoch to see the
the age of eight years old. Ice Palace, carved from the
+41 33 856 24 00; Aletsch Glacier, a UNESCO
alpenruhe-wengen.ch World Heritage site.
READ MORE ONLINE AT
JUNGFRAUREGION.SWISS
WINTER SPORTS

SKI TOURING

UNDER
YOUR
OWN
STEAM
With most resort liſts closed
last season, many avid skiers
took to the backcountry on
touring skis
WORDS: DAISY MADDINSON

I can feel the rise and fall of my chest quicken SKI TOURING
as sweat forms on my forehead. The sky has
already gone through its morning cycle of IN NUMBERS
48
Technicolor hues but the mountains are
still soſt around their edges as they wait for
the sun to breach Les Gets’ skyline. As our
legs settle into a steady rhythm, we revel in The total number of athletes (24 men
the simple joy that comes from ski touring. and 24 women) competing in
Traversing a final steep pitch, we’re almost ski mountaineering at the

summiting of one of my favourite winter
climbs in the Portes du Soleil; Mont Chéry.
How many times have I done this tour over
the years? I’ve lost count but its familiarity
never curbs the reward of slogging uphill for
views of Mont Blanc and Chamonix’s Aiguille
Rouges. Last year, however, the effort felt even
more rewarding. While Covid-19 disrupted
normal life everywhere else, our winter
season here in France took an unexpected
turn. With ski liſts closed, as they were in
most resorts, touring became our go-to way
to experience the peace and stillness of the
mountains. Already a keen ski tourer, I took
it in my stride. Sure, I missed the adrenaline
of looping the mountain via chairliſts, but
also welcomed every tour, viewing them as
a saviour from daily pandemic restrictions.
We were the lucky ones. But for many, winter
without liſt-assisted lines provided a daunting
opportunity; access the mountains by leg
power and at your own risk.
‘Earn your turns’ — the tourers’ maxim
— became the new-normal for mountain
5
2026 Winter Olympics
The number of ski mountaineering
Olympic events: sprints, individuals
(male and female) and mixed
600-900
gender relay
The estimated number of
calories burned per hour
while ski mountaineering
notable snowfall, plenty were venturing out working life is busier and more stressful
under their own steam. than ever, and people find balance, relief
Touring equipment sales were on the and satisfaction in the outdoors. I think ski
rise in the Alps, too. But with tourism on touring will keep growing in popularity.”
standby, the lack of visitors to the Chamonix Reaching the peak at Mont Chéry is
Valley provided an unexpected shiſt in the bittersweet. As ever with ski touring, we’ve
way Flo experienced the mountains around been totally present in our action, focusing
his home: “You could start at 10am and still step by step to Mont Chéry’s peak, taking in
ride untracked powder. No pressure on top our surroundings without the distractions
A E R /TENREP N A B L A : S E G A M I

town residents searching for their snow fix.
Flo Bastien, sports marketing manager at
Black Crows Skis, says he’s never seen so
many skiers getting out into the Chamonix
backcountry on their own. Since guiding
companies were unable to work and locals
were anxious to make the most of the winter’s
of your line and plenty of time to make the
safest possible decision about what to ski.
We rediscovered our backyard. We just
enjoyed it.” But what about when the liſts
start spinning again? Alex Weijnman, head of
avalanche safety at Mammut, is convinced the
sport will only continue to grow: “For many,
of modern life, instead, connecting to nature
with every movement. The air bites at our
cheeks as we make the last push to the
summit, where, instead of greeting a welcome
silence, there’s already a group of friends
talking excitedly and drinking coffee. I guess
we’d better get used to the company.

50 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
 WINTER SPORTS

OLYMPIC STANDARD FROM LEFT: A group of skiers

Ski mountaineering, the competitive version make their descent in the
Vanoise National Park, Val
of ski touring, joins the line-up at the 2026 d’Isère, France; ski touring in
Winter Olympics in Milan: the first sport Val Thorens, Savoie, France

added to the Games since snowboarding was

introduced at the 1998 Nagano Olympics.
But the sport has heritage: Patrouille des
Glaciers, held on a course between Zermatt
and Verbier and organised by the Swiss
military every two years since 1943, is among
the best-known ski mountaineering events.
WHERE TO DO IT
HAUTE MAURIENNE,
FRANCE
A six-day, seven-night all-
inclusive trip to the unspoilt
Maurienne Valley with a
mix of either day tours or
an overnight hut stay from
€1,590 (£1,360) with French
guiding outfit Upguides.
Flights, transfers and
equipment hire are extra.
Upguides also offers daily off-
piste/touring/splitboarding
group sessions from €95 (£82)
per person. upguides.com

ARGENTIÈRE, FRANCE
A six-day introduction to
ski touring with UCPA (the
French non-profit outdoors
sports organisation),
including seven nights’
full-board accommodation
(in shared rooms with
four people), ski touring
equipment hire, instruction
and guiding through the
week, lift passes and evening
entertainment from £895 per
person. Flights
and transfers are extra.
action-outdoors.co.uk

WHAT IS SKI TOURING? VAL MAIRA, FRANCE

Few skiers have failed to notice
the rising popularity of ski
touring in recent years — and
proliferation of the hashtag
#earnyourturns. By attaching
‘skins’ to the bases of your skis,
touring allows you to ‘walk’
uphill then ski down. Catching
on fast is splitboarding,
snowboarding’s version, with
boards that split in half for
uphill and then fasten back
together for the descent.
WHAT KIT DO I NEED?
Not much really — just
lightweight skis, touring
bindings, skins and a decent
level of fitness. Rental shops
increasingly stock touring kit.
You’ll also need lightweight
clothing that’s easy to move
in, with layers to take off as
you go up and use again for the
descent. Plus, an avalanche
safety kit for off-piste, and a
good level of experience.
WHERE CAN I DO IT?
Quite simply, anywhere with
snow and a hill. You can do
anything from ‘skinning’ uphill
on pistes for straight fitness to
exploring off-piste where lis
don’t run on multi-day hut-to-
hut ski tours. A lot of resorts
now have routes specially
reserved for ski touring in
order to keep uphill and
downhill skiers separate.
ABIGAIL BUTCHER
After a day’s warm-up
and avalanche training in
Chamonix, this trip offers
four days of ski touring for
beginners and intermediates
in the unspoilt Val Maira in
the Aosta Valley. Ideal for
beginners and skiers wanting
a relaxed day’s touring — but
you must be fit as there are
no lifts. From £1,395 per
person. Flights, transfers and
equipment hire are extra.
jagged-globe.co.uk

Winter Sports 2021/22 51

WINTER SPORTS

BEAUTY & THE BRUTALIST

FRANCE

France’s purpose-built ski

resorts aren’t the stuff pretty
postcards are made of, DON’T MISS
but these functional 1960s If you’re visiting
Flaine in winter, visit
concrete creations are finding its open-air art museum
a new generation of fans and join the free
architectural guided
tour. flaine.com
WORDS: ROB STEWART

Back in the 1960s, high above the valley

fl oors in the French Alps, a futuristic vision
for mountain holidays was born. Emerging
from a post-war and post-modernist era,
and driven by an avant-garde arts scene, the
construction of purpose-built ski resorts
took shape. A bold new world allowed
innovators to express themselves freely,
unshackled from the bounds of tradition.
Pioneers including ski racers,
entrepreneurs, architects and designers
had carte blanche to turn big dreams into
reality over the course of the 1960s and into
the 1970s, creating some of the Alps’ most
distinctive resorts. They’ve always divided
loyalties. For some decades considered the

22
‘ugly’ counterpoint to the classic chocolate
box Alpine chalet — something to sideline
in favour of new development — their
distinctive design is once again garnering
appreciation, and not a little nostalgia, for a
time when the future seemed like it was ours
to design.
Now protected, resorts such as Flaine,
Avoriaz, Les Menuires and Les Arcs hold
the prestigious ‘20th century heritage’
distinction, awarded by the French Ministry
of Culture, while continuing to evolve for
new generations of skiers.

FLAINE
FOR ART AFICIONADOS
Founded by art lovers Eric and Sylvie
Boissonnas during the 1960s and designed
by renowned Bauhaus architect Marcel
Breuer, Flaine is arguably the world’s best
example of brutalist ski resort design — the
thick, grey, concrete structures thrusting
out of the rock look surreally natural.
Function and design are key to the resort
and central to this is Picasso’s Tête de CLOCKWISE FROM
Femme, an enlarged version of a sculpture ABOVE: Marcel Breuer’s
created aſter a meeting between the resort Hotel La Flaine; covered
founders and the artist. Notable buildings balconies in Les Arcs;
include the ecumenical chapel (1973) and the the imposing residence
Hotel Le Flaine (1968). ‘Brelin’ in Les Menuires

52 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel

LES ARCS
THE LIVING MUSEUM
Les Arcs is a collection of satellite ski
stations located at various altitudes and
named according to their height in metres:
Arc 1600, Arc 1800, Arc 1950 and Arc 2000.
Local mountain guide Robert Blanc teamed
up with developer Roger Godino to create a
resort that made use of local materials that
naturally integrated with the surrounding
landscape. Charlotte Perriand was brought
in to lead the design team. The concept
was a new style of living, one that focused
on the outdoors and Perriand was tasked
with ‘creating an architectural utopia in
untouched Alpine terrain’.
LES MENUIRES
A POST-MODERN PURIST
Located in Les Trois Vallées, with lis
connecting to Val Thorens, Meribel and
YMALA ;Y TTEG ;OSSAMLAD.M -ENIA LFTO :SEGAMI
Courchevel, it’s fair to say that Les Menuires
retains its 1970s architecture and post-
modern design more than any other resort
in France. The centrepiece is the residence
‘Brelin’, built in 1972 in the style of a ship
anchored to the slopes. Originally created
to offer more affordable holidays to French
visitors that didn’t care much for spacious
accommodation, but wanted convenience
and value, the resort has been harshly
criticised by some over the years for its
severe style, but its fans remain loyal.
AVORIAZ
SKI IN, SKI OUT MADE SIMPLE
Legendary French Olympic skier Jean
Vuarnet finally realised his dream in 1966,
when the car-free resort of Avoriaz was
born. Working alongside fellow young
entrepreneurs, architect Jacques Labro and
developer Gérard Brémond, Vuarnet founded
a resort that blended wooden buildings with
the surrounding terrain. Free from regular
geometrical shapes, it was influenced heavily
by the organic architectural movement,
in the tradition of Frank Lloyd Wright.
Weaving the design of the ski slopes with the
buildings meant visitors could step out of
the door and onto skis wherever they stayed.
WINTER SPORTS
DID YOU KNOW?
Les Arcs has been the
location for several
films, including
Slalom (2020), Force
Majeure (2014) and
Plan Z (2016). But in
1983, a film credited as
starting the
snowboarding
movement in Europe,
Apocalypse Snow, saw
crazed monoskiers
chasing heroic
snowboarders through
deep powder snow. It’s
now a cult classic.
CHARLOTTE PERRIAND
DESIGN VISIONARY
Recognised as one of the most
important figures in 20th century
design, Parisian Perriand grabbed
her chance to lead the major
ski resort project of Les Arcs.
From 1967 to 1982, she worked
in the Tarentaise region of the
French Alps, an area she was
particularly passionate about,
focusing on minimalist design.
Her buildings, clustered together,
looked outwards to create the
feeling of natural open space,
Perriand built Les Arcs following
her own humanist principles,
with functionality for the user
being at the forefront of the
design process. This included
minimising the need for women
to spend time on basic tasks
such as cooking and cleaning
— then revolutionary concepts.
Bathroom cubicles were built
as single blocks, kitchens were
uniquely open plan and all
the furniture was designed by
Perriand herself. The recent
retrospective at London’s Design
Museum celebrated her life and
work, from her unique creative
process to her collaborative
designs with Le Corbusier.
designmuseum.org/exhibitions/
charlotte-perriand-the-modern-life
Winter Sports 2021/22 53
| PA I D C O N T E N T F O R Z I L L E R TA L
ZILLERTAL
A winter wonderland
for all the family
Zillertal, in Austria’s Tyrol region, is the ideal destination for a
winter break for the whole family. Here’s why
H eading to the mountains will
feel better than ever this winter.
The air will feel crisper, the
whites whiter and the sight
of the peaks spearing towards cobalt blue
skies will make you feel truly alive. Zillertal,
in Austria’s Tyrol region, is the place to get
back into winter travel and it’s great for
bringing your brood along, too. Loomed over
by 10,000ft peaks, this scenic, snow-dusted
valley runs for more than 30 miles, and is
the centre of four ski areas, stretching into
the mountains for 336 miles. The best news?
All you need is one ticket — the Zillertal
Superskipass — and you’ll get access to all
four resorts. All this, plus sledging, spas and
an enviable sustainable food scene awaits in
this outdoor adventure playground.
HIT THE SLOPES
Zillertal has a reputation as a family
favourite, much of which stems from its
excellent ski schools, where youngsters
learn the basics amid fairytale scenery.
If you have little ones in tow, look to the
mellow slopes at Hochzillertal-Spieljoch,
where children can hone their ski legs and
make use of the conveyor-belt lift.
Up in the higher echelons of Hochfügen,
powder-hunting freeriders can instead
escape into a white wilderness, with cable
cars taking them up to the perfect starting
points. For parents, meanwhile, there are a
host of magical spots to seek out. Chief among
them, pitched on the fringes of the valley, is
the Hintertux Glacier, a vast network of pistes
that includes the Gefrorene Wand (Frozen
Wall) — pause at the top for spectacular
panoramic views. Given its position, among
a complex web of pisted runs, experienced
skiers can choose to take on the ultimate
challenge: almost 40 miles of skiing in one
day on the magnificent Glacier Circuit.
The resort of Mayrhofen is also great for
expert skiers. Here, at the tip of Penken
Mountain, adrenaline-seekers gather to gaze R E K C OL K M O T ; E S L I N I V E K ; R R E H N E O H C S E R D N A ; N N A H O J H P O T S I R H C : S E G A M I
at panoramic views before speeding down
the infamous Harakiri piste — the steepest
ski run in Austria with a gradient of 78%
— or around the freestyling hub of Penken
Park. Sitting close by is the Ahorn area, a
fabulous spot for family runs with its wide,
gentle slopes. The Albert Adler tour has been
designed for all levels, where mascot Albert
Adler cheers on skiers both big and small as
they navigate around obstacles.
Finally, there’s the Zillertal Arena, a
vast area spanning two Austrian provinces
and several mountains. Here, easy runs ABOVE: Funlines (seperate pistes)
entice children and snow parks are ideal for for youngsters — and those young at
youngsters having a go at snowboarding. heart — await in Zillertal
If you have time for a solo session, try the CLOCKWISE FROM FAR RIGHT:
head-spinning HöhenFresser Tour (Vertical Zillertal is a great destination for the
whole family; mountain huts dish up
Metre Eater), starting at the highest point of Kaiserschmarrn (Emperor’s Mess),
the resort, the Übergangsjoch, and skiing a shredded pancake; a youngster
some 3,2810ft down to the valley floor. having fun on the slopes
 | PA I D C O N T E N T F O R Z I L L E R TA L

MORE FOR THE FAMILY are saunas, pummelling massages in hot

Zillertal may be made for skiers, yet there’s tubs and the chance to relax on day beds
IN NUMBERS so much more to do in the region. Even in sipping hot teas. And then there’s a food
365
days of skiing a year
winter, rosy-cheeked walkers strike out
into the mountains for meditative hikes
on more than 285 miles of winter hiking
scene to rival that of any other ski resort,
from tucked-away Tyrolean restaurants to
the collection of sustainably-led mountain
336
miles of pistes
trails, stopping to gaze at deer or snow
hares emerging from their hideouts before
continuing on to summits, where warming
huts, like the recently reconstructed
Wiesenalm, run on renewable energy.

80
mountain huts
lunches in mountain huts await. Hardy kids
can try cross-country skiing, too, along the
77-mile network of trails. For speedier thrills,
The closest airports to the valley are Innsbruck
(30 miles), Munich (100 miles) and Salzburg (90
miles), where you can pick up a rental car or travel
25
ski schools
there are also toboggan runs, 20 miles of
which are illuminated after nightfall —
including the run at the Höllensteinhütte
to Zillertal via public transport. Accommodation
options range from grand dame spa hotels to
chalets. And don’t forget you’ll need the Zillertal
14
toboggan runs
mountain hut, which is also known for
its culinary offerings. And then there’s
ice skating on nine ice rinks, ice climbing
Superskipass — an all-access passport to each of
Zillertal’s four main ski areas for anywhere from
two to 21 days. T: 00 43 5288 87187 zillertal.at/en
9
gourmet restaurants
with expert guides and paragliding above
Zillertal’s great expanse of silent wilderness.
MORE FOR THE ADULTS
Child-free time can be spent skiing, but
Zillertal also has a wonderful spa scene,
all with serene interiors and extensive
treatment menus. Popular options range READ MORE ONLINE AT
from the Mayrhofen Erlebnisbad adventure ZILLERTAL.AT/EN
pool to the Erlebnistherme Fügen thermal
bath, plus, of course, several hotels. There
WINTER SPORTS

INSIDE TRACK

WHERE TO TACKLE
LA GRAVE
FRANCE

THE PEAKS LIKE A PRO

WHY: Apart from three easy
blue pistes, La Grave offers
nothing other than challenging,
ungroomed, natural terrain.
Lying beneath the peak of
13,000ſt La Meije, and accessed
From British Columbia to Georgia, we bring you the expert’s by a slow old gondola, La Grave
guide to the world’s most challenging winter sports terrain has 7,550ſt of relentlessly steep
vertical, varying from hazardous
WORDS: ALF ALDERSON crevasses such as Les Triffides
and Y Couloir to glaciers and
forests — none of which
are groomed or controlled
for avalanches.
Swedish ski guide Pelle Lange
has lived and skied here since
1989 and reckons that “skiing
terrain like this regularly, it’s
pretty hard not to have the
occasional close call.” One for
experienced skiers only.
WHO: American professional
extreme skier Doug Coombs
moved to La Grave for the
challenging terrain; tragically,
he died in 2006 in a fall at the
Couloir de Polichinelle while
trying to rescue a friend.
la-grave.com

Skiing and snowboarding have changed

enormously in recent years. Once, most
people were content zooming around on
groomed slopes with perhaps the occasional
foray off-piste, but today an ever-increasing
number of riders are looking to challenge
themselves with steeper terrain and deeper,
ungroomed snow. This is largely a result
of improved equipment, from wide skis to
avalanche airbags, along with the influence
of high-profile events like the Freeride World
Tour. Add to that the opening up of such
wild, outsider locations as Georgia, Iceland
and Siberia to winter sports-lovers, and it’s a
trend that’s only set to grow.
Y T T E G :SEGAM I

So, where’s the most challenging riding to

be found? Here are a few of the resorts that
the experts love…

56 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
 WINTER SPORTS

VERBIER
SWITZERLAND
WHY: The Freeride World Tour
concludes every year in Verbier,
which tells you all you need
to know about how testing
the slopes are here. You don’t
even need to venture off-piste
to challenge yourself either —
try the long, steep Mont-Fort
mogul field, for instance, or
head further out with one of the
exciting ‘itinéraires’, marked
but unmaintained and
ungroomed runs.
Add to this the high mountain
feel of the upper slopes and the
incredible panoramas, which
take in Mont Blanc and the
Matterhorn among other 13,000
peaks, and you have one of
the world’s most iconic — and
challenging — ski resorts.
WHO: The list of those who ski
Verbier is endless, from royalty
and movie stars to Freeride
World Tour champions such as
Xavier De Le Rue (who also, as
it happens, lives here), Arianna
Tricomi and Kristofer Turdell.
seeverbier.com

TETNULDI CHAMONIX RED MOUNTAIN

GEORGIA
WHY: Only accessible via a
nine-hour journey in a four-
wheel-drive vehicle or on a
rather bumpy light aircra flight,
Tetnuldi and its handful of ski
lis hunker in the shadow of
15,938 Mount Tetnuldi, one of
four peaks in the region higher
than Mont Blanc.
Ski presenter Rob Stewart
describes the skiing here as
“For the adventurous — just
getting here is something of a
mission, but it’s well worth the
effort.” He’s right; if deep powder
and non-existent li queues are
what you’re looking for, this is
the place to be.
WHO: The Georgian ski scene
is in its infancy and has yet
to nurture any high-profile
skiers, but Salomon-sponsored
freeriders Stan Rey and Josh
Daiek recently visited the area
and scored the kind of ‘pow’
(powder snow) it’s famous for.
powderhounds.com
FRANCE
WHY: For well over a century,
Chamonix has been laying down
the gauntlet for the world’s best
skiers, and it still draws those
who want to prove themselves on
the slopes. The skiing is spread
out across four distinct ski areas,
with the most challenging and
spectacular being the glaciated
slopes of Grands Montets. And
then there’s the Mer de Glace, an
amazing, 12-mile-plus off-piste
run from the top of 12,599
Aiguille du Midi all the way
to Chamonix (in good snow
conditions). Strong intermediates
can tackle this, while the experts
will be sliding down 40-degree-
plus slopes such as the Couloir
du Dru and Rectiligne.
WHO: Brothers Jean-Baptiste
and Jonathan Charlet are fih-
generation Chamonix alpinists
and world-class snowboarders
who regularly ride the area’s
steepest lines with grace
and panache.
CANADA
WHY: Despite its hometown
feel, Red Mountain in British
Columbia has one of North
America’s biggest ski areas. Tree
skiing is a particular draw, along
with the cliffs and powder.
It takes a special kind of skier
to leap off a cliff in the middle
of a forest, but if that’s not quite
your thing, there are plenty of
less hairy runs — in particular,
you can test yourself on the
steep black diamond Links Line
underneath the Motherlode
Chair. Nail it or get it badly
wrong — either way, you’re sure
to get plenty of whoops and
hollers from the folks on the
chair above.
WHO: Former World Champion
and Olympic gold medallist
Nancy Greene, big mountain
charger Dane Tudor and world-
class freeskier Leah Evans are FROM LEFT: Off-piste
just three of the big names in La Grave, France; the
who grew up skiing ‘Red’. challenging upper slopes
redresort.com of Verbier, Switzerland

Winter Sports 2021/22 57

| PA I D C O N T E NT FOR NORWAY HOME OF S K I I N G

Beyond the slopes

Winter adventures
in Norway
With its snow-capped mountains and powder-bound slopes,
Norway is the ultimate skiing destination. Yet in the silent blues
and whites of winter, consider an alternative off-piste adventure

W hether off-piste, downhill

or cross-country, the skiing
in Norway is sensational,
with guaranteed powder,
few crowds and one of Europe’s longest ski
seasons, running from October to May.
But you’ll need to slip away from the slopes
for the full Narnia effect. Whether that’s
padding through forests in snowshoes while
marvelling at the profound silence; tearing
across a ord on a rigid inflatable boat safari;
or gliding through the pearl-white snow
on a sleigh pulled by yelping, run-hungry
huskies — the winter adventures in Norway
are aplenty.
CHASE ARCTIC WONDERS IN NARVIK
“It’s the greatest show on the planet,”
says Narvik-based photographer Michael
Ulriksen on the Northern Lights in Arctic
Norway. “I often head up to a mountaintop
for broad views of the horizon — a well
thought-out foreground shows off the
Northern Lights at their best.”
Seeing them for the first time can be
unnerving: suddenly the sky shifts in mind-
bending ways, with wizard-wand flashes
of green and, if you’re lucky, pink, red and
violet. They’re best seen from September to
April in areas of minimal light pollution,
and often peak around midnight. Narvik, in
northern Norway, is one of the best locations
to watch their otherworldly dance and local
apps, forecasts and hotel ‘aurora alarms’ will
keep you in the loop.
ENJOY A HUSKY SAFARI IN GEILO
“When you drive a husky team, all you see is
wagging tales on the white horizon and all
you hear is paws on crystal snow. Who knew
that the biting winter cold and total absence
of sound could give such a warm sense of
happiness?” says Sissel Wolf Mølmen from
Geilo Husky AS.
Steering a pack through the frozen
wilderness, led only by the bright stars
above your head, is almost like flying
— it’s intuitive, weightless, free. The
 | PA I D C O N T E NT FOR NORWAY HOME OF S K I I N G

Arctic is dog-sledding central, but Geilo, in

Norway’s south, is every bit as magical: from
the mountain-rimmed Ustedals ord to
the glistening white expanse of the remote
Hardangervidda Plateau.
TAKE THE SCENIC BERGEN RAILWAY
TO VOSS
Few railway journeys in Europe thrill like
the line from Oslo to Bergen. “Catch the train
on a bright day and the reflection of sunlight
in the snow lights up the landscape,” says
Rebecca Horten, train conductor on the
Bergen Line. “My favourite view is the
midway point around Stanghelle station,
where the majestic mountains are so close
you feel you could almost touch them.”
This staggering turn-of-the-century
engineering marvel winds through 200
tunnels, 300 bridges and takes a deep
dive into some of the wildest, most starkly
isolated alpine terrain, which wows
passengers with its wild reindeer sightings
and thread-vein tracks left by ski tourers.
But don’t stop there. Clasped between
mountains and ords, Bergen is the starting
point for the equally scenic line northeast to
Voss, a great place to enjoy a spot of skiing on
some of Norway’s finest slopes.
EXPLORE THE FJORDS IN THEIR
WINTER COAT IN MYRKDALEN
“I love to go deep into the mountains to find
untracked paths and enjoy the silence among
breathtaking nature,” says Norwegian
freestyle skier Klaus Finne. “Snowshoeing
through the ords is a terrific way to escape
the crowds and if you venture out at night,
you might even see the Northern Lights.”
Summer cruises seem to get all the
attention, but to really experience the
Vestland region’s ords at their silent, snow-
dusted best — visit in winter. For drama,
cruise Nærøyord, Norway’s narrowest
 ord only 35 minutes from the resort of
Myrkdalen, where mountains rise sheer and
rugged above inky waters. Or ramp up the
adventure on a rigid inflatable boat safari
across Aurlandsord, relishing fleeting
glimpses of its frozen, monochrome majesty.
For the inside scoop on where to ski in Norway, visit
norwayhomeofskiing.com
Y M A L A ; L WA ;Y T T E G : S E G A M I

A mountain hut on the

Hardangervidda Plateau
ABOVE FROM TOP: Dog-sledding
huskies; winter camping under the
Northern Lights in the Lyngen Alps
LEFT FROM TOP: Mountain huts on
the Hardangervidda Plateau; a couple
READ MORE ONLINE AT huddling by a fire in the Norwegian
NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.CO.UK/ wilderness, Voss
TRAVEL
 In the heart of Meribel,
Le Kaïla is a 5-star hotel in
the French Alps.
The bespoke, high-end
luxury. Le Kaïla hotel waits
to welcome you
this winter.
43 rooms and suites,
a ski-in ski-out acces.
The only Michelin
Restaurant in
Meribel : L’Ekrin*
by Laurent Azoulay.
And for relaxing moment,
enjoy the NUXE spa with
its stunning daylight
swimming pool.
www.lekaila.com

La Chaudanne,
a 4-star hotel, is the ideal
setting for wonderful
moments of fun, a
playground where
you can satisfy all
your wishes from
December to April.
64 rooms and suites, just
next to the slopes.
The festive Brasserie
Le 80 welcomes you
from breakfast to diner.
After a long day outside,
take some time for
yourself in the daylight
swimming-pool.
www.chaudanne.com

PEAK
PAMPERING
WORDS: JULIA BUCKLEY
BEST FOR LOVEBIRDS
HOTEL STÖRES: ITALY
Hotel Störes is ideally placed, right by Alta
Badia’s Piz Sorega cable-car in the San
Cassiano ski region. However, there’s more
to it than its location. Take in the snowy
scenery from the indoor-outdoor pool and
choose from spa treatments based on local
Ladin traditions using whey, herbs and
arnica. Hay baths are novel but you’ll also
fi nd hot stone and lomi lomi massages, and
ayurvedic treatments such as the ultra-
relaxing shirodhara, in which oil is poured
continuously onto your forehead. There are
There’s more to the Alps than the pistes and partying; they’re
home to some of the world’s best spas, too. From romantic
retreats to medispas and wellness centres, here’s our pick
great couples and family treatments, too.
Doubles from €190 (£161), half-board (plus
aſternoon tea). hotelstores.it
WINTER SPORTS
24
BEST FOR SERIOUS SPA-LOVERS
IGLS MAYR CLINIC: AUSTRIA
For a full-on health reboot, try this spot
in the cutesy village-resort of Igls above
Innsbruck, just below Patscherkofel, a three-
time Winter Olympic venue. Beyond the
cosy, modern rooms at Park Igls, a world-
class medical spa follows the Mayr Method
(where you chew your food 40 times — it’s
all about the gut). Meals are as hardcore or
gourmet as you like, and treatments range
from lymphatic drainage to acupuncture and
connective tissue massage. There are also a
raſt of free fitness activities indoors, as well
BEST FOR BEAUTY BUFFS
HOTEL MARMOTTE: FRANCE
Sitting at the foot of the slopes, in the middle
of Les Gets, this little hotel packs a big punch
with its much-lauded spa. Here in a vintage
wooden chalet is French wellness at its
best: ‘gommages’ (scrubs), hydrotherapy and
‘liſting’ facials are on offer, using respected
brands such as Decléor and Thalgo. If you’ve
been hankering aſter long-haul during the
pandemic, the ‘voyages’ packages — themed
around places including Bora Bora, the Arctic
and the Atlantic Ocean — will take you there.
The wood-clad, glass-surrounded pool allows
as cross-country around the property. you to swim with a view of the snow, too.
Doubles from €315 (£269), B&B (must be Doubles from €294 (£250), half-board.
booked with a programme). park-igls.at hotel-marmotte.com
Winter Sports 2021/22 61
WINTER SPORTS

BEST FOR DESIGN GURUS

FORESTIS: ITALY
You can thank the Celts for this haven, which
sits halfway up the Plose massif near Brixen
and faces the peaks of the Dolomites. The
Celts’ (supposed) love of forests and sylvan
glades has informed Forestis, based in an old
sanatorium with three startlingly modern
tower blocks offering sublime mountain
views. Trees such as pine, spruce and larch
are the lodestones of the spa: massages use
their essential oils and even wood as tools to
hit acupuncture points or smooth skin with
rolling-pin precision, while tree-scented
towels are whirled at you to a Celtic rock
soundtrack during daring sauna rituals.
Stretch the limbs with a spot of Wyda, a
sort of Celtic version of yoga, then take the
ski in, ski out door to the chairlis, which
whisk you up to the top of the Plose.
Doubles from €660 (£562), half-board.
forestis.it

BEST FOR WELLNESS WARRIORS

TSCHUGGEN GRAND
HOTEL: SWITZERLAND
You can reach the slopes of Arosa in just four
minutes on the Tschuggen Express — the
hotel’s private funicular ski li — and you can
get back just as quickly to be rejuvenated in
the 5,000sq  spa, which is arranged over four
floors in a clutch of buildings with sail-shaped
windows wedged into the mountainside.
The post-pandemic ‘Moving Mountains’
programme aims to get guests communing
with nature, bringing the outside in with salt
inhalation and employing unusual essential
oils such as juniper and fennel. Other
treatments use products from The Organic
Pharmacy, plus there’s a ginger and sea salt
G N I L O M X E L A :EGAM I

bath to soothe worn muscles and a special

‘skier massage’ that focuses on the legs. The
spa also has a series of pools, perfect for a
post-treatment dip, and saunas. Doubles from
€585 (£498), B&B. tschuggen.ch

62 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
 Switzerland’s
first CBD Spa takes
relaxation to the next level

360 km of ski slopes

One minute away from the ski lift

SchlossHotel is set in the iconic alpine village of Zermatt,

at the foot of the Matterhorn. Home to Switzerland’s first
CBD spa, every guest has the opportunity to unwind and
feel like they’re on cloud nine.
schlosshotelzermatt.ch
The CBD derived from the cannabis plant used in our spa is safe, does not contain more than 0.2 %THC, and does not produce the effect of any drug or intoxicating substance.
At SchlossHotel, CBD products are not medical products and are not used for medical purposes. There is no promise of efficacy.
 WINTER SPORTS

ONE FOR ALL! If you’re heading to the mountains with a group of mixed-
ability skiers, boarders or non-skiers, these all-rounder
resorts offer fun for everyone
WORDS: ALF ALDERSON

Livigno, Italy Cortina D’ampezzo, Italy Murren, Switzerland

BEST FOR GOODVALUE FREERIDING
Livigno champions the freeride phenomenon
in a big way, making it as easy as possible for
visitors to safely access the plentiful off-piste
terrain above the resort. This has involved
opening up a large freeride area on the
back of the Mottolino pistes and providing
information on snow conditions, avalanche
risk, snow safety and use of safety equipment.
A detailed daily analysis of snow data
is emailed to hundreds of local outlets,
including ski shops and hotels, and is even
broadcast on TV screens on the free local ski
buses. There’s also information all over the
liſt stations and slopes on where and how to
safely ski off-piste.
Add to that the region’s tax-free status
and you can enjoy a great-value freeride ski
holiday on Livigno’s plentiful slopes.
livigno.eu
BEST FOR BEAUTY
Describing the Dolomite Mountains, among
which Cortina is set, as the most beautiful
on the planet may be a big claim, but once
seen in the glow of the evening sun, you’ll
never forget them. And yet many visitors
don’t come here so much to ski as to be
seen — dressed up to the nines in the latest
ski wear at a fancy mountain restaurant or
strolling the piazza of an evening in furs
and make-up. There’s always great people-
watching to be had either on or off the pistes.
For keen skiers, this see-and-be-seen
culture has its advantages: you’ll rarely find
the more challenging slopes too busy, and
even the easier pistes and typically busy liſts
can be very sparsely occupied at lunchtime,
when the beautiful people are busy being
gorgeous together, usually over a very long
lunch. dolomiti.org
BEST FOR NONSKIERS
Mürren is what people picture when they
think of a Swiss mountain resort: a pretty,
car-free village steeped in skiing tradition,
surrounded by spectacular scenery. There’s
plenty for non-skiers, too, including a pool,
ice rink, walking and snowshoe trails and a
toboggan run. The views from the village are
absolutely staggering — look across the deep
valley beneath Mürren and you’ll see the
mighty triptych peaks of Eiger, Mönch and
Jungfrau. Alternatively, ride the cable-car to
the summit of the 9,744ſt Schilthorn.
Serious skiers might want to take on the
infamous ‘Inferno Downhill’, held every
January: it’s the longest amateur downhill
race in the world, with almost 2,000
competitors starting at 12-second intervals
throughout the day. Just don’t stop to gawk at
the scenery on the way down. murren.ch

64 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel

CLOCKWISE FROM Jasná, Slovakia
ABOVE: Revelstoke, BEST FOR BUDGET SKIERS
British Columbia, From the top of Jasná’s high point (6,640
Canada; Les Arcs, France; Mount Chopok), you can look down on the
Jasná, Slovakia
largest ski resort in Central Europe. While
it can readily compete with the small- to
medium-sized resorts of the Alps and North
America in terms of ski area — vertical drop
and snow quality — a stay in Jasná comes at
a considerably cheaper price.
With a well-balanced mix of beginner,
intermediate and advanced pistes, along with
some excellent freeride terrain, whatever your
level you’ll undoubtedly enjoy Jasná‘s slopes
(not to mention taking a budget-friendly
break at one of the restaurants en route).
Li passes and accommodation won’t
Y M A L A :SEGAM I
break the bank either and, along with the
good-value skiing, there’s also a great vibe,
with the locals keen to show visitors their
mountain. jasna.sk
WINTER SPORTS
Revelstoke, British Columbia
BEST FOR VARIED SKIING
Revelstoke has the biggest ‘vert’ (vertical
drop) in North America. Set at 5,620, it
offers li-, cat- and heliski-accessed skiing
and has an impressive annual average
snowfall of 35 — although its record annual
snowfall is a mighty 78.
In a nutshell, it’s superbly varied. There’s
a wide range of pistes, alpine bowls and tree
skiing, with the latter coming in useful on
the frequent snowy days when visibility is
limited. Tree runs have been designed to be
accessible whatever your ability, including
easy green runs that snake gently down the
mountain between the firs.
Another bonus? Both cat and heliski
trips can be booked for a single day, so you
don’t have to make the kind of financial
commitment required of a multi-day heliski
trip. revelstoke-mountainresort.com
Winter Sports 2021/22 65
WINTER SPORTS
GO POLAR
Small is more sust
for responsible travel to the Ar
WORDS: KERRY WALKER
Micro-managing does pay off — at least
when it comes to polar expeditions.
According to Andy Marsh, co-founder of
Secret Atlas, smaller craſt offer a lower-
impact alternative to large, fuel-guzzling
cruise ships, and a richer, more intimate
experience, getting to the places that big
vessels carrying 300 passengers simply
can’t reach. They can enter shallow bays and
get closer to glaciers, penguins and polar
bears. They’re more flexible, too: able to
spontaneously change itineraries according
to conditions. And they aren’t necessarily
more expensive, either.
It’s a trend that’s gathering pace, and
Secret Atlas is taking environmentally
conscious polar travel to a new level, with
purpose-built vessels typically taking just
12 guests and two expedition leaders. The
company’s daily Zodiac shore landings
observe but never intrude on wildlife; these
leave-no-trace trips are carbon-offset and
66 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
respectful of the fragile environment,
wildlife and precious resources at the poles.
Travel to such a pristine environment
is ethically controversial, but the smaller
expedition model perhaps offers a viable
solution. Immersive micro cruises include
an 11-day photo tour of wild northwest
Greenland, taking in cathedral-sized icebergs
and wildlife like humpback whales, seals
and musk oxen. In 2022, the company is
set to launch a new fly-cruise expedition
to Antarctica; in 2024, there’ll be a 14-day
wildlife and photography expedition to South
Georgia, with a stop at St Andrew’s Bay, where
some 100,000 king penguins roost.
“There’s a trend towards people wanting
more authentic, meaningful travel
experiences, and micro cruises fit in well
with that,” opines Andy. “Post-pandemic,
there’s also been an uptake of people wishing
to travel in a small group rather than on a
large ship.” secretatlastravel.com
POLE STARS:
THREE MORE
TO TRY…
GREENLAND
Arctic Wildlife runs a 10-day
micro expedition cruise
to remote, thrillingly wild
East Greenland, with space
for just 12 guests, and
experienced guides and
photographers on board.
The ship navigates its way
through colossal icebergs
and the world’s biggest fjord
network in the gold-pink light
of late summer, with chances
to glimpse whales, seals,
musk ox, Arctic foxes and
snow hares.
arcticwildlifetours.com
ANTARCTICA
Breaching humpbacks,
glaciers, icebergs and
penguin welcome
committees await on the
small-ship micro expeditions
to Antarctica with G
Adventures. On the 11-day,
Ushuaia-to-Ushuaia classic,
you can tag on a night ashore
camping or go kayaking
for up-close-and-personal
wildlife encounters. Lectures,
Zodiac excursions, meals and
expedition gear are included.
gadventures.com
CANADA
The vast white wilderness
of the Canadian Arctic can
be explored on Responsible
Travel’s small-ship expedition
cruises, which include a
12-day journey through
the Northwest Passage,
beginning and ending in
Resolute. Navigating bays,
inlets and channels, and
taking in cliffs, mummified
forests and remarkable
I N A I T S I R HC YRRE K :EGAM I
glacier formations, there’s
the chance to sight wondrous
wildlife, from polar bears to
whales, seals, walrus, musk
ox and even the elusive Arctic
wolf. responsibletravel.com
Live the high life at the Schweizerhof Saas-Fee
50 luxurious rooms,
fine dining with head chef Stefan Kläy
and access to our 1000sqm Spa.
Book now!

www.schweizerhof-saasfee.ch | Saas-Fee | Switzerland

| PA I D C O N T E N T F O R L E S A RC S

Tracks
MAKING

A long-time favourite with British skiers and boarders,

Les Arcs — Bourg Saint Maurice has lots to shout about this season

F ifty years ago, Les Arcs became

famous as one of Europe’s first
car-free resorts, designed for
convenience with ski in, ski out
accommodation and everything within
easy walking distance. Today, its forward-
thinking reputation continues with new
sustainable lifts and attractions that form
BEST FOR… ADRENALINE JUNKIES
Hit breakneck speeds of up to 80mph and
soak up sweeping views on the resort’s new
one-mile zip-line, the biggest attraction
to open this winter. Accessible to non-
skiers (€50 [£43]), it’s free to multi-activity
Premium Pass holders and just €25 (£21) to
those with an Essential Pass.
part of a plan to reach carbon neutrality by
2040. Linked to La Plagne and part of the BEST FOR… BEGINNERS & NON-SKIERS
enormous 264-mile Paradiski area, Les Arcs The new super-speedy Vallandry gondola,
— Bourg Saint Maurice offers varied and whisks visitors to a stunning new panoramic
snowsure slopes with endless possibilities terrace and relaxation area at 8,858ft in just
for every level of skier. seven minutes. Accessible to non-skiers, the
views alone make this an Instagram must,
BEST FOR… ECO-CONSCIOUS SKIERS but be sure to sample the food at the organic
Eco-friendly visitors can reach the resort cafe. Nearby is a new step-by-step learning
by direct Eurostar train from London to area for beginners with a dedicated drag lift.
Bourg Saint Maurice, transferring to Les
Arcs 1600 via a seven-minute funicular ride. BEST FOR… NATURE LOVERS FROM TOP: Les Arcs offers snowsure slopes
Les Arcs has recently been awarded Flocon Discover more about the resort’s biodiversity for every level of skier; the resort is famous
Vert (Green Snowflake) certification for its at the new free Mountain Animal Museum in for its 20th-century architecture
environmentally responsible practices. the Peisey Vallandry area, created alongside
the Vanoise National Park. To appreciate
BEST FOR… SERIOUS SKIERS the wingspan of the bearded vulture, an
Challenge yourself on one of Europe’s endangered bird of prey reintroduced to the
longest and most scenic runs spanning area, stop at the Aiguille Rouge 360-degree
4.5 miles from the summit of the Aiguille viewpoint where there is a life-size mural.
Rouge at 10,584ft to the village of Villaroger
ICREM ERA EW :SEGAMI

at 3,937ft. The testing run begins as a black BEST FOR… SOMETHING DIFFERENT
piste but thankfully switches to a red as legs Sip cocktails with DJs, live musicians,
begin to burn. Stop to admire the views and acrobatics and cabaret at the famed Folie
catch your breath on the way down — there’s Douce or chill out at the ice bar in the giant READ MORE ONLINE AT
a timed ski speed test on the lower slope, Igloo Village. To ski at moonlight book The LESARCS.COM
open to the public on certain days. Family Lantern Descent on Thursdays.
 WINTER SPORTS

HOT TOPIC

POLE POSITION?
With the Arctic warming three times faster than the rest of the planet, can travel to the region
ever be sustainable? Select tours to Svalbard suggest small group trips may be a force for good
WORDS: KERRY WALKER

At 78 degrees north of the Arctic Circle, exploitation is rising as its ice recedes. environmental message, encouraging people
Svalbard is the final frontier before the North But tourism can offer a disincentive to to stand up and protect the Arctic,” he says.
Pole, some 650 miles of pack ice away. The threats like mining,” says Justin Francis,
archipelago is raw, elemental and brutally founder and CEO of Responsible Travel, Sustainable Svalbard
beautiful. By nature, it invites adventure: which offers small-ship, environmentally According to Sustainable Tourism Svalbard
hiking, kayaking, camping, ski touring, dog sound, wildlife-focused cruises around project manager Sara Borchgrevink Madsen,
sledding and snowmobiling. Go in search Svalbard’s main inhabited island, the future of responsible travel in the Arctic
of polar bears and the Northern Lights, and Spitsbergen. “Approached responsibly, involves encouraging travellers to choose
you’ll find it works its magic on you in far travel here provides an unrivalled learning environmentally certified tour operators that
more subtle and profound ways: the blue opportunity that transforms visitors into care about conservation and community. She
silence of the night; the sense-startling campaigners for the region’s protection and,emphasises the benefits of visiting during the
cold; the feeling of being alone on the frozen low season (winter), and giving preference to
crucially, an economic incentive for regional
tundra, with mountains rearing up like great preservation. The key is sustainable numbersnon-motorised, reduced-footprint activities
icy waves; and the sight of a wild reindeer, that contribute significant value.” like skiing and dog sledding, offered by
walrus or fleeting Arctic fox. companies like Green Dog, Basecamp
A trip to the Arctic has the power to change Low-impact micro cruises Explorer and Svalbard Wildlife Expeditions.
you and make you view the world differently. Run by passionate conservationists, Secret “It’s about making wise environmental
But with a 2021 report by the Arctic Atlas has gone even further, with leave-no- choices,” says Sara. “We encourage people
Monitoring and Assessment Programme trace expedition cruises on vessels carrying to travel less and stay longer, and use
suggesting the Arctic is warming three times just 12 passengers. The environment-focused existing infrastructure near the town of
faster than the rest of the planet, the sea ice company arranges tree-planting schemes Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen. Allow time
rapidly melting and wildlife losing habitat as and gives back to communities through to really embrace Svalbard, discover its
a consequence, should we be there at all? actions like Arctic beach clean-ups. stillness and be humbled by nature.”
“Our 15-day Svalbard Pioneer cruise Environmentalists say time is running out
Can travel to the Arctic be sustainable? circumnavigates Spitsbergen, venturing for the Arctic. Some damage is irreversible,
While critics point to the ‘last-chance far out to visit the Austfonna ice cap and but long-term strategies for sustainable
tourism’ boom in big cruise liners, which lots of rarely visited places with a veteran tourism could help to protect this precious
pollute heavily and give back very little, other expedition leader,” enthuses co-founder region for many generations to come. Here
industry experts are adamant that travel Andy Marsh. “We oſten see wildlife like polar David Attenborough’s words ring true: “No
to places like Svalbard can be a force for bears, whales, walruses, seals, reindeer, one will protect what they don’t care about;
good, providing you make the right choices. Arctic foxes and an abundance of birds.” and no one will care about what they’ve
SEGAMI LWA :EGAMI

Choose a small boat if cruising, they say, and Andy believes travel companies can be never experienced.”
one that actively supports local conservation a force for good. “When you see a pristine
and communities. natural environment, you realise what’s MORE INFO
“Unlike Antarctica, there’s no Arctic at stake and why it needs protection. Our responsibletravel.com secretatlastravel.com
treaty, and the region’s vulnerability to voyages help to spread a very important wildlife.no greendog.no basecampexplorer.com

Winter Sports 2021/22 69

70 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
NORTHERN
PHOTO STORY

SWEDEN
Swedish Lapland has more in common with neighbouring Norway,
Finland and Russia than distant Stockholm. Here, where reindeer
herders work alongside the mining and tourism industries, winter
nights are long and offer an excellent chance of seeing the Northern
Lights — just one of this remote region’s many natural wonders
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHS: SIMON BAJADA

Winter Sports 2021/22 71

WINTER SPORTS

In this boreal terrain, a vast

wilderness of spruce and birch, a
place like Aurora Safari Camp
offers a welcome refuge. Aer a
day out snowshoeing or
snowmobile riding, travellers
warm up fireside and plot the
next day’s activities with the help
of local guides. Here, camp
co-founder Jonas Gejke prepares
an aernoon fika (a coffee and
cake break) that includes waffles,
cooked on a cast iron griddle and
served with cloudberry jam, and
cinnamon buns. As an aernoon
sunset casts a pallid glow on the
frozen Råne River, there’s the
option of a sauna or a plunge
through a hole carved in the ice.
72 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
 WINTER SPORTS

Winter Sports 2021/22 73

WINTER SPORTS

74 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
 WINTER SPORTS

Outside the small town of Niemisel, we pass a frozen waterfall, the low-lying sun highlighting its icy
formations. Later, in Trolltrumman homestead, we meet indigenous Sami reindeer herders Mikael and
Tina Eriksson and their 100-plus, free-roaming herd, which includes a newborn leucistic deer.

Winter Sports 2021/22 75

WINTER SPORTS

76 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
 WINTER SPORTS

Despite its small size, the Lapland town of Mårdudden offers an impressive network of snowmobile trails
that lead up to the Arctic Circle. It’s ideal terrain for visitors to explore, thanks to locals who pitch in to
groom the trails. For most of the winter, the region’s slender woodland conifers are laden with snow,
causing them to stoop and bend, creating an array of unique shapes known as ‘snow ghosts’.

Winter Sports 2021/22 77

| PAI D C O N T E N T FOR SA A S - F E E/SA A S TA L T O U R I S M

Saas-Fee
GO HIGHER IN

Swiss snowboarder Frederik Kalbermatten tells us why Saas-Fee and

the Saas Valley, where he grew up, remain his favourite playground

E nveloped by 18 13,000ft-plus
peaks, 90 miles of pistes and
a glistening glacier in the
Saas Valley, the village of
Saas-Fee is a heaven for winter sports
enthusiasts. Olympic snowboarder Frederik
Kalbermatten tells us what makes the resort
special, and how best to explore it.
unusual, you can try the Alpine Canyon,
using zip-lines and suspension bridges to
traverse a gorge — it’s a fun, Indiana Jones-
like adventure. Saastal is a huge playground;
it’s like a Disneyland for adventure, but I’m
home for lunch. And after lunch, I go again!
WHAT ABOUT FAMILY EXPERIENCES?
We have a really good beginner’s area for
HOW DID GROWING UP IN SAAS-FEE skiing and snowboarding. Other than that,
LEAD YOU TO BECOME AN ATHLETE? there are sledding trails, a natural ice-
Saas-Fee has a glacier for summer skiing skating ring, snowshoe walks in the forests.
— athletes come here because it’s one of the We also have the Mittelallalin Ice Pavilion,
few places where you can train that time of which is a spectacular cave inside the glacier.
year — and back then, they had camps for The holiday region of Saas-Fee/Saastal
snowboarders. I tried this sport when I was WHERE WOULD YOU GO TO GET has 90 miles of blue, red, black and yellow
around 14 and I got hooked, I spent every IMMERSED IN THE RESORT’S NATURE? (ungroomed) pistes, from 5,000ft to
day of my eight-week school holiday on that I always say that going up to Saas-Grund (part 12,000ft above sea level
glacier. Then, one thing led to another. I’m of the Saas Valley) is like skiing with a TV
lucky that I grew up here and this happened. screen in front of you. It’s just a stunning view.
If you’re more experienced, I’d recommend a
WHAT SETS THE SAAS VALLEY APART? tour up to the Allalinhorn, a 13,212ft peak, or
After spending a lot of time in other places, traversing the glacier with snowshoes, next to
I realised the snow here is special — you can huge ice features and crevices.
have fresh powder for a long time because
the resort is at high altitude, and a little bit WHAT INSPIRES YOU ABOUT LIVING
north-facing. And we have 300 sunny days AMONG THESE MOUNTAINS?
a year. I tell people that the snow is so good, I love that we have mountains that are white
and the runs so steep, it’s like heliboarding throughout the year — real mountains that
without a helicopter — you just take the lift. go straight up from the villages. The village
of Saas-Fee used to be called the ‘Pearl of the
M S I R U O T L AT S A A S : S E G A M I

OTHER THAN SKIING, WHAT ARE Alps,’ and it’s true. There aren’t many places
SOME GREAT WINTER ADVENTURES? where you can meet the glaciers up close.
I like to splitboard [touring with a snowboard
that splits in two] and there’s also a lot The Saas Valley (Saastal) includes four
of off-piste skiing and groomed winter municipalities: Saas-Fee (the largest and highest), READ MORE AT
hiking trails — walks through magical Saas-Grund, Saas-Almagell and Saas-Balen. SAAS-FEE.CH/EN
forests all covered in snow. For something Saas-Fee is car-free, and electric taxis are available.
 WINTER SPORTS

Huskies are born to run, so the

musher needs to always have one
foot ready to stamp the sled break
into the snow — letting the dogs
know they need to slow down. We
travel an hour from Kiruna to
Fjellborg Arctic Lodge, riding over
frozen lakes where the only sound
is the panting of the dogs muffled
by the deep snow. Kenth Fjellborg
prides himself on prioritising his
dogs’ wellbeing. Here, they refuel
and we bed down in cabins. The
next day, as the sun finally peeps
above the horizon, breaking the
darkness of the long night, a
typical Swedish breakfast buffet
energises us for the day ahead.
Winter Sports 2021/22 79
WINTER SPORTS

Mårdudden’s population doubled from seven to 14 during the pandemic, as Swedes escaped city life, but
it’s fair to say it’s still a small town. The Outpost, originally a general store, is now a four-bedroom lodge that
travellers can use as a base from which to explore the wilderness on snowshoes, snow bike or snowmobile.

80 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
 90 MINUTES FROM ZURICH AIRPORT
THE TRUE SWISS ALPS
WELCOME TO ANDERMATT

BOOK YOUR WINTER ADVENTURE NOW!

radissonbluandermatt.ch
WINTER SPORTS
THE INFO
NO-FLY ROUTES
TO THE SLOPES
The Saturday daytime return
offers stupendous views of the
Alps, the Saône Valley and the
Burgundy region.
The service has standard
and fi rst class seats, but no
couchettes.
Compagnie des Alpes (CDA), the Eurostar train will
run from London to Moûtiers/Bourg-St-Maurice and
be available solely to skiers staying at CDA’s resorts.
BOOZE IS BANNED ON
THE FRIDAY OVERNIGHT
OUTBOUND LEG, BUT IS SOLD
ON THE SATURDAY RETURN.
24,000
Eurostar’s former Ski Train
carried 24,000 passengers a
season — more than 500,000
over its 22-year lifetime.
SOURCES: EUROTUNNEL.COM; SKISOLUTIONS.COM; PEAKRETREATS.CO.UK; SKIWORLD.CO.UK; PROTECTOURWINTERS.UK
82 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
From December, Travelski Express
takes over Eurostar’s defunct winter
Ski Train route to the Alps. We look at
this and other ways for skiers to reach
the pistes without flying
WORDS: NICK DALTON
TRAVELSKI EXPRESS
LONDON
BOURG-SAINT-MAURICE
LES ARCS
LA PLAGNE
VAL-D’ISÈRE
MOÛTIERS TIGNES
LES MENUIRES MÉRIBEL
Operated as a charter by French resorts owner
STRAIGHT TO THE SLOPES
Packages include hotel, chalet or
self-catering accommodation,
train travel, transfers and a
seven-day liſt pass — so you can
ski immediately on arrival. From
£640 per person. travelski.com
DRIVE TIME
SELF-DRIVE TRIPS, BY FERRY OR EUROTUNNEL LE SHUTTLE
ARE MORE ECOLOGICALLY SOUND THAN FLYING IF YOU HAVE
A CARLOAD OF PASSENGERS. THE LIKES OF
SKI SOLUTIONS CAN TAILOR-MAKE SELF-DRIVE TRIPS, WHILE
PEAK RETREATS AND SKIWORLD OFFER SELF-DRIVE SKI
PACKAGES, MOSTLY TO FRANCE.
IN NUMBERS
15
Number of weeks running (26
December 2021 to 9 April 2022).
9.5
The journey time in hours to
BourgSaintMaurice (45
minutes less to Moûtiers).
515
Number of miles from London to
BourgSaintMaurice by train.
600
The maximum number
of passengers aboard
each service.
EUROSTAR STILL TAKES
BOOKINGS TO THE ALPS
FOR A DIY SKI TRIP, BUT IT
MEANS SWITCHING TRAINS IN
PARIS TO AN SNCF SERVICE,
USUALLY FROM GARE DE
LYON. EUROSTAR.COM
Climate campaigners say the
Ski Train saves 3.1 MILLION KG
of CO2 each season compared
Y T T E G :SEGAMI
to flights to the slopes.
salleK rednaxelA x lehübztiK