Sunny Spring Skiing
Springtime is a fun time in the snow, with longer, sunny days helping everyone feel more relaxed on the mountain and just having fun.
Skiing holidays really do feel just like, well, holidays in spring: there’s not that midwinter feeling that you must get up and ski all day to make the most of your trip in the short daylight hours and low temperatures. Instead, the days are long, your ski day may be over by early afternoon and you have most of the day left just to kick back and relax.
© Mie Marlie
We bring you the Best Of Where To Ski This Easter
⬇️ SKICIRCUS
⬇️ ISCHGL
⬇️ TIGNES
⬇️ TIROL
⬇️ GOLDEN
⬇️ ALPE D’HUEZ GRAND DOMAINE
⬇️ SUNPEAKS
⬇️ PARK CITY & DEER VALLEY
⬇️ PILA
⬇️ ST. ANTON
Of course, we never know quite what Mother Nature will deliver in the final weeks and months of the season, in terms of temperatures and snowfall. You’d think that with things generally getting warmer and sunnier, there’d be less snow, but last spring was a cold and snowy one right through to May in the Alps, more so than midwinter.
But still, if your priority remains to get as many turns in as you can, right to the end, the advice is to book a ski resort with high-altitude terrain, where the snow will stay in better condition longer (ideally with plenty above 2,000m, or even 3,000m), or look for a resort at a northerly latitude in Canada or Scandinavia, here again it will be cooler later into the spring and the snow is likely to hold up better for longer.
There are still hundreds of places to choose from that fit these criteria, including dozens that are so sure of their snow that they stay open into May. Most of the well-known resorts in Norway, Sweden and Finland stay open into May, and the same is true of resorts with high slopes in the Alps.
Spring Snow is Touring Time
If you’ve ever dreamed of pushing your limit by trying ski touring, perhaps even going on a guided tour from one rest to another or staying overnight in a high mountain hut, spring is the best time of the year to do it. Snow conditions are at their best and the snowpack is likely to be stable, although it remains as important as ever to be aware of off-piste dangers, particularly avalanches, and travel with a fully experienced mountain guide.
Just Relax
Lots of skiers, though, just accept springtime for what it is and plan a relaxed ski break. The best snow conditions are likely to be in the morning, so you can focus on just enjoying three or four hours on the snow, then take a long lunch on a sunny mountain terrace, before deciding whether to spend your afternoon doing something active like hiking or biking, or just hitting the spa or reading a book on a sunny balcony. You can really relax, disconnect and enjoy the best of both winter and summer seasons in the mountains.
Festival Fun
Springtime is also when 90% of festivals take place in the mountains. Although huge music events are taking over resorts like Mayrhofen’s Snowbombing, there are also hundreds of smaller festivals with different themes. Almost every musical variation can be found from Zermatt’s “unplugged” acoustic music to The Black Eyed Peas delivering hip-hop in Ischgl, to jazz in the Dolomites. But there are also lots of different food festivals or other ideas like the long-running Altitude Comedy Festival … so you can opt to mix several of your loves in life, not just snow, on one sublime springtime mountain holiday.
Sun Skiing in the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn
The sun skiing season has arrived in Austria’s huge Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn and with some big snowfalls in recent weeks, the area’s vast ski domain with 270 kilometres of pistes served by 70 fast, comfortable and modern lifts, is in great shape.
This sun skiing season you can also experience rising excitement levels as the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn is hosting the Audi FIS Ski Worldcup Finals. This is when the Men’s and Women’s World Cup Tours come together to crown the 23-24 winners in each discipline and the overall champions.
This is all a prelude to the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn hosting the biggest competition in ski racing for the 24-25 season next winter, the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2025!
Even More Skiing and Fabulous Food
Although the 270 kilometres of piste, with runs for all tastes and abilities, as well as fun slopes, beginner areas, exciting terrain parks and phenomenal freeriding across the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn is enough for most visitors.
You can access still more thanks to the Ski ALPIN card single pass which expands what’s available to 408 km (more than 250 miles!) of fabulous slopes including a nearby snowsure glacier resort.
At the mountain huts you can take a break from your exertions in the snow and enjoy the finest culinary delights, usually following traditional family recipes, freshly prepared on-site, while enjoying the stunning panoramic views of the mountains from a sunny terrace.
White Pearl Mountain Days
To add an extra dimension to your sun skiing holiday, The White Pearl Mountain Days, presented by Visa, take place in the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn from March 22nd to March 31, 2024.
These White Pearl Mountain represent a unique “Alpine lifestyle” that takes a large portion of ‘Home of Lässig’ and mix it with a diverse supporting program consisting of health and fitness programs such as mountain yoga or guided snowshoe hikes, with fabulous food, and lots of fun and friendly music performances and other events, a good many of them taking palace in some of the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn’s many cosy huts.
Easter Bonus For Families
To add to the appeal of spending the sun skiing weeks of the season over the Easter holiday period in the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn, the resort has special events and discounted offers for families booking holidays from 23 March to 7 April 2024.
The Family Hit Easter Bonus includes savings on accommodation on offer as well as free ski passes for all the children.
As part of the special offer, when a parent buys a Ski ALPIN Card valid for four days or more, children born in 2008 or later (aged under 15 or 16 depending on the exact date of birth) receive their ski pass free of charge!
Even older children up to 19 years old born between 2005 and 2007 still receive a discount in the ‘youth’ price category. Please note that photo ID is required when buying passes and receiving a free child ticket which can only be done at the ticket counters, not online.
There are lots of extra attractions for families on and off the slopes too including the new Winter Challenge! This brings together an eventful combination of unforgettable experiences with rewards for all young active winter adventurers. Besides all the great skiing and trips to ‘conquer’ different peaks around the huge ski area, there are several toboggan runs, each over 3km long, to enjoy and great attractions like the Treetop Trail and the Fairytale Forest.
The Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn is a paradise for families with children of all ages. More than half of the 270 km of pistes (140 km) are rated easy blues, perfect for the entire family! There are excellent ski schools which have a designated children’s area and ski kindergartens.
With the sunshine ski season running until the 7th of April, the end of the Easter holidays, it’s the perfect time to enjoy the huge variety of skiing in the sunshine here along with the freedom and space you only get in one of the world’s biggest ski areas.
You’ll also get a dose of sunshine skiing joie de vivre and cosiness creating a personal feeling of happiness which is known here as the spirit of the Home of Lässig!
Ischgl’s White Spring
Ischgl, in the Austrian Tirol, has long held a reputation as one of the most snowsure ski resorts in the world, with a long season that normally begins at the end of November and runs until early May.
Unlike many other areas that open that early and close that late, it also usually has pretty much all of its huge ski area open from the start to the end – others may just have a small part of their slopes open for the final weeks of the season. That’s achieved in good part by the fact that a remarkable 90% of the ski runs are situated above 2,000 metres, as well as a mighty army of snowmakers that lay a solid base to the slopes in the autumn which is then built on by natural snowfalls through the season. So it is that spring starts this year with the snow lying five feet deep on its slopes.
46 fast, modern lifts are waiting to transport guests as high as 2,872 m for some fabulous long descents on fresh powder in the spring sunshine!
Ischgl is also famous for its big season-start and season-end Top of the Mountain festival weekends. Famous names like Elton John, Pink, Mariah Carey, Robbie Williams, Katy Perry, Kylie, Rihanna and many more have all played here over the years. This spring it’s the Black Eyed Peas who will sing the season out on April 30th), but the celebrations have now expanded the festivities to take in the entire final month of the season with multiple concerts and much, much more! They call it ‘Spring Blanc’ …or ‘White Spring’.
From 31 March to 1 May 2024 sun loving snow fans can make the most of the best that spring in the mountains can offer, with Ischgl’s ‘Spring Blanc’ Event Series.
Ischgl’s aptly named “white spring,” transforms the famous destination on the Swiss border into a haven for winter sports aficionados seeking the thrill of skiing and snowboarding amidst glistening spring snow and fresh powder. The Silvretta Arena ski area it shares with duty-free Samnaun over the border, the two seamlessly linked by lifts and pistes, extends to around 240km (150 miles) of slopes for all standards. It’s one of the biggest ski areas not only in Austria but also in Europe and the whole world.
Spring Blanc is not just about skiing and boarding though. The festival month brings a myriad of musical and culinary experiences to enjoy against the breathtaking backdrop of the Austrian Alps.
Along with the Black Eyed Peas, the Top of the Mountain stage comes into play for other performances. This springtime they begin with the Top of the Mountain Easter Concert featuring German rapper Nina Chuba on 31 March 2024. Then it’s the Top of the Mountain Spring Concert featuring Austrian folk rock’n’roll star Andreas Gabalier on 14 April 2024. You can also visit to enjoy the Spring Snow Festival at the Alp Trida with German rock duo The BossHoss on 21 April 2024 before The Black Eyed Peas wind things up on 30 April 2024.
As a final bonus, it’s worth noting that many of these events are free to lift pass holders.
Spring Blanc – Event Schedule
31/03/2024 Top of the Mountain Easter Concert at the Idalp with Nina Chuba.
05/04/2024 sun.downer – Sunset with a lounge vibe and cocktails from 7 to 9 pm at Pardatschgrat (2,624 m)
07/04/2024 grenzenlos.kulinarisch – International food trucks and music at the Swiss-Austrian border at Flimjoch
10-11/04/2024 Austrian Ski Cross Championship (and Junior Championship)
14/04/2024 Top of the Mountain Spring Concert at the Idalp featuring Andreas Gabalier.
14-30/04/2024 dine.around – Ischgl’s award-winning restaurants await guests with a special Spring Blanc festival mix of cheese and wine tastings, themed menus, gourmet safaris, and more.
17-18/04/2024 Ski World Cup of Gastronomy – the 13th edition of the entertaining skiing event at the Idalp where chefs, bartenders, and sommeliers compete against each other.
19/04/2024 sun.downer – Sunset with a lounge vibe and cocktails from 7 to 9 pm at Pardatschgrat (2,624 m)
21/04/2024 International Spring Snow Festival Alp Trida with The BossHoss.
21–22/04/2024 The Star Cup of the Chefs will see more than 40 award-winning chefs from Austria and Germany compete against each other on the slopes and in the kitchen.
23/04/2024 Tourism Games by Ischgl will see the resort’s chefs, bar keepers and hospitality marketing talents aged under 30 competing against each other on the Ischgl Stage!
30/4/2024 Top of the Mountain Closing Concert with the Black Eyed Peas at the Idalp.
Spring Blanc in Ischgl
There are lots of packages to Ischgl during the Spring Blanc period. For example, a seven-night stay at the four-star Hotel Alpina, arriving 13 April 2024 is priced from £720 pp based on two sharing a room with breakfast included. Flights and transfers are not included.
When it comes to being sure you’re going to find snow late in the season, it’s always a bit of a gamble choosing where to book. Of course, some years, as last winter, the best of the snow arrives late, and it’s still dumping down in late April when most resorts have closed for the season.
Some ski resorts have made a selling point of their high-altitude, snow-sure terrain. In France, Tignes offers skiing into May, in part thanks to its Grand Motte glacier, but also having resort bases sitting as high as 2,100m means Tignes can usually offer 1,300m of vertical or more right to the end.
© Andy Parant
For me, May was also a great time to organise a family ski trip. Now that my boys are men, one had chosen to race horses over jumps and had found that the national hunt racing season ran parallel with the ski season, so no skiing until it was done. The other was at uni, but the uni year ended for exam revision in May, so a quick ski trip wasn’t going to hurt.
Of course, one thing to be aware of as you look for ski areas still open in May is that although the lifts might still be running, a good many of the facilities – shops, restaurants, cafes and indeed hotel and apartment complexes – might be closed or in closing down mode. Oh, and most British tour operators will have finished their seasons, too. The downside is a more limited choice; the upside is you have the resort and slopes largely to yourself and can sniff out end-of-season-closing-down-sale bargains!
Fortunately, I did find that the Telegraph’s Best Ski Operator of the year 2023, Peak Retreats, experts in all things French skiing, were sticking with us and organising holidays right into May. They found us a property that was still open and still ski-in/ski-out in the first week of May: Village Montana in Tignes le Lac. Hugging the slope on the edge of the resort, it’s a warm and welcoming property that still offers comfortable apartments right to the end of the season.
Also to note, on the things not available when you travel out-of-season: we couldn’t find a shuttle service between Geneva and Tignes, so to avoid a convoluted and time-consuming bus ride, it had to be a rental car and Village Montana had us covered there too with underground parking below the building for maximum convenience. So drive-in, ski-out. And, thanks to Le Lac’s compact design, we didn’t need to drive again until we left to head back to Geneva.
Again, many of the rental shops had closed down, but the Sport 2000 Monkey Riders store was still open and had top-notch equipment still available, along with the added attraction of an espresso bar while your bindings were adjusted to your boots.
So, to the slopes! And Tignes still had plenty open for the final days of winter 2023/24. Let’s be honest here about skiing in May: even at 3,000m, things are warming up and it’s more of a summer ski experience with the best of the conditions in the morning and very stodgy after lunch. We were lucky with the fresh stuff, though, as it kept dumping into May. So, when it wasn’t blizzard or fog or thawing too fast to enjoy it, we did get some great runs.
It also feels special to be still sliding on snow in the mountains and on snow still when most of the Northern Hemisphere has moved into summer sports mode. You also get the fun of witnessing resort staff relax after months of relentless toil meeting the needs of the world’s skiers.
All in all, hitting the slopes in late April or early May is a great way to stretch the season out as long as you can and remind yourself that whatever time of year it is, you can always ski somewhere! Then once you’re home again, you at least know it’s less than six months until the next season gets started. Perhaps an early trip in November would be in order when the slopes are nice and quiet again and you’re ahead of the crowds…?
Info: Patrick and his family stayed with Peak Retreats at Village Montana in Tignes Le Lac. 7 nights self-catered in a two-bedroom apartment from £383pp based on 5 sharing. Price includes return on Eurotunnel crossing, with a free FlexiPlus upgrade (except at some school holiday weeks), with Peak Retreats.
Spring skiing in the sunshine is hard to beat, but while lots of ski areas can promise you plenty of sunshine and the chance to relax on a sun deck, not so many can really promise great snow conditions right through to the end of April…or even May or June!
The Tirol has a unique advantage in that regard. The famous Austrian ski province is home to no fewer than five fantastic glacier ski areas that can provide the best possible conditions at Easter and beyond. With ski slopes up above 3,000m, the snow stays in better shape longer in the day, even as it gets warmer, so you can ski more on better-quality snow.
The Five Glaciers In Tirol
Between the five Tirol glacier ski areas, there are over 300km of slopes, 75 state-of-the art cable cars and lifts, as well as exciting attractions and great mountain restaurants all just waiting to be discovered.
Hintertux – the last remaining year-round ski area in the world. Hintertux maintains a big vertical and terrain park until late in spring, and you also have the stunning scenery of the Ziller Valley all around you to look out at.
Stubai – the closest glacier ski area to Tirol’s capital, Innsbruck, the Stubai is a great choice for a springtime city-and-ski break, or you can stay in one of the villages in the Stubai Valley below for quick access.
Sölden – famous for having not one but two glacier ski areas as well as multiple lift-served points above 3,000m, it’s also the only resort with the snow certainty to launch the World Cup ski season each October and has an eight-month season through to late April.
Pitztal – with Austria’s highest ski slopes, the largely green-energy-powdered Pitztal is open from September to May most years.
Kaunertal – located on the Italian border in the western Tirol, the Kaunertal has a season lasting into June. The resort has invested in some very cool new lifts in recent years, and getting up to it is an event in itself with the 29 hairpin bends of the famous Kaunertal Glacier Road.
© Jarisch Manfred Ischgl
Chill Out, It’s Springtime!
Of course, besides the glaciers there are loads of other great ski areas in the province that stay open well into April, some even May.
One great choice for plenty of sunshine but also snow-sure pistes is Ischgl. The snow cover here is so reliable that the slopes are open from late November to the start of May, and the final month of the season is one big party. This year, it culminates with The Black Eyed Peas playing the famous Top of the Mountain gig, free for pass holders.
Another top choice, Ski Juwel brings together the skiing of the beautiful Alpbachtal and Wildschönau valleys in a family-friendly ski haven. There’s a wonderful, relaxed atmosphere here, as springtime brings warm sunshine to the slopes and terraces of the many mountain huts. It’s a fabulous choice if you just want to relax and enjoy the final weeks of the season on uncrowded, sunny slopes. Perfection!
Golden Rules
When it comes to the cream of classic ski towns, Golden in BC, Canada, has risen to the top.
Golden is at the heart of world-class ski terrain nestled between the Selkirk, Purcell and Rocky Mountains. Fifteen minutes from downtown, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is famed for its unique big mountain terrain and champagne powder snow. With five alpine bowls and a fast bottom-top gondola opening up 1,314m of vertical, no wonder Kicking Horse is the only North American stop on the Freeride World Tour. For extended ski vacations, Golden is within a two-hour drive of four other world-class ski resorts.
Outside the resort, Golden is a mecca for heli-ski, cat ski, guided ski touring. Heli-skiing was born in Golden’s backyard and is now home to three heli and cat ski operators. For ski touring, Golden also has the highest concentration of backcountry lodges in the world, with more than 20.
The huts and cabins accessible from Golden offer a diverse range of experiences for backcountry skiers and snowboarders. For those seeking a self-reliant experience, some huts offer self-access, guided and catered opportunities. Alternatively, for those desiring a more hassle-free getaway experience, other huts offer helicopter access, are fully catered and provide an ACMG guide for the duration of your stay.
© Maur Mere Media
Golden has lots to offer other than downhill skiing, with lots of family-friendly options. Enjoy the great Nordic skiing and snowshoeing at Dawn Mountain, guided snowmobile tours along the West Bench trail, or tubing at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. Even wandering around downtown Golden, there are spectacular mountainscapes everywhere you look, making it a stunning place to just stand and look out from. But to make it as one of the world’s great ski towns, having fabulous skiing on your doorstep is not enough!
Golden has been going one better than its competitors right from the start, when the town’s founding fathers decided to name it Golden when a neighbouring settlement decided to call itself Silver City.
Today, Golden has a great choice of restaurants and bars, most of them locally owned and operated. There’s also a variety of accommodation options, from full-service hotels and local inns to quaint cabins and cottages, making it the perfect base for your mountain holiday.
A daily winter bus service, the Golden Shuttle runs directly from Calgary Airport to Golden and Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. It’s about a three-hour drive on the Trans-Canada Highway through more spectacular scenery, raising your anticipation levels before you reach this authentic Canadian ski town.
Plan your winter adventure at tourismgolden.com or download the free Golden App.
For spring skiing in the sunshine, there’s no better choice than the Alpe d’Huez Grand Domaine ski area. One of the largest in France and indeed the whole world, it encompasses five separate resorts designed for maximum convenience and two traditional village choices, but it doesn’t matter which you pick to stay in, as each provides direct access to the vast 250km of skiable piste.
One of the most southerly of the larger French ski areas, the Alpe d’Huez Grand Domaine gets more sunshine and longer ski days than most in March and April. However, the huge vertical of over 2,000 lift-served metres (again one of the planet’s biggest), and the fact that its highest slopes starting at an incredible 3,330m are crowned by a glacier, means that abundant, high-quality snow is guaranteed right to the final weekend of the season.
© Alpe d’Huez Lionel Royet
There’s skiing for every taste and ability, too. That huge lift-served vertical means descents of over 10km long are possible, and there are several pistes of this length or longer, including the famous Sarenne run, a 16km fabulous long cruise that takes you through stunning mountain scenery away from the rest of the ski area.
If you plan a longer stay or like to get around on your holiday, the extra good news is that the Grand Domaine lift pass doesn’t just include the 250km outside your door. You can choose to visit neighbouring ski areas too, and spend up to two days in Les 2 Alpes, and a day each in Montgenèvre, Puy St Vincent, Serra Chevalier and even over the Italian border in Séstrière at no extra cost!
As well as seemingly endless slopes for intermediate and advanced skiers and boarders, there are also excellent facilities for beginners, with dedicated fun areas and learning zones, specially designed to help novice skiers and boarders learn and then rapidly progress their skills on snow.
Glacier and High-Altitude Slopes
March and April are the favourite months of the year for locals skiing in Alpe d’Huez Grand Domaine. As well as the glacier and high-altitude slopes, lots of work goes into piste maintenance right from the autumn before, to ensure the snowy foundations are there to deliver the best conditions even into late April. Then there’s that milder weather in what is statistically, on average, one of the sunniest ski resorts in the Alps getting over 300 days a year of sunshine. Springtime also means longer days, so more time to enjoy it all with daylight extending until well after the lifts close. But there are usually fewer people on the slopes, so you get the bonus of more space to enjoy it all in too!
The Alpe d’Huez Grand Domaine ski area has the best of all ski worlds, with sunshine, great snowfall, varied terrain and so much more. The resorts within the area all have their own individual charm and each has a great choice of accommodation, but there is quite a variety, so you need to consider which will be right for you.
Alpe d’Huez is the biggest resort in the Grand Domaine, sitting at a snow-sure 1,850m at the heart of that vast 250km of piste with its fast, comfortable and modern lift system ready to whisk you right to the heart of it all. Also known as ‘L’ile au Soleil’, meaning ‘island in the sun’, Alpe d’Huez is a classic, world-famous resort in its own right with excellent facilities, including hundreds of shops, cafes and restaurants and a huge accommodation choice.
Vaujany is a traditional Alpine village with a long history and great facilities that seem much better than you’d normally expect for a resort of its size. It shares the same access to the vast Alpe d’Huez Grand Domaine ski area as the other villages and resorts on the pass, but takes you away from the busier areas and can provide quicker access to key points of the region than if you stay in Alpe d’Huez. There’s everything in this charming mountain village with skiing for all abilities, including great beginner slopes by the resort.
Oz 3300 is set among the fir trees, just above the village of Oz-en-Oisans. The resort is made up of 10 hamlets, making it one of the largest communes in the Oisans region. Located only 55km south of Grenoble, it’s also one of the easiest resorts to access in the Grand Domaine and can be reached from the city in just under an hour. The hamlets here range in altitude from 800 to 1,350m.
Recommended Stay
Alpe d’Huez: Le Cristal de l’Alpe apartments are ideally located in the heart of Alpe d’Huez, just 200m from the ski slopes and 50 m from the closest shops. Facilities include a wellness area with an indoor heated pool, hot tub, sauna, steam room, and ski lockers with boot dryers.
Vaujany: The south-facing Les Edelweiss apartments are great for soaking up that spring sunshine and are located close to the main cable car. Offering spacious and well-equipped interiors, facilities include a wellness area with a hot tub, sauna and steam room. There’s one underground parking space per apartment for self-drivers and ski lockers.
Oz 3300: Ideally located in the centre of the village, the ski-in/ski-out Chalet des Neiges is just a minute’s walk from the shops, bars and restaurants. Situated right next to the ski school office and 100m from the nearest lifts, facilities at the residence include an indoor heated swimming pool, hammam, sauna and on-site restaurant and bar.
Plan your Easter Ski Trip with peakretreats.co.uk
Did you know that Sun Peaks is now Canada’s second-largest ski area?
This amazing destination, an open secret to lovers of great North American ski destinations, has quietly been growing in size to now reach a massive 4,270 acres of terrain. That makes it not just Canada’s second largest but also one of the whole continent’s biggest.
Those 4,270 acres are more than just a number. For those of us used to the crowded slopes of the Alps, they mean space all around you on the slopes to really enjoy your skiing. Sun Peaks is an ideal destination for your first ski trip across the Atlantic, as it brings together some of the best of European ski area convenience with its compact heart and ski-in/out design, but also gives you the high quality, great service and lots and lots of space that are the hallmarks of North American ski holidays.
© C Wiseman Justin Jake Treylin
It’s also a very welcoming place to visit. Sun Peaks was conceived as a community in the heart of British Columbia, and that’s very much what it has grown into. The kids have an elementary school at the base of the slopes they can ski out of at the end of the school day and you’re quite likely to run into the mayor in one of the coffee shops. Most of the shops, cafes, bars and restaurants are locally owned and operated.
Everything you need for your holiday is close at hand and easy to access, making Sun Peaks the perfect stress-free mountain destination.
Sun Peaks is a great choice whether you’re travelling as a couple looking for an intimate ski holiday destination, a family wanting a fun and safe mountain destination or a solo skier looking for a warm welcome and friendly locals. Whichever you are, you’ll enjoy short (or often no) lift queues, uncrowded slopes with a huge variety of terrain for all abilities, lots of activities to enjoy off the slopes as well as on, high value in every aspect of your holiday and easy access from the UK.
The ski area extends over three mountains, all have comfortable chairlifts up and each accessing easy green, moderate blue or challenging black runs, so whatever your ability, you don’t need to get left behind or miss out/get bored on any of the mountains. Then there’s the snow, famously consistent light dry snowfall, and Sun Peaks also boasts milder temperatures than many other Canadian resorts as well as award-winning slope grooming.
When you visit, it’s also good to know that Sun Peaks has strong environmental policies, which fit well with its strong community feel. In fact, it was the first resort in North America to win the highest international environmental management standard, ISO 14001, more than a decade ago and remains the only resort in Canada to have achieved the prestigious designation.
Springtime is a great time to visit Sun Peaks, with many great places and spaces to explore in the sun. Longer, sunny days mean that the lifts are open a little longer to enjoy more skiing or riding in the sunshine. You can then relax on one of the many patios for après ski. There are also even more outdoor (and indoor) activities outside of skiing/snowboarding to fill your sunny days than are offered midwinter.
Sun Peaks, the hidden gem of BC, can be reached via Vancouver or Calgary with quick connected flights to Kamloops, then a short transfer of under an hour.
Embracing the Thrills of Spring Skiing in Park City, Utah
Park City is an incredible destination to visit at any time of the year, but in springtime the ‘Greatest Snow on Earth’© comes into its own with both of its two world-class ski resorts, offering great conditions and loads to do off the slopes as well when you’re not just soaking up the rays!
Those two ski areas on the doorstep of the world-famous ski town are Park City Mountain, which boasts the largest ski area in the United States, delivering a vast array of terrain for snowboarders and skiers a like at all ability levels and Deer Valley Resort, which combines exceptional skiing terrain, top-notch service and luxurious amenities. Both were venues at the last Winter Olympics to be held in the US in 2022.
But Park City is about more than just choosing which world-class ski area to visit each morning. As one of the world’s best-known ski towns, after a day on the slopes it comes alive with a vibrant après-ski scene.
Park City is filled with hundreds of great eclectic cafes, restaurants, shops and cosy bars, offering a perfect blend of relaxation and entertainment. Whether you prefer sipping hot cocoa by a fireplace or enjoying live music and socialising with fellow skiers, Park City has something for everyone.
Getting There
The icing on the cake is that Park City is the most accessible North American ski destination from the UK because it is an easy 35-minute drive from Salt Lake City (SLC) International Airport, which is served by direct flights from London Heathrow. You can rent a car, grab a ride share or take a shuttle between the two. Getting around Park City Mountain is easy once you arrive in town with a great public bus system known as the Park City Transit.
Park City’s ski areas offer consistent and abundant snowfall that ensures there is plenty of the white stuff right to the end of the season. Skiers and snowboarders of all levels, from families to experts, will find a wide range of terrain, including immaculately groomed pistes, gladed skiable woodland areas, beautiful bowls, challenging steeps, tough chutes and pretty woodland runs.
Deer Valley Resort has repeatedly been voted one of the world’s best ski resorts, particularly highly rated for its immaculate grooming, exceptional service and fabulous family-focused facilities.
And as if all that wasn’t enough, there’s also Woodward Park City, a separate action sports centre paradise equipped with a top-of-the-line terrain park, halfpipe and snow tubing.
There’s plenty to do off the mountain, too. Only a century ago, Park City was a silver mining town and has retained and restored much of its colourful architecture. Historic Main Street is lined with century-old buildings, art galleries, boutique shops and top-notch restaurants.
If you want to enjoy the snow in different ways to skiing it, you could take a sleigh ride or try snowshoeing, snowmobiling or dogsledding. To really relax, though, maybe treat yourself to one of the many decadent spas in the Park City area?
When it comes to dining you’re spoilt for choice, with more than 150 restaurants to choose from.There are diverse lodging options as well with Park City able to cater to every traveller’s preferences and budget.
Plan you Easter Ski Trip to visitparkcity.com
Firn, Sunshine and Great Music: Spring Skiing in St Anton
When it comes to skiing in the spring sunshine, nowhere is better prepared to maximise the opportunities than St Anton. It’s home to some of the highest terrain, most reliable snow cover and longest seasons in the Alps.
(c)Tirol Werbung_Manfred Jarisch
Here spring skiing is pure fun, enjoying great skiing in the mornings, then the sunshine in the afternoon – there’s even a beach to chill out on at the resort’s Rendl mountain, which is also a great choice for relaxed afternoon skiing in spring.
Any fears about snow quantity and quality in the latter half of the season can be dispelled as St Anton started the year with the deepest snow in Austria up on its high Valluga slopes, and the vast Arlberg region in which it’s located has had the most slopes open in the country all season too – around 300km of incredible slopes, before you even start on the additional off-piste routes.
St Anton even has a special name for spring snow: “firn snow”. It’s perfect for off-piste ski touring.
There are lots of spring events to enjoy as a spectator or participant, including the spectacular season-end “The White Thrill” top-to-bottom race and the Tanzcafé Arlberg Music Festival.
St Anton rounds its long season off with a series of special weeks that bring extra fun and entertainment on and off the slopes, as well as savings on lift pass prices and more. The Wedel-/Sun ski weeks run over the Easter holidays from 2-12 April, 2024. It’s then the Crystal Snow Weeks for the final fortnight of the season from 13-21 April 2024.
If you like your ski areas a little different, Pila, sitting high above Italy’s Aosta Valley, ought to be on your radar.
Located in a beautiful natural landscape where you can enjoy magnificent sweeping views of the Alps, including Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa and the Matterhorn, Pila is situated above the historic city of Aosta itself and linked to it by a modern gondola.
Aosta has a history going back to Roman times (the walls date back to then), and is choc-full of fabulous old buildings, many now shops, bars and restaurants. It’s largely pedestrianised too, so it’s no surprise so many skiers fall in love with the place. There’s even a regular market.
Pila itself sits at a snow-sure 1,765m with the lifts climbing 1,000 vertical metres above. It has an impressive 70km of well-maintained slopes served by modern ski lifts with the snow cover guaranteed by an arsenal of over 400+ snow cannons.
There’s terrain for all tastes and abilities (5 blues, 21 reds, 4 blacks), including open Alpine bowls and enticing tree-lined pistes on lower runs.
Beginners have brilliant terrain in the Grimod Bowl for perfecting those first turns on beautiful, confidence-building gentle slopes. The resort also has one of the best ski schools in the Alps ready to teach you.
Advanced skiers will enjoy runs like The Wall, the clue to its steepness being in its name. There’s also newly accessible advanced terrain below Platta de Grèvon thanks to recent lift enhancements. If the local slopes aren’t enough for you the Aosta Valley pass covers all 800km (500 miles) of runs in the region including at neighbouring resorts and a 6 or 7 day pass includes two days skiing over the Swiss border below the Matterhorn you can see for Pila’s slopes, in Zermatt.
For snowboarders and freestyle skiers in search of a bit of freestyle action, there’s also a great terrain park with features to suit all ability levels.
© Mauro Paillex
But for most regular intermediate-advanced level holiday skiers, the wonderful wide open blue and red runs with stunning views at every turn, served by a fast, modern lift network, are the main attraction.
There are lots of non-ski activities offered on the mountain at Pila too, including nature walks, snowshoeing excursions (with an option to hike by night up to a mountain restaurant for dinner) and even hot air balloon rides.
Interski are the Aosta and Pila specialists with 40 years’ experience organising ski holidays to the region and can offer holidays based either up in Pila or down in Aosta.
Recommended Stay
The luxurious 4* Duca d’Aosta in Aosta is a beautiful hotel with lovely, spacious, well-appointed rooms and especially good bathrooms, and in a great position, right in the town centre.
The Hotel Duca d’Aosta’s enviable location just off Aosta’s central piazza makes it’s the perfect place for sampling the best of the town centre shopping, dining and other attractions.
The Pila gondola base station is less than a kilometre away with ski storage available for Interski guests.
Main Image © Vaujany J. Chavy
