Avoriaz, France – Perched atop of an enormous cliff only an hour and a half from Geneva airport, the custom built village of Avoriaz is a unique skiing and snowboarding destination with an atmosphere all of its own. The unique architecture of the wooden buildings make this a strangely compelling place to visit, and the … Continue reading Avoriaz: The World’s Largest International Linked Ski Resort
La Grave, France (September 2002) – What could I write about La Grave that hasn’t already been written? This small French village claims no more than a couple of bars and hotels, yet it’s home to some of the most extreme lift served terrain on the planet. A “resort” with just four lifts, no ski … Continue reading La Grave: Personal Responsibility
Val d’Isere, France – Imagine a resort nearly four times the size of Whistler-Blackcomb with terrain to suit all standards of skiers and boarders, no matter how extreme your tastes. A resort with off piste possibilities so vast that books have been written about it. A resort with 300km of groomed runs, 97 lifts, two … Continue reading L’Espace Killy: Where Imagination Meets Reality
I knew two things about Les Arcs prior to our visit. I’d seen pictures of lunatics with space helmets on, hurtling down the speed skiing run at 150 mph. A lot of people choose to spend their winter seasons in the resort. But nothing could have prepared me for the sheer diversity, size and quality … Continue reading Les Arcs: Something for Everybody
Serre Chevalier, France – It wasn’t looking good. Our flight went well, the hire car was OK and we’d managed to find our hotel without getting lost. Then it all started to go wrong. It was pouring down with rain when we got out of the car, all the shops were shut for lunch and … Continue reading Serre Chevalier: Too Many Options
Fernie (BC), Canada – The Backcountry: A place as dangerous as it is alluring. Countless tales of inexperienced, ill-prepared winter sports enthusiasts perishing in avalanches have previously put me off venturing outside of patrolled areas. The only avalanche knowledge I’ve previously needed was that I knew little about them and (unlike many) wasn’t prepared to … Continue reading Exploring White Thunder
Fernie (BC), Canada – “You’re in,” Heather told me, “one of the original group has broken his shoulder.” Let me tell you, I’ve never been so happy to see someone driven off the mountain in an ambulance in all my life. All it took was a week on the waiting list, 240 Canadian dollars and … Continue reading Fernie Wilderness Adventures: A Lucky Break