Meribel, France – Deep in the Haute-Savoie lies the bucolic Tarentaise Valley, one of France’s most stunning national parks and, for snow lovers, something akin to Mecca. Home to the legendary resorts of La Plagne, Les Arcs, Tignes and Val d’Isère, it also contains Les Trois Vallées, the largest ski area in the world, with … Continue reading Meribel: The Heart of the Three Valleys
Big Sky, MT – It didn’t take us long at Big Sky to ask ourselves, “Where is everybody?” It was a Sunday in February on a non-holiday weekend, with a brilliant blue sky and temps in the mid-30s. All the chairlifts were running and most of the trails were open. But at times it seemed … Continue reading Big Space at Big Sky
Cordova, AK – I had first met Points North owner Kevin Quinn at the L.A. ski show a decade ago, and we shared a ship to Antarctica in 2011 along with some of his guides and several of his customers where he helped my friend Liz … Continue Reading ››
West Yellowstone, MT – At one point while cross-country skiing in Yellowstone National Park last February, I paused to consider my position — and the bison that was lumbering toward me on the ski track. Since I was on skis, I technically had the right of way. But since the buffalo had about 2,000 pounds … Continue reading Winter in Yellowstone: A Cross-Country Skiing Paradise
Ushuaia, Argentina – Antarctica is one of tourism’s final frontiers. The first tourist cruise to the frozen continent took place in 1969 but tourism remained rare there until the 1990’s. Nearly 7,000 tourists landed in Antarctica in 1992-93, growing to 13,900 in 1999-2000 and peaking at 33,000 in 2007-08, although economic conditions have limited tourist landings … Continue reading Antarctic Cruise Belongs on Any Skier’s Bucket List
Meadow Creek (BC), Canada – It’s been years since I signed up with Ski Plus Tours for my first ski vacation in the British Columbia interior, a guided road trip in 1997. Lead guide Brad Karafil operated on a flexible schedule, allowing him to follow weather patterns and utilize personal contacts to choose resorts or … Continue reading Snowcat Skiing with White Grizzly
Bend, OR – With over 3,000 skiable acres, 10 chairlifts (seven of which are high-speed detachable quads) and a vertical drop of 3,365 feet that follows all 360 degrees of a volcanic cone, Oregon’s Mount Bachelor is one of America’s largest ski resorts. By all rights it should be a world-class ski and snowboard destination, … Continue reading Mt. Bachelor: A Pacific Northwest Behemoth
