| Many of us have had holidays spent breathing | | | | lower lift prices, more challenging runs and fewer |
| recycled air in "luxury" coaches, watching bad | | | | crowds. |
| television in hotel rooms, eating beyond our capacity | | | | 5. And if that's not cheap enough, there's skiing in |
| simply because meals were included in the "package" | | | | Spain - You can ski in Spain on a busker's budget. |
| and there was little else to do. Yawn! But not if | | | | While there is a certain aura about the Alps resorts in |
| there's snow on the ground; don the long johns and | | | | France, Austria, Italy and Switzerland, the Spanish |
| get at it . | | | | Pyrenees area keeps up with the best of them (and |
| 1. Austria: skiing for amateurs - So maybe you're not | | | | certainly surpasses them with respect to value.) |
| the athletic type. You don't have to be to take | | | | Baquiera-Beret, in Lerida, boasts a lengthy ski season |
| advantage of the world's best sporting havens, | | | | (November through April), numerous slopes of |
| particularly if you take a few professional lessons. St. | | | | varying difficulty, plenty of chair lifts, professional ski |
| Anton, in the Arlberg region of Austria, is the best | | | | instruction and - this is the best part - far fewer |
| place to go for ski instruction-the Arlberg School ski | | | | crowds than the pricier resorts. A good place to stay |
| technique originated here and the area's 300+ | | | | is Hotel Montarto which offers spectacular views and |
| instructors are all well-versed in the method. In the | | | | easy access to lifts. |
| hands of these pros, you'll look like an expert after a | | | | 6. If you think you're a good skiier, try heli-skiing in |
| few days on the slopes. | | | | the Purcells in British Columbia - Rk Heliski in Golden, |
| 2. Chile's best skiing for mamas' boys (sorry.we mean | | | | welcomes you to 1,500 square kilometres/ 930 sq. |
| "cautious athletic types") - If you've got nothing to | | | | miles of incredible terrain in the spectacular Purcell |
| prove and just want some sane, safe skiing, La | | | | Mountains, on the edge of the legendary Bugaboos. |
| Parva, located just minutes from Santiago, allows you | | | | snowcat skiing/boarding tours are led by some of the |
| to ski heli ski from your lodge to the lifts. If you're | | | | world's best mountain guides to access wide open |
| afraid of getting hurled into a tree, there's no need | | | | alpine slopes, scenic glaciers and gladed forests |
| to worry here: the mountains are treeless. The | | | | dusted with annual snowfalls of up to 1,100 cm/36 |
| slopes also have wind-curled cornices, so | | | | feet. Some of this is extreme skiing, definitely not |
| snowboarders can afford to try out a few new | | | | for the novice, but hey, who wants to live forever? |
| stunts. This is also a perfect spot to try heli-skiing in | | | | 7. Austria's least-known sport that'll make you feel |
| a friendly, nurturing environment. | | | | like a kid again - Austria's Lake District boasts |
| 3. Ski Whistler Blackcomb before the next Olympians | | | | excellent ice-skating and skiing during the winter as |
| do! When it comes to skiing and riding, Whistler | | | | well as water sports during the summer. The area |
| Blackcomb with its 8,000 plus acres of terrain on | | | | around Wolfgangsee offers a little-known sport that'll |
| both mountains, has variety and then some. Choose | | | | take you right back to your childhood. Mountain |
| from steeps, deeps, chutes, high alpine bowls, glades, | | | | tobogganing involves carting a metal saucer-of-a-thing |
| superb corduroy, long cruisers and gentle rollers. | | | | up a hillside (we recommend the chair lift as opposed |
| Riders and skiers will revel in the Parks and Pipes on | | | | to a hike) and descending on a metal track to the |
| both mountains plus natural launch pads, hits, wind-lips, | | | | bottom. It'll be the most invigorating five minutes of |
| cornices, cliff drops and ridges - the place is like a | | | | your life. Next step? Do it again! |
| huge, natural terrain park! And the night-life is great | | | | 8. And after lots of lessons and a stiff drink...Canadian |
| too! This is the site of the next Winter Olympics. | | | | daredevil's dream - Canada's ski-jump champs |
| 4. World-class cat skiing for coupon clippers...in the | | | | practice in Thunder Bay, Ontario, regarded as the |
| Italian Alps - Sure, you'd love to go on a ritzy ski | | | | world's biggest jump. You've seen the Bond films - |
| holiday but you're - well, how can we put this? | | | | now it's your turn. Mind you, there are also |
| ...broke. No worries. We appreciate a good bargain | | | | cross-country trails for beginners if you need to get |
| ourselves and have found that the deals in life are | | | | up your confidence. The area includes four major |
| often a mere stone's throw away from the pricey | | | | Alpine areas. Daily flight service can be arranged from |
| stuff. Such is the case in the Italian Alps: Mount | | | | Toronto, Winnipeg and Minneapolis. This place can be |
| Livata and Pescasseroli are located very near Cortina | | | | crowded during peak season--who knew there were |
| d'Ampezzo, Italy's most popular resort, but offer | | | | so many daredevils around? |
| affordable accommodation and similar access to | | | | For more resources about heli ski or about cat skiing |
| facilities. Same goes for Val d'Ayas, which is located | | | | or even about snowcat skiing please review these |
| near pricey Courmayeur and Cervinia and offers | | | | pages. |