- off piste
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If you are skier or snowboarder, this is the most amazing off piste powder run for snowboarders and skiers. The run is completely untouched and easy to find. You can achieve that same exhilarating feeling as if you were heli skiing but without the hike across the mountain to get there. Although you have to be prepared for a 30-minute hike back up the road at the end but well worth it.
Information to follow
Straddling the spectacular Belledonne mountain chain, Les Sept Laux is not one of the Alps most famed resorts. You don't come for the apres-ski or the prestige, and the range of accommodation is relatively limited: but herein lies the resort's appeal. Les Sept Laux can get crowded at weekends with daytrippers from nearby Grenoble, due to its proximity and accessibility, but during the week, it is blissfully deserted, and even at the peak of the season, you can have the slopes almost to yourself. There isn't the massive pisted domain of resort areas like Les Trois Vallées or Les Portes du Soleil, though there are a range of runs for all ability levels - Sept Laux's real joy comes from the acres of luxuriantly powdery off-piste, which combined with a fabulous combination of scented pine forest and jagged peaks, not to mention the spectacular views across the Isere valley far below and further to the Chartreuse and Vanoise massifs, makes from a truly blissful day away from the crowds in a still-unspoilt Alpine paradise.
Les Sept Laux, Isere, France. (The main base station, Prapoutel, is off the A41 autoroute 15 miles north of Grenoble towards Chambéry) There are regular buses from Grenoble's central bus station, see www.transisere.fr
There are two things that are really special about Chamonix: the jaw-dropping scenery and the off-piste skiing. Why stay on the tame groomed runs with the crowd the whole time when you can spice things up with a real mountain adventure?
Use the lifts to get your elevation, then work out of ski area boundaries for fresh snow, long descents, beautiful views, challenging skiing/boarding and solitude.
Or better yet, use skins to climb up where there are no lifts. Or hire a helicopter or a ski-plane to drop you on a nearby peak.
Avalanches, crevasses and other high-mountain hazards mean you definitely want a guide to help you with this. Try www.markseaton.com/ for a great British guide who lives in Cham and knows the area ski options well.
Jasna is a ski resort, which I would recommend very highly. It has lots of varying runs, from begginers, to some really challenging off-piste runs. The rental equipment, from the mountain, was second to none, and cost about £55 for 6 days hire of skis, boots, and poles.
There are hotels at the resort, as well as dozens of food outlets on the mountain, and most of the drag lifts are new, which shows this place is on the up.
The Low Tatras, Slovakia.
About 25 mins from Liptovsky Mikulas, or 45 mins from Poprad.
An off-piste ski/snowboard run (guided). The icing on the cake of my favourite resort for snowboarding - Les Arcs. Great views, great powder snow. My first proper off-piste run, and has inspired me to come back for more!
Stay in Peisey Vallandry, and get some ESF lessons and guiding. Don't do the run without a guide and make sure you are given avalanche 'beacons' to wear.
In between Les Arcs and La Plagne.
For a super quick two-day weekend’s skiing, fly to Zurich and head to Flumserberg. With just a 45-minute transfer, you could fly in on a Saturday morning and hit the slopes by lunch. While its very much a local resort and you're unlikely to hear any other Brits, there's some nice off-piste in the tree line and plenty of winter hiking or husky sledging for non skiers. Best of all, the views are stunning.
If you want to learn to ski off-piste or you already love it, head to Tignes this winter. As well as having tons of different routes of varying difficulty, Tignes also has an area dedicated to teaching people how to use their transceivers and probes. The SPOT area (bottom of Grattalu/ Col des Ves lifts) is constantly manned so you can ask questions and try your new knowledge out on the different levels of off-piste near the hut. A thumbs-up to Tignes for providing this free service.
I have skied in Chamonix for over 10 years and watched a huge rise in visits from British lemmings. They are called lemmings because 95% of Brit skiers and boarders cannot handle the off-piste terrain. If you're not up to handling the world's most dangerous lift-served terrain then go somewhere easier.
Any ski brochure
One of the world's most famous off piste runs needs no introduction. Take the hair-raising Aiguille du Midi liftright to the top (3,842m), then follow the itinerary all the way back downto the Montenvers train, which takes you back down to town (1,042m). There's plenty of time to take in the stunning scenery on this 22km trip, but it's glacier all the way so go with someone experienced or hire a guide.
L'Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix
When there's plenty of fresh snow (quite often considering Whistler has just had the snowiest January on record- 461cm!), take the peak chair and ride the peak-to-creek run taking the 'Khiber's Pass' line down to creek side, this run is unpisted and is pretty much the most fun you can have on a board!
Whistler mountain on fresh powder days
When the snow is good, the Flute and Whistler bowls are both epic. They’re avalanche controlled, but it pays to take avalanche safety equipment with you and know how to use it. Also, go with someone who knows where they’re going, or failing that hire a guide. Getting lost in there doesn’t come highly recommended.
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