Top 5 off-piste resorts in the Alps
Trying to describe off-piste skiing and snowboarding to someone who has never experienced it can be tricky. It is easy to get carried away trying to put the feeling into words and get misty-eyed about your last big powder-coated descent. Therefore, the best way to discover what off-piste skiing feels like is to try it yourself. So we have put together a list of the top 5 off-piste resorts in the Alps.
By visiting these ski resorts, you will be able to enjoy the freedom, unrestrained and outright pleasure that only off-piste can give you.
Chamonix, France
Chamonix is an iconic destination for off-piste skiing and snowboarding. As soon as you arrive, you are aware that Chamonix is a ski resort like no other. The Chamonix locals and visitors walk around the streets with mountaineering equipment, ropes, crampons, freeride skis, and snowboards. You know these people mean business.
The town is overlooked by some of the largest mountains in Europe. You can spot epic off-piste lines from wherever you are standing in the town centre.
Chamonix boasts four superb ski areas Brevant & Flegere, Les Grand Montets and Le Tour and the Vallée Blanche. All of these areas have their own characteristics that make them unique.
Each ski area has some fantastic off-piste, but you have to head to the Vallée Blanche for the classic routes. From the top of the Aiguille du Midi cable car, you will find 20km of unmarked and unpatrolled off-piste.
The scenery is incredible, and Mont Blanc feels like it is within touching distance from the top. The classic route takes you from 3812m all the way down the glacier. If the snow coverage is good enough, you can get all the way to Chamonix, descending a massive 2,800m.
It is best to book a guide for skiing the Vallée Blanche. A guide will be able to take you on the best and safest route. If you are up for a challenge, you can use touring equipment to get to the Italian border. It is a good workout, but worth it for the views and the epic powder back down.
St Anton, Austria
St Anton is located in one of Austria's largest ski areas, Arlberg. It is regarded as one of the most snow-sure ski areas in Europe, making it an excellent destination for powder hunters.
Most of St Anton's skiing is above the tree line, so you can expect lots of open off-piste areas. You can easily access lots of the off-piste from the lifts. This makes it very convenient, but make sure you get on the mountain early, to beat the locals to the freshies.
However, if you are willing to put some effort into finding fresh tracks, you will find plenty of backcountry lines.
Experienced skiers and snowboarders will love Maienwasen and MaienPlatt. Maienwasen is superb for off-piste, but you need to know what you are doing or take a guide, as it is steep and prone to avalanching. Head towards St. Christoph from the top of the Galzig gondola. You just need to ski off the left of the piste and head right to the top of a beautiful wide off-piste area of Maienwarsen.
For something a little less steep with some trees, head to Maienplatt. Again, head towards St Christoph and left off the piste where it flattens out. Ski towards the trees on the right, and you will reach the top of Maienplatt. You will love this run, especially after a recent snowfall.
To get back to the piste, you need to keep an eye open for a huge concrete air vent and head left. After a traverse, you will end up on the 50 blue piste.
Zermatt, Switzerland
Zermatt is a fantastic Swiss ski resort sitting at 1,600 meters. It is renowned for having some of the best high altitude skiing in the world. The area is home to some of the Alps' most distinct mountains, including the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa. These famous peaks attract skiers, snowboarders and mountaineers from all around the world every year.
Zermatt's skiing terrain is pretty hard to beat. You can ski from 3,899m, and its longest descent accessed by a lift is 13km long and drops 2,200 vertical metres. The resort also connects with Cervinia-Valtournenche in Italy to extend the area further. However, it's Zermatt's off-piste that makes it such a world-class ski destination.
There are many secret spots around Zermatt that are rarely skied. If you can get friendly with a local or book a guide, these areas are yours for the taking. Zermatt's many north-facing slopes provide excellent quality snow days after it has fallen. This is thanks to its high altitude and that most of its slopes are in the shade during mid-winter. You can even find powder on spring days.
After a good dump of snow, head to the Tritji back bowls for some easy to get to powder. There are several lines to choose from where you will be able to score some fresh tracks. Just make sure you get there early to claim them before someone else does.
La Grave, France
La Grave is located in the Southern French Alps, not far from Les Deux Alps and Alpe d’Huez. It is a self-proclaimed "freeride village" due to its extreme terrain. La Grave only has one marked piste on its glacier; the rest of the area is unmarked and unpatrolled. The area is left as natural as possible to give you a genuine mountain experience.
La Grave's cable car takes 30 minutes to get you to the top, as its top station sits at 3,200m. From here, you can access a vast amount of untouched terrain. Rather than nannying you into staying in restricted areas, La Grave encourages you to explore. This is a place you can be as creative as you like with your line choice. However, La Grave is not for novices or people trying out off-piste for the first time. To ski or snowboard La Grave, you need to have the necessary skills.
The freedom you have in La Grave can get you into lots of trouble. So understanding the dangers and having respect for the mountains is just as important as technical ability. For your first trip to La Grave, make sure you book a guide to take you to the best and safest areas.
There’s not a huge amount of ski accommodation in La Grave and as we mentioned it is generally for the more experience skiers and boarders. So for a mixed group or for better accommodation people will often stay in Les Deux Alpes and just take a day trip to La Grave which is less than 30 minutes drive away.
La Thuile, Italy
La Thuile is a fun ski resort in Italy with a calm atmosphere. It is located in the Aosta valley and gets plenty of snowfall each winter. It has lots to offer families, beginners and intermediate skiers and snowboarders. However, the area has lots to offer more advanced riders in its off-piste terrain.
One of the great things about skiing and snowboarding off-piste in La Thuile is that you don't have to tackle steep and intimidating descents. There is plenty of more mellow terrain that is just steep and fun enough to get your heart pumping.
If you are new to riding powder, La Thuile's off-piste is ideal. Much of the off-piste terrain has gentle gradients, especially the areas above Les Suches and Arnouvaz.
More experienced skiers and snowboarders can find untouched powder under the Chez Dura double on the front side of the mountain. Much of the off-piste is easily accessed from the lifts, especially Belvedere, Fourclaz and Piccolo San Bernardo chairlifts.
Aosta is a popular heli-skiing destination, which you can't do in France, as it is illegal. A heli trip into the backcountry with a guide is an unforgettable experience. It is the easiest way to guarantee fresh tracks and arriving back in the resort in style.
Final Thoughts
As long as the conditions are good, you can have some incredible off-piste experiences in these ski resorts. But, you need to make sure you are as safe as possible, as off-piste areas are hazardous.
To ensure your safety, book a guide or instructor to take you off-piste. They will know the best places to go to suit the conditions and keep you safe. If you want to do more off-piste, each person in the group needs to take a transceiver, probe and shovel with them. Everyone must know how to use the equipment, so they can rescue anyone buried in an avalanche.
However, it is best to stay out of trouble in the first place. Therefore, booking on to an avalanche awareness course will educate you on how to stay safe
