THE SKI TOWN CITY DREAM

Skiers can stay and eat affordably in a city of 200,000 inhabitants (1.2 million in the metro area), while easily accessing four of Utah’s best resorts in less than an hour: Solitude, Brighton, Snowbird, and Alta. Of Utah’s 15 resorts, ten are within an hour of Salt Lake City International Airport, a major hub in western America. It only takes one powder day at Snowbird or Alta to see why so many powder addicts, pro skiers, photographers, and ski companies have cultivated a home below the Wasatch.

The latter, the only family-owned and operated ski area in the region, and less than a 30-minute drive from downtown Vancouver, offers 200 acres of terrain, including a veritable terrain park serviced by five lifts. Backcountry skiing opportunities from the top of the ski area abound, mostly on rolling terrain, but snowboarders have always found perfect natural gaps and landings to progress on. Across the road from Cypress, one of the most popular ski tours on the North Shore climbs and descends Hollyburn Mountain. The city of 650,000, which prides itself on ethnic diversity, offers a plethora of cultural opportunities including a world of cuisines, frequent live music, and hundreds of galleries, museums, and theatres.

In just 25 minutes, via funicular and cable car, skiers can pass from the beautiful downtown core, with its charming Old Town that includes 15th-century buildings mixed with contemporary architecture, to the ski area of Nordkette. Descend Hafelar, one of the steepest runs in Europe, and challenge yourself on proper big mountain lines and steep tree chutes. Nordkette offers 1400 vertical meters of skiing straight down to the city. On a good day, the skiing is on par with any of its neighbors in the Alps. After skiing above the city, wander Innsbruck’s historic core, from its cobblestone streets, medieval buildings, and Baroque churches to inviting sidewalk cafes. The “SKI plus CITY pass Stubai – Innsbruck” accesses 13 surrounding ski resorts, selected public transport routes, and 22 city attractions with one ticket. Less than an hour away, the Stubai Glacier offers half pipes and natural jumps at Austria’s largest glaciated ski area.

With an average of 6.3 meters of annual snowfall, Hokkaido’s biggest city (with 2 million inhabitants) is the perfect base to explore the North Island’s numerous ski resorts. Only 20 minutes from downtown Sapporo, the ski area of Teine offers ocean views and world-class skiing. The resort has some of the steepest in-bounds runs in Japan and north-facing side-country terrain. A little farther, Sapporo Kokusai’s humble five lifts and seven marked runs provide access to endless phenomenal tree skiing. About an hour from the city, halfway between Sapporo and Hokkaido’s most well-known resort, Niseko, you’ll find roadside backcountry skiing at Nakayama Toge, a legendary pass perfect for ski touring.

Skiers can commute 90-minutes from the city of nearly 7 million to Chile’s famed Tres Valles: Valle Nevado, La Parva, and El Colorado/Farellones. Valle Nevado is the highest of the three resorts, often offering the best snow in the area, uncrowded powder days, and the most amenities. While the area is known for a lot of low-to-medium-angle terrain, cliff bands and rocky couloirs can be accessed from Tres Puntas, a 5,200-foot-long Poma lift, along with the Andes’ nearly limitless backcountry.