THE SKI CITY DREAM

As real estate prices and the cost of living continue to rise in traditional ski towns, most skiers who are not extremely wealthy are seeking more affordable options beyond the declining rural alpine ideal. These urban centres provide short commutes, easy access, and cultural experiences, offering a different kind of “ski town” dream.

Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

The outdoor capital in America’s West

There’s a reason Salt Lake City trademarked the phrase “Greatest Snow on Earth.” According to research by University of Utah atmospheric scientists, a delicate combination of climate conditions over Salt Lake City’s Wasatch Mountains causes light, cold powder to fall atop a heavier base, creating the epic powder skiing conditions captured in thousaands of magazine pages, commercials, and films.

Skiers can stay and eat affordably in a city of 220,000 residents (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 enthusiasts, pro skiers, photographers, and ski companies have made a home below the Wasatch.

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Ocean views in the North Shore mountains

While snow rarely falls in the metropolis of Vancouver — a modern, cosmopolitan city situated where the Coast Mountains meet the Pacific Ocean—powder accumulates at the city’s three local ski resorts: Cypress Mountain, Grouse Mountain, and Mt. Seymour.

The latter, the only family-owned and operated ski area in the region, is less than a 30-minute drive from downtown Vancouver and offers 200 acres of terrain, including a well-developed terrain park served by five lifts. Backcountry skiing from the top of the ski area is plentiful, mainly on rolling terrain, and snowboarders have consistently found natural gaps and landings to practice on. Across the road from Cypress, one of the most popular ski tours on the North Shore ascends and descends Hollyburn Mountain. The city of 650,000, renowned for its ethnic diversity, offers a diverse range of cultural experiences, including a wide variety of cuisines, frequent live music, and numerous galleries, museums, and theatres.

Innsbruck, Austria

The biggest city in the Alps

Innsbruck is the largest city in the Alps, with a population of 130,000. As the Tyrolean capital, it is uniquely the only city to have hosted the Winter Olympics three times, including the Winter Youth Olympics.

Just 25 minutes away via funicular and cable car, skiers can travel from the charming Old Town- with its 15th-century buildings and modern architecture- to the Nordkette ski area. Here, you can descend Hafelar, one of Europe’s steepest runs, and challenge yourself on big mountain lines and steep tree chutes. Nordkette offers 1400 meters of vertical skiing straight into the city. On good days, the skiing compares well with neighboring Alps resorts. After skiing, visitors can explore Innsbruck’s historic center with cobblestone streets, medieval architecture, and Baroque churches, along with cozy sidewalk cafes. The “SKI plus CITY pass Stubai – Innsbruck” provides access to 12 nearby ski resorts, select public transportation routes, and 22 city attractions with a single ticket. Less than an hour away, the Stubai Glacier features halfpipes and natural jumps at Austria’s largest glaciated ski area.

Sapporo, Japan

The capital of Hokkaido is a true snow city

Sapporo gained international recognition on the ski map when the Japanese city hosted the Winter Olympic Games in 1972. Today, Hokkaido’s capital is renowned for its ramen, beer, and the Sapporo Snow Festival—a week-long winter event featuring large, intricate snow sculptures.

With an average of 6.3 metres of snowfall annually, Hokkaido’s largest city (home to 2 million residents) serves as an ideal base to explore the North Island’s numerous ski resorts. Just 20 minutes from downtown Sapporo, the Teine ski area offers ocean views and top-tier skiing. It boasts some of Japan’s steepest on-piste runs and north-facing side-country terrain. Slightly further out, Sapporo Kokusai’s modest five lifts and seven marked pistes provide access to excellent tree skiing. About an hour from the city, halfway between Sapporo and the well-known Niseko resort, is Nakayama Toge—a legendary backcountry pass perfect for ski touring.

Santiago, Chile

City scrapes at the foot of the Andes

Bridging the snow-capped Andes Mountains and the wild Pacific coast, Santiago de Chile features historic and unique neighbourhoods, vibrant street art, lively nightlife, lush parks, and a lifetime of gastronomic discovery.

Skiers can drive about 90 minutes from the city of nearly 7 million to Chile’s renowned Tres Valles: Valle Nevado, La Parva, and El Colorado/Farellones. Valle Nevado is the highest of the three resorts, often providing the best snow in the region, uncrowded powder days, and the most facilities. While the area is known for its many gentle slopes, cliff bands and rocky couloirs can be accessed from Tres Puntas, a 5,200-foot-long Poma lift, along with the Andes’ almost endless backcountry.

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