FEATURES

Five new resorts to try this winter

The new season means new skis, snowboards, jackets and pants, new hotels and schools opening, and new snow to play on. But where’s the excitement in all that if you just return to the same old resorts to do the same old runs? Allow us to introduce you to the new – resorts you may not have considered before, and are ideal for groups of experts, mixed abilities, weekend breakers, park-hungry teens or party animals. Go on, try somewhere new this season...

Andermatt, Switzerland

Best for: Experts and thrill-seekers

Steep, high terrain towers above this sleepy but attractive village blessed with an impeccable snow record and endless powder bowls. Hire a guide and set out to explore the countless north-facing lines on Gemsstock, the main peak accessed by a cable car to 2,965m. The resort’s so quiet there’ll be no après to distract you from first lift in the morning, but get there soon if you want the deserted slopes – an Egyptian billionaire has bought the disused army barracks and plans to develop them into a £600m resort, doubling the resort’s capacity in the process.

Where to stay: The charming three-star Sonne hotel has been run by the same family for four generations and is between the centre of the village and the main lift.

How to get there: The nearest airport is Zurich and, because this is Switzerland, transferring from the airport by train is a doddle. It’s about a two-hour journey. www.andermatt.ch

Breckenridge, Colorado

Best for: Aspiring pro freestylers and park rats

Breckenridge has long been known as the resort to go to Stateside for top park riding, and the Colorado destination is staying on top of the game this season with a massive makeover for its flagship park, the Freeway Terrain Park. Parkshapers will be hard at work building a 22-foot halfpipe and maintaining it all season – these bad boys usually only make an appearance at the Olympics or X Games, but this will be open all season for anyone to play on, if you dare. But Breckenridge hasn’t built its freestyle reputation on one halfpipe alone – there are five parks and two pipes to play in, so even if the 22-footer may seem a bit intimidating to begin with, there’s plenty to practice on.

Where to stay: If you’re heading to Breck purely for the riding, save the pennies and rent a condo in nearby Frisco – it’s better value than the hotels in town.

How to get there: Denver is the closest international airport, 165km or two hours drive away. www.breckenridge.com

Roccaraso, Abruzzo, Italy

Best for: Weekend getaways

Roccaraso, the biggest and oldest of the Abruzzo resorts, has over 120 km of pistes, and is situated about 90 minutes by road from Naples and Rome. Take an early flight to either and, later the same day, you’ll be enjoying the experience of skiing or snowboarding pistes flanked by beech woods in the company of just enough Italians to dispel the notion that you are alone on the mountain. Worth the trip for the food and drink alone, beware getting seriously stuck in before you ski, or that lift pass might become a wasted investment.

Where to stay: Make the most of your time if you’re on a flying visit and stay at the foot of the slopes at the Pizzalto hotel.

How to get there: Budget flights are a-plenty to both Naples and Rome – Abruzzo is about halfway between the two, towards the east coast. www.abruzzoturismo.it

Serre Chevalier, France

Best for: Mixed ability groups

The 250km of slopes spreading out along the Briançon valley will keep the mileage-hungry of the group happy, while the easily accessed and deserted off piste will keep the adventurous on their toes. The unusual off-slope diversions of the medieval walled town of Briançon and the natural hot spring baths in Monêtier will keep any fair-weather skiers content, and if anyone in the party needs a little confidence boost, book some instruction with Gavin Crosby at the latest branch to open of the New Generation ski school.

Where to stay: An old favourite is the good value family-run Rif Blanc hotel in Monêtier (close to the spring baths), while the Best Western Premier in Chantemerle is one of the resort’s shinier offerings.

How to get there: The nearest airports are Turin and Grenoble, both about two hours away, or you can take the train to Briançon. www.serre-chevalier.com

Zillertal, Austria

Best for: Party animals

The French may have coined the term après ski but if you want to do it properly there really is only one country to go to: Austria. And if you worry about the mountains not being high enough or the snow cover not being reliable enough, head to the Zillertal region. It’s home to Mayrhofen, the resort consistently brave enough to host the biggest and maddest party of the winter, Snowbombing, and Hintertux, proud owner of Austria’s most challenging and extensive glacier. Free buses link the region, and wherever you end up, umbrella bars open up, music pounds and beer flows as soon as lunch is over.

Where to stay: For the full party experience stay in Mayrhofen at the Strass hotel – one of the resort’s biggest nightclubs is in its basement and it’s stumbling distance to the gondola in the morning.

How to get there: Innsbruck is the closest airport, 70km away, and there’s a train station in Mayrhofen. www.zillertal.at