T3 - UK (2022-02)

MOUNTAIN

MUST-HAVES

TRAIL PICKS

FEBRUARY 2022 T3 23

Horizon

Travel

PISTE PATROL

Whether you’re a couloir-loving adrenaline junkie or a beginner

strapping on a snowboard for the first time, hitting the slopes rocks

This year, skiers and snowboarders who’ve
stuck firmly to Europe’s ski resorts are
making up for lost time by splashing out
on holidays across the pond.
For stateside skiing, it’s hard to beat the
Colorado resort of Breckenridge, which
celebrates its sixtieth anniversary this
winter and recently unveiled the slick new
Freedom SuperChair, which makes
exploring the legendary Peak 7 area much
easier. Beginners should consider heading
to Colorado’s beautiful Beaver Creek
resort, which often slips under the radar of
skiers and snowboarders. This winter saw
the unveiling of the new 250-acre McCoy
Park – a beginner-friendly area designed
with families in mind.
In the Canadian resort of Whistler, new
openings include the luxurious Fairmont
Gold boutique hotel, while the Four
Seasons Resort Whistler has been given a
spectacular makeover, which includes the
addition of ten new Signature Suites, all of
which offer breathtaking views. Don’t miss
the chance to dine in one of Fairmont
Chateau Whistler’s Snow Globe Dining
Domes, either – retreat to these heated
bubbles to enjoy a five-course meal.
For some family-friendly fun, check into
the Club Med Québec Charlevoix, which

became Club Med’s first Northern American

ski hotel when it opened in late 2021.

Tucked into the mountains of Quebec’s

Charlevoix Region, the hotel offers easy

access to Le Massif de Charlevoix’s

network of trails, and spectacular views of

the St Lawrence River. The hotel’s three

restaurants include Le Chalet, where you

can sample delicious regional dishes. The

resort itself might not be Canada’s largest,

but it lays claim to the highest vertical

drop east of the Rockies, and is easily

combined with visits to other nearby

resorts, such as Mont-Tremblant.

Finally, there’s no denying that the

French Alps have some of the best

terrain in the world, and the resort of Les

Arcs is hard to beat. Reasons to head

there this winter include the new 10-seat

gondola, which replaces the old Vallandry

chairlift (the new gondola will whisk

skiers from the bottom of the slopes to

2,138 metres in just six minutes) and a

new observation deck next to the arrival

station of the Carreley chairlift. You’ll

enjoy fantastic views of Mont Blanc and

there are two-person deckchairs, a swing,

picnic area and charging points for your

mobile phone. If it’s not on Insta, it didn’t

happen, after all.

BURTON FAMILY

TREE HOMETOWN

HERO CAMBER

SNOWBOARD

Love the snow

park as much as

the piste? You

need Burton’s new

snowboard – a

lean, mean speed

machine that will

slash through

off-piste powder

stashes but that is

equally at home on

groomed pistes.

Its symmetrical

twin flex means it

performs equally

well when ridden

switch, too.

£560, burton.com

BOLLÉ TALENT MEN’S

SUNGLASSES

Bollé’s stylish sunglasses

won’t just protect your

peepers and improve colour

perception by up to 30%

• with their sleek profile,
  they’re an essential for après-
  ski socialising, too.
  £120, bolle.com

COLUMBIA BIRD

MOUNTAIN WOMEN’S

SKI JACKET

The

reflective

gold dots

inside

Columbia’s

Bird

Mountain

women’s

ski jacket

help

to trap

heat to

keep you wonderfully snug

on the slopes.

£210,

columbiasportswear.co.uk

IMAGE SOURCE: MANU REYBOZ

IMAGE SOURCE: COLUMBIA

IMAGE SOURCE: BOLLÉ

IMAGE SOURCE: BURTON