Skiing Hut-to-Hut in Colorado’s Soul-Stirring Backcountry

From the high point in Pays de Gex, sun illuminates the flatlands and the blue waters of Lac Léman stretch into the distance. We’re in the realms of the Haute Chaîne du Jura, a national nature reserve where lynx and wolves wander and the mountain towns among the peaks offer far more than downhill skiing.

During a recent trip within the U.S., the car’s GPS navigation system took me on an unexpected route between Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Basalt, Colorado. It steered me through a small town named Paonia in western Colorado, where I happened to have spent time—decades ago—as an intern for an environmental newspaper. Wanting to see this town again I veered in. Remembering that this region apparently now has a reputation for producing wine, I parked outside a wine and liquor store and purchased some bottles.

Balancing on a narrow ledge at the top of Lone Mountain Peak, I peer down one of North America’s steepest and most challenging ski runs, the Big Couloir — a triple black diamond-graded gully ranging from 40 to 50 degrees over an intense 460 vertical meters. I’m going to ski down alone, with just the voice of legendary extreme skier Dan Egan cheering me on from behind. It’s the last day of Big Sky’s Steep and Deep camp, led by Egan, and this is the crux moment. 

It’s believed that the Norwegians invented modern skiing as we know it, and the first destination ski resort was Switzerland’s St. Moritz around 1864—more than half a century before the oldest operating mountain in the U.S. opened. It was the ski loving but mountain-challenged British that popularized the very notion of the ski vacation, traveling to the Alps for food, fun and skiing.

Many hotels in ski destinations around the world boast about their ski-in/ski-out locations. But the Little Nell in Aspen, Aspen's only Five-Star, Five-Diamond hotel, is taking this convenience one step further. Indeed, The Little Nell’s newly renovated spa, called The Spa at The Little Nell, is the only ski-in/ski-out spa in the famous mountain town.

When the temperature drops and the snow starts falling, there's nothing quite like the thrill of hitting the slopes. But what if there was a way to elevate that experience - to pair your alpine adventures with wellness and the perfect glass of wine? Enter The Little Nell, a 92-room, 5-Star, 5-Diamond luxury resort based at the foot of Aspen Mountain. Indulgences come together for a savory winter getaway with a twist at The Little Nell as you Sip, Ski, and Spa your way through Aspen, Colorado.

Looking down from Utah’s sheer Wasatch Range, I feel relieved to have made it to the end of one of America’s most challenging roads. Rising to nearly 2,500 metres, State Route 210 is no stranger to avalanches. Snow ploughs can’t keep pace with the blizzards and cannons trigger slides to mitigate risk. Travel can be slow and unpredictable — but manage to get here, and the skiing is arguably the finest in North America.

Skiing and snowboarding got a big participation boost from the pandemic, and leisure travel in general has been running at a frenetic pace, with demand often outstripping supply. As a result, many top winter vacation destinations are more expensive than ever. Because Marriott’s Bonvoy is the world’s largest hotel loyalty program, many frequent travelers and those who accrue points through business travel will be looking to redeem their earnings for much needed “free” vacation stays.

Mountain spas. Dog-sledding. Hot springs. Mulled wine by a roaring fire. Many ski resorts offer much more than just skiing. If you're looking for a winter weekend break filled with fun and cozy activities, you don't need to hit the slopes to enjoy the charms of a ski resort.

Streets in Madrid could be shut down due to overcrowding in the city centre.

Despite a mediocre snow season last year, the Northeast measured more than 13 million skier visits, its strongest showing in eight years. Much of that interest was driven, no doubt, by the increasing use of multi-mountain passes, with skiers and boarders enjoying late-season snowfall as well as recent snow-making and infrastructure investments.

Be it hammering down heart-thumping blacks in the ice-blue shadow of Mont Blanc, ski-touring beneath glistening saw-chiseled peaks or tree skiing through picture-book forests, France sports an unrivaled variety of skiing – for all abilities, styles and budgets.