| Best Skiing Destinations |
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Page 1 of 6 Don’t waste good powder by taking just another ski trip. Elevate your next winter vacation with one of these five exclusive mountain escapes.
Lyngen's views to forever. Photo by Graham Austick
Off the Beaten Piste LYNGEN PENINSULA, NORWAY Leave it to the nordicski-crazed Norwegians to turn luxury skiing into an aerobic endeavor. From late February to early May, guests on this seven-day tour are shuttled from home base at the brand-new Lyngen Lodge, a blond-wood fortress on the shores of 53-mile-long Lyngen Fjord, north of the Arctic Circle, on a custom speed-pontoon to any line that looks worth skiing. But don’t expect any whirlybird bailouts: From the boat, whatever you can hike, you can ski. Snow Report Northern exposure is a beautiful premise: The Gulf Stream warms the air and brings heaps of snow, ensuring summit-to-sea runs into late spring. The consistent blanketing means there are plenty of lines for the picking, from couloirs to wide-open bowls. Even better than the untracked turns are the untouched views. You could be one of only a handful of skiers who ever soak in these summit vistas. Go for It Start early to ski up Store Kågtinden, a 3,000-plus-foot island peak that lodge owner Graham Austick calls his “favorite mountain in the whole world.” The day starts at the marina, where you’ll hop into the boat for a brisk ride to the base of the peak. After a three- to four-hour climb, take your pick of descent lines. On good snow days, Austick prefers to ski into a gaping bowl to the west, with unhindered views of the setting sun. Lodging The grass-roof, pine-log lodge is straight out of a Scandinavian design showroom. With a stone fireplace, a cedar sauna, plenty of mood lighting, and panoramic views, the lodge might tempt you to hunker down and let the rest of the crew head out into the Arctic darkness (lyngenlodge.com). It sleeps 16, but book it with friends—it’s close quarters, and there aren’t many diversions this far north. Après Return from skiing by 5 p.m., just in time for a hot tub or, being that this is Norway, a cleansing sauna followed by a dip in the fjord. Afterwards, shower up and have a glass of French red around the stone fireplace while waiting for dinner, which will include the greatest hits of Norway: salmon tartare, reindeer fillets, and buttery white chocolate desserts prepared by chef Annette Erlandsen. If you visit in late spring, stay up for the spectacular display of northern lights. Get Going Book with Aspen Expeditions (from $3,875 per person, based on a group of six people; includes transfers, meals, and mountain guides; aspenexpeditions.com). |
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