Skiing for Experts – A Guide to the Best Resorts

Expert skiers travel around the world in search of the steepest and scariest slopes. It’s an obsession for some, an unquenchable desire for others. Finding a resort that will truly push your skills to the limit is the first step on this journey and the most important. After all, it’s an expensive hobby.

What to Look For

When searching for the most challenging ski destinations there are a few things you need to look out for. Most desirable are resorts with a combination difficult black runs, tricky off-piste descents and famous slopes that you can brag about to your friends. Ski pedigree counts for much, however you also need a resort with modern facilities, including most importantly well-functioning and abundant ski lifts. Tick these boxes and you are in business.

Daring Destinations

So, with checklist in hand, I have picked out a few of the most daring resorts for ski pros. Don’t forget to pack your best gear for these ones, you are going to need it.

Verbier, Switzerland

Almost half of Verbier’s slopes are marked as ‘advanced’ so there’s no excuse for staying on the easy slopes here. It also means that the majority of fellow snow hounds are in it to win just like you, so you won’t be interrupted by falling children on the way down. You will want to seek out the Mont Fort descent with a 1.3 kilometre plunge down the Tortin Glacier. Also, if you fancy mixing it up, why not try heliskiing with plenty of crazy off-piste challenges on offer.

Banff, Canada

The Banff resort is made up of three distinct skiing areas, so there’s plenty to get your teeth into. The majority of the black runs are located in the ‘North America’ section of Mount Norquay with one particular drop called Think Again living up to its name. If that wasn’t enough to wet your fancy, Banff is also home Delirium Drive, one of the most famous slopes on the continent. This is a resort that specialised in off-piste action so if that’s your bag, this is your place.

Mayrhofen, Austria

Mayrhofen is home to the steepest black run in Austria called Harakiri, which has a mindboggling gradient of 78% on its 3.2 kilometre descent. The resort also has some of the best snowparks in the region with lots of snowboarding opportunities for a break from the skis. The lifts here are also rarely slow and the pistes, as a result, are clear and fast.

Expert skiers know that without ski travel insurance you can easily become unstuck. These are some of the most challenging descents in the world for a reason, so it’s vital that you stay protected. The unpredictability of skiing is famed throughout sport so invest in some comprehensive ski travel insurance and don’t let the slopes catch you out.