Skiing

  Skiing in a blizzard somewhere above the village of St Christoph in January, I felt like I was inside a freshly shaken Tyrolean snowglobe. The only colors I could detect were the blurred jackets of my friend Tom and Christoph Berger, a third generation Arlberg ski guide. Much is

BACKSTORY: Snowbird is a mountain lauded for its steep and deep terrain, 500 inches of powder yearly, and cliffs that inspire the craziest skiers and boarders to make the leap of faith. At its base sits the Cliff Lodge & Spa, a 10-story symphony in cement that looks like a

(Banff Springs Hotel) By Ed Wetschler Go to Banff and Lake Louise next week. This isn’t some out-of-left-field imperative; this is good advice. And not just for skiers. March may be the most beautiful month of all in the Canadian Rockies, and given the region’s grandeur from late spring through

With spring break looming, ski rental shops are poised to do box office business. Because it’s easier to rent than schlep your skis through the airport, of course. But for the traveler who needs to rent, the idea of standing in an endless line in a crowded ski shop for

THE BACKSTORY: When the slopeside Four Season Resort Jackson Hole opened in December 2003, the smart money said the hotel would have trouble making the cut in this hardcore ski town. After all, a brand that epitomizes all that is luxe had the temerity to build on a mountain that

I’ve been lucky enough to ski in Aspen every winter since the early 90’s and it seems to me that I’ve heard the name "John Clendenin" mentioned each time that I’ve visited. He is one of Aspen’s legendary ski instructors, his name invariably invoked by a local, who speaks as

Now that winter has finally arrived in North America, it seems like a good time to speak with Nate Goldberg, a man whom I think embodies the very best of winter sports. Nate’s actual title these days is Product Manager-Beaver Creek Nordic Center at Beaver Creek Resort in Colorado. In

  WHY IT’S A CONTENDER: The inn was originally a limestone schoolhouse that was built in 1989. It was converted in the 1980’s to a luxurious 15-room inn. There are high, vaulted ceilings, cherry wainscoting, and a grand staircase. The inn certainly fits the definition of "warm" and "intimate," with

WHY IT’S A CONTENDER: This bed & breakfast is located two blocks from Jackson’s town square. The look is Scandinavian, thanks to pine walls and exposed beams. Owners Hans and Nancy Johnstone are both former Olympians (she’s the biathelete and competed in Albertville in 1992; he did Nordic combined at

When my wife Gayle and I contemplated taking our then six-month old daughter Emma to Villars, Switzerland a few winters ago, I wasn’t thinking of Alpine pistes and lazy slope side lunches. I was dreading the thought of the three of us crammed into a standard-size European hotel room. I