Summer is a strange time for us ski junkies. While there are some unbeatable bits of summer we love (Wimbledon! Ali’s bike ride! The joy of eating an ice-cream in the rain on the beach at Weston Super Mare) – mostly we’re counting down the hours till resort opens and we can head back out on the slopes.
There’s plenty to be done to prepare for next winter right now. Whether it’s getting ski fit, checking out next year’s kit or even deciding to pack in your job for 6 months and join us for a season.
But none of this is as exciting as actually getting onto your skis or board again and putting in some turns. So, it’s the middle of summer, what are your options for summer skiing?
- Go local.
Having swapped the sunny slopes of Courchevel for the North of England, 1650 instructor Gareth will be sharpening his edges, for a summer of skiing in the UK. Well, Manchester to be exact, at the Chill Factore. And whilst we appreciate that Manchester might not offer the scenic vistas of the Alps and might not serve up the best vin chaud, it is home to the UK’s longest indoor snow slope and this gives it some big brownie points in our eyes. So this summer Gareth will mostly be training wannabe ski instructors, preparing for their BASI level 1 course, as well as intermediate skiers keen to perfect their parallels, turns and get off their plateau before the winter ahead.
Manchester’s Chill Factore – for a closer to home summer ski fix
- Find a glacier.
Meanwhile, across the pond, glacier resorts are open throughout the summer. Picture lush Alpine meadows and afternoons in the sun by a glacial lake, and it’s not hard to imagine the draw of the French Alps in the summer. Glacier resorts are generally a safe bet at the beginning and end of a winter season; being high up means they tend to get the best of the snow. But many in France, Switzerland, and Austria are open throughout the summer too. Our favourites are Tignes and Les Deux Alpes in France, Stubai and Hintertux in Austria and Saas-Fee and Zermatt in Switzerland.
Skiing in Tignes, although admittedly taken in the winter when there is a wee bit more snow!
- Head South. Really South.
If you’re not afraid of a long haul flight, then try heading to the Southern Hemisphere. Many New Generation instructors spend their summers working in resorts in Australia or New Zealand (so that’s what they get up to!). Resorts like Cardrona or Treblecone are our favourites.
Bags of snow…. just a short flight away!
So if winter seems like a distant concept and your keen to get the snow beneath your feet this summer why not pop in/over and say hi? We’d love to see you!
