Dream Vacations: A European Ski Tour Extravaganza

I’ve spent a fair amount of time over the past decade or so rubbing elbows with the digital nomad cohort, and one of the ways I seem to differ from many in that group is that I have no interest in spending all my time chasing summer weather. If I had to pick a season for eternity, it would undoubtedly be winter, and I can’t think of a better way to spend it than snowboarding from place to place while soaking up the local spirits, cuisines, and customs along the way. I also love trains and public transit, and would love to do an epic ski trip that relies as little as possible on driving and flying. However, planning an epic ski trip through Europe would be astronomically expensive, to the point that I can’t even fathom how much it would cost. There’s also the unavoidable truth that the seasons do, eventually, change, even in the high alpine.

Photo: Zermatt-Matterhorn

So, in my ultimate dream trip scenario of itinerant snowboard vagabonding, I would have to hop a plane around May to make turns in the Southern Hemisphere, then book another flight come October to head back north. If I had an entire winter to devote to truly chasing powder, here’s roughly what I’d do — and my inbox is always open, in case anyone reading this is a billionaire who wants to finance my endless winter dreams.

I’d start my Euro adventure in Chamonix, probably by flying into Geneva and taking the train or shuttle to the village. I’d spend the first few days warming up on lift-accessed terrain, along with a guided descent of the Vallée Blanche (a famous 12-mile off-piste descent). Next, I’d commit to the classic Haute Route: a six- or seven-day hut-to-hut backcountry traverse from Chamonix to Zermatt that’s widely regarded as one of the world’s benchmark ski tours. You start and finish in major resort towns connected by rail, with no car required at any point. Late March to late April is the standard season, but it can be done throughout winter, depending on weather and mountain conditions.

From Zermatt, I’d jump from ski town to ski town using lifts and short train hops around Swiss Valais and Italian Alps. I’d commit a few days to skiing between Zermatt and Cervinia, doable in a single ski route linked by trails and lifts, then take the cable car back to Zermatt. From there, the Swiss train system would allow me to travel along the Rhône valley to Verbier, Crans-Montana, and the Aletsch Arena. I’d devote a few weeks (because this is a dream trip, after all) to riding all the resorts, interspersed with quick hut trips, including mini-traverses around Verbier and the Val d’Anniviers.

Photo: Verbier 4 Vallees

Next, I’d set my sights on the Dolomites and Austrian Arlberg ski safaris, probably by traveling on the trains to Bolzano, then on to Val Gardena or Alta Badia in Italy’s Dolomites. With a Dolomiti Superski pass, I’ll be able to ski the Sellaronda circuit: a roughly 30-plus-mile route linking four valleys and multiple villages via trails and more than 20 lifts. For advanced skiers, it’s doable in a single day. Then I’d return back to my hut-to-hut style of skiing, staying in refuges (small mountain B&Bs) between villages.

I’d round out my Euro dream trip with four or five days riding in Austria, where the options are nearly endless. I’d probably head to Lech, Zürs, or Stuben. The Ski Arlberg lift network ties together St. Anton, Stuben, St Christoph, Zürs, Lech, and Warth-Schröcken, allowing for long, lift-assisted routes that run village to village in a single day. From then, if my snowboard is still in one piece and boots haven’t packed out, it’s time to stuff it all back into my snowboard bag, have one last Austrian lager, and head for the airport — to fly down to Chile, to start the cycle all over again.

• Day 1: Land in Geneva, transfer to Chamonix
• Days 2-5: Resort skiing in Chamonix
• Days 6-11: Guided trip on the Haute Route
• Days 12-15: Riding around Zermatt and Cervinia
• Day 16: Return to Zermatt
• Days 17-27: Touring and resort skiing around Verbier
• Days 28-45: Skiing, touring, and hut trips around the Dolomites
• Days 46-51: Riding around Arlberg, Austria
• Days 52-60: Exploring around St. Anton, Lech, etc.
• Day 61: Pack up my boots and board and make my way back to a major airport
• Day 62: Fly wherever else in the world has fresh snow