Welcome to the Ultimate Ski Adventure Podcast! I’m Kat Shortsleeve, your host. From the U.S. to the Alps, I’ve skied across the globe. In this episode, we’ll dive into essential criteria for planning an unforgettable ski trip. We’ll cover costs, lift passes, resort amenities, snow conditions, and travel logistics. From Beaver Creek, Vail, Niseko Japan, Alps, Austria, Switzerland, Breckenridge, Aspen, Stowe, Jackson Hole, Deer Valley, Park City, and so many more. Whether you’re a seasoned skier or a first-timer, get ready to hit the slopes!
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Welcome to the Ultimate Ski Adventure Podcast! I’m Kat Shortsleeve, your host. From the U.S. to the Alps, I’ve skied across the globe. In this episode, we’ll dive into essential criteria for planning an unforgettable ski trip. We’ll cover costs, lift passes, resort amenities, snow conditions, and travel logistics. From Beaver Creek, Vail, Niseko Japan, Alps, Austria, Switzerland, Breckenridge, Aspen, Stowe, Jackson Hole, Deer Valley, Park City, and so many more. Whether you’re a seasoned skier or a first-timer, get ready to hit the slopes!
Instagram @katshortsleeve
Tik Tok @katshortsleeve
Youtube Shortsleeve Travel with Kat Shortsleeve
Hello, and welcome back to the Short Sleeve Travel Podcast. I am your host, Kat Shortsleeve. And yes, my last name really is Shortsleeve. I have traveled to over 45 countries while in school at Georgetown undergrad. Also while getting my MBA at Columbia Business School in New York City and while, sorry, and while working in wealth management in between. For the past two years, I've been working in private equity and building my travel company, which focuses on bringing young, adventurous people together for some insane, off the beaten path trips. I can't stop laughing. Okay, in April, we have a group of 15 people headed to Peru for a hiking, backpacking, camping, mountain biking trip. We are going to Machu Picchu. It's going to be incredible. And then that's fully booked. But in May, we have a trip that is available to book. We're going May 20th to the 27th. We are biking up the coast of Southern Italy. Maximum, we're taking 12 people. So reach out as soon as possible if you're interested in coming. We will be doing a bread making class, olive oil tasting, wine tasting, cooking classes, cliff jumping. We're going all the way up the coast in Puglia, or if you're from the U. S., Puglia. I'm incredibly excited for that trip, would love to have you come with. And then finally, this summer, again, this is fully booked up, but we are going sailing and we're going yachting in Croatia with 40 people. We're going in June, July, and in August, and we're already looking ahead to the September to maybe book a trip down to Chile or southern France. Just trying to figure it out, but probably gonna do South America. But anyways, today, I'm so excited about this episode because this has been a long awaited one and one that I've been asked about many, many times. We are diving into the world of skiing. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I am a bit educated on this topic. I have skied all over the world. I have gone, well, I grew up skiing in the U. S. on the east coast, but then as I got older, I went out west and I spent an entire year there. So I have skied in Jackson Hole, Breckenridge, Vail, Park City, Beaver Creek, Keystone, I'm trying to remember all of them, Aspen. I just skied in the Alps a few weeks ago. I did Austria and then a few years ago I skied in Switzerland. Most recently I was in Kitzbühel, Austria. And then we also skied in another random place in Austria, trying to remember the name of it, but anyways, Kitzbühel, Austria is essentially the Aspen and then last year I started the year in Niseko, Japan, where you have the most unreal powder in the entire world. So essentially I'm a bit qualified to, um, give some advice as to where to go skiing and just kind of compare and contrast. In this podcast episode, we will dive into the essential criteria for planning an unforgettable, absolutely amazing ski trip for each different type of skier. So whether you're a seasoned skier or you're just a first timer, I will help you consider the different factors. That come into play when choosing your next winter getaway. So I'll answer the top 20 questions and tell you which ski resort to go to if that is your vibe and Then I will get into different considerations. So first we'll talk about the apres ski culture What that means and where to go if you're looking for that or trying to avoid that Second, we'll get into cost considerations because the costs of skiing in one country versus another are very, very different and pretty surprising, so we'll get into that. We'll talk about lift passes and ski resort amenities in segment number three. Fourth, we'll talk about snow conditions and the different weather to expect when you're skiing around the world. And we will wrap up talking about accessibility and travel logistics. How do I actually get out there and ski and bring my skis or not bring my skis and can I rent gear? What does it all look like? This is a good little guide to use when you're planning your next ski trip or if you just want to hear about Skiing around the world and and how it's different sit back relax and enjoy the show alright, let's do a bit of a speed round here with the top 20 First things first, where is the best Opry ski? This is one of my favorite questions and no doubt it is an Aspen Aspen is a world renowned ski destination and you'll find it right in the heart of the Colorado Rockies It is super luxury and the Opry scene is incredible I'm sure you've seen a video of this, but there's this place called Cloud 9 Alpine Bistro. This is actually at the top of the Aspen Highlands. It's a super unique ski experience because you actually have to ski down after you have your entire apres. And They sell bottles of Vouv there, Vouv champagne, and it's known for having champagne showers and people are dancing on the tables It's a super lively atmosphere. It is the place to be and you will spend a pretty penny if you're doing this Some people get so so drunk that they actually have to take the cats like the The big snow plow machines, you have to get in those and actually get driven down because it can get a little bit out of hand. But at the base of the Aspen Mountain, they also have a place called Ajax Tavern. That is a local's favorite apres ski spot. Again, super lively atmosphere, the outdoor patio with the mountain views. Do not miss out on the truffle fries there. So, so good. And finally, if I have to just squeeze in one more place, it has to be the Little Nell. This is an iconic luxury hotel, and there you'll have craft cocktails, fine wines, and I have been told, I haven't seen it for myself, I mean I've been here myself, but I've been told that they have some of the best celeb sighting. You have to of course go during the right week, which is typically middle of February or early March. So that's the Opry situation. Okay, next up, which resort offers the best powder skiing? No doubt that's going to be Niseko Japan, and I can tell you, that is true. Where can you find the longest ski runs? That is going to be in France. Apparently the runs are so long there you can truly get lost, so most people recommend having a guide with you the entire time. Third question. Which resort has the most challenging terrain? And that will be Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I have skied here as well, and it is so true. These mountains are extremely steep. The Tetons are just kind of built different than the Rocky Mountains. The Tetons just go straight up. They're very icy. Pretty dangerous actually, and I've never thought I was going to die before when skiing, except I was skiing alone at the very top of Jackson Hole. I had just gone to this really iconic Waffle House, I think it's called Corbett's, at the top of the mountain, and thought I was going to die. Because I was coming down this extremely steep part of the mountain, the wind was whipping, couldn't see five feet in front of me, and it was really intense. So yeah, that resort probably has the most challenging terrain. Now, I haven't been here, but where's the best ski resort for beginner skiers? And that's going to be Whistler. My best friend has a house in Whistler and I really, really want to go there. So that's very high on the list and we'll scope it out for you. Which ski resort has the most luxurious accommodations? And that is definitely going to be Courchevel in France. And I'd also think that Zermatt in Switzerland will rival that pretty nicely. What's cool about Zermatt is that it's similar to Vail and that no cars are allowed in the downtown. So it's a very walkable, kind of cutesy town. Both known to have some lux accommodation, but not as insane as Courchevel. The best backcountry skiing is interestingly enough in Verbier or Verbier, Switzerland. If you're American, Verbier. Which resort has the most reliable snowfall? Any resort really in Switzerland, that's because they're at a higher altitude, and so they just get some nicer, consistent snow. The best resort for family friendly skiing has to be Beaver Creek in Colorado, I can attest to this, and at 4 o'clock every day at the bottom of the Beaver Creek, um, right there in town. When you get down to the bottom of the mountain when you're skiing they have warm chocolate chip cookies And they just hand them out to everyone. You don't even have to pay for them. That's a bit family friendly and just people friendly Why don't more places do that? Which resort has the highest elevation and that will be Matterhorn in Zermatt again, that's why they have some of the nicest consistent snow Where can you find the most extensive lift system France because Um, like I said, they have the longest runs there and so they have to have the most extensive lift system. The mountains there just cover a lot more area. If you're looking for terrain parks and freestyle, go to Park City. Or go to Aspen for the X Games. Where can you ski in the summer months? That is going to be in Austria. If you're looking for off piste skiing and heli skiing, I would go to France or I would go to British Columbia. My number one would probably be going to British Columbia. Heli skiing is super high on my list. And people think that when you're heli skiing you jump out of the helicopter, but that is actually a misconception. Which is the best ski resort for scenic mountain views? And that's probably going to be in Banff, Canada. If you're looking for the most diverse dining options, you probably want to go to Australia, sorry, Austria, not Australia. If you're looking for the most extensive cross country skiing trails, again, that's going to be Austria, or in my opinion, going to Jackson Hole. You have tons of gorgeous, um, cross country skiing trails there too. Overlooking the Tetons. Super pretty. I did that for the first time a few years back. Really, really enjoyed it. And my goodness, you get warm when you are cross country skiing. And finally, the best resort for value for money is going to actually be in Bulgaria. Kind of not even on our list, but an interesting spot for sure. Now, as we dive into the different segments of what to consider when you are planning your ski trip, maybe this is because I'm 27, but first I just have to talk about the apres ski culture. First, where does the Opryski term even come from? And it actually is a French term and it means after ski. You probably know that. And Opryski culture emerged as a way for skiers and snowboarders to unwind and socialize after a day on the slopes enjoying drinks and snacks on the mountain chalets or bars, soaking in hot tubs or saunas, live music events or entertainment events over time, this has become an integral part of the ski resort experience and is such a fun way to meet other people. When you're on the mountain, you don't need to actually ski to go enjoy the opera ski culture. Most recently, when I was in Austria. I wanted to enjoy the apres ski, but I actually wasn't drinking during that time because it was during dry January I had things called ski Vossers, which I really enjoyed and essentially it's like a little ski beer But without the alcohol typical apres ski will be a white wine or a champagne lots of bubbles And if you're an Aspen You're going to be spraying these bubbles all over the place. Some IPAs or some light beers are also typical for Opryski, but if you are in Utah, interestingly enough, because of the Mormon religion and Mormon culture there, The apres ski beers are going to be less than 4 percent alcohol. So they're going to be super, super light, which is kind of nice when you're just trying to enjoy some drinks and ski. Now apres ski in Japan, I came to realize is a little bit different because it isn't focused on the drinks. I will say the drinks in Niseko and in Japan are super, super good. They definitely know how to make a cocktail and they have some great beers and wines, but apres ski there is much more known for the relaxing hot springs. And so most people spend the entire afternoon in the spas and in the hot springs when you're in Japan. I say, por que no los dos? Why not do both? Just enjoy some drinks and go enjoy the hot springs as well. That's what I did in Japan. A little wine, a little sauna, a little hot tub. Really nice. The second consideration when trying to determine where your ski trip is going to be, of course, is the cost consideration. This is actually probably the first thing to consider above the apres ski. So maybe my Incentives are a bit misaligned, but First things first to consider are going to be the flights. In the U. S., interestingly enough, flights to major ski destinations like to Aspen, Colorado, Park City, Utah, Sun Valley, Idaho, they can be anywhere from 500 to 800 and upward for a round trip ticket. Now, similarly, if you're looking for a flight to Japan from the U. S., that will also probably range from about 800 to 1, 200. So not a huge, huge difference there. Right now, I'm looking to go to Colorado in about three weeks, and the price to go to Colorado and the price to go to Japan is very comparable. It's about 100 more to go to Japan, being that much farther. Now, if you're trying to fly to the Alps, if you're flying from the U. S. to a really big airport like Geneva, Zurich, that will actually only cost you somewhere around 500 to maybe 900 for a round trip ticket. It seems as though if you're going from the U. S. to Japan or going U. S. to Zurich, it's going to be so much more expensive, but flying to these places, these ski destinations during the peak times in the U. S., it is really, really expensive and actually can even take longer. You can go direct flight from Boston to Tokyo. Right now. And then just hop on a train from Tokyo to one of the ski mountains. And if you're trying to get to Aspen, it's going to cost you an arm and a leg, and you're going to have a few layovers. The second price consideration is going to be accommodation in the us. Accommodation in ski resorts can be very expensive, especially for luxury resorts or slope side accommodations. Prices will range from about$200 to$800 per night for a hotel room or a vacation rental, whereas in Japan, accommodation options can be anything from a budget friendly hostel to a luxury ski resort, and prices will probably range for you from about a hundred dollars to$500 per night for a hotel room. In the Alps, this will really depend on the country and the resort, but prices will range from about 100 to 600 per night for a hotel room or a chalet. If you're looking for those luxury accommodations, in the U. S. it's just going to be more expensive, hands down. In the Alps, it's going to be the least expensive. And if you're looking for something more middle of the road or for a larger group, the Alps or the U. S. will be your best bet. When it comes to food and drinks in the U. S., dining out in the ski resorts is super expensive. It can be 15 to 50 per meal at restaurants and drinks at the bars will be from about 8 to 15 per drink. Japan is going to be more affordable with meals at local restaurants costing probably 10 to 30 per person, in my experience and from what I've researched on. And drinks are also reasonably priced with beer and sake costing around 4 to about 10 per drink. Alps, again, it can be a huge range, but it is going to be expensive. Prices will range from 20 to 50 and upwards. Drinks at the bar, again, will be about 5 to 12. Now, I think one of the biggest differences is when it comes to ski passes. Ski passes in the U. S. are notoriously very, very expensive. If you're skiing for only a few days and you're not skiing for an entire season, skiing in the US is just super pricey. Ski passes in Japan are much more affordable. They can cost about$50 for the day, and the Alps, again, much more affordable, about$50 to a hundred dollars for the day. Whereas in the US you can be paying$250. That's what it costs at Deer Valley for one day,$250. And then the other big differentiator is when it comes to equipment rentals. Again, the U. S. is much more expensive than Japan and the Alps. And in Japan, you can actually rent everything. You can rent your jacket, you can rent your ski pants, so you don't have to have the cost of a checked bag or lugging all that stuff around with you. You do have to bring your own helmet, or sorry, not helmet, you could rent a helmet. You have to bring your own gloves, but I'm sure you'd want to anyways. It's pretty nice not to have to bring your own ski jacket or ski pants too. It's the additional expenses outside of these main expenses that are so different across the countries. So, when it comes to ski lessons, spa treatments, other activities. cultural experiences, tours, sightseeing, excursions, opera ski activities. The U S is just going to be much more expensive than Japan and then the Alps. Interestingly enough, I grew up skiing on the East coast and the best ski resort on the East coast is probably going to be Stowe, but I have skied at a whole bunch of different places like Sugarloaf. I've gone skiing at Killington, I've gone to Sunday River, Jay Peak, Mount Snow, Bretton Woods, Stratton, Okemo. And of these places I think Stowe is the most picturesque and the most charming village. Killington probably has the second best skiing I'd say. And then Bretton Woods is where I grew up skiing, and so that's very family friendly, and the famous Omni Mount Washington Hotel there is hard to beat. You have to look that one up online, it's really, really beautiful. But none of these East Coast destinations make it into my Top 20, so If I'm going skiing, I'm going elsewhere. Skiing on the East Coast seems like a whole different sport. You have to really be rough and tough to get through an entire week skiing there. It's just so much colder and the wind is whipping and it's icier. It's pretty intense, I'll be honest. The third consideration when you're planning your ski trip is to look at lift passes and ski resort amenities. Lift passes and ski passes can of course be purchased as single day lift tickets. This will be the most expensive. You can get multi day lift tickets will be, which will be two or three or four days, and then you can get season passes. I think that's the most ideal, most cost effective way to do it. Even if you're just going to ski for a week, you can try to squeeze in another weekend trip some other time so that your overall cost comes down. There are things like beginner lift tickets, which only give you access to beginner slopes. And then there are also things called night skiing passes, which are much more inexpensive and you can do some night skiing, which is super fun. Some of the best night skiing I've ever had would be in Niseko. So in Japan, they kind of go all night long skiing. And Afterglow seems to last a long time there, so that's really cool. I don't remember seeing any night skiing in the Alps, but then again in the U. S. you'll find it at a few different spots. Can be pretty fun. Oh, Keystone in Colorado, they have night skiing, and it was okay. Got pretty cold, I'll be honest. two most common passes that you've probably heard about are the Epic Pass and the Icon Pass. I have had both of them. The Epic Pass has coverage of a lot of the Vail resorts including Vail, Breckenridge, Park City, Whistler, and they also include some other spots in Canada as well as Australia and Japan. There you'll have unlimited skiing and riding at these select resorts as well as limited access. With blackout dates as at others, which is how I was able to ski in Japan for free because I already had the epic pass. And so I was able to just transfer and I had seven days of skiing in Japan and you don't really need seven days of skiing. So I only did four or five days of skiing when I was in Japan and it was fully covered by my epic pass. The second pass is the icon pass, and this will give you access to resorts such as Aspen, Seamboat, Mammoth and Jackson Hole. With this pass, you also have access to a couple of resorts in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Super cool pass, very high end. I think people typically start with the Epic Pass and then graduate to the Icon Pass. That's just what it seems like to me. And then the Mountain Collective Pass, this will be a curated selection of independent resorts worldwide, including Aspen Snowmass, Jackson Hole, Banff, um, Taoski Valley. You have some destinations in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Europe as well. This will give you two days of skiing or riding at each resort and additionally you'll have discounted days at other places. This one is great for people who are traveling, kind of bopping around a bunch, and probably the pass that I'll be looking at getting next year. I'll run through these last considerations pretty quickly. So the fourth consideration will be snow conditions and weather. Of course, if you are planning a whole ski trip and it's not just for you, but it's for your family and your friends or you're bringing a big group, you need to make sure that the weather forecast is going to be good. I've noticed in my own experience that you need to be going later in January. If you're skiing in the U S to ensure that you're going to have great conditions. I mean, you can have great snow at as early as the beginning of December, but that's a bit of a gamble. Actually, no, it's a huge gamble. I went to Switzerland one time. At the very beginning of December, we were planning to ski, and we didn't end up skiing because the lifts weren't open and it was too early in the season. The year before, and the year before that, they had tons of snow and had big ski weekends at the beginning of December, but we kind of got gypped a little bit, and instead of skiing, we just had tons of fondue and tons of bubbles. You'll want the ski resorts that are at higher altitudes to ensure you have better conditions. Make sure you do your research. Finally, the last consideration is going to be accessibility and travel logistics. Are you someone who really wants to take the skis that you own and your ski boots with you? That will definitely be a cost consideration if you are traveling overseas. But, something that you can do, and I've seen people do this, is you can ship your ski boots, you can ship your skis if you'd like to do that. You have to figure on, figure in, Taking these skis with you on the flights, on the trains, car rentals. You want to take into account the proximity to the major airports and what the ground transportation looks like. So when you fly into, or you're trying to get to Niseko in Japan, you have to fly into Tokyo, and then you need to fly into Sapporo, just like the beer, Sapporo, and then you can take a bus from there for two hours that brings you to the resort. So it's a little bit more remote going to that ski resort than it is going to other ski resorts in Japan. You can fly straight into Tokyo and then hop on a bullet train for about one hour that takes you to another great ski resort in Japan, but it's not going to be Niseko and Niseko is the creme de la creme. I love to ski, but I'm definitely there for the whole experience. I want to do the opry ski. I want to I want to explore the towns and go shopping and I want to probably do some cross country skiing while I'm there. So I won't actually fly with my skis or my ski boots. I try to make it as easy as possible. This might end up incurring some more elevated costs because I'm renting more things, but I like to just travel kind of light. And I actually think that will change going forward because I do have some pretty epic skis now. But that's kind of my rundown on skiing in the U. S. and East Coast versus West Coast versus Colorado, Wyoming, skiing in Idaho, skiing in Japan, skiing in the Alps. I have a lot more exploring to do and next year I'm going skiing in Switzerland. I also want to get back out to Jackson Hole next year. So going to try to make that a priority, but thank you all for listening and thanks for hanging out with me I love chatting about skiing and if you have any questions or want me to dive further into any of these topics Just reach out and let me know you can find me on social media at Kat Shortsleeve. That's Kat Shortsleeve And you can email me at katschwardsleeve at gmail. com. Thank you for tuning in. Thanks for listening. And we'll chat with you next time. Thanks so much. Cheers.