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Val d'Isere - France
Val d'Isere is located high in the French Alps, the town itself at 1,850m, with slopes up to 3,455m. The high altitude of many slopes mean that the reliability of snow cover is hard to beat. Many of the slopes face roughly north, which means that snow is likely to lie longer. The Alps are one of the wettest and coldest areas of France, and much of the winter precipitation is snow.
Verbier - Switzerland
Verbier sits 1,500m up in the Swiss Alps. Most of the slopes face south or west at an altitude of less than 2,500m, which means that while there are panoramic views from the sunny slopes, later in the season they can suffer in the sun, especially in lower areas.
The Alps are know for the local 'föhn' effect...
During settled winter weather, the mountain slopes can offer warm sunny conditions compared to the valleys, which can remain cloudy and foggy. The Alps are also known for the local 'föhn' effect - a warm wind that blows on the southern side of mountain slopes, raising the temperature by several degrees and often sparking avalanches.
St Anton - Austria
St Anton's weather often comes from the west over the Arlberg, which means heavy and more reliable snow fall than other resorts of a similar height (1305m). However, the sunny south facing Alpine slopes can become icy.
Courmayeur - Italy
The resort of Courmayeur sits at 1,225m on the sunny side of Mont Blanc in the Italian Alps. The nearby slopes are between 1,700 and 2,250m, so while the north facing slopes have reliable snow for most of the season, the south facing slopes nearer the resort can be affected by the sun.
Portillo - Chile
Portillo is located near the border with Argentina at 2,880m and not far from Aconcagua, which at 6,960m is the highest mountain in the western hemisphere. The season runs from mid-June to mid-October, with 70% sunny days during the winter season. Average temperatures range from 0 to -20°C.
Cardrona - New Zealand
Cardrona is at an altitude of 1,670m, between Queenstown and Wanaka on the South Island. The winter climate in this area of New Zealand is considered to be reliable. Snow fall comes from occasional storms, but the weather is rarely bad enough to close the resort, which is in contrast to resorts on the North Island of New Zealand. Average daytime winter temperatures range from 3 to 15°C.
Las Leņas - Argentina
Las Leņas is 600 miles from Buenos Aires. At 2,200m, it is often considered to have the best snow on the South American continent. However, with most of the skiing above the tree line, it can be exposed and windy, with the possibility of the lift closing due to strong winds.
Whistler - Canada
Although Whistler Village is situated at only 675m, you can ski at altitudes of up to 2285m on the nearby and extensive ski area.
Whistler is close to the west coast...
Snow conditions at the top of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains are usually excellent - they see an average of 900cm of snow a year! Whistler is close to the west coast, and the weather here is often cloudy. When it is snowing on the high altitudes slopes, it is often raining back at the resort.
Vail - USA
Vail Village sits at 2,500m in the Rocky mountains. The main skiing takes places on north facing slopes, which, together with the altitude, means snow reliability is excellent. However, the Back Bowls face south, which means the snow cover here is often poor.
Geilo - Norway
Geilo is in southern Norway. The high latitude of the country means that in mid-winter, daylight hours are very short. The snow conditions are usually reliable and the season tends to be long. The weather is highly changeable due to weather systems frequently moving in from the Atlantic.
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