Like all those who love the mountains, we’re looking forward to the day when the whole ski experience is back to its sociable, buzzing best. In the meantime my colleagues and I reflect on just why the mountains bring us such joy.
I recently read about a family who had found themselves 'trapped' on the Island of Fiji as the pandemic hit the South Pacific. Fortunately, they were based there for the father’s work, but in the second lockdown at the end of 2020, they were having guilt pangs and decided to return to their home in the UK to be nearer their elderly parents.
Owning a chalet in Switzerland and having spent the majority of the winter there with the ski lifts open and the ability to travel to and from our offices relatively uninhibited, I too felt a pang of guilt. Now back in the UK, I am of course, like many others, missing the Alps and can’t wait to return. As for the ski season just passed, this was one of the best on record for the volume of snowfalls and low temperatures. It is a great shame therefore that so many ski enthusiasts were deprived of their favourite winter pastime, some for the second season running.
The Swiss, however, proved that it was possible to stay safe and keep the majority of resorts open, even if bars and restaurants were only allowed to offer a takeaway service. This did not inhibit the locals, who relished the relatively uncrowded pistes and 'reclaimed' the mountains for themselves. One prominent Swiss politician observed, 'if you’re going to close the ski lifts, you may as well stop people going for a walk in the forest'.
I was lucky enough to go ski touring in Val d’Isère in late January where the lifts lay eerily idle. Skinning up to Tovière over 2,700m, passing a very fermée Folie Douce on a Saturday morning with only the mountain eagles circling in the crystal blue sky above, was one of the most surreal, but memorable moments that I have experienced – and one I hope I will never witness again under the same circumstances.
Ellie Mann (Savills Ski HQ): why nothing beats a bluebird day
The mountains will always be one of my favourite places. Waking up and seeing a fresh dusting of snow with bright blue skies is definitely the best way to turn a fantastic time skiing into a perfect day to remember. A bluebird day calls for the first lift up with a big morning of skiing, followed by a well-deserved lunch in the sunshine with family and friends, enjoying the spectacular mountain views. After a full day on the slopes breathing in the fresh mountain air, 5pm après is most definitely the perfect way to end it.
Guy Murdoch (French Alps): ski heroes are my inspiration
Growing up, my ski hero was Hermann Maier, a superstar racer many people will remember for a spectacular crash in the 1998 winter Olympics which he came out of miraculously unscathed and went on to win two gold medals. Racing is no longer as fashionable and a recent hero is Candide Thovex, one of the best freestyle skiers in the world. He learnt his trade in La Clusaz, very near where I live. His documentary, Few Words, is well worth watching. He is also well known for the Audi adverts where he jumps on skis straight into the boot…definitely real.
Johnny Cartwright (Austrian Alps): Austrian resorts have missed the tourists
It has been great for locals to ski this season on empty pistes in the Austrian resorts, however, tourists have certainly been missed, especially by the mountain restaurants and après-ski bars that have sadly lost out on a lot of business. They have now re-opened and fingers crossed, next winter the tourists will have returned too.
Sophie Harben (Swiss Alps): what I would never be without on the slopes
My avalanche kit (transceiver, probe, shovel, airbag). Avalanches are unfortunately part of our lives living in the Alps, so it is imperative you know how to assess the conditions and know your equipment before you drop a line. Knowledge is power and sometimes that means knowing to stay home that day. Verbier is one of the best resorts in the world for freeride terrain, but there is no question – safety comes first.
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