WORLD’S BEST APRÈS-SKI SPOTS
If roaring down a mountain all day doesn’t wear you out, these clubs just might
Some people make their skiing vacations about powder stashes and double black runs.
Others plot the most direct path from chairlift to bar. These days, the two strategies are hardly mutually exclusive.
The best après-ski bars used to be concentrated in Europe, but the universally appealing phenomenon of drinking on a mountainside, eating local food and letting your inner terrible dancer out has found a home in every high-altitude corner of the globe.
And unlike skiing, a good time at these bars doesn’t depend on increasingly unpredictable weather.
With that in mind, we’ve rounded up the best places for post-piste revelry around the world, from Switzerland to Argentina.
MOOSERWIRT, ST. ANTON, AUSTRIA
Toward the final stretch of St. Anton’s blue piste No. 1 — the main run down to St. Anton village — you’ll find Mooser-Wirt’s longstanding mixmaster, DJ Gerhard, luring skiers from piste to party with his signature mix of Europop hits and German schlager anthems.
The raucous bar serves the most beer per square metre in Austria; its tap lines are so plentiful they’re rumoured to span 10 kilometres if connected end to end.
Inside the old farmhouse, strangers link arms and dance in ski boots beneath a disco ball.
Outside, crowds cheer on tipsy skiers as they attempt the 500-metre descent back to the village.
GARIBALDI LIFT CO., WHISTLER, B.C.
This laidback après spot above the Whistler Gondola upload has such good people-watching that even hardcore skiers have been known to pass up last-chair bragging rights for a seat on its patio.
The Cheers-like atmosphere, live music and monster burgers get locals in the door.
What keeps them there? Drinks like the Cowboy Caesar with a steak-spice rim and garnished with beef jerky.
BAR GYU+, NISEKO, JAPAN
Notoriously hard to find, Bar Gyu+ is tucked away down Yotei Zaka Street, just off the main road of lower Hirafu village.
The quirky entrance, a vintage Coca-Cola vending machine door hidden beyond snowbanks, leads to a cosy lounge-like bar where dapper bartenders in vests and bow ties pour rare Japanese whiskies, local craft brews and exacting cocktails.
Mellow jazz music and a menu of comfort snacks, such as shoyu garlic fried potatoes and chicken wings, make this Niseko’s go-to spot to unwind after some time on the slopes.
CLOUD NINE, ASPEN, COLO.
Revellers at this converted ski patrol hut consume (and spray) enough Champagne each season to make it Veuve Clicquot’s biggest American account.
Set at 3,350 metres on Aspen’s Highlands Mountain, it’s the best U.S.-based approximation to a Euro-style après-ski scene.
Twice-daily seatings, at noon and 2 p.m., start with bubbling raclette and end with diners dancing atop tables to the music of Justin Bieber.
On bluebird days, the party spills onto the wraparound deck. Pro tip: It’s best to book a week in advance (two during peak holiday weekends).
LA FOLIE DOUCE, VAL D’ISÈRE-TIGNES, FRANCE
It’s like Vegas in the Alps: La Folie Douce is equal parts cabaret, nightclub and booze-fuelled theatre.
Most likely, it’s the only bar in the world that staffs a resident choreographer, creative director and composer, plus acrobats, saxophonists and dancers.
Since its opening in 1980 atop Val d’Isère’s Daille cable car, its owners have tried to replicate the concept in five other locations throughout France — but the original, with its hordes of costumed skiers, remains unrivalled.
If crowds aren’t your thing, book the VIP veranda, where bottles of Château Peyrassol are delivered via mini-cable car.
MUTE, BARILOCHE, ARGENTINA
The most happening bar at the base of Cerro Catedral ski resort, Mute (pronounced moo-tay), attracts a cool young crew with its liquor brand-sponsored parties and lodge-like vibe.
Boarders and skiers toss aside snow-covered gear and kick back on couches to swill Quilmes (Argentina’s answer to Budweiser) and Fernet and Cokes while watching extreme sports flicks on multiple TVs.
Then, when the sun sets, live bands give way to DJs, and Mute turns into the ski area’s only legit nightclub.
THE BAVARIAN, TAOS, NEW MEXICO
A German beer hall on the slopes in New Mexico sounds suspect, but after tackling Taos Ski Valley’s legendary steeps, nothing hits the spot quite like a stein of Hefeweizen and a brat.
Situated at the base of Lift 4, the Bavarian will transport you to the Alps with its Tyrolean oompah music and staff dressed in dirndls and lederhosen.
Beers are imported directly from Germany, including hardto-find ales from centuries-old breweries. (Pro tip: Order the double bock from Klosterbrauerei Weltenburg, the oldest brewery in Bavaria.)
Sit at a communal table on the wraparound porch and you’re likely to leave with new friends, especially if you offer to share your apple strudel.
HENNU STALL, ZERMATT, SWITZERLAND
As you schuss down the final stretch of the Furi-Zermatt run, you’ll hear the thumping beats of the house band at Hennu Stall before you see this weathered après ski shack.
A trail of discarded skis and poles leads to the outdoor bar, where people fist-pump and shimmy beneath a giant red-and-white striped umbrella.
The beverage of choice: shots of Jäger, served on metre-long vintage skis. Inside, the two-level bar resembles a barn turned into a disco as skiers belt out such universal anthems as YMCA and Yellow Submarine.