Discover the coolest slopes to head to this winter for a spot of snowboarding
Travel journalist and former snowboard instructor Tamara Hinson picks the top ski resorts to head to this winter
For snowboarders, there’s a lot to get excited about in the beautiful Swiss ski resort of Gstaad ( gstaad.ch/en.html) this season: the new Saanenmöser-Saanersloch gondola makes it easier to get to the best slopes, giving you more time to explore this enormous, interconnected resort system.
Gstaad is also one of the few resorts where you can dine in a gondola. Book the resort’s Gondel Night Dinner and you’ll enjoy your main course in the Rinderberg Swiss Alpine Lodge, with appetisers served en-route in the gondola.
North America is also a popular choice this year, especially the Canadian resort of Whistler Blackcomb. To start, Blackcomb Mountain’s popular Wizard and Solar Coaster chairlifts will be replaced with a shiny new 10-passenger gondola, while Whistler Mountain gets a new six-passenger high-speed chairlift. The resort will also become a more affordable option for snowboarders on a budget, thanks to the opening of Pangea, Canada’s first ever pod hotel ( pangeapod.com, from £25 a night).
Want dramatic views and fresh powder? Head to the French resort of Tignes ( en.tignes.net). The new Grande Motte cable car has floor-to-ceiling windows, providing spectacular views of Tignes’ glacier.