Top 10 up-and-coming ski resorts

1 Yongpyong, South Korea

SOUTH Korea has become increasingly popular over the past five years with Australian skiers looking for a destination with a difference and recently won its bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. Yongpyong Ski Resort is a ski-in/ski-out village in the Gangwon-do Province, a 2 1/2-hour shuttle-bus ride from Seoul. It has English-speaking ski and snowboard instructors and a large water park, Peak Island, with a sweat chamber, sauna and waterfall ice cave.

Value Tours has a seven-night package (excluding flights) from $799 a person, which includes accommodation in a standard twin room at the Tower Condominiums, daily breakfast and a six-day lift pass. Valid February 19-March 31 next year.

Ph 1300 361 322 or see www.valuetours.com.au

2 Alyeska Resort, Alaska

IT'S featured in countless ski films and for many extreme skiers and powderhounds, Alaska is considered a dream destination. But with the strong Australian dollar it's also become more affordable and it's not as remote as many people may think. Alyeska Resort is about an hour's drive from Anchorage, which is a 3 1/2-hour flight from Seattle.
 

Value Tours has a seven-night package from $1039 a person (excluding flights) in a standard twin share hotel room at The Hotel Alyeska, including a four-day lift ticket. Valid November 24-April 30 next year. Terms and conditions apply.
Ph 1300 361 322 or see www.valuetours.com.au

3 Gulmarg, Kashmir

WORD is slowly getting out about Gulmarg in Kashmir, which has some of the best lift-accessible powder in the world. Since the completion of the gondola a few years ago, adventurous skiers and snowboarders from Europe, New Zealand and Australia have been heading to the resort, in the middle of India. The gondola now provides access to fantastic powder, with the snow quality compared to Hokkaido in Japan. At an altitude of 4000m, the 5km-wide mountain face offers an abundance of steep chutes for experienced skiers.

Currypowder Snow-riding Tours has a 14-day tour for $2300 per person twin share, including accommodation at the 3-star Delhi Hotel, domestic flights, lift pass and breakfast and dinner daily. Valid January 1-April 15 next year. Terms and conditions apply.
Ph 9591 6217 or see www.currypowder.com.au

4 Nakiska Ski Resort, Canada

JUST one hour from Calgary, Nakiska Ski Resort is a good alternative for families to popular tourist resorts such as Whistler in Canada. In the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Nakiska is suited to those who want wide, open-groomed trails in a peaceful wilderness setting. The closest hotel is the family-friendly Delta Kananaskis, which has a range of activities to keep kids occupied on and off the slopes. Over Christmas, they offer Christmas packages which include an elf tuck-in service for children, Mrs Claus Christmas workshops, storytelling, cake decorating and campfires.

Ski Max has five-day packages to Nakiska from $789 a person, including five nights at the Delta Kananaskis and a three-day lift pass. Valid January 2-February 10 next year.
Ph 1300 136 997 or see www.skimax.com.au

5 Whitefish, Montana

IT'S cheaper and less crowded than Colorado, but is still in the Rocky Mountains so has similar quality and quantity of snow, with an average 7.6m annually. Whitefish Mountain Resort in Montana is emerging as an alternative for people looking for an authentic experience away from the purpose-built resorts. A 45-minute flight from Seattle, the resort overlooks Whitefish Lake and Flathead Lake, the largest natural lake in the western US, and a daily lift ticket is $US66.

Whitefish Mountain Resort has a Hibernation House Special package with lift tickets, lodging, a hot breakfast and hot tub access for $79 a person a day, twin share. Valid for lodging Sunday to Thursday nights and skiing Monday to Friday. Blackout dates apply.
See www.skiwhitefish.com

6 Yabuli, China

TRAVELLERS who want to combine a ski trip with a cultural experience are turning to China as a new destination, often teaming it with a visit to Shanghai or Beijing. Opened last year, Club Med Yabuli has five newly opened blue runs for intermediate skiers and offers a regional menu of dishes, including Cantonese, Sichuan and Heilongjiang cuisine on rotation, as well as Western fare. You can also do horse sledding, dog sledding and snow tubing, with a newly-introduced excursion to the China Tiger Zoo.

Club Med has a special package where one adults pays from $1300 for a five-night stay and the second adult pays only $750. The offer is based on twin-share accommodation. Children aged 4-11 will pay from $580 for a five-night stay. Must book by next Sunday for travel from January 28-February 2. Prices are land only, and include transfers from Harbin to Yabuli, and Club Med membership.
Ph 1800 258 263 or see www.clubmed.com.au

7 Montenegro, Europe

SET to rival Colorado's best aspen groves for a fraction of the price, Kolasin 1450 ski centre in Montenegro's Bjelasica Mountains is becoming one of Europe's hottest ski destinations. The small resort has modern chairlifts and infrastructure but offers deep powder, perfectly spaced out beech trees and virtually no crowds. Flights to Montenegro start from $2687 from Sydney.

Must book by October 31 for travel November 1-February 29 next year. Prices are a person, including taxes, and subject to change and availability.
Ph 1300 939 414 or see www.flightcentre.com.au

8 Northstar-at-Tahoe, California

AFTER being bought by Vail Resorts last year, Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort in California is benefiting from more than $30 million in major capital improvement projects. It will include a new high-speed chairlift that will increase the skiable terrain by 10 per cent, a new 500-seat on-mountain restaurant and a 7m halfpipe designed by two-time Olympic gold medallist, Shaun White. The resort is a three-hour drive from San Francisco International Airport or 45 minutes from Reno International Airport, Nevada, making it easily accessible for Australians.

Value Tours has a seven-night package from $1269 a person, twin share, including accommodation in a studio unit at Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort and a six-day Northstar lift ticket. Must book by November 27 for travel November 23-December 1.
Ph 1300 361 322 and quote NORSKC or see www.valuetours.com.au

9 Nozawa Onsen, Japan

JAPAN is a popular destination for Australian travellers in fact we are almost loving it to death. That's one of the reasons the traditional town of Nozawa Onsen is emerging as an increasingly popular alternative to hot spots such as Niseko, on the northern island Hokkaido. With a vertical drop of 1085m and 50km of runs, Nozawa Onsen is one of Japan's largest ski resorts. The resort is also known for its hot springs, with 30 sources of natural hot springs and 13 free public baths called soto-yu, which have been soothing Japanese for generations. You can also visit the world famous snow monkeys who bathe in their own hot springs in Yamanouchi, or explore the 1400-year-old Zenko-ji Temple, a national treasure.

Skimax has a seven-night package in Nozawa Onsen from $1235 a person, twin share. It includes accommodation, breakfast daily and a six-day ski pass. Must book and pay by November 1 for travel from December 3 to 16. Prices are subject to change and availability and conditions apply.
Ph 1300 136 997 or see www.skimax.com.au

10 Ohau, New Zealand

BETWEEN Christchurch and Queenstown on New Zealand's South Island, the uncrowded Ohau club field is emerging as an alternative to the big resorts nearby. Known for its spectacular views, the mountain caters for all abilities, with the installation of a double chair lift a couple of years ago and some slope grooming. There are also great hiking opportunities for more adventurous skiers and snowboarders looking for powder snow. The resort is 20 minutes from Lake Ohau Lodge.
See www.ohau.co.nz

Source: heraldsun