Fresh Tracks Ahead: Y Travel’s Guide to the Northern Hemisphere’s Hottest Ski Escapes
As the local ski season winds down, Australian snow lovers are turning their attention north of the equator, in pursuit of an endless winter. In just a few months, the Northern Hemisphere’s most celebrated resorts open for the season, offering crisp slopes, groomed corduroy, and the promise of alpine adventure.
At Y Travel, while our annual Ski Buzz group ski safari is renowned, many snow-loving travellers prefer to blaze their own trail. We’ve curated a selection of our favourite Northern Hemisphere ski destinations, where world-class terrain, rich culture, and luxury hospitality come together for the perfect snowy escape. From Japan’s snow-draped peaks to Colorado’s sun-kissed Rockies, the time to start planning your ultimate snow adventure is now!
JAPAN - NISEKO
What We Love – Powder Paradise
Niseko remains Japan's undisputed powder capital, where deep, dry snow falls with clockwork consistency throughout the season. Its four interconnected resorts deliver everything from gentle cruisers to challenging off-piste terrain, all wrapped up in a uniquely Japanese experience complete with onsen hot springs and incredible ramen after a day on the mountain. We love staying at the Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono for contemporary sophistication, or the stunningly serene Zaborin Ryokan for a traditional, zen-inspired retreat.
FRANCE - MERIBEL
What We Love – Chic Charm, Epic Terrain
Nestled in the heart of Les Trois Vallées, Méribel strikes the perfect balance between authentic Alpine charm and access to over 600km of pristine pistes, offering vast terrain for all skill levels that is perfect for families and experienced skiers alike. The resort's traditional architecture and vibrant après-ski scene create an atmosphere that's both sophisticated and welcoming, while a single gondola ride on the Saulire Express connects skiers to the glamorous neighbouring resort Courchevel 1850. Méribel's main accommodation offerings are chalets and apartment style stays, with Antarès Méribel’s extensive facilities and fabulous spa making it our pick for a residential-style experience. If a boutique hotel is more to your liking, stylish Le Coucou gives alpine chic a fresh Savoyard twist.
AUSTRIA - LECH
What We Love – Arlberg’s Hidden Gem
A favourite with our team and clients alike, this picturesque Austrian resort epitomises Alpine elegance and exclusivity, where thoughtfully managed lift systems ensure no queues, and skiers can enjoy uncrowded pistes within the vast Arlberg ski region. Lech’s commitment to luxury creates an intimate mountain experience that's hard to match - think champagne bars and world-class spas. We adore the effortless luxury of boutique hotel & chalet Aurelio Lech, or the gorgeous Kristiania Lech, a family-run property famed for its attention to detail and warm Austrian hospitality. Oberlech’s Burg Vital Resort is the ideal choice for ski-loving families thanks to their winter children’s program and convenient location directly across from Ski School Oberlech.
SWITZERLAND - ZERMATT
What We Love – In the Shadow of the Matterhorn
Dominated by the iconic Matterhorn, Zermatt offers year-round skiing on some of Europe's highest terrain, with cutting-edge lift technology providing direct access to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Italy's Cervinia. This sophisticated and relaxed car-free village features horse-drawn carriages, cobbled streets, and cosy mountain restaurants. If you're in search of the perfect place to sip hot chocolate by a roaring fire after an exhilarating day on the slopes, the celebrated Mont Cervin Palace, contemporary CERVO Mountain Resort, and playfully stylish Schweizerhof are our most-loved Swiss sanctuaries.
ITALY - THE DOLOMITES
What We Love – Dramatic Peaks & Italian Style
As an event location for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in 2026, the spectacular Dolomites offer breathtaking mountain scenery and elite-level terrain. The Dolomiti Superski network's crown jewel is the famous Sella Ronda, a circular 40km ski safari connecting four valleys around the central Sella massif. Between runs, mountain rifugios serve hearty local Ladin specialities, while the extraordinary Enrosadira phenomenon paints the UNESCO World Heritage peaks rose-gold at sunset. In Alta Badia, the reborn Aman Rosa Alpina shines with minimal-luxe design, La Perla remains a favourite for warm hospitality and Michelin-starred dining, and over in Val Gardena, in the charming village of Ortisei, the Gardena Grödnerhof, family-run for over a century, blends tradition with refined alpine hospitality.
FRANCE - VAL D’ISÈRE
What We Love – High Altitudes & Legendary Nightlife
Legendary Val d’Isère has earned its stripes as one of Europe's most snow-sure resorts, with high-altitude skiing that keeps the powder fresh well into spring. Together with Tignes, it forms the vast Espace Killy, offering everything from gentle blues to heart-stopping off-piste adventures. The town's infectious energy and world-renowned nightlife ensure your evenings are just as memorable as your days on the mountain. Stay at the design-forward Experimental Chalet Val d'Isère or the refined Airelles Val d'Isère for timeless Alpine elegance and ski-in, ski-out convenience.
USA - COLORADO
What We Love – Wild West Meets Jet-Set
The former mining towns of Aspen and Telluride offer distinctly different experiences beneath over 300 days of annual sunshine - Aspen’s four mountains provide Hollywood glamour and exceptional terrain, while Telluride retains an authentic Wild West character alongside some of North America’s most challenging skiing. In glamorous Aspen, we love the slope-side Little Nell, the resort’s only ski-in, ski-out hotel. In Telluride, beautiful Auberge Resorts Element 52 private residences are your stylish ‘home away from home’. When it’s time for a break from the slopes, Dunton Hot Springs, is a luxurious, rustic sanctuary offering wellness treatments perfectly designed to pamper ski-weary bodies.
USA - MONTANA
What We Love – Wide-Open Slopes
Montana’s Big Sky spans more than 5,800 acres of untouched terrain, offering vast, uncrowded terrain with Lone Peak delivering some of North America’s most exhilarating descents, including the heart-stopping Big Couloir. Big Sky’s authentic Western-style hospitality creates an authentic American mountain adventure that's hard to find elsewhere, and its remote location ensures powder stays fresh for days. The luxurious Montage Big Sky provides unbeatable ski-in, ski-out access in Mountain Village, while the unparalleled luxury of the brand-new One&Only Moonlight Basin boasts an exclusive gondola connecting guests directly to Madison Base and beyond.
CANADA - BRITISH COLUMBIA
What We Love – Adventure Unlimited
Canada's much-loved Whistler Blackcomb resort pairs sweeping runs on Whistler with thrilling steeps on Blackcomb, conveniently linked by the Peak 2 Peak gondola. Whistler's pedestrian village hums with après-ski energy, fine dining, and boutique shopping. Heading west into the Kootenay Rockies, the Powder Highway is a circular route winding through eight ski resorts, living up to its name with over 700 inches of powder that promises unrivalled turns each year. The Westin Resort & Spa is a perfect base for enjoying the buzz of Whistler village with easy slope access, while on the Blackcomb side, the Four Seasons Whistler and Fairmont Chateau Whistler remain client favourites. For adrenaline-pumping heli-ski adventures, Eleven Experience Revelstoke's gorgeously renovated historic lodge offers the ultimate all-inclusive Powder Highway base.
The Northern Hemisphere ski season is about to start, and the mountains are calling! Whether you dream of carving first tracks through Niseko, sipping champagne in Lech, or heli-skiing in Canada, Y Travel is ready to design your ultimate ski safari.