Skiing has its very own Oscars and its own “Hurt Locker” too. Readers of Europe’s biggest ski magazine, The Good Ski Guide, award Oscars annually for great ski resorts and products, while the losers go in the Hurt Locker.
And this year America’s biggest and best known resort - Vail, Colorado - is criticised for being user-hostile, on a busy, noisy free-way and with the worst mountain food in the world. And expensive too.
Europe’s big, macho resorts go in the hurt locker too…Verbier in Switzerland has the steepest, most hazardous runs in the Alps, and an astonishingly high accident rate (writing off four of our writers in 10 years). And it has the most expensive bar prices - £50 for a glass of champagne. And an invasion of rich Russian oligarchs!
Austria’s most famous resort, St Anton, is described by Good Ski Guide readers as having ‘the most dangerous home run in the world – as dangerous as walking across a motor way during rush hour.’ Great night life but “a noisy and insomniac resort”, said the magazine’s readers.
Other slated resorts include all of those in Switzerland, which are regarded as far too expensive – and “ they only smile when you produce your wallet”.
But the Good Ski Guide survey has some Oscar winners too, such as Austria’s Skiworld, Val d’Arly in France and Livigno in Italy - all great for beginners and improvers.
The magazine also reveals a dogfight between the world’s big ski areas to boast who is biggest. It certainly not Vail or Big Sky in America, which are both only a quarter the size of France’s 3 Valleys , which in turn is only half as big as Italy’s Dolomites.
Full ratings on www.goodskiguide.com
