Verbier

One of the Alps’ younger resorts, Verbier has achieved a solid reputation as the ultimate freeride destination. With Switzerland’s best lift-accessed steeps, incredible touring options, and classic heli descents along the Haute Route, untracked powder is never far away. And the surrounding “little areas that rock” can deliver the ultimate powder day, an almost private resort feeling. High-end accommodation, whether in private chalets or hip design hotels, make for a perfect blend of luxury and adventure. Fondue dinner in a mountain restaurant precedes a moonlight luge-ride back to the village. And Verbier’s legendary nightlife always makes things interesting. With a mix of resort, touring, and heli-skiing, a week in Verbier barely scratches the surface of the western Swiss Alps. This is a trip that will need to be repeated to cover all the ground you wanted to ski. And we know Verbier like the back of our hand.  Come discover why we think Verbier is the epicenter of freeriding in the Alps. If you have dreamed of your first trip skiing in Europe, this is the place to start.

Fly into Geneva’s Cointrin International Airport, from every major US hub. Your EpicQuest guides will meet you with a private van for a 90-minute ride through the vineyards that line Lac Leman to Verbier. Itineraries typically leave the U.S. on Friday, arriving Saturday morning, and departing Europe the following Sunday.

With bookends like Mont Blanc (4880m) and Monte Rosa (4664m), Verbier sits in the middle of the Alps’ biggest peaks. With over 100 lifts in the 4 Vallées system, the access to quality steep skiing within the resorts is unprecedented. The Mont Gélé tram services a test piece of off-piste skiing, while the backside of Mont Fort provides an itinerary that delivers a two-hour loop deep into the backcountry. Heli runs like the Trient Couloirs and the Petit Combin are amongst the best in Switzerland, featuring true glacier runs that can exceed 2000m in vertical drop. All of this paired with a dozen mom-and-pop resorts that hold some of the region’s best powder stashes, we’ll be sure to find the best conditions on any given day.

The Pennine Alps can receive weather from several different storm patterns that will generate legendary powder. Cold northwestern storms tracking out of the North Atlantic arrive in early winter. On the Italian side of the border, Mediterranean lows can approach from the south and deposit significant snowfalls. With over a dozen resorts within striking distance, we can always find the best conditions, no matter where the storms come from.

The season starts in early January and ends in late April. Typically the early winter is colder and stormy, while March and April can still deliver dumps, followed by stable periods of high-pressure, which is great for ski-touring.