It’s time to dust off the ski gear and charter a private jet to higher altitudes for some alpine activity. The season is in full swing and even California has snow! Whether you are a skier, enjoy other snowy outdoor activities or prefer to emerge for the après ski sessions, there is something for everyone at all the resorts we are highlighting. Every resort caters to families so bring the young ones and get them comfortable participating in one of the most enjoyable activities you can do with friends and family during all stages of life.
Mammoth, California
At 11,053 feet, Mammoth Mountain boasts the highest summit of any California resort, making for deeper, higher quality snow, beautiful views and a season that can last until July. And with 3,500 skiable acres, 400 inches of snowfall so far this season and an average of 300 days of sunshine per year, Mammoth is establishing itself as California’s only real big mountain experience. Enjoy a diversity of great dining too, from kid-friendly Campo Mammoth to the intimate Parallax, accessible only by snowcat. Activities abound at Mammoth Mountain including scenic gondola rides, cross-country skiing, snowcat rides and the kids’ favorite: Woolly’s tube park.
Deer Valley, Utah
Deer Valley caters to a more upscale audience than its neighbors, offering amenities such as free ski valets, free parking shuttles, fine dining and boutique shopping in the main lodge. Deer Valley grooms more mountain runs than other Utah resorts and limits access to 7500 lift tickets daily to avoid overcrowding, which together create a civilized skiing experience. Located just outside Park City and only 37 miles from Salt Lake City, Deer Valley is quite easily accessed by private jet travel.
Breckenridge, Colorado
Breckenridge Resort offers almost unmatched diversity of offerings to appeal to all ages and ski abilities. A great choice for a family ski vacation, Breckenridge features 4 terrain parks of varying difficulty, nightly grooming of beginner and intermediate runs, and North America’s highest chairlift, the Imperial Express, that transports advanced skiers to high alpine bowls. Breckenridge offers a diversity of mountainside restaurants as well with something for every taste bud and budget. For a dining experience complete with a sleigh ride and a gourmet meal, try the Starlight Dinners at Ten Mile Station for a one of a kind culinary adventure. Breckenridge is a favorite family ski destination, so pack up the kids, so charter a private jet and make it a family affair.
Catedrales, Argentina
Catedral Alta Patagonia resort near the city of Bariloche in Argentina’s Lake District, is South America’s most developed ski resort and the only resort with a full service mountain village that includes restaurants, ski rentals and many other services. Its name is derived from the mountain scenery that resembles a medieval “cathedral”, and the views at 1300 meters above sea level are out of this world. The terrain is highly varied and there are more than 40 lifts including lots of opportunity for tree-skiing and access to backcountry advanced-level bowls.
Zermatt, Switzerland
Occupying a high-altitude plateau at the foot of Switzerland’s highest and most iconic mountain, the Matterhorn, Zermatt’s charm derives from its strict building codes and its almost complete lack of traffic. One accesses the quaint town via cog railway from the valley below, where you leave your car and what feels like the modern world, behind. Zermatt offers some of the best skiing in the world and one of the world’s biggest lift inter-linked ski areas with more than 70 lifts, including an underground funicular railway, together offering an uplift capacity in excess of 50,000 skiers per hour. The airport is within a two hour drive so private jet travel to Zermatt is easy and well worth the trip.