SNOW Winter 2025-2026

World Cup Style Icon LUCAS PINHEIRO BRAATHEN

The Great White Space

Cortina d’Ampezzo ANTARCTICA GOLD MEDAL GLAMOUR

WINTER 25/26

FIFTEEN DOLLARS

combines carving excellence with all-mountain versatility in one ski –for anyone seeking uncompromising performance and maximum adaptability.

FLURRIES 23

Nifty notes on what we’re reading, where we’re dining, and the newest spa opening you need to know about. Plus, so much more.

STYLE 30

Soft knits to keep close.

BEAUTY 34

Protect and hydrate winter skin with an exceptional boost.

TECH 38

Dial into the greatest new gadgets from Garmin.

SUITES 42

This new Austrian hideaway is the last word in luxury.

TABLE 48

Next stop, Le Depot – Park City’s latest arrêt à la demande for Gallic dining.

PEOPLE 56

Meet the man paid to ski in places many only dream about, Chad Sayers.

SKI TO LUNCH 62

In Italy, a Michelin maven recreates a mountain restaurant with a side of culture.

PERFECT PLACES 66

Join the fantasy good life in Ischgl, where five-star service at Elizabeth Arthotel opens doors and minds.

SNOW SCENES 126

Snow Society Trip to Niseko delivered exquisite dining and endless freshies.

LAST RUN 128

Remembering the Blitz from Kitz.

ADVERTISING SALES

Sales Director

Barbara Sanders (970) 948-1840

barb@thesnowmag.com

Sales Manager

Debbie Topp (905) 770-5959

debbiejtopp@hotmail.com

FASHION EDITORIAL TEAM

Shifteh Shahbazian, Ava Azimi, Demetria Watkins

Sales Representative Denis Little (310) 890-6880

dennis@thesnowmag.com

PRINT AND DIGITAL CONTRIBUTORS

Leslie Anthony, Mark Clinton, Antonio Cordero, Guy Fattal, Andrew Findlay, Mattias Fredriksson, Ava Levinson, Michael Mastarciyan, Jen Murphy, Dan Nicholl, Steve Ogle, Hilary Ondayko, POBY, Barbara Sanders, Leslie Woit

www.frauenschuh.com

Welcometothe25-26skiseason!

We are excited to kick it all off with the fabulous comedian, actress, writer and TV host, Chelsea Handler. She is everything we love in a skier. She's fearless, she rips, she can hang with a posse and ski in a bikini. I've long been a fan – and love her absolute knowledge of who she is as a person and who she is as a skier. I also love that a margarita is an integral part of her ski day. The corporatization of skiing seems to be taking away our fun: don't get up on the table, don't ski too fast… in short, way too many don’ts. The ski world needs Chelsea Handler. I had been reaching out to her for years, so I was over the moon to receive a message saying she wanted to play with us. I called top photographer Poby and stylist Shifteh Shahbazian, and we set out to recreate Chelsea as a vintage ski pin-up girl. Chelsea, thanks for being a part of SNOW. I hope we can rip a few runs together this winter and stop for a marg on the hill.

Our fearless editor, Leslie Woit, literally went to the ends of the earth for SNOW. Her feature on Antarctica is going to cost me a lot of money – between her words and Tamara Šuša's images, I must get there soon on a trip with Chris Davenport. Crossing the Drake Passage sounds like the adventure of a lifetime, and the chance to ski and be a tiny ant in this majestic landscape of snow and ice blows my mind. Though I would

happily make the trip just to hang out and watch penguins play in the snow all day, too.

To shoot our sensational ski fashion editorial, we traveled to the heart of the fashion world – Milan, Italy. I was lucky to find an eccentric place called Cowboyland, where photographer Daniela Federici captured this season's new designs with a cyber cowboy vibe. Milan is also the home of Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, the ski sensation from Norway and Brazil we also meet in this issue. Lucas is another person the ski world needs. He's a breath of fresh air and brings a great deal of originality to the sport. Now racing for Brazil, he is often seen dancing samba in his ski boots in the finish area. Lucas sees life through a unique lens – he moves like a ballerina and skis like the wind. Daniela's images capture his essence as we all made magic together. If he's not on your radar yet, be sure to follow him as he takes on the world at the Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina this February.

Let it SNOW!

DownUnder

We like to think of the pages of SNOW as a gateway drug — but glossier, and far more fun — to our passions, our fantasies, our appetites. This spring, my high was Antarctica.

The infamous Drake Passage was in an unusually forgiving mood, which, if I’m honest, was a bit of a letdown. The promised theatre of one of the world’s most dangerous crossings — mountainous swells, minor broken bones — never materialized. Instead, we skimmed across in two days, southbound with the wind at our backs and martinis at our elbows.

Skiing in Antarctica is as rarefied as it comes — but we know skinning and heli-skiing aren’t for everyone. My magical journey with Swan Hellenic swapped climbs for kayaks, and first turns for some memorable deep dives: into abandoned whaling stations, zodiac-led citizen-science experiments, and the frigid sea itself — minus one Celsius and a leap of faith for the brave.

For the cruise skeptics among us, fret not. Our 150-passenger ship felt more private club than ocean liner.

Days were spent kayaking among curious penguins and prowling leopard seals, hiking snowfields above improbably sandy beaches, then returning to iceberg-gaze from the heated infinity pool, take in a lecture, and dine à la carte as humpbacks surfaced off the port side.

What’s on your wander list this year? Empty slopes and a full cellar? Or a map dotted with ominous blank spaces labeled Here Be Dragons? Happily, you don’t have to choose. Antarctica offers the thrill of the wild without surrendering a single creature comfort.

A century ago, frostbite wasn’t a hazard – it was a companion. Today, you’ll find only insulated boots, sweeping silence, and the intoxication of terra incognita

Sometimes, the greatest luxury isn’t having everything. It’s having nothing at all.

Warmth With Style

Handcrafted by artisans for a lifetime of adventure. Explore Overland’s exceptional selection of premium sheepskin coats and accessories.

LESLIE ANTHONY Writer

Function most of the year, because it’s Whistler and weather is a malevolent god. In spring I’ll wear sweaters and, during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, a hockey jersey — are those fashion?

Beck’s “The Golden Age” from Sea Change. Val d’Anniviers, Switzerland.

JEN

MURPHY Writer

Fashionable Function. I'm a big fan of femaleowned, Sun Valley-based Wild Rye. They just introduced a new women's outerwear line of bibs and jackets that are technical but also stylish and have smart features like interior stash pockets. I also love Olympian Julia Mancuso's line, AKOVA.

Always in my head and depending on my mood, “Ready for It?” by Taylor Swift or “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC.

Tetnuldi and Hatsvali in the Svaneti region of the Republic of Georgia. The terrain is epic, the food is sensational, and there are zero crowds.

TALENT

Q

1. Fashion or function?

What's your favorite look on the mountain?

2. What song plays in your head or your headphones for a big run?

3. Name one under-the-radar ski destination you think everyone should visit.

TAMARA ŠUŠA Photographer

For me it’s a mix of both — but function always comes first. I need gear that keeps me warm, dry, and comfortable so I can perform in harsh elements. Looking good never hurts either! At 5’10”, I gravitate toward brands that offer “tall” options, so I can have the fit and functionality without sacrificing style.

RÜFÜS DU SOL’s “No Place” — or anything off my RÜFÜS playlist.

Bosnia! Jahorina is where first learned to snowboard. It’s a fascinating mix of history, abandoned Olympic infrastructure from the ’80s, and lingering reminders of the war.

MICHAEL MASTARCIYAN Writer

Always fashion before function! It’s a no-brainer for me, especially since all the “fashion” in my ski closet – Amundsen and Moncler feature heavily – is already super functional.

My big run song is “Ace of Spades” by Motörhead. Very fast, very aggressive and, ironically, the polar opposite of the way I ski these days.

My under-the-radar ski destination is Oppdal, Norway. Four huge, snowy, Godzilla-sized peaks in one resort and virtually unknown to most North Americans.

Big Sky, Big Moment

What We're Watching

Butterfly in a Blizzard

Raw, personal, “the biggest story never told” according to one expert in maternal health: Butterfly in a Blizzard shines a light on the trials of being a professional athlete and a mother. Regarded through a different lens, women with children are too often accorded fewer rights than their male partners. Kimmy Fasani – mother, professional athlete, wife to pro skier and artist Chris Benchetler – must manage time for herself, her sport, her sponsors, and most importantly, her children. “Her time” is often criticized as selfish but, as she reminds us, you can only give to another when you are whole yourself. Kimmy navigates this world with grace and kindness while life-threatening health challenges add to her already full plate. Yet again, she bravely faces her own mortality and its impact on her family. When we see her at the top of the mountain, ready to drop in for her run on the Natural Selection Tour in Alaska, we can only be humbled. This story is inspirational to anyone – male or female – who has put everything on the line for their loves. — Barb Sanders

Big Sky Resort has long had a reputation of big thrills, low frills. No longer. The Montana resort’s ambitious, decade-long Big Sky 2025 vision has been fully executed, and then some. On-and off-mountain enhancements compete with the best-of-the-best, including Aspen and Jackson Hole. Big Sky’s lift system is now North America’s only ski destination with three bubble D-line lifts, and two eight-place lifts, including the Madison 8 which debuted last season. This season, skiers will ride Explorer, the world’s fastest 10-person gondola, complete with heated seats, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a midstation accessing some of the resort’s most approachable terrain. Within 15 minutes it also connects to the new Kircliff alpine summit observatory. Perched at 11,166 feet on Lone Peak, it’s a stunning glass enclosure with sweeping 360-degree panoramas across three states and two national parks.

The atmosphere has been building. In 2021, Big Sky Resort welcomed its first five-star stay, Montage Big Sky, delivering the area’s first destination spa, a 10,000-square-foot sanctuary of pampering. This November, the opening of One&Only Moonlight Basin ups the ante, with a Japanese restaurant from superstar chef Akira Back, a speakeasy-style bar, and heated gondola designed by the visionary behind Porsche that provides direct access to the Madison Base. This season, the resort’s culinary cred skyrockets when superstar chef Grant Achatz descends with the Alinea Group’s first-ever mountain residency. The four-month stint is part of Chicago-based Alinea’s 20th anniversary tour, which has also mounted pop-ups in Brooklyn, Miami, Beverly Hills, and Tokyo. The group’s alpine debut introduces a new concept, M by the Alinea Group, a departure from the restaurant’s signature avant-garde cuisine in favor of the rusticity of the mountains. — Jen Murphy

Our mission is to create the greatest outdoor products and offer unique adventures. Crafted with quality, function, design, and sustainability through four generations since 1929.

The Newest Spa Obsession

A League of its Own

Never content to simply ride the wave, Shaun White has created a new one. Part daredevil, part disrupter, the three-time Olympic gold medalist brings his signature charisma and future-forward vision to The Snow League, the first global pro league dedicated to snowboarding and freeskiing. With White at the helm, this is winter sports as high-performance spectacle. White calls it “the kind of global competition I could only dream of during my career.”

Season One spans three continents and four resorts with after parties held at a secret set of coordinates and trophies by Tiffany. Broadcast across 90 countries, viewers can listen in via microphones on the athletes. The action kicked off last winter at Buttermilk in Aspen Snowmass, where 36 elite snowboarders battled in the halfpipe. Next stop, the Secret Garden — a Beijing 2022 Olympic venue — in December 2025, where top freeskiers join the lineup.

After a pause for the 2026 Winter Games, the league returns to Aspen in February before the grand finale at Laax, Switzerland in March 2026, where the first Snow League World Champions will be crowned. Athletes will earn points at every stop, with winners claiming a share of the record-breaking $1.6 million prize pool.

— Leslie Woit

Trust the Germans to turn sweating into theatre. Aufguss — meaning “infusion” — is a traditionally Teutonic sauna ritual that’s sweeping ski-resort spa hotels, transforming heat into high drama. Picture it: your muscly Saunameister pirouetting with a towel, wafting clouds of rosemary or cedarwood steam through a room of spellbound bathers. Aromatic ice balls fizzle on the rocks, sometimes to music, and suddenly your sweat session feels like an operatic crescendo. Après ski with a twirl. Once a niche curiosity, Aufguss is now the wellness trend to chase. You’ll find Europe’s beau monde stripping off for steamy treatment sessions at the toniest five-star wellness addresses across the Alps and the Dolomites. And this winter, North America’s extravagant BASIN Spa – the new indoor-outdoor thermal wellness sanctuary at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise,

Alberta – brings sauna-chic over the pond. Designed by Italian super-architect Matteo Thun — born Mathäus Antonius Maria Graf von Thun und Hohenstein, known for creating chic sanctuaries such as South Tyrol’s Vigilius Mountain Resort and Bürgenstock above Lake Lucerne — BASIN is minimalist luxury at altitude. The infinity pool stretches toward the iconic lake’s edge, while self-guided “circuits” bubble and drip through Finnish and bio saunas, steam rooms, hot-stone massage suite and Turkish Hammam, reflexology pool, a Kneipp walk, and a salt relax room. The views are from a dream: turquoise Lake Louise, Victoria Glacier, fed by constant flow of mineral-rich, glacier-fed water. Move over cold plunge — this is hot culture. — LW

SPORTALM_KB / www.sportalm.com

Grab the Rings

Long a symbol of unity: every nation’s flag shares at least one of the colors in the Olympic rings, their interlocking design a celebration of inclusivity and global spirit. Jetset’s iconic Tibi Star Pants pay tribute to the ideal – a stylish nod to the Winter Games in Milan-Cortina 2026. — BS

Fireside Read

More than a memoir — it’s a testament to the unbreakable spirit of a woman who refused to be defined by tragedy.

For Pamela Caram, skiing wasn’t just sport — it was sanctuary. On the slopes she discovered freedom, purpose, and the tools to rebuild a shattered life. After fleeing Chile under harrowing circumstances, Pamela carved out a place for herself in a new world — becoming the first female ski tuner on the Europa Cup circuit.

Amid long days spent hauling heavy gear, sharpening edges, and tuning bases, she transformed wax rooms into safe havens for young skiers far from home, quietly creating bonds of trust and belonging. But her journey was never confined to the mountains. The Condor Prophecy follows Pamela as she navigates abuse, separation from her children, and the darkness of decisions she made to survive. Losing everything familiar, she started over in a strange place, yet found a way to carve a life from uncertainty. The perfect emblem for her story — the condor is revered in Native American and Andean culture as a symbol of hope and messenger between worlds, a spirit rising high above the snowy mountains we love so much. Looking for strength in unexpected places? Pamela is proof that it's never too late to find your place in the world. Written with the insight of her dear friend Barbara Sanders, The Condor Prophecy carries the greater hope of a little extra courage for anyone who needs it. — Hilary Ondayko

Knit Kit

The ultimate indulgence for coldweather wanderers

When’s the last time you had a breakthrough in your skiing?

When we first learn to ski, progress comes thick and fast. Parallel turns click. Blues turn into blacks. Every week brings another breakthrough.

But once we’ve skied a few seasons, progress slows. Knowing what to change isn’t easy, and getting better can to feel like hard work. We end up skiing in our comfort zone - having great days, but not always skiing great turns.

The trouble is, beating that plateau requires change. Change requires feedback, and feedback isn’t always easy to come by.

That’s why we built Carv 2. It perfectly tracks the movement of your skis in real time, analyzes your turns and creates the coaching you need, in the moment you need it.

All you have to do is clip it on, start skiing and let your next breakthrough come to you.

Watch Katie's Trip

Meet Comedian Katie Burrell's new BFFs from Austria. Check out the videos so you can SKI AUSTRIA LIKE A LOCAL!

Do I have a choice?

Straight to the summit?

SCHLADMING-DACHSTEIN

Heli Rettensteiner - Mountain Guide

ARLBERG

Ready to ski the Valluga?

In your ski boots!

Lorraine Huber - Freeride World Champion

I’m the good guy.

Let’s do the 4 course option.

ISCHGL

Martin Sieberer - Michelin-Starred Chef

Love it, want it, need it.

Does that make me the bad guy?

SÖLDEN/GURGL

Gregor HuterLocal Ski Guide

KITZBÜHEL

Local Family-owned Frauenschuh

Building the next generation of ski champions…one teeny tiny carbon fibre ski at a time.

Any tips on how to pack this wine?

ZELL AM SEE-KAPRUN

Lukas SchmidererGourmet Shop Owner

SKIWELT

Gerhard Told - Ski School Owner

Under Your Skin

A small-batch, science-based approach to keeping winter skin hydrated. by JEN MURPHY

Most little girls play with makeup. But from a young age Jami Morse Heidegger, third-generation owner of skincare brand Kiehl’s Since 1851, was more concerned with formulating products that would make her skin glow without it. Her early years were spent alongside her father and grandfather in the company’s old-school New York City apothecary. The bathroom was her personal laboratory where she would tinker and experiment with ingredients. Officially joining Kiehl’s at age 14, Jami went on to create more than 100 formulas, many of which still anchor the brand’s top products. Jami and her husband, Austrian World Cup ski champion and slalom specialist Klaus Heidegger, enjoy the outdoors and were forever in search of solutions to combat sun damage and the dry climate of their home in the California desert. For their personal use, Jami specialized in what she terms “boosted”

products – topical treatments with higher levels of vitamins and antioxidants. After the couple grew Kiehl’s from a momand-pop shop to a globally celebrated skincare brand, they made the bittersweet decision to sell to L’Oréal in 2000. With that, Jami Morse Heidegger thought she was done with the beauty business. But after seeing the efficacy of her personal creams and salves (and the inefficacy of other products on the market), she and Klaus launched Retrouvé in 2015. “In the ’80s and ’90s, the technology wasn’t available to stabilize these unique formulations,” says Heidegger. Over the ensuring decades, the couple developed a triple airless protection system that maintains the potency and integrity of the vitamins and antioxidants for longer, with less oxidation. Retrouvé’s unisex line is packaged in elegant black glass containers topped with patented airless caps. The first two

THE ONLY MONACO SKI COMPANY

DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE WITH A GREEN SOUL

“An effective antidote to the harsh elements of winter, endorsed by ski star Mikaela Shiffrin.”

products – Intensive Replenishing Facial Moisturizer and Revitalizing Eye Concentrate Skin Hydrator – remain its best sellers and together are a dynamic duo for skin hydration. Currently, the line has around a dozen products which may be used on their own or layered together. Retrouvé offers a complimentary concierge service on its website to help clients determine the best regimen for their skin needs.

Heidegger hails from generations of farmers in Austria and many of Retrouvé’s ingredients are sourced from the family’s self-sustaining Californian permaculture farm, Palms of Malibu. The Dermal Defense Hand Cream and Luminous Cleansing Elixir, for example, are crafted with avocado extract from avocados grown on the farm. The newly launched Herbal Gel Mask features a proprietary herbal blend inspired by some of the couple’s favorite moisture-sealing ingredients harvested at the farm.

An effective antidote to the harsh elements of winter, Retrouvé has been endorsed by ski star Mikaela Shiffrin. Heidegger relies on a combination of the Revitalizing Eye Concentrate Skin Hydrator, Hydrating Lip Serum, and Intensive Replenishing Facial Moisturizer to ensure that his skin remains superbly moisturized when he’s in the Alps. And this winter, so shall we.

by MICHAEL MASTARCIYAN

Cast your mind back 20 years. Mysterious rumors circulate of a hyper-rugged, military-grade wristwatch that could be used to ski in all conditions, clock altitude, and even navigate during HALO jumps (high-altitude, low-opening skydives between 15,000-35,000 feet). Back then, a wristwatch like that could only be a fantasy from a James Bond film. Flash forward to today. Fantasy has become reality thanks to Garmin, producers of precisely such innovative GPS navigation devices and wearable technology. At the forefront of this new wave of outdoor adventure tech? Smartwatches from Garmin’s fēnix 8 and MARQ collections, available even to those not employed by His Majesty’s Secret Service.

Just the basics

Available in women’s and men’s models, the multi-purpose fēnix 8 comes in an assortment of sizes (43mm, 47mm, 51mm), stylish colors and materials, and loaded with max-tech software for any adventure. The more upscale MARQ collection – six premium models, including the Commander at the collection’s apex – is also packed with high-tech goodies, available only in 51mm.

The bezels and cases on these wristwatch super-computers are constructed from the finest materials: fused carbon fiber, stainless steel and titanium, and robust, easy-to-read, scratchresistant AMOLED or solar touchscreen lenses made from either Corning Gorilla Glass or sapphire crystal. The fēnix 8 inductive function buttons are leakproof (water-rated up to 100 meters and dive-capable up to 40 meters), and come with built-in speaker and microphone, as well as LED flashlight. Battery life ranges from 16-29 days depending on use – and recharging is easy, using the Garmin’s proprietary plug charger for the fēnix 8 or the magnetic charger for the MARQ.

From slopes to skies, and back

The fēnix 8 and MARQ watches offer pinpoint-accurate terrain mapping for backcountry skiing and come preloaded with more than 2,000 “SkiView” piste maps from around the globe. Names of runs and lifts, slope ratings, elevation contour lines, natural features, and even points of interest are wrist accessible. No paper trail maps required and, unlike a smartphone, there’s little risk of dropping it from the chairlift.

For those who transition from snow to the golf course in springtime, both watches feature GPS yardage, scoring, and shot analysis on 43,000 golf courses worldwide, with course maps preloaded and no subscription needed.

Built-in sensors include GPS, accelerometer, thermometer, depth sensor, ambient light sensor, compass, gyroscope, barometric altimeter (GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BEIDOU, and SATIQ Technology). The MARQ Commander comes with a “Jumpmaster” feature to calculate high-altitude release points, and a host of aviation-related features for pilots. Check the weather, listen to music, make calls and send texts via a Bluetooth connection to your phone, transmitted through built-in speaker and microphone (for both on- and off-line voice commands). Devise workout plans for running, cycling, cardio, strength training, and yoga. Count steps, calories, floors, and distance. Check your temperature, heart rate, and even pulse ox with a built-in blood oxygen saturation monitor.

They also keep excellent time.

Heavenly Hideaway

For those who’ve done the big mountains and the sprawling wedding-cake hotels, a new kind of alpine sanctuary awaits.

Curious about quiet? Calling all alpine aesthetes who’ve grown tired of dodging paparazzi in Verbier and navigating the sprawl of St. Moritz — welcome to eriro. Opened in 2024, perched mid-mountain at a small ski area one hour from Innsbruck, this discreet adults-only boutique hotel is not for the many. It’s a high-touch hideaway for the few.

As the gondola rises slowly skyward across the Austrian flank of the Zugspitze, the pretty Tirolean villages of Ehrwald and Lermoos retreat in the distance. At the summit, a black allterrain Can-Am waits to whisk us the extra few steps, across a gentle piste to the front of a heavy hand-carved wooden door. Inside, there’s a palette of calming taupes, a wash of alpine panorama, and a delicate whiff of woodsmoke perfuming the air. Soon, local conifers, salts and wild herbs will flavor not just our food and drink but the very atmosphere itself. This is

luxury — but on a deeply human scale.

Located in the quiet ski area of Ehrwald with only eight lifts and immaculate grooming, this rustic-chic inn offers just nine suites, alongside superb cuisine, classes that include woodcarving, yodelling, and yoga, and a pampering spa that outstrips what one would commonly expect in such a bijou setting.

Expect nothing shiny, apart from polished stemware and copper lampshades; nothing bright, save the crackling open fire and shimmering onsen. Inside and out, the forest is reborn in every possible permutation — from the extraordinary bathtubs hewn from a single tree, to ceilings blanketed in hand-split, recycled spruce, to the 4,000 cotter pins binding it all in place. Among the hand-made linens and house-bottled spring water, modern technology does exist — but only on request. A pair of

“As with any true Tirolean hut, there’s a community of characters capable of populating a Wes Anderson film.”

handknit heavy wool socks wait as a welcome gift in my suite; guests are encouraged to pad about zu Hause, and there’s a box in each suite to deposit phones, if possible. In lieu of TV, each suite has a pair of binoculars and a turntable with a few classic LPs.

So, down the wool-padded corridor I pad, toward the morning wood-carving clinic with a local young master of the regional art. Later, after a handful of relaxed runs on the nearprivate pistes at my doorstep, an après-ski yoga class beckons. Led by an attentive and masterful yogi, I surrender on a mat that reads “Alles ist Jetz”. And this is true — everything is now, on request, à la demande just as one wishes.

Chef doesn’t write menus, he composes them — daily, depending on what the forest serves up or the neighboring farmer delivers. Yoghurts, jams, and creamy milk comes from nearby alms. The eriro summer has been spent foraging, pickling, and smoking. From hay-aged speck and pine sorbet, an astonishing array of all things infused, oxidized, and fermented

appear in delicious succession. One evening, there’s a 68° onsen egg and a main elegantly comprised of just three components: butter foam, salmon trout, and pickled elderberry. The wine list leans Austrian and esoteric. During a bespoke tour of the pantry lined with hundreds of hand-filled jars and bottles, chef modestly calls his technique “accidental science”. It works.

For the pleasure of the few, a gorgeous spa is built around granite touchstones weighing two and half tonnes. Bouquets of nettle, arnica and other mountain herbs hang drying above steaming onsens and meditation pools. There’s a Finnish sauna, sleep-inducing sheep’s wool hammocks, and a soundproof room lined with hay where infrared loungers come with stereophonic views of the Tajakopf. The massages of Tatiana, the Belarusian engineer-turned-artist, are spiritual choreography. Her wave above me, complete with a sorceress finger snap to seal the moment herbal oil therapies to therapeutic massages.

From the old German for “entrance to the forest”, eriro was envisioned by a cadre of talented locals committed to fine mountain culture: hoteliers Amelie and Dominik Posch, Ehrwalders Christina and Martin Spielmann, and timber construction expert Andreas Mader. Together, they created a calm without ostentation. Oh, what a bit of sheep’s wool and granite can do.

By night, slow lighting illuminates the quiet corridor, stone-on-a-string outside my door to indicate privacy. It scarcely seems necessary, but the mere motion – hand on rock, wood on string – produces an anachronistic rush of dopamine. of Ella Fitzgerald on vinyl and the silence of the falling snow.

Making that French Connection

Raise a glass at Park City’s newest Gallic address. by JEN

MURPHY

It only takes two words – French food – to conjure images of fancy fish knives and gastronomic temples. American chef Galen Zamarra has worked at many of them, including restaurants helmed by Michelin-three-star legends Georges Blanc, Michel Bras, and Alain Passard. But his real love is simple comfort food – a fine steak frites or fragrant coq au vin –as served in France’s laidback, affordable brasseries.

“French cuisine can sound a little exotic to Americans,” says the James Beard Award-winning chef. “But brasserie food is different. The experience of dining at a brasserie is just as much about being part of a community as it is about the food. We wanted to bring that to the community of Park City.”

Since opening in February 2025, Le Depot Brasserie has become the gathering spot for Park City locals and visitors alike. Located in a historic train station on lower Main Street, vintage bubble lighting and art-deco detailing evoke another era. The menu transports us direct to France, with classic dishes such

as frisée aux lardons and crab rémoulade. “The steak frites is hands down our best seller,” Zamarra says. “It’s great quality and a great price. It’s crazy what you pay at a steakhouse for a good cut of meat. We intentionally wanted the menu to be affordable.”

Well-traveled guests regularly comment that Le Depot reminds them of a meal they had in Paris or Courchevel, says Zamarra’s wife and business partner, Katie. “What we’re doing here has really resonated with visitors,” she says. “Hearing their stories that compare us to places in Europe gives the restaurant so much soul.”

While the menu is rooted in classic brasserie fare, Le Depot’s executive chef, Thomas Bernard, takes some creative liberty with the traditional. His French soup, for example, is more like a soufflé. He adds chicken, vegetables, and truffle to a rich broth, then browns a puff pastry crust to crack open with a spoon. Seafood towers appeal to the après-ski crowd, and Friday apéro hour features French wines and $1 oysters flown in from the East and West coasts. “We pay a premium to get the best quality,” says Zamarra. This winter season, Le Depot debuts a raclette and fondue experience.

Cocktails take a decidedly French point of view, according to Zamarra. “We leaned into French spirits and aperitifs like Chambord, St. Germain, and vermouths,” he says. There’s also

a selection of creative bubbles-based cocktails – La Piscine is a mix of Chambord, sparkling wine, and Snow tequila. Ciders include those from Dendric Estate, a new Utah cidery. Le Depot’s executive pastry chef, Cassidy Cabel, is responsible for seriously sensational desserts, like the decadent S’mores profiteroles filled with roasted marshmallow ice cream, as well as baked goods served next door at their sister operation, Union Patisserie. The darling, all-day café serves buttery croissants and crepes, as well as sweet treats like macarons, eclairs, and sandwiches such as jambon-beurre. “In the winter, it’s really nice to pick up a La Colombe coffee and pastry en route to the Town Lift or as you’re heading to catch the shuttle to Deer Valley,” says Zamarra. Just steps from each other, both spots regularly host live music on their sun-soaked patios, adjacent to a courtyard with a pétanque court. “This area used to feel so empty,” he says, “but it’s really come to life as a community hub rooted in good food, drinks, and friends.”

Zürich in Style

A little art, a little chocolate, a little lakeside loafing – make Zürich your pretrip warmup or your après-ski pause.

Aah, the Alps. The powder, the fondue, the cultural frisson – as dependable as a Swiss train. So why not pause the mad dash to the mountains for just a moment? Whether you’re headed to St. Moritz or Arosa, Bad Ragaz or beyond, let’s linger in Zürich for a few nights. A restorative three days – rich with art, chocolate, lake-gazing leisure – is the perfect opportunity to stretch those ski legs and make the most of the journey. Think of it as the aperitif to the ski feast or, on the way home, a delectable digestif you’ll cherish forever.

Zürich is full of surprises. Switzerland’s cosmopolitan hub is where bohemians share café tables, and Old World grandeur morphs into contemporary cool. Speckled with chic boutiques and avant-garde galleries, it’s a civilized place to rest and revive, to sip, stroll, and even shop – all the better to enjoy the slopes to come or the voyage home. A great place to start is trendy Zürich West, a former industrial district where art, design and food thrives. Before you know it, you’ll feel richer, sweeter, and just a bit more Swiss.

A Morning of Masterpieces

Start your day with a cultural slalom through the Kunsthaus Zürich, Switzerland’s largest and most ambitious art museum. From the medieval to the contemporary, the original Moser building whispers of old-world gravitas, while David Chipperfield’s sleek new extension is pure modern elegance. Together there’s an embarrassment of riches: swirls of van Gogh, portraits by Picasso, the dreamscapes of Chagall and some of Monet’s famous waterlilies, and the largest Edvard Munch collection outside Norway.

Experience the immersive “Turicum Pixelwald” by Pipilotti Rist, 3,000 multicolored lights set to mind-expanding music.

Walking Tour round the Old Town

Spanning a small and charming footprint on either side of the Limmat River, Zürich’s historic Old Town houses a pretty puzzle of picturesque alleyways, narrow lanes, and historic buildings. The “roots” of the old town go back over 2000 years, and a guided tour offers fascinating insights into the architecture, history, and what makes the city tick. (Indeed, watch shops are in temptingly good supply here, too.) Starting at Zürich Main Station (always a good spot for the classic Zürcher street-food snack of Bratwurst, bread roll, and spicy mustard), stroll the glittering Bahnhofstrasse, ascend to the historic Lindenhof viewpoint, and sweep down to the Grossmünster Church, a pivotal player in Swiss Reformation.

An Afternoon of Aquatherapy

The afternoon light is softening now and it’s time to trade the cobblestones of the romantic Old Town for the calm of a Lake Zürich cruise. In just 90 minutes, you’ll glide past splendid waterfront villas, snowy panoramic peaks, and city spires – the towers of the Romanesque Grossmünster and Predigerkirche’s Gothic spire feature prominently – perhaps with a glass of something bubbly in hand. A scenic reset button, no lift ticket required.

Land of Cream and Glory

Dinner in Zürich demands a proper Zürcher Geschnetzeltes: mouthful in more ways than one, it’s a glorious dish of thinly sliced veal bathed in a creamy white wine sauce, accompanied by rösti so crisp it practically snaps. For the definitive dining experience, try Kronenhalle where Miró and Chagall hang as casually as family portraits; Zunfthaus zur Waag, storied site of the 14th century guild house; or Zeughauskeller, where centuries of beer hall history have quite literally soaked into both the woodwork and the wine list. And while we’re on the

Don’t miss the chance to experience the immersive “Turicum Pixelwald” by Pipilotti Rist, 3,000 multicolored lights set to mind-expanding music.

topic, a little note on Swiss wine: Only a scant one percent of Switzerland’s superb vintages ever reaches the export market. Why? Locals prefer to drink it themselves and we don’t blame them – Swiss wines are superb.)

Essential Indulgences

No visit to Zürich is complete without taking time for a proper chocolate moment. The supreme cocoa pilgrimage is to the Lindt Home of Chocolate in nearby Kilchberg. (It’s also reachable by boat, just board from Zürich Bürkliplatz and exit at Kilchberg.) Seven interactive “chocolate worlds” lead from humble bean to decadent truffle, culminating with tastings to test even the most disciplined skier’s resolve.

Get the Zürich Card, the all-access pass for urban explorers. Enjoy 72hoursofunlimitedtravelbytram,train,boat,funicular,andcable car, plus free admissions to more than 50 museums and generous discounts at restaurants, city tours, and shops. Adult CHF 56.

What does it take to succeed – and survive

Hanging with Chad

– a life’s worth of skiing for the camera?

Some people look like they simply belong on snow, as though their first movements as a human were not baby steps but rather tiny turns on tiny skis. Chad Sayers is one of them.

On a late April morning, clouds swirl around the peaks of Whistler and Blackcomb. Sayers shoulders his skis and boot-packs up the “chimney.” Ten minutes later, he clicks in and pushes off into the steep glades of CBC. The snow is as unpredictable as the tempestuous spring weather. One turn, there’s a dusting of powder on windblown hardpack. The next, sun-softened then refrozen tracks that could quickly dismantle the ligaments of a knee. They are the sorts of conditions that will expose a lifetime of bad skiing habits. Sayers makes it look easy.

For one, he’s fast. He’s also flawlessly smooth no matter what crud a mountain throws his way. No flapping arms, speed checks, or jerky corrections. It’s a big reason why – 25 years into a professional skiing career and age 47, well past the bestbefore date for most pros – Sayers is still skiing for the camera. Invariably, skiing life delivers the good and the bad. If being

a professional skier is a form of combat, then Sayers has the scars to prove it – physical and emotional.

Watching him hobbling up stairs on shot knees after a day of skiing, it’s hard to believe he’s the same guy who, an hour earlier, arced Super Gs through cut-up powder in flat light down Ruby Bowl.

“It’s the kind of pain that goes straight to your skull,” he says stoically, describing what every turn feels like these days.

A high tolerance for pain has served him well. So has stubborn faith, the product of a Christian upbringing, and a naive belief that a higher power will ensure that everything will work out.

To a remarkable degree, for someone who has never plotted a conventional career path, things have worked out.

Sayers was born in Ontario, but moved at a young age with his family to Vernon, British Columbia. Surprisingly, he didn’t start skiing until he was 16.

“I was into hockey, soccer, and dirt-biking,” Sayers says.

He was a natural and quick learner. The freedom of skiing and quest for the perfect turn unlocked in Sayers a latent passion and drive. He burned through his certifications. By age 19 he was a CSIA (Canadian Ski Instructor’s Alliance) Level III instructor, helping coach the SilverStar Mountain Resort freestyle team for which he had previously competed.

Ski instruction served him well. He acquired solid foundational technique. Yet there was something about this disciplined world that was at odds with a young free spirit like Sayers. He yearned for more. The big mountains called. In 2000, he moved to Whistler with the goal of turning skiing into a career. Teaching it was the practical choice, but practicality isn’t a Sayers trait. That first winter at Whistler-Blackcomb, he was wide-eyed. He had never before skied true alpine terrain.

“I was teeing off on bigger and bigger features. It was a dangerous and intense time.”

“The town was full of young ambitious pro skiers,” he says. “You’d see JP Auclair, the Treadway brothers, Chris Winter, Eric Pehota, and Richie Schley in the lift lines and then you’d see them in films and magazines.”

The world of freeskiing competition was going off. Sayers dove in, eschewing the sensible and safe life of a ski instructor for big mountain skiing with an eye on competition.

“I was teeing off on bigger and bigger features. It was a dangerous and intense time,” he says.

It was also exhilarating. Hard work paid off. He qualified for the Freeride World Tour and over the next several years bagged two second-place podiums at the Canadian National Championships and a first at a comp in Switzerland. Sayers was getting noticed. The 2005 season was shaping up to be a banner one. Then, while training for the US Nationals at Snowbird, he suffered an horrific crash. He misjudged a jump, big time, and hit a boulder at speed. Sayers broke ribs, pelvis and femur and punctured his lungs. He could have died.

“I should never have skied again,” Sayers says. But ski again he would.

His competition days ended but a new chapter began. Post recovery, he would embark on a seemingly endless nomadic quest for snow and mountains. A 2008 meeting with talented Vancouver photographer and filmmaker Jordan Manley led to the Arc’teryx-sponsored series of evocative short films called A Skier’s Journey. Over the next few years of near-constant travel, Manley and Sayers, as well as American ski mountaineer

ELEVATED SKI EXPERIENCES

MARCH 5TH–8TH MARCH 19TH–22ND MARCH 26TH–29TH Join me for an exclusive alpine experience designed for those who seek peak performance in sport and in life. Together, we’ll refine technique, sharpen focus, and cultivate clarity—skills that transcend the mountain and empower every aspect of your journey

copper from a life lived in the elements.

The ski season is almost over. Now it’s recovery time. That means seeing therapists three times a week and hitting the weights and mountain bike hard so he can coax more skiing and adventures from a body that has paid the price.

“There have been so many times when I’ve thought ‘If I fuck up this turn, I’m dead. I’m going to tomahawk,’” he says.

Sayers is in a reflective mood these days. He has a fiveyear-old daughter Aiya whom he loves deeply but carries the burden of a toxic breakup with the mother. Legal bills have piled up. He admits the sponsorship contracts aren’t as fat or as plentiful as they once were. But there is a silver lining. By necessity, fatherhood has curtailed the traveling life and regular work guiding for Extremely Canadian keeps him close to his daughter in Whistler.

“Guests love skiing with Chad. He’s a great instructor and he has lots of stories to share about his adventures,” says Extremely Canadian co-founder Jill Dunnigan.

Nelson-based photographer Steve Ogle first met Sayers more than 20 years ago in Portillo. They became good friends, both stubborn in their own way, and built a kind of fun unclenephew bond forged on ski adventures to the Patagonia Ice Cap, Mount Logan (Canada’s highest peak), Pico Simmonds in Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Madre, among others.

“For a lot of pro skiers, it’s all about riding the lifts and getting the banger shots. If you have good light and the snow conditions, then Chad’s the guy to have,” Ogle says. “But it’s never really been about the cover shot on those trips. It was always about the experience. Chad is keen and capable to pull off those big adventures, even when the chances of success are minimal.”

There’s another thing about Sayers. He’s a kind and loyal friend with a global network of people who look out for him.

“And he’s also nostalgic. Nostalgia drives him,” Ogle says. It shows in the rituals Sayers keeps. Like sitting on the steps of La Grave’s Église de Notre-Dame de l'Assomption and smoking a Drum, basking in international camaraderie following a descent of La Voûte, Couloir des Fréaux, or any number of other classic test pieces that make this bit of France so intimidating and so special.

Similarly at Whistler-Blackcomb, Sayers likes to cap a day

“There have been so many times when I’ve thought, I’m dead. I’m going to tomahawk.”

with a ritualistic pint and burger at The Dubh Linn. The servers in plaid skirts are pretty and friendly. The bartender knows him.

Sayers has never fit easily into a world gone hyper-self promotional. Though he travels the globe, he’s not necessarily worldly in the common sense of the word. He gets his news from friends, not from the internet or TV. If he’s on a mountain trip and finds a rock he likes, he’ll stuff it into his backpack even if his wrecked knees will hate him for it. When the universe went digital, Sayers clung to his SLR film camera, building a library of beautiful slide images from his travels. Some ended up in his coffee-table memoir, Overexposed, a passion project years in the making. True to form, while working on the manuscript Sayers typed it out and didn’t keep a digital copy. After visiting his publisher, he drove off with the draft on the roof of his battered Subaru. His carefully crafted words were scattered and lost to the streets of North Vancouver. He drove back to Whistler to start over.

“It wasn’t that bad. I had most of it up here,” he says, pointing to his forehead.

The minor mishap was another testament to his perseverance and ability to keep alive the dream of skiing for a living. That is the Chad Sayers way.

“Skiing is my life,” he says.

Culture Club

A maven of the Michelin world creates a mountain restaurant that doesn’t merely respect provenance, but reimagines it.

by LESLIE WOIT

From Michelangelo to Maserati, we have a lot to learn from the Italians. In the land of courtesans and Casanovas, celebration of beauty, nature, and life’s corporal pleasures — including skiing and eating — is an art form. What is la vita, if not about feeding soul and stomach in equal measure?

Whether winding through the galleries of the Uffizi or diving down Marmolada Glacier, ladies and gents who lunch deserve not just physical sustenance and a decent glass of wine – but a good dose of creative stimulation, as well. Recently, a peaky plateau in the coral-tinged Dolomites has gained a reputation as a culture crossroads –with two fine ski-in ski-out museums and one superb spot for lunching.

AlpiNN is easy to spot. The cantilevered temple of glass perches on the top of Kronplatz (Plan des Corones, in Italian) flirts with the void at 2,275 metres. The light-flooded – and reasonably priced! – 80-cover restaurant is the latest brainchild of the chef that never stops, Norbert Niederkofler. “ When you have three stars and you sit down, it’s a problem,” he told me.

work as charismatic as the man himself. South Tirol’s slowfood sorcerer was best known as the force majeure of threeMichelin-starred Restaurant St. Hubertus until its Hotel Rosa Alpina shut down for a total makeover in 2023. He was also one of the founding members of the Alta Badia’s Gourmet SkiSafari, a ski-around dining deal showcasing Italy’s finest chefs at bargain prices. Picture big energy, big grin, and a subtle flex of unmistakable mountain muscle.

In this part of the world gastronomy is king, and Chef Norbert is emperor, reigning over a growing body of epicurean

With AlpiNN, Chef Norbert has traded white tablecloths and hushed reverence for something freer, yet no less refined. Guided by his “Cook the Mountain” principle – a reinvention of mountain food rooted in locality and seasonality – he serves up delicious staples that include beef tartare, mountain char ceviche, risotto with local funghi, and tender beef from Val Pusteria – within view and a stone’s throw from his childhood Valle Aurina. Menus are made from loden wool, ceilings are hand-painted in a Japanese technique that preserves water, and solid maple tables anchor the mountain-modern vibe.

“From here I can point with a finger to who the producers and farmers are,” he explains, indicating the alms, forests, and orchards

A NEW FRONTIER in LUXURY LIVING

Crescent Seas is redefining luxury, turning the open ocean into the next frontier of luxurious, adventurous living.

Navigator Residence at Sea offers 189 private homes, priced from $750K–$12M, blending timeless design, modern comfort, and Starlink-powered connectivity.

From Michelin-inspired dining and a world-class spa to private lounges, Compass Rose restaurant, a golf simulator, and curated wellness programs, every detail is designed for effortless living.

Explore iconic destinations and hidden gems larger ships can’t reach—with time to truly experience them. Onboard, a community of like-minded residents shares in discovery, connection, and the joy of life at sea.

THE FUTURE OF OCEAN LIVING

Be a part of this residential community at sea. Navigator launches December 2026, followed by Insignia in 2027 and The Ocean in 2032. Crescent Seas is defining the next chapter of luxury living at sea.

that supply his kitchen. With a loop of the hand, he mimics the yearlong shifts in altitude he employs to source ingredients – from apples of the Merano Valley to porcini handpicked at 1,200 metres.

Niederkofler’s passions extend beyond the menu del giorno “The concept of a sustainable future –it doesn’t make any sense if it ends with me,” he explained. In collaboration with the Free University of Bolzano, he launched a ground-breaking threeyear degree program “Gastronomy and Oenology ”, shaping the next generation of chefs. “Cook the Mountain” is also showcased at his newly opened Atelier Moessmer in nearby Brunico – awarded three Michelin stars and a Green Star just four months after opening, a world record.

“I left home at 17,” Norbert tells me. “And I’ve been going ever since.” Keen to see the world, he financed his travels by cooking. His journey — from early kitchen gigs in London and Germany — brought him full circle “It’s not Aman,” he says with a smile, “It’s my vision, I’m my own boss, and it’s fun.” And for all its philosophy, AlpiNN is fun. Perhaps it’s the

open kitchen, the phalanx of young be-toqued sous chefs, or the sommelier wearing jeans and a Patagonia jacket. Linger if you like over espresso and grappa, but save time for the other cultural attractions just steps from AlpiNN. (Italians love to get the skiing-to-playtime ratio right. Consider the approach of playboy-ski racer Alberto “La Bomba” Tomba: “I used to have a wild time with three women until 5am,” he said, but to save energy for the Olympic Games, “I will live it up with five women until 3am.”)

The Messner Mountain Museum Corones is the final installment in legendary mountaineer Reinhold Messner's series of tributes to the world’s great peaks. Designed by the late Zaha Hadid, the striking museum houses exhibits that chronicle the history, spirit, and madness of alpinism. Next door, the Lumen Museum is a shrine to mountain photography, from the earliest grainy daguerreotypes to the dramatic drone footage of today. The perfect complement to a very good lunch – and 360 degrees of life at altitude.

About Wayan Aspen

About Wayan Aspen

The newly opened Wayan Aspen marks a highly anticipated restaurant debut in the town. Raphael Derly, Aspen restauranteur and designer together with Cedric and Ochi Vongerichten have brought their awardwinning French Indonesian cuisine to the Rocky Mountains. After years of successful pop-ups at The Little Nell, the new brick-and-mortar location combines the dynamic flavors of Southeast Asia with the unique charm of an Aspen chalet. Alongside signature Wayan dishes like Lobster Noodles and Corn Fritters, look for locally inspired creations like Colorado lamb satays and butterflied trout with sambal tomato sauce.

The newly opened Wayan Aspen marks a highly anticipated restaurant debut in the town. Raphael Derly, Aspen restauranteur and designer together with Cedric and Ochi Vongerichten have brought their awardwinning French Indonesian cuisine to the Rocky Mountains. After years of successful pop-ups at The Little Nell, the new brick-and-mortar location combines the dynamic flavors of Southeast Asia with the unique charm of an Aspen chalet. Alongside signature Wayan dishes like Lobster Noodles and Corn Fritters, look for locally inspired creations like Colorado lamb satays and butterflied trout with sambal tomato sauce.

The convivial dining experience unfolds in a warm and welcome atmosphere, featuring an open kitchen, a crackling wood fire, and a transportive display of Indonesian Balinese artwork, all designed by CV Restaurant Group partner Raphael Derly.

The convivial dining experience unfolds in a warm and welcome atmosphere, featuring an open kitchen, a crackling wood fire, and a transportive display of Indonesian Balinese artwork, all designed by CV Restaurant Group partner Raphael Derly.

614 E Cooper Ave • (970) 429-8288 • wayan-restaurants.com/aspen • info@wayan-aspen.com

614 E Cooper Ave • (970) 429-8288 • wayan-restaurants.com/aspen • info@wayan-aspen.com

Ischgl Inviting

We expect stellar skiing, we live for après. But who among us can resist a little ski-in, ski-out Rolex shopping?

by LESLIE WOIT

The origin story of this perfect day lies not in the snowbound heart of the Tyrol, but in the heat of the Nevada desert.

Cast your mind back to 1969, if you can. The swinging ’60s are in full thrust and a louche Austrian named Günther Aloys finds himself loose on the Las Vegas Strip. Soaking it all in, surrounded by go-go dancers and velvet ropes, the air is heady with hedonism. Amid the neon excess, he sees not chaos, but inspiration. Not clutter, but art. Why, he wonders, can’t the mountains be more like this?

Back then, his tiny Tirolean home village of Ischgl was postcard-pretty to be sure. But sexy enough for the new skiing jet-set? Probably not. Günther, ever the visionary, imagined something more. So, while he couldn’t bring the mountains to Vegas, he vowed to bring a little Vegas to the mountains.

Fast forward to today’s Ischgl — home to one of the slickest lift networks in the Alps and certainly its most iconic après ski. Aloys’s original Hotel Elizabeth turns 50 this year — all mirrored elegance and artful glamour, now a five-star fantasia helmed by his daughter Mirjam Aloys together with her dynamo husband Markus Pfister. Another of Vater Günther’s many brainchildren, the biannual Top of the Mountain Concerts,

helped seal the town’s reputation as the Alps’ definitive aprèsski amphitheatre since 1995. Sting. Tina. Kylie. Rod... For the inaugural show, Sir Elton himself was airlifted — white Steinway and all — onto a snow-swept summit stage. The clouds parted, the ivories tinkled and, just like that, Ischgl wasn’t just skiing — it was pop spectacle.

Directly opposite The Elizabeth – now named Elizabeth Arthotel in appreciation of its gallery-worthy collection of more than 130 artworks from leading artists from Austria and beyond — a creamy ride on the sleek 24-person Silvrettabahn gives lift off. Ischgl’s 150 miles of snow-primed pistes are laced with a further 45 high-speed lifts (heated, bubbled, and smooth as a whisper) and more than 1,000 snow cannons. It’s a white carpet ride, mostly above treeline, as we launch from Idalp plateau toward the ridge that marks the Austria-Switzerland border. At the summit, every day skiers in their hundreds strike theatrical poses in front of the mammoth Ischgl sign. Showmanship runs in the region’s blood: once, the flamboyant Günther dumped 300 kilos of ruby-colored minerals into the Inn River to hype a Simply Red concert. Gloriously, he was fined 100,000 schillings. From here, we descend in style: a seven-mile glide to

Samnaun, the tiny Swiss hamlet that was once a waypoint for smugglers of sugar and butter. Now, population 755, the town is an Aladdin’s cave of watches, perfumes, cigars and booze. Much of it seriously swanky, all is tax-free.

Behind the understated “Zegg: Watches and Jewellery” sign (and past two burly security dudes) is a trove of exquisite baubles and bezels — Rolex, Chopard, Breitling and more occupy four floors of polished glass, with an elevator for tired ski legs. Linger at the Champagne bar with les patrons Olivier and Monique Zegg – old friends of the Aloys Family – and try on a few trinkets for size. Then pop over the street to their sister boutique, a custom parfumerie where the air is sensual, and at the back a cigar fumoir hums with perfect 69 percent humidity. Finally, the crispy rösti at Chasa Montana takes an extra 20 minutes to prepare — and that’s the point. In Samnaun, they’ll sell you the watch, and you’ll enjoy every second of it.

Considerably poorer but feeling richer — telling perfect time, smelling wonderful, blood-to-champagne ratio still to the good — we’ve skied back into Austria and Ischgl, in time for après at Schatzi’s. Built into the base of Elizabeth Arthotel, this indooroutdoor party is classic Ischgl. Inside, the cathedral of beer and

flashing lights is packed with dancing bodies and a dozen lithe Eastern European performers whose mini-dirndls twirl and flirt to the beat. Raising a flute as a 20-euro note gets tucked into the dancer’s cleavage, Herr Günther observes the sybaritic scene with the eye of a connoisseur: “This is art, too.” As a manabout-town visionary who’s had the likes of Paris Hilton and Tamara Ecclestone on his arm, he should know.

The partying in this corner of the Silvretta is legendary, yet these days, for all its glitz, Ischgl is maturing. Fewer Jägerbombs, more smoked Negronis. Fewer wursts, more wagyu. While the giant nightclubs of the past have slipped off the menu, Schatzi’s still goes off — just not past 8pm.

So before the stars come out, we pad in soft robes upward to the Elizabeth’s glass-walled penthouse swimming pool –in time to watch skiers negotiate their last run of the day. An internationally renowned spectacle, the last turns down the somewhat-steep home-run piste is a highly entertaining goat rodeo of tired legs and flatlanders whose antics are cheered on enthusiastically by the Schatzi crowd – or, more salubriously, from the warmth of the infinity pool.

In the swing of it now, there’s time to succumb to a soothing

“It’s better to be notorious than boring.”

Thai massage before an excellent dinner by Chef Thomas Zechner. The schnitzel is light as a sigh and a six-course tasting menu is well-supported by a 7,000-bottle wine cellar and attentive sommelier. A fine place to push the boat out, indeed: according to Günther, this is the wealthiest town per capita in Austria — and with more Gault & Millau toques than anywhere outside Vienna, it’s a claim that tastes true. (Also vaut le detour is Mad Sushi at Hotel Madlein, representing another arm of the Aloys’ family dynasty, the elegant Madeleine.) Later, beneath the

flatteringly low lights of the bar, a charming bartender takes little encouraging to launch into an impressive Tom-Cruiseflavored cocktail-shaker stage show. Cue the applause and another round, bitte schön.

From Elton to Alanis, smugglers to sommeliers, Ischgl is still the place to ski hard as you please, wear your good stuff, and always — always — make time for more Champagne. Günther said it best: “It’s better to be notorious than boring.”

For inquiries regarding future expansion or investment opportunity, contact

HeliSkiGuidesSweden

Where powder dreams come to life.

High above the Arctic Circle, deep in Swedish Lapland, we guide skiers through one of the most pristine and remote heliskiing zones on Earth.

Our Story

We are Heli Ski Guides Sweden — a family-run company with over 30 years of experience in the mountains. Founded by IFMGA mountain guide Stefan Palm and ISIA ski instructor Pia Palm, we bring deep local knowledge and a lifelong passion for skiing. Over the years, we’ve earned a reputation for mountain expertise, small-group authenticity, and a love for wild snow.

Our story is rooted in family. Today, our children are part of the journey too. Max Palm, with two Freeride World Tour wins and a recent invitation from legend Travis Rice to compete in Natural Selection Ski, often returns home to ski with the team — frequently bringing a tight crew of fellow pros and filmmakers to share the Abisko magic. Robina Palm, a skier at heart, heads up our digital and creative team with her artistic eye and story telling expertise.

Our mission is simple: to share extraordinary mountain experiences with people who love skiing as much as we do — year-round, around the world.

We know the terrain like it’s our backyard — because it is. We track conditions daily, choose our zones carefully, and specialize in small private or semi-private groups (4–8 skiers), offering more terrain, more flexibility, and a safer, more personal connection to the mountains.

Our Base — Abisko, Swedish Lapland Abisko, 200 km north of the Arctic Circle, is our home. With over 5,000 km² of terrain, it’s Europe’s last true heliski wilderness. No crowds. No lift lines. Just powder, peaks, and Arctic silence.

We fly directly from our helipad, just 150 meters from Abisko Mountain Lodge — a cozy, homely lodge and award winner for best food in the North.

All our runs are above the tree line. Peaks rise up to 2,100 meters, and cold, dry snow is preserved by Arctic air and the nearby Gulf Stream. By May, we’re often skiing perfect corn snow beneath the midnight sun — when the day doesn’t end until we say so.

Our season runs from April to May — just as the rest of the ski world is winding down, we’re just getting started. And the world is our playground.

• Heliskiing in Abisko – Private and semi-private trips for 4 or 8 skiers.

• Heliskiing Worldwide – With partners in Chile, Iceland, Greenland, New Zealand, Turkey, and more.

• Ski Touring Adventures – Custom trips in Iceland, Georgia, Svalbard, Japan, New Zealand, and beyond. With Gratitude We’re proud of what we’ve built — but we haven’t done it alone. To our co-guides, pilots, guests, partners, family, and friends: thank you for being part of the journey. This is your invitation. We can take you there. heliskiguidessweden.com

SNOWSTORIES

COUTURE COWBOY

PHOTOGRAPHER: DANIELA FEDERICI

STYLIST: SHIFTEH SHAHBAZIAN

ASSISTANT TO STYLIST: AVA AZIMI

DIGITAL OPERATOR: IAN SANTOS

HAIR STYLIST: ELISA BOTTA

MAKEUP ARTIST: GRETA RONCORONI

PRODUCTION TEAM: MANDALA CREATIVE PRODUCTIONS

MODELS: BRINANA @ ABC MODELS, PAVLINA @ WAVE MANAGEMENT, OSCAR; FRANCESCO @ ROW MODEL MANAGEMENT

SHOT ON LOCATION AT COWBOYLAND VOGHERA, ITALY

This icy grande dame is undeniably the world’s premier snow destination.

“Antarctica’s snow is old, notorious for its sharp sastrugi ridges etched by relentless katabatic winds.”

Crack open any Antarctica storybook, and you’ll find many a tall, frosty tale – of amiable eccentrics, adventurous madmen, and beautiful people doing wild things for good snow. In short, our people

Take the 1903 expedition of Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Charcot. Preparing to set sail, and having secured sponsorship from Mumm’s Champagne, it wasn’t a real caper until he roped in a few friends. One future seaman, invited to venture into the unknown, simply replied: "Where you like. When you like. For as long as you like."

And was it ever.

In a last-minute change of heart, Charcot redirected, not insignificantly, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. On arrival, he and his ship Le Francais were promptly suspended in hostile pack ice for six long polar months. Making the most of it, the men staged high-stakes ski competitions with tin cans for prizes, mounted vigorous chess tournaments, enjoyed daily rum rations, ate fresh bread three times week and croissants on Sunday – with, to be sure, lashings of Champagne to wash it all down.

Now there’s the spirit.

On a nine-day Swan Hellenic expedition exploring the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, I learned a good deal about the highs and lows of these early adventurers. Daily lectures from glaciologists, ornithologists, and marine biologists are an intrinsic part of life aboard the SH Vega – a state-of-the-art Polar Class V vessel, one of just four of its kind in the industry, built in 2022 in Helsinki for the luxury market. What was clear from Charcot’s early French sortie – if it weren’t clear before – no one comes to Antarctica looking for humdrum.

It’s the grandeur, the silence… it’s the snow Even if you never click into a binding, Antarctica seduces. Standing on the prow, Day Three at sea, I spot my first iceberg off the starboard – a mass the size of a small opera house. Its curtain shifts from silver to turquoise to inky green as it floats slowly past, behind mountains shimmering in alpenglow. For photographers, naturalists, dreamers, this is cathedral en plein air. It is snow as religion.

Some travel by dogsled, chronometer and diary in hand. Some by high-test Zodiac, I-phones at the ready. Others arrive in what can only be described as super-bougie style. Recently, a Swiss billionaire traded the rolling slopes of Gstaad for a tricked-out Antarctic mega-yacht equipped with not one but two helicopters, and a quorum of his luckiest ski buddies. From teak deck to frozen drop-zone in minutes, this must be the most exclusive vertical on Earth. But even a $2.5 million boys’ break like that is uninclined to promise Bugaboo-light powder. Antarctica’s snow is old, and notorious for its sharp sastrugi ridges etched by relentless katabatic winds. Neither heli-skiers nor ski tourers come here for waist-deep tracks. They come for a glimpse of what lies beneath.

Antarctica, after all, is spiritual home of the iceberg theory. Ninety percent of the world’s icebergs ply these seas. And, as every schoolchild knows, 90 percent of each one remains unseen by the human eye. As nimble as the SH Vega is – crossing 12foot swells in the 625-mile-wide Drake Passage; four days later, squeezing dramatically through the seven miles of needle-thin Lemaire Channel, our flutes raised dancing to Ricky Martin

on the forward deck – like most Antarctic adventurers, we will scarcely dust the tip of the 800-mile-long Peninsula. And, while at times it feels we’re surrounded by bobbing ice planets and carpets of penguins, it truly is the tip of the cosmic iceberg.

Consider the mysterious Gamburtsev mountain range, a ghostly Antarctic massif the size of the European Alps. Off the visitor’s menu for obvious reasons, these peaks were discovered not with binoculars but via ice-penetrating radar, entombed as they are beneath more than a mile of primordial ice. Indeed, the continent is almost wholly covered in a permanent icecap with altitudes that rise well over 4,000 metres above sea level. Peaks on the Peninsula alone climb to 2,800 metres. In places, the snow hasn’t melted in 800,000 years.

Aboard the SH Vega, things run tightly. With around 120 passengers, there’s a 1:1 employee to guest ratio and staff are both plentiful and beyond helpful, ready to adjust and react as needed. By international convention, only vessels carrying fewer than 500 passengers are permitted to disembark onto the continent, though life can get in the way even of small-

group expeditions. An afternoon hike around Port Lockroy – whaling station, then British Antarctic post, currently the U.K.’s most southerly post office – is nixed on account of busily breeding gentoo penguins. Instead, the post office comes aboard, complete with stamps and a little red mailbox. As expedition leader Brendon Kleyn explained after the earlier organized frisson of a group polar dip, where, one by one the willing jumped, tethered to the ship, into the -1 Celsius water: “We start with plan A. In Antarctica, we often end up on plan M. And sometimes plan Z.”

One morning, as we wait for a weather window to kayak around Mikkelsen Harbour, I chat with Gigi, an engaging young snowboard instructor from Ushuaia, the funky Argentine outpost that welcomed many of the 80,000 travellers who set foot on Antarctica in 2024-25 alone. Ushuaia is also a famous annual haunt of many World Cup ski teams, in search of summer snow at the resort 20 miles from town. When she’s not teaching during the Southern Hemisphere winter, Gigi is an expedition guide, at sea for two months at a stretch during austral summer.

Her long dark hair lashes across wind-flushed cheeks, the acid-yellow of her jacket vivid against a steel-grey sky. Together, we watch albatross dip and dive for krill – permanent nomads of the sea, coming to land only to breed, I learn.

“We start with plan A. In Antarctica, we often end up on plan M. And sometimes plan Z.”

“It is said that fewer people have skied Antarctica than climbed Everest.”

The voyage, I am discovering, is one of both adventure and the continual collection of esoterica. For instance, who here knows the proper way to measure ice? Brash ice? Small enough to put your arms around. Growlers? Five meters across or less. Bergie bits will bob from five to 15 meters above water and, after that, it’s a more prosaic small, medium, or large. (Proportions down here prove themselves again and again unlike anywhere else. We are told the extravagant amount of poop the 40 millionstrong penguin community produces is visible from space.) Then, as if from the ether, on the horizon an enormous berg appears in front of a sumptuous 30-degree slope extending from sea to sky – an outrageous test of the prospects for the 90 percent rule.

“I hope one day I can ski here too,” says Gigi. “Just once.”

For others, the singular experience can turn into a bit of an addiction. For photographer Tamara Šuša, it’s become a passion for the coldest, driest, and windiest continent on Earth. She’s captured transfixing images of skinning up and ski touring down its flanks – and acknowledges the privilege of doing so. “It is said that fewer people have skied Antarctica than climbed Everest,” noted Tamara. She’s already rebooked after two recent ski-touring expeditions, including one alongside Chris Davenport, the first person to ski all 54 of Colorado’s 14,000ers in less than one year. (Chris has indeed climbed Everest, then skied its Lhotse Face.)

Of course, in Antarctica skiing has always been more than downhill, it’s been a way forward. Long before skis meant après and corduroy, explorers

such as Amundsen and Shackleton strapped on wooden planks to chase the edge of the map. For many, the chase still is the prize. “I’ll be back again because this place calls my name in a way no other place ever has for me,” said Davenport.

Since we’re on the numbers, I just had to ask.

Generously invited for a looksee round the bridge of SH Vega, Captain Lyubomir Garciyanov tells me he’s stopped counting how many times he’s crossed the fearsome Drake Passage. And I believe him. With a maritime career approaching 35 years, he introduces me, in reassuringly human terms, to the NASA-worthy spread of high-tech engineering that navigates the Earth’s icy final frontier. Amidst the calm enclosure that is the nerve centre of the $115 million ship, two young men stand sentry, eyes to the horizon, on continual watch for hazards –primarily icebergs. My next question hangs unspoken in the air.

Heading for port, halfway through our two-day return Drake crossing – Captain Lubo’s umpteenth – he suddenly slows the engines, and dreamily the ship spins from north to south in a long languorous loop. Beside us a pod of 18 pilot whales dive and breach in the calm waters, as a Zodiac quickly speeds out to join them. Equipped with a hydrophone, expedition leader Brendan records their salty afternoon chitchat – an otherworldly soundtrack played for the after-dinner entertainment of a ship full of Antarctic converts.

That creative donut manoeuvre – a first for Captain Lubo, and certainly for every other soul onboard SH Vega – captured in a cup the Swan Hellenic experience. Singular encounters:

In case of catastrophic failure, Captain Lubo explains, the vessel can do 1,500 nautical miles unassisted. She holds 50 days’ worth of fuel in reserve. Safe return to port is his numberone priority. Still, no one can accuse him of not showing his passengers a good time.

from measuring plankton as citizen scientist as penguins dip and dive around us; to waiters who know each passenger’s name and my butler, Midge, for whom no request was too tiny nor too great; to the privilege of standing in silence with a penguin, giving way as he gingerly negotiates his penguin highway. One of a kind, in a sea of firsts.

If you’re lucky enough to carve a turn off an untouched Antarctic peak, watch a leopard seal decapitate its lunch, or be side-eyed by a waddle of overdressed penguins — you’ve joined the rarest of clubs. It’s not easy. It’s not cheap. But as Monsieur le capitaine Charcot would concur, Antarctica is the detour of a lifetime.

LongLive theQueen

The 2026 Winter Olympic Games mark a new era for Cortina, where what’s old is new again – and always raffinato.

In January 1935, lack of snow required that a scheduled downhill ski race above Lake Maggiore in Italy’s Piedmont region be modified for both practical and safety reasons. In place of the classic wide-open downhill, Gianni Albertini, boss at FISI (the Italian Ski Federation), set a new course with well-spaced gates that forced racers to follow a more sinuous high-speed path. With the race’s vertical suddenly compressed by snowline considerations into a mere 300 meters, Albertini reasoned there should be two runs. When the race formula proved both a success and a crowd-pleaser, a month later, FISI officially introduced this “Giant Slalom” at the Italian National Ski Championships in Cortina d’Ampezzo, staking the route down 760-meters of vertical that took winner Giacinto Sertorelli — who bested 25 other entrants — six-and-a-half minutes to descend.

The slope would log over two decades of serious racing by the time it officially debuted as “Olimpia delle Tofane” — the men’s Downhill venue during the 1956 Olympic Winter Games held in Cortina. With its steepest and most famous of its dozen sections, the Tofanaschuss — a shadowy drop between two towering rock buttresses — this classic course subsequently became a staple of the women’s World Cup Downhill circuit, charting further history that includes Lindsey Vonn’s six Downhill and six Super G wins there. Olimpia delle Tofane also enjoyed pride of place when the Alpine World Ski Championships rolled into town in 2021.

With the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games on the horizon, all eyes are again on Olimpia delle Tofane and the village of Cortina — fondly referred to as “Queen of the Dolomites.” Given the much-changed, ever-evolving sports landscape we now dwell in, Cortina’s return to the Olympic throne after a 70-year hiatus looks to reignite its reputation as a chic, long-reigning winter destination that has always brought la dolce vita

History abounds in the Dolomites, whether ski racing, architecture or après-ski artifice, and Cortina also boasts no small amount of the latter two. That starts with the village square and cobblestoned Corso Italia pedestrian zone with its beautiful blend of Italian and Tirolean-style buildings and landmark bell tower. Surrounded by classic four- and five-star hotels and their spacious patios, including venerable Hotel Cortina, dating to 1870, the numerous restaurants and bars on the square have forged their own histories among patrons. Places like must-visit Enoteca Cortina — one of Italy’s first wine bars and the town’s busiest such institution — where unbeatable atmosphere and genuine service always make you feel at home; the Clipper Bar, a consideration for early evening that gets busier as the night draws on; and Hotel de la Poste, the choice if you’re looking for something more refined. Sure, you might find enough exotic furs (like, real leopard) courtesy of visitors from Venice and Milan hanging in these bars to warrant a CITES red alert, but it shouldn’t come as any surprise

bothpagesclockwiselefttoright

1. Chad Sayers contemplates his Cinque Torri route.

2. Chad Sayers enjoying a groomed piste at Cinque Torri.

3. Cortina’s cobbled streets and famous 18th century basilica.

that high fashion and luxury shops dominate commercial offerings as well: at least one jewelry and antiquities store requires you to be buzzed in and out by security.

Beyond après, more substantial fare is available in any direction. Pizza, that great Italian appeaser of skier appetites, is everywhere. Restaurant Ariston across from the Cortina Bus Station is an outstanding, reasonablypriced, family-owned joint with an excellent regional wine list; also favored is Pizzeria Cinque Torri, with its large and varied menu of pasta dishes that include a much-heralded version of casunziei all’Ampezzana — the regional specialty of ravioli half-moons stuffed with red beets and topped with melted butter, poppy seeds and a generous dusting of Parmesan (while locals swear by this or that pasta-maker’s take on this dish, here’s a pro tip: you’ll do no better than the version turned out by the Lorenzi family atop Cinque Torri at Rifugio Scoiattoli). If pizzerias are too proletariat, among Cortina’s top eateries you’ll find heralded Alajmo Cortina and Michelin-starred Ristorante Tivoli and Michelinbibbed Baita Fraina.

Though well-grounded in the realms of winter-sport competition and fancy-fooding, Cortina is actually better known for being one of the world’s most beautiful ski resorts, where the dramatic walls and towers of the Dolomites offer rocky leitmotif to any activity. It’s a landscape that seems at once both spacious yet filled with nooks and crannies, the

latter exemplified in Cortina’s famous couloirs — long, narrow, often sinuous lines that can cleave peaks from top to bottom. Cortina’s four major ski sectors — Faloria-Cristallo-Mietres, Tofana-Socrepes, Lagazuoi and Cinque Torri — are linked by lifts or busses, and also part of the famous Dolomiti Superski — a single ticket that delivers 12 ski areas comprising 450 lifts and 1,200 kilometers of pistes.

Though few other major ski resorts can claim skiing spread so far across such a large valley, its west-to-east character here ensures that each area in Cortina is topographically unique, with differing snow conditions and ski experiences, from the usual perfectly groomed, seemingly always raceready thruways below tree line, to a glut of rolling, twisting, bucking pistes of varied aspects, to wide-open alpine and the aforementioned couloirs.

Cortina is one of the better resorts for introducing beginners or low-end intermediates to the big mountains, and in particular the Alps. There are many gently angled runs off the Socrapes area on Pomedes, with a ton of intermediate terrain to graduate onto. There are also some pretty bad-ass race-style runs in the same sector, such as Labirinti. Of course, everyone also wants to ski Olimpia delle Tofane if only to experience the Tofanaschuss and do something that racers never get to — stop to touch and stare up those foreboding rock walls.

When it’s sunny, as is often the case, it’s best to head up high given that so many of Cortina’s main slopes face south. (That tan you’re cultivating also means the snow is getting baked.) Though you don’t necessarily go high so you can ski couloirs so large they could hold small ski areas, and on whose massive, exit-aprons you may — should you be able to slow yourself enough — spot small groups of chamois nibbling hidden vegetation, you can certainly find them an easy 10-minute bootpack from the top of Tofana chair (another pro tip: many of those bootpacks are from groups led by guides, which you should also definitely have). Mostly you go high to bag shorter runs of better snow and bank your share of incomparable views — the usual Alps-rooftop vibe but with the decidedly singular nature of the Dolomites, possibly the most sunset-ready part of the entire range.

When it’s storming out, locals advise heading toward Passo Falzarego and Cinque Torri, where the skiing is as protected as the stunning 270-degree view (should one be able to see it). From the bottom, the area appears small and compact but, up top, Cinque Torri is a Russian doll that not only unpacks the “five towers” captured in its name, but a bonanza of gullies and slots offering perfect between-piste playgrounds. There’s also no shortage of long cruisers, and the highest chair, Averau (a final pro tip: also recommended is the chair’s eponymous refugio — some of the best eating in the Alps), tips you into one of these that can also deliver the kind of ski safari emblematic of Dolomiti Superski. From the col where the chair leaves off, you ski to valley bottom in the opposite direction, re-ascend to another pass, descend to yet another valley, head up a platterlift then ski back into Cinque Torri having traversed three ski areas and 3,000 vertical meters in under an hour. This circuit will also introduce you, at least visually, to the historic ramparts of Piccolo Lagazuoi, from whose summit tram station and hostel-like Rifugio Lagazuoi at 2,800 meters you can either ski the long Armentarola route over the back through the beautiful Hidden Valley (topped off by a fun horse-tow) toward Alta Badia and return by taxi/bus to Cortina, or wrap back around the front to the base on the so-called “museum route.”

5.

4.

Museum, you say — what’s that all about?

Not only do the towering peaks of the Dolomites rise above Cortina and its surrounding countryside like so many limestone fortresses, but most of them have actually been used for just this purpose. You can go as far back in time as you like to chart the many times this ragged range stood in the way of one invader or another, an historic footnote made no more vivid for visitors than on Lagazuoi, where Austrians and Italians waged their infamous “battle of the caves” during the First World War. During that conflict, the ski troops of both combatants excavated extensive tunnel systems in Lagazuoi’s 600-meter limestone face, from which they could not only overlook and defend their own front lines, but also blow up the enemy from below. Five enormous chambers packed with up to 32,000 kilos of explosives were detonated within the mountain over the course of the war, leaving indelible marks still visible today. Nothing was accomplished militarily, of course, and the armistice that ended the war was declared shortly after the last fruitless explosion in 1917. While you can still experience the tunnels as an open-air museum either on skis or on foot, there isn’t much left for nations to contest in the Dolomites other than who’s better at scaling or descending them.

It is then, perhaps supremely fitting, that the 2026 Games will see the debut of ski mountaineering, with men’s sprint, women’s sprint, and mixed relay events, as well as several

new events in established sports — men’s and women’s dual moguls, women’s individual large-hill ski jumping, women’s luge doubles, and mixed-team skeleton. The latter two are taking place in Cortina, which, in addition to hosting the sliding events of bobsleigh, skeleton, and luge, is also the venue for curling and women’s alpine skiing. (Men’s alpine skiing is in Bormio, and all freestyle skiing will take place at Livigno.)

Having run women’s alpine ski race events continuously since 1993, staging these and providing for spectators is well in hand. Among the several upgrades taking place, however, Cortina’s sliding-sports center is undergoing a significant rebuild of its century-old track — perhaps familiar to Americans for its many appearances on the long-running program ABC’s Wide World of Sports — at a cost of nearly $100 million, with focus on enhancing the overall experience for both athletes and spectators. The upgrade was a bit controversial, as the IOC urged the Milan-Cortina bid group to include more modern facilities in nearby Austria or Switzerland. But national pride prevailed: adjustments would be made to improve the historic track and hey, who knows what kind of innovation that might conjure up?

After all, when they turned a snow-starved ski race into the world’s first Giant Slalom, the Italians proved that necessity can indeed be the mother of invention.

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen

From cliff diving to DJ-ing, there’s a style disruptor on the ski racing scene. And he’s winning big.

If alpine ski racing handed out trophies for style — not medals, not Crystal Globes, but sheer, unapologetic swagger — Lucas Pinheiro Braathen would already have his name engraved in gold.

The chiseled World Cup phenom was born in Oslo to a Brazilian mother and Norwegian father. With Viking good looks, a healthy dash of Latino charisma, and a penchant for avant-garde fashion, Pinheiro Braathen’s style game has always been top shelf. Now, thanks to a partnership with the cuttingedge luxury fashion house Moncler, this 25-year-old is in a class of his own.

Whether standing on a World Cup victory podium (something he’s done 17 times; five of them on the heels of last season), jetting about the chicest cities and trendiest ski resorts, or being photographed for fashion billboards and magazine covers, he’s officially decked head-to-toe in Moncler Grenoble – the label’s “born in the mountains, made in the city” skiwear and outdoor collection.

Before making fashion headlines by signing with Moncler, Pinheiro Braathen was already making sports headlines. In 2023, at the top of his game as the reigning slalom World Cup champion, he shocked the ski world by announcing his retirement “with immediate effect” at a press conference in Sölden, Austria on the eve of the season’s first World Cup giant slalom race. He cited differences with the Norwegian Ski Federation related to marketing rights, and ongoing

unhappiness fueled by the strain on the relationship.

“My decision to retire was a tough one, but in order to inspire, I need creative freedom to express who I am. If I can’t inspire as a skier, I need to inspire as something else,” Pinheiro Braathen now says looking back.

One year later, Pinheiro Braathen surprised once again with his return to the World Cup–with a twist. Now, instead of racing for his native Norway, he would wear the colors of Brazil, the birth country of his mother Alessandra Pinheiro. Just two months later, he went viral with a second-place giant slalom finish at Beaver Creek, Colorado–the first Brazilian to step onto a World Cup alpine skiing podium. Wearing the four-toned flag as a snazzy skirt for the electrified crowd, he performed a spirited samba dance–his signature move.

We caught up with Pinheiro Braathen in Hafjell, Norway, moments after his first race in his birth country as a Brazilian competitor. In front of a springtime crowd thronged with Brazilian and Norwegian flags in equal numbers, Pinheiro Braathen thrilled his fans with a fourth in the giant slalom. Less than 24 hours later he would send them berserk when he bounded onto the podium and samba-ed into glory with a slalom bronze. Flush with triumph, we talked to him about his image, his goals, and what it feels like to be the best dressed ski racer in the world. Later in Milan, he generously agreed to pose for the SNOW camera. We hope you enjoy the results as much as we do.

“Fun fact – the first big money that I ever spent on any garment was a Moncler jacket off my first paycheck.”

MM: This is your first race in your native Norway as an athlete representing Brazil, and it looks like there are as many Brazilian flags in the crowd as there are Norwegian. What's that like for you?

LPB: Seeing the same number of Brazilian flags as Norwegian ones, words can’t describe what that means to me. Sport is nothing without fans, and I feel very, very rich today. I feel very fulfilled. Coming down after the first run and seeing all those beautiful flags and feeling all the support, it shows why I do this.

The fans obviously love your skiing and dancing. Tell us about your style influences.

LPB: I came up way late in the skiing game, you know. I was a footballer growing up, so when I showed up to the glaciers in Norway and in central Europe, you’d see all these brands that you’re used to seeing in the industry–relatively pale colors, all about promoting functionality, and that’s kind of all. But for me there was always an additional layer. You know, coming from football, growing up I admired people like Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, and later Neymar, people who were there to express themselves.

Before you became a Moncler global brand ambassador, were you already a fan?

LPB: Oh man, I’ve been a fan of Moncler ever since I started skiing. I was introduced to Moncler ripping around the mountains with my father. I saw the most colorful and extravagant people around, and so I said, ‘Yo dad, what are those people wearing?’. He told me it was Moncler, and ever since I was obsessed. And fun fact – the first big money that I ever spent on any garment was a Moncler jacket off my first paycheck. So it feels pretty incredible that I’m repping the brand now.

What do you like most about being a Moncler brand ambassador?

LPB: There are so many synergies between performance sports, especially skiing and high fashion, so why don’t I try to bridge the two and create a space that’s yet to exist? That’s what I’m working on every single day together with the brand and with my team as an athlete. Moncler allowing me to be integrated in design and R&D–this is crucial to let the viewers feel what I have to share. Obviously, it’s also about being able to look amazing at all times.

In your relationship with Moncler, it looks like you’re trying to

blur the lines between ski fashion and street fashion.

LPB: One hundred percent! I’m trying to change the way people perceive the sport of skiing, sports in general, and fashion. The beauty for me, and the difference between fashion and sport, is that in one I’m measured by hundredths of a second–it’s as black and white as it gets. The other is subjective–it has no leaderboard, it has no scoreboard. I find it so beautiful to be able to merge the art of these spaces into a new space that I think is yet to exist. It goes without saying how excited I am to be able to pursue such a dream with a brand like Moncler.

Are you hoping to inspire others by expressing your truest self on the world stage–dancing, laughing, loving life?

LPB: I’m just trying to go out there and be myself every single day. If I’m out here doing “me”, I’m going to have the biggest smile on my face and I’m going to be able to have the effect that I’m seeking. I’m trying to inspire people all around the world, and you can’t do that by limiting and restricting yourself –hence why I’m so happy that I get to be such a free spirit and free soul, out in this amazing game, and just promote who I am.

If you could change one thing about ski racing, what would it be?

LPB: I’d enhance the freedom. I’d give a lot more freedom to the amazing athletes out here striving, working every single day to become exceptional. If you were to give the other athletes as much of the freedom that I get to have now… man, it would

be so colorful, and the sport would have so much personality. I think the inspiration to all the viewers and fans of the sport would be doubled.

One last thing, it’s been said you're the best dressed man on the World Cup tour. How does that make you feel?

LPB: I’d agree!

Tips Up i

The high-balling, low-lying Whistler ski life of Chelsea Handler

words by LESLIE ANTHONY | photography by POBY artwork by JULIUS YODER

fashion stylist SHIFTEH SHAHBAZIAN

assistant stylists AVA AZIMI & DEMETRIA WATKINS

You needn’t dig far into the appearances, interviews, or prodigious multimedia output of Chelsea Handler to uncover one thing: she loves skiing. Actually, two things: she also loves being good at it.

Consider the latter a self-administered merit badge for something many of us can relate to — pursuing and fulfilling a desired personal objective regardless of other circumstances in our lives. Though multitudinous and demanding, Handler’s other “circumstances” have also proved useful as platforms from which to wax poetic about what the sport means to her and why she has established pied-à-terre in Whistler, British Columbia, to conduct her snowy adventures.

But before a day on the hill with Handler, a brief primer.

Few corners of the American House of Entertainment remain unpainted by the accomplished comedienne, host, activist and author, whose brand of blunt, no-holds-barred personal and cultural interrogation features in seven consecutive  The New York Times bestsellers, the ongoing advice podcast  Dear Chelsea the 2007–2014 E! network’s latenight joint Chelsea Lately and a super-sized Netflix catalogue comprising the “Chelsea Handler Collection” — an überiquity clearly reserved for entertainment royalty that includes a talk show, groundbreaking docuseries, investigative documentary and three stand-up specials. Tune in to any recent effort and you’re likely to find an anecdote, story or testimonial about skiing. Or a semiotic — like the cover of her latest book, I’ll Have What She’s Having, on which Handler can be found, drink in

hand, flashing skin wrapped in little more than a white feather boa, toque, and goggles.

Is she vibing ski bunny? Pretty much the opposite.

A rarified ski bum? Of a type.

That she’s enjoying herself? Absolutely.

Even if the ultimate goal was to be able to rip up the piste and hold her own in the face of what mountains could throw at her, Handler’s quest to be a proficient skier was still mostly about Type-1 fun — skiing as a freewheeling vehicle for shared laughs and camaraderie that fortuitously also channels both physical health and vital sanity.

That Handler grokked the essence of ski culture early in her pursuit is no surprise, and provided for yet another entry point.

“What attracted me was the vibe… and the escapism,” she says on a Zoom call from her home in Los Angeles. “As a public person, I’m always looking for a getaway where there aren’t a lot of other public people. And skiing doesn’t typically attract a huge celebrity crowd.”

Even when it does, it’s often a fair-weather thing — which ironically is what got Handler re-interested in a less miserable version of something she’d experienced as a child growing up in New Jersey, where ski outings had been to small, cold, icy hills. Performing at a spring comedy festival in the west, a friend suggested skiing despite the pair not having any of the required clothing. “He said, It’s 50 degrees out — just throw on jeans and a vest,” she recalls. “So I did, and it was the first time I realized skiing could be enjoyable, that the sun could be out and it didn't

“I need comfort and luxury to excel.”

have to be a field of ice.”

The friend bailed after a few runs, but Handler was enchanted, staying out on her own for some four hours. Though competent enough, she was, admittedly, “not a great skier.” The worm turned, however, during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, where she and a date joined a large group that headed up a chairlift and right down a double black diamond riven by a small, mandatory cliff. Handler took off her skis and climbed back up with a few others who were similarly disinclined. “We skied down another way and went for a cocktail,” she says. “When I saw the guy later, he said Any woman worth her salt would be able to get down that. I knew in that moment that not only did I have to ditch him, but that this was never going to happen to me again: the next break I got, I was going to spend an entire winter in a ski resort.”

That turned out to be Whistler, which she’d previously visited and enjoyed for its size, range of food options and après scene, a combination she likens to “as close to a Euro ski experience” as one can find in North America. Hunkering down, she took lessons from a pro and logged 55 days.

Though the ski-instructor trope has always been treated as both heroic and comedic, a revered but rule-bound cliché, Handler embraced the essence of personal coaching. “I’m very much in need of technical expertise. You need to show me how to use my body. And for me, as a woman, female instructors are way more effective than males,” she says of a switch she made a few years in. “I need a woman to show me how to move my body.”

Handler also discovered she loved skiing both trees and powder, which each require a different suite of technical skills, something she became obsessed with. “Once you start to get good at something, you become more interested in it,” she says of years spent doing drills, pounding the snow, and figuring out how to turn herself into a really capable skier. “I just worked on everything and became addicted to the technicality of it.”

So addicted, that at the end of her original two-month stint in Whistler she didn’t want to leave. “The skiing was getting great and I was getting great at skiing,” she says. “And once I started getting good, I couldn’t stop.”

Bubbling away in the background of this ski gestalt, however, was more than mere technical savvy. A therapist eventually pointed out that it was obvious why Handler loved skiing so much: because one really had to focus and be present, not preoccupied with anything else when on some level you were literally just trying to survive. “Being present is how I feel whenever I ski,” she says. “And in today’s world that’s a gift.”

Wanting more of what she was experiencing, Handler purchased a chalet in Whistler during the early part of the COVID pandemic, obtained a work visa for Canada and hunkered down to ski in the relative anonymity of a place that for the most part eschews the culture of celebrity. It would become the perfect escape hatch.

Antithetical to life in LA, Handler keeps a completely

different schedule in Whistler.

Up at six in the morning, she does exercises to get her legs ready and both muscles and brain firing for skiing. If there’s business to take care of that happens early so her day on the mountain is without interruption. If she’s not skiing by herself, a revolving posse of female friends around town will assemble to join her — though Handler will beat them to the punch and be outside waiting with skis ready when they arrive. (Scarred by childhood memories of parents who were never on time to pick her up from school, she’s become the queen of punctuality.)

And then it’s off to see what the day will bring.

“I love the idea of being on a mountain, going and getting a snack, and then, you know, cruising around for the rest of the day and then going to après,” she says of this most cherished aspect of ski culture. “Après is my dinner. I'm in bed by eight pm.”

As for what she looks for in a ski partner, Handler had an early lesson in not being too desperate for company, and so seriousness of any sort other than for safety reasons is off the menu. “You’ve gotta be laughing during the day. You don't always have to be the one laughing, but you’ve gotta get the joke,” she tells me. “There has to be a jovial vibe and conviviality.”

Soon enough, our discussion of potential ski buddies evolves into running a contest for deliverance of a worthy mountain man, one I imagine too perfect to exist in the man-child land of Whistler: “Someone who knows their way around the mountain, has a full-time job, knows how to have fun but isn’t a hot mess, is okay to stop for a margarita at 11.30 am and continue skiing,” she says. “Oh — and they’re also required to be in shape. No laziness. No sloppiness.”

The fun Handler has on the mountains with her current circle of Whistler friends led to the start of an annual birthday tradition of sneaking off to a corner of the resort to capture a photo of her skiing topless with a drink in one hand and a joint in the other. This celebration of anything-goes ski culture recently morphed into renting an entire mountain in Idaho to celebrate her 50th. “By the way, people keep saying I’m topless,” she says, “but I’ve had my top on for the last four years — ever since my nephews told me they were being embarrassed by having photos of me taped to their high-school lockers.”

It’s a risible real-life visual, and a lot of Handler’s comedy similarly makes hay of her life choices — entrepreneurship (purchasing a first-class air ticket on a family vacation from the proceeds of a bootleg lemonade stand holds pride of place in this canon); a progressive, inclusive politic (and skewering of the contrary); a singlehood of oscillating relationships and non-relationships (the former somewhat sacrosanct, the latter grist for the mill); not having children (but having tons of them in her life anyway); and an enjoyment of recreational substances (for which she never advocates but merely notes they work for her). She speaks of each of these with the kind of clarity that resonates self-actualization, so instead of leveraging humor from the more commonly trod ground of I’m-a-mess-and-don’t-know-what-I’m-doing, Handler’s lives in the land of I-know-exactly-what-I’m-doing-and-this-is-stillthe-kind-of-chaos-I-generate.”

Choosing to become a good skier also falls into the self-actualization category, but the activity itself, Handler believes, is a net generator of clarity that contributes positively to other decisions. “I love having an edible and going out and appreciating the mountains a little bit more. But I also feel like [skiing is] a time to rebuild — a time to give back to yourself and regenerate, rejuvenate,” she says. “I look at it as a healthy contribution to [well-being]

— like putting money in the bank of my mental and bodily health.”

When pressed, Handler readily admits to being a ski bum, “but with money. It’s a better version for me. I’ve developed a high level of standards. I need comfort and luxury to excel.”

And that she has. Living in a small village with a chalet right on the mountain, she just walks out the door and skis down to the gondola. Handler also spread her love for Whistler at a local launch event this past May for her new book, which, in tracking her antic-filled and exhilarating existence in a series of essays, contains chapters and anecdotes on life and friends in the Great White North.

Though she’s the new kid in a town of legends where streets bear the names of founders, dogooders and alpine heroes, Handler can already claim an eponymous cocktail — the “Can You Handle’r” — served at Christine’s restaurant on Blackcomb. Does this kind of thing happen everywhere she goes?

“Kind of. I get around and make a name for myself quickly,” she says. “When I find a place I like, I make sure everyone knows I’m gonna be there often. And I like to spread the good vibes and good cheer so they know that when they see me coming it’ll be a good experience. So it’s probably a ‘thank you’ for all my generous tipping.”

You have to live in Whistler a long time before they consider you a local (it took me a decade), but Handler’s time here has made her local enough to pass a lightning round of resort-citizenship questions.

Whistler or Blackcomb? “Hmmm… I'm gonna say Whistler.” (Though her favourite run is Arthur’s Choice, a treed roller-coaster on Blackcomb.)

Gondola or chairlift? “Gondola.”

Powder or groomers? “Powder.”

Trees or bowls? “Trees.”

Poutine or cinnamon bun? “Ugh. They’re both disgusting, but poutine.”

Gummy or joint? “Joint.”

It all devolves back to the starting point of skiing — fun — and the fact that Handler’s commitment to this “restorative hobby” has yielded some of her happiest memories — not to mention sense of accomplishment. Nothing was going to stop her from becoming an A-plus skier, even if was harder to do in a place like Whistler where the snow can get heavy.

“I like to think that if you can ski Whistler, you can pretty much get around anywhere,” she sums. “And by the way, about three years ago I ran into that guy from the date at Park City on the slopes in Aspen. And guess who’s a better skier now?”

Chelsea is embarking on her next tour, The High and Mighty Tour. Tickets available at chelseahandler.com

“I need a woman to show me how to move my body.”

SNOW SOCIETY 2025

CortinaFlashback

Toni Sailer, The Blitz from Kitz

by LESLIE WOIT

Dateline Cortina Olympics, 1956. Fur coats, woolen sweaters, slim pants – the atmosphere in the Dolomites was pure Fellini. And at the center of it all was a young Austrian with film-star looks and speed that defied physics. At just 20, Toni Sailer became the first skier ever to win three alpine gold medals in a single Olympic Games.

“I skied down the hill the way I wanted to ski. It’s the secret for doing something big,” Toni told me years later, as we sat in the salon of the elegant chalet he built in Kitzbühel. “You won’t win a poker game if you’re not relaxed and ready to lose.”

At Cortina, his hell-for-leather wedeln technique didn’t just win him the downhill, giant slalom, and the slalom, he owned them, winning by margins that left rivals slack-jawed, including a staggering 6.2 seconds in the GS. It was the first Olympics to be broadcast live on television and, even though there were only three TV sets in Kitzbühel, Toni’s dark shock of hair and sexy smile stormed the globe like a blizzard. They called him The Blitz from Kitz

More than a skier, he was a new kind of star. But perfection

is a dangerous standard. More golds on the circuit would follow and when, inevitably, he finally came second in a slalom, fans reacted as if a god had fallen. “For them,” he told me quietly, “second was failure.”

Toni’s life was as cinematic as his skiing. After a stellar handful of years of World Cup domination, and a track record that tallied some 170 major victories, he hung up his race skis at just 23. He went on to star in 25 German-language films — many breezy alpine comedies — and recorded a dozen albums. Tall, bronzed, slayingly handsome, he traveled effortlessly between movie sets and mountain summits. For a quarter century, he ran the successful Kitzbühel Red Devil Ski School and served as Hahnenkamm Chief of Race for 20 years.

“I never had pressure in ski racing. I made all the decisions myself,” he explained. “You can’t ski better whether it’s for one million or two million. For me it was never work, it was always beautiful, it was my life. Im Zwiefel nie.”

Never in doubt, the enduring charm of the Blitz from Kitz