UKC

Thinking of spending next winter in Alps but unsure on location. Wanting to do a mixture of skiing and climbing. For the skiing a good size resort but also decent scope for touring as I prefer to get away from resort crowds. For climbing a mixture of road side and more adventurous ice/mixed and possibly some winter alpine. If there was a indoor wall close by that would be a big positive. I’ll have a vehicle so if all the above is within about a hours drive or so
 

Cham is the obvious answer but avoiding due to being busy and expensive, and also spending time in summer in Cham I’m wanting to explore other parts of the alps. My Italian is better than my french so maybe somewhere like pila with Cogne up the road? It’s quite a lot of criteria to meet but if anyone has good suggestions fire away

cheers

Dolomites

Innsbruck. Zillertal, Ötztal, Stubaital, the Dolomites and the Ortler group are all within 30-90 min driving, and there's the Karwendel and Lechtal on your doorstep. Plus world class climbing walls ...it's also a very pleasant and affordable city. 

Hi, 

I am based in the Ecrins just south of Braincon and it would fit you needs well, there is a variety of size ski resorts biggest being serre chevalier, but lots of others as well, with in an hour/hour and half you have some amazing ski touring based on three ranges, the Queyras park, the Cerces Park and the east side of Ecrins there is a life time of touring in just one of these areas and it is easy to find quite routes, I am currently putting together a free ski touring guide book online, should be live in a week or two. and add to that you can be in la grave in an hour.

Ice climbing, this area has some well known ice climbing venues, the main ones are, Freissinieres, Fournel and Ceillec, but there are lots of lesser well known venues to, and some big winter routes in the Ecrins park. and as above la grave is an hour away.

Being the southern french alps we get very settled weather (yet still very reliable snow), so it is possible to rock climb out side a lot during winter, so don't use the wall much.

Feel free to drop me a line if you want more info, or I can send you a link to my new guide when its done.

cheers Rob

Either Gressoney (monterosa ski) which will enable access to the Aosta valley or Alagna which will also access Monterosa ski plus any number of locations North to the Simplon.

Does it have to be the Alps? If not what about somewhere like Banff in Canada, a really long ski season Nov-May the resorts are not huge but with the Sunshine, Norquay and lake Louise all close by, plus Kicking horse, Revolstoke and many others still possible for a days skiing, there is plenty to go at.

Plus great touring options and ice climbing and lots of job options working on ski resorts what more could you want.

Motto...

“Alagna - where the sun never shines”.

It’s got to be the coldest, darkest place to stay for a ski holiday  in the entire world.

Slovenia.  Skiing, mixed winter, ice and sport climbing on the coast.  Really friendly place.