The World's Most Unexpected Ski Destinations To Visit This Winter
By SANJAY SURANA
If you miss skiing during the U.S. summer, head to Las Leñas, Argentina. This region in the Andes mountains of Mendoza province is also famous for its wine.
Argentina
Popular with Buenos Aires residents, the ski resort has 30 different routes, a vertical drop of more than 4,000 feet, and a season from June through September.
From June to October, head a bit farther south to the mountains in Bariloche to try downhill, cross-country, snowshoeing, sledding, or snowmobiling on the snowy flats.
Australian resorts are blanketed by snow during the American summer. Perisher in Kosciuszko National Park has 3,000 acres of terrain, 100 trails, and almost 50 lifts.
Australia
Thredbo is six hours from Sydney and Melbourne by car and boasts 50 ski and snowboard runs for every ability level. Plus, there's a lively ski village at the base of the mountain.
Skiers of all levels enjoy the slopes in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains. In Nakhchivan, the powder in Ağbulaq is perfect for skiing, snowboarding, and sledding.
Azerbaijan
Ağbulaq is a small ski area with up-to-date facilities, a hotel, and gear rentals. Tufandag, farther north, has more lodging choices and an onsite, budget-friendly ski school.
Bulgaria has long been an affordable ski destination for Europeans. At the popular Borovets resort, Hotel Rila has a roof whose shape mimics the mountain's slopes.
Bulgaria
Borovets has 12 lifts and 29 different runs. Beginners can enroll in the ski school, and non-skiers can try snowmobiling or even take a horseback ride
in the powder.
Bansko has 15 lifts, ranging from six-seaters to T-bars. Visitors who don’t ski can purchase a gondola lift ticket to the scenic ski village with restaurants, bars, and cafes.
The season runs from June through September in this South American nation with several ski mountains, a boon to Americans wanting to hit the slopes during the summer months.
Chile
Ski out directly from the hotel at Portillo, one of the most famous resorts, with over 1,200 acres of terrain and runs for all levels; the longest run is more than 1.5 miles long.
At Nevados de Chillán in the Andes, the vast terrain has 13 lifts and 20 slopes. With volcanic activity in the region, this ski resort offers the chance to soak in thermal springs.