Ski resort

Ski resort is a tourism resort developed for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports. In Europe most ski resorts are artificial towns or villages in or adjacent to a ski area, that is a mountainous area with pistes, ski trails, and a ski lift system. In North America a ski resort more commonly consists of a ski areas well away from the artificial towns, so ski resorts in North America usually are destination resorts, often purpose-built and self-contained.

Ski resort

Ski resorts are located on both Northern and Southern Hemispheres on all continents except Antarctica. They typically are located on mountains, as they require a large slope. They also need to receive sufficient snow (at least in combination with artificial snowmaking, unless the resort uses dry ski slopes).

High concentrations of ski resorts are located in the Alps, Scandinavia, western and eastern North America, and Japan. There are also ski resorts in the Andes, scattered across central Asia, and in Australia and New Zealand.

Extreme locations of non-indoor (at least one ski lift outside) ski resorts include:

• The most northern ski resort near Tromsø, Norway
• The most southern ski resort near Ushuaia, Argentina
• The ski resort closest to the equator from north, near Lijiang, China.
• The ski resort closest to the equator from south, near Mahlasela, Lesotho.

Types

The ski industry has identified advancing generations of ski resorts:^[1][2]

• First generation: Developed around a well-established summer resort or village (e.g. Davos, St. Moritz, Kitzbühel, Chamonix, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Megève, Val Gardena).
• Second generation: Created from a non-tourist village or pasture (e.g. St Anton, Lech, Courchevel, L'Alpe d'Huez, Aspen, Breckenridge).
• Third generation or integrated: Designed from scratch on virgin territory to be a purpose-built ski resort, all the amenities and services nearby (e.g. Sestriere, Flaine, La Plagne, Isola 2000).
• Fourth generation or village resorts: Created from virgin territory or around an existing village, but more concerned with traditional uses (e.g. Valmeinier, Valmorel, Shahdag Mountain Resort).

The term ski station is also used, particularly in Europe, for a skiing facility which is not located in or near a town or village. A ski resort which is also open for summer activities is often referred to as a mountain resort.

Gallery

• 
  Roccaraso, Abruzzo Italy
• 
  Levi, Finland
• 
  Valle Nevado, Chile
• 
  Małe Ciche, Poland
• 
  Blue Cow New South Wales, Perisher ski resort Australia
• 
  Sierra Nevada Ski Station, Spain
• 
  Shahdag Mountain Resort, Azerbaijan
• 
  Tsaghkadzor, Armenia
• 
  Telluride Ski Resort, Colorado United States
• 
  Corbet's Couloir, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Wyoming United States

Facilities and amenities

The word ‘ski’ is a derivation of the Old Norse ‘skíð’ in the modern Norwegian language. Ski was adopted into the French language most likely because of the early popularity of such activities in the French Alps.^[3]

Ski areas have marked runs, trails or pistes. Ski areas have ski lifts for moving skiers rapidly to the top of hills, and to interconnect the various trails. Rope tows can also be used on short slopes, usually beginner hills or bunny slopes. Gondola lifts or aerial tramways are inevitable in larger ski areas for transportation across longer distances within the ski area. Resorts publish their trail map illustrating the location of lifts, trails, services and the ski area boundary, and during the ski season issue a daily snow conditions report listing open trails, operating lifts and weather status.

Ski areas usually have only basic first aid facilities and injured tourists are air lifted to a hospital at their own expense. Ski areas have some kind of ski patrol to ensure that injured skiers are rescued. The ski patrol is usually responsible for rule enforcement, marking hazards, closing individual runs or areas as conditions require, and removing dangerous ski participants from the area.

The typical ski area base includes a ticket office, ski lodge, ski school, equipment rental/repair shop, restaurant/bar, shopping, shuttle bus stop and parking.^[4]

Some ski resorts offer lodging options on the slopes themselves, with ski-in and ski-out access allowing guests to ski right up to the door. Ski resorts often have other activities. Snowmobiles can be rented. Sledding slopes may be available free of charge. Tours with horse-drawn sleds or dog sleds can be booked. Indoor or outdoor ice skating facilities may be open for tourists. Spas provide hourly access to swimming pools and hot tubs. Some resorts have licensed casinos with game rooms. Depending on the resort, a night life may be encouraged in clubs, cinemas, theaters, and cabarets.

Apres ski

Après-ski is French for after skiing and denotes entertainment, nightlife, or social events that occur specifically at ski resorts.^[5][6] The culture originated in the Alps, where it is most popular and where skiers often stop at bars on their last run of the day while still wearing all their ski gear.^[7]

Environmental impact

The process of resort development has progressed since the birth of the skiing industry. As the economic role of the skiing industry grew, the environmental impact of resort development has also caused environmental burdens on the natural ecosystem including mountain water levels of lakes, streams, and wildlife.^[8]

The required space for hotels, flats and secondary residences has increased the amount of space occupied by roads and buildings.^[8] While a large number of people requires special water, sewage and electricity systems, a great deal of construction work is needed. Access roads and the treatment of salt are responsible for high amounts of erosion at ski resorts. In some cases, natural lakes must be tapped or reservoirs built to cater for the population demand. The urbanization of mountainous areas have increased the space of impervious surface, and prevents the natural flow of water into the ground, resulting in a disturbed water table and potential cause of erosion in undesired places. Lastly, when building ski lifts, its line of operation must be shaped and drained, and large concrete blocks must be set down for pylons.^[8]

See also

• List of ski areas and resorts
• Private ski area (North America)

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ski resorts.