1. ELBRUS
You may not have heard of it, but Elbrus is the highest mountain in Europe and is still snowcovered in the warmer summer months! The skiing conditions may not be as beautiful as those in the Alps, but even the most extreme sportsperson can dependably snowboard down its higher slopes during the summer season. There are tons of snowboarding and ski camps that take place during this time as well.
2. WHISTLER
Believeit or not, one of the number one skiing desinations in North America offers more than just phenomenal slopes! Whistler, where we find the Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains, was also the host of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Because of this, it is also easy to find other winter sport attractions such as skating, snowmobiling, snowcar skiing and even heli skiing! Whistler attacts tons of thrillseeking students from The University of British Columbia year round!
3. CHILE
Because the sounthern hemisphere is all turned around when it comes to the dates of summer and winter, we are able to take advantage of their opposite scedule and ski during our warm winter months! In Chile we find the largest natural skiing area in the southern hemisphere. High in the Andes, travelers can enjoy winter sports by day and a plethora of activities during the night. Massages, live music and top notch restaurants are some of the options that are avaliable on a daily basis.
4. NEW ZEALAND
You may not find the Shire or Gondor as you expected, but one thing is for certain, you will find a ski haven in New Zealand. Each year, Queenstown hosts the Winter Festival, which crazily enough takes place in july. The celebration includes winter sport competitions such as skiing, snowboarding and even sledding races!
5. FRENCH ALPS
Of course the Alps are included in this list. At the foot of Mont Blanc, Chamonix, the site of the World’s first winter Olympics, is a winter sportman’s haven. As well as playing host to countless downhill slopes, extreme skiiers can engage in helicopter drops, cross-country tracks, and even ice climbing! The area is famous for not only it’s outdoorsman activities, but also its casinos and hotels. There are tons of great resorts in the area such as ClubMed.
*Carson Lane
