22 Ways Ski Resorting in the Alps is different than in North America

I have been incredibly lucky (and grateful) to have spent most of the past 3 ski seasons in the Alps. Maybe I’m still in the Honeymoon Phase, but not a day goes by when I don’t find myself inspired, taken aback, amused, and/or blown away. Without further ado, my comprehensive list of the differences between skiing on the two continents.

#1 Fashion – Let’s start with looking good. The Euros are known to rock some pretty outrageous outfits guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Some skiers in the Alps definitely subscribe to the theory of dress to impress. Sometimes it is hard to determine if they are rich and famous, or just look the part.

#2 Authentic villages – Unlike in North America, many alpine villages were established hundreds of years ago, way before skiing was even a thing. As a result, you are treated to communities richly steeped in history and culture with their own distinct architecture. Pro Tip: When making a full valley descent to a remote valley, treat yourself. If there is a bar, stop in for the experience and the drink/snack will be well earned and hit the spot.

Finishing off a great day of skiing with a stroll through the 16th century

#3 Lift ticket prices – The US dollar is currently stronger than the euro, making daily lift ticket prices even cheaper than they were a year ago. Interestingly, instead of the North America Wal-Mart (Ikon and Epic) season pass strategies, every Alps ski resort offers a much lower daily lift ticket and usually a higher season pass price than across the pond. I may do a deeper dive on this subject down the road.

#4 Trail maps – The scale, scope, and details of trail maps are significantly downplayed at Alps ski resorts. Most of them are basic and very rudimentary. They often don’t represent the grandeur of the zone nor the basic details. I think they purposely make it more of a mystery for each user to unravel.

#5 Number of runs per day – In the Alps you may only find yourself doing a fraction of the runs in a day. Think of it as the opposite of a hot lap. However, the length, vertical, and duration of descent will be significantly longer. The old adage of “Quality not quantity” applies in this case.

#6 Time between runs – Unlike hot laps in North America, you can find yourself going an hour or more between the end of one run and the beginning of the next. Pro Tip: If you are planning to spend significant time skiing in the Alps, get yourself a comfortable AT boot that you can lfully loosen up between descents.

#7 Pistes – The groomed slopes are usually referred to by a number and only sometimes with a name. They use blue (beginner), red (intermediate), black (advanced), and sometimes yellow (ungroomed advanced/expert). Some pistes flow much better than others. Sometimes these pistes go on for a really long time, as confirmed by your quads screaming.

#8 Off Piste – The moment you venture off the prepared piste runs in the Alps, you are on your own. In many places, skiing off piste, aka “Freeriding” in the Alps, has a much higher degree of risk. You always want to have an avalanche beacon, backpack, and full kit as well as the skills when getting off the groomer. Or hire a guide.

An Austrian 4,900′ vertical face, easily accessed by chairlift from the other side

#9 Huge vertical reliefs – The vertical drop of many Alps ski resorts will leave your quads burning. My local hill’s home run is a robust 6,000′ vertical, most of it steep (and sometimes pretty slick), and takes about 15 minutes without stopping. You might even find your ear’s popping at the end of a monster descent.

#10 Distance – In addition to the sheer vertical of many Alps ski resorts (many of the small community hills have 3,000’+), the amount of ground you can cover is truly amazing. The longest ski circuit in the Alps, the Arlberg Run of Fame, covers 52 miles and 59,000 vertical feet.

Celebrating the completion of the Run of Fame with a Weissbeir yah yah!

#11 Combat Skiing – Like rush hour on the freeway, sometimes in the Alps you will find yourself on a slope with way too many people. This is usually at the end of the day descending the resort’s home run. As a bonus, the piste can be super icy and often in flat light. Combat skiing requires equal parts courage, calm nerves, and skill.

Early season combat skiing

#12 Connectivity – One of the greatest things about the Alps is the connectivity. There are many ski circuses and arenas that span long distances. In some places (such as Tres Vallee and Arlberg) you can ski from one valley to another and so on. In other places like the Dolomites, you can do a huge circular tour such as the Sella Ronda.

#13 Lift infrastructure – At some of the well-capitalized and/or bigger ski resorts, they continue improving their uphill transportation. Since most of the big lift manufacturers are based out of the Alps, there seems to be a bit of an “Arms Race” with us skiers being the benefactors. From 8-person chairlifts with heated Recaro seats, to 100+ year old trains to rotating gondolas to a crystal encrusted cabin with glass floor, the Alps’ lift infrastructure is on top of the charts.

Rotating tram with floor-to-ceiling windows in Switzerland

#14 Snow Reporting – At most Alps ski resorts, you will be hard pressed to find an accurate and real-time report of new snowfall amounts. Maybe it’s the fact that most Euros only ski on piste so its not relevant? Regardless, the Powder Hype Train rarely leaves the station in the Alps.

#15 Multiple weather climates in the same area – With so much vertical relief in the Alps, there can often be more than one weather condition simultaneously. Some days you might find it cloudy at the base, clear in the middle of the ski resort, and socked in on the peaks. Pro Tip: If you wake up in the morning and see that its gloomy on the valley floor, always check out the mid-mountain and summit web cameras before going back to sleep.

Swiss Window Shopping

#16 Culinary offerings – Simply put, the Alps’ mountain dining establishments are in a league of their own. Almost all of them have an outdoor deck with a striking view. Many of these dining experiences are operated by a local family with a long history. It is not uncommon to have a 90-minute or longer 5-star lunch, often for a fraction of the price it would cost in North America.

Nice spread in Italia

#17 Slopeside bars – The Alps are littered with trailside bars and on-mountain taverns. In general, Europeans have a different view of drinking (in most countries it is legal by age 18), so it isn’t surprising what they allow. Some of them stay open well after dark, requiring impaired patrons to ski down an icy slope with a headlamp. In my experience to date, Austria seems to be at the forefront of the trailside shenanigans.

Yes that is pink Champagne and yes the pinkie is up

#18 Risk tolerance – Besides the aforementioned slopeside bars, many Alps ski resorts shock me with what they will allow. In some ski areas, they allow paragliders to ride the lift and have specific take-off points. You can also expect to share crowded trails with uphill skinners, downhill sledders, bikes and dogs.

Flying above the ski resort is welcome

#19 Exposure – From lifts that drop you off on high precipices to narrow piste runs coming down the side of a cliff and viewing platforms, you’ll often find yourself more exposed than you would ever be in North America. Maybe it’s the fact that Europe is a much less litigious society or Euros are stronger headed?

Sketchy downclimb to safe place to put the skis on in Cham

#20 Innovation – Europeans have always been at the forefront of innovation. So it isn’t surprising to see all sorts of cutting-edge products and outside-the-box thinking being used.

Pivoting solar array that tracks the sun angle for maximum efficiency in Switzerland

#21 Ski length – Except for at a few of the big-name freeride ski meccas, you won’t find many pairs of skis longer than about a 160. A big reason is that most Euro skiers don’t ski off-piste. Next time you are in an European tram, scan the crowd and note the average height of the skis.

Look at all those cute short skis

#22 Down day activities – When the weather and/or light is not good, there is a whole bevy of non-ski activities available, both at the ski area and usually within 30-45 minutes in bigger towns and small cities. With centuries of history, you don’t have to look far to find something interesting to check out.

Cow Fighting Championships in the Rhone Zone