Don’t like skiing? Try these winter breaks instead.
By Sarah Faith, senior values writer at Responsible Travel
It’s almost the season when millions of snow lovers begin their annual pilgrimage to Europe’s ski resorts. But with Alpine resorts destined to lose up to 70% of their value snow cover By the end of the century, will climate change put an end to the traditional winter ski holiday?
For skiers, natural snow is becoming harder and harder harder to find. Greater dependence on artificial snow – which draws heavily on local water resources and releases chemicals – means increasing pressure on environments they are already struggling to cope with large numbers of visitors in a concentrated period.
The compression of the ski season also causes problems for the local economy: jobs in Alpine destinations they are scarce when there are no skiers.
Here are four ways to have a more sustainable winter holiday.
Try multi-activities in the French Alps
Sally Guillaume runs Undiscovered Mountains, a tour operator with a mission to create a more sustainable winter sports sector in the French Alps. Her holidays take place in the Champsaur valley of the Ecrins National Park, with accommodation in hamlets far from the ski resorts.
“Reduce the concentrated impact of ski on the environment and developing year-round sustainable tourism is a path towards more secure employment and the preservation of the Alpine environment,” he says.
Its multi-activity holidays aren’t dependent on snow, so they don’t have to be canceled if the white isn’t showing, meaning they can support active mountain adventures in all seasons. Ice climbing can be replaced with rock climbing, ski mountaineering for mountain biking, while snowshoe excursions take place at higher altitudes where there is snow.
“Let’s walk where there is snow rather than expect snow to be made for us!” says Guillaume.
A six-night multi-activity trip with Mountains to discover costs starting from €698 per person, flights excluded. For an even more climate-friendly escape, take the night train from Paris to Briançon and Gap, which runs year-round.
Go snowshoeing in Austria
“What becomes memorable for me while hiking in winter are the moments when you become aware of the life around you: the tracks of an ibex or the sound of a smaller mountain goat as it crosses a trail above you,” he says Xania Wear.
Runs winter holidays walking from MoaAlm mountain retreat in one of the snowiest corners of the Alps, the Austrian East Tyrol. For Xania, slowing down in the mountains means amplifying senses that might otherwise be dulled by the hustle and bustle – and blaring Europop – of resort skiing.
“I love how the same journey can become a completely different experience. Each step gives you time to look around and admire the mountains as they should be admired, with time and with your own strength.”
Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing ski from MoaAlm feature the same spectacular peaks as alpine ski trips to the nearby Grossglockner resort, but with a sustainable twist. Guests can enjoy plant-based home cooking and the chalet draws energy from solar panels and sustainable wood pellets.
Six-night stay with full board, with guided excursions and daily yoga starting from 1,190 euros per person, excluding flights.
Try husky sledding in Finnish Lapland
If it’s adrenaline you’re after on your winter holiday, then head north to Finnish Lapland. Here husky sledding is a mainstay of traditional Sami culture and the exhilarating rush of leading your own team of exuberant dogs makes it the perfect way to get your winter emotions.
“We pass through snow-covered forests and frozen lakes and swamps, places out of reach during the summer,” says Marianne de Batist, who guides guests on husky safaris in Harriniva, Finland. On a week-long trip you’ll race among remote, wild huts where it’s traditional saunas and the chance to spot the Northern Lights welcomes you every evening.
“We cook traditional Lappish lunches over an open fire,” continues Marianne. “The group also helps us take care of the dogs: feeding them, giving them hay for their kennel, cleaning and obviously cuddling them.”
Local guides and returning travelers are keen to point out that dogs want to run. But that doesn’t mean every husky safari is equally responsible. Asking questions before your trip can help you find a husky experience that puts dog welfare first: what happens when dogs are too old to run? How dogs are kept stimulated and healthy outside the home winter season?
Combine husky safaris with reindeer sleigh rides, Sami cultural experiences and a visit to a traditional-style Santa Claus Village for the ultimate family Christmas or New Year escape. A seven-night husky safari with The Aurora Zone costs from £2,495 per person including flights within the UK.
See winter wildlife in Sweden
You’re unlikely to encounter much wildlife at the top of a red run. But in the snowy valleys around Jokkmokk, to the north Sweden, abounds. Look out for moose, reindeer, Europe’s largest red squirrels and a host of winter birds.
This is the ultimate winter wild nature experience – including fireside lunches, the chance to spot the Northern Lights and nights spent in a tented camp in the remote Unna Tjerusj Sámi community, part of the Laponia region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The remote landscapes of this part of Sweden Lapland they may appear pristine, but the rivers, mountains and forests are under constant pressure from mineral exploration, logging and dams. Holidays like this, which collaborate with traditional Sami communities and help defend nature in the wild, can help save this fragile place.
A seven nights a holiday with nature and winter activities in northern Sweden costs from €2,875 per person, excluding flights. Choose the night train from Stockholm to Luleå and you won’t even need to take a domestic flight.
Image:Getty Images
