KILLIAN FORDE's weekly report...
Resort of the week
JASNA, SLOVAKIA
Slovakia’s biggest and most modern resort sits in the Tatras, the mountain range whose peaks form the border with Poland. Its main attraction is its low prices, but a visit will be far from disappointing. The skiing, particularly on the wooded lower runs, is stunning. Recent expansion has seen runs and lifts extended to the south side of the mountain, where in fine weather you’ll be skiing in a T-shirt. For experienced skiers the two challenging freeride areas are worth exploring.
The town, a purpose-built resort, is lively at night. The music in its clubs tends towards the local, so if you like cheesy Slovak pop you’re in for a treat. There’s also a fine collection of restaurants, from pizzerias to places that serve local dishes, at a fraction of Alpine prices. Add low-cost ski schools, lift passes and equipment hire and Jasna is a great alternative to Bulgaria or Andorra.
Resort height950m.
Range900-2,024m.
Lifts18.
Total runs33km.
Longest run3,500m.
Best runThe Skull and Crossbones. Slovakia's most infamous trail is an unpisted wooded run that takes in some huge moguls on its steepest section. A good challenge for brave intermediates.
Snow parksOne.
Season lengthMid December until April.
Snow reliability ***
Who goesMostly Slovaks and Poles, with an increasing trickle of Britons, Swedes and Dutch.
Value €€€€Slovakia offers exceptional value at the moment. With mainly domestic clients Jasna needs to charge local prices. Beer can cost less than €1 a glass, and three-course meals cost as little as €8.50.
Insider tipsExperienced skiers should hire a guide (from €10 an hour) and explore the off-piste runs and couloirs on the south side of the mountain.
AirportsPoprad, Cracow.
Tour operator Inghams.
Get your skates on
The luxury-chalet specialist Highlife has put together attractive short-break specials for the end of March. Its three-night break includes accommodation, meals, free bar and complementary ski guiding in the French resort of Morzine. The chalet has an outdoor hot tub – there’s no better way to wind down as the spring sun dips below the peaks. €549 for March 24th-28th; highlife.ie
AOB
As competition between ski resorts intensifies, some of them have decided that hosting a festival is a good way to help draw the crowds.
Zell am See hosts a hot-air- balloon week; its fellow Austrian resort of Mayrhofen is the location for the raucous Snowbombing festival in April and Park City, in Utah, has the Sundance film festival. This year's most interesting offering looks like the Altitude Festival, which is due to run in the French resort of Méribel from March 20th to 26th. It's a comedy, music, film and freestyle festival co-organised by the Panelstar Andrew Maxwell, who is a keen snowboarder. This year's comedy line-up includes Maxwell himself, Phill Jupitus and Craig Campbell; live acts include DJ Yoda and The Cuban Brothers. See altitudefestival.com.
Kitwatch
A growing band of GPS addicts fret about driving anywhere without their little angel. As ski areas become bigger and interlinked, the demand for improved maps and guides grows. SnowRanger is a series of maps, compatible with Garmin and some other GPS devices, that can provide turn-by-turn navigation on the slopes. Developed for more than 500 resorts in North America and Europe, SnowRanger provides detailed full-colour piste and resort maps (left). Available from garmin.co.uk for €27.50 per resort or €110 for all 462 European resorts.
Snow report
Last season’s snow was the best in years – but already this season’s looks even better. It was another white week for the Alps, with most resorts reporting a metre or so even at village level. Argentière, a 90-minute drive from Geneva, has an incredible four metres of snow on its peaks; this won’t be melting soon, so expect record depths to be reported later in the season.
Europe’s lesser mountain ranges – the Pyrenees, Carpathians, Tatras and Grampians – all report above-average conditions, with resorts fully open. Snow-forecast.com has free forecasts for more than 2,200 resorts worldwide. You can check the snow at 250 resorts on skiclub.co.uk or have a peek at your mountain of choice on snoweye.com.