Several major mountains sprinkled across the United States have experienced early snowfalls, including a ton in Colorado and plenty more across New England. But they’ve got nothing on parts of Europe, which experienced so much early snowfall that several ski resorts are now opening early for skiers and riders. And this has the entire ski community absolutely amped for the winter to come, which makes now the perfect time to plan your European ski getaway. But where? Well, you might as well aim for the top powder snow mountain on the continent, so you can experience maximum stoke. And Inghams Ski knows exactly where that is.
In early November, the ski holiday company released its list of the top powder snow destinations across the world. For context, it explained that “powder snow is the term used to describe light, fluffy and freshly fallen snow, and is a legend in the snowsports world, and provides skiers with a buoyant, ‘floating’ sensation as they glide over it.” Aka, it’s the best day ever for skiers and riders.
To determine the powderiest powder destinations, the company teamed up with Jim N. R. Dale, a senior meteorologist at British Weather Services, who helped them determine the key metrics and measured the conditions of over 120 ski resorts and areas across 13 countries. Specifically, they looked at the meteorological and topographical factors that produce the softest, fluffiest powder snow, including the mountain’s surface temperature, snowfall levels, humidity, air temperature, wind speed, and elevation. It then gave each mountain a score out of 100. After all that work, it named Westendorf in Austria as the top spot for powder hounds.
“Westendorf is one of Austria’s best-loved small resorts, and according to our research, the place where skiers can find the best powder snow,” Inghams Ski shared in its findings. “Westendorf is an idyllic, unspoilt resort nestled on a sunny plateau and offers easy access to the Kitzbühel and SkiWelt Regions.”
The team noted that the resort is fantastic for all levels, thanks to its easy terrain for beginners and children, all the way to challenging black diamonds and terrain parks for pros, which are all the better once that powder snow comes.
Joining Westendorf at the top of the list is Ortisei, Italy, located in the Dolomites ski area of Italy. “It stands out as a vibrant and characterful ski resort, with a lively center, and of course, some of the best powder snow in the world,” Ingrams Ski said. Rounding out the top three is one more Italian destination, Gressoney, which won high marks thanks to its high-altitude skiing of up to 11,646 feet, which “means powder snow is highly likely during the peak ski season.”
Ready to shred? See the full list of powder-filled mountains at inghams.co.uk.
