Best Off-Piste Skiing in the Alps
Whether you call it “off-piste”, “freeriding”, “piste hors”, or “backcountry skiing”, more and more skiers and snowboarders are venturing onto the ungroomed slopes beyond the safety of a ski resort’s piste markers. Here’s our pick of 12 of the best off-piste ski areas in the Alps.
Photo copyright Office de Tourisme Val d’Isere
Off-piste skiing in Espace Killy: Val d’Isere and Tignes
Espace Killy links the high-altitude French ski resorts of Val d’Isere and Tignes and is a favourite of off-piste skiers. Most of its freeriding can be accessed from its lifts, and its microclimate sucks in snowstorms from both west and east, so you usually don’t have to wait long for the next dump of fresh powder.
Val d’Isere should be your base if you value resort charm. The core of the old village around its ancient church has been well preserved and it has an attractive atmosphere. The centre buzzes with nightlife, but if you want tranquillity, that’s available too, especially in the outlying hamlet of Le Fornet which is also the end point for the Vallons and Col Pers off-piste itineraries.
Tignes is entirely purpose-built. The main villages of Val Claret, Tignes Le Lac and Tignes Le Lavachet are located well above the tree-line and have never won awards for charm or good looks, but they are surrounded by mountains with excellent freeriding, including La Grand Motte, which has the highest lift (3456m) in the Espace Killy. The lowest village, Tignes les Brevieres at 1550m, should also be considered. At the start of the day you will have to take some extra lifts to reach the best freeriding, but in the late afternoon you can ski home via off-piste itineraries into the Vallon de la Sache and Sachette: just make sure you return to the piste for the last part of the descent because it’s the only safe way back to the village.
Top Tip for freeriders in Espace Killy: Whether you stay in Val d’Isere or Tignes, you’ll want to ski in both areas. For off-piste skiers the classic route between the two resorts is “Mickey’s Ears” (“Les Oreilles de Mickey”) named after the old satellite dishes that supposedly resembled Mickey Mouse’s ears. The nearest access point is the Combe Folle lift on the Tignes side, but if you’re coming from Val d’Isere you get here via Tommeuses. You have to walk along the ridge then ski down a steep (48 degrees) but wide couloir before swinging right towards La Daille if you’re heading for Val d’Isere, or left towards Le Lavachet if you’re heading for Tignes. It can be dangerous so hiring a guide is highly recommended. And make sure you stay well above the Lac du Chevril, which is beautiful to look at but a potential death trap for skiers.
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Off-piste skiing in Zermatt
Zermatt is the resort for off-piste skiers who like a little luxury and see nothing wrong with finishing a long morning in the backcountry with a late lunch in a gourmet restaurant, complete with fine wines, table cloths, attentive service and picture-perfect views of the Alps’ most iconic mountain. As well as serious itineraries (some best reached by helicopter), Zermatt has some amazing between-the-piste skiing: the north-facing mountain ridge between Gornergrat, Hohtalli and Stockhorn is over 3000m high and about 4 km long, and provides almost endless freeride possibilities (but watch out: there are cliffs and crevasses too).
Top Tip for freeriders in Zermatt: The exceptional height of Zermatt’s ski area – lifts go up to 3800m – enables piste skiing all year round, but freeride enthusiasts should delay their trip until late-February. The resort has a famously dry climate and some of the slopes around Hohtalli can be closed earlier in the season.
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Off-piste skiing in La Grave and Les Deux Alpes
La Grave is the cult resort for off-piste purists. There really is no other reason for holidaying here in winter. The lifts are old and slow; there is just one token piste; the nightlife is basic; and the village itself, whilst relatively unspoilt, is no great beauty. But beneath La Meije, La Grave has high, steep north-facing slopes with verticals of over 2000m. For most of its skiable terrain there are no gates, fences, markers or patrols: you can go anywhere, but you do so entirely at your own risk, so take a guide.
Les Deux Alpes offers a way to sample La Grave’s backcountry whilst enjoying a more conventional ski holiday. The two resorts have a basic link via a snowcat tow at the top of their combined area, but Les Deux Alpes has proper pistes, modern lifts and much more nightlife. It also has some decent off-piste of its own and another rudimentary link (this time by bus or subsidised helicopter) to Alpe d’Huez which has even more runs for all standards, on and off piste. Hardcore freeride enthusiasts will always prefer to stay in La Grave, if only for its authenticity; but for a mixed group, Les Deux Alpes offers a good compromise.
Top Tip for freeriders in La Grave and Les Deux Alpes: Holding a race in a ski area renowned for its extreme off-piste might seem crazy, but the Derby de la Meije is over 30 years old and is actually one of the safest times to ski in La Grave because the more terrifying couloirs are roped off for a day. It’s also great fun and by La Grave’s standards, relatively inclusive – teams are encouraged to have men and women, boarders and skiers, and if you can’t win a prize for being the fastest, you might still get one for having the best fancy-dress. For more details see: https://derbydelameije.com
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Off-piste skiing in the Arlberg: St Anton, Lech, Zurs and Stuben am Arlberg
The Arlberg is where Austria took on France at its own game – connecting high-altitude mountain resorts to form a huge, lift-linked ski area – and won. But it made sure that each resort retained its individual identity.
St Anton is the Arlberg’s obvious destination for freeriders. Some of its extreme ski routes are shown on the piste map but they still offer phenomenal challenges, and there are plenty more unofficial itineraries for those wanting a true backcountry experience. And afterwards there is no shortage of lively bars, on the slopes and in town, in which to celebrate your safe return. The only drawback for off-piste enthusiasts is that too many of its extreme ski routes face south and fresh powder falling on them quickly turns into crud or icy moguls.
Stuben am Arlberg is smaller, colder, snowier and much, much quieter. It nestles beneath the north-facing Albona, a huge unofficial and unpatrolled freeride zone with a vertical of nearly 1000m. Once Stuben was considered a distant backwater but the mighty Flexenbahn lift now means every part of the Arlberg ski area is within easy reach of it. Stuben can be windy however, so off-piste skiers need to keep a look out for dangerous wind-slab.
Lech is famous for its immaculately groomed runs but it also has a lot of off-piste skiing. Its grassy meadows require much less fresh snow to be enjoyable, so you can make fresh tracks here when you’d be better off sticking to the piste on the steeper rockier slopes above St Anton. And if you’re after fresh powder, Europe’s snowiest ski resort, Warth-Schroecken is just over the hill from Lech and connected by lift.
Zurs lies between Stuben and Lech. It’s a modern, purpose-built, high-altitude resort, but a very luxurious and snowy one. (In a normal season, it gets noticeably more snow than St Anton.) At night, Zurs’ residents tend not to leave the comfort of their luxury hotels so it’s very quite, but during the day they spread out in all directions, as this is the central crossroads of the Arlberg ski area. For strong off-piste skiers, it is also the end-point of the famous ‘off the back of the Valluga’ run.
Top tip for freeriders in the Arlberg: The Arlberg ski pass also covers Sonnenkopf. Most piste skiers overlook this sector because there are no lifts or pistes connecting it to the main circuit, but off-piste skiers shouldn’t neglect it. With a guide, you can get half way to it on skis, descending from the top of the Albona above Stuben down to Langen, then completing the journey by taxi or bus. Sonnenkopf’ has great freeriding between the pistes, and the guide can also show you how to return off-piste to Langen, going off the back of Glattingrat. From Langen you either catch a train to St Anton, or take a bus to Stuben which is just 10 minutes’ down the road.
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Off-piste skiing in Chamonix and Argentiere
Chamonix is probably the most famous off-piste resort in the Alps, and deservedly so. Even people who don’t normally ski off-piste will try the 24 km long Vallee Blanche. But for true enthusiasts, there is so much more, from simple between-the-piste skiing to epic multi-day itineraries such as the Haute Route. Other Alpine resorts might offer larger ski areas and easier connections, but nowhere else with this sort of vertical gets so much fresh powder, and nowhere else has Chamonix’s vibe.
Argentiere is a small village in the Chamonix valley, about 9km from the main town, and connected to it by bus and train. It does not have Chamonix’s buzz at night, but it has the valley’s favourite playground for freeriders – Les Grands Montets. The top lift here has been out of action since a disastrous fire in 2018, so hardcore off-piste skiers take the Hearse lift to 2593m then strap on skins to reach the freeriding between the Glacier d’Argentiere and the Glacier des Rognons. Their less energetic colleagues have to settle for the bowls beneath La Hearse and Bochard. Luckily they are both large enough to provide multiple routes down.
Top Tip for freeriders in the Chamonix valley: if you’re staying in Chamonix or Argentiere for a full week or more, and really want to get the most out of your stay, the Mont Blanc Unlimited skipass (or ‘MBU’) might be a better option than the Chamonix pass. Yes it’s expensive but within the Chamonix valley, it includes Les Houches (good for tree skiing in poor light) and the Aiguille du Midi cable car (the highest lift in Chamonix) which the Chamonix pass doesn’t. And it also gives you access to off-piste skiing in Verbier, Megeve and Courmayeur. But be warned: bus connections between these resorts and Chamonix are few and far between, so you will have to bring a car with you.
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Off-piste skiing in Andermatt
In the first two decades of the 21st century, Andermatt underwent a renaissance, with new pistes and lifts stretching its ski area (called the SkiArena) across to the neighbouring resort of Sedrun, and smart hotels opening for business in the town itself. But for off-piste skiers, not much changed because Andermatt’s appeal had never faded since it was based on unchanging and immovable geography, in the shape of the 2965m high, naturally snowy, Gemsstock mountain. The piste map shows only three ways down: an ungroomed ski route, a black run named after the local hero B Russi, and a red piste which winds its way down a separate bowl. All of them access huge amounts of freeriding.
Top tip for freeriders in Andermatt: ski resorts in Europe divide into those that mostly cater for skiers booked into week-long holidays, and those that attract lots of weekenders and day-trippers. Andermatt is very definitely in the latter camp. This means that on Saturdays and Sundays, Andermatt’s slopes can get very crowded. And there is only one way up the Gemsstock mountain, a slightly old-fashioned two-stage cable car, so if you are here on a weekend when conditions are good, get to the lift as soon as it starts because the queues will be worse by mid-morning; other good times are around 1.30 pm when most European skiers will be at lunch, and late in the afternoon when more people will be coming down than going up.
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Off-piste skiing in Monterosa: Alagna, Gressoney and Champoluc
The Monterosa Ski area is sometimes called ‘the Italian 3 valleys’, but a better description is its domain name: ‘www.FreerideParadise.It’ The piste network is actually quite small despite stretching across three valleys, but its top lift reaches 3275m – and for determined off-piste skiers with skins, this is just the starting point. Monterosa is not a tremendously snowy region of the Alps, but on weekdays its slopes are blissfully empty, so the snow that does fall stays in good condition longer.
Alagna Valesia is the most famous off-piste base in Monterosa, and the prettiest village. Freeriders can enjoy long itineraries from Passo Zube, Punta Vittoria, the Bors glacier or Passo Salati. But Alagna is not such a good base for a mixed ability group because it has very few pistes of its own and the only route home from the other valleys on piste is a 1700m descent on a black run then a steepish red which will not be popular with less confident skiers.
Gressoney is the middle valley with skiing for all standards. At the head of the valley is Gressoney Stafal (or’ Tschaval’): the village is neither beautiful nor atmospheric, but it gives skiers quick access to runs on both sides of the valley and beyond. Gressoney Saint Jean is lower, larger, cheaper and has an attractive old town, but you have to commute to the skiing by bus; Gressoney-la-Trinite is geographically in between the other two and a good compromise.
Champoluc is in the western valley and is the best resort for beginners and intermediates but you have to take a lot of lifts to reach the longest off-piste itineraries which generally start from the mountains between Gressoney Stafal and Alagna.
Top Tip for freeriders in Monterosa: many backcountry ski enthusiasts have mixed feelings about heliskiing. It hugely expands the amount of fresh powder runs they can ski, but it’s noisy, costly, and environmentally damaging. In France it’s banned; in Austria it’s severely restricted; and in Switzerland it’s very expensive. But in Monterosa heliskiing is legal and just about affordable as a special treat, and there is an excursion that might tempt even off-piste skiers who normally disapprove of heliskiing, because it uses just one helicopter ride for a full day’s skiing, so the impact on the environment and your wallet is minimised. The drop off is high above Zermatt, usually on the Monte Rosa massif; you then ski down to Zermatt, take the Klein Matterhorn lift back up to the ridge between Cervinia and Zermatt, and ski all the way to Champoluc.
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Off-piste skiing in Verbier, Nendaz and the 4 Valleys
It’s easy to gripe about Verbier. It’s expensive and the resort has outgrown its main lift up the mountain, so all too often you have to start the day with a long walk or a bus ride followed by a time-wasting queue. Too many of its pistes face south, and the other parts of its vast Four Valleys ski area are hard to reach. And yet it’s still one of the world’s greatest ski resorts, and the reason why is simple – Verbier has spectacular off-piste. Off the back of Mont-Fort is the show-stopper, but there are superb runs from almost every ridge including Mont Gele, Les Attelas, Lac des Vaux, Col des Mines, Gentianes and Chassoure.
Top Tip for freeriders in Verbier and the 4 Valleys: Verbier is not cheap so off-piste enthusiasts with more limited budgets should consider Nendaz. It takes slightly longer to get from Nendaz to the top of Mont Fort than it does from Verbier, but Nendaz is much better placed for exploring the excellent freeriding on Greppon Blanc. And if Nendaz is too expensive, there is always the option of staying below the ski area in the valley town of Le Chable which is cheaper still. Its lift into Verbier carries on up the mountain so you don’t have to get off, and it also has another lift to Bruson where the best tree skiing is.
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Off-piste skiing in La Plagne
La Plagne is not regarded as an off-piste resort, but it has one of the best off-piste mountains in Europe – Bellecôte. There is a huge freeriding area between the Chalet de Bellecote and Traversee lifts. And over the ridge there is more on Friolin. But all this is just a taster for the main event: the north face of Bellecote. There are more than 20 routes down, many classified as extreme. Even the Petite Face Nord has a vertical of about 2000m. And if you want a change from the north face, the south face has itineraries that are almost as long, reaching down into the Champagny valley. The approach to Bellecote can be fun too, if you take one of the off-piste routes down from the Roche de Mio. And of course there are other freeriding opportunities scattered around La Plagne, and also in the neighbouring lift-linked resort of Les Arcs, which has its own 2000m vertical off-piste descents.
Top tip for freeriders in La Plagne: The north face of Bellecote is no place to be without a qualified mountain guide. But mountain guides are expensive to hire, especially if you are the only person in your party who wants to ski off-piste. The French ski school ESF has tried to alleviate this by organising regular off-piste group expeditions for experienced off-piste skiers that you can sign up to as an individual for a modest price on a pay-per-person basis. ESF also have good introductory half-days for first time off-piste skiers. Further details are on out La Plagne Ski Schools and Mountain Guides page.
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Off-piste skiing in Engelberg
Engelberg is a good off-piste resort for a week and a great one for a long weekend because it’s only about 90 minutes’ drive from Zurich airport and there are also good train connections (see our Getting to Engelberg page). The town has a history that predates skiing, including its famous 12th century Benedictine monastery, although this does mean most of the accommodation is a 10 to 20 minute walk (or 5 minute bus ride) away from the main lift station. For a keen off-piste skier, however, that’s just a suitable warm-up exercise. The Laub is the most well-known run (a steep north-facing mountain shoulder with a 1000m vertical), but others are almost twice as long, descending from the top of the 3030m Klein Titlis lift all the way to the valley floor.
Top Tip for freeriders in Engleberg: For keen skiers who want to spend at least some of their time on groomed runs, Engelberg’s pisted ski area is a little limited if you’re staying for a week or more. But there is another great off-piste ski resort about an hour away by car in the form of Andermatt (see above). It’s not a journey you will want to do every day, but off-piste skiers who are staying in Engelberg for a full week should consider one or two day trips, if only to be able to participate in the old apres-ski argument about which is the better mountain for freeriding – Titlis or Gemsstock.
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Off-piste skiing in Courmayeur
Courmayeur is a pretty Italian mountain village more famous for its cobbled streets and smart shops than its tame and limited pistes. But off-piste is a different story. There are serious itineraries in several directions from the top of 2755m Cresta d’Arp, and even more from Punta Helbronner at 3455m, reached via the Skyway Monte Bianco. Add in heliskiing, and the option of a quick dash through the Mont Blanc tunnel to enjoy everything that Chamonix can offer and there is more than enough freeriding to keep an expert busy for a week.
Top Tip for freriders in Courmayeur: One day at La Thuile, another Valle d’Aosta ski resort, is included in most Courmayeur lift passes, and with a guide you can almost ski to it from Cresta d’Arp (the final leg is by taxi and the return is by bus – there is a good ski bus service between the two resorts). You will want to stay there till the lifts close, however, because La Thuile has uncrowded slopes, including one of the steepest black pistes in the Alps (Number 3 / Franco Berthod) and great freeriding in the Mont Valaisan sector.
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Off-piste skiing in Davos-Klosters
Davos and Klosters share a large ski area with 56 lifts and 320 kms of piste. For off-piste skiers what makes it special are its long itineraries descending all the way to the valley floor from where you return by train or taxi. For some of the longest ones you will need skins. There is also ‘short and ’steep’ freeriding as well, including the famous ‘Wang’ beneath the second stage of the Gotschnabahn cable car.
Davos is a traffic-plagued town and many of its hotels used to be sanitoriums, so atmosphere is not really its strong point. But it’s easier to reach from Zurich airport (there are trains and buses) and in the morning there are shorter queues for its lifts than there are in Klosters.
Klosters for most people is the preferred place stay, because it’s more like a traditional Alpine village, and it’s also the end point of some of the longest runs. It’s not cheap (this is Switzerland, remember) but if you were expecting it to be super-expensive due its fame as Prince Charles’ favourite resort, you might be pleasantly surprised. Generally, you get more for your money here than you would in Zermatt or Verbier.
Top Tip for freeriders in Davos and Klosters. In most resorts, late January is an excellent time to try off-piste skiing. The snow is crisp, the slopes are empty, the guides don’t have many bookings and prices are low. But in Davos and Klosters this is when the World Economic Forum hits town and costs go up. Fortunately, the Forum only lasts 4 days and most of the delegates do very little skiing (and even less off-piste) and leave quickly – so immediately after it finishes, there are usually bargains to be had, and lots of untracked powder to explore.
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Important Safety Warning
Before venturing onto the ungroomed slopes beyond the safety of a ski resort’s piste markers, remember to equip yourself properly which means always take a phone (and know the European Emergency number – 112), an avalanche transceiver, probe and a shovel, and sometimes skins, ropes and crampons too; and hire a ski guide, who can not only provide you with all this safety equipment (and show you how to use it correctly) but keep you free from mishap, lead you to the best snow, tell you about the mountains and reveal exciting routes you would never have discovered on your own.
Author: William Micklethwait