WILL MUOIO
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Val d’Isere
France
“French Connection”

Along with other French ski resorts, Val d’Isere is a ski resort that is quite common for ASL families to visit. While it is not a hot spot, some families travel there in small groups. Maddie Schwinn (’15) is going there for the first time this February, and she is very excited to go with her family, but also to know other families that are going as well. “My family used to ski in the U.S., and I have never skied in Europe. I am very excited to go and be able to spend time with my family but also with my friends,” she said.
Val d’Isere has a combination of off-piste and high difficulty slopes with easy slopes for those who are beginning or intermediate skiers. In Val d’Isere you can also do ice climbing, ice carting, snowmobiling and even snowshoe walking. Val d’Isere offers a unique experience for close friends and their families.

Lech am Arlberg
Austria
“Fan Favorite”
Being the hot spot for ASL families, Lech and the hovering Oberlech are places in which a majority of families choose to stay. Henry LeMaire (’14) has been going to Lech for the past three years but he “has never stayed in the same place twice.” While he travels with his family, many of his friends go too, and this adds on to LeMaire’s overall experience. A typical day in Oberlech could consist of skiing in the morning with a meal of wiener schnitzel and ski wasser followed by a toboggan run closer to sunset. Oberlech and Lech are definitely locations to be interested in if you enjoy being with a lot of familiar faces on February break.

St. Anton am Arlberg
Austria
“Seniors”
St. Anton is the destination of Senior Ski Trip, where seniors interact with their friends and reflect over the past months where they have been stressed with college applications and other senior problems. Jake Byman (’13) is definitely looking forward to the social aspect of the trip, mainly due to the fact that he does not consider himself much of a skier. “I am excited to be able to celebrate my last February break with my awesome fellow classmates, ” he said.
Many seniors take part in this experience, staying in different chalets and hotels. This is a continued tradition within ASL. St. Anton offers fewer off-slope experiences, but there is a place where you can curl. While it is slightly less popular than Lech, it still provides an exquisite Austrian experience similar to Lech.

Aspen, Colorado
U.S.
“American Dream”
Audrey Leland (’14) looks forward to a variety of skiing experiences when she travels to Aspen. “There are four different mountains to ski on with all different types of runs,” Leland said. Her family has a chalet outside of Aspen in Little Woody Creek. Aspen, known for its black-diamond terrain, is extremely popular for those living in the U.S. An American experience in Aspen includes outdoor concerts, classic American food and drinks, and even yoga sessions all throughout the day. While it is quite a trek from London, if an American skiing experience is what you are after then Aspen is definitely a location to consider.

Cortina D’Ampezzo
Italy
“Dark Horse”

Cortina is a place in which one can go and experience separation from the ASL community. Nico Albanese (’14) has been going to Cortina for 14 consecutive years and has fallen in love with it. While he doesn’t go with other ASL families, it is not a problem for him as there are families that he travels with who are not part of the community. “Cortina is perfect because it is a small community, an excellent place to ski and has a great nightlife,” Albanese said.
The destination is very popular with Italians and other families within the London community. Throughout the varied mountains surrounding Cortina there are many restaurants and you can stop by for small snacks up the mountain. If you are looking for some quality lasagna or an overall skiing experience, Cortina would be appropriate.

will_muoio@asl.org