With the wet and windy UK weather refusing to let up in recent weeks, the thought of spring skiing and its sun-drenched slopes, clear blue skies and seriously good snow, has never been more appealing.
This winter, after far too long, spring skiing is back! Just in case you needed any convincing, we’ve put together six seriously good reasons why 2022 is the perfect year to enjoy a late-season ski holiday. So grab your goggles and let’s get back in the sunshine!
1. Longer Days = More Skiing
As those of us lucky enough to have already returned to the slopes will attest, the sensation of skiing feels better this winter than ever before. So why not make the most of it with a trip that allows you to enjoy the maximum time possible on the snow?
In March and April, the days are longer, with the sun remaining bright late into the afternoon. Not only does this mean you can enjoy longer ski days, but once the slopes do finally close, it means you can also enjoy the t-shirt weather of sunny terraces and unique vibrancy of daylight après-ski.
With longer days, you can also cover more distance, really racking up the mileage before refuelling with those epic long Alpine lunches we’ve all been longing for.
2. Soak up the Sunshine
However, spring skiing isn’t just about spending the most time possible on your skis. It also offers a unique opportunity to ramp up your Vitamin D levels (very important in this day and age so we hear) whilst also drinking in some of the world’s most spectacular views.
Indeed, skiers who enjoy a more relaxed, casual approach to ski holidays will greatly enjoy the laid back nature of spring skiing. Cruise down gentle blues as you explore the area, stopping for delicious long lunches on slope-side sun terraces. Sip on an Aperol as you watch skiers pass by, enjoying epic snow conditions and awe-inspiring landscapes. It’s a far cry from a rainy afternoon in the grey streets of the UK and an experience we’re most certainly craving after recent events!
3. Explore Empty Slopes
Despite its many draws, spring skiing weeks often see far fewer skiers hitting the slopes than peak dates in January and February. Many skiers believe that the colder weather of these deep winter months will mean better snow, but if you choose your resort right, conditions in March and April can be just as reliable, with blue skies and sunshine thrown in for good measure!
This also means that for those of us that do choose to ski later in the season, the slopes are delightfully quiet.
For families and less confident skiers, this offers an opportunity to explore a ski area with confidence, to hone your skills on empty pistes, without having to contend with bitterly cold temperatures, poor visibility or uninviting white-outs.
It also offers us a chance to enjoy our favourite resorts, resorts which have also been through an incredibly difficult few years, without the crowds that we may be used to. Gone are the days of struggling to make a reservation during peak weeks, queueing at crowded bars or avoiding other skiers on your final run back home.
Instead, spring skiing offers an altogether more enjoyable experience, one where you truly feel you are getting the relaxing escape you deserve this year.
4. Enjoy Fewer Restrictions
This year, you’ve got an added incentive to sample a spring ski trip. Understandably, at the beginning of the 21-22 season, ski holidays looked very different to normal, with restrictions on travel and in-resort life proving expensive and inconvenient for many holidaymakers. However, in recent weeks, these restrictions have been easing at an impressive rate, meaning that a late-season ski holiday will seem a welcome return to (semi) normality for many skiers.
Expensive (and stressful) international travel testing is no longer required for fully vaccinated travellers in many ski destinations, while in-resort restrictions on après-ski and events have largely dissipated.
This doesn’t mean any compromise on Covid safety though. Many travellers will understandably still feel uncomfortable with crowded indoor spaces and for such skiers, spring is the perfect time to ease back into a ski resort. As we’ve noted above, resorts are generally quieter and the longer days mean plenty more opportunity to enjoy an après-ski beverage outdoors in the sunshine, where Covid risks are far fewer.
5. Find Fantastic Last Minute Spring Skiing Deals
Though you may have read a few scare stories about late-season dates becoming increasingly booked up, there are still some fantastic last-minute deals if you know where to find them.
For example, Crystal Ski Holidays are currently offering March holiday deals from as little as £396pp! From Courmayeur to Chamonix, Arinsal to Andorra, they’ve got offers on heaps of high altitude destinations that will provide some seriously good spring skiing conditions.
Indeed, with savings of around £200pp on many of these holidays, they may prove too good to ignore. Whether you’ve held off booking a holiday this winter, or simply want to squeeze in a second trip after two years away from the snow, this could be the perfect opportunity to snap up a great value last-minute getaway.
View March deals here, or April deals here.
6. Relax With Confidence
Crystal’s Holiday Promise gives you added flexibility and financial protection for Winter 2021/22, and, of course, your trip will also be covered by ABTA and ATOL protection.
They’ve also created an incredibly helpful ‘Travel With Confidence’ hub, which has been invaluable not just to Crystal customers, but to travellers of all types this winter. With detailed information on entry requirements, testing packages and what to expect in resort, the Crystal hub has everything you need to know about travelling this winter. They’ve even outlined all the post-Brexit changes you can expect – something that many travel companies often overlook.
You’ll get expert service every step of the way and you can download their free Ski Explorer app to get snow reports, resort info and more.
Find out more and book your spring ski holiday with Crystal here.