August 30, 2008

Garrett puts everything into storage, sells the Reno house, and heads for Europe to do some skiing while his knees can still handle it.

St. Moritz, Switzerland

Garrett arrives in Engadin Valley and enjoys some of the best scenery in Europe. No mini mogul spills here, because it’s sunny everyday

Zermatt, Switzerland

One of the best ski resorts in the world, also has the Matterhorn. When Garrett sees it, he is reminded of that poor fellow who actually skied from the top, and later slipped on a banana peel and was killed walking out of a food store.

Garrett shuttles into Valais, a town of old-world charm, breathtaking scenery, and unspoiled Swiss culture. Visitors get around only by horse-drawn sleigh or electric cart.

 

Garrett stays at the Hotel Alta, in the heart of Zermatt. All three of the main ski areas reach at least 3100m, with excellent snow conditions.

The longest run is from Klein, Matterhorn into town, starting at 3820m, with the highest cable car in the world.

Les Trois Vallees, France

Here Garrett finds three interconnecting valleys with eight ski resorts, all famous for one thing or another. He shacks up with three young curvaceous beauties.

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France

to the French Alps, the girls go with Garrett to the site of the first Winter Olympics of 1924. With Europe’s highest mountain, Chamonix is the best skiing destination in France. They stay at Le Vert Hotel with a friendly staff passionate about alpine skiing. The skiing extends over three resorts. Grands Montets is Garrett’s favorite, the most challenging, with rugged terrain and high-altitude north-facing slopes.

St. Anton, Austria

Alone again, Garrett visits two of the most prestigious ski schools on earth. Alberg is known for its history and size. Franz Klimmer, is smaller, but offers more personalized instruction.

Innsbruck, Austria

Garrett enjoys an entire cultural experience, with snowboarding, theatres, winter hiking, museums, ice skating, horse-drawn sleigh rides, and imperial palaces. Garrett stays here during the off months because the glaciation makes skiing possible even in summer.

Garrett is at the Hotel Goldene Krone, where he can access eight ski areas via a shuttle bus from near the hotel. Innsbruck hosted the Winter Games in 1964 and 1976. It has over 200 trails covering 500 kilometers in distance. Garrett loves the jumps and off-piste skiing at Stubai Glacier and Patscherkofel, Garmisch Partenkirchen, Germany. The entire area charmingly Bavarian. The scenery and sporting history of both towns are the best.

 

Garrett stays at the Hotel Bavaria near Zugspitze Mountain. Garmisch Partenkirchen is spread out beneath jagged peaks formed by the Wettersteingebrige and Ammergauer mountain ranges. There is access to forty-three pistes served by thirty-eight ski lifts. Zugspitze has the loftiest runs in Germany, with trails up to 2600 metres, Germany’s only glacier skiing.

 

Bled, Slovenia

Here Garrett enjoys good skiing, shops, and spectacular mountain scenery.

At the Apartments Sasha, Garrett has his own kitchen, bathroom, Wi-Fi, TV, and balcony. There are three areas available for skiing. 

Straza can be accessed by chairlift from Bled, although is only open in the evening and on weekends, offering just two slopes which are primarily used by the ski school.

Kobla and Vogel are larger, and a thirty-minute drive from Bled. Garrett likes the wide open runs and vertical highs of 1200m.