Portes Du Soleil

So I'm spending my season this year out in the grand Portes Du Soleil. Boasting a total of fourteen valleys and 650km of marked pistes it's ranked among the two largest ski areas in the world. It ranges from 2,400 metres all the way down to 900 metres. Despite the huge 1036 square km the resort covers most of it is connected by some 200 chairlifts. Only a few towns can only be reached by foot. But never fear, there's a free bus service running through the whole of resort dropping you pretty much anywhere.

Portes Du Soleil can also boast being possibly one of the most convenient of all ski areas as well. It's the closest major ski area to Geneva, boasting east access. The transfer from Geneva to Morzine only takes around an hour and a half, and under an hour to the idyllic Les Gets.

Morzine is a thriving, picturesque town with a really strong seasonaire community, so if you want to experience the life of a seasonaire it's a great place to go. It even boasts its own 14% german beer - Mutzig.

Although, if Morzine's hard hitting apres-skiing environment is not for you, then never fear. One of the best things about Portes Du Soleil is that it contains a variety of villages and towns. Whilst Morzine and Les Gets are more traditionally French, the area of Avoriaz is one to behold. It looms on the side of the mountain above Morzine. With its brutalist architecture and pistes instead of streets, it has to be one of the best ski towns around. It was set up the 1960s by Jean Vuarnet. Car access is restricted to Avoriaz. Instead there are horse-drawn sledges to get you around, which adds a bizarre christmas feel to the place. Some people may hate the weird mix that Avoriaz brings, but for a ski-in, ski-out resort it's pretty hard to beat.
And if that wasn't enough for you, then head over to Switzerland for an afternoon, and maybe even do the Swiss wall on the way back, possibly the most notorious run in the Alps. But if moguls and madness aren't quite your thing then you can always head over into Morgins, Les Crosets or Champery for beautiful sights and some traditional swiss food.

Freestyle

For those looking for freestyle kicks, the Portes du Soleil has seven parks and four free-to-use airbags to practise those mad flips safely before trying them out in the big boys park. Avoriaz also has a superpipe, which has the same dimensions as the half-pipe at the olympics. And of course there's The Stash, a freestyle ski and snowboarding run carved out of the trees, creating a natural run thats always a bit of fun on your way back down the mountain.

Backcountry

Given its size, it's no surprise that the Portes du Soleil has extensive backcountry to be explored by expert riders. The brilliant thing about the backcountry skiing here is that you don't have to trek for miles to find untouched wilderness, sometimes it's just a 10 minute hike from the top of a lift.

The best all-mountain skis of 2012-2013

 5. Aramada TST

This ski has got to be one of the best this season for tearing up the backcountry, whilst also being able to perform across the rest of the mountain. With a waist width ranging from 100mm-103mm, this beast will have no trouble powering through frontside crud, or powder in the trees. Armada have given it an early rise in the tip for even better floatation, but have kept a traditional tail for increased stability, resulting in a versatile ski then can get you through pretty much anything.

4. Rossignol Scimitar Open

The Rossignol Scimitar Open ski is the newer better brother of last years Rossignol Scimitar, which was originally designed as a park ski, but a pretty hefty one at that. With a 99mm waist this ski smears the line between powder and park. Its fully-rockered twin tip technology allows it to float across the powder whilst being playful and maneuverable in the park. It's also built with Minicap construction, so you can rely on it no matter where you are on the mountain. 

 3. Kästle FX 104 Ski

The whole of Kastle's new FX series was developed with Chris Davenport, and as a result the FX 104 is a powerhouse of a ski. It features traditional camber, sandwhich construction and a woodcore made up of ash, silver fir and poplar, creating a stable, yet powerful ski that will carve your socks off! It also contains hollowtech technology that reduces the weight and vibration of the ski. The only issue with the FX 104 is that it lacks some playfulness due to its stability, but that's a small price to pay for such a versatile ski.

2. Nordica Soul Rider

This ski has playfulness written all over it. Nordica have upgraded it from last years all-terrain freestyle ski. With its 97mm waist and early rise, Nordica have managed to perfectly balance flotation and tight turning to create a ski perfect for people looking to push their backcountry skiing forward. Nordica's durable, light core gives it an extra playfulness making it the most playful ski of the five.

1. Blizzard Bonafide

Blizzard have merged bamboo and titanium to create a unbelievably stable do-it-all ski. Its 98mm width allows you to plow through crud, whilst giving you enough stability and a big enough turning circle to shred up the slopes. It seems outrageous that on top of this Blizzard have thrown in a tip and tail rocker to give this ski a playfulness through the park that makes it this years perfect all-mountain ski.

What to pack for a ski season

So, you've decided to become a seasonaire. You've got your job, and you're ready to hit up the slopes for five months. Congratulations! But what to pack for the time of your life? Well here are some helpful tips to help you jam it all into your 15kg ryan air restricted luggage allowance...(Or maybe not.)

1. Don't underestimate the amount of luggage you'll need.

This may seem a bit ridiculous, but countless people try to head out for their 'rad' season with nothing but a single suitcase. If you've got a job with a tour operator, or the likes, you'll probably be travelling by coach so you may not have the same restrictions you do on flights. However, there probably will be some restrictions of some sorts so you should check with your employer before you head out on your journey of a lifetime.
As for people flying, don't be scared to upgrade your luggage to 40kg. It may seem excessive but you'll need that extra space. Don't jump on the old easy-jet train and go for what you think will be the cheapest flights, because they'll charge you for every single extra you add on. Try smaller companies such as flybe or bmi baby. You may have to travel further to the airport, but you may find yourself flying from a smaller airport like Southampton, meaning less hassle checking in, less waiting around and an overall more pleasurable experience flying.

2. Take your ski stuff.

If you don't have any equipment don't stress too much. Most tour operator jobs will come with the perk of getting free ski ski rental equipment, but if not you can make friends with the ski hire fella's and get discounts left right and centre. However, if you do have some money to spare getting some custom fit boots (like ones from surefoot) maybe the best decision you make. Although they may seem expensive they're worth every penny for the season. You'll kick yourself if you get out there and have serious issues with your boots just because you didn't splash out. Just think of your poor little feet!

2. Pack two of almost everything.

If you plan to get the most out of your season you really will need two of everything. You'd be surprised how much ski equipment deteriorates over five months. If you think about it, if you went skiing once a week every year that's the equivalent of 20 years skiing. Now would you expect your ski jacket to last 20 years? I thought not.
It's also a good idea to let stuff air out every now and again. Socks should be changed every other day, and you should let your salopettes air out every week or so. If you don't it'll actually make you colder on the slopes as the build up of sweat and condensation on the inside of your equipment will give you the chills, so make sure to pack two of everything and change your equipment regularly.

3. Invest in some snow boots.

I very nearly didn't invest in snow boots for the season, and boy i'm glad I did. You may be fine slipping around in your converse for one week of the season, but trust me, when it's snowing like mad, and the roads are all iced up then you'll seriously regret not buying correct equipment for your feet. Imagine falling over on day two of your holiday, breaking your leg and not being able to tear up those mountains for the season, just because you didn't get some snow boots. Also, your insurance company may not pay out if you're not wearing suitable equipment for the snow, so buy some boots! Now, if that doesn't make you think twice I don't know what will.


4. Toiletries.

Toiletries can often be very expensive in ski resorts. Make sure you take essentials, like shampoo, deodorants and razors. There's nothing worse then heading out at night smelling like you've just come off the slopes. Remember that sun stroke and sun burns are also a big issue in the mountains. Make sure to take a high factor cream with you. Once a day sun cream is really good for skiing. Riemann do a good one of these. Also, for all you luscious ladies, your skin is likely to get much darker in the mountains, so you may want to pack some darker foundation too.


5. Accessories.

You may find that after a month or so you'll be bored to death of wearing the same ski jacket day in and day out. The best (and cheapest) way to chop and change your style is to invest in some accessories. At the very least invest in a few hats, glove liners, and some neck warmers. Maybe even different tinted goggles could help your look. That way you can have a pink tint one day, and green the next.

6. A 1:25,000 map (or buy an off pieste map when you're out there.)

If you're going for a season then the truth is that at some point you'll probably want to explore that blissful backcountry powder. If you're planning to do this make sure you have a map of the area, or at least an off pieste map so that you know where you are going to end up, or at least have a vague idea. Of course if you're planning to explore such areas of the mountain you should also invest in an avalanche bag.