Find Your Preferred Apres-Ski Scene

29 April 2015
Read Time: 2.1 mins

When deciding on a ski resort, what happens off the slopes is as important as what happens on them. Lucky, then, that some of the world’s best ski resorts serve up lashings of apres-ski party fun to go with some of the best powder snow around.

Park City in Utah, in the US, is an historic mining town that is home to Deer Valley, Park City and The Canyons resorts. The streets are lined with American-style saloons and basement cocktail bars. We recommend the rooftop bar at the Sky Lodge for cocktails, Zoom for fine fare, No Names Saloon and Downstairs.

Bed down in Park City in January, however, and party central goes up a serious notch as Hollywood actors, directors and producers arrive for Robert Redford’s 10-day Sundance Film Festival.

 Whistler's Bearfoot Bistro

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It's one of the greatest - no matter when. A Day At Whistler


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A Party Place With Altitude

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In Aspen, it’s the Little Nell for fur-clad socialites and truffle-oil fries; the Sky Bar for poolside frivolity, Cloud Nine for lunch in a cosy hut, and Belly Up for late-night music.

Vail, in Colorado, launched Decimo at Vail last season and this year features six mountain-top events with world-class DJs throughout the season for those who like to party at 3000m-plus altitude.

You can’t go to Jackson Hole without visiting the Mangy Moose Saloon in Teton Village. You’ll know why when you get there. Just don’t wear your best clothes.

 The Cloud Nine in Aspen

In Sun Valley, Idaho, the must-do apres bar is Apples for shots with the locals and Grumpy’s because they say “we’ll serve everyone from Tom Hanks to the town drunk”.

If you head north into Canada to the purpose-built ski village of Whistler, then just follow the after-ski crowd to the Garibaldi Lift Co, commonly called GLC.

No doubt you’ll meet revellers who will then show you more of the sites. Let’s hope they include the Bearfoot Bistro, known as the best oyster and champagne bar in Canada.

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Dance In Your Ski Boots

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Timing is everything in the streets of Mayrhofen in Austria, because in early April the week-long Snowbombing Music Festival comes to play.

Take your vitamins and don’t expect to sleep as the ski resort plays host to the likes of Yousef, the Prodigy, the Chemical Brothers and Dizzy Rascal.

 Top Of The Mountain Concert at Ischgl

Every night is dance-in-your-ski‑boots night in the village centre of Ischgl, also in Austria. Come sundown, it is hard to tell who belongs to which bar as revellers mingle in the streets.

We say start at Trofana Alm and work your way from there.

If you can, time your visit to Ischgl with the Top of the Mountain concerts held three times throughout the season (season opening, Easter and season closing) and you may be clicking your ski-boot heels to Robbie Williams, Elton John, Rihanna, Tina Turner and friends.

Austria is clearly the party place to be as St Anton’s nightlife is matched only by its mammoth ski terrain.

 It's hard not to have fun at Vail

If your knees are shaking then ski direct into perhaps the world’s most famous apres bar, the Krazy Kanguruh. This bar gets seriously wild with jugs of Austrian beer, schnapps and more. Keep your wits about you on the ski back down afterwards.

The French would naturally dispute Austria’s apres position.

If you prefer your party sophisticated, with Bond-style martinis supped by Chanel snow bunnies, then Courchevel has your name on it. Head direct to the haute couture hotel Cheval Blanc, darling.

It boasts a Michelin restaurant, cigar lounge and the famed White Bar.

Rachael Oakes-Ash

Rachael Oakes-Ash is addicted to snow. A prolific blogger for her Snowsbest.com website, her snow and ski writing has been published globally by ESPN Freeskiing, Fairfax Digital, Chill Factor, Powderhound and more. She was the Southern Hemisphere editor for onthesnow.com and series producer for Generation Snow TV Series. Have skis, will travel, is her motto.