Physical description

A volume of 190 pages including a table of contents, index, photographs and maps describing popular ski resorts around the world. It is divided into sections of Europe, The Americas and The Rest of the World.

Publication type

non-fiction

Summary

Skiing is the most exhilarating and popular winter sport in the world. The number of skiers has expanded every year since the advent of cheaper travel in the 1960s and an increased affluence brought a new group of ski enthusiasts to the slopes. The professional sport has also expanded and attracts a very large television audience.

The World Atlas of Skiing looks at over 50 of the most prestigious and beautiful ski resorts in the world. From the older and more established destinations, like St Moritz, Gstaad, Kitzbühel, and St Anton in the Alps, and the chic American resorts of Aspen, Vail and Jackson Hole, to the huge, new custom-built skiing areas such as the Trois Vallees and Val d'Isere in Europe and Taos and Ski the Summit in the U.S. The continuing expansion of the sport has meant that one can ski in most parts of the world from Scotland and Russia to Australia, New Zealand and India.

Each resort is illustrated with specially commissioned artworks which show the runs - from the nursery slopes to the most demanding which only the most experienced skiers attempt - ski lifts, cable cars as well as other distinctive features, such as the langlauf routes. The history and events of international championships - Winter Olympics or World Cup - that have given
particular character to the resort are described, as well as the skiing greats who have mastered them.