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An anthem that perfectly captures the spirit of my parents, both passionate ski instructors whose love for the slopes once took them to the dizzying heights of Chacaltaya in Bolivia. Long before climate change claimed its glacier, Chacaltaya was home to the Club Andino Boliviano and the world’s highest ski area, perched over 5,300 meters above sea level. There, enveloped by sky and snow, they chased their passion, skiing where few dared.
And so, it was on these lofty legacies that I first stood on skis, a chaotic mixture of excitement and total beginner’s wobble. Bundled up like a Michelin Man, I was far from the natural athlete my parents might have hoped for. My father counselled, my mother encouraged, but my first feat on skis was a spectacular snow-angel flop. “Perfect!” my mother laughed, “Just less lying down and more skiing!”
When your parents are both ski instructors, life on the slopes starts almost before you can walk. My childhood was a blur of lift passes, neon jackets, and mysterious lingo like “fall line” and “edge pressure". But don’t let that fool you - skills weren’t exactly hereditary.
On one particular family ski day, my parents were deep in their “passion meets pedagogy” groove, determined to turn me into the next alpine ace. Mom demonstrated flawless turns; Dad offered commentary worthy of a ski movie. And me? Let’s just say “grace” was nowhere in the picture.
Instead of gliding down in picturesque form, I veered wildly into a group ski lesson, scattering the poor students like bowling pins. Poles flew, a snowplough became a snowplough-removal service, and, somehow, I finished wrapped in a banner advertising “Beginner Workshops".
While Mom tried not to laugh (she failed), Dad was immortalised as the guy whose kid turned the bunny slope into a slapstick show. The cheers? Definitely not for technique.
The day unfolded in a blur of falls, laughter and relentless encouragement – me learning the rhythms of the mountain, flanked by two people who knew that every slope offers lessons far beyond technique. Their story on Chacaltaya is a reminder that even as landscapes change, the core of adventure endures: passion, perseverance, and shared moments at the summit.
This season, I invite you to join me in celebrating all those who dare to climb, slide, and laugh together – because no mountain is too high when hearts are willing to rise.
Hugs
Markus & Co.
PS: Now, as the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, we thought it would be fun to see if you could name my all-time fave ten winter spots in the Alps (see below). They are all tried and tested just for you.
Have a look at the pictures and the description below and write to us. The first 10 avid puzzlers will get a little present from us. Otherwise, you can click through and browse our world of more than 50 places to stay in the Alps.
I love the 25 km Hexentour ski circuit, where you’ll reach dizzying heights of 2,700 m and have astonishing views of the Dolomite panorama. You'll also have the chance to drop into out-of-the-way, authentic mountain huts that showcase a world of South Tyrolean delicacies such as Speckplatt'n and Schlutzkrapfen.
There’s something that feels a little hidden and secret about skiing (or snowboarding) here. Perhaps it’s the high quota of locals that come by, whizzing down the slopes, whooping with joy that they live in this corner of Alpine paradise.
I love the Hochjoch Totale which starts at the Alpilagrat at the highest point, then shoots down into the valley over 1,700 m below, quite the way to kickstart your day.
This playground consists of 200 km of groomed pistes scattered over four different mountains at over 1,000 m of altitude, which offer superb long downhill runs.
I love the varied slopes with deep snow, which pleases freeriders like me. I especially like the north-facing descents, which keep their champagne powder until the afternoon with fast tree runs and gullies.
I love the Gebirgsjägertour ski circuit, where the piste leads you through a charming valley with craggy mountain faces and steep ice falls towards Sas Dlacia. There, the Noriker horse carriage awaits you to take you back to the Armentarola ski lift, so you return to the ski resort.
This is the home to natural beauty, royals, celebs, and groomed slopes with enviable snowfall. It even pampers visitors with heated seats on the chair lifts. It is as much about furs, cashmere, and old-timer Bentleys as it is about Gröstl and delicious Apfelstrudel. Off-piste opportunities are numerous, and it is the only resort in Austria that offers heli-skiing.
I love Der Weiße Ring - a sporting challenge with about 22 km of skiing pistes, 5,500 m of difference in altitude and a sightseeing tour with viewing platforms.
One of the highest-lying winter sports resorts at 3,000 m above sea level, it gets an abundance of natural snowfall every year and is often referred to as the raw diamond due to the 23 glaciers. Favoured by those seeking quieter resorts, sporty connoisseurs love the top-quality skiing on 112 km of pistes.
I love the opening of the ski season with a full week of winter partying, live music acts, demos of the latest ski equipment and torchlight walks.
Framed by breathtaking alpine scenes and mountainous backdrops this winter sport heaven is home to some 25 lifts and 82 km of ski runs.
I love the excellent eateries, ranging from gourmet to rustic deliciousness and the surprisingly buoyant Après-ski scene, which sits high on the agenda. This is especially true come the weekend when the nearby social scene of Luzern hits the piste.
Truly a highlight for any ski fanatic is the prospect of enjoying the vast area, where even the name sounds totally epic. With a total of 625 km of runs to explore, all on one ski pass, it’s the largest skiing valley in the world.
I love the Wedelhütte based 2,350 m above sea level with a tasty selection of hearty meals including Kaspressknödelsuppe, Wiener Schnitzel and Kaiserschmarrn.
It’s here that the chic ski tribes of the world converge. Credited with being the birthplace of Alpine sports over 150 years ago, the resort has seen voguish guests such as Coco Chanel, Jacques Cartier and Philippe de Rothschild grace its slopes.
I love the picture-perfect runs, superbly maintained, sparkling like glitter and the deep blue skies that frame archetypal mountain panoramas.
The scenery here is a real joy and counts as one of those things in life that you should ideally have seen at least once. The village has everything: beautifully aged chocolate box chalets, car-free narrow cobbled lanes, and slated barns that marry with a scattering of the grand belle-époque and the funkier builds skirting the resort.
I love their iconic acoustic music festival. This is pure sensory cinema – snow meets soul, peaks meet beats, guitars echo across pistes – and the Matterhorn hums to a new kind of altitude for five days (merci vilmol, liebe Corinna & Regula for the extra push... and also to you, Joanna, Roman, Daniel & Danny for taking care of us).
Whether made from bamboo, walnut, beech, poplar or redwood, these seven ski chosen makers are using innovation, sustainability and tradition to carve out skis that have high performance.
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Bordering Germany, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, Austria’s western Vorarlberg region is famous for its incredible skiing prowess, fantastic alpine views and also for holding the oldest and most influential ski club in the world.
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With a chill in the air as October comes to a slow close we are looking forward to officially entering November and with it, the opening of ski season. For a head start on the celebrations head to joyful Gurgl in Tirol for a start to the 2024-2025 season that goes off with a bang.
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Peruse your ultimate ski holiday edit for a truly design-led breakdown of top winter destinations in the Alps (and what to wear while there, too).
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Red Bull hits the sleepy spa town of Bad Gastein in Austria - Well known for the high profile blood-pumping, adrenaline-rushing, pulse-racing sports events that they hold worldwide, Red Bull are now gearing up for their eighth edition of the international free ski event, "Red Bull PlayStreets", held in the beautiful, healing surroundings of Bad Gastein in Austria. So if anyone falls off their skis, they are probably in the perfect place.
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Bad Gastein is renowned as a centre for incredible Austrian skiing - as well as being a beautiful valley full of age-old healing springs - but did you know it also holds the biggest art festival in the Alps, too? From the January 31 to February 6, 2026, Bad Gastein’s famed ski areas and picturesque town centres will come alive to the sound of ice being expertly chiselled.
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Caramel timbers, robust chunky stone and larch shingled rooftops amplifies Alpine charisma buttered across the three ‘Malghe’houses of the Borgo Eibn which are draped in the views of the Sauris plateau and the Dolomites.
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Wonderfully humble, this authentic exclusive-hire farmstead hideaway dating back to 1885 comes with the mandatory choc-box appeal of a rural alpine chalet besieged by the hush rhythms of lush green pastures, ancient forests and hum of the mountain waters.
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Close to the Tirol mountains of the Tux and Zillertal Alps, this design hotel of chilled style and nostalgic tradition, steps away from the chocolate-box picture-postcard image with creative art installations and a casual approach to life in the alps.
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Ullrhaus is a hotel of muted luxury, where cool design marries Alpine soul and a minimalist edge. Located in the resort of St. Anton in the Tyrolean Alps, home to some of the Alps’ most exhilarating skiing.
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Rising up like delicate meringue-whipped peaks, mirroring the Dolomites panorama that surrounds it, the architecture and design of Hotel Milla Montis create an impact.
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Flims Laax Falera in Graubünden is a top winter ski resort at the gateway to the Grison Alps. Not only does it benefit from over 224 kilometres of slopes, but it also has an emphasis on great foodie encounters.
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Get the insider news and lowdown on what we've been up to, where we've been, and who we've met along the way. Be the first to discover new places and get the scoop on our favourites.