Ski towns in the summer are fucking awesome. This post might come off as a little biased given I've never actually skied so I can't enjoy ski towns in the winter, but regardless, skiers should come back to their favorite January spots in June. Why? It's cheaper, warmer, and you can hike. And, if you're high enough, you can even enjoy some winter snow. Here are a few recommendations:
1. Chamonix, France
Chamonix is located near where the French, Swiss, and Italian Alps (some of the best countries in Europe, in my opinion) meet, and it's about 1.5 hours outside of Geneva. Chamonix is home to the famous Mont Blanc (the tallest mountain in Europe) and the Mer Du Glace, which used to be a large glacier and now has receded enough to mainly be a glacial valley (and it'll keep heading that way if certain countries don't get involved in the Paris climate accords @the USA). Chamonix has thousands of skiers in the winter months, and although some climb to L'Aguille Du Midi to ski in the somewhat treacherous summer snow, the town is much less touristy in the summer, and it's become my all time favorite travel destination.
2. Mürren, Switzerland
Mürren is a tiny town that is only accessible by cable car (or hiking, if you're one of those intense triathlon athletes that I'll never understand). It is also home to the set of the James Bond film, Her Majesty's Secret Service, and you can have brunch (which comes with a buffet of waffles that Leslie Knope would give her approval on) on the rotating set at the top of a mountain. It's pretty damn awesome. Mürren is pretty high altitude - they got about 7 inches of snow on the first day of their summer season this year. Nearby Grindelwald (yes, like the wizard in Harry Potter) also has some scenic hikes that get you closer to the Eiger, which is known for having a north face that is the biggest and most difficult to climb in the Alps.
3. Park City, Utah
Park City is already famous for the skiing and for sundance, but the hikes in the summer are scenic and not as difficult as alpine hiking. The city is definitely bigger than the ones in the alps, but it means there's more to do. I've been told there's a mountain top bar similar to the one in Mürren that you can ski lift up to.
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