The best places for early season skiing

If you love to ski then you'll be happy to hear that the season is well and truly open at some slopes around the world.

Arosa
You'll need to be quick, but this is a rare opportunity to enjoy the mountain without the crowds at a one-off private event. The Tschuggen Grand Hotel is hosting a weekend's skiing and boarding before the resort officially opens on December 1st, so that lucky guests can enjoy exclusive access to the slopes.

You even get to travel in grand style on board the Tschuggen Express, the hotel’s private mountain railway which ferries you to the slopes. Ski aces can take part in a slalom race challenge and newbies can learn from expert instructors. After a fun day, soothe stiff muscles in the spa then enjoy dinner and dancing at the hotel at night.

Jasper
One of the world's most beautiful mountain ranges, the Canadian Rockies is home to world-class skiing at Marmot Basin in the Jasper National Park, Alberta. It's been open since November 8th and perfect for a multi-level group who like to try a bit of everything. 

Even if you don't like skiing, there's plenty to experience here from shoe-shoeing and dog sledging to winter wildlife tours and canyon walks. An absolute must is a 'shot-ski' in the Downstream Bar.

California
It's not the first place you think of when skiing comes to mind, but California's Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Mountain have seen 40 inches of powder in the last week, bringing current snow totals to around 3.5ft, so the ski season in California is good to go.

Entertainment is the order of the day at Mammoth and you can enjoy everything from live gigs and daily movie screenings to fashion events and themed parties - we reckon the Hot Tub Time Machine 80s themed night looks especially entertaining...

Colorado
Known to locals as "The Legend", Arapahoe Basin in Colorado has one of the longest seasons in North America - it opened for business this year in mid-October amidst flurries of snow, and will run all the way through until June .

Enjoy high-alpine groomed runs, bowls, chutes and glades, all serviced by a new quad chair lift. Get romantic with a gourmet Moonlight Dinner on the mountain, served up on Saturdays during the full moon cycle to experience the mountain and snow in all their natural beauty. 
 
Hemsedal
Don't fancy getting your groove on to banging all-night DJs and bands? Try the early-opening family-friendly fun of Hemsedal in the Norwegian Alps, where the slopes are open for business now.

At 1,450m above sea level, Hemsedal offers Norway's highest groomed slopes. Sleigh rides, dog-sledding, ice skating and a dedicated children’s area make this a perfect choice for families and its 47 slopes and 21 lifts will keep experienced skiers happy. Try something new and give ice climbing a whirl or take an exhilarating leap over the resort and go paragliding.