The World’s Top Skiing Destinations with Olympic Gold Medalist Tommy Moe

The World’s Top Skiing Destinations with Olympic Gold Medalist Tommy Moe

Olympic Gold Medalist downhiller and heliskiing pioneer Tommy Moe guides us on a powder-filled adventure to his favorite ski spots around the globe, from the backcountry of Alaska and the steeps of the Chilean Andes to the chic mountain resorts of Austria and France.

In 1994 in Lillehammer, Norway, Tommy Moe became the first U.S. male skier to win two medals in the same Olympics—one Gold, the other Silver. But Moe is much more than just one of the greatest downhillers in history; he is also a fun-loving free-skiing enthusiast and a pioneer of heliskiing in his adopted home state of Alaska. As someone who has skied just about everywhere for fun and sport, he’s the perfect guide to lead us on a global adventure to the world’s top ski destinations for 2022.

Moe starts in Alaska, where he cofounded and co-owns the Tordrillo Mountain Lodge. Set in the Tordrillo range a 40-minute flight from Anchorage, the luxury wilderness lodge offers access to some of the most extreme skiable terrain on Earth. But the vast wilderness also offers a range of long, wide-open cruiser runs and everything in between. During summers, the lodge is an ideal base for fishing, rafting, and adventures by via ferrata—a mountain network system that, as Moe explains, opens up the thrills of rock climbing to people of all skill levels.

For those interested in heliskiing, Moe’s main advice is to do your homework. Research your options and make sure that whatever destination you choose offers the right slopes for your abilities. He also advises that you get in shape before your trip—you don’t want to blow a week of heliskiing by getting injured or too worn out to make the most of it.

In addition to an epic heliskiing adventure in Alaska, Moe has some other ideas for where you should hit the slopes in 2022. Not surprisingly, he recommends his current hometown of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Known as a skier’s mountain—boasting 4,129 feet of pure fall lines with no traversing—the Jackson Hole Resort has long been a draw for experts. But Moe says the town has developed a broader appeal over the years, especially with the addition of new luxury hotels like the Four Seasons.

A new hotel in Taos, the Blake, prompted Moe to ski New Mexico’s premier resort a couple years ago—and he was blown away. Also in the U.S., he loves Whitefish Mountain Resort in his native Montana.

Hopping over to Europe, Moe cites Val d’Isère, France, at the top of his list. During his many times racing in Val d’Isère—with its idyllic backdrop of a European town with stone and wood buildings, crepe shops, boutiques, and restaurants—he was drawn to it for more than its superb ski slopes. But his fondest memories are of hitting the powder with his teammates on days it snowed too much to race.

Moe talks with Bruce about St. Anton in Austria, Portillo in Chile, Las Leñas in Argentina, Revelstoke in British Columbia, and Niseko in Japan, which he says combines some of the world’s best powder with a truly unique cultural experience. For destinations like Japan or Austria—or anywhere, for that matter—Moe stresses the benefits of skiing with a guide. Having the right person direct you will help you find the best runs for your ability and the right time of day to hit them—and can also keep you from getting lost and finding yourself in the wrong village far from your hotel!

Following Moe’s expert picks and advice, Bruce shares a few insights of his own: The Wallin Wrap-Up highlights some of the top hotels, trips, and more that we have to look forward to in 2022.