Spring is finally here, and while most of us are looking forward to the warm, sunny days ahead, spare a thought for those who’ll lament the melting of the snowpack: skiers and snowboarders, freestylers and free-riders, schussboomers and shredders, and all who love to slip, slide, rip, and ride the white powder wave.
The good news: Spring ski season has arrived and with it fresh snow aplenty on and off the piste. Expect bluebird days (that’s clear, blue skies), champagne powder runs, few crowds, and, best of all, no lines at the chair lifts and the smart après-ski watering holes.
Herewith, Luxury Defined heads slopeside in this property showcase of log cabins and mountain chalets in top-ranked destinations for spring skiing. It’s time to ditch the down jacket and boot heaters and don the sunglasses and the SPF for ski season’s last hoorah, at least in the Northern Hemisphere, anyway—powder hounds can always head down south to the Andes or the Southern Alps for another round of winter!
Set within the pines of an old-growth forest, this custom-built ski retreat and its secluded 2.42-acre grounds offer privacy, luxury, and immediate ski-out access to the powder slopes of Big Sky Resort.
The Durfield Log & Timber-designed home flaunts its structural elements: Characteristically massive, whole-log beams and timbers enclose cozy interiors with lots of windows and light, with exquisite woodwork and finishes by master carpenters. Appointments include four opulent en suite bedrooms, two additional half bathrooms, two large living spaces, a workout room, and a loft with a wet bar.
Four-season recreation starts at the back door with direct access to the skiing, hiking, and biking trails of Big Sky Resort and the included membership in Moonlight Basin, the private residential/recreation community, and its Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, The Reserve.
Moonlight Basin and Lake Lodges offer a panoply of restaurants, spas, fitness facilities, and other recreational opportunities. All of 30 minutes to Yellowstone National Park.
2. Rusutsu Chalets #1 in Hokkaido, Japan
Rusutsu Chalets are luxury-serviced, four-season golf and ski homes in Hokkaido, Japan. Their motto: “Ten seconds to the green, 1 minute to the ski lifts.” Each chalet overlooks Izumikawa golf course and is just steps from Rusutsu Ski Resort, a playground for powder hounds.
Chalet #1 is a striking 3,089-square-foot home in an idyllic wooded landscape. The elegant ground-floor reception rooms include a double-height living, dining, and entertainment space with floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall windows overlooking the golf course. Four bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms are luxuriously appointed with custom fixtures and finishes.
A gazebo with a Jacuzzi offers an all-season respite after a day on the fairways or Hokkaido’s world-class, off-piste ski slopes. Beyond the wooded environs is a paradise of hot springs, crystalline lakes, and dense forests.
3. Chalet Liliannette in Verbier, Switzerland
This picturesque chalet is in the coveted ski resort of Verbier in the Swiss Alps. The traditional lines of its exterior disguise a 4,240-square-foot open-plan interior with exposed wood beam ceilings, wide-plank wood floors, and monumental log-burning fireplaces.
Contemporary updates include a chef’s kitchen and luxurious bathrooms with the finest fixtures and finishes. An elevator connects all three floors, including the lower-level spa. The south-facing terraces feature a party-size Jacuzzi.
The interior layout can be reconfigured to accommodate up to five bedrooms. Two indoor parking spaces complete the amenities. Minutes away are the Rouge and Médran ski lifts, providing access to Verbier’s groomed corduroy pistes and thrilling, off-piste powder chutes.
4. Riverfront Oasis in Woody Creek, Colorado
This secluded six-acre estate at the confluence of Woody Creek and the Roaring Fork River is just a short drive from Aspen, the 19th-century silver mining town turned celebrity ski mecca.
The luxurious, 9,446-square-foot, custom-built log home captures the essence of Rocky Mountain living. The entrance hall opens to inviting reception rooms with timber beams and wide-plank floors.
Six bedrooms and six full bathrooms include a cozy main suite overlooking the river. The lower-level family room and gym opens to a sun terrace with a sunken hot tub.
The secluded, wooded grounds offer a variety of outdoor entertaining spaces, as well as a caretaker’s house and a timber barn with a bunkroom and four-car garage. Beyond lies a wonderland of evergreen forests and snow-capped mountain peaks.
5. Ski-In, Ski-Out Chalet in Gilardon, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
This picture-postcard Alpine chalet offers ski-in, ski-out access to the Olympic slopes of Cortina d’Ampezzo, the “Pearl of the Dolomites.”
The 10,958-square-foot, five-story residence has been expertly renovated in the traditional Ampezzo-style. There are 10 rooms including a spacious living room, dream kitchen, billiards room, and spa.
Four bedrooms and eight bathrooms include a self-contained, top-level loft, ideal as an au pair or guest apartment. Another highlight is a wraparound mountain-view terrace for pre-ski coffee or après-ski cocktails.
The high-end destination of Cortina d’Ampezzo provides endless recreational possibilities throughout the summer and winter, with its glamorous social and culinary scene, unique geography, and proximity to Venice and the Prosecco Hills.
6. Chalet Le Beule in Le Grand-Bornand, Haute-Savoie, France
This 18th-century farmhouse, with its authentic Alpine charm and spectacular vistas, faces the Aravis Range, which is part of the French Prealps.
Renovated throughout, the result was sleek, contemporary wood-beamed and paneled interiors with 3,272 square feet of living space on three levels. The main floor of the farmhouse provides a kitchen, a dining space, a media lounge, and an office.
The lower level offers a spacious bedroom suite with a balcony, bathroom, and dressing room, and a sublime wellness area comprising a hammam, relaxing “sensory shower,” and spa pool.
Separately, there is a mazot—a small, traditional wooden building, fully renovated in 2022, with a bedroom, living and dining spaces, and its own balcony.
There is also an apartment with a bedroom, shower room, and kitchen that opens onto a terrace. A ski room and an outdoor spa round out the amenities.
