Let’s get some tasty context here. At 2000m, the average snowfall for resorts across The Alps, per season, lands between 5m and 8m in the north, and 3.5m and 5.5m to the south. And that’s enough to see you through that long-awaited powder pilgrimage, and the big deep stoke-massaging carves, you’ve been dreaming of all summer, right?

What if we were to tell you that there was an under-the-radar resort in The Alps where the season snowfall averages at a massive *punches numbers into calculator meaningfully* 10 metres? Where idea of fresh pow mornings isn’t a roll of the dice, but a pretty solid certainty, and that puts even Avoriaz and it’s now meagre-looking average of 7.5m a season to shame? No, we’re not talking about long-hauling it to the Japanese Alps. We’re talking the pretty untouchable snow record of the Vorarlberg resort of Damüls, in Austria’s westernmost province.

• Highest Point: 2,050m
• Descent: 1,136
• No. lifts: 27

With a relatively easy two-hour drive standing in the way between you landing at Zürich airport and Damüls’ snow-dumping microclimate (or, for the Covid-aware of us, an 11-hour drive from Calais), this little gem is far better connected than you might imagine. Couple this with some huge trophies on its mantlepiece – including the title of ‘Snow-Richest Village In The World’ for 2007 – and the fact this Austrian snow magnet, with its 109km of pistes and crazy-quite lifts in the week, isn’t yet a mainstream destination, is somewhat surprising. And extremely enticing.

If you’re liking what you’re reading then get a load of this shotgun guide to Damüls, which will help convince you to get out and shred around one of the snowiest villages in the world…

What’s new for 2021/22

Put bluntly, not much. And can you blame them? With bragging rights to a snow record that’s almost untouchable, an already modern lift system (28 in total) and a whole bunch of ski-in ski-out accommodation options to choose from, Damüls is all set by any primo resort standard.

If we were to really dig deep for some changes? Well, a couple of pistes have been optimized for even sweeter riding, and a handful of hotels and lodgings have been spruced up a little. But aside from that, a trip to Damüls this season means very little construction is going down to interrupt your experience and scenic views in this picture-perfect Alpine village.

The Parks – 4/5

For a resort that, on paper, looks geared up nicely for beginners and families, you might be surprised to learn that Damüls has a big reputation when it comes to freestyle park riding. The reason? Oh, only the longest and largest snowpark in the Bregenzerwald area. A quick eye on snowparkdamuels.com or the park’s dedicated Instagram profile will give you a taste of what to expect, with an extensive list of features that has been 21 years in the making, and is geared up for all levels to attack.

It’s worth checking out the park’s roster of upcoming events, even more so if you fancy getting up there but the knees need a little break. There’s plenty going on, including BBQs, takeovers from park sponsor Volcom, and day-shreds geared up for ankle-high rippers too.

“For a resort that, on paper, looks geared up nicely for beginners and families, you might be surprised to learn that Damüls has a big reputation when it comes to freestyle park riding.“