Five Offbeat Ski Destinations

Originally a utilitarian means of transport, skiing has a history spanning several millennia, and has grown to become a winter sport practiced all around the world. Here are five unexpected places where you can hit the slopes for your next ski adventure.

Ski Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Yes, you can get a world-class skiing experience right in the middle of the desert. Ski Dubai is an indoor ski resort housed inside the Mall of the Emirates, featuring five runs on an 85-meter-high slope, one of which is the world’s first indoor black diamond run.

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Mauna Kea, Hawai’i

Even Hawai’i gets snow from time to time, though not enough to garner a ski resort. That means there’s no lifts, trails or even ski patrol, so these runs are best left for the experts. The snow can have a strange texture and since it’s on a volcano, there’s no vegetation underneath, just volcanic rock.

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Gulmarg, Kashmir, India

If you like Mauna Kea, you’ll love Gulmarg in northern India, the biggest ski resort of the Himalayas with more than 1,500 meters of vertical. Back-country snowboarders swear by the terrain, locally called “curry powder,” though only experts should venture here, as the area has spotty electricity, intermittent ski patrol and is prone to avalanches.

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Mount Ruapehu, New Zealand

You might recognize this mountain as Mount Doom in the Lord of the Rings films. Mount Ruapehu, an active volcano that last erupted in 2007, is made up of two ski resorts: Whakapapa on the northwest side and Turoa on the southwestern side, which is serviced by Happy Valley, a facility built specifically for beginners.

Woodward, Copper Mountain, Colo.

Sibling to Pennsylvania’s Camp Woodward, Woodward Copper is an extreme sports training ground built for year-round action. The complex has great ski run, but what makes this place such a draw is its facilities for skateboarding, BMX, slopestyle and mountain biking, all of which are available for kids and adults alike.