Around the World in 50 Slopes - (Wild Side Trail Guide) by Patrick Thorne (Hardcover)

About the Book

Veteran ski journalist Patrick Thorne has unearthed the incredible stories behind 50 unique runs from the utterly unmissable to the totally unexpected. Discover the Alpine ski areas that claim to be Hannibal's route through the mountains with his elephants; the debate aound what is really the world's steepest slope; the skin runs based on smuggler's routes through the Alps; and why hundreds of skiers dress as witches at Belalp in Switzerland every year.

Book Synopsis

'They're places skiers will love.' - Metro

'An intercontinental romp through a galaxy of ski trivia.' - Scotsman

'Whether you've ever skied or never been near a chairlift or the piste, there is gold in these pages. ' - Press & The Journal

The amazing history behind the best ski trails in the world.

Veteran ski journalist Patrick Thorne has unearthed the incredible stories behind 50 unique runs from the utterly unmissable to the totally unexpected. Discover the two different Alpine ski areas who claim to be Hannibal's route through the mountains with his elephants; the debate around what is really the world's steepest slope; how smugglers have used ski runs to escape custom patrol; and why hundreds of skiers dress as witches at Belalp in Switzerland every year.

Features skiing from across Europe, North America and South America, as well as fascinating global ski destinations including China, Iran and even North Korea. Along the way we'll meet Franz Klammer, the greatest ski racer in history, as well as The Beatles, Count Dracula, St Patrick and James Bond. Complimented with practical information and trail maps, it is the perfect gift for the skier in your life.

From the Back Cover

The amazing history behind the best ski trails in the world.

Veteran ski journalist Patrick Thorne has unearthed the incredible stories behind 50 unique runs from the utterly unmissable to the totally unexpected. Discover the two different Alpine ski areas who claim to be Hannibal's route through the mountains with his elephants; the debate around what is really the world's steepest slope; how smugglers have used ski runs to escape custom patrol; and why hundreds of skiers dress as witches at Belalp in Switzerland every year.

Features skiing from across Europe, North America and South America, as well as fascinating global ski destinations including China, Iran and even North Korea. Along the way we'll meet Franz Klammer, the greatest ski racer in history, as well as The Beatles, Count Dracula, St Patrick and James Bond. Complimented with practical information and trail maps, it is the perfect gift for the skier in your life.

Review Quotes

They're places skiers will love.--Metro

Around the World in 50 Slopes is an intercontinental romp through a galaxy of ski trivia, in which the various runs are included not only because of the quality of skiing they offer, but also because of the stories they have to tell.--Roger Cox, The Scotsman

Whether you've ever skied or never been near a chairlift or the piste, there is gold in these pages and Patrick is a master of the quirky, the weird and downright surreal.--Neil Drysdale, The Press & The Journal

About the Author

Patrick Thorne is a veteran ski journo who has been collecting a database of reference material on ski resorts worldwide since the 90s; he also runs the Green Ski Resort Guide database. Has written a dozen ski guides, including Powder: The Greatest Ski Runs on the Planet (Quercus, 2014). He is editor-in-chief of InTheSnow website and magazine.