Glarus, Switzerland

Capital City: Glarus
Closest Airport: Zurich
Population: 38300
Resort Area: Glarus - Schwanden - Filzbach
Snow Season: Late December - early March
Main Language: German
Currency: Swiss Franc

Head south east from Zurich and eventually you'll run into the Glarus Alps. Dominated by the 3,614 metre Tödi and a couple of other drei tausenders, these aren't the tallest hills in Switzerland, but they are essentially snow sure - which is always good news. Better still the resorts in the area are little more than an hour's drive from Zurich, which makes weekend skiing in Glarus as easy as popping to the shops, and a damn site more fun.

Round here, you've got a choice of three resorts. Braunwald's the biggest (with eight hotels, a 600 metre drop, a snowpark and a 6 kms longest run) and best suited to intermediate riders. Elm's terrain is a little tamer still, but there's a snowpark here too. Filzbach's probably best for tobogganing with the family.