Love Sölden? Where to go next for the snow, the nights or both at once

Hintertux is the closest match to Sölden we measure, anywhere, and it takes the snow further. Its glacier is the only one in Austria open every day of the year. The village sits at 1,500 metres, 132 above Sölden's, and 96 percent of the piste we measure is above 1,800 metres, the highest share of the 13 Austrian resorts we cover, up to 3,239 metres. On snow, it is the safer bet of the two.

It skis like Sölden's steeper side. Thirty two percent of the piste is steeper than one in four, against 30, and its blues average 19.3 percent, the steepest blues of any Austrian resort we cover and the second steepest of the 55. A Sölden intermediate who is happy on the blues at home should expect them to bite a little harder here.

The trade is everything else. Hintertux is snowy and no frills by our read, and we do not class it as lively, so the nights go. There are 2.9 kilometres of black, the second least of the 55 resorts we cover, against Sölden's 19. The glacier area itself is 62 kilometres, and we measure 110 kilometres of piste around the village; the bigger Zillertal figures you will see quoted need a bus.

Ischgl keeps the half of Sölden that Hintertux drops. It is lively, high energy by our read, with nightlife at the top of what it does best, and in outline it is Sölden's twin. The village sits at 1,377 metres, nine above Sölden's. The season runs from late November to May. And 90 percent of the piste we measure is above 1,800 metres, against Sölden's 89, so it is snow sure on our measure too, up to 2,868 metres.

Then it gives you more mountain. We measure 152 kilometres of piste around Ischgl against Sölden's 135. There are 27 kilometres of black, the fifth most of the 55 resorts we cover, against 19, and 11 kilometres of marked itinerary where Sölden has none. And the reds are kinder. Ischgl has 83 kilometres of them, averaging 20.7 percent against Sölden's 23.7.

The trade is the top and the blue. Ischgl's skiing stops 438 metres below Sölden's, so you lose the glaciers and the feeling of skiing at 3,000 metres. And there is far less blue: 43 kilometres, 28 percent of the piste, against Sölden's 77 and 57 percent. For a group of confident intermediates that is no loss at all. For a mixed group with a nervous skier, it is the thing to think about before you book.

Verbier is the one route that keeps both halves and changes the country. It is lively, cosmopolitan by our read, with nightlife on the list of what it does best, and its skiing reaches 3,283 metres, measured, just 23 short of Sölden's. The village sits at 1,500 metres, 132 above Sölden's, and 84 percent of the piste we measure is above 1,800 metres. Snow sure on our measure.

What it adds is the off piste. Verbier has 26 kilometres of marked itinerary, where Sölden has none, and big terrain is on its list of what it does best. If the strong skiers in your group have spent their Sölden weeks wondering what lies off the groomed runs, this is where they find out.

What it changes is the groomed skiing, which is far gentler than its reputation suggests. Only 19 percent of Verbier's piste is steeper than one in four, against Sölden's 30, and 48 percent is gentler than 15 percent, the joint highest share of the 55 resorts we cover, against Sölden's 26. Its blues average 11.5 percent, the gentlest of the 55 resorts we cover. Swiss grading runs kinder than Austrian, so go by those shares, not the colours.

The trade is size and season. Verbier's own domain measures about 97 kilometres, against Sölden's 135, with 11 kilometres of black against 19, and the season runs from December to April, shorter at both ends. The bigger figure you will see quoted for Verbier is a pass across several valleys, not its own skiing.