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By Rob Lovitt
Ahhh, winter ... when a skier's fancy turns to high peaks, fresh snow, and the joy of flying downhill. For some skiers, that means big bowls of fresh powder in the Sierras of California and Nevada; for others, blue-sky cruising at the world-class resorts of Utah and Colorado. Or perhaps you prefer the Alps-like splendor of western Canada or the tree-lined trails and classic ski towns of Vermont and Québec.
Given such diversity, the real challenge is finding the right destination for your taste, style, and budget. Whether you like to cruise the groomed, shred the steeps, or escape the crowds, here are some resorts that can help you turn your particular ski fancy into your next great vacation.
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Best resorts for powder
Savvy powder seekers make tracks for Utah and Wyoming where big storms run into big mountains, treating skiers to some of the finest, lightest powder in the world. |
1. Alta and Snowbird, UT
2. Grand Targhee, WY
3. Park City area, UT
4. Vail, CO
5. Jackson Hole, WY
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6. Breckenridge, CO
7. Steamboat, CO
8. Lake Tahoe, CA
9. Copper Mountain, CO
10. Telluride, CO
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Best resorts for experts
When it comes to big bowls, tight chutes,
and other double-black-diamond runs,
resorts like these are definitely an expert
skier's best friends. |
1. Whistler Blackcomb, B.C.
2. Jackson Hole, WY
3. Squaw Valley, CA
4. Crested Butte, CO
5. Taos, NM
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6. Snowbird, UT
7. Vail, CO
8. Aspen, CO
9. Big Sky, MT
10. Killington, VT
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Best resorts for beginners
Take a caring ski-school staff; add good, soft snow, and plenty of well-sheltered beginner slopes, and it's no wonder these resorts manage to make learning fun. |
1. Vail, CO
2. Snowmass, CO
3. Keystone, CO
4. Copper Mountain, CO
5. Winter Park, CO
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6. Northstar-at-Tahoe, CA
7. Beaver Creek, CO
8. Sun Valley, ID
9. Steamboat, CO
10. Banff area, Alberta
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Most varied terrain
If variety is the spice of life, then these resorts offer a skiing smorgasbord of green circles, blue squares, and black diamonds. Best of all, you can always go back for more.
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1. Whistler Blackcomb, B.C.
2. Vail, CO
3. Mammoth Mountain, CA
4. Jackson Hole, WY
5. Breckenridge, CO
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6. Copper Mountain, CO
7. Big Sky, MT
8. Lake Louise, Alberta
9. Winter Park, CO
10. Kirkwood, CA
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Best resorts for snowboarders
Some resorts offer naturally flowing terrain and plenty of powder; others boast huge half-pipes and towering terrain parks. These resorts offer all of the above.
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1. Whistler Blackcomb, B.C.
2. Mammoth Mountain, CA
3. Breckenridge, CO
4. Vail, CO
5. Squaw Valley, CA
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6. Heavenly, CA
7. Copper Mountain, CO
8. Park City, UT
9. Steamboat, CO
10. Northstar-at-Tahoe, CA
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Best cross-country skiing
Like your skiing without crowds, lift lines, or precipitous pitches? If so, these resorts have just the ticket: miles of set tracks, winding networks of wooded trails, and acres of backcountry adventure.
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1. Sun Valley, ID
2. Big Sky, MT
3. Mammoth Mountain, CA
4. Aspen, CO
5. Stowe, VT
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6. Steamboat, CO
7. Crested Butte, CO
8. Beaver Creek, CO
9. Breckenridge, CO
10. Northstar-at-Tahoe, CA
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Best resorts for families
From dependable child care for the little ones to terrain parks for teenaged riders to après-ski activities for all ages, these resorts have figured out the formula for successful family ski trips. |
1. Snowmass, CO
2. Breckenridge, CO
3. Steamboat, CO
4. Park City, UT
5. Winter Park, CO
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6. Vail, CO
7. Killington, VT
8. Keystone, CO
9. Mont Tremblant, Québec
10. Whistler Blackcomb, B.C.
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Most romantic resorts
Whether it's dinner and champagne in a gourmet restaurant or strawberries and chocolate in a cozy chalet, these resorts provide the perfect setting for more private après-ski activities.
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1. Lake Louise, Alberta
2. Beaver Creek, CO
3. Telluride, CO
4. Deer Valley, UT
5. Snowmass, CO
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6. Aspen, CO
7. Stowe, VT
8. Mont Tremblant, Québec
9. Crested Butte, CO
10. Jackson Hole, WY
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Most exciting nightlife
Just because the lifts have closed for the day doesn't mean the action has to stop; at resorts from Aspen to Whistler to Killington, the good times continue to roll all night long.
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1. Aspen, CO
2. Whistler Blackcomb, B.C.
3. Park City, UT
4. Lake Tahoe, CA
5. Killington, VT
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6. Breckenridge, CO
7. Mont Tremblant, Québec
8. Vail, CO
9. Jackson Hole, WY
10. Steamboat, CO
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Most fun for non-skiers
Who says ski resorts are just for skiers? Not these high-alpine playgrounds, where the alternatives range from snowmobiles and dogsled tours to sleigh rides and spa treatments.
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1. Park City, UT
2. Vail, CO
3. Whistler Blackcomb, B.C.
4. Keystone, CO
5. Lake Tahoe, CA
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6. Jackson Hole, WY
7. Copper Mountain, CO
8. Crested Butte, CO
9. Breckenridge, CO
10. The Canyons, UT
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Most spectacular scenery
From Canada's glacier-clad peaks to Lake Tahoe's azure waters, these resorts combine great skiing with scenery on a grand scale. |
1. Banff area, Alberta
2. Whistler Blackcomb, B.C.
3. Heavenly, CA
4. Squaw Valley, CA
5. Sun Valley, ID
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6. Jackson Hole, WY
7. Big Sky, MT
8. Grand Targhee, WY
9. Telluride, CO
10. Mammoth Mountain, CA
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Coziest resorts
Some resorts pack a lot of skiing into a small amount of space; others feel snug and comfortable despite their ample acreage. Either way, these resorts manage to make even first-time visitors feel like locals.
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1. Stowe, VT
2. Taos, NM
3. Durango, CO
4. Alpine Meadows, CA
5. Sierra-at-Tahoe, CA
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6. Grand Targhee, WY
7. Sugar Bowl, CA
8. Marmot Basin, Alberta
9. Mont Tremblant, Québec
10. Diamond Peak, NV
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Best value resorts
Chalk it up to inexpensive lift tickets, good package deals, or a favorable exchange rate—at these resorts, you can save enough money to start planning your next trip.
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1. Alta, UT
2. Big Mountain, MT
3. Banff area, Alberta
4. Grand Targhee, WY
5. Keystone, CO
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6. Breckenridge, CO
7. Copper Mountain, CO
8. Sugar Bowl, CA
9. Durango, CO
10. Big Sky, MT
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Least crowded resorts
Some resorts are a bit off the beaten path; others keep the crowds down by limiting ticket sales. Whatever the formula, skiers at these resorts enjoy shorter lift lines and more time on the fun part of each run. |
1. Grand Targhee, WY
2. Taos, NM
3. Deer Valley, UT
4. Big Mountain, MT
5. Big Sky, MT
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6. Durango, CO
7. Marmot Basin, Alberta
8. Ski Banff@Norquay, Alberta
9. Sun Valley, ID
10. Telluride, CO
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Rob Lovitt sold his first ski story to Skiing magazine in 1984. Since then, he's skied on four continents, logged thousands of ski days, and written for dozens of national publications, including Outside, Travel & Leisure, and several in-flight magazines.
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Photos: Getty Images/PhotoDisc and Corbis.
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