Preliminary Outline
EUROPE
Even to someone who grew up in the Rockies, the expanse of European skiing is almost unbelievable. The European term for the bounty of skiing found in a particular region is "ski circus." Just knowing there's a word for it helps you come to grips with the shear number of lifts and trails. In the Alps, skiers cover vast horizontal distances by moving between interconnected resorts. They go up and down and round and round the mountains. In North America, we go up and down the same mountain complex.
In the Rockies, the best resorts milk around 4,000 vertical feet of skiing. In Chamonix, the Vallee Blanche route back to town from Aiguille du Midi drops 9,205 vertical feet stretching 15 miles. The scale is immense. How is this possible? European summits are not that much higher than the highest peaks in the Rockies or Sierras. But the valleys carved into the Alps massif are much, much lower. Innsbruck, Austria, is a mere 1,886 feet above sea level.
Half the 100 best ski resorts in the world are in Europe, many of them linked to a vast network of seemingly endless ski lifts that span valleys, cross the continental divide and pick you up in the next country. It's hard to know where one resort ends and another begins. Most of the terrain surrounding European resorts is owned by farming co-operatives. Individual mountain villages build skill lifts to tap into the skiers bound to the nearby web of lifts. Ski schools often invest their profits in building new lifts in order to stay competitive with other ski centers, knowing full well that tourism is the largest industry in the world.
The weather tends to be milder in the European Alps compared to the Rocky Mountains, with dependable skiing mid-December to mid-April. And even considering airfare, there are bargains to be found in European skiing, particularly in package deals that avoid the peak seasons of Christmas and the month of February.
But more than anything else Old World charm sets Europe apart. And it is everywhere. Tourism may have replaced goat herding in the Alps, but not completely, and not that long ago. The sleek cable car departing the lift barn might be rising from a thousand-year-old village. The après-ski, including dining, lodging and service, is the best in the ski world.
And getting around Europe is a pleasant experience. Where you can't ski you
can catch a train, which are well appointed and well oiled. The rail routes span much of the best mountain scenery on the Continent, transporting skiers from gateway cities to resorts and from resort to resort.
UNITED STATES
Like Europe, America's big. The Rocky Mountains have as much going for them the Alps. New England is one-of-a-kind. The mold broke hundreds of years ago. If you think the East doesn't hold mountains, then you haven't skied their best resorts.
The snow is better on the large mountains of the West where overnight storms can easily leave foot-deep, fluffy powder snow. But the East offers twisting, forested trails that follow the contour of the mountain, which is what a classic ski run is supposed to do. Western ski runs often look like broad bowling lanes.
Ski racers face their biggest challenges in the East, where firm snow and ice require technique that Eastern skiers grow up to master. A Westerner can learn something back East. One American national ski team member sums up the East/West debate this way: Easterners have a general resignation that anything worth having is worth suffering for. Westerners didn't like the conditions in the East, so they left.
The ski season lasts longer in the high mountains of the West, generally running from mid-November to the end of April or mid-May. Snow can be sparse in November and slushy in April. The shoulder seasons usually offer deep discounts. February and March are the months of the most snowfall and offer the best skiing conditions. Holidays - Christmas and the last two weeks of February - are busy. Book early or avoid primetime.
Ski resorts located close to metropolitan areas are crowded on weekends. Resorts far from urban centers are often slow on weekends because the charter flights that bring in most of the skiers tend to use Saturdays and Sundays as travel days.
CANADA
Two solitudes - East and West/French and English - have shared Canada since Confederation. The choices that skiers face mirror America: the wild snow-riddled West on one side; and on the other coast, New France replacing New England as the denizen of culture and ski technique. The Canadian Rockies offer some of the most scenic skiing anywhere, particularly in Banff National Park, where skiers are treated to 10,000-year-old glacier views.
As far as America vs. Canada, there is little difference in the operation and facilities found at the best resorts. And that speaks highly of both nations. Canadian resorts are generally colder, but spring skiing, the best time of year to ski, lasts longer in Canada. The vertical distance offered by the best resorts in Canada and United States is similar. But in Canada, the valleys and summits are both at comparatively lower elevations, which makes skiing easier to take for those predisposed to altitude sickness. In recent years, the relatively low Canadian dollar has attracted both Americans and Europeans to the ski slopes of Canada.
SOUTH OF THE EQUATOR
The skiing is halfway out of this world. That's how far the South Pacific stretches. Summer is winter. At the distant end is New Zealand's South Island, a wild strip of land with a challenging range of mountains running the length of the island from north to south, in a country with 3 million people and 70 million sheep. You're never far from a ski resort or a sheep farm in New Zealand.
The most famous ski run is the Tasman Glacier, an 18-mile descent along an ice-covered valley that scrapes against ethereal Mt. Cook, the highest peak in the antipodes. A ski-equipped aircraft does duty as the only chairlift. These are big mountains, as wild and as rugged as any in North America.
South American skiing is friendly and far-removed from the areas of crime and turmoil that so often make the news. The high-altitude skiing extends far beyond the named runs, making a day of skiing in the Andes somewhat of an adventure. At the base of the mountains, the ski resorts offer plenty of comfort, including the best of everything. The prime skiing south of the equator happens in July, August and early September.
Sidebars:
Altitude sickness: In the American West it's not uncommon to ski between 9,000 feet and 11,000 feet above sea level. Altitude sickness can cause breathlessness, headaches and sleeplessness, keeping some people off the slopes. It also stifles appetites and compounds the nasty affects of alcohol consumption.
The symptoms start six to 72 hours after arrival until the body adjusts to the diminished supply of oxygen above 6,000 feet. Some skiers take longer to adjust. If you don't handle altitude well, or suffer from cardiovascular or pulmonary diseases, you might want to ski in the East, the lower Canadian Rockies, or the low-elevation resorts of Europe. Also, a little regular exercise before your ski trip goes a long way in the
mountains.
Clothing: Dress in layers. Discussion of the new active wear made from synthetic material. It really does work well. There are no cold days, just improperly dressed skiers. Skin care (sun and wind protection), and eye care.
Ski safety: Rules of the road. (Skiers downhill have the right-of-way). The best snow and the least congestion are often along the edges of a ski run. A little mountain medicine - recognizing frostbite, anatomical injuries (stay warm and send for ski patrol). Most injuries happen on the last run of the day - know when to quit. The increasing use of helmets by recreational skiers. Avalanche concerns - how to avoid and what to do if you're caught in one.
Renting equipment: The problem with renting at the airport, down the road
or back in town is the lack of trailside assistance. If you rent from a faraway vendor instead of at the base of the mountain, you might be down for the day, or longer, if your boots hurt after two runs or your bindings are ill adjusted. Should you pay the premium for high-performance equipment? It only makes sense if you're a high performance skier, otherwise it might hinder you. Only a fool would rent a high-performance, stick-shift car if they didn't know how to change gears. Skis differ greatly in their characteristics. Try demo skis before you buy.
Cutting costs: Charters, multiple-day lift tickets, half-day tickets and pre-season ticket purchase. Is a rental car really necessary? Perhaps plan a no-ski day in the middle of a ski week - your body, your spouse, and maybe even your kids will enjoy the break. You'll ski better the next day and usually there's plenty of other stuff to see and do. And you can stick with the winter theme - sleigh rides, tobogganing and skating. The 100 best resorts all offer activities for non-skiers.
Choosing a resort: Cost, distance and time getting there. Who skis there? Does the area cater to your ability level and interests on and off the slopes? If your spouse is a better skier can you ride the same lifts, ski down different runs geared to your skill level, and still meet at the bottom?
Ski Schools and Ski Technique: Are there different methods used in teaching the sport? Group versus private lessons and the rise of popular ski clinics geared to the snow conditions of the day or a particular aspect of technique. Did you ever wonder why a ski is shaped the way it is? The new shaped skis.
Recent Trends at Resorts: The expansion of the village. Ski in/ski out accommodations. Mountain grooming and high-speed, detachable lifts. Six-person chairlifts. Heated sidewalks. New terrain at established mountains. Luxurious mountaintop dining. Infant care.
Choosing a Resort: Many skiers go to the same resort year after year. Variety might be the spice of skiing. Also, resorts are constantly going through a metamorphosis, upgrading lifts, occasionally opening new terrain.
GERMANY
Garmisch Partenkirchen - an Olympic city (1936) at the base of the country's highest mountain¿Germany's best and most famous ski resort.
SWITZERLAND
Arosa - long-established Swiss resort¿played a role in the development of skiing as a popular winter sport¿easy wide-open skiing and good off-slope activities¿town tucked into a circle of mountains above Chur¿43 miles of runs above treeline
Champery - the main ski resort of the Portes du Soleil region, extremely large resort¿Champery is an authentic, old Swiss mountain village
Crans-Montana - twin villages anchor a 108-year-old ski resort¿the site of many World Championships¿39 lifts, warm southern exposure
0 Davos - the largest ski resort in Switzerland and the highest city in Europe
Engelberg - central Switzerland's largest resort¿close to Zurich and Lucerne¿meeting of three mountain ranges, excellent beginner slops and a separate area for experts
Grindlewald -best-known resort in the Jungfrau region, a picture-postcard settlement at the foot of 10,000-foot peaks
Gstaad - known for jet setters seeking outstanding beginner/intermediate skiing¿lift pass includes 10 smaller resorts offering more than 69 lifts and 60 miles of prepared trails
Klosters - small traditional village...low-key atmosphere and excellent, challenging skiing¿a perfect hideaway for the famous, Prince Charles comes every winter
Murren - a tiny village in the Jungfrau region, a perfect movie set (James Bond's Her Majesty's Secret Service)¿reached by cog train or cable car¿the Inferno run is an international legend¿one of the most romantic resorts in Europe
Saas-Fee - a small village (chalets and small hotels - no concrete jungle) offering year-round skiing¿ringed by 18 peaks, offering 50 miles of trails superbly divided between beginner, intermediate and expert terrain
St. Moritz - the original Swiss winter resort, and the grandest
Verbier - upscale, chic and popular¿great for experts and advanced skiers¿6,000-foot vertical, more than 70 miles of prepared slopes¿90 miles from Geneva
Wengen - a car-free village directly below the 13,026-foot Eiger (Clint Eastwood's The Eiger Sanction)¿reached by cog train or cable car¿stunningly beautiful
Zermatt - Switzerland's best-known ski area¿no matter how many times you come you are always charmed by the village
ITALY
Bormio - a medieval mountain village in northernmost Italy¿site of World Championships in 1985 and 2005¿hosts World Cup races every season
Cervinia - the Italian side of the Matterhorn¿Italy's Zermatt, offering reliable snow and broad slopes¿old cable cars have been replaced by sleek gondolas and a 140-person cable car¿interconnects to the Swiss side
Courmayeur - tremendous location on the Italian side of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe¿at the junction of Switzerland, France and Italy¿guarantees snow
Cortina d'Ampezzo - 1956 Olympic site, wide sunny valley in the eastern Dolomites¿one of the world's top ritzy ski resorts and some of the best scenery
Madonna di Campiglio - Italy's largest resort¿elegant resort amid beautiful, easy-to-ski terrain
Val Gardena - some of the best prices in Europe¿extensive skiing opportunities for beginners and intermediates¿three main villages¿area interconnects with 464 lifts
AUSTRIA
St. Anton - in a sense, downhill skiing was invented here¿the mountains were made for skiing¿one of the most famous resorts in the world
Bad Gastein - famous year-round resort¿casino, fur coats¿includes four mountains¿heaven for intermediate skiers
Innsbruck-Austria's most famous ski city¿twice hosted World Olympic Games¿seven nearby areas on one ski pass
Ischgl - charming small Alpine resort¿great snow¿41 lifts, 125 miles of wide-open trails¿intermediate terrain¿known for lively après-ski
Kitzbuhel - the town dates to the 9th century and is the undisputed king of Austrian ski resorts
Lech - a stunningly beautiful setting on the backside of St. Anton, a quieter and more expensive alternative in the Alberg region¿a favorite among many American skiers
Mayrhofen - includes three ski areas¿extended season with better-than average conditions¿great intermediate and beginner terrain¿ski school has an outstanding reputation¿best resort is Gaschurn - located in Montafon Valley and includes Schruns Tschagguns, St. Gallenkirch, Gargellen, Partenen
Saalbach - one of Austria's premier areas¿a place to party even though the village is as pretty as it gets¿perhaps the best interconnected lift system in Austria
Schladming - one of Austria's top three ski areas¿ it's got it all¿Austrian legend Arnold Schwaznegger skis here
Seefeld - an insider's choice for alpine charm and seclusion¿spectacular, pastoral community on a high, sun-washed plateau¿a tranquil island in a wide sea of rolling peaks¿more five-star hotels (seven) than any resort in the Alps¿uncrowded skiing
Soelden - Austria's Tyrol region has 119 resorts and Soelden would rate high on anyone's top10¿for people who ski fast and play hard¿one of the resorts with the highest number of visits¿the glacier (summer skiing) is where the Ice Man of Similaun was found several years ago¿114 prepared slopes¿34 lifts¿a tunnel for skiers between the main glaciers
Stubai Glacier (Neustift - town at the base) - outstanding snow, great intermediate skiing¿the Stubai glacier is a legend among skiers
Zell am See - year-round glacier skiing and wonderful treed slopes¿55 lifts and 78 miles of trails¿terrain for all abilities¿great night life...romantic accommodations¿one of Austria's premier year-round resorts
FRANCE
Alpe-d'Huez - nicknamed "Island in the Sky"¿known for great snow, sunny weather and mountain views¿modern with ski/ski out accommodations
Avoriaz - Morzine - anchors the French side of Portes du Soleil¿a good mix of trails¿perhaps the best base to explore the Portes du Soleil
Chamonix - the most famous ski town in France¿perhaps the world's best expert and advanced skiing on spectacular mountains rising more than 12,500 feet above the valley
Courchevel - the most cosmopolitan of the four villages that make up the massive 200 ski lifts that serve Les Trois Vallees¿the enormity of it is hard to comprehend, more than 70,000 acres, which is more than all the developed terrain in Colorado and Utah combined¿the ultimate "ski circus"¿France's first real jet-set resort¿skiing offers something for everyone
Flaine - car-free resort, great for families¿good snow¿77 lifts, 160 miles of trails¿great views of Mont Blanc¿
La Clusaz-Le Grand-Bornand - close to Geneva¿plenty of singles action¿these two very traditional and ancient villages have become excellent ski resorts
La Plagne - the largest single ski resort in Europe (based on lifts and lift capacity)¿vertical of 6,500 feet (a third more than any North American resort¿one of the highest resorts on the continent, great snow
Les Arcs-high above the town of Bourg-St. Maurice¿modern complexes designed especially as a ski resort¿international flavor¿many of the ski lifts rise from centuries-old hamlets
Les Deux-Alpes - relatively new, "purpose-built" resort (conceived solely for tourism)¿but has splendid setting in French Alps¿62 lifts and 7,700-foot vertical¿high up so great snow¿in a word, big
Megeve - exudes old-fashioned charm¿the upper-crust of Europe make this their winter home¿furs are the coats of choice¿exceptional variety of terrain¿all totaled almost 200 miles of trails
Meribel - part of the Les Trois Vallees¿200 ski lifts on a single pass¿skiing doesn't get any better¿maintains traditional mountain architecture of the French Alps
Tignes - modern village built after the tradition village was flooded in the 1950s¿appeals to the young and restless¿huddled at the foot of one of Europe 's largest glaciers¿the skiing is fantastic, consistently rates as one of the best resorts in the world
rdVal-d'Isere - one of the true European Mecca's of skiing¿home of Jean-Claude Killy¿some of the best on- and off-trail runs in the world¿links with Tignes¿something for everyone
SPAIN
Sierra Nevada - the largest and best resort in Spain¿the most dependable snowfall¿known for great food
ALASKA
Alyeska - Alaska's biggest and best¿stunning views¿only 40 miles from Anchorage¿big mountain skiing without the threat of altitude sickness¿averages more than 700 inches of snow each year (any Colorado resort would love half that)¿great lifts and luxurious accommodations
CALIFORNIA
Heavenly Ski Resort - big and beautiful¿great views of Lake Tahoe¿plenty of sunshine plus big dumps of snow¿largest resort in Lake Tahoe region
Squaw Valley USA - Olympic site¿set in a high Sierra Nevada cirque and some of the most challenging steep skiing anywhere
Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort - aptly named, the resort is massive and has a great reputation for the quality of service offered
COLORADO
Aspen Mountain - now called Ajax¿when people talk Aspen they mean this mountain that rises directly above the town¿arguably the most famous resort in America
Snowmass Ski Resort - this immense self-contained resort is larger than the combined acreage of the other three Aspen areas (Ajax, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk)¿among the five largest resorts in North America¿six mountain sections, suitable to all levels of skiers¿perhaps (along with Steamboat Springs) it's the best family resort in America
Breckenridge - based on skier visits, the second-most visited resort in North America¿epicenter of Summit County shopping and dining¿the oldest existing mining town on Colorado's western slope
Copper Mountain Ski Resort - one of the leading resorts in Summit County,
Colorado's prime ski country¿scenic Ten Mile Range¿good skiing on extremely well laid out trails¿a building boom to upgrade the village at the mountain's base has been going on for the last few years¿Village Square is good focus for teens and families¿Copper Mountain's Club Med is the first and only North American operation of the famed French ski club
Crested Butte Mountain Resort - perched in a beautiful, out-of-the-way corner of Colorado¿takes you back in time¿immaculately preserved Victoriana (one of the largest National Historic Districts in the US¿the 12,162-foot mountain traps heaps of snow and yields some of the best expert terrain in Colorado¿treasures of town and mountain are interwoven
Keystone Resort - well-run resort¿good all-round skiing on three peaks¿currently into a $1 billion revamp, mostly directed at the village at the base of the lifts¿several new stone-and-timber ski-in/ski-out lodges¿arguably the best snow grooming outside Deer Valley and nearby Beaver Creek¿youthful energy¿great for families
Steamboat Ski Resort - sample entry completed when pursuing this book contract
Telluride Ski Resort - the most scenic resort in America (in my view)¿a box canyon that's a hid away for Hollywood types (Tom Cruise and Ralph Lauren have homes here)¿in the last few years the celebrities from Aspen have migrated here¿has emerged as one of the hottest resorts in the country¿oh yea, and great skiing, some say one of Colorado's toughest mountains, but also great intermediate and beginner terrain¿a new mountain village away from the old town offers a wealth of ski/ski out accommodations
Vail - scale and scope, draws more skiers than any resort in the nation¿known worldwide for customer service and amenities¿Vail has it all¿known for its country club clientele, but strives to accommodate everyone¿Vail never disappoints
Beaver Creek Ski Resort - sister resort to Vail, 10 miles down the valley¿ultra-luxurious enclave for those who like to be pampered¿everything from Ralph Lauren furnishings to slope valets¿you enter through security gates¿pretty great skiing too
Winter Park - Denver's closest resort¿everyone seems to love this place¿well-known for mogul skiing...excellent skiing¿reasonably priced accommodations¿famous in the US for its fine ski programs for people with disabilities¿new village and grand hotel are going up¿terrain divided into five neatly defined areas
IDAHO
Sun Valley Ski Resort - depending upon how you feel about Aspen, Vail or Taos, this is the best or second-best resort in the USA¿where Ernest Hemmingway lived, wrote most of For whom the Bell Tolls, died and is buried¿European accent mixed with the Wild West¿America's fist ski resort¿(not that I matter, but this is the only ski resort in North America that I'd move to in a heart beat)
MONTANA
Big Sky Ski Resort - impressive Matterhorn-shaped peak¿great views and intermediate skiing (3,500 acres)¿real friendly service¿lacks vast beginner terrain¿far from urban areas so a true destination resort
Big Mountain - aptly named¿lots of terrain to explore and no-fluff off-slope atmosphere¿don't expect valet parking¿the only ones wearing fur coats are mountain men in buffalo robes¿acreage-wise (4,000) it ranks in the top ten
NEW MEXICO
Taos Ski Valley - famed for the quality of the experience¿great history¿many skiers, and I am one of them, rate this the best resort in North America¿European ambience¿great accommodations where your ski instructor is often your five-star chef
OREGON
Mt. Bachelor - stunning volcanic people¿the town of Bend is set in the ponderosa pines of high desert country¿great skiing and, I confess, offers geographic parity¿there are many fine resorts in the Pacific Northwest but this is one of the very few that would rank among the best in the world¿located on the eastern side of the Cascades so drier snow than commonly found in the Northwest
UTAH
Alta Ski Area - Utah's oldest and most cherished resort tucked away at the end of Little Cottonwood Canyon¿old-fashioned, unpretentious and proud of it; they've even kept the price of lift tickets about $25 below nearby big resorts¿famous for powder snow¿no malls, no condos, but five famous ski lodges
The Canyons - a few miles from historic Park City¿new development in the last few years at the base (Grand Summit Resort Hotel and village) and new lifts¿plenty of expert and advanced terrain¿intermediates will be happy, but not beginners¿14 lifts¿3,625 acres
Deer Valley Ski Resort - intimacy, service, style unmatched in the country (although Beaver Creek tries)¿even the lodge cafeteria serves gourmet food¿arguably the best snow-grooming in the world, Stein Erickson's lodge might be the best ski lodge¿land is privately owned, not leased from the U.S. Forest Service (the norm), so upscale accommodation is on the mountain, not below¿skiing encompasses four main mountains
Park City Mountain Resort - historic mining community¿the most popular mountain in a state where the mo0tor vehicle license plate read "Ski Utah"¿3,000 acres, known as an intermediate's cruising resort¿terrain faces every direction so great sun exposure¿the town is everything a ski town should be¿great lift system
Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort - a resort for people who love to ski because owner Dick Bass, who loves to ski, built it for himself¿the 10-story Cliff odge dominates the base and has stood the test of time¿above 11,000-foot Hidden Peak soars¿more than 500 inches of snow per year and the powder snow is the resorts main attraction¿this year it offers a joint lift pass with nearby Alta making an unbeatable combination for Utah skiing
Solitude Ski Resort - the main resort of Utah's Big Cottonwood Canyon¿the area has been completely revamped in the last few years with a new village and new lifts¿known for its great snow and variety of terrain
WASHINGTON
Crystal Mountain - there's plenty of skiing in Washington state, but this is the only destination resort¿terrain is steep and thrilling¿plenty of snow, as much as 12 feet¿on-mountain condos, lodges and restaurants¿new owners (Boyne USA) have built new high-speed lifts the last two years¿90 minutes from Seattle
WYOMING
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort - your average Western resort on steroids¿more
than 4,000 vertical feet¿aerial tram¿hotels that pamper¿incredible views¿one
of America's more challenging mountains
MAINE
Sugarloaf/USA - a big, well-utilized mountain¿the only above-treeline, lift-serviced skiing in the East¿plenty of variety and challenge¿located in the boondocks but base village provides all you need
Sunday River Ski Resort - a pleasant blend of old New England tradition with modern facilities¿just outside the town of Bethel¿sprawls over eight interconnected mountains¿the most slopeside lodging in the East¿high-powered snow-making system pumps a mountain of snow
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Waterville Valley Ski Resort - perhaps the most popular resort in the state¿has staged more than 10 Worlds Cup races in the past 25 years¿sufficiently self-contained¿good bump skiing and good tree skiing - good terrain, beautiful natural setting, more than 2,000 foot vertical drop¿near resort town of Lincoln¿runs match their pitch top to bottom (many expert runs in the East fizzle out on the bottom third)¿the resort is behemoth, one of the few where the bed base - 16,000 pillows - is larger than the lift capacity¿eight lifts, one gondola¿loaded with intermediate terrain
NEW YORK
Whiteface Mountain Ski Center - site of two Olympic Games (1932 and 1980)¿highest vertical in the East¿appeals to beginners and experts, less so for intermediates¿a wealth of other winter sports offered (this is my personal favorite in the East)
VERMONT
Jay Peak - some of the East's best woods and most powder¿serious skiing in the trees¿uncrowded¿good lift system
Killington Ski Resort - known as the "Beast in the East"¿sprawls over seven
mountains, 200 trails, 32 lifts, greater lift capacity tan anywhere in the East¿vast snowmaking¿terrain for everyone¿in 1996 added Pico Mountain¿usually the longest season in the East, often eight months¿extensive snowmaking
Mount Snow - Vermont's second-largest ski resort¿varied skiing on 50 miles of trails on five mountains, varies from dead easy to drop-dead difficult¿distinguished inns and classic b&b's nearby
Stowe Mountain Resort - one of the oldest and most distinguished ski resort in the East¿blue-blood lineage¿two main peaks¿long, narrow runs cut close into the forest make for a classic New England experience¿receives top marks for it's vintage Eastern flavor and tree skiing as well as backcountry skiing¿great lodging and dining¿town showcases white-steepled church and historic main street¿need a car to enjoy this area (mountain seven miles from town)¿The Trapp Family Lodge, America's first touring center
Stratton Mountain Resort - excellent grooming on mostly intermediate slopes¿you come here to feel good about your skiing¿just 20 miles from Manchester
Sugarbush Resort - the biggest in the Mad River Valley, quintessential Vermont, near two classic New England towns: Waitsfield and Warren ¿a big two-mountain resort¿high-speed lifts and potent snowmaking¿super gentle to super gentle slopes
CANADA
Sunshine Village - a Canadian legend, immense ski terrain¿probably Canada's third-best resort¿straddles the Continental Divide above treeline¿incredibly scenic¿you enter the area via gondola traveling up a long, twisting box canyon¿plenty of terrain
Ski Lake Louise - Canada's second-largest ski area offering skiing diversity and stunning scenery (often ranked the most scenic ski resort in North America)¿something for everyone¿Chateau Lake Louise is a classic Canadian Pacific castle-like hotel
Whistler Mountain Resort - the largest resort in North America¿ranked by many, even Europeans, as the greatest skiing anywhere¿plenty of nightlife and fine dining and accommodations¿Canada's Aspen, but with a much more international clientele¿ a challenging five-mile run is just one of the skiing highlights¿venue for World Cup races
Fernie - the mountain base area of this old mining town is developing a luxurious village area that is spreading like wildfire¿long known by Canadians for great skiing, Fernie's owners are pumping in money and creating a world-class resort¿famous for the quality of its snow (30 feet of powder last year), relatively warm weather¿new full-service hotels¿the crown prince of Norway came to ski last winter¿five vast alpine bowls (Canada's up-an-coming Aspen)
Kimberly Resort - located at the base of the magnificent Purcell Mountain Range¿friendly, wide-open family resort¿new base village rapidly developing¿two miles down valley is small city of Kimberly - known as the "Bavarian City of the Rockies"¿food and ambience is authentic Bavarian¿long cruising runs tailored to intermediates¿plenty of sunshine and lots of dry powder snow
Bugaboo Lodge - helicopter skiing was invented here in 1965¿Canadian Mountain Holidays (the owner/operator) is the world's first and largest helicopter skiing operator¿it's every skiers dream to come here¿I think this is kind of a nice contrast to the other 99 traditional ski resorts¿this really is a skier's idea of heaven¿experts only, you need skill and you need strong legs¿the food at the lodge is also out-of-this world
Marmot Basin - located in the largest of the Canadian Rockies National Parks¿three hours from the hustle of Banff¿tree-lined runs and wide-open bowls¿stunning views¿wildlife in the valley¿spectacular Jasper Park Lodge
Tremblant - many rank this as the best ski resort in the eastern half of North America¿one of the historic peaks in North American skiing¿second true winter resort on the continent after Sun Valley¿dates to 1930s¿1990s saw development of a mountain village - 18th-century French town-style¿modern high-speed lifts¿state-of-the-art snowmaking
Mont-Sainte-Anne - 30 minutes from Quebec City, founded in 1608¿impressive big mountain skiing with an impressive lift system¿something for everyone¿can ski two other nearby areas¿St. Lawrence River location means plenty of snow¿other winter spots - paragliding, ice skating, snowshoeing or dog sledding served with a French accent¿major cross-country ski center nearby offers 130 miles of groomed trails (include mention of Stoneham and Le Massif)¿outstanding accommodations
NEW ZEALAND
Queenstown - Coronet Peaks - New Zealand's finest¿would make the list if it
was located in America¿add the uniqueness of New Zealand¿inexpensive New
Zealand dollar can subsidize the coat of the airfare to get there
Mt. Cook Tasman Glacier - not a traditional ski resort¿lodging in a fine, old National Park lodge with a great mountaineering history¿the ski run is world-famous, 18 miles long, serviced by ski-equipped aircraft
CHILE
Portillo - popular with Americans, stunningly beautiful, famous for it's hotel and all-inclusive service¿South America's oldest ski resort
ARGENTINA
Bariloche - the only town in South America with a real ski culture¿even Swiss-style architecture and a jet-set component¿3,400 feet of vertical (that's a lot)