TABLE OF CONTENTS: Rockies
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By: Shay Williams
1. Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado
Steeps: *****
Pow: ****
Park: ****
Nightlife: *****
Weekend Ticket Price: $87
Aspen/Snowmass was an easy choice for the #1 resort in the Rockies. Why? Is it the epic steeps and trees at Aspen Mountain? The world-famous X Games terrain park and pipe at Buttermilk? The life-altering bowl skiing at Aspen Highlands? The variety of terrain and sheer size of Snowmass? How about the 300 inches of Colorado’s driest snow in gnarly hike-to zones? Need more, with over 100 bars and restaurants, you’d be hard pressed to find a town with a better après scene or world-class entertainment. Whether you’re looking for the best terrain in the country or want to hang out around international chic, Aspen/Snowmass is the destination of choice in the Rockies, year after year.
2. Alta & Snowbird, Utah
Steeps: *****
Pow: *****
Park: *
Nightlife: *
Alta: $59 Snowbird: $69 Combined: $79
Comparing Alta to Snowbird is like comparing apples to apples. Deep within Little Cottonwood Canyon, the two interconnected resorts contain small differences: Alta’s easy going, down-home style versus Snowbird’s more modern worldliness. Snowbird offers a tram; Alta employs highspeed quads. But when both mountains are blanketed in 500 inches of Wasatch powder, there is no wrong choice. On a deep powder day, make sure to get to either mountain early, both get pretty tracked out from all the die-hard powder hounds in the area. And in such close proximity to Salt Lake City nightlife, either Alta or Snowbird could quickly become your favorite resort. Joined together, they’re almost unbeatable.
3. Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Steeps: *****
Pow: *****
Park: *
Nightlife: ***
Weekend Ticket Price: $77
Thrilling. Steep. Heart stopping. With words like that easily rolling off the tongue to describe the resort, Jackson Hole is not for the faint of heart, but rather, for big-mountain veterans and adrenaline junkies. While the danger is ever-present on a run like Corbet’s Couloir or out-of-bounds runs like Mile Long and Endless, skiing some of the best terrain in the world takes satisfaction to a new level. In sharp contrast to the mountain, the town of Jackson is mellow and unassuming with a few watering holes to help you recharge after a long day. And hopefully you enjoy the down time; Jackson has slated its new and improved tram to open December of ‘08 to tire you out even faster.
4. Vail Mountain, Colorado
Steeps: **
Pow: ****
Park: ****
Nightlife: *****
Weekend Ticket Price: $87 (2006-07 season)
Vail is huge, plain and simple. Sprawling across a stretch of the I-70 corridor, Vail plays home to some of the most diverse terrain in the country. From the sun-drenched, wide-open back bowls to perfectly manicured groomers, and everything else in between. And don’t let the loss of the US Open last year fool you, Vail still maintains a world-class terrain park and a couple banger halfpipes, all easily lapped on a dedicated high-speed quad. And be sure not to miss out on all the Front Range women that flock to Bridge Street to partake in the tremendous après and bar scene.
5. Telluride, Colorado
Steeps: *****
Pow: ****
Park: **
Nightlife: ***
Weekend Ticket Price: $85
Nestled in a box canyon, deep in the San Juan Mountains, Telluride is as rich in history as it is in epic terrain. Originally a mining town, Telluride plays host to terrain that attracts ski bums, pros and tourists alike. Whoever you are, whether you’re dropping into the recently opened Back Iron Bowl or enjoying a slice from Baked in Telluride, you can appreciate the unrivaled scenery here. Habitually underrated, Telluride lures you in with its world-class terrain, but it’s the quaint, authentic ski town that will keep you coming back.
