This story originally ran in the October 2008 issue of Freeskier (V11.1).
Photo: Bryn Hughes
We all love our local resort. We know where pow the stashes are when the tourists arrive, we know the speed for the third jump in the big jump line, and we know whether or not we need to add jalapenos to Peggy Sue’s chili. But as skiers, it’s in our blood to explore and ï¬nd new terrain and new adventures. That’s why we put together this Travel Guide every year. There are hundreds of
resorts on our continent alone that are begging to be visited, for each offers up its own flavor of the sport we love.
We can’t list a hundred resorts in a single magazine, but we can pick our favorites and tell you about them. This year, we open up with a top ten — a Best of the Best, if you will — of all the resorts in North America. From the top ten, we continue by stereotyping certain types of skiers and offering up
the destinations that best suit them.
We’ve got the Powder Hound, a skier who just wants to shred pow pow pow; the Explorer, for the person who is willing to put the extra effort into ï¬nding the gold; the Park Monkey, who wants to… well… ride park; and the Trust Funder who has the cash to do whatever he damn well pleases, which is probably heli and cat skiing.
Whichever category you may fall into, pack up your gear and get out on the road. Your next great secrets are waiting to be found.
TOP TEN RESORTS IN NORTH AMERICA
Our unbiased, objective view of the best resort skiing on the continent.
As much as we’d like to, you can’t ski from 8 a.m. until 2 a.m. in very many places. So when the lifts shut down, these are the towns that keep the vibe alive well into the morning.
The East offers up tons of epic skiing, too, you just have to know where to ï¬nd it.
THE BEST OF THE REST – WHERE DO YOU FIT IN?
You’re prone to piling into your truck at 1 a.m. to drive eight hours away just because your cousin’s buddy’s uncle whispered some sweet tidbit in your ear over beers. You like it remote, un-crowded and unspoiled.
Superpipe? High speed six packs? Spas? Who gives a rip. You need it to snow. A lot. Deep and plentiful is your religion. Go pray.
When you look upon snow as a challenge to hitting jumps, rails and the pipe, you’re a true park monkey. Here are the best of the rest terrain parks.
When money is no obstacle, why bother waiting in lift lines and sparring for ï¬rst tracks? Get in your private helicopter or cat and access the terrain you want to.
