First, there was my plan. Little Cottonwood Canyon, above Salt Lake City, Utah, is home to (in my opinion) the two greatest powder ski resorts in the world, Alta and Snowbird. If you know anything about skiing, then you’re familiar with them. So, when the forecast on Thursday March 30 was calling for 60 inches of late season snowfall, I assembled a hasty batch of homemade breakfast burritos, a box of Grape-Nuts cereal and honey, several apples, and two suspiciously overripe looking avocados and took off for my ski house at AltaÌębefore the canyon shut down for avalanche hazards.

I wanted to be up there when the canyon’s Highway 210 shut down, because once the door’s locked, no one gets up and no one gets down. And that’s the point. We call these “,” which simply means we’re up here skiing several feet of fresh powder and you’re, well, not here. I snaked up the canyon at 9 P.M. just before lockdown Friday night. Saturday dawned bright and glorious, shining down on a foot of new powder with mere handfuls of us lucky enough to already be in Alta.

Then the real storm hit and hit hard, and suddenly the situation became serious. Sunday was interlodge—you don’t go outside, at all, for any reason. I moved to Alta full-time in 2016, and I grew up skiing here as a local, so I was familiar with the safety measure. The Alta marshal’s office literally requires chains across your door. To an outsider this might seem an extreme measure, but the slides in Little Cottonwood make it the most hazardous highway in the United States for avalanche danger.

I got a sense of just how dangerous things were before the storm even hit. Just a week before, a nine year old boy was playing outside an Alta home when the adjacent roof slid, burying him. This wasn’t fluffy powder—it was more like a pickup truck dropping onto you from ten feet above. The desperate family called 911, and it was their good fortune deputy marshal Ted Spencer was on duty and arrived a scant few minutes later. After making sense of the scene and bewildered family he set to work trying to rescue the boy.

“He wasn’t responsive when I found him but did have shallow respirations when we got him out,” Spencer told me. A former ski patroller, Spencer located the buried child with his avalanche probe on his sixth probe strike. The family was spared a tragedy, thanks in a large part to a competent team response by all the town’s first responders, and in particular Spencer’s expertise.

There’s a high potential for devastation when you incorporate 2,000 feet of steep mountainsides and hundreds of tons of snow barreling down a slot canyon, and Little Cottonwood has 64 of them. It’s why avalanche science and mitigation are such serious pursuits for the professionals responsible for mountain public safety.

Sunday night delivered more powder, but the huge dump left my plan to ski fresh snow in peril, as sometimes the resorts close entirely when the snow gets too deep. Fortunately, Snowbird opened on Monday,Ìęso I slapped on the boards and was at the tram in five minutes. Fifteen minutes later I dropped into the iconic double black diamond Mach Schnell. Not only that, I had it to myself. Untracked. Four runs in a row.

Each half-filled tram load was occupied by those who know they’re experiencing a once in a lifetime day. Snowbird general manager Dave Fields and I found ourselves together amidst enthusiastic grins. “How many people are on the mountain today do you think?” I asked, wiping the snow off the top of my goggles and pulling it from my beard.

“Well, 700 total people are in the resort, but that includes all our employees,” he said. “So, I can’t imagine there’s more than a few hundred spread across the runs we have open.”

We both smiled.

“So, as a favor, would you mind keeping it at that number for the rest of the week?”

He smiled again before replying, “I don’t think we have a choice.” He’s a good man.

șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű the moving tramcar the snow was falling relentlessly. By 4 P.M. when the resort closed, Snowbird was closing in on its previous all-time accumulation record of 782 inches. That’s when Alta town marshal Mike Morey issued his first public announcement. All people within Alta and Snowbird boundaries needed to be indoors by 8 P.M. and there would be no anticipated lifting of interlodge.

Thus began 50-plus hours of bad food and boredom. The avocados had gone in the first lockdown along with the apples, so it’d have to be Grape-Nuts and burritos. I’ll spare the details, save one. Wednesday morning it was still relentlessly snowing. Snowbird had passed its all-time record with 785 inches, and I was staring out at Mt. Superior across from Snowbird like a dog looking out the window longingly watching the neighbor’s puppy playing in the yard.

Meanwhile, Alta’s avalanche forecaster Dave “Grom” Richards and his team of howitzer gunners were lobbing 105-millimeter shells at Superior hoping to dislodge the unprecedented amount of snow that was sitting atop an already unprecedented amount of snow. At 9:15 A.M. reverberations began to rattle the house. Large avalanches have a distinctive signature, a cross between roaring wind and a sense of vibration that’s terrifyingly haptic. I dropped my umpteenth breakfast burrito and rushed to the window to peer through the snow. A monster slide roared down the mountain, its cloud obscuring everything. When the spindrift cleared, I could see it had flowed over Highway 210 and crushed its way into Snowbird’s parking lot stopping just short of their power plant. It was a staggering display of natural power.

I texted Grom:ÌęCongrats buddy. I think you destroyed Snowbird.

Him: Hehehe

Great for him, his job was to make avalanches, but I was still trapped and each day not skiing meant one less country club day. I ski Alta perhaps 100-120 days every year, but I seek these mystical crowd-free days out like an addict.

It’d been six days of storming yet only two clubs. Like love, you only get so many chances for them in your life. Fortunately, the snow tapered off in the wee hours on Thursday with an incredible 65.5 total inches. But that doesn’t mean we’re let out into the playground; there’s always the avalanche mitigation to wait on.

I called Grom to inquire about his plan to manage Alta. “What are you going to do?” I asked.

“I’m gonna issue bombs like they’re candy,” said the 30 year veteran. Succinct, that’s Grom.

Still, Snowbird fired up before Grom opened Alta so I hopped in my 4Runner and drove the 1.5 miles down the highway. Unfortunately, their snow, while deep, had pancaked and the skiing on the lower slopes, while untracked, was, frankly, no good for skiing.

So, it was back in the 4Runner and a dash to Alta, where three lifts were running. As I transited, I passed Superior’s lower south ridge and crossed the monster’s detritus. I couldn’t believe that much snow could flow that far but I didn’t have time for contemplation, the Alta country club awaited.

I opted to skip the resort’s first lot, Collins, where a total of perhaps a dozen cars sat. I could see the lucky few hopping on Collins lift, heading for Alta’s legendary High Rustler and Greely runs. Instead, I thought I’d drive to the upper Albion lot to seek a wee more solitude. Elitist snobbery? Yeah, of course. No friends on powder days and all that.

I was unprepared for what awaited me there. As I crested the low hill leading down into the lot I was met with
 nothing. No employees or crew vehicles. No cars. Not one. I rolled to a stop by the ticket office and found marshal Mike Morey.

“Did I miss the apocalypse announcement or something?” I queried.

“The zombies are coming over Emma Ridge any moment,” he deadpanned.

“Seriously, where are the people?”

“You’re it.”

“Fine by me,” I said, grabbing my K2 Waybacks. Mike and I share a history of military service and a mutual disdain for too many humans. “See ya.”

I’m now going to share with you a closely guarded secret to Alta ski area. When everyone is rushing to High Rustler and Greely, head to the Sunnyside lift. No one goes there on big powder days. Therefore, you can have Vail Ridge all to yourself, as I did on that glorious third country club day.

That is until two hours later both resorts closed down completely when the Superior south ridge I’d been transiting slid naturally and buried the top portion of Snowbird’s Chickadee lift. Fortunately, no one was buried along with it but it was back indoors for the rest of the day. Sigh.

The next day the avalanche danger only accelerated so when Marshal Morey opened downhill traffic from 5 to 9 A.M., it was time to make my exit, but not before Grom called me out when he saw the early morning line of cars making their escape.

“You leaving? I feel like that last scene in Platoon when Charlie Sheen gets on the helicopter and leaves everyone behind in Vietnam,” he asked.

Sorry buddy, when the country club closes it’s time to go. Besides, a man can only eat so many breakfast burritos.

Author note: As I write this one week later, Little Cottonwood remains closed and both resorts passed their all-time records.Ìę

The post Terror and Triumph in Little Cottonwood Canyon appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

Skiers enjoying fresh powder at Utah’s Snowbird ski resort watched in horror as two Black Hawk helicopters from the National Guard crashed just beyond the ski area boundary on Tuesday morning.

The incident occurred just before 9:30 A.M., and videos and images of the incident flooded social media in the ensuing hours. The Utah National Guard later that the two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from the 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion had crashed during a training exercise.

Video by Jacob Oster

— Utah Daily Snow (@WasatchSnow)

None of the crew sustained serious injuries in the incident, officials said.

Skier Jacob Oster, 29, of Salt Lake City was riding the Mineral Basin Express chairlift with two friends when he heard the helicopters flying through the canyon. He turned around and saw the two aircraft slowly approach an open area of snow near the base of the lift and begin to descend.

That’s when Oster noticed that the operation didn’t appear to be going as planned. The helicopters kicked up huge plumes of powder that had fallen Monday night, and the aircraft quickly disappeared in a billow of snow.

“We heard this loud noise, like a bang, and then saw that the rear helicopter seemed to have crashed and we just saw rotor blades catapulting everywhere,” Oster said. “Pieces of [the helicopter] just went everywhere, and then we were just in shock. It felt surreal.”

His ski companion, , caught the incident on video and they published it on Oster’s .

Here is a video of the Blackhawks crashing while we were riding down Mineral Basin around 9:30 am. Military buddy I was riding with recognized the Hawks coming in to land. So far sounds like everyone was ok from what we’ve heard. Thankfully! Video cred: Tom Carney

— Cory Inman (@IM_Inman)

Oster and his friends watched from the top of the lift as officials climbed out of the downed machines. Ski patrollers rushed to rope off the crash site, which was just a few hundred yards from the Mineral Basin Express lift line, he said. Patrol then funneled skiers up the Mineral Basin Express and Baldy lifts and shut down the Mineral Basin area.

https://twitter.com/Knewz_Currently/status/1496246956061954048

“A lot of people saw it happen,” Oster said. “The rest of the day you heard people telling different stories of how it happened.”

During a press conference Tuesday afternoon, National Guard officials said that the crews experienced whiteout conditions just before the crash. After one helicopter impacted, its rotor flew through the air and struck the tail rotor of the other helicopter, causing it to crash as well. Images on social media showed one of the helicopters on its side and the other lying flat in the snow.

Oster said the National Guard’s explanation fit with what he saw with his own eyes.

“The snow was like chalk,” he said. “I cannot imagine they were able to see anything when they were trying to land.”

Photos from KSLTV show one Blackhawk sitting upright, the other on its side without its main rotor blades.

— Fire Aviation (@FireAviation)

Officials said no skiers were injured, despite the crash site’s close proximity to the Mineral Basin Express lift. The National Guard has launched an investigation into the incident.

Jared Jones, the aviation public affairs officer for the Utah national guard, that the exercise was part of a routine training for helicopter crews.

“Both summertime and wintertime mountainous training, including dust and snow conditions, including, we call it full white out condition,” Jones said. “In combat, there are places you have to land sometimes that are that difficult and so we do train to that standard.”

Jones said although the landing zone was near the Mineral Basin Express, skiers were not in danger.

Oster said he saw debris from the helicopters shoot into the air during the crash, but the pieces luckily traveled away from the lift line.

“I was not prepared to see anyone die today,” he said. “All in all, things turned out.”

The post Two National Guard Helicopters Crash near Utah’s Snowbird Ski Resort appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

It’s that time of the year again, when Ski releases the results of its annual Reader Resort Survey, ranking the top ski resorts in North America. And after the pandemic season we all made it through, it was anyone’s guess which resorts were going to come out on top. In the West, where travel was less restricted, many of you said that you made most, if not all, of your typical ski trips—aside from Canada, as borders were closed. That said, we did see a bump in responses for smaller, , and more appreciative comments about them, as well.

Not surprisingly, the West’s biggest resorts bore the brunt of the frustration from readers, with comments about interminably long lift lines and packed slopes dominating the responses this year. Readers both lamented the loss of skiing’s softer side—limited access to the dining and aprùs facilities, less camaraderie after a day on the slopes—and celebrated just skiing without all the bells and whistles. While we anticipate a return to normalcy at ski areas this winter, we acknowledge that the pandemic changed how we ski at the resorts—and that some of us are opting not to, with a newfound love of backcountry skiing.

Whatever the coming season will look like for you, we hope you can use these rankings to inform your vacation choices. As one wise reader wrote, “There is no one resort that ‘has it all’. People need to decide what’s important to them.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

Top 30 Resorts in the West

30. Palisades Tahoe, California

Overall Score: 7.83
Strengths: Challenge, Variety
Weaknesses: Grooming, Service

Read the resort review and get trip-planning tips:

What Readers Say

“You can find whatever you’re looking for at [the former] Squaw/Alpine. The combo of the two gives every resort skier the they’re looking for. There is enough development at both mountains that give sufficient aprùs options but without ruining what makes these mountain American classics. The appeal of Tahoe will almost be focused around the lake. Doesn’t matter what is built around the base of the mountain, they can’t beat the star attraction of Lake Tahoe. They are beginning to turn away the local and semi-local patrons by trying to overbuild around the resort and ruin what makes the mountain unique.”

29. Solitude Mountain Resort, Utah

Overall Score: 7.84
Strengths: Snow, Value
Weaknesses: Dining, Local Flavor

Read the resort review and get trip-planning tips:

What Readers Say

“Perfect blend of family-friendly groomers and wicked inbounds extreme terrain. Who can beat the Utah powder, really? The resort isn’t crowded, food and such are good and reasonable. Did I mention the skiing? The powder? Only downside is there is really no nightlife to speak of but then again, you’re there for skiing and with the steeps, chutes, trees and cliffs, you’re too fried to party all night and be able to hit it again the next day.”

28. Snowbird Resort, Utah

Overall Score: 7.85
Strengths: Snow, Challenge
Weaknesses: Family, Local Flavor

Read the resort review and get trip-planning tips:

What Readers Say

“Snowbird is for skiers and boarders. The snow-sliding experience is epic for those of intermediate abilities and greater. People ski hard and crash early so they can do it all over again the next day. There is little “nightlife,” hardly an issue for those struggling to stay awake much after 8 or 9pm. For those with less interest in the mountain experience, metropolitan Salt Lake City is well under a half hour away and offers the wide variety of options one would expect in any major city.”

27. Alta Ski Area, Utah

Overall Score: 7.89
Strengths: Snow, Overall Satisfaction
Weaknesses: Nightlife, Grooming

Read the resort review and get trip-planning tips:

What Readers Say

“Alta is purely for skiing. The terrain variety is amazing and fun for any level skier. It is the resort where I jumped my first big cliff, and is the resort I took my kids to so that they could jump their first cliff. It holds memories and experiences that expanded my skiing reality and love of the sport. I would recommend this resort to anyone. It has all that you need to enjoy a great day on the mountain, whether you stop for lunch or pull it out of your ski jacket pocket.”

26. Heavenly Mountain Resort, California

Overall Score: 7.91
Strengths: Lodging, Nightlife
Weaknesses: Service, Variety

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What Readers Say

“Heavenly is beautiful! The views cannot be beat, desert on the Nevada side and the lake on the California side. Most days are sunny and there is so much terrain to cover. The resort has dining options, but venture out (not far), and you will find great local options. Overall, Heavenly lives up to its name, especially when it comes to the weather and views, but it can be extremely busy and you will spend a lot of time waiting in line and riding lifts to get to everywhere on the mountain.”

25. Big Sky Resort, Montana

Overall Score: 8.04
Strengths: Variety, Lifts
Weaknesses: Access, AprĂšs

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What Readers Say

“Big Sky was my bucket list ski trip. And it didn’t disappoint! I love everything about this mountain. It’s got terrain for days. A true skiers’ mountain. What it lacks in nightlight and dining options, it makes up for in terrain. I tell people who want to come to Big Sky, if you want to party, it’s not the place. If you want to ski your butt off, go now.”

24. Keystone Resort, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.06
Strengths: Family, Access
Weaknesses: Challenge, Snow

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What Readers Say

“I’ve spent the past ten years skiing in Colorado, and out of all the resorts, I keep coming back to Keystone. It has the right mix of steep and deep tree runs, groomers, and fast access to all of it.”

23. Revelstoke Mountain Resort, B.C.

Overall Score: 8.07
Strengths: Snow, Challenge
Weaknesses: Family, Lifts

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What Readers Say

“One of my favorite ski resorts in Western Canada. The terrain is difficult and the double blacks are extremely challenging. However, for an advanced or expert skier, this is one of the best mountains in Western Canada to really push your skills and experience some of the best steep skiing in the West. Excellent tree runs, bowls, chutes, glades, and gullies. Not a family or beginner- friendly mountain.”

22. Mammoth Mountain, California

Overall Score: 8.09
Strengths: Variety, Lifts
Weaknesses: Access, Value

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What Readers Say

“I absolutely love Mammoth. It lives up to its name as the place is Mammoth! It’s cool to ride the Gondola and look out to see all the lifts and terrain available. If you want black and double- black terrain, they’ve got it. You want blues, they have that too! You need some greens for the first-timers and young ones, they have that as well. Well-groomed with fast long runs but also plenty of untouched terrain that’s great for powder or bump skiing. If you want to really ski, go here!”

21. Crested Butte Resort, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.11
Strengths: Local Flavor, AprĂšs
Weaknesses: Snow, Access

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What Readers Say

“What can you say about a beautiful ski town? It’s called Crested Butte. This place has charm. The skiing is out of this world with some really dry pow and terrain that’s meant to challenge you and humble you.”

20. Vail Mountain, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.12
Strengths: Dining, Nightlife
Weaknesses: Value, Service

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What Readers Say

“Vail is an amazing place. It’s vast, stunningly beautiful, and has terrain to challenge any level of skier. The Back Bowls, especially Blue Sky Basin, are incredible, and are worth the trip just on their own. However, the sheer size of the place can sometimes be intimidating, and for an intermediate skier like myself, it can be easy to get in over your head, so it’s important to map out your day in advance and talk to some people with local knowledge to get the lowdown.”

19. Loveland Ski Area, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.14
Strengths: Value, Access
Weaknesses: Lodging, Nightlife

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What Readers Say

“Loveland is old school. Affordable. No frills. In the day lodge (practically the only base-area amenity) you’ll see tables of locals who all know each other. They all greet each other by name. Everyone boots up inside, gets a cafeteria coffee and chats at big round tables. It’s so warm and convivial as well as affordable. Must be one of the least expensive day tickets in the state if not the nation. Very friendly, uncrowded, old-school vibe. Reminds me of Vermont in the ’70s before base area villages were even a thing. If you want a mellow, affordable, no stress, no frills day that will leave you relaxed and peaceful, this is the place.”

18. Arapahoe Basin, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.16
Strengths: Value, Local Flavor
Weaknesses: Family, Lodging

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What Readers Say

“If I am taking a trip to Colorado, I always make it a point to ski A-basin. I love how it’s a mountain and not a resort, giving you just what you need. Plus the parking lot tailgating is always fun.”

17. Breckenridge Resort, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.20
Strengths: AprĂšs, Nightlife
Weaknesses: Value, Service

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What Readers Say

“Breck offers the ambiance of a small town with big-mountain skiing right outside your door. The variety of terrain, excellent grooming, outstanding local lodging/dining/entertainment options and easy access from Denver make it my top pick for Colorado skiing.”

16. Beaver Creek Resort, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.20
Strengths: Grooming, Service
Weaknesses: Value, Variety

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What Readers Say

“Beaver Creek is the best-kept secret in skiing. Just ten miles west of Vail, it gets 1/4 of the skier traffic, with terrain that in some cases eclipses that of its older brother. It’s the only place in the United States where you can sample a mainstay on the World Cup downhill circuit. I guarantee you’ll never forget the first time you ski past the double-black diamond warning sign that says ‘Race conditions may exist’ and plunge over the Brink, not knowing whether said conditions exist until after it’s too late to turn back.”

15. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyoming

Overall Score: 8.21
Strengths: Challenge, Snow
Weaknesses: Family, Access

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What Readers Say

“Ever since I can remember or maybe since the first time I saw Warren Miller’s “Steep and Deep” (which was when I was pretty young), it was a dream of mine to ride the Jackson Hole Aerial Tram. This dream came true during the ’19/21 season, when my parents and I got out there for a few days. I absolutely loved the chutes at Jackson Hole! Even with poor snow conditions they were still fully covered, and they are long enough to have a lot of fun. I can’t say Jackson Hole would be my first recommendation for beginner skiers, but it is an absolute must for people who are looking for some awesome steep terrain.”

14. Lake Louise Resort, Alberta

Overall Score: 8.23
Strengths: Access, Variety
Weaknesses: Lodging, Overall Satisfaction

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What Readers Say

“Lake Louise has dry snow and it’s windy so it refreshes most nights even without new snow. You can find dry fresh pow days after a snowfall. The Lake has more expert terrain than the other areas close to home. The avy crew is the best around and the trail crew farm snow better than most ski hills anywhere, capturing our dry snow as it blows over the mountain leaving fresh lines each morning. The views from the hill are some of the best in the world of endless snow-covered mountain peaks. It’s like a dream—no really, just ask people who come here from around the world. There is always good skiing to be had at the Lake, you just need to go.”

13. Park City Resort, Utah

Overall Score: 8.24
Strengths: Access, Dining
Weaknesses: Snow, Value

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What Readers Say

“If you are traveling with a larger group, Park City is sure to meet the needs of everyone in your party. The mountain is so ginormous, if you can’t find terrain that interests you, it probably doesn’t exist anywhere. The town of Park City has plenty of shopping and dining options. Overall, Park City should serve any traveling group well. With a huge selection of on-mountain terrain, in-town shopping and dining, and lodging to fit any need, if you can’t find what you need here, you probably aren’t going to find it anywhere else.”

12. Winter Park Resort, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.25
Strengths: Family, Lifts
Weaknesses: Dining, Nightlife

Read the resort review and get trip-planning tips: No.12, Winter Park Resort

What Readers Say

“My husband and I try to visit all the different resorts in Colorado in order to find our favorite, and out of the eight we have visited, Winter Park ranks up at the top for both of us. The mountain has a good flow, lift lines were short, the runs were challenging, but not too challenging. It was an overall great experience as we skied first to last lift!”

11. Copper Mountain, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.30
Strengths: Lifts, Access
Weaknesses: Dining, Nightlife

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What Readers Say

“Copper has a huge variety of terrain spread across this large resort, so there are plenty of options for every level. Great, long groomers in both lower-intermediate and upper-intermediate ranges. Limited truly extreme terrain, but even some pockets of deserving double-diamonds in several locations. And much more and better tree skiing than most people know.”

10. Steamboat Resort, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.40
Strengths: Family, Dining
Weaknesses: Challenge, Value

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What Readers Say

“A great family resort. Lots of terrain on the mountain and lots of things to do off the hill. The area around the resort and the town have lots to offer. Great restaurants, bars and a few breweries make Steamboat a great destination. Spring skiing is fun and the outdoor aprùs facilities are a fun time. They even have live music daily outside. ”

9. Whitefish Mountain Resort, Montana

Overall Score: 8.42
Strengths: Local Flavor, Value
Weaknesses: Grooming, Snow

(Photo: Grant Gunderson)

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What Readers Say

“Once you have skied or snowboarded in Whitefish, you will always want to come back. It is the perfect mountain to ski, snowboard and aprùs-ski for beginners, experts and everyone in between. It has everything you want and nothing you don’t want.”

8. Snowbasin Resort, Utah

Overall Score: 8.45
Strengths: Lifts, Service
Weaknesses: Nightlife, Lodging

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What Readers Say

“I hate letting people in on our secret but sharing is caring. Our resort is one of the best. They work hard for opening day and maintain the mountain so well during the ski season. It can be super busy on Saturday but that’s because the secret is out.”

7. Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico

Overall Score: 8.45
Strengths: Challenge, Overall Satisfaction
Weaknesses: Access, Nightlife

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What Readers Say

“I love the mountain and the vibe of TSV—I’ve been traveling there every winter for over 22 yrs. It has a feel all its own, and their Adult Ski Week program is unparalleled—every time I go I advance my skills. Everyone should experience Taos at least once, but it’s addicting! They get a good amount of snow each season, but even during dry spells the snow is kept in great condition.”

6. Telluride Ski Resort, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.50
Strengths: Variety, Dining
Weaknesses: Value, Access

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What Readers Say

“Telluride is our favorite resort for two reasons. First, the most beautiful ski area, hands down, in the US. Secondly, for the most part, best snow you’ll ski anywhere. A perfect blend of light, yet dense, so you’ll ski better on this snow than on any other. A complete boost for the ego.”

5. Banff Sunshine, Alberta

Overall Score: 8.59
Strengths: Lifts, Snow
Weaknesses: Nightlife, Challenge

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What Readers Say

“Once you take the gondola up the mountain you have a variety of lifts to take you to several different peaks with virtually no lines. And the best part is your pass only gets scanned once for the gondola and then never again! On each run I can take easier paths while kids do more challenging runs, then we meet at the lift for another long run.”

4. Whistler Blackcomb, B.C.

Overall Score: 8.55
Strengths: Variety, Nightlife
Weaknesses: Snow, Value

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What Readers Say

“Whistler is the total package. You’re surrounded by beautiful mountains and there is a village at the base of the mountain that you can walk to with nightlife and very good restaurants. Everything is right there. You never have to travel again once you get to your destination. And the snow is typically awesome!”

3. Aspen Snowmass, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.68
Strengths: Nightlife, Lifts
Weaknesses: Value, Access

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What Readers Say

“Aspen is a wonderful vacation for Coloradans looking to get away from the closer-to-Denver mountains. Downtown Aspen is fantastic and as a somewhat local you can still feel at home and not under the pressure to buy into a ritzy trip. Highlands is a family favorite, but Bonnie’s at Ajax is still one of the best—take a break to grab a sweet treat and coffee.”

2. Deer Valley Resort, Utah

Overall Score: 8.74
Strengths: Family, Access
Weaknesses: Challenge, Variety

Read the resort review and get trip-planning tips:

What Readers Say

“Deer Valley has been the best resort we have skied at thus far. The customer service is exceptional, the Utah powder is like no other, the food/restaurants/amenities/aprùs both at the resort, and in town, are exceptional. I recommend Deer Valley, and Park City, to everyone. These are the reasons why we have skied there numerous times and will continue to go back every opportunity we get.”

1. Sun Valley Resort, Idaho

Overall Score: 8.91
Strengths: Grooming, Service
Weaknesses: Access, Snow

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What Readers Say

“Sun Valley is just magical. The village and the Lodge can’t be topped. The mountain is perfectly maintained and has perfect pitch on every run. The history makes it fun to be a part of. The Holding family are supreme stewards of this jewel. “

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You won’t find spring music festivals and theÌętypical end-of-seasonÌęfestivities at ski resorts this year—the pandemic is still not over, as much as we want it to be—but that doesn’t mean spring skiing has been canceled.ÌęConditions ranging fromÌępowder toÌęslushy corn snow are on offer well into April in many states, and best of all, most of the midwinter crowds are now gone. Here are some of our favorite picks around the country for spring ski trips.

Breckenridge, Colorado

plans to stayÌęopen through Memorial Day weekend, making it one of the longest operating ski resorts in the country. With a summit elevation of nearly 13,000 feet, snow at the top of the mountain stays cold here even as the weather starts to turn.ÌęBreck’s big spring festivals,Ìęlike Breck Pride and theÌęconcert-packed Spring Finale,Ìęare on hold this year, but the ample sunshine and laid-back vibes are not.Ìę for skiing (day tickets from $179), so plan ahead. For a day off from the slopes, head to theÌę, which hasÌędoubled its fat-bike rental fleet due to increased demand. And the 60-room (from $179), a five-minute walk from the Quicksilver Lift, has three snow cabanas serving homestyle shared plates from the hotel’s Cabin Juice restaurant. Finally,Ìębe sure to check out the new Ìęin town for its eclectic tasting menu and music-inspired wine list, offered in one of two cozy six-person yurts in its front yard (from $115 per person, minimum of four people; Ă Ìęla carte dishes are available inside).

Mount Hood Meadows, Oregon

Spring atÌęÌęusually means beer festivals, banked slalom races, and pond skimming. This yearÌęsome of that will still take place, but mostlyÌęyou’ll come for the sunshine, a ski season that extendsÌęinto May, and the chance toÌę at the baseÌę(overnight parking permit from $4). The ski area currently sells aÌę (from $239) that’s valid for the remainder of the season. For a funÌęPacific Northwest road trip, hit upÌę, also on Mount Hood,Ìęknown for its extra-long season, andÌę, less than three hours away in Bend, withÌęgreat spots toÌę come this time of year.

Killington, Vermont

is known for having one of the longest seasons on the East Coast, typically staying open into May or even June. Show up on a sunny spring weekend and you can lap soft bumps under the Superstar quad, then tailgate in the parking lot with coolers and grills. The resort’sÌę (from $249) gets you unlimited access from now until the end of the season at both Killington and neighboringÌę; your pass will also score youÌę at the Ìę(from $266).

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, California

Billed as the spring-skiing capital of the U.S.,ÌęÌęfrequently getsÌęample amounts of snow through March and April, which means the two neighboring resorts can stay open well into May (they’ve even been known to reopen for the Fourth of July). Typical spring skiing here includes music festivals likeÌę (on hold untilÌę2022) and on-mountain revelry like theÌę and the Cushing Crossing Pond Skim, alsoÌęboth likely on hold this year. No matter: you can still ski perfect corn snow off Sherwood Chair at Alpine, then hang out in a lawn chair in the Subway parking lot while eating a bratwurst from theÌę. IkonÌępass holders can score up to 30 percent off lodging at theÌę (from $598) through Memorial Day.

Mount Bohemia, Michigan

Spring skiing in Michigan brings mild temperatures, deep snow depths, and sweet late-season deals. Head to the Upper Peninsula’s , which averages over 270 inches of lake-effect snow annuallyÌęand has two main lifts and four shuttle busses that access 585 acres of rugged, ungroomed terrain. Mount Bohemia tends to stay open until the end of April,Ìęand on spring weekends, you can ski until 5 P.M. Sleep in a —the resort’s spring-break special includes lift tickets, meals, and lodging from $75 per personÌęper day.

Sugarloaf, Maine

usually hosts its popular Reggae Fest in mid-April. That won’t happen this season,Ìębut spring at the Loaf is still a guaranteed good time, and the mountain usually stays open until the end of April. If you for next season, you can start usingÌęit now to ski the rest of this month (from $569). The resort stillÌęplans to host its popular East Coast Pondskimming Championships on April 17. Book a room at theÌę (from $287), which has a brewery inside.Ìę

Snowbird, Utah

Boasting Utah’s longest ski season,Ìę has been known to stay open until early July afterÌędeep-snow winters. This year is looking promising, with more than 300 inches of snowfall already on the slopes. Plus, April and May can still bring big storms to Little Cottonwood Canyon. When it’s a bluebird day, there’s no better place to be than listening to live music on the Plaza Deck after a dayÌęskiing laps off Snowbird’s legendary Cirque. From now until May 2, you canÌę slopeside at Snowbird, including lift tickets, starting at $145.

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Picture a canyon that’s so steep and narrow and gets so much snow that avalanches can come cascading down the mountain and cover parking lots, roadways, and even buildings. That’s what can—and does—happen in Utah’s Little Cottonwood Canyon, the steep, narrow gorgeÌęhome to the and ski areas. The canyon sees an average of 545 inches of snow each yearÌęand is one of the most active avalanche zones in the country, with 64 different slide paths.

Last weekÌęa series of massive storms dumped 96 inches on Alta and 88 inches on neighboring Snowbird over a handful of days. The storm shut down Little Cottonwood Canyon for a record-breaking 60-hour interlodge, an event in whichÌęeveryone in the canyon except critical workers are required to stay indoors due to the high avalanche danger.Ìę

“One of the best ski resorts in the world is built in one of the most active avalanche zones in the world,” says Jake Treadwell, Snowbird’s director of mountain operations. “Once you reach a critical level, where we’re seeing natural avalanche activity on the highway, we have to put people inside and lock the doors for their protection. We call it interlodge. It is the only way to keep people safe.”

An interlodge can happen a few times each winter and usuallyÌęlasts a couple of hours or possibly overnight. In February 2020, the canyon had a 52-hour interlodge, the longest in recent memory.Ìę

I was thereÌęfor this month’s event—inside a room atÌęAlta Lodge with my husband and our two young children for two and a half days. The kids occupied themselves with books, puzzles, and craft bags generously provided by the front desk, in between bouts of running laps (in masks) down the hotel hallway. I tried to get someÌęwork done,Ìęand practicedÌęyoga in the small space between the beds. I joked that it was the world’s plushest prison, with mealsÌędelivered to your room and a slopeside view of a mountain you wereÌęallowed to look at but not touch. Other hotel guests seemed to be doing Zoom calls throughout the hotel, ordering drinks from the bar to take back to their room, or borrowing books from the library in the lobby.

On day two, around 6:45 A.M., all hotel guests were alerted toÌęsomething called maximum security:Ìęeveryone had to vacate their rooms and head to the lobby or locker room, which were deemed the safest parts of the building during the most severe avalanche-control work. That lasted for over three hours. Although we sat separated and had worn ourÌęmasks, being packed into a room during a pandemic while avalanches are triggered above you is not exactly a comfortable feeling. We were all relieved to be released back to our rooms after that.

Utah’s State Route 210—the roadway that travels up the canyon toward the ski areas—has a Utah Department of Transportation Highway Avalanche Hazard Index of 766, the highest in North America. More than half of the route lies in an avalanche runout zone. When road crews and ski patrol are conducting avalanche-control work, the road is closed to keep travelers safe. Last week it was closed for three days.Ìę

“It doesn’t happen very often where we have a three-day closure. It’s not unheard of, but it is rare,” says John Gleason, public-information officer for the Utah Department of Transportation. “The type of storms we were seeing, and the amount of snow we got in Little Cottonwood Canyon, it was staggering. You had all of that fresh snow on top of a weaker base, and that really made the conditions prime for avalanches. Because of its proximity to traffic and the number of slide paths, it’s one of the most challenging avalanche-control areas in the country. There’s no room for error.”

The state’sÌęDepartment of Transportation, Alta and Snowbird’s ski patrol, and the town of Alta work together to mitigate avalanche danger by setting off controlled slides using everything from a howitzer artillery gun to Gazex exploders to explosives dropped from a helicopter.

After 60 hours, the interlodge was liftedÌęand people in the canyon were allowed outside, but the roadway remained closed. Which meant that last Thursday, the ski areas were able to open exclusivelyÌęfor those already there. Snowbird operated with five lifts, including the tram, and had just a few hundred people at the resort.Ìę

“We call it country-club skiing. It happens maybe once every four or five years—when you get to experience the ski area with so few people,” says Treadwell. “For the people who were there, it’s a truly magical day.”

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This is a developing story. For the latest information on the status of resortsÌęand protocol, visitÌęindividual resort websites.

Ski season is going to happen this year. But it won’t look like it used to. Resorts around the U.S. areÌęusing input from state and local health guidelinesÌęto operate as safely as possible. In place of crowded aprĂšs-ski bars and packed gondolas, you’ll see extra-long, spaced-apart lift lines, skiers in full-face coverings, and take-out lunches eaten outside. ManyÌęresorts will also require advance reservations, so be sure toÌęcheck for capacity updates before you go.

Beyond operating and safety protocols, we wanted to knowÌęwhat some of our favorite ski areasÌęaround the country have planned for this winter, so we called up places like Taos, Big Sky, and Breckenridge to see what’s on tap.Ìę

Copper Mountain, Colorado

Opening day: November 30. Though the resort usually opens earlier in the month, a later opening date should allow for more snowmaking and natural snowfall to ensureÌęthere’s enoughÌęterrain for skiers and riders to spread out. Ìę

Passes and tickets: The (from $1,049)Ìęgets you unlimited access to Copper, and pass holders won’t need a reservation to ski. You’ll buyÌę.ÌęAny ticket purchasedÌęmore than 12 days ahead of time will be mailed to you; otherwise,Ìęyou’ll grab it from on-site pick-up boxes.

What’s new: The resort is implementing an for parking. Whether you’re skiing, tubing, or just coming to walk around the village, you’ll need to book a parking spot in advance. If you ride Ìęor get dropped off, you won’t need to make a reservation.

Lessons: Copper will kick offÌęthe year by offering only for groups of up to six people who are related. Starting in 2021, additional youth ski and snowboard programs should be available.

Before you go: Check theÌę for updates and theÌęÌęfor notifications.

Aspen Snowmass, Colorado

Opening day:ÌęNovember 26 for Aspen Mountain and Snowmass; December 12 for Aspen Highlands, and December 18 for Buttermilk.

Passes and tickets: You can ski seven days at Aspen Snowmass on the Ikon PassÌęor two days on the ($489)—with either, you’ll need to in advance. A limited number of lift tickets will be sold, soÌębook yours at least 72 hours ahead of time. Tickets can be delivered to your local lodging or collected from pick-up windows.Ìę

What’s new: Aspen is expecting a 20 percent decrease in visitors this year, due in part to the lack of international tourists and corporate groups it often attracts, which means fewerÌęcrowds this winter.

Uphill access: Known for its liberal uphill policies, the ski hills of Buttermilk, Snowmass, and Aspen HighlandsÌęwill continue to allow uphill ski access during lift-operating hours, but this yearÌęyou’ll need to stick to designated routes and check for closures due to capacity limits. The ski area’s fourth hill, Aspen Mountain, will only allow uphill access before or after the ski day.

Don’t miss: A $2.5 million renovation of , atop Snowmass, is now complete. A sit-down lunch includes slipper service, where you can swap ski boots for (freshly cleaned) slippers. Make a reservation, as capacity will be limited.

Before you go: Check theÌę for updates, be sure to download theÌę, and stay abreast of what’s happening withÌęthisÌę, launched this year.

Breckenridge, Colorado

Opening day: Breckenridge plans to open exclusively to thoseÌęwho have any level of an Ìę(from $999) beginning November 13. Single-day tickets won’t be sold until December 8.

What’s new: All Vail Resorts, including Breck, will be starting the season with aÌę for Epic pass holders. SoÌębook your ski days in advance—you’re allotted up to seven priority days (which vary by resort)ÌęthatÌęcan be made well ahead of time, while other days canÌębe reserved the week of. ThisÌęreservation system will open for the season on November 6. Skiers and riders will now be allowed to bring their own lunches into lodges. If you plan to rent ski or snowboard gear, book online ahead of time and get it delivered to wherever you’re staying.

Don’t miss: is installing a new clear dome, which can be reserved for property owners and guests in an existing group who want to aprĂšs responsibly in a heated, private slopeside spaceÌęwith beverageÌęservice and mountain views.

What’s closed: Full-service bars will likely not open for indoor service, but beer and wine will be available to go at most lodges and markets.

Before you go: Check theÌę, and be sure you have theÌę for updates.

Big Sky, Montana

Opening day: November 26.

Passes and tickets: Big Sky may limit the number of season passes sold this year, but as of press time, they’re on sale and won’t require reservations. The Ikon Pass grants you seven days at Big Sky, for which you’ll need to make a Ìęto ski. The Mountain Collective PassÌęgets you two days here, and at this time, reservations for Mountain Collective pass holders aren’t required.

What’s new: The Lone Peak Tram will open this year, with face coverings required and limited capacity. The resort is also considering a new boot-pack route to offerÌęskiers and riders a way to climb Lone Peak from the top of Dakota lift,Ìębypassing the tram. Also, this winterÌęthe public will be able to access the 8,000-square-foot Yellowstone Conference Center as a bigger indoor space for lunch and hot-chocolate breaks.

Early ups: New this year, an unguided first-tracks program called will let skiers and riders load the Ramcharger 8 lift at 8 a.m., an hour before everyone else. You’ll need to purchase an Early Access ticket onlineÌę(from $60), and only aÌęlimited number of themÌęare being sold.

Before you go: Check theÌę for updates, and be sure toÌę.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Opening day: November 26.Ìę

Passes and tickets: Jackson Hole Mountain Resort pass holdersÌęwon’t need to make reservations to ski, but IkonÌępass holders—who get seven days here—will need to book a spot. Mountain Collective pass holders, who get two days at Jackson Hole, do not need to make reservations at this time. The resort will sell a limited number of daily tickets;ÌębuyÌęthemÌęonline at least 14 days in advance for the biggest discount.Ìę

What’s new: If you want to skip the tram, skiers and riders will be allowed to boot-pack up Rendezvous Bowl via the East Ridge Traverse. Those interested in trying out a pair of demo skis this seasonÌęcan now rent gear from seven different locations at the base of Jackson Hole, as well as two hotels—Ìę(from $480) and Ìę(from $370)—or request delivery to your lodging.

Early ups: Book a and you’ll have an option to upgrade for early tram and gondola access. This winterÌęthe general public will be able to load Teewinot, the Sweetwater Gondola, and the AprĂšs Vous chair 30 minutes earlier than the resort’sÌę9 A.M. opening time, to help spread people out from the base area.

What’s happening: The invite-onlyÌę, an event whichÌęfeatures top skiers and riders launching into the famed Corbet’s Couloir,Ìęwill return for its fourth year this winter. It’sÌęscheduled to runÌęFebruary 16 to 21, 2021, viaÌęlivestream.

Where to stay:ÌęWhen you book a well-designed vacation rental withÌęÌę(from $95), amenities includeÌęa no-contact check-in,Ìębundled lift tickets, and a fridge stocked prior to your arrival.

Before you go: Check theÌę, and download theÌę, which now featuresÌęreal-time updates on lift wait times, parking access, and other information.

Snowbird, Utah

Opening day: Snowbird plans to open, conditions permitting, on November 30. By kicking the season off a bit later than usual, the resort hopes to have expanded terrain, more snowmaking, and as many lifts open as possible starting from the first day.

Passes and tickets: IkonÌępass holders get seven days at Snowbird, and no reservations to ski will be required, but you will need to . If you’re buying a day ticket, get it online ahead of time, and plan to pick it up from self-service kiosks scattered around the base area.

What’s new:ÌęAll visitors to Snowbird arriving by car will need to make a reservation for parking. The will still operate but at reduced capacity and with a face-coveringÌęrequirement.

Lifts: The tram will operate at just 25 percent of its usual winter capacity; however,Ìęanyone not skiing or riding won’t be allowed up to the top of the mountain this year.Ìę

Before you go: Check theÌę, and get the soon-to-be-released Snowbird app, which will have wait times, parking information, and other critical updates.Ìę

Park City, Utah

Opening day:ÌęNovember 20.

Passes and tickets: If you have any version of the Epic Pass, you’ll need to make aÌę to ski. For day tickets, rather than buy a regular lift ticket in advance (pricing to be announced), opt for the more affordableÌęÌę(from $107 a day), a low-commitment version of the Epic Pass. The Epic Day Pass also gets you between one and seven days, and, yes, those still requireÌęa reservation.

Lessons: Group lessons for the four-and-under age group won’t be available this year.

Eat: For dinner, is offering dine-in service, take-out meals for a family of four, and frozen entrĂ©es to cook at your lodging, like chef-prepared lasagna, plus free delivery. The restaurant will also sell anÌęarray of boxed to-go lunches that you canÌębringÌęto the ski hill.

Don’t miss:Ìę is hostingÌęvirtual mixology classes and online whiskey-education courses. Pick up a bottle of bourbon, and learn how to make a proper old-fashioned at your condo.

Before you go: Check theÌę, and be sure you have theÌę for updates.

Taos, New Mexico

Opening day:ÌęNovember 26.

Passes and tickets: Taos Ski Valley will operate at 50 percent capacity this season, which means that both day ticketÌę(available on October 15; prices to be announced) and season pass (available on October 9; from $450) holders will need to reserve spots in advance.ÌęIf you buy an Ikon Pass, you’ll get seven days at TaosÌęandÌęwill need to make a reservation before you show up. The Mountain Collective Pass gets you two days here, with no reservations needed.

Travel restrictions: As of press time, if you’re traveling to New Mexico from a state on the high-risk list for COVID cases, then you’re required toÌę.

Start your day: Get a green-chile-smothered breakfast burrito and a coffee to go from , located inside the , which is set to reopenÌęthis winter. The resort is going cashless, so plan to pay for everything—from dining to rentals—by card.

Stay here:ÌęÌę(from $250)—the resort’s newest ski-in, ski-out hotel, was closed for the summerÌębut is expectedÌętoÌęreopen for winter at 65 percent capacity. ItsÌęrestaurant, , is currently open for online ordering and takeout.

Before you go: Check theÌę.

Sugarloaf, Maine

Opening day:ÌęTo be announced.

Passes and tickets: The (from $649), on sale until October 12, gives you access to both Sugarloaf and Sunday River;Ìęthe Ikon Pass gets you up to seven days of skiing here; and the Mountain Collective Pass gets you two days. Currently, no reservations will be required for any of those passes. Lift tickets can be purchased onlineÌęand, unlike many resorts, at walk-up ticket windows the day of. You’ll also find tenÌęnew automated kiosks around the base area to pick up lift tickets purchased ahead of time.

What’s new: Gone are the days of human ticket checkers. Sugarloaf has installed radio-frequency identificationÌęgates that you’ll ski through to scan your passes beforeÌęloading the lifts.

Travel restrictions: coming from outside of a handful of nearby states are required to show a negative COVID test result or self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in the state.

Transportation: You can still ride the free shuttle around the area, but plan on wearing a face covering, and expect capacity to be cut in half.

Before you go: TheÌę has more details, and be sure to download theÌę. TheÌę will post updates onÌęoperations and conditions.Ìę

Stowe, Vermont

Opening day: November 20.

Passes and tickets: All guests using an Epic Pass will need to make aÌę to ski at Stowe this winter. Lift tickets will only be sold online after December 8 for designated days.

Travel restrictions: Vermont currently hasÌę in place, so if you’re coming from outside its borders, be sure to read up on quarantine requirements before you pack yourÌębags.

Lifts: The gondola will be open. Face coverings will be required, and only related groups will be allowed to loadÌętogether.

For your convenience: You can now get take-out orders or groceries delivered to your door, thanks toÌę, the area’s first (and only) food-delivery service.

Before you go: Check theÌę and theÌę for the latest updates.

Mammoth Mountain, California

Opening day: Mammoth tends to be one of the first ski resorts in California to open. This yearÌęthe resort will start cranking the liftsÌęNovember 14.

Passes and tickets: Walk-up day tickets won’t be available, and thoseÌępurchased in advance will be sold on a limited basis, so expect to secure them at least seven days in advance. Skiers and riders with an Ikon Pass have unlimited access to Mammoth and won’t need to make reservations, as of press time.

Drink: has a socially distant beer garden that’s open for patio dining and beer tasting, or order online to pick up a growler to take back to your pad.

Soak: Squeezing into a natural hot springs with strangers isn’t a great idea this year, and many of the steaming pools around Mammoth can get crowded in a normal year. Instead, book a private tub and winter campsite or room atÌę (from $60), 50 minutes northeast of town.

Before you go: Check theÌę, and download the freeÌę.

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, California

Opening day: November 25, conditions permitting.

Passes and tickets: There’s no reservation system here for skiing and riding. Ikon pass holders get unlimited days at Squaw Alpine; Mountain Collective pass holders get two days. There will be no walk-up ticket sales, and advance tickets will be offered on a limited basis. If you buy a ticket more than tenÌędays ahead of time, it can be mailed to you.

What’s open: Ski and ride schools will be operational, with new regulations in place. The Funitel and aerial tram are slated to open with face coverings required and social-distancing efforts in place.

What’s closed: The popular sunset happy hours at High Camp, atop the tram, won’t be available this year, though restaurants there will be open. Favorite festivities,Ìęsuch asÌęthe holiday torchlight parade and moonlight snowshoe tours, aren’t currently scheduled, but the springtime is likely to go on, pending local ordinances.

Eat here:Ìę, which opened last year in Squaw Valley Village, has online ordering and swift take-out service.

Before you go: Be sure to check theÌę andÌę or theÌę for the latest on parking and mountain capacity.Ìę

Sun Valley, Idaho

Opening day: Sun Valley’s Bald Mountain will open on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, with nearby Dollar Mountain to follow on December 12.

Passes and tickets: You won’t find a reservation system at Sun Valley this winter, though lift tickets may be restricted to minimize crowds, so be sure to get there early. Epic pass holders now get seven days of skiing or riding at Sun Valley, and even though the Epic Pass requires reservations at Vail-owned destinations, at this time you don’t need a reservation to use your Epic Pass here.

What’s new: This winter, a high-speed quad replaces what was the resort’s oldest chairlift, Cold Springs, and skiers and riders will be able to spread out on 380 acres of new skiable terrain, located on Bald Mountain’s south side.

For your convenience: If you need to leave items behind, there will be a bag-check station outside the lodge.

Before you go: Check theÌę andÌę for updates.

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Caroline Gleich moved to Salt Lake CityÌęfrom her native Minnesota when she was 15Ìęand has been skiing Utah’s Wasatch RangeÌęever since. She began making a name for herself as a professionalÌęskier when she was just 18, and in 2017, she became the first woman to climb and ski all 90 lines inÌęAndrew McLean’s iconic 1998 guidebookÌęThe Chuting Gallery.ÌęLast yearÌęshe climbed Mount Everest in an effort to promote gender equality in sports. Now 34, Gleich uses her influence as an athlete to promote issues like climate change, cyberharassment, and clean air quality. We asked her to share her favorite places to ski in her home state.

Deer Valley Ski Resort

Why Go: Gleich mostly skis in the backcountry, but if she doesn’t have time for a full backcountry tour in Big or Little Cottonwood Canyons, then she’ll ski in-bounds atÌę. “If I can’t ski perfect untracked powder, then I like perfect groomers,” she says. “Going to Deer Valley feels like a day to restore.”

Need to Know: According to Gleich, one nice thing about the Park City resorts—which include Deer Valley and —is that they don’t see the same weekend crowds as the ski resorts in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, like Alta and Snowbird. Which means that Deer Valley can be a good bet even on a busy Saturday. “Deer Valley limits the number of tickets they sell, so even on the craziest days, you won’t be waiting in lift lines for too long,” she says.

Where to Ski: She prefers the terrain accessed via the and the upper part of the mountain, like Lady Morgan, Bald Mountain, and Flagstaff Mountain. “It’s higher up, so the snow stays nice,” she says. Plus, the cookies at the Silver Lake Lodge are hard to beat.

For AprĂšs-Ski: Get a Bloody Mary at the bar of the ski-in, ski-outÌę, and have dinner atÌę, a new farm-to-table restaurant in Park City that Gleich loves.

Alta Ski AreaÌę

Why Go: “I cut my teeth skiingÌę for so many years,” Gleich says. “It was my gateway to backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering. I love being so connected to nature there. You have big, unadulterated viewsÌęand a real sense of the wilderness. Plus, it feelsÌęlike you have to exert some human power by sidestepping or traversing to get to the good places.”

Need to Know:Ìę is the spot for coffee before skiing. “And they have tasty waffles and empanadas,” adds Gleich. If she’s driving up from Salt Lake City, she also likesÌę, near the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Where to Ski: Gleich mostly laps Alta’s beloved Collins lift, where you can access steep shots off the High Traverse, like Jitterbug or Alf’s High Rustler. “I also love to ski Alta with my nephews and my 88-year-old dad, who’s had a hip replacement,” she says. “He mostly likes to ski Sunnyside, Sugarloaf, and Supreme.”

For AprĂšs-Ski: Get French fries and a beer at theÌę inside the newÌę. Then head for a soak at theÌę, located on the rooftop of theÌęÌęat Snowbird Ski Area, next door to Alta.Ìę“It’s an amazing place to unwind,” Gleich says. “They have a saltwater pool, a hot tub, and a eucalyptus steam room.”

Mount Superior

Why Go: “One of the most iconic runs in Utah is the south face ofÌę,” says Gleich. “That mountain is like the heart of the Wasatch. It’s one of my favorite places to go. It’s got everything—a beautiful, big-mountain face that gets incredible sunrise light, an exposed ridgeline that feels like an alpine climb, and from the top of the peak, you can see far in every direction. It’s also very close to Salt Lake City. You can be standing on the top of this peak in just two or three hours”Ìęafter arriving at the airport.

Need to Know: As with all backcountry areas, before you go, read the avalanche forecast from theÌę,Ìęcarry a beacon, shovel, and probe, and know how to use them. The Utah Avalanche Center hasÌę for backcountry education in the area. Or hire a guide:Ìę leads backcountry tours up Mount Superior.

Where to Ski: “Superior is really popular—it’s a classic ski descent,” says Gleich. “There are so many features and nooks you can continue to explore.”

For AprĂšs-Ski: You can ski Superior at dawn and be down at Alta having coffee and breakfast after sunrise. “Or get to Alta for first chair after skiing Superior,” says Gleich. “AtÌę at Alta, you can get a warm breakfast sandwich and a nice cappuccino.”

Millcreek Canyon RoadÌę

Why Go: The top section ofÌę, closed during the winter, is a good spot for newer backcountry skiers who want to test their skills on low-angle, low-avalanche-danger terrain. “You’ll skin through a beautiful, dense forest,” says Gleich. “It’s like forest bathing. It’s very quiet.”Ìę

Need to Know: The trail climbs about 1,200 feet overÌęroughly four miles. The side of the road is usually groomed, so it’s also popular with nordic skiers. “It’s a fun tour for people who’ve never toured. You could tow kids in a sled or skate-ski, too,” says Gleich.

Where to Ski: It’s pretty straightforward: Drive up Millcreek Canyon until you can’t drive anymore. Park, then start skinning up the closed road. “You basically skin or cross-country ski up, then ski down the road,” says Gleich.

For AprĂšs-Ski: One of Gleich’s favorite places to grab dinner in Cottonwood Heights is a new, family-owned Vietnamese restaurant calledÌę. “They have pho that they stew for over 24 hours,” she says.

Grizzly Gulch

Why Go: “With climate change in the Wasatch, we’re seeing our snow lines move higher and higher. On years when we don’t have much lower-elevation snow,Ìę is one of the places you can ski-tour consistently,” says Gleich. “It’s the birthplace of avalanche research and a part of the history of snow safety in the U.S. It’s a really important place for people taking avalanche courses and getting into backcountry skiing.”

Need to Know: There’s a piece of proposed legislation called theÌę that seeks to preserve around 80,000 acres of U.S. Forest Service land in the Wasatch, including Grizzly Gulch, which Alta hasÌę its ski area into. It’s anÌę. “I love Alta. But I’m opposed to any plans to develop Grizzly Gulch,” says Gleich.

Where to Ski: Grizzly Gulch has protected, north-facing terrain, so the snow here stays cold and light. “ is a good place to go tour in Grizzly Gulch,” says Gleich. “It’s got nice, open-spaced trees,Ìęgood snow quality, and is lower angle, with minimal avalanche terrain above.”Ìę

For AprĂšs-Ski: Head to theÌę inside the Alta Lodge. “It’s small and intimate and a fun place to grab a drink after skiing,” Gleich says.

The post Caroline Gleich’s Favorite Places to Ski in Utah appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

I’ve been skiing for 42 years and have been lucky enough to ski all over the world, including spots in Europe, Japan, andÌęAlaska. I’ve had lots of incredible powder days, but the best powder day I ever had was in Utah.

It happened 22 years ago. I had just graduated from college and moved to Vail, Colorado, to do some ski bumming. My father met up with me, and we drove to Snowbird in Utah, where my dad’s cousin had a time-share. When we got there, dark clouds rolled in, and it began to snow. Within a few hours, there was a foot of fresh snow on the ground. It keptÌęcoming down. We were “interlodged”—an event whereÌęavalanches are so likely that it’s not safe enough to go outside the property—for two days.

Just as cabin fever began to set in, the skies cleared, avalanche-mitigation bombs echoed through Little Cottonwood Canyon, and, after a few hours, the lifts started turning. On my first run, the snow was chest-deep and billowed over my head. I’d heard plenty about how Utah had the “greatest snow on earth” (it’s even printed on the state’s license plates), but I’d always been skeptical. As it turns out, it’s a scientific fact. Utah’s dry, cold atmosphere produces snowflakes called dendrites, which are thin and crystal-likeÌęandÌęso light and fluffy that, when skiing through them, they make you feel buoyant without causing a lot of resistance. As such, powder skiing in Utah is the closest most people will get to floating in space.

That was how I felt all day, but it was my last runÌęthat was truly remarkable. A ski patroller weÌęmet on the chairlift told us he was opening up a new section of the mountain. We followed him, just my father and I, andÌęafter he pulled the rope, he said, “Go for it.” I found myself on a 45-degree slope, bouncing through the untouched terrain, simultaneously choking on snow and yelping with joy. The impossibly long trail seemed to go on for several minutes. When I finally stopped, I was plucking crystals out of my ears and drunk with euphoria.

I’ve made many more ski trips to Utah since. After all, with ten ski areas less than an hour from the Salt Lake City airport, incredible backcountry terrain, and almost guaranteed powder (each seasonÌęUtah averages 18 storms that deliver more than 12 inches of snow each), it’s arguably the best ski destination in North America. I’ve never been disappointed—and this guide willÌęensure that you get the most out of Utah skiing, too.

What You Need to Know Before You Go

Bring your ski boots and apparel, but leave your skis at home. If you’re fortunate to hit a big storm, then you’ll want wide powder skis. That said, even in Utah there can be several consecutive weeks of high-pressure systems that yieldÌęsunny skies and no snowfall. If that’s the case, you’ll need either a pair of mid-fat, all-mountain skis, which will handle chopped-up snow and bumps better, or, if groomed trails are your jam, narrow carving skis. , founded in Park City, rents a wide array of Rossignols and will drive to wherever you’re staying and adjust the bindings for you in your living room. If you want to swap out the skis you’re using, it’ll drive back and do so ($65 per day).

Buy one of these passes. There are five multi-resort passesÌęworth considering that work at Utah ski areas.ÌęDepending on where you’re going to ski and how many days you plan on skiing, buying oneÌęmakes a lot of sense. For example, a day ticket at Deer Valley costs $160. But an $800 Ìęwill get you five days of skiing there, plus five days at Alta, Brighton, Snowbird, and Solitude. The $1,100 version of the pass gets you seven days of skiing at each ski area. Other options include:

• : $989, unlimited access to Park City and Snowbasin
• : $649 buys you a one-day ticket at each of the 15 Utah resorts
• : $509 for two days of skiing at Alta Ski and Snowbird, plus 50 percent off each additional ticket
• : For only $45, fifth-graders can ski or ride three times at each of Utah’s 15 resorts; sixth-graders get one day at each

Don’t miss getting into the backcountry. There are lotsÌęofÌęreasons why, includingÌęguaranteed powder turns even weeks after a storm, zero crowds, amazing views, and terrain options that you probably can’t find at most ski areas, such as couloirs and powder pillows. In Utah, there are several ways to get into the backcountry. will take you ski touring throughout Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons. And its staffÌędoesn’tÌęjust guide but also provides instruction, like how to most efficiently skin uphill and how to best tackle the deep snow on north-facing slopes. Lots of that terrain is mellow enough that even intermediates can handle it. For more advanced skiers looking for long ascents and gnarly descents, UMA guides tour clients to the 40-degree pitches, bowls, and chutes in the Lone and Twin Peaks Wilderness areas ($219Ìęper person for a group of four). No backcountry experience is needed, but those looking to head out on their own next time can enrollÌęin one of the company’s .

If touring isn’t your thing, you can fly or ride into the backcountry.Ìę, a heli-ski operation based out of Snowbird and Park City, has access to 170,000 acres of terrain—everything from gently rolling slopes to steep tree-filled lines. You’ll get breakfast and lunch, six to ten runs, and ski thousands of vertical feet ($1,600 per day). , with 43,000 acres to play on, is another option. Cat rides only take between five and ten minutes and gain you access to bowls, chutes, and, should you be so inclined, cliff drops. After six hours of fast laps, you’ll be ready for a hot tub and a beer ($629Ìęper day).

How to Get There

There are arguably no ski areas in the country easier to get to than those in Utah. Ten of the state’s 15 ski areas are located within an hour’s driveÌęfrom Salt Lake City InternationalÌęAirport (in addition,ÌęEagle Point, Brian Head, Cherry Peak, and Beaver Mountain are two to 3.5 hours away), which sees around 700 incoming and departing daily nonstop flights from almost 100 destinations.

When I lived in New York City, I would get in the car on a Friday night and, due to traffic, it would take me six hours to drive to theÌęclosest ski area in New England. I soon figured out that a nonstop flight from New York to Salt Lake City took just a hair over five hours, and, after landing, I was at the ski area in about an hour. After skiing all weekend, I could hop on a red-eye, pop a melatonin, and be back at my desk in the city just after 9 A.M. on Monday morning. And rather than chattering on New England ice for two days, I was choking on powder.

What’sÌęthe Best Time of Year to Ski Utah?

The season usually begins in mid-November and runs until late April. Other than the short shoulder seasons, Utah is constantly packed with people. But since the state gets consistent snowfall throughout the season, finding fresh powder is less of an issue than dealing with crowds. The best-kept secret is that some of the biggest storms hit Utah in late spring.

My second-best powder day ever was on April 15, 2015, at Alta.ÌęIt snowed aroundÌętwo feet, and, because crowds are much lighter in the spring, I skied deep, untouched powder from bell to bell, never waiting in a lift line.ÌęAdded bonus: several Utah ski areas host , many of which can last weeks or up to an entire month. These aprĂšs-ski bashes include live bands, pond skimming, and makeshift outdoor bars.

Hit These Ski Areas

For the Powder Hound: Alta Ski Area/Snowbird

Combined, the two ski areas just southeast of Salt Lake City have nearly 6,000 vertical feet of the best in-bounds terrain in Utah. With the proper pass (see above), you’re allowed to ski between them, ticking off classic lines like High Rustler atÌęÌę(day tickets from $60)Ìęand Tiger Tail atÌęÌę(day tickets from $50).

Where to Stay

Snowbird has five options, including the sprawling 500-room Ìę(from $160) andÌęÌę(from $100), which has 35Ìęrooms right in the pedestrian village. Alta has five historic inns that are all independently owned,Ìęlocated at the base ofÌętheÌęWasatch mountains, and similar in price, but they vary in offerings.ÌęIts oldest structure, the 58-roomÌęÌę(from $329), got a swanky upgrade last year. Eighteen monthsÌęof renovations yielded , an on-site game room with a pool, arcade games, and karaoke;Ìęguest rooms with sliding barn doorsÌęand leather furniture;Ìęand a new spa, where you can request the High Altitude Recovery, a combination massage and stretching session that can work out the kinks from a long day on the slopes.

The Terrain

It’s not all gnar. Beginners practice their skills on low-angle terrain at Snowbird in the Baby Thunder Family Area, and intermediates hit the groomed trails off the Collins lift at Alta. Experts, though,Ìęwill truly find theirÌęgroove here. Ski steep glades and chutes off Alta’sÌęSupreme chairlift, then head through the Keyhole, a connector between Alta and Snowbird that features open faces and drops. At Snowbird, head to the Gad 2 chairlift and ski Tiger Tail, a 40-degree pitch that funnels into steep glades. If you have top-notchÌębackcountry skills, head across the canyon and skin up Superior, a two-to-three-hour climb with a big payoff: couloirs and deep snow.

Signature Trail

Though it’s not often open and requires boot-packing, a trek up to Alta’sÌęÌęis well worth the hourlong climb. The 40-degree steeps and narrow chutes will test everything you’ve got.

The Town

Alta and Snowbird are ski areas. There is no town per se. That said, the base-area hotels have decent dining, and there are shuttles between the ski areas that can transport you to them. The best restaurant is probably , inside the at Snowbird. It serves everything from grilled salmon to gourmet shepherd’s pie with elk meat.

TheÌęBottom Line

There’s not a lot going on in Little Cottonwood Canyon other than skiing—which is fine. Alta and Snowbird are where you go if you want to ski hard and don’t care much about the aprùs or nightlife scene. If that is a priority, go to Park City (see below).

For the Family: Park City

Located just 35 minutes from the Salt Lake City airport,ÌęÌę(day tickets from $108) is spread over 7,300 acres, making it the largest ski area in the United States. Since it’s situated right in the town of Park City, which is flush with restaurants, bars, and shopping, it’s also the Utah ski resort with the most to do when you’re not skiing.

Where to Stay

There’s no shortage of options in the area, from pricey ski-in, ski-out hotels to pet-friendly vacation homes. For thoseÌęwhoÌęwant the former, theÌęÌę(from $750), which opened in June, has 700-square-foot rooms and two-story, two-bedroom suites, plusÌęnordic skiing, snowshoeing, and, in the summer, fly-fishing. For something more affordable, ’s property-management portfolio has more than 150 lodging options within theÌęPark City area, ranging from one-bedroom condos to full homes (from aroundÌę$200).

The Terrain

Much of the terrain at Park City is family friendly. Last yearÌęthe ski area introduced High Meadow Park, a new learning area for beginners that’s about halfway up the mountain and can be accessed via the Red Pine Gondola. The wide-open, gently graded slope is always well-groomed. Intermediates will love theÌęcruisers off the King Con liftÌębut should also venture over to Iron Mountain, which has some of the best low-angle tree skiing in the state. Experts with the gear and know-how will want to do the ten-minute hike up Ninety-Nine 90 and drop out of the backcountry gate from there. The run down Upper East Face from the top of the mountain is worth it: it’s a leg burner that’s steep and often full of moguls.

Signature Trail

King’s Crown is often overlooked, because it’s a pretty easy groomer. But what makes it special are the views: panoramic glimpses of the Wasatch mountains and the town of Park City as you arc down the slope.

The TownÌę

With so many dining options, it’s tough to go wrong in Park City, but here’s how I would approach the day: Fuel up on the soft scrambled eggs at Harvest before heading to the mountain. After skiing, grab a cocktail at the , an award-winning whiskey distillery that’s right in town, then cruise Main Street, checking in on everything from high-end cowboy boots at to the latest ski gear from the apparel companyÌę. For dinner head to and try the chicken-fried rabbit. Then finish things off by drinking and dancing at the . Of course, the kids will want to check out Park City’s newest addition, , an indoor skate park that will open in December with 70-foot jumps and a 22-foot halfpipe.

The Bottom Line

Serious skiers won’t be blown away by the terrain at Park City, but there’s probably no better ski area in Utah for a family vacation, someplace where your kids can have fun on the slopes and you can all enjoy the good food and drink.

For the Solitude Seeker: Powder Mountain

Though (day tickets from $95) has gotten some decent press over the years, it still feels like a hidden gem. You won’t find massive crowds here, even on powder days, and theÌęlodges are total throwbacks—run-down buildings with tiny kitchens that still serve greasy burgers and pizza.

Where to Stay

There’s no hotel at Powder Mountain, but there are plenty of condos. One-to-four-bedroom condos can be rented from Ìę(from $95), which also gets you access to the community pool and Jacuzzi.

The Terrain

Spanning 8,464 acres, Powder Mountain it has more skiiable terrain thanÌęany other resortÌęin the country.ÌęBeginners should start the day at the Sundown area and slowly make their way to the Hidden Lake area. Along the way, you’ll tick off several blue and green groomed runs, and you might even feel brave enough to try some of the low-angle terrain that’s just off-piste. Intermediates should head straightÌęto the Paradise lift and ski the open bowl directly off the top of it. Experts should also head to Paradise, but at the top, follow the lift down to the ridgeline and drop into the steeper shots on either side. Then invest in a couple $25Ìęsingle-ride snowcat tickets. The cat will drive you to the base of James Peak. Hike the peak (it will take about 30 minutes), then ski all the way back to the Paradise lift—a 2,500-foot descent withÌęopen bowls, trees, and drops.

Signature Trail

Woody’s World has it all:Ìęsteeps, trees, and open shots that all funnel back onto the ski area’s access road. From there, follow the singletrack down the road to catch the bus back to the mountain.

The Town

Powder Mountain is working on building a village near the top of the ski area, but it won’t be complete for several years. Until thenÌęthere are the nearby towns of Eden, 15 minutes south, and Huntsville, ten minutes farther—and you’ll be shocked by how tiny they are. One must-hit spot is the in Huntsville. It was established in 1879, there’s a stuffed SaintÌęBernard on the wall, hundreds of dollar bills stapled to the ceiling, and they serve the best burgers you’ve ever had (but no fries; don’t even ask).

The Bottom Line

For the most part, you’re not going to find the sustained steeps like at Snowbird and AltaÌęor the fine dining and nightlife that Park City has. But you also won’t see crazy crowds, and you might still getÌępowder skiing days after a storm.

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Just 25 miles from downtown Salt Lake City, Snowbird offers some of the best skiing in the U.S.ÌęBut because of skier-created traffic, driving the seven miles of Little Cottonwood Canyon can take up to two hours on a busy day.

With guests and employees both driving the canyon to ski at Snowbird (andÌęneighboring Alta), the resort is aiming to reduce congestion and carbon emissions with its Ìę(Reducing Individual Driving for the Environment) program. Initially launched in the 2016–17 season, RIDEÌęcoupled with the resort’s ticketing system andÌęencouraged people to carpool or take the bus instead of driving alone, offering rewards like VIP parking and half-price lift tickets as incentives.

According to Snowbird marketing directorÌęDave Amirault, initially the system provedÌętoo hard to track. “It was a good start, but we realizedÌęthat a lot of people that were utilizing the program wanted more, and it seemed that if we threw the right technological solution at it, more people would use it,” Amirault says.

So, Snowbird relaunched the RIDE program with a newÌęfree ride-sharing appÌęlast Thursday.

The idea of encouraging people to use public transportation or carpool when they head for the slopes is not new. Colorado hasÌę, the Tahoe area has , and Mount Hood’s Timberline Lodge Resort points skiers and riders to use , an Oregon-based carpooling program. All three connect mountaingoers online to fill empty seats in cars headed for the snow, with varying degrees of success. There are also public transport options, like the , and you can always take your chances withÌęCraigslist.

“We don’t want to reinvent the wheel with any of this,” says Amirault. “We just wanted to make an easy mechanism to get people together and into vehicles while reducing those single-occupant cars that are coming up.”

There are currently nine pickup locations on RIDEÌęaround Salt Lake City and Sandy, including stops at the University of Utah, Westminster University, and the bus station at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon. It works similarly to Uber or Lyft: fire up the app, look for rides at the nearest pickup location, get a rideÌęup the canyon, and earn incentives points you can redeem at the resort. OrÌęif you’re drivingÌęup, post on the app to find butts for your open seats and also earn points.

If you can’t find a ride, and you have a Snowbird season pass, you can take the UTA bus up the canyon for freeÌęand still collect RIDE incentive points, the same as if you had carpooled. After your first ride, you getÌęa set of Snowbird stickersÌęand VIP parking right next to the lift. After five trips, you get a Hydrapak Stow collapsible water bottle, and ten rides earnsÌęaÌęhalf-priceÌęfully transferable lift ticket. For locals, ten rides alsoÌęearns anÌęentryÌęinto a lottery for early access to the resort.

It’s not just resort guests whoÌęwill benefit from the RIDEÌęapp. “We have a little over 1,900 employees in our peak season, and there are some features for Snowbird employees that are built into this app as well,” says Brian Brown, Snowbird’s communications manager. “We have carpool vans for the employees, so they get to use this app much to the same amazing degree as the guests do. That was a big push for us as well.”

“Those employees also get rewards for carpooling in the app; for getting up here through a van, the bus, or carpooling,”ÌęAmirault adds. “It’s a great resource for our employees, too.”

Snowbird has designed the app to be scalable so that it can be adapted for any resort seeking to implement a congestion solution. Eldora Mountain Resort in Colorado and Lee Canyon in Nevada have already signed on, and their RIDE apps will likely launchÌęnext season.

The RIDEÌęapp has been designed to be nonintrusive. “We’re not letting people log in with Facebook, Twitter, or Google, or upload all of their contact lists, and I’m trying to minimize the amount of personal information that people have to give us to participate,”ÌęAmirault says. “We don’t want people to think that we’re leveraging personal data in a way to get them to participate—it’s totally up to you. And the stuff that we ask for is so that ridersÌęcan identify your vehicle, forÌęwhen you realize, ‘Dave is going to be at the mouth of the canyon, but I’ve never met this guy.ÌęWhat’s his car look like?’”

Another reason the app wants information about your vehicle is that Amirault and his team have built inÌęcarbon-offset-per-mile estimations using data available through the EPA.ÌęWith the unique geography of the Wasatch front and Uintah Basin, Salt Lake City’s air quality .ÌęInversions are a common occurrence during the winter, which causes particulateÌępollution to . According to the , 48 percent of Utah’s main wintertime air pollution comes from nonstationary sources, such as cars, planes, and trains.

“We have leaderboards that will show who has the best carbon offset, who is carpooling the most miles, with the most people. And because it’s all in the database, we can do all of these visualizations to show who is really kicking ass with this thing,” Amirault says. “The math is a bit fuzzy right now, and it’s based on miles traveled and vehicle type. In the future I want to get this thing down to finite [measurements].”

It’s hard to get people to change their habits, Brown says. “The options areÌęSnowbird does nothing, or we put our heart and soul into this app and today if even one car eliminated four cars, then that is a success.”

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Each February for the past tenÌęyears, șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű and have met up at Snowbird, Utah, to test skis. This yearÌęwe met with reps from 25 ski companies and set out to test dozens of new models. Over three days, our testers sampleÌęas many as 18 pairs of skis each. For this review, we’ve focused on skis that performed well in aÌęwide range of conditions and terrain types. Our favorite pair of skisÌęfor all-mountain use, Völkl’s M5 Mantra, was one of theÌęmost versatile skis in this test, equally as comfortable on hardpack as it is in fresh powder. Here’s a deep dive on the M5, plus six other models more specialized to either hardpack or powderÌębut with the versatility to perform on any day.

Best All-Mountain Ski

Völkl M5 Mantra ($700)

Völkl has been building and revising a ski called the Ìęfor 12 years. This year’s version, the M5, is brand-new, and we think it’s the best new ski of the year. Over the past decade, the ski industry has tried to turn every ski into a powder ski, and in keeping with that trend, the Mantra grew steadily fatter and more rockered. In realityÌęthough, most all-mountain skis need to rip groomed or packed snow about half the time, and fat, heavily rockered skis aren’t great at that. The new M5 reflects thisÌęunderstanding. Its sidecut is a bit deeper, it has camber underfoot, and its 96-millimeter waist is now four millimeters narrower than last year’s version. These changes give the M5 more rebound on hard snowÌęand let it glide better and maintain more contact with the snow while up on edge.

What makes it stand apart from others in its class is its physical construction. Völkl is famous for building damp, stable skis with wood cores sandwiched between two sheets of titanium alloy. For the M5, Völkl developed what itÌęcallsÌęTitanal Frame, a sandwich setup with the metal installed around the perimeter of the ski’s fore and aft sections, shedding weight from the center line. As a result, the M5 is a modest but noticeable 50 grams lighter in each ski compared with its predecessor. Meanwhile, the tip hasÌęsome carbon fiber, consistent with current industry trends, which makes it a little easier to initiate turns.

Out on the hill, the M5 was the most versatile ski of the test. It’s damp, meaning it doesn’t chatter or transmit vibrations, but still lively. It floats in resort powderÌębut carves like a ski built for hardpack. “It’s lightweight and precise at the same time,” said one of ourÌętesters. “I expected it to carve well, but I was surprised by how well it runs off-trail. Any skilled skier could excel on it. The sweet spot is huge.” Dimensions: 134/96/117

Best All-Mountain Ski forÌęAggressive Skiers

Blizzard Bonafide ($700)

Last year, Blizzard introduced a freeride line of skis designed to be surfier and more playful than itsÌęline of all-mountain freeride skis. , with its longer effective-edge length and deeper sidecut, is part of the all-mountain line, and we thought it remained fun in deep snow while becoming noticeably more stable on hardpack.

Like the M5 Mantra—and just about every modern all-mountain ski—the Bonafide has carbon fiber in the tips to reduce swing weight, and its profile includes both rocker and camber. The difference between these skis is power output. While the Mantra accommodates a wider range of skier types, the Bonafide is built for skiers who charge hard. You either need to be big, fast, or bothÌęfor this ski to perform. “You can go full tilt off-trail or on,” said one tester. And while plowing through chunks of unruly snow,Ìęsaid another, “the Bonafide is a cruel steamroller.”

The Bonafide is built with a beech and poplar core and two sheets of titanium alloy. We’d recommend itÌęas a daily driver for skiing in the West, where we’d expect to use it 70 percent of the time off-trail, slashing turns in chalky alpine snow or using those lightweight rockered tips to pivot through loosely spaced steep bumps. On trail, it arcs a fun GS turn, but even with the added sidecut, it’s not an all-day carver so much as an all-day high-speed cruiser that can really lay it over in a turn. With a 98-millimeter waist, it’s not a powder ski, but it’s a pretty good one-ski quiver if you live in a place where the snowmaking equipment only comes out in the fallÌęand if you’re willing to sacrifice a little performance on the truly deep days. Dimensions: 135/98/119

Best All-Mountain Powder Ski Ìę

KĂ€stle BMX105 HP ($1,149)

The first thing to address about theÌęÌęis that it’s at least $300 more expensive than the average ski in this category. That fact left a few broke ski testers wondering how they’d ever buy a pair. According to KĂ€stle, theÌęsticker price reflects a high level of handwork,Ìęand the materials come out of an elite race-room shop in Austria (HP stands for high performance). KĂ€stleÌęconstructedÌęthe BMX105 HP with silver fir and beech cores instead of cheaper woods, and the bases are cut from the same sintered graphite that World Cup athletes run. (Sintering means baking a powder into a solid.) Even the sidewalls and edge material are spec’d from high-grade stock. Ultimately, that should produce a long-lasting ski thatÌędelivers energy return and stability after other skis have gone soft and dead. We’ve put three years of hard skiing on a pair of KĂ€stles with this same build, and they’ve shown no loss of life.

But durability wouldn’t matter if the BMX105s didn’t ski well, and they did,Ìęearning theÌęsecond-highest scores in our all-mountain powder test at Snowbird. The HollowtechÌętips (swing-weight reduction again) make them nimble, and the big-turn radius (21 meters in the 181-centimeter length) lets you run them in breakable crust and weird alpine snow without feeling hooky. Said a tester: “Ripped everywhere and was super forgiving even while it displayed no speed limits. It’s easy to initiate turns, and it doesn’t mind if you want to drive the tail through the transition. You could ski it in a big-mountain comp or just cruise around.” So who should buy it? Anybody with resources, first of all. But especially people who spend most of their ski days at big western resorts that see ample snowfall, like Fernie, Jackson, the gems of Little Cottonwood, and Squaw Valley. Oh, and that person should be adept at avoiding rocks and keeping their gear well honed for the long term. As for body types, the 105 has range: our biggest, strongest, and fastest skier had it as his top pick, as did a lightweight tester who prefers to slash rather carve his turns. “Stable at all speeds, but slices and dices pow in the trees, too,” said a tester. “If you like a ski that never gets bucked around, look here.” Dimensions: 134/105/123

Best All-Mountain Frontside Ski

Rossignol Experience 88 Ti ($750)

Rossignol’s redesigned Ìęis a top pick if you live and ski in New England, or even Summit County, Colorado, during a dry year.

We liked formerÌęversions of the Experience line, but it had grown dated, largely because of an extended sidecut that brought the widest part of the ski to the very tip. That made for fun carving, but off-trail that much sidecut made the Experience line tough to handle. The fix: taking a cue from itsÌę7 Series powder skis, Rossignol built the new Experience line with subtle tapering in the tip and tail. With the new design, it’s actually more fun to ripÌęaround on groomed snow, and it’s way more nimble off-trail in variable snow and terrain, which allowedÌętesters to butter and dump speedÌęor redirect to a better line.

The ski has been improved with what Rossignol is calling line control technology (LCT). LCT is a central rail that reduces the counter flexing of the ski at the apex of the turn, smoothing out the ride and boosting edge grip. Another update includesÌęnew dampeners made from a viscous compound, which we thought may have added to the 88’s ability to hook up and hold on. “Perfect carving on-trail,” said a tester. “It absolutely rails turns, but the flex is smooth and accessible, and you can sluff the tips and tails around if you need to bail out.” As for who should buy it, the door is open. It’s a one-ski-quiver tool for the biggest chunk of the market, but if you already own a pair of fat skis (over 100 millimeters underfoot), the new 88 will complete your quiver and make days with packed snow all that more fun. “This ski rips,” said a tester. “So easy to get up on edge, but you can slink through bumps and trees, too.” Dimensions: 140/86/130

Best Backcountry Crossover Ski

Black Diamond Boundary Pro 107 ($749)

It’s been awhile since a ski from Black Diamond has impressed our testers. Recently, however, BD shifted its ski production from China to Blizzard’s factory in Austria, and the quality of the finished product improved fivefold.

The , which was redesigned with a poplar core, has a comfortable sweet spot—you can easily find the center of the flex—coupled with a damp but livelyÌęrideÌęand solid edge hold. (The same could not be said of previous BDs.) We’re featuring the Boundary Pro here as a backcountry crossover ski because it’s lightweight enough for touringÌęand because of its shape. The more you ski off-trail, the less sidecut you want, as deep sidecuts get hooky in weird wind- and sun-affected wild snow. In the 184-centimeter length we tested, the turn radius is a long 20 meters. But here’s the thing: the Boundary Pro’s ample tip and tail rocker, abetted by tapering in the same zones, made it easy to pivot and smear at will. These are vital qualities in the backcountry, where the tightest trees are often the only safe way down. On hardpack, you can check turns with confidence, but you can’t settle into a deep arc. It’s a touring ski for folks who care far more about shredding than setting uphill speed records. We’d pair it with a Salomon Shift binding (the best crossover binding ever built) and ski it all day long in places like Revelstoke or Silverton. “One of the top off-trail skis of the day,” said one tester. “Loose and slinky in tight places, damp and easy to steer in the wide-open alpine, tons of rocker and taper for surfing pow.” Dimensions: 138/107/123

How We Test Skis

Typically, around 25 ski manufacturers bring their entire fleets to our annual test, which means more than 250 pairs of skis. For three days, testers grab skis from a rack, quickly adjust the bindings, skate to the lifts, burn a lap on varied terrain appropriate for the category, swap skis, and repeat, all the while taking notes. This happens up to 18 times a day, for something like 100,000 vertical feet of shredding. It usually dumps powder on us, which is the best perk. Back at the home office, we pour a mountain of data into spreadsheets and tabulate winners and losers.

How to Choose a Pair of Skis

Buying skis can be confusing. But it gets easier if you read the above reviews and ask yourself two key questions:Ìę

Am I adding to a quiverÌęor replacing the daily driver that I ski on 80 percent of the time?

If you’re looking to round out a quiver, you’re probably in the market for a specialty ski built wide for powder or thin for carving turns on hardpack—skis that are beyond the purview of this review. Such skis excel in very specific conditionsÌębut tend to flounder in routine all-mountain conditions. But if you ski a ton, pure powder and pure frontside skis can really liven up your ski action. If you’re looking for a one-ski quiver, it’s time for question two, which is a two-parter.

Where do I ski the most, and what are my favorite conditions?

How you answer theseÌęprompts determines whether you’re in the market for an all-mountain powder ski (around 105 millimeters underfoot), an all-mountain ski (around 95 millimeters), or an all-mountain frontside ski (around 85 millimeters). These versatile skis are all built similarly, but they’re distinguished by waist width and depth of rocker. If you live near a steep and deep resort like Alta, Alpine Meadows, Jackson, or Mammoth, and ski off-trail most of the time, a chubby all-mountain powder ski with a healthy dose of rocker might be your daily driver. If you live in a place with moderate snowfall (Summit County, Colorado, we’re looking at you), then look for an all-mountain ski, one that’s a touch skinnier and withÌęless rocker, which will let you mix up on-trail and off-trail skiing. And if you live where machine-groomed hardpack and chalky tree skiing is more common than bottomless blower—say, the East Coast—you should start with all-mountain frontside skis with just a hint of rocker and a waist width that makes for easy and powerful edging. They’re still all-mountain skis, they just let you better rip carved turns, bumps, and tight trees when you aren’t storm skiing.

What toÌęLook for in Skis

Stiffness

Back in the dayÌęwhen everyone skied on modified slalom and GS skis, stiffness was often the deciding factor in ski selection. Today, though, unless you’re either extralarge and powerful or petite and laid-back, almost all recreational all-mountain skis are built with a round-turn flex that’s accessible to most skiers. (MeaningÌęyou don’t need to actively muscle them to get them to arc turns.) Think you need a softer or stiffer ski? Before you change models, consider changing lengths. See the next entry.

Length

Thanks to a smart blend of rocker, taper, sidecut, and new materials, modern all-mountain skis are stable but lively, surfy but powerful, and dynamic but not demanding. A side benefit to all that innovation? We can ski them shorter than skis made 15 years ago. But don’t throw out all reason in the process. Ski-size charts like are a good place to start, but while they’re close to spot-on for easy-skiing intermediates, they tend to run five to tenÌęcentimeters short for aggressive experts. Also know that flex patterns (stiffness again) typically change with length, so if you want a stiffer ski, you might want a longer ski that’s designed for a bigger skier, too, and vice versa. Ìę

Sidecut

Sidecut is the hourglass shape of a ski. When you put a ski on edge and bend it into a carved turn on packed snow, the depth or radius of that sidecut helps to determine if you’re going to make a short (14-meter) turn or a long (20-meter) arc. Counterintuitively, in powder, bumps, and trees, less sidecut can make for quicker turns: in those conditions, you aren’t carving so much as pivoting or floating your turns, and in soft snow, less sidecut helps a ski cut loose. In general, though, opt for more aggressive sidecuts if you live for arcing race turns on groomers, and opt for less cut if you prefer to ski off-trail in soft snow. Backcountry skis typically offer the least amount of sidecut, because excessive hourglassing can cause the ski to catch unexpectedly in weird backcountry snow.

Rocker

It’s subtle on most skis, but rocker is that three-dimensional shaping reminiscent of the upturned nose of a surfboard or the hull of a rodeo kayak. Just a hint of rocker makes it easier to tip an all-mountain ski on edge to carve turns. Deeper rocker, meanwhile, helps float a ski to the surface of soft snow and gives a ski a surfy or slashy feel in powder. As with width, you want more rocker for pure powder skiing and less rocker for pure carving, where it can make a ski feel less stable at high speed.

Weight

All skis are getting lighter these days, and in general we think that’s a good thing. Women are now able to run gear that’s proportionally more in line with their body weight. In-bounds skiers who hike for their turns benefit from skis that are easier to shoulder. Backcountry skiers obviously need lighter skis for touring uphill. And slightly lighter skis can feel more playful off-trail in soft snow. But unless you’re a ski-mountaineer racer, buying skis based solely on weight is a bad idea. Eventually, shaving weight comes at the expense of stability and dampness, and many skiers know that feathery backcountry planksÌętend to skitter on resort hardpack. AndÌęof course, even the heaviest wood and metal skis don’t feel heavy when you’re riding lifts and going 45 miles an hour on groomers. If you rarely hike, weight isn’t much of an issue.

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