#1. Aspen - Aspen, a famous Rocky Mountain town in Colorado, is a European-style ski village built in the 1960's and visited by famous celebrities. It is a spectacular world-class ski resort.
Other outdoor sports in this spectacular world-class ski resort include white water rafting on the Roaring Fork and Colorado Rivers, biking in the Rocky Mountains, jeep trails, horseback riding, paragliding and ballooning. Some of the best trout fishing in Colorado lies near Aspen.
#2. Heavenly Ski Resort - Located on Lake Tahoe, Heavenly Ski Resort is the largest ski resort in the US. The resort offers skiing on slopes in both California and Nevada, snowmobiling, sledding, tubing, and a ski school. Heavenly Ski Resort is accessible by a gondola in downtown Lake Tahoe.
#3. Deer Valley Resort - Deer Valley Resort, Park City, Utah, was the official site of the 2002 Olympic Slalom, Mogul and Aerial Events. Deer Valley Resort was also recognized by the readers of SKI magazine as the #1 resort in North America. In February of 2003 they will stage the 2003 Freestyle FIS World Championships utilizing the same runs on which Olympians competed in 2002.
Known as the ski resort that has revolutionized ski-area service, Deer Valley is nestled in Utah's picturesque Rocky Mountain Wasatch Range.
#4. Killington - Located in Vermont this is known as the largest ski & snowboard area in the East. Killington offers the most skiing and most variety of terrain served by the East's highest capacity lift system.
Seven interconnected mountains provide unparalleled diversity of skiing and the greatest vertical in New England. Snowboarders are challenged with the longest terrain park in the East.
High elevation vistas, mountain-to-mountain exploration on more than 87 miles of trails and the
charm of Vermont are just the beginning of a Killington vacation.
The region, including historic Woodstock and Manchester, offers cross-country skiing, sleigh rides, ice skating and a variety of shopping delights -- factory outlets, antique shops, artisan workshops, craft fairs and rustic country stores.
#5. Mount Snow - Located in Vermont, Mount Snow offers skiing for all abilities. Mount Snow is nestled in the Green Mountains of southern Vermont and for 2 years in a row, was the host of the ESPN 2000 & 2001 Winter X Games.
Located just four hours from New York City and 2 1/2 hours from Boston, Mount Snow features 135 trails, 26 lifts, 12 tree terrain areas, five terrain parks and two half-pipes. Covering 757 skiable acres, Mount Snow provides skiing for all abilities. Child care is offered for children 6 weeks to 6 years in a modern, slopeside facility licensed by the state. Learn-to-ski programs are offered starting at the age of 4, and a pre-ski program is available for 3-year-olds.
The fun is not just the skiing in the Mount Snow region. There are many mountain activities to suit everyone's needs. For example, ice skating, sledding, snowmobiling, shopping, bowling and movies just to name a few. If that's not enough, Mount Snow hosts a number of special events all year long.
#6. Royal Gorge Cross Country Ski Resort - Royal Gorge offers an extensive network of trails over thousands of acres of snow-clad wilderness in the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains. Situated just a short drive from world famous Lake Tahoe and Reno, Royal Gorge is the largest cross country ski resort in North America and has been ranked "Number One" by Snow Country Magazine.
#7. Squaw Valley USA - Squaw Valley is one of the largest ski areas in U.S. The site of the VIII Olympic Winter Games in 1960, this world-class destination resort is nestled among six high Sierra peaks:
Squaw is serviced by one of the most extensive lift networks in the world. With 33 lifts and an uphill capacity of 49,000 skiers per hour, Squaw Valley has become one of the largest ski areas in the country. Because of its immense size, Squaw caters to skiers of all abilities.
Seventy percent of Squaw's terrain is geared for the beginner and intermediate skier with wide, open bowls and miles of meticulously groomed runs. For the more adventurous skier, vast areas have been left in their pristine state for a true wilderness experience and some of the best advanced skiing anywhere.
#8. Stowe Mountain Resort - Stowe Mountain Resort is located on Mt. Mansfield, Vermont's highest peak at 4,393 feet above sea level. The resort offers a variety of terrain spread out over two distinct mountains. Spruce Peak offers intermediate and novice terrain, while Mt. Mansfield offers terrain for all ability levels.
Stowe has 47 trails with 25 percent for advanced skiers, 59 percent for intermediates and 16 percent for novices. Each trail averages nearly a mile in length, which is double the average trail length of any other resort in the East. Getting to the top of Stowe is fast and comfortable. The East's first detachable quad chair and the world's fastest gondola both offer top-to-bottom skiing. With high-speed lifts and exceptionally long trails, skiers are guaranteed more skiing time and less time standing in lift lines.
#9. Vail Colorado - A Colorado Rocky Mountain Ski Resort. Vail was born as a European-style ski village in the '60s. This town contributes handsomely to Colorado's colorful reputation. Vail, Colorado, boasts some of the best skiing in the world, but winter isn't the only season to visit Vail. Vail is a unique blend of Colorado history, culture, festivals, sports, restaurants and music, which makes this famous Colorado town a very special world-class resort. Famous celebrities flock to Vail to ski in the winter and to vacation in the summer.
#10. Winter Park - Winter Park, Colorado, located in the Rocky Mountains, is extremely popular and close to Denver. Winter Park has long boasted of a reputation as "Colorado's favorite ski area." It's understandable that lucky Winter Park locals who have the best skiing on earth at their doorstep appreciate a Colorado ski area with grandiose and varied terrain, constant upgrades to lifts and day lodge facilities, consistently good snow, exceptional children's and beginner facilities and moderate prices.
The Winter Park skiing ranges across three main peaks, Winter Park, Mary Jane, and Vazquez Ridge — topped by a vast snowfield called Parsenn Bowl. Behind Parsenn is Vasquez Cirque, 435 high-expert acres. Winter Park also is home to the world's finest program for teaching the disabled to ski.
#11 Cataloochee Ski Resort - Great Skiing & Snowboarding in the Great Smoky Mountains! For over 40 years, Cataloochee skiers have enjoyed the best of North Carolina skiing with exciting slopes, winding trails and a friendly, helpful atmosphere that makes the Cataloochee Ski area experience unique.
Families learn their skiing skills on special beginner slopes with their own chairlift. Then, they graduate to more difficult intermediate slopes like “Lower Omigosh” and the “Rock Island Run.” Finally, they advance to 5,400-foot Moody Top, with its 740’ vertical drop, while experienced snowboarders can hone their skills in the newly relocated “Cat Cage” terrain park. The Rock Island Line quad lift opens more of the mountain to intermediate skiers than ever before. Together the slopes of Cataloochee present some of the most welcoming and challenging terrain in the Southeast.
