Jay Peak, VT
Vermont＊s Northeast Kingdom resort, Jay Peak gets respect, but maybe not enough. Jay touts its snow advantage. Its annual snowfall average trumps all skiing locales in the East. If you fancy yourself a glade skier, Jay may be your ultimate proving ground.
Definition: Ski Area
The term ※ski area§ means there are no amenities at the mountain or hill, like condos, or nighttime entertainment. But who cares? You came to ski, right? Of course, the typical ski area does have restrooms, a ski shop, a cafeteria, snack machines, and maybe a couple of video games (though these may be hand-me-downs).
Argentina＊s Las Lenas
Located high in Argentina＊s Andes, Las Lenas offers you the chance to ski all day and party all night. (Actually, three nights a week, you can ski into the night, too 每 thanks to a few lit trails.) With bars and nightclubs, an array of restaurants, a cinema, and a casino that is open until 4:00 AM, Las Lenas keeps the party jumping. Of course, if you are the type to go to a ski resort and actually ski, Las Lenas can accommodate you with nearly 4,000 vertical feet of skiing, including off-piste terrain. The company＊s website boasts of a microclimate where no rainfall occurs 每 and yet the resort＊s average snowfall is around 300 inches.
Spas at Ski Resorts
There is nothing like a deep tissue massage to relax after a long day skiing. Many ski resorts are equipped with luxurious spas ready to meet your every whim. These ski resorts offer spas with beauty treatments, massages, and sometimes even Jacuzzis. If you are booking yourself a ski trip and staying at a ski resort, book your spa treatment ahead of time. From my experience, ski resorts often are at full capacity during the ski season, and their spa can book up quickly. You may not remember the weather conditions, but you will never forget the spa at your next ski vacation!
Australia＊s Perisher Blue
Perusing Perisher Blue＊s trail map might remind one of the Northern Hemisphere＊s Killington. Perisher Blue spreads over seven mountain peaks and features skiing for all styles and abilities. If you plan a summer trip to Sydney from the Northern Hemisphere, pack your skis. Skiing at Australia＊s biggest resort is about two hours from Sydney (by air, with one hour of ground travel included).
New England Skiing for the Purist
The next time you head to Vermont to ski one of that great state＊s ※name§ resorts, make a day for Mad River Glen. Three miles from Sugarbush, ※MRG§ is a fabled ski area 每 owned by a cooperative of skiing devotees content to ride the only diesel-powered single chair remaining in America to 2,000 feet of vertical on demanding, ※old school New England§, narrow trails. The antithesis of corporate-owned, mega-resort skiing, Mad River Glen is for the hearty skier 每 nearly 7/8s of its terrain is tree skiing!
Whistler Blackcomb, BC
The flagship resort of Intrawest Corporation, Whistler Blackcomb is seen by many plank riders as ※the most§. It has the most terrain, the most vertical drop, the most acclaim. The list goes and goes. Whistler Blackcomb＊s skiing and apr豕s ski scene are world-renowned.
Lift Ticket Costs at Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts
The full price of an adult lift ticket can vary greatly at Lake Tahoe ski resorts. If you are going to be heading to Tahoe for your next ski outing, here are a few examples of what the different Lake Tahoe ski resorts are getting for lift ticket fees these days.
- Alpine Meadows ski resort in Tahoe City has a cost of $39 for a full day＊s lift ticket.
- Boreal ski resort at Donner Summit gets $36.
- On the higher end, Heavenly Lake Tahoe ski resort gets $62 for an adult lift ticket while Northstar at Tahoe gets $58.
- There are some Lake Tahoe ski resorts that cost as little as $24 a day for lift tickets, such as Soda Springs.
As you can see, the cost of lift tickets at Lake Tahoe ski resorts can vary greatly. The key is that Lake Tahoe ski resorts offer enough of an array of choices to suit anyone＊s budget.
Vail, CO
Annually, magazine readers pick Vail as the top-rated ski resort in the United States. Why? Many reasons: Terrain, snow, apr豕s ski, the back bowls, the long season. Vail has it all -- even the high prices. But the cost doesn't keep away skiers and snowboarders. Vail has been popular for decades.
Alpental, WA
If you can ski all that Alpental offers, you can ski! Off the Edelweiss Chair, Alpental serves up only advanced and expert terrain. From International to 500 acres of restricted access backcountry terrain, Edelweiss is your gateway to ※no whiners§ skiing. The view from the top astounds (on a rare clear day), but beware! There is no easy way down.
Ski in Maine 每 on the Coast!
Camden is a special, romantic place on Maine＊s shoreline 每 a small town with something to offer every type of person (resident or tourist), especially in summer. During ski season, what makes the local ski area, Camden Snow Bowl, special in its own right is simple. It is the only United States ski area with a view of the Atlantic Ocean. That fact by itself almost makes Camden a must-ski for skiers in the East.
Mt. Rose, NV
Mt. Rose would be the precious secret of Reno locals on an ideal ski planet. With its steeps and panoramic views, Mt. Rose is worth a day of any Lake Tahoe vacationer＊s trip. Go on a weekday and you will enjoy plenty of elbowroom, and lift ticket specials. (Weekday lift ticket details are available at Mt. Rose＊s website.)
Definition: Ski Resort
If a variety of amenities is your thing, the ski resort will probably be more desirable than the ski area. When applied correctly, ※ski resort§ means skiing and (a whole lot more--especially varied accommodations and dining choices). Ski resorts usually spend more on lifts, equipment, and facilities. Sadly, you will pay more for a lift ticket--sometimes way more--than at a ski area.
Regional Resort
Some resorts thrive off skiers in their regions. These regional resorts have enough of the resort equation to draw crowds--just not from ※all over§. Often, regional resort fans hope the rest of the skiing world never finds their hidden paradise. A good example of a regional resort is Washington＊s Crystal Mountain. Skiing there is incredible, but the resort has limited potential to grow into a draw for people outside the Pacific Northwest.
Crystal Mountain, WA
Do you long for gorgeous views? Challenging terrain? Plentiful snow? Easy access from a Pacific Northwest metropolitan area? Crystal Mountain can quench your desires. At Crystal, you will find all manner of terrain, but the prodigious regional ski resort is best suited to the experienced skier. Then again, if you take a few lessons at Crystal, you will likely become an experienced skier.