Ski resorts in the USA Dust-dry powder snow and a colorful variety from the east to the west coast
Skiing in America is as diverse as the continent. Most of the states have slopes and ski areas, some manageably small, some gigantically large, others even unknown outside the state borders and some world-famous.
When you think of skiing in the United States of America, the Rocky Mountains come to mind – probably the most famous mountain range in North America. Starting from Canada, they stretch far into the Midwest of America.
The US states of Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming are considered the Rocky Mountains states and are among the most popular vacation destinations in America. Every year several million tourists travel to the Rockys, either enjoying the landscape or doing sports.
Of all the countries bordering the Rockies, Colorado is one of the most visited and illustrious names line up like the gondolas of a cable car. In the charming and historically grown Aspen, the American St. Moritz, the beautiful and the rich hand the doorknob to each other. Four completely different ski areas around Aspen form a superlative ski circus that leaves nothing to be desired.
Vail, just a few kilometers from Aspen, is the largest interconnected ski area in North America with 193 slopes, most of which are attractive to experts and experts. For years, Vail has been consistently recognized as America’s best ski area, especially when it comes to the variety of terrain, snow conditions and the difficulty levels of the slopes. Well-groomed slopes, great deep snow slopes and a lively après-ski scene are convincing.
Beaver Creek is known to many as the venue for the Alpine World Cup and Alpine World Championships. It is one of the more sophisticated ski areas, where well-heeled guests wag and carve, because Beaver Creek was specially designed as a luxury resort in addition to Vail. For ski experts, the FIS “Birds of Prey” course alone should be reason enough to come to Beaver Creek. For families and beginners, there is a large selection of slopes in the easier category, especially in the Arrowhead area.
Breckenridge has made a very good name for itself with winter sports enthusiasts around the world in recent years and is now the most popular ski area in the USA. It is particularly recommended for advanced skiers, professionals and snowboarders, while beginners will not find slopes that are easier.
Other well-known and popular ski areas in Colorado are Crested Butte, Copper Mountain, Steamboat Springs, Durango, Telluride or Winter Park.
Utah, another state bordering the Rocky Mountains, has a very special workhorse in Salt Lake City. It has achieved worldwide fame as the venue for the 2002 Winter Olympics. It is famous for its dry powder snow “The Greatest Snow on Earth”, which is created by the unique climatic conditions. In Utah’s largest ski area, 13 meters of it fall annually. Guaranteed snow, great slopes, good slope preparation and a lively night scene characterize the Salt Lake City ski area out.
Not far from there is Park City, the second most famous name in the US state. With its Wild West charm, the old silver mining town of Park City is now one of the most visited winter sports locations in Utah and the United States. The slopes in Park City are extremely diverse and varied, from flat beginner slopes to mogul and deep snow slopes to steep devil rides.
Other well-known and attractive ski areas in Utah are Alta, Snowbasin, Sundance and Snowbird.
Cowboy flair and western ambience are also not lacking in Wyoming, which is marketed with the appropriate slogan “Forever West”. With Jackson Hole and Grand Targhee it has two aces up its sleeve, both in the majestic Teton Range, which is over 4000 m high Jackson Hole boasts one of the longest runs in North America, and most of the highly demanding slopes are challenging even for experts, with the best deep snow run in North America that can be accessed without a helicopter.
In the west of the Tetons, in the Grand Targhee Ski Resort, an average of more than 12.6 meters of the finest powdered sugar snow falls annually. Wonderful forest runs, countless runs for deep snow freaks and an unforgettable après-ski scene make Wyoming extremely attractive.
The jewel state of Idaho (nickname: The Gem State) in the north offers some of the most beautiful ski areas in North America, because Idaho is known for dust-dry powder and glamorous resorts. The traditional and exclusive Sun Valley has the most modern ski lifts, bright blue skies, lots of sunny days and 85 slopes.
Just 90 km from the famous Yellowstone National Park is the Big Sky ski area in southwest Montana. Well-groomed slopes, a great panorama, 145 km of slopes and hardly any other skiers with whom you have to share this dream in white are what make Big Sky what it is. Other popular ski resorts in Montana are Whitefish, Blacktail Mountain and Bridger Bowl.
In New Mexico, the last state on the Rocky Mountains, lies Taos, one of America’s best-kept secrets. Small but nice – that’s how you could sum it up – with its cozy, relaxed atmosphere and lots of powder snow, it is ideal for families and relaxed professionals. Here the tradition of Indian culture unites with American modernity and makes a ski holiday an unforgettable experience.
Other ski areas in New Mexico are Angel Fire, Red River, Ski Apache and Ski Santa Fe.
Most of the time, people associate the Golden State of California with sun, sand and sea. Because the spectacular mountain range of the Sierra Nevada in the east of the US state can score with 4,000 m high peaks, it is home to the most attractive ski areas in North America, including Mammoth Mountain, which, with 150 runs, is one of the largest ski areas in North America. Another winter highlight is the deep blue Lake Tahoe, which California shares with Nevada, because nowhere is the density of ski areas higher than here.
Because of the short distances to each other, you could theoretically try out a different ski area every day. Whether Heavenly, Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, Kirkwood, Sugar Bowl or Northstar – the deep blue lake in the background glistens in the sun. The panorama is unsurpassed and the proximity to world cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego makes it more attractive than almost any other ski resort in America.
Numerous other states have great ski areas. In the magical Mt. Hood National Forest in Oregon there are Mt. Hood Meadows, Timberline and Skibowl. Lake Placid, the venue for the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics in New York State, casts its spell over winter sports enthusiasts year after year, as does the adventurous Alaska (Alyeska) or the Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont on the east coast.
For European guests, skiing in the United States is particularly attractive, as skiing is not as popular with the population as it is in Central Europe. In plain language, this means deserted slopes, hardly any queues at the lift, plenty of space for extensive turns and, due to the variety of the terrain, endless possibilities for variant skiing and freeriding.
There are some tour operators in Europe who specialize in skiing in the American mountains, but it is also very easy to explore the snow-covered mountains on your own. The accessibility of most ski areas is excellent, because not only the network of international and national airports is tightly woven, but in the land of the automobile at least one highway leads into every remote area.
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