Best Ski Resorts in the World

Deer Valley, Utah, USA

Deer Valley will be ranked first or second in almost any reader poll of favorite North American ski resorts. What's not to love about perfect grooming, mountain hosts, free ski storage, assistance unloading skis from your car, immaculately kept lodges with blazing fireplaces, slope-side fine dining, and a daily limit of 7,500 skiers (no snowboards allowed here) to keep lift lines short and trails uncrowded?

Deer Valley is all about service, and the lodging and dining options in its lovely base village are decidedly upscale. But, as the saying goes, you get what you pay for, and Deer Valley delivers on that front.

Because Deer Valley is best known for its excellent intermediate skiing, experts will have the 37 percent black diamond runs almost entirely to themselves, with the famous champagne powder in perfect condition. Ski the runs that hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics on Carpenter Express: You Don't Know for slalom, Champion for freestyle moguls, and White Owl for freestyle aerials.

Deer Valley Resort is about two miles from downtown Park City, and it is also close to Park City Mountain/Canyons, Alta, Snowbird, and other top Utah ski resorts.

Vail Mountain Resort, Colorado, USA

Vail is the largest ski resort in Colorado and one of the largest in the world, with enough terrain to keep an avid skier of any skill level busy. Long, well-kept runs overlook the luxury hotels, upscale restaurants, and shops in Vail's equally well-kept town.

Experts head to the seven back bowls for bumps and glades, which are kept in prime condition by the expected 350 inches of annual snowfall. Vail is known for its variety as well as its size (over 5,289 acres of skiing served by 31 lifts). Riders are kept happy with three separate terrain parks, and backcountry skiers will find powder heaven here.

Whistler Blackcomb, CanadaWhistler Blackcomb, now part of the Vail Resorts group, combines the superb terrain of two mountains to create Canada's premier ski resort and the largest winter sports area in North America. More than 200 runs are accessible via 37 lifts on the combined skiable terrain. The three-kilometer-plus PEAK 2 PEAK gondola connects the two mountaintops and has the world's longest unsupported lift span.

Whistler's outstanding technical facilities, combined with the variety of terrain – wide-open bowls on Whistler Mountain and the Horstman Glacier on Blackcomb (where you can ski year-round) – and world-class grooming, keep it a favorite among serious skiers.

Whistler Blackcomb is also a popular destination for freestyle skiers and boarders. Five distinct parks spread across 99 acres of snow are designed for all levels of freestyle, ranging from easy jumps and rails to the Nintendo Terrain Park and an Olympic-sized pipe. The pros train here, but the variety makes it a good place to learn the fundamentals.

Its unparalleled views that extend all the way to the Pacific Ocean, ample terrain for all skill levels, and a charming full-service resort village right at the base make it an excellent choice for both families and casual skiers. There is plenty of snow and mountain to go around, and it is only a two-hour drive from Vancouver.

https://www.traveldom.com/blog/10-Best-Ski-Resorts-in-the-World