USA Ski Holidays
Skiing in USA
If you're looking to ski on beautifully groomed and deserted pistes, stay in high quality spacious accommodation and enjoy top notch service, America is just the ticket.
The skiing in America is on the whole a different experience to European skiing, but also differs greatly from region to region. One thing you can be sure of is a plenitude of good quality snow, with the majority of resorts sitting at high altitudes and typically receiving between 6 and 12 metres of the good stuff each year. On top of this the USA is very good at snowmaking, ensuring that all pistes are always well covered. The standard of grooming is exceptional - every morning you are greeted with pristine 'corduroy' pistes, which are often close to deserted - a far cry from the crowded pistes of Europe. If you're in search of moguls, you will find them here too, but only where the ski resort says they should be, instead of on every piste by the end of the day. The classification of runs is slightly different to that used in Europe, which can be confusing at first, where blues can be steep as European reds. The runs are often wide and tree lined, which is reassuring for beginners.
Ski resorts in USA
Ski resorts in America are entirely different from their European counterparts, and vary greatly between themselves. Some are based on old mining towns, some are former cowboy towns, and there are a number of purpose built developments. They are certainly not quaint in the way that many alpine villages are. Instead they offer some fantastic accommodation and a wide selection of reasonably priced restaurants to cater to any taste.
Apres ski in America is again highly different from that found in European resorts - this is largely to do with the American attitude to drinking, and that the minimum drinking age is set at 21. Even if you are well over 21 years old it is highly likely that you will be asked to produce ID before you will be served so be prepared to avoid disappointment.
There are plenty of bars to find a drink after a day on the slopes, ranging from sports bars to more pub-style affairs, and you can often find live music, especially at weekends.
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Aspen,
Beaver Creek,
Breckenridge,
Copper Mountain,
Heavenly,
Jackson Hole,
Keystone,
Killington,
Mammoth,
Park City,
Snowbird,
Squaw Valley,
Steamboat,
Stowe,
Vail,
Winter Park
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Killington |
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Claiming to have the largest mountain, largest number of quad chairs, most snowmaking ability and the longest season in the East, the ski resort of Killington has a lot to say for itself. The sometimes complex network of trails covers 6 peaks, all of which have good terrain for most levels of skiier. Although there is no real resort centre, (the 'resort' is spread over a 5 mile stretch,) there is a lively apres ski scene. Having a car is a real advantage, even though the buses are good, and with good board and terrain parks, there is plenty to keep all types of mountain user happy. |
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Aspen |
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The ski resort of Aspen began life as a silver mining town and has now become one of the world’s most famous resorts with its lively feel and stunning views of Aspen Mountain. Aspen has attracted the rich, the famous and, of course, many ski enthusiasts to live and stay. It is not hard to see why; extensive skiing and boarding for all abilities, some of the best après-ski from budget to fine dining and superb accommodation in a town with a ‘heart’. |
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Snowbird |
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The ski resort of Snowbird opened in December of 1971 with three lifts; the Tram, the Lodge at Snowbird and the Snowbird Centre. Since then Snowbird has become the No1 ski resort in the USA with over 2,500 acres of powdery trails and playing its part in the Winter Olympics of 2002. The resort is in an isolated mountain setting that is a cozy, pedestrian village within rugged surroundings.
Just 45 minutes from Salt Lake City Airport you will discover ‘The Greatest Snow on Earth’ |
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