skiiers

Luxist's Top US Ski Resorts

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Sports

Winter weather has been a bit unpredictable this year and considering that some parts of the East Coast only just received their first snowfall and there was snow in Malibu, California about two weeks ago, can you blame us for waiting until now to start making our ski plans? We're not ranking these in order from one to ten, so you'll have to be content with the fact that these are some of our favorites for this ski season (or any other) from all the mountains to ski in the US.

Aspen - A perennial favorite, this resort seems to be geared towards adults, with few beginner runs on the ski slopes and lots of great restaurants and shopping in town, as well as a satisfying mix of romantic and luxury accommodations.

Vail - Lots of lifts and more groomed terrain than any other resort on the planet, Vail is great for skiing, but the resort is so large that you won't have a problem finding off-mountain activities, from luxury spas to excellent eateries.

Kirkwood (pictured)- This California resort is somewhat off the beaten path, but all the better for it, as it provides skiers with the steep slopes and great snow they could want, with plenty of relief from the crowds at other mountains. The town is quiet, but only a short drive from Tahoe.

Tags: ski, skiiers, skiing, sport, travel, traveling, winter

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The Best Resorts With Artifical Snow

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Manmade snow is far better than it was when the technology was first put into use. A frequent skiier will be able to tell the difference between the natural and the less finely-grained machine-made snow, but it allows resorts to stay open longer into both fall and spring and provide better coverage all over the mountain even in the middle of winter. The manmade snow is also used for creating low-elevation "beginners areas" as well as advanced terrain parks for thrill-seeking snowboarders and skiiers. Many resorts, including big-name ones, spend tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars making snow each year. As a result, their slopes are more reliably and more evenly covered, which is better for business and better for skiiers. Over the weekend, the Wall Street Journal (subscription req'd) compiled a list of some of the top snowmaking resorts and what percentage of their slopes are covered with the stuff to help give you some insight when planning a trip to the mountains this season: