From Aspen to Whistler, North America’s Top Five Ski Areas

With a mixture of giant mountains, abundant dry powder snow, and often nearly deserted slopes, Canada and the United States present themselves as the dream destination of many winter sports enthusiasts.

Stretching between the Pacific coast and the Rocky Mountains, this enchanting winter land promises snow safety even in the face of climate change.

Ski resorts sometimes accumulate twice as much snow as those in the Alps. And it increases more than ten meters per season is not uncommon.

On the other hand, North American ski resorts are true adventure parks. In addition to the giant Snow Gardens Free, it offers more variety than alpine ski areas.

In this European mountain range, it is not allowed to leave the slopes, while in North America it is possible to travel all over the terrain within the boundaries of the ski area, which is controlled by avalanche hazards.

Since last November, the borders of Canada and the United States have been opened once again to vaccinators. In this way, you can get to the top five places to ski:

Aspen, the white phase of the lineage

aspen It is probably the most famous ski resort in the United States. Around Christmas, this former mining town in Colorado has become the whitewashed stage for Hollywood stars.

“America St. Moritz” is not only the most charming ski resort on this side of the Atlantic, but probably one of the best too: Aspen offers four mountains for proper skiing safely at altitudes between 2,422 and 3,780 metres.

A gondola rides to Aspen Mountain straight out of town. The largest ski area, Snowmass, can be reached in about 20 minutes by ski bus. In between are ski areas like Buttermilk, frequented by families and where the world’s best ski acrobats perform at X-Games, as well as the Highlands.

Banff Lake Louise: National Park Ski Adventures

You will find in the middle of the oldest national park in Canada Banff, within a true comics landscape, surrounded by rugged mountaintops, frozen lakes and seemingly endless forests.

The small town in the Rocky Mountains is one of the most popular ski destinations in North America, although it does not have a ski center of its own.

Alternatively, there are three areas nearby: Mount Norquay, about a ten-minute drive away, Banff Sunshine, 20, and Lake Louise, about 45.

Tourists generally tend to bypass little Norquay Mountain and head straight to Sunshine. The highest ski area in Canada, with peaks of up to 2,730 metres, is managed without artificial snow despite its long season, until May. Pure nature as its motto.

Meanwhile, Lake Louise also has a lot of nature and skiing fun. There, at the end of November each year, the fastest women’s and men’s Alpine Ski World Cup slide down the mountain.

Meanwhile, Freeriders are free-skating the slopes below the back face of Whitehorn Mountain, which is 2,672 meters high.

Park City, Olympic Ski Area

Park City He’s the rising star in US ski areas since the 2002 Summer Olympics in Salt Lake City, just 45 minutes away.

At that time, all ski races, as well as competitions in figure skating and northern disciplines, were held in and around the city at an altitude of 2103 meters.

After closing the last of the silver mines, it practically became a ghost town. But ski tourism kept Park City alive and eventually brought it a fortune.

Additionally, the Olympic “boom” was boosted by the union of Park City a few years ago with the neighboring Canyons Ski Resort. Meanwhile, it has become the largest ski area in the United States: more than 330 descends, a walkable area of ​​about 30 square kilometers.

But even more than size, local pride points to the quality of the snow. Utah boasts, and not without reason, the “Greatest Snow on Earth,” the coolest snow on Earth.

Phil: The heart of a skate giant

In terms of scenery, there may be more beautiful ski resorts than the famous ones Elephant On Interstate 70, about two hours west of Denver.

However, for skiers and snowboarders, this rocky town is perfect: a giant elephant known for its diversity of slopes, world-class mountain service, and unusually beautiful lodges.

The three neighboring ski areas are called Beaver Creek, Keystone, and Breckenridge. All four can be used with a ski pass.

Whistler-Blackcomb: A true giant

The largest ski area in North America is a giant from every point of view. Nowhere is there more slopes or slopes, more snowshoes and cats, more off-piste activities or more hotels, restaurants and bars.

Whistler It is located about an hour and a half drive north of Vancouver in the Canadian coastal mountains.

This resort gained worldwide fame as the Alpine and North Center for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Whistler Village is located at the foot of the Whistler and Blackcomb Ski Mountains.

At 33 square kilometers, Whistler-Blackcomb offers more walking space than any other ski area on the continent. Another advantage is that snow often falls to more than ten meters per season.

dpa