Ski resorts throughout the western United States are getting ready as avid skiers hope to get an early start this year. If you’re thinking of making a trip and are looking for some ideas, here are my favorite places to ski in the western United States:
Alta Ski Area, Utah. I skied at Alta while I was in Salt Lake City on a business trip a few years ago. It was a Thursday and I only had time for one day of skiing. I had heard great things about Alta, including the plentiful powder, great runs, and the rustic resort. Another plus is that it’s for skiers only and there are no snowboarders to get in the way. On the other side of the summit from Alta is another resort called Snowbird. You can buy a combined lift ticket for both parks. Near the end of the day, I tried the “key hole run,” which connects Alta and Snowbird. It’s a steep, double black diamond that left me with a pretty amazing adrenaline rush. The great snow and short lines for the chair lifts at both parks were the best parts. Breckenridge, Colorado. Unlike Alta, Breckenridge was packed when I was there. It has a wide variety of runs and has a great selection for everyone from beginner to advanced. The lines for the chair lifts were pretty backed up when I was there, and it was very windy at the top of Peak 7 with near whiteout conditions. My wife enjoyed the shops and we both enjoyed the night life. While the extra people in line shortened the amount of time we spent going down the slopes, they made the night life more enjoyable. Not an entirely bad tradeoff. Sunrise Park, Arizona is way off the beaten path. Located in the White Mountains in Central-Eastern Arizona, Sunrise isn’t easy to get to. But that’s one of the things I liked about it. The drive from Phoenix was beautiful. We drove through winding mountain passes and arrived after dark. When we awoke the next day, we were treated to a beautiful sight: blue sky above a gleaming white mountain of pure powder, and very few skiers. We were always first in line for the chair lifts and the slopes were in great shape.
I hope you find this information useful. Best wishes for a great ski season.
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