North American Ski Resorts: The 5 You Do Not Want To Pass Up

If you are looking for a ski resort that is more for the resort than for the skiing, you definitely want to go to Aspen or Vail. Sure, they have some great ski runs too, but they are so popular and crowded, the snow is not always the light, fluffy powder and absolutely incredible sights you want if your trip is about the skiing. Another thing to keep in mind when skiing in North America is to stay on the West Coast. While there are some nice places on the East Coast, the conditions are usually much icier, wetter, not all fluff.

Grand Targhee, Wyoming
Just outside Jackson Hole, in the heart of the Grand Tetons, this resort offers an almost untouched feeling when you are zipping
down the mountainside. With over 500 inches of natural snowfall annually, you will be skiing through real snow, made from the heavens for your enjoyment. You will not feel crowded or rushed and can find paths and areas to spend the afternoon with your friends and no one else. Truly majestic slopes covered with snow.

Bridger Bowl, Montana
If you are up for some challenges, some extreme skiing or snowboarding, head to Bridger Bowl on the east side of the Continental Divide. There is a northern bowl and a southern bowl with gullies, chutes and glades. Ride down one of the long slopes over to one of the smaller bowls that dot the area. Be ready to ski when you go to Bridger Bowl, it is not the place for a romantic getaway; unless whipping down through some incredible slopes and trying to outperform each other is your idea of romance.

Kirkwood Mountain Resort, California
As one of the areas in North America that gets the most snowfall annually, Kirkwood Mountain Resort in California will keep you up to your knees in white powder. Because the resort is not like a Hollywood club, you will not have to wait in a long line at the lift. Your day will be spent going down the slopes instead of hanging out. Be prepared to get a great workout trudging through the deep snow. You will feel exhilarated by the end of the day.

Stowe Mountain Resort, Vermont
To be fair, one East Coast resort had to make the list. Stowe Mountain gets the most snowfall in the area, giving you more fluffy powder than other resorts on that side of the country. It is also the highest mountain in Vermont, and has some runs that will provide a challenge for you that would be comparable to something you would find in the Rocky Mountains.

Lake Louise Mountain Resort, Alberta, Canada
Located in the Canadian Rockies, Lake Louise Mountain Resort offers skiers a beautiful landscape and steep gullies for a challenge. It is the second largest ski resort in Canada, but does not have all the renowned popularity as Whistler Blackcomb. This area is more for the skiing than for the party.

Original: North American Ski Resorts