And if you take advantage of a winter stay in the United States to test the American powder snow?
You'll be spoiled for choice: the National Ski Areas Association lists more than 470 ski areas scattered across 36 states!
Good to know: the American slopes are not classified how in Europe but divided by level (beginner, intermediate, advanced and expert) and expressed as a percentage of the terrain.
Red is also not used and, for the expert level, 3 sub-levels are established from 1 to 3 "black diamonds".
Everything schuss!
To discover
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Powder Mountain (Utah): the largest
Powder Mountain has the 2nd largest ski area in North America, behind the resort of Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia.
Powder Mountain Resort
About 90 km from Salt Lake City, Powder Mountain claims the title of the largest ski resort in the United States with a ski area that stretches over 34 km².
The "powder mountain" remains a resort on a human scale, with only 9 ski lifts and a strict policy to limit attendance: only 2,000 passes are sold each day, to which are added 1,000 seasonal passes.
The resort thus has the lowest density of skiers in North America: 35 skiers per hectare!
Altitude: from 2103 m to 2872 m.
Ski area: 154 runs (25% beginner, 40% intermediate, 35% advanced and expert).
Lifts: 9.
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Park City Mountain Resort (Utah): the most Olympic
Founded in 1884, Park City retains traces of its past, when the city lived off its silver, gold and zinc mines.
Vail Resorts
50 km east of Salt Lake City, Park City is the training ground for the US Ski Team.
The resort was also naturally chosen to host the giant slalom and snowboarding events during the Salt Lake City Olympic Games in 2002. The ski area appears steep and technically demanding: half of the massif is for skiers experts.
Park City is also the resort with the most ski lifts in the USA, serving a dense network of 330 runs.
Altitude: from 2100 m to 3056 m.
Ski area: 330 runs (8% beginner, 42% intermediate, 50% expert).
Lifts: 41.
Sun Valley Resort (Idaho): the most historic
The Sun Valley ski area covers two massifs: Dollar Mountain, for beginners, and Bald Mountain, for experts.
Sun Valley Resort
Sun Valley was established in 1936 by William Averell Harriman, the influential president of the Union Pacific Railroad, to support traffic on his new rail lines.
Many celebrities of the time were invited to launch the station, from Marylin Monroe to Ernest Hemingway.
Sun Valley also innovated by hosting the very first chairlift in the world.
The facility has since been replaced, but one of Sun Valley's original chairlifts is now operating...in Alaska, where it holds the title of the world's oldest operating chairlift.
Altitude: from 1815 m to 2788 m.
Ski area: 121 runs (36% beginner, 42% intermediate, 20% advanced and 2% expert).
Lifts: 18.
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Vail Ski Resort (Colorado): the most European
Vail Resorts, Vail's resort operator, operates 36 other resorts in the United States, including Beaver Creek and Breckenridge.
Jack Affleck
About a 2-hour drive from Denver, Vail is the most well-known ski resort in the United States.
Opened in 1962, the resort was created from scratch on the model of a charming traditional alpine village, with wooden chalets and pedestrian shopping streets.
A false air of Megève or Valmorel in the middle of Colorado!
The immense ski area, spread over the sides of 7 massifs, is aimed at all skiers, from beginner downhillers to halfpipe professionals.
Our favourite?
The Riva Ridge track, the longest in the area at 6.5 km.
Altitude: from 2475 m to 3527 m.
Ski area: 193 runs (18% beginner, 29% intermediate, 53% advanced and expert).
Lifts: 39.
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Beaver Creek Resort (Colorado): the most upscale
The Beaver Creek station is a recent station, inaugurated in 1980. Jlfdz
Backed by the Vail Ski Resort, Beaver Creek is dedicated to high-end customers, with luxury hotels, gourmet restaurants and personalized services, including ski porterage.
A unique tradition: free cookies await skiers at the foot of the slopes, every day at 3 p.m.!
The slopes are much less busy than those of Vail and the wait less at the lifts.
Don't miss the mythical Birds of Prey, a run on the downhill world cup program since 1997 and which regularly hosts super-G and slalom.
Altitude: from 2470 to 3490 m.
Ski area: 150 runs (19% beginner, 43% intermediate, 38% advanced and expert).
Lifts: 18.
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Aspen Mountain (Colorado): the most Instagrammable
The Aspen Mountain station remains nicknamed Ajax, its former name.
Jared Harrell/Aspen Snowmass
Founded in 1946, the Aspen Mountain resort overlooks the city of Aspen.
A grandiose panorama that can be appreciated in particular from chairlift 1, the first and main ski lift in the resort.
The ski area meanders through the White River National Forest and requires good technical skills.
Aspen Mountain does not have any slopes for beginners.
A curiosity not to be missed along the route of the Bell Mountain chairlift: since the 1950s, underwear has been hung on a tree, the “Panty tree”!
Altitude: from 2422 m to 3417 m.
Ski area: 76 runs (48% intermediate, 26% advanced and 26 expert).
Lifts: 8.
Breckenridge Ski Resort (Colorado): the highest
The Breckenridge resort opened in December 1961. Beaver Creek Resort
130 km from Denver, “Breck” has something for everyone.
The vast ski area covers all levels and the resort boasts the highest chairlift in North America, the Imperial Express Superchair, which reaches 3900 meters above sea level.
Besides skiing, Breck offers a host of winter activities, from snowmobiling to dog and horse sleigh rides.
In the evening, a relaxed atmosphere in the village, with hotels, restaurants and shops for all budgets.
Altitude: from 2900 m to 3900 m.
Ski area: 155 runs (14% beginner, 31% intermediate, 19% advanced and 36% expert).
Lifts: 33.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (Wyoming): the most perilous
Jackson Hole's iconic trail, the Corbet Couloir was opened by tracker Lonnie Ball in 1967. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
South of Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone Park, Jackson Hole has earned the nickname "Big One".
This renowned resort boasts some of the steepest runs in North America.
The most famous route?
The Couloir de Corbet, which claims the title of the “scariest track” in the United States!
You have to jump from the ledge for a dive of almost 6 meters between two narrow rock walls.
The rest of the ski area is in keeping with half of the terrain dedicated to black runs.
Altitude: from 1924 m to 3185 m.
Ski area: 130 runs (10% beginner, 40% intermediate, 50% expert).
Lifts: 13.
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Smugglers' Notch Resort (Vermont): the most family-friendly
Smugglers' Notch Resort is affectionately known as “Smuggs” by locals.
Nick Anastasi / Smugglers' Notch Resort
On the edge of Vermont, less than 2 hours from Montreal by car, Smugglers' Notch Resort has proclaimed itself "America's number one resort for families".
The station displays a very complete activity program for all ages every day.
The ski area offers a beautiful diversity of landscapes, with slopes spread over 3 massifs around the village.
Experienced skiers will dare to hurtle down the Black Hole, a formidable slope inclined at 53 degrees in the middle of the fir trees which gives the impression of being swallowed by a black hole.
Altitude: from 310 m to 1110 m.
Ski area: 78 runs (19% beginner, 50% intermediate, 25% advanced and 6% expert).
Lifts: 8.
Waterville Valley Resort (New Hampshire): the most authentic
Town Square, the elegant main square of the Waterville Valley Resort.
Waterville Valley Resort
While many American resorts have been inspired by resorts in the Alps, Waterville Valley offers a unique atmosphere.
This small resort, created in 1966 2 hours drive north of Boston, is organized around a typical New England village.
She also wants to be very peaceful and discreet.
Waterville Valley was the favorite station of Senator Ted Kennedy, who gave his name to a track, but also of astronaut John Glenn.
The resort has also made a reputation for Nordic skiing, with a network of over 70 km of trails.
Altitude: from 555 m to 1170 m.
Ski area: 62 runs (15% beginner, 59% intermediate, 26% expert).
Lifts: 11.
