Which is the best ski resort in the western United States? I’ve been thinking about this question a lot lately because my girlfriend Emilie and I are about to go on a ski and snowboard tour to try and answer it.
On the surface that may seem easy, but it’s not. The question is actually quite complex.
Finding the best ski resort in the western United States is a serious job. We’re going to have to do a lot of skiing and snowboarding, interview a lot of people, take a lot of photos and videos, and upload a large number of said photos to Facebook and Twitter to make sure our friends are sufficiently jealous.
We’re taking this job very seriously.
Serious people doing serious jobs require serious equipement. Below is a list of the most important gear that we’re taking with us. Click on the name of any piece of gear for more information about it.
When I first moved to Utah I was appalled to learn that there are two ski resorts here that don’t allow snowboarders: Alta and Deer Valley.
I was also intrigued.
Alta, one of the oldest hills in North America, is regularly featured on lists of the best ski resorts in in the United States. It’s referred to by many skiers as the mecca of the sport. It’s also a source of tension among local skiers and snowboarders, as can be clearly seen in the video Sh*t Alta Skiers Say About Snowboarding.
When I found out about Alta’s policy, I knew I had to find out what it was about this hill that created such devotion among pass holders and why the management felt it necessary to prevent snowboarders from sharing the hill.
I made my first turns of the season on opening day at Snowbird and I began my investigation into whether or not Utah actually has The Greatest Snow on Earth ® as the state’s trademarked motto claims. It’s an investigation that I will work long and hard — even on weekends — to complete.
It’s going to be a rough winter.
It looks like I have an amazing winter coming up! It’s going to involve a lot of snowboarding, writing, photography, and, um, did I mention snowboarding? I was so stoked that I went out and bought a whole new snowboarding setup.
There are four ski hills in the USA I haven’t visited whose names make my stomach drop: Alta (Utah), Aspen/Snowmass (Colo.), Jackson Hole (Wyo.), and Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows (Calif.).
Judging from the scenes I’ve seen in ski and snowboard movies, these are four mountains that every serious skier and snowboarder should try to visit at least once in their life — like an snowrider’s pilgrimage to Mecca.
It’s true. The Eagle Point Resort in southern Utah is offering free unlimited skiing to all California residents this season. They expect to open on December 21st. I expect it to be busy.
