What are the top 10 ski resorts? Any passionate skier has probably dreamt of skiing the world's best slopes before retiring their skis. After all, you'll probably come to a point where it isn't possible to be zooming down the most challenging trails. Before that happens, you have to ski here:
Aspen, Colorado
Aspen is known as the ski location of the elite, and with good reason. The resorts are beautiful, the snow is plentiful, and trails are challenging for intermediate to expert skiers. Outside of skiing, delicious restaurants and nightlife are nearby. Aspen can be a luxury vacation, but it's worth going at least once.
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc is one of the top 10 ski resorts in the world and boasts a vertical drop of 9,209 feet. It also has one of the longest runs, at 13.7 miles.
Stowe, Vermont
The Stowe Mountain Lodge is one of the best ski resorts in New England. Stowe is known for its natural beauty, as well as its skiing. People make the trek to Stowe year round, and those who don't ski but are along for the trip will find plenty to do with plenty of shopping and restaurants in the area.
Vail, Colorado
Colorado is full of excellent ski resorts. Vail Resorts owns and operates five major mountains; Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone, Beaver Creek and Heavenly. Vail consists of thousands of ski trails, with enough of a variety to keep any skier happy. Besides skiing, Vail offers plenty of other outdoor sports, including snowmobiling and dog sledding. For culture-lovers check out some of the nearby museums.
Gstaad, Switzerland
Gstaad is possibly the world's best ski resorts. Gstaad is full of top of the line (albeit expensive) hotels and extensive dining options. Plus, you get to travel to Switzerland.
Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia
Whistler Blackcomb is popular among both skiers and snowboarders. In fact, it's been called the "Best North American Ski Resort" by a variety of magazines and websites, clearly making it a top 10 ski resort. The area around Whistler is bursting with ethnic cuisine, meaning you can get a taste of whatever you're craving after a long day of skiing.
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Jackson Hole is a big draw for skiers who love challenging trails and death-defying drops. Jackson Hole consists of two mountains; Après Vous Mountain and Rendezvous Mountain. Many of the mountains' best trails are off the map. So bring the right equipment, ask around, and make the most of your ski vacation.
Kirkwood, California
Kirkwood is just shy of an hour south of Lake Tahoe, which makes it one of the less crowded top 10 ski resorts you could visit. Kirkwood offers trails that will suit any level skier; just keep in mind that most people refer to the lifts by number rather than name, so a map might help.
Mont-Tremblant, Quebec
Located just an hour from Montreal, Mont-Tremblant was the first ski resort to open in Canada (in 1939). Mont-Tremblant is known for more than its convenient location; skiers consider it to be the best ski resort in eastern Canada.
Deer Valley, Utah
Deer Valley is another top 10 ski resort which is known for being accessible mostly to the wealthy. One of the few resorts which bans snowboarding, Deer Valley also limits the number of skiers it allows on the slopes each day. This means you'll never have to worry about being run over by an inexperienced skier on a crowded trail.
 | A ski guide to safety should be required reading for anybody who wants to hit the slopes. |
Attempts to learn to downhill ski are more successful when you turn to the experts for help. |
The basics of snow skiing are important whether you're hitting the slopes for the first time or the hundredth. |
Ski resorts come in many shapes and sizes. Decide which is right for you before you book your trip. |
Learn to ski the right way and enjoy years of skiing adventure without broken bones. |
