Forbes has dropped their 2016 list of the Top 10 Ski Resorts in North America. The publication ranks ski resorts by what they call the “Pure Awesomeness Factor”. For the 2016 list Forbes considered the best 220 North American resorts whose data and numbers were crunched by ZRankings. Here is what they came up with:
10. Park City Mountain Resort (Utah)
Says Forbes: “The shiny conversation bauble of the industry, the new Park City is the sum of the old Park City plus Canyons, the latter of which was already the largest resort in Utah. The result is the largest ski resort in the United States at 7,300 acres, the new powerhouse of the industry.”
9. Grand Targhee (Wyoming)
Says Forbes: “Of major resorts, only this place rivals the snowfall consistency, volume, and quality enjoyed by Alta and Snowbird. These ski mountains stand alone in their eliteness. The drop to the next level is demonstrable. For that reason, it’s hard to keep Grand Targhee out of these rankings.”
8. Aspen Mountain, Highlands, Snowmass (Colorado)
Says Forbes: “These … resorts aren’t huge, but they’re rife with quality, extended fall lines, and, best of all, there just aren’t many people here. Lift lines at Aspen Highlands only occur on the busiest of days … Even Aspen Mountain, the regal old sultan of the ski industry, is something of a sleepy place when compared with other flagship resorts in Colorado.”
7. Alyeska (Alaska)
Says Forbes: “Despite the resort’s proximity to the Pacific Coast — it’s basically adjacent — and its low altitude — the base area is just 250 feet above sea level — the snow quality here remains excellent. Alyeska’s latitude, hello Alaska, keeps snow dry and cold.”
6. Telluride Ski Resort (Colorado)
Says Forbes: “Everybody has a different perfect ski experience, as different things matter to different people. But Telluride can supply most people with their perfect day, if the conditions are right.”
5. Vail (Colorado)
Says Forbes: “Vail leads the way on the tech side of the consumer experience through its mobile applications and Epic Mix offerings that knit all kinds of experiences on the slopes — photographs, vertical trackers, racing times — into one holistic platform.”
4. Alta Ski Area (Utah)
Says Forbes: “If skiing were a religion — and it certainly resembles something like that to some people — then Alta is its St. Peter’s. This place has been beckoning skiers with its mosaic of rock and snow since 1939. It’s Wrigley Field, but here the Cubs win the World Series nearly every year with 510 inches of snow on average.”
3. Whistler-Blackcomb (Canada)
Says Forbes: “The largest resort in North America has retained its crown for another year even after the Park City-Canyons merger. Whistler’s 8,171 acres still carries a 11.9 percent advantage compared with Park City’s 7,300 acres. The resort’s vertical drop of 5,354 feet is second only to that of Revelstoke.”
2. Snowbird (Utah)
Says Forbes: “This is the place where snow, luxury, travel ease, and terrain come together in a harmony nearly unmatched anywhere else.”
1. Jackson Hole (Wyoming)
Says Forbes: “Jackson Hole … celebrates its 50th anniversary this year by adding a lift that will grant easier access to its top ridge on the north end of the resort — and its high backcountry gate into Granite Canyon.”
Source:Forbes
