Kind of a questionable poll of USA Today’s readers as they could only vote from a pool of 20 ski resorts across the US and Canada, preselected by an expert panel of three but alas these top ten they’ve come up with.

Obviously, a stacked list of world-class ski destinations but some of my personal favorites are conspicuously absent. What resort is left off the list that you think should be included? 

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden, British Columbia earns rave reviews and a loyal following for its incredible verticals, champagne powder and unique range of terrain. The 3,486 acres of skiable terrain includes the fourth highest vertical drop in North America. Skiers and snowboarders have 120 named runs to choose from, with over half catering to advanced and expert skiers.

Divided over two mountains, Stowe Mountain Resort offers East Coast residents and visitors 116 named trails spread out over 485 acres of terrain, much of it geared toward intermediate and advanced skiers. Six terrain parks keep freestylers happy, while four interconnected Nordic areas attract cross country skiers from around the globe.

Big Sky Resort calls itself the Biggest Skiing in America for good reason. The Montana resort boasts a whopping 5,850 acres of skiable terrain on four connected mountains, 300 named runs and seven terrain parks. Other perks? 400-plus inches of annual snowfall and near non-existent lift lines on the resort’s 36 lifts.

The largest ski resort in Washington State offers a total of 2,600 acres of skiable terrain with more than 50 named runs, many with stellar views of Mt. Rainier. The resort opened in 1962 and has become a favorite with Seattle locals and visitors for its easy access to the city and its average of 486 inches of annual snowfall.

Once Colorado’s hidden gem, the secret is out about Telluride Ski Resort, where 18 lifts service more than 2,000 acres of terrain and 148 trails with a good variety in difficulty level. A 3,790-foot lift-serviced vertical drop means there are plenty of steeps, yet beginners and intermediates have lots of long groomers to enjoy.

Copper Mountain offers 140 trails serviced by 23 lifts covering 2,490 acres of skiable terrain. The parks and pipes at Copper Mountain put their focus on progression, allowing newbie freestylers to move from easy features to larger, more difficult ones. March is typically the snowiest month – perfect for some spring skiing.

With North America’s greatest vertical – 5,620 feet – Revelstoke Mountain Resort offers 3,121 skiable acres, in addition to cat skiing and heli skiing, making it one of Canada’s best. Combine that with the area’s big powder dumps, and you have a giant playground worthy of any powder hound’s bucket list. With 93 percent of the terrain rated for intermediate and advanced skiers and riders, this is certainly a resort for adrenaline junkies.

Michigan might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think skiing, but Mount Bohemia is a hidden gem for extreme mountain sports. Located on the Upper Peninsula, this resort features some of the longest runs, highest verticals and deepest powder in the Midwest, with 273 inches of average annual snowfall.

Three time winner of the Readers’ Choice award for Best Ski Resort sits between Truckee and Tahoe City, where skiers and riders enjoy some 6,000 acres of terrain, including 16 bowls, 270 trails and 42 lifts ferrying visitors to the top of the dual resorts, accessible on the same lift ticket.1: WINTER PARK RESORT
Winter Park, Colo.

#1: WITNTER PARK
Winter Prak, Colo.

The 3,081 acres of terrain at Winter Park is divided into seven distinct territories – glade skiing in Eagle Wind Territory, bowls in Parsenn Bowl, jumps and jibs in Terrain Park Territory, steeps and deeps in Cirque, the bumps of Mary Jane, black diamonds of Winter Park and the powder stashes of Vasquez Ridge. Skiers and riders have 166 named trails to choose from, accessed by 25 lifts.

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