Most Challenging Resorts in the West...according to SKImag.com

[telepow]

Our Unofficial Telluride viewers ate this one up in a recent post and I'm sure the mags will tear this list apart as well. There are a ton of valid comments, most notably where the F is Silverton on this list? Alyeska? Aspen instead...WTF. Big Sky 4th ahead of Whistler? It is a reader gererated poll from the SKImag.com viewers but at least Deer Valley didn't make the cut. Are Alta and Snowbird really that challenging? I've only skied there in deep pow so it didn't seem like it. Our beloved resort came in 8th which seems a little low with our hike-to terrain, rocky chutes, and sexy backside but we'll take it. What do the mags think of this list?

JACKSON HOLE

SNOWBIRD

SQUAW

BIG SKY

WHISTLER

ALTA

CRESTED BUTTE

TELLURIDE

a little place called ASSSPEN

TAOS

A Look at part of our backside...

Jared Vincent Photo

[BDKeg]

Aspen, do they mean highlands or aspen?

Regarding silverton it should be there before aspen, but I kinda like goldenboy's blog post tearing it apart - http://14erskiers.com/blog/2009/06/t...rton-mountain/

[Buster Highmen]

Don't bother with Alpental.

As for Silverton, it's really unfair ro single out Tiger as a reputation as a steep run when it's really their easiest. I find the blog odd. The weirdest thing of all is when I do ski stuff like Skid Mark, Riff/Raff/ Waterfall, CB's the place I think of.

Anyway, there's Red Mountain, K00Kw00d too.

[mcwatt]

Hell yeah Taos made it, thats whatsup.

I honestly agree with it more or less. It might have a couple it shouldn't and not have a couple it should but its pretty close.

[Dexter Rutecki]

Don't bother with Alpental.

But it's no bother to do so.

Nothing to see there, right? Just keep moving on...

[2turntables]

Big Sky?... over Taos, really?

[toast2266]

Are Alta and Snowbird really that challenging?

I heard snowbird is, like, the hardest mountain ever.

http://www.epicski.com/products/snowbird/reviews/1536

[WHEEEW!]

I heard snowbird is, like, the hardest mountain ever.

http://www.epicski.com/products/snowbird/reviews/1536

"Speaking of terrain condition, it had snowed 14 inches the night before and the powder was everywhere. I thought this was a good thing, but it wasn’t. You see if you have not skied on powder before, it is not that wonderful thing everyone makes it out to be. Skiing in powder is different than skiing on groomers and if you have not done it before you are up to a challenge. It is a new skill in itself that must be developed. I wondered out loud why the unruly powder had not been groomed and my instructor informed me that most pass holders frowned on them grooming the powder, so they don’t really do it. I understood, but this definitely did not make things easier on us."

[skiracer88_00]

who cares?

[grrrr]

Well, they did say resorts and not areas.

[Buster Highmen]

Well, they did say resorts and not areas.

hairsplitter!

[Bertier]

I heard snowbird is, like, the hardest mountain ever.

http://www.epicski.com/products/snowbird/reviews/1536

The credibility of this review came into question at the first group of "Pros"

Pros: The beauty and majesty. The lodging and food.

[mcwatt]

Mans gotta eat

[DRZ1050i]

My backpack holds awesome PB&J sammiches

[leroy jenkins]

TO split another hair most difficult might imply that a lot of runs are just difficult foran intermediate to get down, but most challenging implies there are the most opportunities to challenge yourself if you hit the right lines, and if so big sky and altabird definitely have a lot of places to challenge just about anyone if skied right.

SO do the aspen areas, although aspen mnt itself doesnt have ton of burly terrain.

Bridger should be on there for sure though. No where else I've seen has that particular brand of gnar to the degree that bridger does.

[hick]

TO split another hair most difficult might imply that a lot of runs are just difficult foran intermediate to get down, but most challenging implies there are the most opportunities to challenge yourself if you hit the right lines, and if so big sky and altabird definitely have a lot of places to challenge just about anyone if skied right.

SO do the aspen areas, although aspen mnt itself doesnt have ton of burly terrain.



Bridger should be on there for sure though. No where else I've seen has that particular brand of gnar to the degree that bridger does.

Then I would have to add Alpy>B Bowl. FUck, that place has fun leftserve terrain!

[wolfelot]

From what I know that list is not bad.

[covert]

I don't think we get SKImag.com in Silverton. It's a bandwidth thing. Oh well...

[teleyakco]

The spines at Solvista Ski Basin?They always get screwed in the mags.

[Bunion 2020]

Look closer at the list and you will understand why Silverton or Bridger isn't on there.

Hint..... "Resort"..... Hint

[whipski]

Big Sky + Moonlight lift access = bunch steep hairy terrain; have to agree CB has me crying for my mommy

[agwat1111]

Another example of why the magazine SKI and its website are irrelevant to anyone who actually practices their namesake. Probably pretty cool for gapers looking for bar conversation "I skied (insert name from list) the most challenging resort in the west on my vacation"....

[powder11]

Admitting to reading SKI magazine is shameful.

I think the list is pretty accurate if you factor in snow conditions. Whistler is pretty easy to ski once you get over the exposure factor. The snow pack is bomber and you can safely ski a 45 degree chute on a powder day without really worrying about setting off a massive slide. Do that on a flakey puff snowpack in UT or CO and everyone nearby is probably getting burried. I dont think thats what SKI magazine had in mind when they wrote the artical, but its pretty accurate.

[shroom]

who even thinks resort skiing is hard anymore? the only real terrain is in the BC

[thedrew55]

Word. Nothing gets under my skin more than a bunch of gapers name dropping the runs they skied. I always love the reaction I get when someone asks me what the good runs are and I say, "I have no idea. I don't look at the signs except to check for closure."

These lists are for pansies that need a magazine to tell them what's difficult.

Another example of why the magazine SKI and its website are irrelevant to anyone who actually practices their namesake. Probably pretty cool for gapers looking for bar conversation "I skied (insert name from list) the most challenging resort in the west on my vacation"....