Kazimiera
10-16-2014, 10:23 PM
The Top 25 Ski Resorts in The World
Just what makes a classic ski town? It starts, naturally, with skiing and snowboarding so good they attract people like youth-bestowing fountains. Then add an inviting mountain burg steeped in ski heritage, amenities, and culture. These are the 25 best. For insider tips, we asked local luminaries where to stay, play, and party, whether you're on a budget or indulging.
1. Wanaka, New Zealand
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nRfCYVizvgs/UiYZARplGDI/AAAAAAAAAnk/vfSXNNeERtc/s1600/Wanaka,+New+Zealand.JPG
Quickly developing a reputation as one of the world’s premier adventure towns, Wanaka sits on the shores of sprawling Lake Wanaka amid New Zealand’s Southern Alps. Surrounded by rugged, Lord of the Rings-style alpine scenery, the tranquil town of 5,000 is peppered with hostels, cafes, pubs, and small, luxury eco-lodges.
2. Girdwood, Alaska
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FFLTq3I9Q5g/UiYt4U9WlFI/AAAAAAAAAn0/3F3eyk1X4MU/s1600/Girdwood,+Alaska.jpg
A former gold-mining town carved out of the forest at the foot of the famed Chugach Mountains, Girdwood has refashioned itself into Alaska’s premier ski town. Rising up from the edge of town, Alyeska Resort is the largest ski area in Alaska. It has six lifts, two magic carpets, and a 60-person tram that climbs the mountain’s steep north face with views to the ocean. Tree line is low this far north, so the upper half of the mountain is wide-open alpine, more like the open terrain of the Alps than a typical American resort. There are ample blue runs and a smattering of beginner runs near the base, but experts will get the most out of the mountain.
3. Fernie, British Columbia, Canada
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s8382n4rFZ0/UiYxckx50BI/AAAAAAAAAoI/JmD9UwtvNt8/s1600/Fernie,+British+Columbia,+Canada.jpg
Though it serves up some of the most spectacular terrain and best snow in all of Canada, this historic mining hamlet of 4,217 people tucked into the far southeastern corner of British Columbia still somehow flies below the greater ski-scene radar. Fernie Alpine Resort overlooks the Elk River Valley from 4.5 miles outside town, clinging to the sculpted faces of the Lizard Range.
4. Chamonix, France
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f8fLXLCTsf0/UifFoBCEx2I/AAAAAAAAAtM/jgTPuapChFI/s1600/Chamonix,+France.jpg
Globally renowned as the birthplace of extreme skiing, Chamonix has some of the world’s premier lift-accessed steep skiing and snowboarding—including plenty of terrain that won’t leave you dead on a glacier if you catch an edge wrong. The many lifts and trams access terrain so steep and rugged that many skiers will be wishing for a ride down, as well. One ticket gains access to the 11 different ski zones scattered discontinuously across the valley. If the snow is good, vertical drops of over 9,000 feet are possible.
5. Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jbiRwqiLRZ4/UiZBMCK0fmI/AAAAAAAAAok/odd491_4_DI/s1600/Cortina+d%27Ampezzo,+Italy.jpg
With the dramatic peaks of the Dolomites rising like ruddy cathedrals in every direction, the ski areas around Cortina have been called the most beautiful in the world. The good news is that most people here are more interested in socializing than actually skiing and snowboarding, so the slopes aren’t crowded—at least by European standards.
6. Whitefish, Montana, Unites States
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ChURiNoL-EA/UiZC6g8GxMI/AAAAAAAAAow/qcqKKFfq2sw/s1600/Whitefish,+Montana,+Unites+States.jpg
Whitefish, a former logging and railroad town of more than 6,000 near the entrance to Glacier National Park, has been quietly delivering glitz-free Montana skiing for over half a century. Whitefish the ski area lives up to its family-friendly billing with good first-timer terrain and an abundance of long, wide-open, roller coaster groomers where skiers and snowboarders of all abilities can get their superhero on.
7. Crested Butte, Colorado
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_rYbwHSHNYQ/UiZEjWUTnlI/AAAAAAAAAo8/pcICy7lR2To/s1600/Crested+Butte,+Colorado.jpg
Crested Butte is a remote, high-elevation former mining town of historic buildings surrounded by spectacular scenery. Is three miles up the road, and the base village, part of the town of Mt. Crested Butte, offers conveniently located hotels and condo blocks. There are plenty of dedicated beginner and kid-friendly terrain on the lower mountain, as well as a reasonable collection of blue groomers mid-mountain
8. Niseko, Japan
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jGymG48Ftz4/UibzZJpb0PI/AAAAAAAAAq0/Gb3t6ybaJYA/s1600/Niseko,+Japan.jpg
Thanks to the near-constant storm cycles pumping out of neighboring Siberia, the mountains on the Japanese island of Hokkaido are globally renowned for having some of the most consistent, lightest powder on Earth. Night skiing is huge here, and enormous stadium-style lights brighten 2,560 vertical feet of skiing. Deep-powder runs through illuminated nighttime forest are a Niseko specialty. Given the windstorms that periodically lash the mountain, the mountain’s perfectly spaced birch forests are often the best, most sheltered places to ski and snowboard.
9. Kitzbühel, Austria
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LO1vzNcXksE/UicNUKd1IEI/AAAAAAAAAsM/x_BAu0CPIpU/s1600/Kitzb%C3%BChel,+Austria.jpg
A classic medieval village turned internationally famous ski destination, the glitzy town of Kitzbühel in Austria’s Tyrol region looks more like a chocolate-box illustration than an actual place. A gondola for the main mountain leaves directly from town, and a sprawling network of lifts, gondolas, and runs thread up the mountains in all directions, offering the ability to drop into neighboring villages and areas without taking off your skis or board.
10. Bend, Oregon
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Au1TmAR7mU/UibhEnXWM2I/AAAAAAAAApg/bShjPSjwlP0/s1600/Bend,+Oregon.jpg
The biggest town on this list, Bend is a fast-growing, adventure paradise of more than 76,000 people in central Oregon that happens to have the region’s premier ski area, Mount Bachelor, 22 miles west up the road. If you ever dream of skiing in the Pacific Northwest, Bachelor is the kind of mountain you dream about. A 9,000-foot stratovolcano lined with high-speed quads and skiable down every side, it’s a huge, diverse area which, being on the drier, east side of the Cascades, has lighter snow than the Pacific cement that coats most mountains in the region. Beginner and intermediate runs are scattered throughout Bachelor, and some of the groomers are world-class.
11. Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qm4hE6m3YnA/UibjB4QxfOI/AAAAAAAAAps/b8Jv8tcGFnA/s1600/Mont+Tremblant,+Quebec,+Canada.jpg
Tremblant offers some of the best skiing in eastern Canada, with a master-planned village that feels cut from Europe—or at least the old quarter of Quebec City. The mountain itself offers a respectable 2,116 feet of skiable vertical, with 95 runs unfurling down four separate faces, providing the ability to follow the sunshine across different aspects throughout the day.
12. Taos, New Mexico
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UMtS0mqgghM/UifHMVof7WI/AAAAAAAAAtY/ViTcjm2X_ao/s1600/Taos,+New+Mexico.jpg
In the world of classic ski towns, Taos is a unique gem. Today, the Swiss-style chalets at the area’s base exude an old-time European character while the town itself feels like a funky Southwestern artist’s colony. The mountain offers some of the finest steep skiing and boarding in the U.S., with powder that rivals Utah’s for lightness. You can ski double diamonds top to bottom here. Taos operates one of the country’s most highly regarded ski schools—for beginners and the already skilled—which is good because the terrain demands it.
13. Park City, Utah
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hGBldtwVYlU/UifEXpI-rDI/AAAAAAAAAtA/HOYzvdEQdJA/s1600/Park+City,+Utah.jpg
Home to the U.S. Ski Team, three sprawling ski resorts, and Utah’s feathery, desert-dry powder, Park City has established itself as one of the premier ski towns in America. Park City Mountain Resort is the “right there” option, with access from town, four terrain parks for snowboarders and freestylers, night skiing, a cutting-edge ski school, and remarkably well-rounded terrain, from gentle beginner runs to powder-filled bowls that rival fellow Wasatch Mountain areas Alta and Snowbird.
14. Hintertuxer Gletscher, Austria
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8VGer2LxGms/Uib4NP26x3I/AAAAAAAAArU/mbBemaWX7RA/s1600/Hintertuxer+Gletscher,+Austria.JPG
Nowhere else is skiing in Austria as varied and enjoyable as in the Tyrolean Zillertal Valley: The Hintertux Glacier is Austria’s only year round ski resort and offers winter sports enthusiasts perfectly groomed, snow-sure runs 365 days of the year, great food and a fascinating experience of nature at altitudes of up to 3,250 m.
15. Truckee, California
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v1bgPWkBwZA/Uibt0W1onOI/AAAAAAAAAqU/hPXb67Sy-eA/s1600/Truckee,+California.jpg
In the Sierra Nevada north of Lake Tahoe, between Reno and South Lake Tahoe, the old logging and railway town of Truckee has bloomed into a ski mecca, with no less than eight different ski areas within 15 miles. With many of its ski areas receiving some of the highest average snowfall totals in the country—more than one ski area ran lifts on the Fourth of July this past year—it’s easy to understand why the locals choose to live here.
16. Whistler, British Columbia
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c7YOVPmp_ss/UibwHPbl1JI/AAAAAAAAAqg/e_DUtuX1wIk/s1600/Whistler,+British+Columbia.jpg
Whistler Blackcomb is North America's mega-mountain. A gargantuan ski resort in British Columbia’s Coast Mountains, and a two-hour drive from Vancouver’s international airport, it hosts two conjoined areas—Whistler and Blackcomb. It gets the most snow, has some of the longest vertical drops, the largest terrain parks, the steepest steeps, the most runs, and the greatest acreage of any ski area on the continent. In other words, it’s large. Ski magazines routinely anoint it the finest ski area in North America.
17. Las Leñas, Argentina
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z138kTaMFCs/UibyiqRMolI/AAAAAAAAAqs/AU0dEYRaMr8/s1600/Las+Le%C3%B1as,+Argentina.jpg
From late June to mid October, Las Leñas offers skiable terrain for all skill levels, including the youngsters just starting out. Unlike most North American skiing, skiing in Argentina sees no boundaries. Literally. Most cautious skiers would find this quite dangerous and risky, but the real reason there are no boundaries is because much of the winter backcountry remains untracked and unexplored. Las Leñas is well-known for its “steep and deep” terrain and lives up to this reputation with many opportunities for extreme and off-piste skiing. Patagonia is the true, raw landscape for the complete summer skiing experience.
18. Perisher, Australia
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gUqcgfBnf_E/Uib1GKKhKAI/AAAAAAAAArA/kQVD5nZcHvY/s1600/Perisher,+Australia.jpg
Located in New South Wales, Perisher is the largest ski area in Australia, composed of four villages that are all connected to offer varied terrain to serve all skill levels. The seven mountain peaks, including five terrain parks and a super-pipe, are accessed by 47 different lifts featuring an impressive high speed eight seater.
19. Ski Portillo, Chile
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-91WAycmWB0g/Uib19fu7SJI/AAAAAAAAArI/lpIqxUwM8p8/s1600/Ski+Portillo,+Chile.jpg
Portillo provides a quite different ski adventure, as the mountain has just one yellow hotel and no town for miles. While the thought of being secluded from the outside world might seem a bit intimidating, this experience definitely has its perks as only 400 people can fit in the hotel, meaning little to no lift lines. Intermediate and advanced skiers and riders rave about Portillo for its steep, off-piste terrain. When covered by powder after a storm, the snow pack last for days. For the ultimate daredevils, Portillo maintains helicopter operations to take you to even higher elevations and peaks. In addition to great skiing, Portillo also offers great backcountry hiking opportunities.
20. Tignes, France
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z2WOY0__I9A/Uib5mWzH-VI/AAAAAAAAArg/LR89LRT68Dg/s1600/Tignes,+France.jpg
Tignes offers a unique skiing experience for those interested in continuing their powder adventures throughout the European summer. After the cold winter season from September to May, Tignes offersTignes offers a unique skiing experience for those interested in continuing their powder adventures throughout the European summer. After the cold winter season from September to May, Tignes offers summer glacier skiing from mid June to early September. Reaching the base of the French glacier takes a mere seven minutes via the underground funicular.
Source: http://www.snowaddiction.org/2013/09/the-top-25-ski-resorts-in-world.html
Just what makes a classic ski town? It starts, naturally, with skiing and snowboarding so good they attract people like youth-bestowing fountains. Then add an inviting mountain burg steeped in ski heritage, amenities, and culture. These are the 25 best. For insider tips, we asked local luminaries where to stay, play, and party, whether you're on a budget or indulging.
1. Wanaka, New Zealand
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nRfCYVizvgs/UiYZARplGDI/AAAAAAAAAnk/vfSXNNeERtc/s1600/Wanaka,+New+Zealand.JPG
Quickly developing a reputation as one of the world’s premier adventure towns, Wanaka sits on the shores of sprawling Lake Wanaka amid New Zealand’s Southern Alps. Surrounded by rugged, Lord of the Rings-style alpine scenery, the tranquil town of 5,000 is peppered with hostels, cafes, pubs, and small, luxury eco-lodges.
2. Girdwood, Alaska
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FFLTq3I9Q5g/UiYt4U9WlFI/AAAAAAAAAn0/3F3eyk1X4MU/s1600/Girdwood,+Alaska.jpg
A former gold-mining town carved out of the forest at the foot of the famed Chugach Mountains, Girdwood has refashioned itself into Alaska’s premier ski town. Rising up from the edge of town, Alyeska Resort is the largest ski area in Alaska. It has six lifts, two magic carpets, and a 60-person tram that climbs the mountain’s steep north face with views to the ocean. Tree line is low this far north, so the upper half of the mountain is wide-open alpine, more like the open terrain of the Alps than a typical American resort. There are ample blue runs and a smattering of beginner runs near the base, but experts will get the most out of the mountain.
3. Fernie, British Columbia, Canada
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s8382n4rFZ0/UiYxckx50BI/AAAAAAAAAoI/JmD9UwtvNt8/s1600/Fernie,+British+Columbia,+Canada.jpg
Though it serves up some of the most spectacular terrain and best snow in all of Canada, this historic mining hamlet of 4,217 people tucked into the far southeastern corner of British Columbia still somehow flies below the greater ski-scene radar. Fernie Alpine Resort overlooks the Elk River Valley from 4.5 miles outside town, clinging to the sculpted faces of the Lizard Range.
4. Chamonix, France
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f8fLXLCTsf0/UifFoBCEx2I/AAAAAAAAAtM/jgTPuapChFI/s1600/Chamonix,+France.jpg
Globally renowned as the birthplace of extreme skiing, Chamonix has some of the world’s premier lift-accessed steep skiing and snowboarding—including plenty of terrain that won’t leave you dead on a glacier if you catch an edge wrong. The many lifts and trams access terrain so steep and rugged that many skiers will be wishing for a ride down, as well. One ticket gains access to the 11 different ski zones scattered discontinuously across the valley. If the snow is good, vertical drops of over 9,000 feet are possible.
5. Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jbiRwqiLRZ4/UiZBMCK0fmI/AAAAAAAAAok/odd491_4_DI/s1600/Cortina+d%27Ampezzo,+Italy.jpg
With the dramatic peaks of the Dolomites rising like ruddy cathedrals in every direction, the ski areas around Cortina have been called the most beautiful in the world. The good news is that most people here are more interested in socializing than actually skiing and snowboarding, so the slopes aren’t crowded—at least by European standards.
6. Whitefish, Montana, Unites States
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ChURiNoL-EA/UiZC6g8GxMI/AAAAAAAAAow/qcqKKFfq2sw/s1600/Whitefish,+Montana,+Unites+States.jpg
Whitefish, a former logging and railroad town of more than 6,000 near the entrance to Glacier National Park, has been quietly delivering glitz-free Montana skiing for over half a century. Whitefish the ski area lives up to its family-friendly billing with good first-timer terrain and an abundance of long, wide-open, roller coaster groomers where skiers and snowboarders of all abilities can get their superhero on.
7. Crested Butte, Colorado
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_rYbwHSHNYQ/UiZEjWUTnlI/AAAAAAAAAo8/pcICy7lR2To/s1600/Crested+Butte,+Colorado.jpg
Crested Butte is a remote, high-elevation former mining town of historic buildings surrounded by spectacular scenery. Is three miles up the road, and the base village, part of the town of Mt. Crested Butte, offers conveniently located hotels and condo blocks. There are plenty of dedicated beginner and kid-friendly terrain on the lower mountain, as well as a reasonable collection of blue groomers mid-mountain
8. Niseko, Japan
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jGymG48Ftz4/UibzZJpb0PI/AAAAAAAAAq0/Gb3t6ybaJYA/s1600/Niseko,+Japan.jpg
Thanks to the near-constant storm cycles pumping out of neighboring Siberia, the mountains on the Japanese island of Hokkaido are globally renowned for having some of the most consistent, lightest powder on Earth. Night skiing is huge here, and enormous stadium-style lights brighten 2,560 vertical feet of skiing. Deep-powder runs through illuminated nighttime forest are a Niseko specialty. Given the windstorms that periodically lash the mountain, the mountain’s perfectly spaced birch forests are often the best, most sheltered places to ski and snowboard.
9. Kitzbühel, Austria
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LO1vzNcXksE/UicNUKd1IEI/AAAAAAAAAsM/x_BAu0CPIpU/s1600/Kitzb%C3%BChel,+Austria.jpg
A classic medieval village turned internationally famous ski destination, the glitzy town of Kitzbühel in Austria’s Tyrol region looks more like a chocolate-box illustration than an actual place. A gondola for the main mountain leaves directly from town, and a sprawling network of lifts, gondolas, and runs thread up the mountains in all directions, offering the ability to drop into neighboring villages and areas without taking off your skis or board.
10. Bend, Oregon
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Au1TmAR7mU/UibhEnXWM2I/AAAAAAAAApg/bShjPSjwlP0/s1600/Bend,+Oregon.jpg
The biggest town on this list, Bend is a fast-growing, adventure paradise of more than 76,000 people in central Oregon that happens to have the region’s premier ski area, Mount Bachelor, 22 miles west up the road. If you ever dream of skiing in the Pacific Northwest, Bachelor is the kind of mountain you dream about. A 9,000-foot stratovolcano lined with high-speed quads and skiable down every side, it’s a huge, diverse area which, being on the drier, east side of the Cascades, has lighter snow than the Pacific cement that coats most mountains in the region. Beginner and intermediate runs are scattered throughout Bachelor, and some of the groomers are world-class.
11. Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qm4hE6m3YnA/UibjB4QxfOI/AAAAAAAAAps/b8Jv8tcGFnA/s1600/Mont+Tremblant,+Quebec,+Canada.jpg
Tremblant offers some of the best skiing in eastern Canada, with a master-planned village that feels cut from Europe—or at least the old quarter of Quebec City. The mountain itself offers a respectable 2,116 feet of skiable vertical, with 95 runs unfurling down four separate faces, providing the ability to follow the sunshine across different aspects throughout the day.
12. Taos, New Mexico
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UMtS0mqgghM/UifHMVof7WI/AAAAAAAAAtY/ViTcjm2X_ao/s1600/Taos,+New+Mexico.jpg
In the world of classic ski towns, Taos is a unique gem. Today, the Swiss-style chalets at the area’s base exude an old-time European character while the town itself feels like a funky Southwestern artist’s colony. The mountain offers some of the finest steep skiing and boarding in the U.S., with powder that rivals Utah’s for lightness. You can ski double diamonds top to bottom here. Taos operates one of the country’s most highly regarded ski schools—for beginners and the already skilled—which is good because the terrain demands it.
13. Park City, Utah
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hGBldtwVYlU/UifEXpI-rDI/AAAAAAAAAtA/HOYzvdEQdJA/s1600/Park+City,+Utah.jpg
Home to the U.S. Ski Team, three sprawling ski resorts, and Utah’s feathery, desert-dry powder, Park City has established itself as one of the premier ski towns in America. Park City Mountain Resort is the “right there” option, with access from town, four terrain parks for snowboarders and freestylers, night skiing, a cutting-edge ski school, and remarkably well-rounded terrain, from gentle beginner runs to powder-filled bowls that rival fellow Wasatch Mountain areas Alta and Snowbird.
14. Hintertuxer Gletscher, Austria
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8VGer2LxGms/Uib4NP26x3I/AAAAAAAAArU/mbBemaWX7RA/s1600/Hintertuxer+Gletscher,+Austria.JPG
Nowhere else is skiing in Austria as varied and enjoyable as in the Tyrolean Zillertal Valley: The Hintertux Glacier is Austria’s only year round ski resort and offers winter sports enthusiasts perfectly groomed, snow-sure runs 365 days of the year, great food and a fascinating experience of nature at altitudes of up to 3,250 m.
15. Truckee, California
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v1bgPWkBwZA/Uibt0W1onOI/AAAAAAAAAqU/hPXb67Sy-eA/s1600/Truckee,+California.jpg
In the Sierra Nevada north of Lake Tahoe, between Reno and South Lake Tahoe, the old logging and railway town of Truckee has bloomed into a ski mecca, with no less than eight different ski areas within 15 miles. With many of its ski areas receiving some of the highest average snowfall totals in the country—more than one ski area ran lifts on the Fourth of July this past year—it’s easy to understand why the locals choose to live here.
16. Whistler, British Columbia
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c7YOVPmp_ss/UibwHPbl1JI/AAAAAAAAAqg/e_DUtuX1wIk/s1600/Whistler,+British+Columbia.jpg
Whistler Blackcomb is North America's mega-mountain. A gargantuan ski resort in British Columbia’s Coast Mountains, and a two-hour drive from Vancouver’s international airport, it hosts two conjoined areas—Whistler and Blackcomb. It gets the most snow, has some of the longest vertical drops, the largest terrain parks, the steepest steeps, the most runs, and the greatest acreage of any ski area on the continent. In other words, it’s large. Ski magazines routinely anoint it the finest ski area in North America.
17. Las Leñas, Argentina
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z138kTaMFCs/UibyiqRMolI/AAAAAAAAAqs/AU0dEYRaMr8/s1600/Las+Le%C3%B1as,+Argentina.jpg
From late June to mid October, Las Leñas offers skiable terrain for all skill levels, including the youngsters just starting out. Unlike most North American skiing, skiing in Argentina sees no boundaries. Literally. Most cautious skiers would find this quite dangerous and risky, but the real reason there are no boundaries is because much of the winter backcountry remains untracked and unexplored. Las Leñas is well-known for its “steep and deep” terrain and lives up to this reputation with many opportunities for extreme and off-piste skiing. Patagonia is the true, raw landscape for the complete summer skiing experience.
18. Perisher, Australia
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gUqcgfBnf_E/Uib1GKKhKAI/AAAAAAAAArA/kQVD5nZcHvY/s1600/Perisher,+Australia.jpg
Located in New South Wales, Perisher is the largest ski area in Australia, composed of four villages that are all connected to offer varied terrain to serve all skill levels. The seven mountain peaks, including five terrain parks and a super-pipe, are accessed by 47 different lifts featuring an impressive high speed eight seater.
19. Ski Portillo, Chile
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-91WAycmWB0g/Uib19fu7SJI/AAAAAAAAArI/lpIqxUwM8p8/s1600/Ski+Portillo,+Chile.jpg
Portillo provides a quite different ski adventure, as the mountain has just one yellow hotel and no town for miles. While the thought of being secluded from the outside world might seem a bit intimidating, this experience definitely has its perks as only 400 people can fit in the hotel, meaning little to no lift lines. Intermediate and advanced skiers and riders rave about Portillo for its steep, off-piste terrain. When covered by powder after a storm, the snow pack last for days. For the ultimate daredevils, Portillo maintains helicopter operations to take you to even higher elevations and peaks. In addition to great skiing, Portillo also offers great backcountry hiking opportunities.
20. Tignes, France
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z2WOY0__I9A/Uib5mWzH-VI/AAAAAAAAArg/LR89LRT68Dg/s1600/Tignes,+France.jpg
Tignes offers a unique skiing experience for those interested in continuing their powder adventures throughout the European summer. After the cold winter season from September to May, Tignes offersTignes offers a unique skiing experience for those interested in continuing their powder adventures throughout the European summer. After the cold winter season from September to May, Tignes offers summer glacier skiing from mid June to early September. Reaching the base of the French glacier takes a mere seven minutes via the underground funicular.
Source: http://www.snowaddiction.org/2013/09/the-top-25-ski-resorts-in-world.html