2009 Resort Poll: Top 10 Overall Resorts
DannyGariepy
- November 12 2008
- 69 comments
What does it take for a resort to make it into this top ten list? The resort has to meet or exceed our reader’s high expectations—we’re not talking about expectations involving slopeside concierge service or five-star dining, we’re talking park maintenance and epic powder conditions. We want fast lifts that open early and close late, good inexpensive food, a great park, and a mellow place to sleep so we can wake up and do it all over again. We want to have a pow-slashing, park-bashing, hot-tub-splashing, nightlife-thrashing good time—that’s how you get to be a top ten resort.
* About The Poll: The online Resort Poll is voted on by both subscribers and the online readers of twsnow.com—in total over 1,600 readers logged on to cast their votes. Readers were given the opportunity to vote on the three best resorts they visited during the 2007/2008 season, ranking them on 21 different categories. Some 154 resorts across North America and Canada were judged, after the numbers were crunched, ten in each category rose to the top.
1. Whistler/Blackcomb
Whistler/Blackcomb has an unbeatable formula: Take 8,171 acres of terrain and over 200 trails, add an average annual snowfall of 402 inches and more than 93 restaurants and bars in the village, top it off with a Peak 2 Peak gondola spanning 1,400 feet in the air connecting both resorts and you’ve got the winningest resort in the Readers’ Poll. PHOTO: Dave Steers
Host of the forthcoming 2010 Winter Olympics, Whistler/Blackcomb has been working overtime for the past few years to expand and prepare for the ultimate wintersports exposé. Yet despite the feverish preparations, the resort itself is already the world’s best. With a whopping 8,000-plus acres of terrain and a mile of vertical, it’s the biggest resort in North America offering the ultimate riding experience. Through constant fine-tuning of the lift access, park terrain, and on-hill amenities, the Whistler/Blackcomb complex is an enormous playground with a mind-numbing array of good-time potential. Snowboarders relish the miles of varying terrain: from the steep chutes and alpine powder of Whistler’s Peak and Blackcomb’s 7th Heaven, to the all-out shred party runs of Peak To Creek and the Nintendo Terrain Park. There’s so much mountain and so much snow; the annual snowfall average is over 33 feet—it hit this amount in 2008 and felt anything but average. With the sheer volume of terrain, the park scene at Whistler could easily be an afterthought, but no way. Last season saw a renewed emphasis on made-for-shred terrain under the direction of a new park manager, Brian Finestone, and his dedicated crew of park rangers and groomers. With the unveiling of their new Peak To Peak gondola this year—an unprecedented lift project that links the two mountains—Whistler/Blackcomb propels itself further into the lead as the best and most progressive resort in North America.
whistlerblackcomb.com
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November 14th, 2008 at 1:17 am
Northstar is sick, but the village needs a supermarket and a few decent pubs and cheap accommodation around the village before you make comments like “the resort village is set up so you never even have to leave”
November 14th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Colorado just knows how to represent!
November 15th, 2008 at 4:18 am
whistler is epic!
got everything there, yeah its getting a little commercial but hey its happening everywhere. stoked to live and ride there any day of the week.
November 15th, 2008 at 11:18 am
OK DUDES AS ANYONE HERD OF WYOMING??…YOU KNOW …JACKSON HOLE THE SICKEST MOUNTAIN EVER!!
November 15th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH air boy!!! Im glad jackson hole wasnt on the list! the less people there the better.
November 15th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
The problem with Jackson is that the average rider cant take advantage of what it has to offer because its so steep, deep, and knarly. Most people cant handle the terrain where it is worth going. Its the closest thing to an Alpe A-style Euro resort I have seen in the US. Its even recomended that you were a avi beacon in bounds….
Whistler is EpiC though for sure…
November 15th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Joebob, gregg, and airboy, I totally agree with you. All the resorts on TWS’s list are rad, and i would be happy to rip them anyday of the week. And while Park riding is fun, I’ll take face shots, steeps, 30 foot cliff drops and back country booters any day over a rail and an icy pipe. Give me some J Hole! How do you think Travis Rice got to be such a sick rider? He is changing snowboarding. Look at where he grew up… seen thats it thats all? say no more…
November 15th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
You know why Jackson hole isnt on the list? because they dont have a night life, where are the hot chicks? Its expensive as all hell, the billionares are running out the millionares, when I was there I couldnt believe how many land rovers, escalades, mercedes, and BMW’s there were in the parking lots. I think its about $2000 for a season pass???… the parks are decent but dont compare to whistler, mammoth, etc… Plane tickets to get out there are insane as a large plane cant even land at the airport because of the mountains.
I will agree they have the biggest baddest mountain in N america, though …and by far.
If you can afford a week there, go! you wont regretit, if not… save your money for something more practical… like … hmmm.. im not sure…
November 16th, 2008 at 1:13 am
Two facts alone completely diminish the credibility of Transworld as any sort of authority on snowboarding: the fact that Park City and “big mountain” were used in the same sentence, along with the fact that 4 Colorado resorts were voted ahead of Snowbird, Jackson Hole, and Big Sky. You guys are complete kooks, you better to ask somebody. It’s like using Trestles and “big-wave” in the same sentence, or even worse, claiming that fickle Florida has some merit over Hawaii or even Southern California. Pathetic.
November 16th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
I don’t see why bear is on the best overall resort list when transworld even says the ENTIRE mountain is a terrain park. Last I knew, overall resorts had everything…
November 16th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
the only problem with basing transworlds credibility with this poll is that it was a poll from the public snowboarders…If I was TWS I wouldnt even post this as it is a bit skewed…(they need a reader discretion on this one hahaha) but I totally agree, jackson and snowbird are a the top of my favorite resorts, while most of these resorts def dont belong on the list… especially bear, keystone, breck, vail and keystone. My opinion most of CO is way over rated… unless you live in the park.
November 16th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Whistler is number 1 no questions, Jackson Hole close second, and Im glad, but surprised that it wasnt on the list, its a diamond in the rough, although this forum is kind of killing that reputation hahaha and Tahoe has always been one of my favs, yes agreed Coloradeee is an over rated
November 16th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Agreed, with the exception of Whistler they should have called this the top ten jibber resorts. I really hope when people travel to Utah they stay up in Park City. That way they won’t be side slipping my lines at the bird. I’m glad the folks at TWS don’t even mention the other resort north of SLC. Jib-on side slippers!!!
November 17th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Good point, this was not a transworld decision it was a public pole. Seems the problem is most of the people that voted were park peeps. Nothing against them but, whatevs. Whistler has got the goods though!
November 17th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
TWS needs to do a Top Big Mountain Resort or Freeride Resort Pole/Survey. I would rate maybe ONE of the CO resorts as a top ten for top “overall resorts”.
November 17th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
If you havent noticed, there isnt a “cheap” resort in existance that is worth being credited as a “top 10er”
November 17th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
If you havent noticed, there isnt a “cheap” resort in existance that is worth being credited as a “top 10er”. and if you are looking for resort night life over the actual riding, check out vegas, I heard their disney on ice show is killer
November 25th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Kelly Slater, world champion, is from Florida. Fickle?
November 26th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
The list of resorts reflects the readers of TWS fo sho… Mostly younger folks who think that a terrain park/pipe should factor in to what makes a great resort. Remember kiddies, it’s called a “Resort”, not a “Park”… So, little things like nightlife/non-park terrain/other mountain services don’t really come into play here. If you want a good list of resorts, well, you really need to read a ski magazine…. or just go to Heavenly and try to survive late night casino madness combined with first tracks in the AM.
I mean, c’mon, this list is coming from a website that posts a poll asking whether you wear tight or baggie pants. Yeahhh, what’s next: Do you listed to EMO or Hip Hip on your IPOD??? Lame. Craig Kelly rules you all.
December 18th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Yes, FROM there, and on to better quality elsewhere.
December 18th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
bear mountain #5? thats how we do! haha no one go there way over rated haha.
December 21st, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Bear on the list and PC! This list was created by gapping tourists. PC blows and Bear riders can claim on their 3 inch base. I loved how the article claimed that slushy, and man made snow was a good thing.
Snowbird, Grand Targhee, Jackson hole, and watch out for The Canyons (next year will have over 4000 acres and stole the park crew from Brighton)
January 6th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
One in bounds avalanche killed a guy this year, another buried a new chalet
January 6th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
Whos kelly slater?
March 8th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
bear mountain is cheap, but the snow sucks
April 15th, 2009 at 1:22 am
Colorado over rated!? all you gaper free mtn riders stay at ur lame ass resorts. If you honestly think key breck and vail shouldnt be on the list you obviously don’t live out here hahaha. Gapers. I love you guys with ur boards that are way to big and ur 0/ positive 18 binding stance. Get with it, get chicks, slide rails, Grab some skyyy.
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