Coming up with a list of the top 5 ski resorts is not easy. First, what determines whether a ski resort is great? Obviously, it has to have excellent skiing facilities that people from all over the world love to use. It also helps if it is located in an area with a rich skiing tradition. It should also have the necessary infrastructure to handle a reasonable number of skiers at any particular time. Based on these and other criteria, here is a list of the top 5 ski resorts in the world.
Whistler Blackcomb, Canada
Whistler Blackcomb is located approximately 125 kilometers north of Vancouver, in British Columbia, Canada. The area hosts an excellent ski resort with all the facilities skiers need to enjoy their thing. From amateur skiers to professionals, the ski resort carters to everybody’s needs. It has more than two hundred ski trails and receives 400 inches of snow every year. In fact, this place is so great it was picked in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics as the Official Alpine Skiing Venue.
Barrie, Canada
Barrie is located on the Western shores of Lake Simcoe, Central Ontario, Canada. For those who love snowboarding and skiing, Barrie is paradise. One of its best features is that apart from its location in a natural snow belt, it also receives lake effect snowfalls throughout its winters. It receives about 100 inches of snow annually. It is a natural ski resort, yes, but that does not mean that it cannot or has not been improved. The grooming facilities are excellent, and the skiing trails runs for hundreds of kilometers. In short, Barrie is exactly what every skier dreams of.
Zermatt, Switzerland
Zermatt is located in the district of Visp, Switzerland. Zermatt is surrounded by different mountain peaks covered in glaciers, and the town does not allow vehicles except electric ones. The majestic Matterhorn Mountain is located here, and it has the highest cable car in the Alps- Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car. Zermatt’s scenery is stunning, and the slopes have high vertical drops of thousands of feet. Of course, the accommodation facilities are also excellent here.
Vail, U.S.A.
Vail Mountain is located in Eagle County, Colorado, U.S.A. Vail Mountain is the largest mountain ski resort in the U.S., covering a staggering 2, 140 ha (5, 289 acres). The mountain sits at an altitude of 8, 150 feet. As one would expect, this makes the winters very cold, but the upside is that the resort receives approximately 300 days of sunshine annually. Despite the excellent bowls, trails and parks, the resort is still friendly to beginners. Vail Mountain receives approximately 350 inches of snowfall every year.
Perisher, Australia
Perisher, which is the largest ski resort in the Southern hemisphere, is located in the Snowy Mountains of Australia. It was originally known as Perisher Blue, but the name was changed in 2009. Perisher comprises of one superpipe, seven mountain peaks, and six terrain parks. Although intermediate ski trails are the majority here, there are also adequate runs for expert skiers and beginners. Those who cannot get enough of their winters in their localities usually come to Perisher every year.
Sam Moser graduated from the School of Journalism at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada. When Sam experiences writer’s block he like to go skiing in Barrie, Ontario at Mount St. Louis.
