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Ski Polls Rate North America Trails | |
By JENNIFER MERIN Downhill skiers are creatures of habit, particularly the weekenders. They hook their skis to the car roof on Friday night, pile in and head for the closest, best slopes where they might have rented a house for the season. They take this path of least resistance so they can squeeze in as much ski time as possible. But whenever these weekenders can string together several days, even a couple of weeks, they often try new terrain. Seasonal issues of three magazines - Ski, Skiing and Snow Country - can help show the way with ratings of ski resorts. Of these, the Snow Country survey in the September issue, covering North America's top 50 ski resorts, is most comprehensive and is an excellent guide for picking a ski destination. Snow Country, published by the New York Times Magazine Group, has a circulation of 48,100. It has been surveying its readers for eight years. The latest poll was based on 33,000 responses to questionnaires in the magazine. Thirty-seven of the top 50 are in the West and 13 in the East. Colorado has 12, and Vermont has eight. Overall, Western resorts are thought to have better snow while those in the East are considered better at grooming the trails. The issue includes statistics such as base elevation, total snowfall and total artificial snow. It describes lifts, trail lengths and degrees of difficulty and provides trail maps and telephone numbers for information and reservations. Based on reader responses, the magazine grades resorts from A to F in a variety of categories ranging from the quality of the terrain and the snow to the quality of the ski schools, sleeping quarters and nightlife. "Our readers are avid, demanding skiers with carefully considered and candid opinions based on a lot of personal experience," editor Roger Toll says. "Their collective report card is an accurate reflection of how successfully ski resorts service their clients and where improvements need to be made." He also noted that none of the top-ranked resorts got lower than a C in any category. For the fifth consecutive year, Snow Country magazine readers named Whistler resort in British Columbia as best East or West. Whistler, about 75 miles north of Vancouver, encompasses the Whistler and Blackcomb ski areas. Magazine readers cited Whistler's vast size and majestic variety of terrain, vertical drop and high-speed lifts, plus an international esprit, excellent lodging at Chateau Whistler and Delta Whistler and fine dining at La Rua, Il Caminetto di Umberto and others. Access also was a factor. Whistler's long ski season -November through April on Whistler, through July on Blackcomb's highest slopes - and excellent value also were praised. Dual-mountain lift tickets are $40, and lodging starts at $150 per night for a one-bedroom unit for four adults. On the downside, there were numerous comments about coastal weather patterns, including periods of dense fog, rain and heavy snow. Two Colorado resorts - Vail and Aspen - were rated best in the West behind Whistler. In the East, Maine's Sugarloaf is No. 1, both with families and the party hearty crowd, followed by Killington, Vt., under new ownership that has promised to improve trail design. Sugarloaf was cited for a charming, casual ambience; wide-ranging terrain; excellent steeps and superior ski school. Killington got high marks for its vastness, high-speed lift system, long ski season (through June 10, it's longest in the East) and boisterous party scene. Quebec's Mount Tremblant is third, with particular praise for a 5-year, $350 million improvement plan that includes extended terrain, high-speed quads and a base village that looks like old Quebec City. Although readers rank value, specific prices generally are omitted. Calls to top-ranked resorts disclosed that lift tickets range from about $40 to $50 per adult per day and lodging varies widely at each resort, ranging from about $50 to $400 per night for a studio or condo that sleeps four adults. Prices peak during Christmas and New Year's. --- Snow Country magazine, 5520 Park Ave., Trumbull, Conn. 06611-0395. Telephone (203) 373-7000. Copyright 1996 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | |