There are changes afoot in the rankings of the largest ski areas in North America. There's no European-style Wasatch mega-resort yet, but Utah's new Park City is the next best thing, combining what were two of the most sizable resorts in the country into the second largest in North America. Find the full list below of which North American ski resorts are offering the most skiing for your buck.
Park City jumped through the skiable terrain rankings by joining two resorts, but it isn't the only interconnect gondola coming up: Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows will be able to claim 6,400 total skiable acres when its own gondola is finished.
Skiable acres:
1. Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia: 8,171 (includes both mountains)
2. Park City, Utah: 7,300 acres (now includes the Canyons)
3. Big Sky Resort, Montana: 5,750 acres
4. Vail Mountain Resort, Colorado: 5,289 acres
5. Heavenly Mountain Resort, California: 4,800 acres
6. Sun Peaks Resort, British Columbia: 4,270 acres
7. Lake Louise, Alberta: 4,200 acres
8. Squaw Valley Ski Resort, California: 3,600 acres
9. Mammoth Mountain, California: 3,500 acres
10. Snowmass, Colorado: 3,332 acres
There's been less tumult in the rankings of vertical drops. The same cadre of resorts lay claim to the most lift-served vertical feet. Revelstoke offers the most continuous vertical feet in North America while Jackson Hole holds that honor in the U.S.
Vertical drop:
1. Revelstoke Mountain Resort, British Columbia: 5,620 feet
2. Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia: 5,280 feet
3. Snowmass, Colorado: 4,396 feet (includes infrequently running rope tow, 3,723 feet without)
4. Big Sky Resort, Montana: 4,350 feet
5. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyoming: 4,139 feet
6. Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, British Columbia: 4,133 feet
7. Panorama Resort, British Columbia: 4,019 feet
8. Telluride Ski Resort, Colorado: 3,845 feet (4,425 feet if you hike)
9. Timberline Lodge, Oregon: 3,690 feet (7,250 feet if you hike)
10. Aspen Highlands, Colorado: 3,635 feet (4,406 feet if you hike)
For now, the resorts to visit that combine the most acreage with the most vertical are still the classics like Big Sky, Whistler Blackcomb and Snowmass, but plenty of ski areas are eyeing expansion in their master plans. The top mountain destinations might see some competition in the future.
· America's Biggest Ski Area Opens in Utah Tomorrow [Curbed Ski]
· Squaw Valley Plans Gondola Connecting Alpine Meadows [Curbed Ski]
· Just How Big is Utah's Plan for a Euro-Style Mega Ski Resort? [Curbed Ski]
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