Ski Magazine's 2016 Top Ranked Western Ski Resorts
Nothing quite beats the Rockies, at least in North America. Â Taking half of the spots in the top-20, Colorado is an unsurprising favourite destination, with it's killer skiing, wide range of resorts, and laid back attitudes. Â Having also legalized pot, the state is extremely conducive to the full lifestyle.
But as in the east, it's Canada that dominates the list with Whistler Blackcomb named King of the West.
Host of some skiing and all of the sliding events for the 2010 Winter Olympics, Whistler has seen significant investment over the past number of years that has taken it from just another mountain, to more than just a village (there are in fact 3 villages), but a full city and community centred around the two huge mountains that collectively offer over 8,171 acres of on-resort skiable terrain spanning 200 marked trails.
Once you make your way up the gondola in the morning, you don't ever need to come down to the village again until the end of the day. Â On the mountain you have a number of dining options and bar options, as well as a ton of skiing spanning the spectrum from "family-friendly to freak out." Â Whistler's height allows the peaks to keep snow year-round, with the mountain open to the public as long as they can keep snow down to the second gondola stop. Â This often extends deep into May before they finally hang up the skies for the year.
Well marked trails help you get your way back to whichever of the 3 expansive villages you're looking for, each dynamic with a vibrantcy that is both alive and chill at the same time. Â Each village has it's own "the place to apres". Â But in reality, the villages are full of amazing places to wrap your day. Â Despite the fact that the lifts wrap up around 4pm, it's normal to see people still strutting about in their ski gear until late at night. Â So much to see and do, a stop back at your lodging just isn't a priority.
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The weather over the past few years has been a bit of a roll-of-the-dice. Â Last year having experienced their worst winter since the 2010 Olympics, this year experiencing a miracle March with almost daily snowfalls measured in feet, not inches.
If you visit at peak times, the resort will be "chaotic." But with such a massive ski area, you can always find that one area where the lift lines are reasonable.  And with the runs so long, you won't be hitting the lifts often anyway. “When all the planets align, Whistler finds itself at the top of ski experiences.â€
Whistler is also home to one of the world's biggest annual Gay Ski Festivals. Â A full week long at the end of January, the festival attracts around 3,000 gays and lesbians from around the world for a week full of skiing, socials, parties, and fun.
Whistler has it all, ranking top of lists for both the skiing and the lifestyle, the dynamic culture of innovation and cheerful Australian-accented service add up to great times no matter what.
 Best of the West
1 - Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia
2 - Sun Valley, Idaho
3 - Deer Valley, Utah
4 - Telluride, Colorado
5 - Jackson Hole, Wyoming
6 - Snowmass, Colorado
7 - Vail, Colorado
8 - Steamboat, Colorado
9 - Whitefish Mountain, Montana
10 - Beaver Creek, Colorado
11 - Park City Mountain Resort, Utah
12 - Sunshine Village, Alberta
13 - Aspen Mountain, Colorado
14 - Breckenridge, Colorado
15 - Winter Park, Colorado
16 - Copper Mountain, Colorado
17 - Snowbird, Utah
18 - Aspen Highlands, Colorado
19 - Lake Louise, Alberta
20 - Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico
See Also: Tremblant Voted Best in the East
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