Attention skiers and riders: snow is already arriving at major ski resorts across the U.S. And that means it’s the perfect time to start plotting out your winter escapes. But this year, rather than going to any old domestic ski resort, you should head off to the No. 1 resort in the nation for powder snow.
In early November, Inghams Ski, a ski holiday company, released its list of the top powder snow destinations across the globe. If you’re a new skier or unfamiliar with the term, the company explained that “powder snow is the term used to describe light, fluffy and freshly fallen snow, and is a legend in the snowsports world, and provides skiers with a buoyant, ‘floating’ sensation as they glide over it.” And it always—always—provides the sickest days on the slopes.
The list named Park City, Utah, the No. 18 mountain on its list and the only U.S. mountain to make the top 20.
If you haven’t visited this gem of a mountain, then you’re in for a treat. As the mountain explains on its website, “Park City is famous for its incredible snow—averaging nearly 300 inches each winter. Thanks to Utah’s high elevation and dry mountain air, the powder here stays light, soft, and easy to ski.” It also has the bonus of getting “lake effect” snow that comes off Great Salt Lake, which helps deliver “some of the most consistent, fluffy snow conditions in the world.”
The mountain also features 7,300 acres of terrain, ranging from beginner bunny hills to challenging black diamonds, providing thrills for everyone in your ski group. You can even ski directly into town when you’re done and stay in all your gear for a little apres fun.
Methodology
To quantify the powderiest powder destinations, the company teamed up with Jim N. R. Dale, a senior meteorologist at the British Weather Services, who helped first determine the key metrics and measure the conditions of over 120 ski resorts and areas across 13 countries. Dale and the team looked at the meteorological and topographical factors that produce the fluffiest powder snow, which included the mountain’s surface temperature, snowfall levels, humidity, air temperature, wind speed, and elevation. It then gave each mountain a score out of 100.
As for the No. 1 destination in the entire world for powder snow, the team gave that honor to Westendorf in Austria.
“Westendorf is one of Austria’s best-loved small resorts, and according to our research, the place where skiers can find the best powder snow,” Inghams Ski shared in its findings. “Westendorf is an idyllic, unspoilt resort nestled on a sunny plateau and offers easy access to the Kitzbühel and SkiWelt Regions.” They added that this resort is also fantastic for all levels, especially anyone traveling with kids, as it’s home to a robust children’s learning center. It’s joined at the top by Ortisei, Italy, located in the Dolomites ski area in second, and Gressoney, also in Italy, in third.
Ready to hunt down more powder stashes? See the full list of powder-filled spots at inghams.co.uk.
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