Hit the Slopes

Get the scoop on the latest improvements, features and high-tech offerings at all your favorite ski destinations. – By Eugene Buchanan

When ski week rolls around, rest assured there’s something new and exciting waiting for you on the slopes this year. Whether you’re a newbie looking for state-of-the-art snowboard instruction or an expert hoping to maximize your GPS’ vertical-feet-skied reading, there’s something for everyone at the continent’s best ski and snowboard destinations.

New School

Realizing that novices represent the skiers and riders of tomorrow, resorts are pulling out all the stops to increase their amenities for beginners young and old.

Colorado’s Vail has built two new Kids Adventure Zones while upgrading its existing family areas. With names like Chaos Canyon and Porcupine Alley, the zones feature carved animals greeting skiers and come equipped with features like the 50-foot-long, ski-through Coyote’s Den.

Deer Valley has created a trail map highlighting areas specifically designed for kids (each themed after one of the resort’s four mascots). The resort has also redesigned its Wild West beginner area with the installation of new SunKid surface lifts. “There’s a lot going on for families and beginners,” says resort spokeswoman Emily Summers, while adding that the resort is also opening a new children’s clothing retail outlet in Snow Park Lodge.

At Northstar-at-Tahoe, the new Burton Snowboard Academy features simulators and terrain—including a mini-half pipe, mini-rollers and gentle banks designed for beginners and groomed specifically for learning. The program includes specially trained coaches, gear designed for learning and a private, on-mountain lounge with lockers, coffee bar and large flat-screen TVs for video analysis. “It’s truly a one-of-a-kind program,” says Northstar spokeswoman Jessica VanPernis. “It offers personalized attention paired with lessons, equipment fitting and beginner-shaped terrain.”

Whistler debuts its new Max4 Program, guaranteeing no more than four people in any daily adult group lesson. “It ensures all guests will receive quality one-on-one time with their instructors,” says Whistler spokesman Chris McLeod. Continuing on the lesson front, Snowbird launches a new program for parents of Adventure Team Kids, letting them meet guides for a morning of skiing or riding together.

Impeccable Grooming

Deer Valley has made a $1 million investment to make its slopes even more impeccable, purchasing 41 new snowmaking guns and five additional snowcats, including two state-of-the-art Prinoth Beasts for grooming. Vail also upped its slope-smoothing ability with two new Beasts, allowing its groomers to polish approximately 1,200 acres each day. Not to be outdone, Whistler/Blackcomb has invested $2.5 million in new grooming equipment this year, increasing its grooming capabilities to as much as 1,500 acres a day—more than any other resort in North America. Add to this its state-of-the-art, 22-foot Global Pipe Cutter, and you have the world’s best machinery every place you need it on the mountain.

The Next Level

Take the hassle of waiting in line for rentals—and get the best gear possible—with Ski Butlers (skibutlers.com), a high-end rental service available at Aspen, Vail/Beaver Creek, Whistler and Deer Valley. These technicians custom fit your rental needs in the comfort of your room so you’re ready to hit the slopes first thing. Plus, it’s the best gear around—perfect for schussing runs that hosted the 2002 Olympics at Deer Valley or Aspen World Cup.

For steep slopes and powder this year, head to Snowbird, home of some of the greatest snow on earth. Coming off a record 783-inch snow year, the resort ups its gravity game even more this season with the opening of its new Zone 5 region, which offers some of the steepest, most difficult terrain on the mountain. The most recent area of Baldy Mountain to open, the new region is located the farthest down the Baldy traverse you can go. “It’s some of the most challenging terrain on the mountain,” Snowbird’s Emily Moench says. “There’s no easy way down once you get there.”

For sheer expansiveness, head to 5,000-acre Vail, making sure to take in the picturesque, powder-haven back bowls. Visit from Feb. 9–12, and you can also watch the first-ever Winter Teva Mountain Games, where world-class pros and amateurs go toe-to-toe in a variety of events. You can even participate in your own event with the Seven Wonders of Vail Challenge, where you try to ski the back bowls’ seven miles and 2,734 acres in a single day. “Hitting all seven in a day would give even die-hards something to brag about,” says Vail spokeswoman Liz Biebl.

If you’d rather visit someplace more Olympian, Whistler, the host of the 2010 Games, has plenty in store. Its new Bilodeau All Mountain Workshop, led by Canadian ski legends Don and Heather Bilodeau, is designed for experienced skiers looking to take it to the next level. With ski half pipe recently announced as a new Olympic event, the resort is also adding more features to its five terrain parks, including a revamped snow cross track, 14-foot half pipe and additions to its 22-foot-high Olympic half pipe.

Whistler/Blackcomb

Coming off its second-snowiest year on record (622 inches), 2010 Olympic host Whistler/Blackcomb serves up more than 8,100 acres, a vertical mile of relief, three glaciers, 12 alpine bowls and 200 trails. Both resorts offer terrain from knee-buckling couloirs to mirror-smooth groomers, and Blackcomb has high-alpine glacier skiing. The recently installed peak-to-peak gondola, the world’s highest and longest, lets you ski both with an 11-minute ride across the valley floor. “La Niña predictions suggest another great season,” says Dave Brownlie, president of the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation. Keep your eye out for a new TELUS mobile app, and prepare your taste buds for concoctions from new Executive Chef Wolfgang Sterr, who brings a unique knowledge of Italian, French, German and Canadian cuisine from the Bavarian Alps. Bonus: Whistler’s early booking offer lets you save up to 36 percent on your entire package.