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A group of skiers ride the Beaver Run chairlift at the Breckenridge Ski Resort following a storm last December. Breckenridge achieved the highest ranking of Summit County ski resorts in SKI Magazine's annual top-twenty list, coming in at number nine in the country.
SUMMIT COUNTY — All three major Summit County ski areas stayed in the top 20 of SKI Magazine’s annual reader survey, with Breckenridge leading the local pack at No. 9.
But that marked a drop of two positions, as two other Colorado areas — Aspen and Steamboat — squeezed past into the No. 7 and No. 8 spots, respectively.
The Imperial Chair at Breckenridge got high marks in the reader survey, but the story in the October issue of SKI also refers to crowding and base-area logjams, something the resort hopes to address with the addition of new terrain on Peak 6 in a proposal under consideration by the U.S. Forest Service.
Copper dropped the five places it picked up in last year’s survey, showing up at No. 19. Readers of SKI praised the easy access from Denver, and the resort’s naturally divided terrain continues to elicit positive comments.
Some readers favorably contrasted Copper's village vibe with the sometimes-hectic scene at Breckenridge and Vail, while others suggested that the resort could use a little more nightlife.
“We’re always thrilled to be part of SKI’s top 20,” said spokesperson Lauren Pelletreau.
The resort rankings may not be a big deal to locals, but Pelletreau said the list can have a big impact outside ski country, in places like Kansas City, where skiers use magazines like SKI to help plan their winter vacations.
Pelletreau said a recently approved base-area redevelopment plan includes a flagship hotel, which will add to the energy level at Copper.
“We won’t see any changes this year,” Pelletreau said, referring to the redevelopment plan.
But the opening of the Woodward action sport training arena and some major marquee events at Copper will keep things hopping during the coming season, she said.
Keystone dropped from No. 11 to No. 16 in this season’s list, as some readers cited a long walk from the parking lot to the lifts as an issue — especially with kids.
The SKI story points out that relocation of Keystone’s main gondola into the village, along with a new midway unloading station, should help address those gripes.
Keystone’s terrain park, proximity to Denver and extensive night skiing operation have always been popular amenities with SKI readers, and eateries like the mountaintop Alpenglow Stube and the Ski Tip Lodge will always be a draw.
“We take the rankings pretty seriously,” said Pat Campbell, Keystone’s vice president and chief operating officer. “It’s one measure of how we’re doing. We pay quite close attention. We definitely strive to achieve a higher position and we think we should be in the top 10.”
Campbell said the opening of the new River Run gondola puts Keystone in a position to reach that goal.
Keystone’s recent up and down bounce in the rankings — from 14 in 2007 to 11 in 2008 and back to 16 this season — is a function of how competitive the rankings are, Campbell said.
It could be that some resorts that experience an exceptional snow year “show better” to their guests in a given season, resulting in the shifts, she said.
Arapahoe Basin didn’t make the overall top 20 list, but was ranked number 10 in the country for terrain.
The addition of Montezuma Bowl probably didn’t hurt that ranking, as A-Basin even rated a separate story in the same issue, focusing on the new terrain on the back side of the mountain.
Deer Valley, Utah, scored the top spot in the survey, followed by Vail and Whistler.
Bob Berwyn can be reached at (970) 331-5996, or at bberwyn@summitdaily.com.
Top Ten
1. Deer Valley, Utah
2. Vail
3. Whistler, B.C.
4. Snowmass
5. Park City, Utah
6. Beaver Creek
7. Aspen
8. Steamboat
9. Breckenridge
10. Telluride
But that marked a drop of two positions, as two other Colorado areas — Aspen and Steamboat — squeezed past into the No. 7 and No. 8 spots, respectively.
The Imperial Chair at Breckenridge got high marks in the reader survey, but the story in the October issue of SKI also refers to crowding and base-area logjams, something the resort hopes to address with the addition of new terrain on Peak 6 in a proposal under consideration by the U.S. Forest Service.
Copper dropped the five places it picked up in last year’s survey, showing up at No. 19. Readers of SKI praised the easy access from Denver, and the resort’s naturally divided terrain continues to elicit positive comments.
Some readers favorably contrasted Copper's village vibe with the sometimes-hectic scene at Breckenridge and Vail, while others suggested that the resort could use a little more nightlife.
“We’re always thrilled to be part of SKI’s top 20,” said spokesperson Lauren Pelletreau.
The resort rankings may not be a big deal to locals, but Pelletreau said the list can have a big impact outside ski country, in places like Kansas City, where skiers use magazines like SKI to help plan their winter vacations.
Pelletreau said a recently approved base-area redevelopment plan includes a flagship hotel, which will add to the energy level at Copper.
“We won’t see any changes this year,” Pelletreau said, referring to the redevelopment plan.
But the opening of the Woodward action sport training arena and some major marquee events at Copper will keep things hopping during the coming season, she said.
Keystone dropped from No. 11 to No. 16 in this season’s list, as some readers cited a long walk from the parking lot to the lifts as an issue — especially with kids.
The SKI story points out that relocation of Keystone’s main gondola into the village, along with a new midway unloading station, should help address those gripes.
Keystone’s terrain park, proximity to Denver and extensive night skiing operation have always been popular amenities with SKI readers, and eateries like the mountaintop Alpenglow Stube and the Ski Tip Lodge will always be a draw.
“We take the rankings pretty seriously,” said Pat Campbell, Keystone’s vice president and chief operating officer. “It’s one measure of how we’re doing. We pay quite close attention. We definitely strive to achieve a higher position and we think we should be in the top 10.”
Campbell said the opening of the new River Run gondola puts Keystone in a position to reach that goal.
Keystone’s recent up and down bounce in the rankings — from 14 in 2007 to 11 in 2008 and back to 16 this season — is a function of how competitive the rankings are, Campbell said.
It could be that some resorts that experience an exceptional snow year “show better” to their guests in a given season, resulting in the shifts, she said.
Arapahoe Basin didn’t make the overall top 20 list, but was ranked number 10 in the country for terrain.
The addition of Montezuma Bowl probably didn’t hurt that ranking, as A-Basin even rated a separate story in the same issue, focusing on the new terrain on the back side of the mountain.
Deer Valley, Utah, scored the top spot in the survey, followed by Vail and Whistler.
Bob Berwyn can be reached at (970) 331-5996, or at bberwyn@summitdaily.com.
Top Ten
1. Deer Valley, Utah
2. Vail
3. Whistler, B.C.
4. Snowmass
5. Park City, Utah
6. Beaver Creek
7. Aspen
8. Steamboat
9. Breckenridge
10. Telluride
