You can find both groomed and bumpy terrain on Telluride’s Plunge. Photographer: Casey Day. Photo courtesy Telluride Ski Resort.
Last season, Liftopia.com and I partnered to compile of list of North America’s Favorite Ski Runs, with a focus on the best groomed terrain and the best moguls.
We asked on social media, I posted a query at the forum on TheSkiDiva.com and we sifted through a bunch of comments on the first two posts.
Then, we asked again. These are the answers we got!
More of North America’s Best Bump Runs
Without a doubt, Colorado seems to have the most loyal mogul maniacs. Maybe it’s the snow or the terrain, or maybe Colorado skiers just like to burn out their legs.
No matter how it’s explained, here are some additions to our original Colorado list.
Upper Buckhorn on Aspen Mountain: Although it’s sometimes groomed, skiers love it when it’s bumped up. One reader, Susan S. explains how to ski Upper Buckthorn and any other mogul run.
“Ski straight into the base/middle of each bump, use the bump to execute your turn, get your rhythm, and GROWL at them. It’s all mental.”
Other suggestions include Chair 9 at Telluride (the Plunge, Spiral Stairs, Kant-Mak-M and more), Hallelujah at Copper Mountain and Peak 10 at Breckenridge.
Westward Ho!
Interestingly, we continued to get few, if any suggestions for bump runs in Utah. One reader explains it this way.
“Utah gets too much snow, too often, to have GREAT bumps. (A wonderful problem for them to have!).”
Another plugged in reader reminded us that Deer Valley is a stop on the World Cup Freestyle Tour, with two sanctioned mogul runs: Champion (mogul course) and White Owl (aerial venue).
Photo courtesy Deer Valley.
Other suggestions from across the west include Thunder at Jackson Hole to Lorelei and Al’s Run at Taos Ski Valley to Limelight at Sun Valley.
Four, short steep runs at Pajarito, New Mexico (near Los Alamos), were suggested by one reader. According to Ronald P., Nuther Mother, Sidewinder, Breathless and Precious “rival the best anywhere.”
And while the name seems Colorado-inspired, Denver Dollars at Revelstoke Mountain Resort in British Columbia also makes the expanded list.
We <3 Vermont
Photo courtesy Mad River Glen.
Our original list did not include Vermont’s Mad River Glen, which was a huge omission.
One loyal skier described Mad River Glen this way, “The mountain may be tiny by comparison to The Beast (Killington), but the moguls there are unreal,” while another described Mad River Glen as “an entire mountain of perfectly symmetrical bumps.”
Other additional from Vermont include Twilight Zone at Magic Mountain, National at Stowe and one more from The Beast, Big Dipper.
And while it’s hard for me to understand, Colorado skier that I am, that not everyone likes moguls, on reader left no doubt about her preferences, simply stating “moguls are for kooks.
Groomed Run Glory
Whistler Blackcomb’s Peak to Creek, isn’t described just as a good groomer, but the best groomed terrain in North America. Here were the comments we received on Liftopia.com.
Photo courtesy Jeff Boyce. Photographywhistler.com
“5000 feet vertical from Alpine to Valley. The rest are battling for second.”
“Amazing on a sunny spring day, when the snow is buttery soft corduroy. Feels amazing to set off from the peak only to arrive at valley bottom many minutes and turns later. I don’t see how anything else on this list comes close.”
Clearly, we all need to check out Peak to Creek!
Photo courtesy Jeff Boyce. Photgraphywhistler.com
Other Canadian additions include Sun Run at Big White, Snow Rodeo and Pitch Black from Revelstoke and numerous runs at Quebec’s Le Massif (here’s the quote “This list needs more Le Massif.”) It’s hard argue this point when you see the views.
Photo courtesy Le Massif.
Moving even further to Alaska, one reader commented on the stunning views at Alyeska testifying that “its physically impossible to take a ‘quick’ run down Silvertip. Every turn is a new jaw dropping, surreal and borderline majestic view which forces you to stop in your tracks, wide-eyed, and take it all in.”
A similar comments shouts out Inspiration at Whitefish Mountain Resort, Montana.
“You begin at the summit, coming down a gentle cruiser, being “inspired” by the view of the Flathead Valley. Then you’ll feel a slight left side pitch under your skis/board…time to pay attention to the groomer ‘cause you’re a bout to take off on a great run all the way to the bottom.”
Photo courtesy Whitefish Ski Resort.
Other additions to our list of perfect, pristine corduroy include Cornice Bowl and St. Anton at Mammoth Mountain, California, Ruthie’s Run on Aspen Mountain and Dynamite at Solitude, Utah, while the entire grooming crew at Jackson Hole received kudos for their efforts.
Please keep the suggestions coming! We love getting your feedback and building this list together.
Cheers!
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