Ask 10 people their favorite ski resort and you will most likely get a number of different responses, for any number of reasons. Personally, I have regional favorites--not that I’ve skied everywhere, just enough to have developed some likes and “like betters.” Let it be known that I never tried a ski mountain I didn’t like, kind of like Wil Rogers never met a man he didn’t like, I suppose.
But if pushed to select where I’d go if I had to pick one, my regional favorites are Loon Mountain, New Hampshire, for my New England ski resort; Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for my western U.S ski resort favorite; and Garmisch, Germany, for my European mountain resort favorite. Why did each of these make my list? Let me explain briefly.
Loon Mountain is far and away my favorite New Hampshire mountain resort--and New England ski resort for that matter--because of its outstanding snowmaking and grooming track record and the variety of its terrain. There is a little bit of everything at Loon Mountain, although I stay away from the bumps...creaky old knees and stiff joints have long eliminated them from the list of things that are fun for me.
Cruisers, yup they’re here--off three different peaks, and each offers its own unique form of excitement. My personal favorite is South Peak's aptly-named Cruiser, but Walking Boss on North Peak and Flying Fox off Loon Peak are running a close second. Steeps are plentiful, too, although I have to admit I have yet to ski the year-old, double-black diamond Rip Saw. I will, and it will be a blast! If terrain parks and halfpipes are your thing, look no further. Loon's terrain park and superpipe are among tops in the East for terrain park snowboarding and freeskiing.
Apres ski opportunities are plentiful at Loon, be it at the mountain in the name of the Bunyan Room, or in town…lots of options and all are good choices. Last but not least, there isn't an easier New England mountain resort to get to than Loon Mountain. Five minutes off of I-93 and you're at some of the best New England skiing and riding you can find.
Out West I favor Jackson Hole over runner-up Breckenridge, primarily because my youngest son lives there. The skiing opportunities and options at Jackson Hole are almost endless, from gentle cruisers on well-groomed packed powder trails, to “steeps and deeps” in some of the deepest powder you’ll ever see and the gnarliest out-of-bounds skiing anywhere on Earth. Nope, I stay out of those parts, but my son hits them with regularity and loves to tell me about his adventures. Obviously, it is great to be in your 20s!
The scenery at Jackson Hole is also a big attraction. It is simply breathtaking, and something that makes you stop several times on a run for the pure enjoyment of taking it all in. Off-mountain options are great too, with the Mangy Moose and the Village Café (a favorite of the Jackson Hole Air Force) being two fun places to end the day.
Once in Europe, I love Garmisch, especially the Hausberg slopes on the village side of the Zugspitz (Germany’s highest peak). The skiing is quite similar to Loon Mountain, with the major difference being the apres ski, Bavarian-flavored gast haus fun at the end of the day. Local music, some yodeling and the oompah bands will have you staying up well past your normal bedtime, but who cares, it is fun! Learn a few words of German and you fit right in with everyone else.
As I said at the beginning, I enjoy all ski resorts for one reason or another, but these three top my list. I hope many of you have had the opportunity to visit one or more of the three, but if not, put it in your “bucket list.” You won’t be disappointed!
But if pushed to select where I’d go if I had to pick one, my regional favorites are Loon Mountain, New Hampshire, for my New England ski resort; Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for my western U.S ski resort favorite; and Garmisch, Germany, for my European mountain resort favorite. Why did each of these make my list? Let me explain briefly.
Loon Mountain is far and away my favorite New Hampshire mountain resort--and New England ski resort for that matter--because of its outstanding snowmaking and grooming track record and the variety of its terrain. There is a little bit of everything at Loon Mountain, although I stay away from the bumps...creaky old knees and stiff joints have long eliminated them from the list of things that are fun for me.
Cruisers, yup they’re here--off three different peaks, and each offers its own unique form of excitement. My personal favorite is South Peak's aptly-named Cruiser, but Walking Boss on North Peak and Flying Fox off Loon Peak are running a close second. Steeps are plentiful, too, although I have to admit I have yet to ski the year-old, double-black diamond Rip Saw. I will, and it will be a blast! If terrain parks and halfpipes are your thing, look no further. Loon's terrain park and superpipe are among tops in the East for terrain park snowboarding and freeskiing.
Apres ski opportunities are plentiful at Loon, be it at the mountain in the name of the Bunyan Room, or in town…lots of options and all are good choices. Last but not least, there isn't an easier New England mountain resort to get to than Loon Mountain. Five minutes off of I-93 and you're at some of the best New England skiing and riding you can find.
Out West I favor Jackson Hole over runner-up Breckenridge, primarily because my youngest son lives there. The skiing opportunities and options at Jackson Hole are almost endless, from gentle cruisers on well-groomed packed powder trails, to “steeps and deeps” in some of the deepest powder you’ll ever see and the gnarliest out-of-bounds skiing anywhere on Earth. Nope, I stay out of those parts, but my son hits them with regularity and loves to tell me about his adventures. Obviously, it is great to be in your 20s!
The scenery at Jackson Hole is also a big attraction. It is simply breathtaking, and something that makes you stop several times on a run for the pure enjoyment of taking it all in. Off-mountain options are great too, with the Mangy Moose and the Village Café (a favorite of the Jackson Hole Air Force) being two fun places to end the day.
Once in Europe, I love Garmisch, especially the Hausberg slopes on the village side of the Zugspitz (Germany’s highest peak). The skiing is quite similar to Loon Mountain, with the major difference being the apres ski, Bavarian-flavored gast haus fun at the end of the day. Local music, some yodeling and the oompah bands will have you staying up well past your normal bedtime, but who cares, it is fun! Learn a few words of German and you fit right in with everyone else.
As I said at the beginning, I enjoy all ski resorts for one reason or another, but these three top my list. I hope many of you have had the opportunity to visit one or more of the three, but if not, put it in your “bucket list.” You won’t be disappointed!
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