Each ski season shapes up differently with varying storm tracks and snowfall, and for those who don’t live in a ski resort, this unpredictability can cause a lot of pre-trip anxiety. The good news is ski resorts today have excellent grooming and snowmaking systems to ensure your skiing surface is predictably smooth and silky. While we hope you all score powder days on your next vacation, here’s where you can count on scoring creamy corduroy:
Beaver Creek, Colorado
Renowned for its luxurious guest experiences, Beaver Creek holds its grooming to the same standard. Its fleet of snowcats operates in two shifts throughout the night to provide two types of groomed runs that vary in firmness. The daily grooming report tells skiers and snowboarders which runs were groomed first, allowing the snow to set longer for better carving conditions, and which runs were freshly groomed between midnight and 8 a.m. for creamier corduroy.
Where to stay: The Bavarian-inspired Charter at Beaver Creek’s ski in ski out local provides corduroy lovers with easy access to the coveted goods.
Deer Valley Resort, Utah
Ranked No. 1 for grooming in SKI Magazine’s 2017-2018 Readers’ Poll, Deer Valley’s corduroy is world-renowned. The resort’s crew of 32 groomers and 16 snowcats put in a collective 266 man hours each night to prepare the slopes for the next day’s guests.
Deer Valley groomers won’t tell you their secret to creating that perfect corduroy, but Lead Groomer Laura Sexton says, “There’s a lot of little, meticulous, attention-to-detail items that we do on a nightly basis that makes us No. 1 in grooming every year.” And as they say in Deer Valley, you should probably Ski It To Believe It™.
Where to stay: Enjoy the complete luxury experience at Utah’s only AAA Five Diamond, Forbes Five Star property, Stein Eriksen Lodge Deer Valley, and convenience to the ‘roy.
Sun Valley, Idaho
With the world’s largest automated snowmaking system, Sun Valley creates ideal skiing conditions every day of the ski season. Their automated system monitors and activates 550-plus energy-efficient snow guns that spread out some of the best man-made snow in the industry.
When you’re ready to test Sun Valley snow, their lift system gets you back up the mountain in record time. Sun Valley boasts the highest lift capacity (per hour, per skier) anywhere on the planet.
Where to stay: Experience the lively nightlife and plethora of fine dining around the historic downtown from the nearby, Limelight Ketchum.
Aspen Snowmass, Colorado
This resort’s four mountains get the VIP treatment from a massive grooming team. Guarantee yourself untracked corduroy by signing up for free First Tracks tours on Aspen Mountain and Snowmass. The Aspen Mountain tours are offered every day of the week, and the Snowmass tours are offered on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Space is limited, and skiers/snowboarders must be a level 7 or higher. Reservations can be made at the Aspen Mountain or Snowmass ticket office only 24 hours in advance.
If you’re not an early riser, Snowmass’ Noon Groom opens freshly groomed terrain for the late crowd. Find out which run is selected on the daily grooming report at the mountain. Then line up before the clock strikes noon and ski patrol drops the rope for perfectly groomed corduroy!
Where to stay: Roll out of your five-star bed, at the Little Nell, and right onto the slopes for Aspen Mountain’s First Tracks experience or mosey out of your Westin Snowmass Heavenly bed—if you can—for Snowmass’ Noon Groom.
Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia
Every night after the lifts stop spinning, an armada of snowcats preens 1,300 acres of groomed terrain at this massive resort. Whistler has been at the forefront of grooming technology for decades, and this season they’ve upgraded their fleet once again with two new state-of-the-art cats. One of the snowcats is a specialized terrain-park machine, and it’s the first of its kind to be used in Western Canada.
Where to stay: As a guest of Westin Resort and Spa at Whistler, simply walk down to the onsite rental/demo shop, pick up your carvers and walk the couple steps to the Whistler Mountain Gondola.
We’ll keep doing our snow dances to help you score powder days, but in the meantime, reserve your spot at our top resorts for grooming. Browse our featured deals online, and speak with an expert at 800-610-8911 today!