Top Snowboarding resorts in the USA

A Guide To Snowboarding The USA

In America you can find a large range of snowboarding resorts across the country which spread out over the northern eastern states, the central Rockies and the north-western states. Beware, many of the resorts are low quality and are simply operated to earn quick money. The usual snowboarding season lasts from November until mid-April, but a few resorts in the north stay open until mid-May. The country's resorts are generally smaller than their European cousins. However, the Rockies do have summits that rise up to 3,000 metres.

Jackson Hole

The combination of the terrain and snowfall is second to none as Jackson's slopes rise up out of the Snake River valley in what seems like a sheer wall. It is also home to North America's highest continuous vertical drop (over 4,000ft), a stunning variety of terrain - including couloirs, cliff-bands, open bowls and trees - and a snowfall average of 369 inches during an average winter. Perhaps the best thing about Jackson is its ski and snowboard school. The instructors here do seem to have an extra spark which makes learning for beginners much more enjoyable.
To get the best of them, sign up for one of the Steep and Deep camps.

Aspen

Famous the world over for its skiing, the snowboarding is pretty good here too. The only problem is the lack of wide, high, open bowls for free-riding - and the comparably small snowfall for the Rockies. It is still comparable to the best in the Alps, but 256 inches isn't much compared with Snowbird's 466 inches. To give yourself the highest possible chance of scoring perfect powder, heading to Utah or Wyoming could be the best bet.

Getting there

Flights to US cities are frequent, with many having transfers to resorts. Some airports atollow you reach the resorts by bus (occaisionally a free shuttle service), or by hire car. Travel to a resort by train is limited in terms of direct routes and in most cases you will need to take a train to the nearest city and then transfer by bus. Resorts on the East coast are most accessable by rail from the airports and a 30-day rail pass for unlimited travel costs can be bought for $400. Greyhound Buses operate the largest cross-country network of routes, with dozens of options.

Nights out

You will need to carry ID everywhere in the US. Photo I.D. is constantly required when buying alcohol to confirm age, it would be advised that baby-faced boarders should stick to soft drinks.