That first trip for someone can either inspire you or despise the very notion of going again. Here are our top resorts for beginners.

#1. Corralco, Chile

The beginner area in Corralco has to be some of the best learning terrain in the World! That’s a big statement for sure, but the sheer width of runs and the consistent 10-15 degree pitch means that this is the ideal place for anyone learning to link their turns or...

Summary

Freeride - 60%

Big mountain terrain with wide-open face

Freestyle - 20%

No park to speak of!

Pistes - 80%

Incredibly wide with varying pitches

Beginners - 90%

Some of the best beginner terrain

read more about Corralco

#2. June Mountain, USA

Beginner freeriders can take their time on a few gentle, un-crowded slopes. This can be attempted alone or under the laid back tuition of the instructors available. For those novice freestylers who wish to learn the art of the pipe there are also instructors around to teach you what you...

Summary

Freeride - 52%

Trees & some off-piste

Freestyle - 40%

3 parks for the kids

Pistes - 78%

quiet slopes

Beginners - 90%

Easy and quiet

read more about June Mountain

#3. Alpes d'Huez, France

Beginners have a huge area perfect for learning on, accessed by the Troncon cable-car from the base. It does get busy but the lower slopes are wide enough to handle it.  

Summary

Freeride - 75%

No tree runs but good off-piste

Freestyle - 60%

2 Terrain parks

Pistes - 74%

Huge number of busy but good runs

Beginners - 90%

Fantastic slopes to learn on

Nightlife - 72%

Lots of bars and tacky nightclubs

Value - 75%

Good value accommodation and facilities

read more about Alpes d'Huez

#4. Ischgl, Austria

There isn’t a huge amount of beginner terrain, but what is available is perfectly maintained and easy to get to. From the top of the Silvrettabahn from the village you’ll enter one of the main beginner thoroughfares, so it’s best to jump onto the Fimbabahn lift to the area leading...

Summary

Freeride - 70%

few trees but some good off-piste

Freestyle - 70%

Decent park for all abilities

Pistes - 80%

Nice wide, well maintained groomers

Beginners - 80%

Lots of easy pistes and easy lifts

Nightlife - 81%

Full-on apres and parties that go into the morning

Value - 60%

Can be tricky to find budget accommodation

read more about Ischgl

#5. Mammoth Mountain, USA

Beginners, if you can't learn or improve at Mammoth, then you're into the wrong sport. The area is perfect for novices, with plenty of green and easy progression blue runs at the lower sections and excellent snowboard tuition available. Sesame Street run off chair 11 at Main Lodge is perfect for beginners,...

Summary

Freeride - 80%

Decent off-piste and trees runs

Freestyle - 97%

Over a dozen parks and 2 pipes

Pistes - 80%

Imaculate and varied runs

Beginners - 80%

Great beginner area and top tuition

Value - 70%

Worth the price

read more about Mammoth Mountain

#6. Les Arcs, France

There are few resorts in Europe that can claim to be as good for snowboarders to learn than Les Arcs. Get away from some of the pinch spots close to the villages, and things get a lot less busy and you can start to relax a little.  Most of the...

Summary

Freeride - 76%

Tree runs & excellent off-piste

Freestyle - 70%

Decent large park

Pistes - 85%

Pisted to perfection

Beginners - 75%

Lots of easy slopes and beginner areas

Nightlife - 70%

1800 is village for partying

Value - 75%

Good value if self catering

read more about Les Arcs

#7. Livigno, Italy

Beginners will find this resort perfect for learning, with wide gentle runs located at lower sections within easy reach. There are also no runs merging into these areas, making it not at all intimidating for newbies. The ski shop Dr Rent has some excellent board for hire and the staff dress...

Summary

Freeride - 70%

Some sweet off-piste

Freestyle - 90%

Very good terrain parks

Pistes - 70%

Wide crusing runs, good for intermediate

Beginners - 75%

Good dedicated beginner areas

Value - 90%

Duty free baby

read more about Livigno

#8. Mount Hood Meadows, USA

Beginners are treated to a good number of trails that are easy to reach and easy to negotiate. Mt Hood Express gives access to some interesting green runs and some tame blues. The local snowboard school has a host of teaching programmes for all levels, including a Mountain Master Programme.

Summary

Freeride - 75%

A few tree runs & good off-piste

Freestyle - 76%

Terrain parks & halfpipe

Pistes - 75%

good mix, but short advanced runs

Beginners - 75%

Easy slopes and good school

Value - 70%

Some value options available

read more about Mount Hood Meadows

#9. Mount Bachelor, USA

Beginners-this is a mountain that you'll appreciate, with its selection of good, easy green runs that can be ridden from the mid-section of the Pine Marten chair. The runs descend in a manner that allow you to steer onto a more interesting and challenging blue as you gain confidence. The...

Summary

Freeride - 75%

Trees & good off-piste

Freestyle - 76%

3 Terrain parks & a halfpipe

Pistes - 75%

Lots of well pisted long trails

Beginners - 75%

Great slopes to learn on

Value - 75%

Great value

read more about Mount Bachelor

#10. Beaver Creek, USA

New riders will find themselves with ample runs to choose from, especially in the Arrow and Drink of Water areas. Another great feature at Beaver Creek is the Chaos Canyon Adventure Zone, a fun park of baby-sized hits and glades for even the smallest rider to take a crack at,...

Summary

Freeride - 79%

Some cool spots

Freestyle - 76%

Good parks & pipe

Pistes - 80%

Perfectly groomed

Beginners - 75%

Good ski schools

Value - 40%

Very Expensive

read more about Beaver Creek

#11. Saalbach - Hinterglemm, Austria

Beginners will find things pretty much perfect. The blue run under the Berkogel Sesselbahn gets busy but is rarely moguled even at the end of the day. The area from the top of the Kohlmaiskopf back down into Saalbach is huge and open and great for progressing. The blue down...

Summary

Freeride - 77%

Some good tree runs and off-piste

Freestyle - 68%

2 excellent parks + beginners one

Pistes - 75%

Wide, well maintained & plenty

Beginners - 75%

Excellent place to learn

Nightlife - 75%

Plenty of apres-ski but not much apart from that

Value - 75%

Some good value accomodation

read more about Saalbach - Hinterglemm

#12. Tignes, France

Tignes is really looking after it’s beginners these days with a number of slopes to learn on. A number of free to ride lifts scattered around the resort should keep newbies happy for the first few days. As well as building confidence you can save money on lift passes as...

Summary

Freeride - 80%

No tree runs but huge off-piste

Freestyle - 70%

All year parks & halfpipe

Pistes - 76%

Open motorway cruisers

Beginners - 74%

Lots of nice safe areas and independent tuition

Nightlife - 73%

Some good bars in all the villages

Value - 80%

Great option for the budget concious

read more about Tignes

#13. Palisades Tahoe, USA

Beginners are blessed with a perfect mountain to learn on. There are fantastic learning areas at the base of Squaw as well as another area further up the mountain beneath the lifts of Baileys Beach and Mountain Meadow. Once up and running, the smattering of greens and blues throughout

Summary

Freeride - 79%

Great trees & some extreme off-piste

Freestyle - 70%

5 parks & halfpipe

Pistes - 77%

Fantastic flow to all the pistes

Beginners - 73%

Superb beginner areas

read more about Palisades Tahoe

#14. Mayrhofen, Austria

Beginners heading to Mayrhofen should head straight to the Ahorn area where a selection of modern lifts and quiet pistes make this the ideal area for finding your feet. If you are in your first week take the 8SB Ahorn lift and spend some time on pistes 1 and 2...

Summary

Freeride - 70%

Some good spots when conditions allow

Freestyle - 80%

Amazing park

Pistes - 70%

Loads of pistes

Beginners - 70%

Better than it once was

Nightlife - 75%

Some renowned nightlife spots

Value - 65%

Pretty standard but some cheapish accom

read more about Mayrhofen

#15. Puy St Vincent, France

Beginners have a decent resort to learn in. The vast majority of the lifts are all chairs, and you can start off taking some of the narrower green routes through the trees before venturing out on the wider but still gentle blue slopes which litter the resort. Unlike many resorts,...

Summary

Freeride - 55%

Some nicely spread tress

Freestyle - 35%

A small park

Pistes - 60%

Good easy slopes but little testng

Beginners - 70%

Loads of easy stuff

Value - 80%

a Good 30% cheaper than average

read more about Puy St Vincent

#16. Solden, Austria

The main runs at the top of the Giggijoch get very mogulled late in the day, but this is where most of the board schools will take you. For the best beginners pistes, proceed through the ski tunnel to reach the Tiefenbach glacier and its huge, wide, cruising blue run...

Summary

Freeride - 75%

A few tree runs and pretty good off-piste

Freestyle - 55%

Small terrain park, and poor natural

Pistes - 70%

Good for intermediates but not testing

Beginners - 70%

Some nice wide areas perfect for learning

Nightlife - 80%

Crazy apres ski and nighlife

Value - 68%

Good value accommodation can still be found

read more about Solden

#17. Flachauwinkl - Kleinarl, Austria

The Kleinarl side is perfect for those taking their first turns. Fast chairlifts with flat descents are the norm, you won’t find any flat bits on the abundant beginner slopes, and the pistes are well maintained; what more could you ask for. For lessons including freestyle tuition book with the...

Summary

Freeride - 65%

Some decent areas to hunt out

Freestyle - 85%

The main draw. 3 parks + pipe

Pistes - 50%

Not extensive but no flat bits

Beginners - 70%

Great for beginners and families

Nightlife - 40%

Nothing going on, head to Flachau

Value - 70%

Good value passes and accomodation

read more about Flachauwinkl - Kleinarl

#18. Nozawa Onsen , Japan

Beginners have a resort very suited to learning on. The base areas such as Hikage, Nagasaka and Karasawa all have good wide learner slopes with a perfect gradient. When ready to try the gondola head up to Uenotaira and try the 2km beginner run. Despite it being in the same...

Summary

Freeride - 65%

Limited area but some decent trees to shred

Freestyle - 70%

Nice long park and a reasonable pipe

Pistes - 70%

Good sized area by Japan standards

Beginners - 70%

Some nice wide areas perfect for learning

Nightlife - 55%

Very traditional town, some good bars

read more about Nozawa Onsen

#19. Nevado de Chillan, Chile

Beginner snowboarders are well catered for at Chillan, with good learning terrain and a well-supplied ski school. Most of the instructors here work internationally and have excellent English, so if you’re in Chile and are looking for somewhere to learn to ride, Chillan is a good option. There is a...

Summary

Freeride - 90%

Amazing backcountry and slackcountry

Freestyle - 50%

A fairly limited park

Pistes - 60%

Good intermediate trails

Beginners - 70%

Great terrain to learn on

read more about Nevado de Chillan

#20. Galtur, Austria

Beginners are the one group of riders who will really like Galtur. The flats are easy to reach from the village and riders should have no real problems, unless they are scared of using the drag lifts that serve many of the runs (including the easy ones). Still, as the...

Summary

Freeride - 55%

Some good pockets but limited

Freestyle - 40%

Basic park

Pistes - 50%

Nice wide easy slopes

Beginners - 70%

Wide and easy to learn on

read more about Galtur