We've crunched the numbers, done the sums, totted up all our stats, and these have come out overall as the best snowboarding resorts in the World. They each offer something for all levels as well as that little bit of magic to set them apart.

#1. Whistler/Blackcomb, Canada

Major riding for all styles and all levels, especially backcountry and amazing park and pipes.But take note: lift queues can be very long, especially at Easter and Christmas. Avoid major holidays if an option and Sundays are quieter than Saturdays, especially on Blackcomb. Great summer riding on Blackcomb Glacier.

Summary

Freeride - 90%

Trees and amazing off-piste

Freestyle - 95%

World leader in parks & pipes

Pistes - 90%

Huge array of good runs

Beginners - 65%

Plenty for the beginner

Nightlife - 80%

Legendary bars and nightlife

Value - 60%

Expensive facilities

read more about Whistler/Blackcomb

#2. Mammoth Mountain, USA

Award winning parks & pipes, great freeriding, but try and avoid weekends.

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

#3. St Anton, Austria

By far the best freeriders resort in Austria and backed up by a world class village. It all comes at quite a price and the British invasian is leaving it less Austrian every year.

Summary

Freeride - 95%

Awesome off-piste but don't hang around

Freestyle - 65%

Good if small park but plenty of natural hits

Pistes - 85%

Wide, long and some very testing slopes

Beginners - 60%

Only small areas are really easy for beginners

Nightlife - 79%

THE resort for on slope apres ski

Value - 70%

It can be experienced on a budget

read more about St Anton

#4. Mount Hood Meadows, USA

Full-on freerider's resort offering great, open and tree-lined terrain with crowd-free slopes suited to novices. Good but very basic local services.

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

#5. Mount Bachelor, USA

Full-on freeriders resort offering great open and tree-lined riding on crowd free slopes ideal for all levels. Excellent local facitities of a high quality. Bachelor may not be steep but it makes up for this with awesome wind-enhanced terrain and decent parks. Some have described the Bachelor terrain as being...

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

#6. Verbier, Switzerland

Extremely good resort with some of the best extreme terrain in Switzerland and the world for that matter.

Summary

Freeride - 100%

Freeride paradise

Freestyle - 60%

A solid terrain park

Pistes - 90%

Pistes in all shapes and sizes

Beginners - 50%

Some testing lifts but English tuition

Value - 40%

Criminally expensive

read more about Verbier

#7. Chamonix, France

Chamonix offers some truly excellent freeriding and great natural freestyle terrain. It's not great for beginners and can suffer if there's not much snow. It's rough round the edges - but therein lies its charm. If you can, wait until there's fresh snow then jump in your car.

Summary

Freeride - 95%

Tree runs & amazing off-piste

Freestyle - 50%

Great natural

Pistes - 60%

Spread out & ungroomed slopes

Beginners - 65%

Dedicated beginner areas

Nightlife - 80%

Plenty going on and not tacky

Value - 60%

Pricey but possible on a budget

read more about Chamonix

#8. Mt Baker, USA

Legendary snowboarder's resort with ample diverse terrain to suit all styles and levels. You'll need a car to get around the basic but laid back town

Summary

Freeride - 90%

some tree runs & epic off-piste

Freestyle - 50%

a small park, but its all about nature

Pistes - 60%

Not really what its about

Beginners - 60%

No bars on the lifts!

Value - 70%

No frills and no high prices

read more about Mt Baker

#9. Davos, Switzerland

The best overall resort in Switzerland offering something for everyone. Huge pisted area and excellent freeriding spread across 5 mountains, and not to mention the terrain park and 2 halpipes. Direct train services and good local services complete the package, but go mid-week to avoid the masses.

Summary

Freeride - 90%

Trees and excellent off-piste

Freestyle - 80%

Good pipes and parks

Pistes - 85%

Huge and varied run selection

read more about Davos

#10. Vail, USA

Absolutely fantastic mountain offering great riding for ever style and level of rider. Great local services in and around the resort with lots going on.

Summary

Freeride - 77%

Trees & some good off-piste

Freestyle - 76%

3 parks & halfpipe

Pistes - 75%

confusing layout but immaculate

read more about Vail

#11. Serre Chevalier, France

One of the best resorts in France. Great freeriding with powder and full-on, freestyle terrain. Shame it's pricey and packed with skiers.

Summary

Freeride - 80%

Great tree runs & good off-piste

Freestyle - 72%

Parks & 2 halfpipes

Pistes - 76%

Lots of trees & open pistes

read more about Serre Chevalier

#12. Les Arcs, France

A great all round resort with lots of off-piste and powder, and perfect for beginners. A major tourist spot with lively nightlife.

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

#13. Ischgl, Austria

Ischgl has plenty of good wide intermediate slopes, and hidden off-piste stashes. A super fast lift system, a season that lasts until May, great terrain park, and the most full on apres in the Alps, completes the package.

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

#14. Tignes, France

Snow sure, true boarders' moonscape Great all-round resort with something for everyone, no matter what your ability. However, watch out some for long lift queues and crowds during school holidays and weekends.

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

#15. Palisades Tahoe, USA

One of the best resorts out there - with snowboarding to suit all levels and styles. Excellent parks, fantastic off piste and good novice slopes. Very good local services too.

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

#16. Solden, Austria

Solden is one of Austria's best all round resorts, with some great intermediate terrain, and the craziest apres ski in the alps.

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. Laax, Switzerland

Excellent snowsure resort with a good long season. The slopes are great for freestylers and freeriders alike, as well as suiting beginners. The resort can be slack at opening lifts and the off-piste gets tracked out within hours of a dump.

Summary

Freeride - 80%

Trees & some good off-piste

Freestyle - 85%

2 terrain parks & huge halfpipe

Pistes - 80%

Great condition & variety

read more about Laax

#18. Big White, Canada

Excellent freeriding on crowd-free slopes, with great terrain for all levels. Local facilities are very basic but good. Night life is tame but okay.

Summary

Freeride - 80%

Trees and good backcountry

Freestyle - 85%

Impressive parks & pipes

Pistes - 80%

Well prepared slopes

read more about Big White

#19. Flims, Switzerland

Excellent riding area

Summary

Freeride - 85%

Trees & some good off-piste

Freestyle - 80%

2 terrain parks & 2 halfpipes

Pistes - 80%

Great condition & variety

read more about Flims

#20. Jackson Hole, USA

Great resort with lots of challenging terrain offering some excellent backcountry freeriding. Good and friendly local services, although a bit spread out.

Summary

Freeride - 92%

Tree runs & epic off-piste

Freestyle - 67%

Park & halfpipe, good natural

Pistes - 71%

some good long trails

read more about Jackson Hole