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Best places to go snowboarding in North America

Whistler April 2012

#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
Mammoth Snowboarder

#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
Mt.Bachelor, rider Peter Butsch

#3. 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
Mt Hood Meadows

#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
Mt.Baker

#5. 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
Shaun White US Open Halfpipe Champion 2013

#6. 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
Palisades Tahoe

#7. 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
Big White Snowboarder

#8. 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
Jackson Hole Snowboarder

#9. 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
Lake Louise

#10. Lake Louise, Canada

Excellent freeriding on four mountain faces, slap bang in the heart of the Canadian Rockies giving a sense of true remoteness. Nightlife here is limited, however Banff (population 8000) is located a 45 minute drive away and provides a livelier after hill scene. A 'Tri-Area Lift Ticket' lift pass gives...

Summary

Freeride - 80%

Trees and good off-piste

Freestyle - 75%

A terrain park and pipe

Pistes - 75%

Well pisted and long

read more about Lake Louise

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