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Ski Mags Resort Rankings

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Rachy
Posts: 4355 - Karma: 2,761
Ok, so here are the rankings.



I'm seriously confused as to how/why these are ranked in this order.

Why is Heavenly in the top and Squaw isn't? Why is Jackson ranked behind Beaver Creak?

Winter Park is better then Mammoth? WTF.

The ratings seem to be more concerned about the quality of your hotel room than the quality of your day skiing. All these mountains are great. But as a person that really cares about skiing....

I'd rather go to Squaw. I'd rather go to Jackson. I'd rather go to Alyeska. Hell, I'd rather go to Crystal.

I can't be that upset cause I know who the cliental of that magazine are... but seriously? Heavenly, Copper Mountain, Winter Park, Beaver Creek... all rank higher than Squaw!?


/Rant
Oct 14 2011 5:55PM
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mountainviper
Posts: 1931 - Karma: -3
Rach ya gotta figure it's for traditional skiers who don't go off the trail or in the park and want to be pampered. It's not for your powderhounds and park rats ya know?
Oct 14 2011 5:59PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Its skimag.com, thats what their audience values.
Oct 14 2011 6:01PM
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afterbang_me
Posts: 385 - Karma: 152
Written by people in Colorado.
Oct 14 2011 6:08PM
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Session
Posts: 5375 - Karma: 22,079
I all reality these ranking are either done by wichever resort paid the most for advertising, or by using the input of people that go on ski vacations, not real skiers.

Ski magazine is for gapers anyways.
Oct 14 2011 6:10PM
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Rachy
Posts: 4355 - Karma: 2,761
I didn't see where it was rated by readers... They failed to mention that in the header.

That makes more sense.


But seriously. Squaw > a lot of those resorts. Even in terms of hotels and what not.


The only one I read was Mammoth's and it said rated 4 in terrain. How does it go from 4th best terrain to 17th best? Shouldn't that be the thing that is weighted the most?
Oct 14 2011 6:13PM
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802Valley
Posts: 625 - Karma: 309
its probably not totally terrain rated
the raters probs consider alot it on guest satisfaction

Oct 14 2011 7:24PM
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Literature
Posts: 13673 - Karma: 3,085
It's skiing. What did you expect?

I'd sooner go to Dr. Seuss for resort recommendations than that lot of goatlickers.
Oct 14 2011 7:33PM
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jibnut
Posts: 3038 - Karma: 304
Mulberry Street.
Oct 14 2011 7:36PM
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HeathR
Posts: 4359 - Karma: 1,382
Its based on a bunch of different factors which include on mountain food, night life, off hill activities, lifts, family programs, lodging, and dining. To make things worse its done by readers of Ski Magazine. The result is a ranking system that is not based on the same criteria you or me would use to rank a ski resort. If your just looking at the quality of skiing this list does not mean anything.
Oct 14 2011 7:39PM
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Scott0_robot0
Posts: 3291 - Karma: 212
half the best snow are in utah and the top 5 are glad to be at brighton :)
Oct 14 2011 7:41PM
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AJizzle
Posts: 1882 - Karma: 522
Its ski mag, deer valley is ranked at the top because its a "5 star" resort, and when people who read ski mag think of great skiing, they think of the best grooming operation.  Its definitely NOT the best resort in the US for someone on this site, or TGR for that matter, but the majority of the skiing population never goes off-trail.
Oct 14 2011 9:11PM
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S.C
Posts: 3068 - Karma: 2,285
Beaver Creek is dope
Oct 14 2011 9:16PM
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Squaw6
Posts: 469 - Karma: 50
Haha: "Like the baggy-pants jibb ers who frequent Breckenridge's no.3-ranked terrain parks, this resort gets a bad rap."
Oct 14 2011 9:36PM
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AJizzle
Posts: 1882 - Karma: 522
No, because terrain to ski mag readers doesn't really mean shit, they get extreme on the black groomers
Oct 14 2011 9:41PM
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PJS.
Posts: 11943 - Karma: 895
C.R.E.A.M
Oct 14 2011 9:42PM
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mackcamp
Posts: 1207 - Karma: 263
not our fault our mountains kick ass.
Oct 15 2011 10:14AM
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Triple_Strum
Posts: 6384 - Karma: 953
Ski magazine - written for adults with day jobs who only take a vacation 2 to 3 weeks a year, and one of those weeks is at a ski resort. OF COURSE they are going to place high value on the overall experience where the mountain is only part of the criteria.

If I was going to pay a lot of money to take my wife out to a great dinner, would I just go to a restaurant where I heard the food was incredible but the service was terrible? No way. Would I go to a restaurant that had very average food but excellent service and a great jazz band? Perhaps. Would I usually go the restaurant that has the best of all of them? Yes. And that is what people look for on a vacation, too. Notice they are ranking the RESORT in this article, not solely the terrain.
Oct 15 2011 10:48AM
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mountainviper
Posts: 1931 - Karma: -3
Yeah look at it this way, that's jus that many more yahoos ya won't have to wade through at your favorite resort right?
Oct 15 2011 12:43PM
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Dustin.
Posts: 13839 - Karma: 7,704
Good, now the good places will be less crowded.
Oct 15 2011 3:40PM
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2_fadez
Posts: 7780 - Karma: 4,183
"Like the baggy-pants jibb ers " lolololol
Oct 15 2011 4:10PM
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[Steeze_Please]
Posts: 281 - Karma: 279
This. /Thread
Oct 15 2011 5:43PM
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CassiusClay
Posts: 1757 - Karma: 2
Who gives a fuck. Honestly, all the resorts mentioned would be a dream to live at- they'd all be fun. I don't think anyone takes them seriously, they're just showing readers whats out there.
Oct 15 2011 6:09PM
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SteveStepp
Posts: 9529 - Karma: 20,647
Yea..... it's not a list thats worth getting worked up over...
The obvious trend here is that readers are reviewing things that we (dedicated shredders) view as meaningless. We don't give a shit who serves the best burger or which resort has the pretty view. It's pretty obvious that Jackson Hole has better pow skiing than Snowmass, yet Snowmass has a better review. Why? Who knows. Maybe the reader likes a well lit lodge with fireplaces in each wall. All i know is, it doesnt mattter.

I think you'd be an idiot to take this review seriously :/

These are all great resorts, and even the best review wouldn't be able to take all the different quality's of a resort to make a comprehensive list. The best resort is the one that has terrain that best suits your strengths.
Oct 15 2011 6:20PM
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Holte
Posts: 10740 - Karma: 7,814
At least 11 out of 21 of the photos featured skiing or snowboarding.
Oct 15 2011 6:31PM
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funtimes
Posts: 263 - Karma: 93
hahah. well i wasn't aware that the Canyons was a "hidden gem." i think that about sums up how accurate these rankings are...
Oct 15 2011 6:37PM
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garrett.
Posts: 9304 - Karma: 3,670
I wish alyeska would shut down. the mountain is god damned amazing and the management is the anti fun police.
Oct 15 2011 7:03PM
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HarryPotter
Posts: 359 - Karma: 52
not just skiing, also ski magazine.
Oct 15 2011 7:04PM
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BskiP
Posts: 1369 - Karma: 223
deer valley kicks ass! i mean, what other resort do they pay people to wipe your bum for you?
Oct 15 2011 7:57PM
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KendamaCo
Posts: 125 - Karma: 16
I mean its just how if the magazine had a best outerwear list north face and spider would take the crown when our list would definitely not come close to including those. The key word is best resort. Resort is something much bigger than just the skiing terrain. Its the town, shopping for the wife, restaurants, some moonlight horseback rides or some shit I dunno but its way more than just the mountain
Oct 15 2011 7:59PM
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GayWolf420
Posts: 37379 - Karma: 119,900
Well its ski magazine. Its geared more towards the older-skier crowd thats into groomers and shit like that. (Not that I have anything against them.)
Oct 16 2011 8:44PM
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LeadThug420
Posts: 869 - Karma: 26
In terms of best overall resort, I'm somewhat surprised that Snowmass is behind both Vail and Beaver Creek. 
Oct 16 2011 10:24PM
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KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,629
Eh i could easily see how deer valley could be in the top 3 positions...If you have ever been there for vacation its fucking amazing. Perfectly groomed runs everywhere pow is always accesible some solid trees and steeps and on pow days its untracked all day. The resorts and village are amazing as well as the service and everything about the resort.
Oct 16 2011 10:33PM
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coldcuts69
Posts: 3718 - Karma: 1,888
I dont know why the fuck dear valley was number one, but fuck it, east coast is where its at
Oct 16 2011 10:47PM
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KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,629
i really dont think a saga jacket could compare to north face or any of those brands. I mean they look sick and function well but those top brands no doubt make a more quality product than most of these indy companies
Oct 16 2011 11:09PM
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SFBv420.0
Posts: 2539 - Karma: 3,124

Ski resort rankings are based on blowjobs recieved from resort marketing team

Don't you work for a resort?

IF IT DIDN'T RANK HIGH YOU SHOULD PRACTICE MORE

try a bannnana

honey

Oct 17 2011 9:07AM
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PeterWojnar
Posts: 3937 - Karma: 678
Come on... Ski Magazine is written by gapers, for gapers. Don't ever take them seriously about anything ever again, and you'll be all right.

But seriously how the fuck does Deer Valley rank above Whistler, Jackson, Snowbird, etc? And how the fuck isn't Squaw on the list?
Oct 17 2011 2:01PM
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shocker611
Posts: 2599 - Karma: 423
uh no... the fact that they have deer valley AND park city above any other Utah resort proves that the rankings are horribly flawed
Oct 17 2011 3:52PM
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SlurrP
Posts: 172 - Karma: 26
sorry skimmed over most of the replies - but has nobody discussed Jackson Hole is #12?

this is ranked by/for ski vacationers.
Oct 17 2011 4:05PM
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Willard
Posts: 5117 - Karma: 429
.
Oct 17 2011 4:07PM
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Rachy
Posts: 4355 - Karma: 2,761
This thread is becoming quite humorous.

I've been following their social media response and it's been equally as humorous.

Seems they should have included 1 very key sentence at the top of the article.

"The resorts found here were ranked by our users based on their overall vacation experiences."


At least I now have confidence that the vacationers of Squaw, Jackson, Alta, and Mammoth aren't being fully brainwashed by the material in ski mag.


Ima leave this here cause it makes me feel better.

Oct 17 2011 5:58PM
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AngryFromBend
Posts: 779 - Karma: 9
ski magazine is not for skiers, it's for people sitting in the lodge. The mountains ranked highest are the resorts with the biggest subscriptions.
Oct 17 2011 6:02PM
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AJizzle
Posts: 1882 - Karma: 522
Because if you obtain a ski magazine subscription, your squaw pass gets automatically pulled and you are black listed for the rest of your life.
Oct 17 2011 9:35PM
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PeterWojnar
Posts: 3937 - Karma: 678
Must be true. That said, if you play gnar and ski naked all day... CURSES!

Unrelated: I would go crazy if Alpine were included in Squallywood 3rd edition. I WANNA KNOW HOW MANY POINTS MY IDIOT'S AND ESTELLE CASTLE LINES ARE WORTH DAMMIT!
Oct 17 2011 10:31PM
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00000000
Posts: 11075 - Karma: 82,508
Easy solution? Pick up the SBC Resort Guide.
Oct 18 2011 4:19PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,635
I personally think that the internet is by far the best way to go.

I trust internet opinions over published ones any day. At least on the internet, you get a bazillion different people and can discern the truth of the matter. Sure its harder to sort through them, but you get the truth.

The hardest part about running a community website is people giving their honest opinions. Lots of advertisers hate that. ;)



Oct 18 2011 4:49PM
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mehregan15
Posts: 780 - Karma: 753
although I definitely, definitely dont agree that DV is the best resort around, it was my home mountain before I started going to school in CO and I gotta say, it's not all bad.

Being a "5 star resort" means it's a lot of older tourists, so the (little) good terrain they have isn't always skied out right away. There's some good tree skiing up on Empire and the chutes are great on a deep day. Plus, have any of you had a muh fuggin' panini from Deer Valley? it'll change your life.

But, there is no park (although they did have a tiny one for 2 years), its ridiculously expensive, relatively small, and there are definitely better options around Salt Lake City.
Oct 18 2011 5:22PM
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