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Sammy Linebaugh ReportingUtah mountains got a dusting of snow overnight, a sure sign winter is on the way. And Utah businesses who bank on a good snowpack have another reason to celebrate the upcoming season.
Deer Valley resort has been named the number one ski area in North America. Ski Magazine based their 2005 pick on the opinions of 20-thousand magazine subscribers who said Deer Valley's their place.
The former Olympic venue earned the top score based on 17 different categories, from ski terrain, snow and grooming to lift service, food and lodging. The Utah resort edged out Vail, Colorado, which has topped the list the past two years.
Other local resorts were also bumped up on Ski Magazine's list. Park City broke into the top five for the first time, up from number eight last year. The Canyons came in at number 14. Snowbird at 20, Alta at 29 and Solitude also broke into the top 30.
From resorts to retailers, ski industry insiders say a rising tide lifts all boats.
Todd Miller, Canyon Sports: "If one resort does really well, it's gonna bump everybody up because that's gonna bring more people to Utah, and most people don't ski at exclusively one place."
Now, if you're wondering why your favorite resort isn't exactly high on the list, you might want to check a different magazine. For example Ski-ing magazine, as opposed to Ski Magazine, has put Snowbird and Alta at the top of their list the past couple of years. Of course, their criteria and their voting readership are a little different demographic.
The bottom line, if this season is anything like last year's snowpack, there should be something for everybody at each of Utah's ski resorts.
