Ski magazine readers rank Vail No.
1
Publication: Vail Daily; Date: 09/09/2004
By Scott N. Miller
VAIL - Break out the big foam fingers, Vail is
No. 1 again.
For the third year in a row and the 13th time
in 17 years, SKI magazine readers have named Vail the top ski resort
in North America. All five of Vail Resorts' ski areas - Vail, Beaver
Creek, Keystone, Breckenridge and Heavenly, Calif. - cracked the
top 20 in the magazine's list of the top 60 ski resorts in North
America.
Beaver Creek made the biggest jump, from eighth
last year to fourth this year. Breckenridge landed the sixth spot
in the survey, Keystone was 15 and Heavenly was 16.
The ratings will be published in the magazine's
October issue, which should be on stands in a week or so.
The results come from an independent survey of
more than 20,000 people who have subscribed to the magazine for
two years or more. Resorts are ranked in categories including snow,
grooming, terrain, lodging and off-hill activities. Voting is limited
to people who have visited the resorts in the last two years.
This year's ratings also include a new section,
"lifestyle rankings." Those ratings cover categories like the best
places for a guys-only trip (Jackson Hole), the best girls trip
(Deer Valley, Utah), or a romantic getaway (Aspen).
But the top dog among SKI readers is Vail.
Naturally, Vail Resorts officials were thrilled
with the company's heavy presence in the survey's top 20. "Being
No. 1 is a tremendous source of price for everyone," Vail Mountain
Chief Operating Officer Bill Jensen said in a release.
The top 10
Vail
Deer Valley, Utah
Snowmass
Beaver Creek
Whistler/Blackcomb, British Columbia
Breckenridge
Aspen
Park City, Utah
Mammoth Mountain, Calif.
Steamboat
But the news was welcomed outside the resorts'
corporate offices, too.
"It's a huge deal - it really fortifies Vail's
prominence in the world of skiing," Double Diamond Ski and Sport
owner Tom Sapiro said. "It really does put us a step ahead of everyone
else."
The rating also elevates what visitors expect.
"People expect a great level of service that's
not available at other resorts," Sapiro said. "We look forward to
that."
At the American Ski Exchange, owner Tom Higgins
was also pleased with the news.
"There's no question it helps," Higgins said.
"It's a matter of prestige for the ski areas and the valley."
While Higgins is in the ski business, he said
the resort ranking is a rising tide that lifts many boats.
"It helps everybody from the gas stations to the
pizza shops," Higgins said. "It all trickles down."
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