snowboading
1. Whistler, Canada
Whistler snowboading
Altitude: 653-2182 m, drop altitude 1530 m.
Ski trails: 110; 40 of which meant for beginners, 20-for the self-confident, 50-for experts.
Whistler is one of the best mountain resorts in the world and is said to be the Mecca of snowboarders. It is located at 120 km from Vancouver. One can get there from Vancouver airport either by car or by railway; the return ticket makes about 200 dollars. As the Pacific is close to Whistler, there are about 11.000 mm precipitations a year, and snow cover height reaches 914 cm. The most ordinary landscape here are the fir trees, end-dumped in downy snow to the top. Winter Olympic Games will take place here in 2010.
Les Arcs snowboading
2. Les Arcs, France
Altitude: 850-3250 m, drop altitude 2401 m
Ski trails: 114-for beginners, 66-for the advanced, 29-for extreme people
The closest airport is in Geneva at 135 km from Les Arcs. Also one can reach the resort by Eurostar going to the station of Bourg Saint Maurice. The city itself is below the resort, but it’s possible to get to Les Arc by a comfortable funicular machine, which takes travelers up every 20 minutes. It starts working at 7.20 a.m. till 19.20 p.m.. It is one of the best resorts of France. Experts find it to be a European model resort for snowboarding and free riding. A snow park, fun boxes, pyramids and trails are located between the foundations of ACA1800 and ACA 1600. The half pipe on the ACA 2000 is lighted up till 20.00 p.m. and on Tuesdays it is lighted up till 22.00 p.m.
Les Arcs
Chamonix snowboading
3. Chamonix, France
Altitude: 1035-3842 m.
Ski trails: 41-for beginners, 25-for the advanced, 13-for risky snowboarders.
It is possible to reach Chamonix either from Geneva international airport, which is at 88 km from the resort, or by train to the station of Chamonix. The resort is located in the center of a valley, at the border of France, Italy and Switzerland and has wonderful infrastructure. At first sight Chamonix seems not so attractive for snowboarders as Morzine in neighborhood. Here the fun park is worse and there are big queues. But exactly here one can also have a good time in the evenings. Chamonix is said to be a center of club parties and entertainments. Besides, any professional will be pleased with even the most difficult local trails.
Mammoth Mountain snowboading
4. Mammoth Mountain, USA
Altitude: 2377-3369 m,
Ski Trails: 19-for beginners, 63-for the self-confident, 63-for the advanced
The closest airport from the resort is at 265 km in Reno. The ski season here is from the end of October till the beginning of June. You can often meet the best riders of the world exactly here. Not so expensive rent, world level trails, equipped especially for snowboarding, make Mammoth attractive for them, who like snowboarding.
Mammoth Mountain
Lake Lodge snowboading
5. Lake Lodge, Canada
Altitude: 1400-2400 m, drop altitude 991 m.
Ski Trails: 105
Lake Lodge Resort is at about 300 km from the international airport of Calgary. Its territory is 28,5 quarter km. It’s the biggest territory of ski resort in Canada. Here trails for any level snowboarders are located: for beginners and extremes. The views of the resort make Lake Lodge the most picturesque place in North America. The ski season here begins in November and ends in the midst May.
Morzine-Les Portes du Soleil
6. Morzine-Les Portes du Soleil, France
Altitude: 1000-3200 m, drop altitude 1460 m
Ski trails: 150-for beginners, 110-for the self-confident, 28-for professionals
You can get to Morzine either from the airport of Geneva, at 70 km from the resort, or from Cluuz railway station, which is only 208 km from the resort. Morzine is a resort ever being in vanguard of French snowboarding. It is better to be a self-confident snowboarder to enjoy skiing here.
Mayrhofen, valley of Zillertal snowboading
7. Mayrhofen, valley of Zillertal, Austria
Altitude: 630-2415 m, drop altitude 1650 m
Ski Trails: 45-for beginners, 90-for the self-confident, 22 for professionals
The closest airport is located in Innsbruck, at 75 km from it and the railway station is called Mayrhofen too. Zillertal valley is said to be the best Austrian snowboarding resort. The biggest world level fun park is in Mayrhofen resort. The neighboring resort Kaltenbach is one of the best places in Europe for free riders. There are more than 800 boarding house hotels, and European youth come to ski exactly here. Besides, tourists with ski-pass are taken to the valley by buses free of charge.
Livigno snowboading
8. Livigno, Italy
Altitude: 1800-3000 m
Ski Trails: 28- for beginners, 36-for the advanced and 10-for experts
It is possible to reach Livigno either from Milanese airport at 240 km, or by railway to the station of Zernes, located at 28 km from the resort. There is a wonderful fun park, a huge ski territory, there are few people in Livigno and that’s why it is the best ski resort in Italy. You should just drink fine Italian coffee in the morning, estimate Italian cuisine and remember that exactly here there are wonderful duty-free shops. People here are friendly and are always ready to help strangers.
Tinne, Isera valley, snowboading
9. Tinne, Isera valley, France
Altitude: 1400-3450 m
Ski Trails: 80-for beginners, 35-for the advanced and 16-for professionals
You can get to Isera Valley either from Geneva airport which is at 165 km from the resort, or from the railway station of Bourg Saint Maurice, which is at 20 km from Tinne. It is an Olympic resort where there is snow during the whole winter season from November till May. You can ski on Grand Motte glacier till the end of July. Sport enters of Tinne and Le Lac were renovated by vast money invested in the resort. But prices still remain low.
snowboading
10. Niseko, Japan
Altitude: 650-1308 m
Ski Trails: 22-for beginners, 17-for the advanced
The closest airport is located in Sapporo at 100 km from the resort, and the railway station is at 8 km in Kutchan. Specialist think that Niseko and three of its ski areas are the best place for snowboarding in the world. Niseko is open for snowboarding from 8.30 a.m. till 20.30 p.m. The beauty of the resort is not only the perfect fun park, but also the distinctive culture, hot sources and the volcano on the background.
