37 Ski Resorts.
How many have you visited?

North America's largest ski resort covers 8,171 acres across two mountains linked by the Peak 2 Peak Gondola. It hosted alpine events at the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Why go: Ride the Peak 2 Peak Gondola between the two mountains and ski the Blackcomb Glacier. Spend the evening in the pedestrian village.

Zermatt is a car-free village reached only by train, with views of the Matterhorn from nearly every run. Its lifts connect to Cervinia, so you can ski Switzerland and Italy in one day.

Why go: Take the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise lift to Europe's highest lift-served skiing at 12,739 feet, then ski across the border for lunch in Italy.

Chamonix hosted the first Winter Olympics in 1924 and sits below Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Western Europe. The Vallée Blanche is a 20km off-piste run.

Why go: Ski the Vallée Blanche down the Mer de Glace glacier. Spend the evening in a town with a long mountaineering history.

Niseko gets an average of 15 meters (50 feet) of snow a year. The dry, cold air makes the powder very light, and skiers call it "Japow."

Why go: Ski light powder that falls most nights in season, including tree runs through birch forests. Bathe in an onsen hot spring after skiing.

Hannes Schneider developed modern ski technique here in the 1920s, and his Arlberg ski school changed how people learn to ski. The resort is known for steep terrain and wild après-ski.

Why go: Ski steep off-piste terrain by day, then join the après-ski crowd at the Mooserwirt.

Vail covers 5,317 acres, including the Back Bowls, seven large bowls of open terrain. The resort was founded by veterans of the 10th Mountain Division.

Why go: Ski powder in the Back Bowls and groomed runs on the front side. Walk and eat in Vail Village, built in a European style.

Verbier hosts Xtreme Verbier, the final event of the Freeride World Tour. Its Four Valleys ski area links 412km of runs across several Swiss resorts.

Why go: Ski steep off-piste terrain and see the face where Xtreme Verbier is held. Spend the evening in a stylish, international town.

Corbet's Couloir starts with a required 20-foot drop into a steep, narrow chute. The resort's 4,139 feet of continuous vertical is among the largest in North America.

Why go: Ski Corbet's Couloir if you're an expert, take on the long vertical in the Hobacks, and spend time in the Western town below.