From Aaron Teasdale:

“Just what makes a classic ski town? It starts, naturally, with skiing and snowboarding so good they attract people like youth-bestowing fountains. Then add an inviting mountain burg steeped in ski heritage, amenities, and culture. These are the 25 best.”

The article describes Taos Ski Valley as “a narrow valley engulfed by precipitous peaks.  The Swiss-style chalets at the area’s base exude an old-time European character while the town itself feels like a funky Southwestern artist’s colony.”

And the skiing?

“The mountain offers some of the finest steep skiing and boarding in the U.S., with powder that rivals Utah’s for lightness. You can ski double diamonds top to bottom here. The most challenging terrain—and best powder runs—come on the hike-access West Basin and Highline ridges and the area’s highpoint, 12,481-foot Kachina Peak (check in with ski patrol before attempting). Taos operates one of the country’s most highly regarded ski schools—for beginners and the already skilled—which is good because the terrain demands it. There are no high-speed lifts here, which somehow suits the mountain’s almost mystical, apart-from-the-world vibe.”

And the best ski run:

“The classic ski run at Taos Ski Valley for experts willing to climb ten minutes is Stauffenberg, named after the Nazi army officer who plotted to assassinate Hitler. It’s a classic steep chute with hundred-mile views! For something mellower, try Honeysuckle, a long groomer that’s sunny and scenic.”

National Geographic picks another one of my favorites:  Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, with its Enoteca Cortina wine bar and of course, Il Meloncino al Camineto.

Read the whole thing.

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Related:  TAOS!

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