Snowbasin

Praise goes to the pistes: long runs, exemplary grooming and steep groomers off nearly every lift, which reviewers call unusual for the Rockies. The Olympic downhill courses and the Allen Peak tram with its wide valley panorama are the signature attractions. The lodges draw particular enthusiasm - big windows, fireplaces, spotless facilities - and parking is free with shuttles from the outer lots.

Crowding is the standard complaint: since the resort joined a multi-mountain pass, quiet midweek days have gone, weekends bring lift lines and a scramble for a lunch table, and some locals moved to other hills. Beginners and weaker intermediates get little, as the green runs cluster at the base and collect the crowd. Snowfall lags the rest of Utah, much of the cover is machine-made and skis out to ice late in the day. There is no base village and the food is criticised for price and quality.