By Freeskier Magazine (Nov. 25, 2013) -- Based on what we’ve seen and what we love about these ski resorts, we’ve ranked the top 10 ski destinations; this information is originally presented in our 2014 Resort Guide. We made this list by trying to answer the questions our friends ask us: I have a week of vacation, where should I go? I want to ski a badass park, where should I go? I want to stop at the end of an epic t-to-b run and have a delicious drink, where should I go? I just got fired from my job and I want to move to a ski town for a year (and maybe stay for twenty), where should I go? 

#5 - AltaSnowbird

Just a hop, skip and a winding road out of Salt Lake City will bring you to this skier’s paradise, so close to the airport that you can fly in midmorning and be on the hill by lunchtime. These two mountains have options galore for rippers who are looking for steep and playful lines to challenge their abilities—hence the freeskiing competitions held at Snowbird every year. Conveniently, the mountains share a boundary, and you can easily ski back and forth between them. The Cliff Lodge at the base of “the Bird” offers rooftop hot tubs with a view, while The Peruvian and Gold Miner’s Daughter offer a classic après vibe at the bottom of Alta.