100 Best Ski Resorts of the World [Paperback]

Gerry Wingenbach (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2002 | Series: 100 Best Series

Gorgeous surroundings, congenial gathering places, articulate instructors, challenging terrain, and professional management--all these and more make for a terrific ski (or snowboard) experience. But where to go?
In 100 Best Ski Resorts of the World, author Gerry Wingenbach does a great job at giving an array of appealing options. He describes in evocative detail each location's essential elements that will ensure a memorable vacation for beginner and expert alike. Complete practical information allows for quick reference and easy planning; fascinating historical tidbits and personality profiles give added insight to the character and tone of each locale. There are even suggestions for the non-skiier in the party. With information on ski schools, snowfall, and nearby attractions, this guide will lead readers straight from the armchair to the slopes.

Each listing includes:
*Detailed description as to the resort's character and tone
*All basic statistics, such as acreage, vertical drop, elevation, and number of lifts, runs, trails, valleys, and ski areas
*Expert evaluation of range of difficulty
*Assessment of annual snowfall, snowmaking, and instruction
*Information on other winter activities, including snowboarding, luge, and ice skating
*"Best Bets" lists of the choice runs for beginners, intermediates, advanced, and expert skiiers; lunch options; what to do off the slopes; and the best places to stay
*Essential telephone and fax numbers, street and e-mail addresses, websites, and the easiest way to get there

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Waist-deep snowfalls and sunny days are up to the weather, but finding a resort that offers the most in terrain and accommodations doesn't have to be left to chance. Let an expert show you the way to the finest skiing the world over. From California to Quebec, from Austria to Argentina, former ski coach Gerry Wingenbach has researched the world's most famous mountain resorts - as well as less well-known gems - to bring you this definitive guide to the hundred best.
Evocative profiles describe the choice runs, unparalleled views, ambience, and amenities that make each resort a unique ski vacation experience. Here you'll find mountains that welcome all sorts of winter enthusiasts - from adventurous kids to fearless snowboarders, and anyone who wants to enjoy the scenery (or the nightlife) as much as the rush. With lavish full-color photographs and at-a-glance fact boxes, this deluxe guide makes planning fun, whether you're an experienced skier or a beginner.

About the Author

Hailing from north of the border, Gerry Wingenbach served as a coach with the Canadian National Ski Team before turning to writing, editing, and shooting photographs for major national and international publications.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Globe Pequot; 1st edition (September 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762723289
• ISBN-13: 978-0762723287
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,950,550 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars It's just OK, October 11, 2005

By 

dasn0wman "dasn0wman" (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: 100 Best Ski Resorts of the World (Paperback)

Hey, this book is not bad. You get a list of the 100 best ski resorts of the world...mmm...isn't that the title of the book? Good title. The information is very concise. But something is wrong. Something is terribly wrong with a book like this. Ah, yes...the information is easily outdated...nothing you can't get from a web site which has more updated information. I can't think of a good reason to buy this book because it is in black and white so you can't exactly enjoy the photography which there is a terribly "lack of" in the book. You might want to save your money on this one. I did buy it, for your information, but I bought it used for pennies...and I still feel ripped off. Arrgg...

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Useful as an intro for new skiers, January 4, 2009

By 

D. GOOGE - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 100 Best Ski Resorts of the World, 2nd (100 Best Series) (Paperback)

The first reviewer's comments about all of this information being available on the internet are true. With some knowledge of what to look for in a ski resort and some exposure to the sport, you probably don't need this book. However, I found it was a good gift (from the feedback I received) for someone just starting out skiing, trying to make decisions about where to go solo or in a mixed group of skiers. It introduces the reader to the names and locations of many of the best resorts in the world and has a common method of comparing them. That's very useful since online searches produce all sorts of results (every resort is "the best" in some respect, such as snowmaking, or apres-ski for under 30s, or instruction for children, or whatever). This book provides an easy framework for further research, and there is a need for that in the market.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for Seasoned Ski Adventurers, January 28, 2012

By 

Roger Rocket - See all my reviews

This review is from: 100 Best Ski Resorts of the World, 2nd (100 Best Series) (Paperback)

This book is an excellent resource for skiers like me, who have skied a couple dozen of the resorts and who love the adventure and the skiing lifestyle. It's fairly up to date, being just six years old when most of the best ski areas date back 50+ years. My home ski area is Winter Park, mostly because I live in Denver. The description of WP is dead on! I've also skied all the Colorado front range resorts and most of the New England resorts; again, dead on! As an example, Mad River Glen in Vermont is a unique ski area -- not quite a resort. But most skiers familiar with MRG have skied Sugarbush, and the writeup for Sugarbush covers the entire Mad River Valley, beginning with Mad River Glen which I guess was the first of the MRG/Sugarbush resorts. I was particularly interested in the writeup of Maribel for a couple of reasons: its description says it's three times the acreage of Vail, in Colorado, with twice the vertical of Colorado's front range resorts. Just last weekend I skied WP with a friend's exchange student who has skied Maribel extensively, and his verbal description validated Wingenbach's. Further, I have had The Haute Route on my list of To Do's. If you're an adventure skier and you don't have The Haute Route on your list, you need to read this book to understand why it should be on your list. Before reading this book, I had never heard of "the legendary Vallee Blanche ski route, which drops 9,200 feet and streches for 15 miles before ending back at Chamonix. It is the longest lift-serviced ski run in the world." Anyway, if you know adventure skiing and you dream of more adventure skiing, you'll know that this author knows his subject. Wingenbach captures this subject better than anybody else I've ever read. If you're an adventure skier, you want to buy this for yourself; if you know an adventure skier (who truly knows his stuff and isn't some skier hodaddy like most tourists who I meet on Colorado ski lifts), you owe it to your friend to buy this book. Even if you're a tourist skier, you might want this book if you've caught the skier bug and can follow up on it. As for the reviews that say it's out of date, that's not the point; go on the internet to validate the information. I give this book the highest rating I could give. When the next edition is printed, I'll be first in line.