Ski Industry News

X Games’ Real Mountain 2017 Aims to Crown the Ultimate King of the Mountain

by Kirsten Dobroth | November 6, 2017

If you live in a ski town, frequent ski towns, or just generally ski a lot, you’re familiar with the age old question; what’s the most badass resort in North America? Everyone has his or her own opinion — Jackson has the cliffs, Whistler has the acreage, Aspen/Snowmass has the vertical — the list goes on. But, when looking at lift-accessible, natural terrain, which resort stands atop the podium as the real king of the mountain? Apparently, the big wigs at ESPN wondered that same thing, hence this year’s X Games Real Mountain 2017, which pits 2016/17 season edits from resort-sponsored athletes at seven of North America’s best ski areas against each other in an effort to determine which resort can really claim the best in-bounds terrain. The best part (aside from pretty sweet 2-minute ski porn clips)? Fans decide who’s the winner, by voting on the contest’s website. The rules are pretty simple; featured terrain can’t be modified by snow cats, no park clips, and everything has to be accessible inside resort boundaries, so you can simply step off a lift (or maybe hike a little bit) and access the goods. So, what resorts are up for the title? We’ve listed them below (with their corresponding video clips) for your viewing pleasure. And, if you do want to weigh in on who you think is the best of the best, voting closes Monday, November 13, at 9 a.m.

Real Mountain 2017: Revelstoke

Real Mountain 2017: Snowbird

 

Real Mountain 2017: Aspen/Snowmass

 

Real Mountain 2017: Whistler Blackcomb

 

Real Mountain 2017: Squaw Valley

 

Real Mountain 2017: Mammoth Mountain

 

Real Mountain 2017: Jackson Hole

 
 

Build Your Own Ski Vacation Quote

More from the Blog

Making the Most of the End of the Year

Saving the best days for last? Well folks, it has been a phenomenal ski year out West (sorry East coast skiers, maybe next year!), and with that comes the most heart-wrenching time of year, when we must say goodbye to our beloved mountains and let the beauty of summer...

Purgatory – The Prettiest Resort in the Southwest?

About 7 hours south of Denver, striated cliff bands welcome you as you make your way up through the town of Durango to Purgatory Mountain Resort. The name of the resort is certainly a misnomer – Purgatory appears to be anything but! Protected by its remote location,...

Staying safe in DEEP pow

Let’s talk about the snowpack. It’s not just your imagination, 2022-23 has been an excellent snow year so far. The West in general is still dry as ever, but it is nice to at least take a moment to enjoy the snow we do have. In California, reeling from a couple years...