Big snow, big mountain.

In America, size counts. And with a 350 inch average yearly snowfall, Winter Park gets the gold star for big snow in Colorado. The skiing and boarding is vast and varied, from deep to groomed, bumps to cruisers. Meanwhile, the town of Winter Park may sleep whilst the sun is high, but at night the lights come on and the people come out to play.

On the mountain

The ski area is split into five well-linked sectors. Mary Jane ripples with steep moguls and chutes, providing big thrills for experts; intermediates can play all over the smooth corduroy of Winter Park mountain and Vasquez Ridge and try out the powder in Parsenn Bowl; and then there's Discovery Park, the 25 acre beginners' area, complete with adventure trail through the forest. All this plus five snow-parks earns Winter Park a world class ranking.

Off the mountain

Winter Park town, set about two miles from the slopes and linked by bus, is quiet during the day, but comes to life at night. The pubs open their doors and the restaurants spill over with people enjoying seafood and steak, German and Tex-Mex. Further up the hill you'll find Winter Park Village, a small, quieter dwelling at the foot of the slopes that mainly consists of condos and hotels. The purchase by Intrawest has seen money invest in Winter Park, with more shops, eateries and hotels appearing all the time, and even a full scale lake.