Snowboarding Havens

Mt Baker, Washington
Back in 1985, when snowboarding was a little known pass time and the US snow covered mountains were mainly for skiing, the snowboarding pioneer Tom Sims approached a ski resort, proposing a snowboard race.

Thankfully the resort he approached was a notoriously freethinking institution and true to form they accepted his idea. So was born the legendary banked slalom race, the world's oldest snowboarding event.

Famous the world over it draws in some of the biggest entrants, who compete for nothing more than prestige and a trophy made of duct tape.

The resort is considered by many as something of a snowboarding Shangri-La, not due to luxury, due to authenticity.

It is clear from first arrival that this is a particularly hard core destination, ski tracks appear on the steepest slopes that you are likely to see. Generally speaking the slopes here are much steeper than most in North America, if you are willing to deviate from the beaten track, then you will certainly be rewarded with slopes for committed powder hounds.

Such an adrenaline soaked landscape leads to a strange cast of characters, the most committed snowboarders in America flock here in their droves. Older snowboarders have been coming back to the resort for a number of years returning to favourite slopes and routes.

Due to a lack of accommodation around the Lake Tahoe region many travellers and thrill seekers find themselves 17 miles away in the town of glacier.

Lake Tahoe, California
California tends to offer some really good ski and snowboarding deals.

Lake Tahoe is among the most impressive of its ski resorts in California.

The biggest selling point here is the land itself. Lake Tahoe is a beautiful setting, with tall noble mountains and the lake stretched out at the bottom of the mountain glistening away as you make your descent. On the other side of the mountain the views extend over the desert.

Lake Tahoe vacation rentals make it easy to get around taking in everything this area has to offer.

Aspen, Colorado
While the glitzy resort of Aspen in Colorado may sound a little pricey to some you may well find yourself pleasantly surprised. The Aspen residents themselves no where to pick up cheap beers and eats, you can stray on down to shuffle-board on Cooper Street and pick $6 pitchers of beer. Nearby is the much cheaper resort Snowmass, which is young and trendy and a real destination for snowboarders.

Killington, Vermont
Just south of Canada and the other side of the country from most snowboard destinations is Killington in Vermont. Here you can get some great deals especially on lift passes. While you don't quite have the rocky mountain powder there are plenty of great slopes to take to. The town is vast and exciting, boasting of a bustling night life and plenty of great eateries. The many outlet malls here could clothe you cheaply for the rest of your life. There is also a great choice of accommodation, and great hiking routes throughout the area.