Beaver Creek

Beaver Creek has its beginner terrain positioned at the summit. Though higher, it is flatter and more open than Grouse Mountain, which is the resort’s expert-only area and offers long, steep, thigh-burning bump runs and amazing gladed terrain, also the “Birds of Prey” World Cup trail.  

The skiing also has village-to-village possibilities —you can ski or snowboard to and from Beaver Creek, Bachelor Gulch, and Arrowhead. Steeps and endless trees are the key to skiing here, and with a northerly orientation the snow tends to be light and dry. The resort’s strong commitment to grooming means you can cruise fresh corduroy on over 30 percent of the mountain’s terrain daily.

One of the resort’s best-kept secrets is the Beaver Creek Snowshoe and Cross-Country Ski Track at McCoy Park—a vast plateau at 9,840 feet (2,999 m) elevation offering 20 miles (32 km) of snowshoeing and cross-country ski terrain, and some fantastic outlooks.

Beaver creek is hot on safety, which is not surprising given the strong emphasis on beginner, intermediate and family skiing. Therefore designated "speeder control" staff are positioned in high-traffic areas at specific times to monitor speed and behavior. Any skier or snowboarder who speeds or demonstrates dangerous or reckless behavior on the mountain is liable to receive a warning or have their lift ticket revoked.