Here's our take on some of the best skiing experiences in the world.

British Columbia

Grouse Mountain, BC, Canada. Originally built in 1920, Grouse Mountain is unique in that it provides an unparalleled vista of the urban area of Vancouver, BC. The mountain has 26 runs and five lifts.

New Zealand

Treble Cone, Otago, New Zealand. The largest ski area in the South Island, Treble Cone offers amazing views of Lake Wanaka and Mt. Aspiring. It specializes in long runs as well as access to nearby off-trail back country.

California

Homewood Resort, Homewood, CA. Opened in 1959, Homewood mountain offers stunning views of nearby Lake Tahoe along with 300 sunny days a year and plenty of snow. The resort features 8 lifts and 64 trails.

France

Le Brevent, Chamonix, France. Joined via cable car with the La Flegere resort, the two resorts offer some of the best vistas of the Alps, close to both Italy and Switzerland. Combined, there are 33 trails and 13 lifts.

Japan

Hakuba Happoone Winter Resort, Nagano, Japan. The location of the ski competition in the 1998 Winter Olympics, Happoone offers brilliant views of the Northern Japanese Alps. Built in 1958, the mountain features 13 runs and 24 lifts.

Switzerland

Zinal and Grimentz, Switzerland offer a quiet getaway with great ski terrain. These charming villages are packed with traditional chalets and a variety of restaurants with quick access to crowd-free slopes and world-class skiing.

The Longest Seasons: Summer skiing

Some ski areas have the weather conditions, altitude and snowpack to offer skiing well into the summer season. Many have groomed trail access in June and July.

OREGON:

Timberline Lodge, Mt. Hood, OR. Constructed in the 1930s as a WPA project during the Great Depression, Timberline was used as the exterior for the hotel in the movie The Shining. Many seasons see some of the 35 runs open year-round, closing only for two weeks in September for maintenance.

AUSTRIA:

Dachstein Glacier, Ramsau am Dachstein, Austria. The glacier opens in May for an 11-month ski season. The year-round snowpack serves as a training ground for world-class winter sport athletes.

SWITZERLAND:

Saas-Fee, Saatal, Switzerland. Known as “the pearl of the Alps,” this resort is another location for winter athletes to train in the summer. Year-round skiing on the Dom and Allainhorn Glaciers are easily accessible via Switzerland's top-quality rail system.