As the fall months quickly lead into the months of winter, avid skiers and snowboarders are eager to catch a glimpse of the first snowfall. At the same time, many of the best ski resorts in the West are preparing to welcome their guests who come to revel in the winter activities around their facilities.

When people think of California, they often the sand and surf of the coastline, the vineyards of the Napa Valley, the glitz and glamor of Hollywood or the exhilaration of the well known amusement parks. However, there are some pleasing California ski resorts and numerous places to pursue your much loved winter sports and activities.

Many avid skiers consider the Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort in Central California to be one of the best ski resorts in the state. Mammoth boasts an average snowfall of over one hundred and fifty inches and some years, up to two hundred and fifty inches. That's enough snow to fulfill the dreams of the heartiest of snow lovers. This top ski resort sits on the eastern side of the Nevada Mountain range.

One of the reasons that Mammoth is among the top ski resorts is that it boasts of the Hangman's Hollow. This is identified as the siren-of-the-steeps for experts skiers from around the world. In addition, Mammoth also has a full terrain that offers cross-country skiing and also, an Olympic-size half pipe.

The Mt. Shasta Resort is in the heart of another California ski area that is both well-known and really popular, making it well known on the list of top ski resorts in the West. The Mt. Shasta resort is located in the Siskiyou mountain range, which is close the northern border or California. Within the Mt. Shasta national recreational area there are many activities available such as hiking, snowmobiling and a skiing area that even includes a bunny flat. After a long day on the slopes, the Black Bear Restaurant is popular and highly recommended for delicious meal and in addition, they also offer delightful homemade pies for a well-earned dessert.

A bit farther north from Mt. Shasta is Oregon, which is filled with numerous slopes and top ski resorts as well. Timberline Lodge is an historic chalet that sits right at the timber line of the majestic Mt. Hood in the Cascade Range and which has long been hailed as one of the top resorts. Because Timberline Lodge sits higher than many mountain ski resorts, you will often find that you can ski all year round on the nearby Palmer Snowfield, which is close this great snowy retreat.

Continuing on the northward track, the mountain ski resorts of British Columbia are painless to add to the list of top ski resorts in the West. Whistler is another famed ski area where you are also able to ski any time of the year with few rare exceptions. In addition to the Whistler-Blackcomb area, the fabulous skiing and other winter sports, there is also incredible scenery. After dark, there is a lively night life in the area which you can enjoy after a long day of shredding the slopes.

This is just a short list of the many best ski resorts that are located in the mountainous areas of Western US and Western Canada. The various ski vacations that you can take in the West are a nice way to escape from the stress and the demands of work. For those who live in the west, many top ski resorts are nearby and even a quick weekend ski package can be enough to provide rejuvenation to make it through another work week.