What's your top-5 of ski runs worldwide?

[James]

Criteria: they have to be marked and named.

That’s pretty tough for Europe, no? Not a lot named. I’ll say two here-

Way up at the top, Mt Fort, underneath the tram is a great run. Unmarked. The trail map is pretty inaccurate.
A little hairy from the top climbing over the railing. “Am I really going to ski this with slalom skis?”
Down at the bottom, Plan du Fou, another great run underneath the tram, unmarked but so often skied there’s usually moguls.

I’d also through in the Vallée Blanche. Not necessarily for the skiing but the whole experience from the lift up 9,000 ft from in town, the hike on the ridge, to coming down seemingly alone on the planet.

 

[Cheizz]

Those runs in 4 valléee are also named. The names are just nog on that piste map you posted.

 

[4ster]

Easter Bowl/Shooting Star--Snowbasin (this was the hardest for me since I have skied many hundreds of days at Snowbasin over the years but this is my single favorite run/area when the snow is fresh and the conditions are right).

Shooting Star aka (FTG) is hard to beat for first tracks on a powday. I will usually hit that then dog leg left a couple times & finish on Lower Pyramid. Some of the most memorable runs of my life have been on this route! Almost 3K' of varying terrain with only a short hike, the locals used to call it "White Trash heli-skiing". Of course those days are long gone & it gets skied out in one run most days now but still great if you're ahead of the frenzy.

My other favorite run that I probably have the most miles on is also at Snowbasin. Snow King (aka The Jungle, aka JP Liftline) to Hollywood Bowl to Janis's to FTS can be a leg burner but oh so much fun! Spent most of this Covid winter lapping that one with some variations. Many days of 40K' by 2pm!

Off the back of the Valuga Tram from St. Anton to Lech & Zurs was pretty sweet. (Just mentioned by @Jacob)

From the top of the Grands Montets down Glacier Des Ragnons to the Argentiere glacier was memorable.

Super Bowl at Kicking Horse 15 years ago was a very special run!

& then there was the time I got to center punch this one...

 

[dbostedo]

I probably have a bit different bent to this, as I'm on the groomers a lot more than many people on this site... this is a list of some more memorable runs I've skied in the last few years that I've really enjoyed... either because it's unique in some way, or because I kept returning to it...

Whistler, Peak-to-Creek
Jackson Hole, Laramie Bowl
Snowmass, Sheer Bliss
Big Sky, Single Jack
Snowbird, Junior's Powder Paradise
Mammoth, Cornice Bowl to Saddle Bowl

I could add a bunch more...

 

[David Chaus]

Internationale at Alpental has to be in there somewhere, also Kante to Rollen to Breakover (trees or hug the cliff) to Shot 6.
A couple at Bachelor I really like, all of the NW chair but let's pick one, say Sparks Lake. Also DownUnder West from the Outback chair. Or the Cirque Bowl on a powder day is pretty special.
Powder Bowl at Crystal. Or Paradise Bowl at the Northway chair (well just about anything at Northway).
There's a few at Sunshine Village on the Goat's Eye chair, and at Lake Louise from the Paradise chair or the new Summit chair.
Someone already mentioned Limelight at Sun Valley. I've been on it when it was groomed, top to bottom, and when it's bumped up, either way it's a great run.

 

[Ogg]

I don't really feel like I've skied enough places to have a legitimate perspective but 4 out of 5 places are at Snowbird. The 5th being Big Dipper/Dipper Woods at Killington because it was the first place I ever skied "trees".

 

[Kyle]

My other favorite run that I probably have the most miles on is also at Snowbasin. Snow King (aka The Jungle, aka JP Liftline) to Hollywood Bowl to Janis's to FTS can be a leg burner but oh so much fun!

I ski that run combo a LOT and love it except FTS (I have been told that it stands for "Fun to Ski" but I have a different theory).

& then there was the time I got to center punch this one...

Wow! I assume that is Alaska, Great Canadian Heliskiing, or similar?

 

[4ster]

I ski that run combo a LOT and love it except FTS (I have been told that it stands for "Fun to Ski" but I have a different theory).


Wow! I assume that is Alaska, Great Canadian Heliskiing, or similar?

l always knew FTS as “F#@k This Sucks”, sometimes it has the best moguls on the mountain & often the worst!

The photo is a run called Hangover Helper near Haines, AK. It was my 6th as I am not sure if it qualifies for this thread because it is accessed by helicopter or human power.

 

[James]

Those runs in 4 valléee are also named. The names are just nog on that piste map you posted.
View attachment 133521

Not sure @Tony S is going to buy that technicality.

& then there was the time I got to center punch this one...

Pretty awesome.
I regret to inform you since it’s not on a trail map, it can’t be included. Does it have a name?

 

[4ster]

Pretty awesome.
I regret to inform you since it’s not on a trail map, it can’t be included. Does it have a name?

The photo is a run called Hangover Helper near Haines, AK. It was my 6th as I am not sure if it qualifies for this thread because it is accessed by helicopter or human power.

Lots of slough management involved

 

[DanoT]

Wait. What!? Trails have names? I just point'em and go.

Yeah when I am on a ski trip I just try to pay attention to the lift name and location not the runs.

At my home mountain they have a half dozen runs with international names. When people ask me my favourite run I go with Ausfahrt. Of course, I pronounce it "Ass Fart". Hey I don't name 'em, I just mispronounce 'em.

 

[noncrazycanuck]

At my "local hill" (Whistler) runs have another name in a year or two or sections of them suddenly get "new" names so I never pay attention to what they are called.
I know were I am. One of my favorites is known as Brian's run but then pretty sure it's only called that by my friends in jest.

Odd thing I recall more named runs on hills I don't ski as often. They also change over the years with slope widening, or the dreaded increase in grooming so I'd never call a run a top 5 unless I'd skied it the same day

 

[Cheizz]

The name can be quite usefull when you want to share your favorites with others. Don't keep it all to yourself

 

[Bad Bob]

Helicopters are lifts too! The lift tickets are just very expensive.

So many names like 'The Face', 'Racing Trail', 'Waterfall', 'Stylehang' (SP? used to be a bunch of these) have disappeared over time.

 

[Tony S]

Plan du Fou

This is just French for "ministry of bad ideas."

 

[skidrew]

I probably have a bit different bent to this, as I'm on the groomers a lot more than many people on this site... this is a list of some more memorable runs I've skied in the last few years that I've really enjoyed... either because it's unique in some way, or because I kept returning to it...

Whistler, Peak-to-Creek
Jackson Hole, Laramie Bowl
Snowmass, Sheer Bliss
Big Sky, Single Jack
Snowbird, Junior's Powder Paradise
Mammoth, Cornice Bowl to Saddle Bowl

I could add a bunch more...

On this approach, and it's one I can play in, for Big Sky I would include Elk Park Ridge.

(the one you see driving up, lower left in this photo: https://img5.onthesnow.com/image/xl/14/aerial_big_sky_141154.jpg

 

[Tony S]

On this approach, and it's one I can play in, for Big Sky I would include Elk Park Ridge.

(the one you see driving up, lower left in this photo: https://img5.onthesnow.com/image/xl/14/aerial_big_sky_141154.jpg

I love that whole area, though the big open slope is not my most favorite. The easy tree runs on the front side, such as Blue Room, encourage joyful, playful skiing. The ones on the side pictured, such as Snake Pit, are just challenging and satisfying.

 

[BMC]

More often than not I don’t remember their names so...

Hobacks (Jackson Hole)
The side country route between Le Tour down to Vallorcine
Miharashi Trees (Niseko)
The big gated area above Higashiyama (forgot name) (Niseko)
One Tree Hill (Mt Hotham)

 

[mdf]

Mine are sentimental favorites, not necessarily the objectively best. Some because they were breakthroughs, some because I just like them.

Jackson Hole - Tower 3 chute
Big Sky - Big Couloir
Snowbird - Middle Cirque (The part where you can make one big sweeping turn for the whole pitch)
Killington - Outer Limits (a huge deal the first time, back in the 1980's)
Taos - Stauffenberg. I still haven't skied that thing, and it stares at me everytime I go up that lift. (I keep skiing Zdarsky every time I'm in the West Basin, since I feel I need to take people somewhere I know.)

 

[dbostedo]

Mine are sentimental favorites, not necessarily the objectively best. Some because they were breakthroughs, some because I just like them.

Jackson Hole - Tower 3 chute
Big Sky - Big Couloir
Snowbird - Middle Cirque (The part where you can make one big sweeping turn for the whole pitch)
Killington - Outer Limits (a huge deal the first time, back in the 1980's)
Taos - Stauffenberg. I still haven't skied that thing, and it stares at me everytime I go up that lift. (I keep skiing Zdarsky every time I'm in the West Basin, since I feel I need to take people somewhere I know.)

I was expecting you to say The Hobacks for JH...