Ski Maps Bonanza

It’s no secret that here at Discovery Map International we’re into skiing. Headquartered in Waitsfield, Vermont in the heart of ski country, most of the staff at DM loves snowsports. Peter Hans, president of Discovery Map International, is arguably the most enthusiastic skier of us all. And being the quirky bunch that we are, of course, there’s a couple from the dark side AKA snowboarding among us. Oh c’mon, hike up your snow pants up and have a chuckle.

Plus, with so many destinations within the DM universe situated in or near mountain towns and resorts, Discovery Map and skiing (OK, riding, too) go together like hot chocolate and marshmallows on a cold winter’s day. For most of our DM destinations located in the mountains, we indicate part or all of the ski resorts featured within that locale, but for actual ski maps, it’s best to go to the ski resort’s site or pick up a paper version once you’ve arrived. (Remember, too, that you can also find out some good tidbits on certain ski resorts and ski towns at the destination write ups on the DM website.)

But what if you want to research a bunch of ski mountains in order to plan your winter getaway? There are actually two websites that can help you out there, two sources that will facilitate your search without you having to open up a gazillion web pages on your computer or even worse, on your handheld device. In fact, even if you’re not planning a trip, SkiCentral.com and Skimap.org can provide an avalanche of fun, especially if you’re a map geek like me.

SkiCentral.com features information on close to seven hundred ski resorts in North and South America. In addition to showcasing trail maps, they provide the snow report, lift ticket offers, lodging recommendations and a general overview on each resort. Most maps such as Aspen and Killington are quite legible; others, such as Telluride, are somewhat blurry. Regardless of the quality, you can find plenty of information here to help you to zero in on the mountain that’s best for you. All of it is peppered with advertising for everything from vacation and equipment rentals to ski vacation deals, however, most of that seems to be super helpful, too. Indeed, SkiCentral.com is very much skier and rider central.

The map geek in me practically shrieked with delight as I perused the great variety of maps at Skimaps.org. You won’t find any advertising here and let’s just say that this site is considerably more homespun, but there’s all kinds of information about ski maps from all over the world. Did you know that there’s skiing in Lebanon? The map for Faqra ski area looks more like a folksy Christmas card than a bonafide trail map but that in and of itself seems to speak of the sort of experience you’ll likely find there. Perhaps charming?

There’s no doubt that the artistry and design of ski maps usually reflects the personality of the resort or ski area. Take the one for Badling in China that’s also featured at Skimaps.org; their illustration comes replete with skiers demonstrating perfect albeit Old School form. There, too, the manner in which the mountains are depicted looks very much like a Chinese block print from centuries past. Take the tour of the world’s ski areas at Skimaps.org! Map geek or not, I guarantee you you will be delighted.

As much as many trail maps at Skimaps.org appear colloquial, others such as Falls Creek, Australia are a big deal. With that one, you can easily plot out all the runs you’ll be skiing the day you travel to this well-known Aussie resort.

Google Maps has been incorporated into both of these sites and it serves as an excellent tool for situating the ski area within a particular geographic area. Zoom out and you can enjoy a worldview dotted with the thousands of ski areas located across the globe. You’ll discover that there are both large and random concentrations of ski areas on the planet, all of which offer their own unique skiing and riding experiences for all to enjoy. And, of course, just think of the great variety of on-mountain dining and regional treats to sample. Go ahead, let these maps transport you to faraway lands and as they do, imagine what each one has in store for you. And who knows? You might just find your happy place close to home. That’s what we’ve done at Discovery Map International. But we also like to venture out and explore new places to ski and ride.

Happy snowsports!

For more on ski maps check out other Map Geek blog posts at James Nieuhues: Ski Map Maker Extraordinaire and Old School Cool:Ski Maps.