Snowboarding was born here, and the resort remains a favorite among riders. The sport's roots are honored each March with the annual staging of the U.S. Open competitions. Stratton was also one of the first mountains to install a six-passenger, high-speed chairlift. The downhill boarding is pretty much a wide open affair—with spacious runs and plenty of intermediate-friendly pitches. Kids are well treated, and teaching them has led to the development of multiple "terrain gardens"—sections of trails that have been groomed to offer gently varying topography (rolls, swales, hillocks, etc.) that are not only fun to slide over, but enhance technique.

What's New: A new run in the Sun Bowl opened during the 2012-13 ski season.