If you are a hard-core skier, then you have developed over time a strong bias for certain places in the West. Forget the East. No matter how much people here try to convince me the skiing is great in places like Vermont, et al., here's the truth: it doesn't compare to the West. Sorry. So like I said, if you are a serious skier, you will have your hard-core preferences about which places rule the roost when it comes to the finest powder, the best terrain, shortest lines, good service etc. What would those places be, I wonder. If you had to pick just four, which four would you choose?

In this piece in the Chicago Tribune, they opt for four good ones, but they also leave out a few of the best. Their choices are: Snow Valley, Aspen, Alta and Squaw Valley. All good, to be sure. I’ve skied each one of them. And while my favorites would be Whistler, Mammoth, Vail, and Alta, I respect the writer’s opinion on the matter. But what I really liked about this little piece is that they provided a short history of each one of these places.