Deer Valley Resort was named as the No. 1 ski resort in North America. Park City Mountain Resort showed up at No. 6. It was the third time in the survey's 20-year history that Deer Valley ended up on top of the charts.

Snowbird was voted as the "Best Skier's Mountain" and Alta as "Best Weekend Escape." Readers of the magazine vote for their favorite resorts to set the rankings.

Park City Mountain Resort also earned a top spot in the polls when readers of Transworld Snowboarding magazine named it "Terrain Park(s) of the Year" for the fourth straight season.

Free plug for Utah

Utah's ski industry thrives on the free advertising derived from references like this: In a letter to the editor in last month's SKI magazine, Gary Smolen, of Sherman, Conn. was complimenting the quality of numerous articles in last February's issue. "I read your magazine when I'm on the StairMaster at the gym (getting in shape for Utah, of course)."

Sormer tribute

Skiing magazine editor-in-chief Marc Peruzzi paid homage in November's issue to Utahn George Sormer, who died in September at the age of 84. Most of Sormer's winters were spent on skis, a half century of them in the Wasatch Mountains.

When asked what changes he had seen in a lifetime of skiing (he first skied Alta's Baldy Chute in 1954), Sormer told Peruzzi: "It feels like Utah has become windier; blowing spots bare and building big cornices where there were never cornices before." But then he added: "Maybe nothing has changed."

Lake effect explained

The first article in Ski Utah's 2007-08 Winter Vacation Planner goes right to Utah's best asset: Its snow - and the state industry's tag line, "The Greatest Snow on Earth."

"Sure, it sounds like bragging. In truth, it's science," the Vacation Planner begins, launching into a description of the vaunted "lake effect" storms that make Utah powder legendary.

"The western jet stream moves weather episodes uninterrupted across 400 miles of dry Nevada desert. The then-pending storm picks up a last minute burst of energy passing over the warm waters of the Great Salt Lake before slamming head-on into the Wasatch Mountains. This same pattern, happening again and again from November through April is otherwise known as a Utah winter."

New corporate ski game

SKI magazine's "Top 50 Resort Guide" issue took a short look at the dismantling of Park City-based American Skiing Co., noting the "once mighty" company's sale of its eight resorts, including The Canyons, was "changing the corporate ski game."

Assessing the changes, the magazine said the acquisition of Killington and Pico resorts in Vermont by Powdr Corp., Park City Mountain Resort's parent company, raised questions. "This is Powdr's first foray into New England [the company also has resorts in Oregon, California and Nevada]. Can it switch gears for the weather-based East biz?"

No opinions were offered on the ownership change's impact on The Canyons.

Steamboat fans should like what they see of the change from American Skiing to Intrawest, SKI predicted. "The Boat has scrimped on improvements for years. That will change. And that's good news."

The magazine also expects Sunday River and Sugarloaf resorts in Maine to benefit from the change from American Skiing to Boyne Resorts, USA, the Michigan company that operates Brighton Resort in Big Cottonwood Canyon. "The master of middle American skiing, Boyne hopes to make magic in Maine. Smart fit."

Playboy likes Utah resorts

Alta, Snowbird and Park City Mountain Resort have made another publication's Top 10 list of U.S. ski resorts - this time Playboy Online.

"These spots have the perfect snowstorm of black diamonds, microbrews and snow bunnies," said the lead-in to an article on the Web site of the men's magazine. It added that a common denominator of all the selections by Sarah Tuff, co-author of 101 Best Outdoor Towns, was "cold snow, hot tubs, warm people."

Alta and Snowbird topped the list, with plaudits for Little Cottonwood Canyon's light and abundant snow and Alta's season-ending party. "Jeering Utah's liquor laws is passe," the article added. "You'll find drinks aplenty at Snowbird's Tram Club; a temporary permit costs just $4."

Park City Mountain Resort was listed sixth.

To Ski Utah spokeswoman Jessica Kunzer, the rankings "once again diversify Utah's squeaky clean image."

Blue run heaven

Utah resorts boast two of the best "blue" runs around, according to one of the listings in SKI magazine, whose readership includes a sizable percentage of intermediate-level skiers and boarders.

"The Canyons is blue-square heaven," the magazine said, especially citing the merits of Apex Ridge to Boa as the "most intelligent" run in the West. Off the Super Condor lift, Apex Ridge is "a long run that teaches you to think out your turns but never forces you to react in fear."

It hooks up with Boa, which is "long enough to keep you happy and interesting enough to keep you coming back." But Boa also is flanked by two black diamond expert runs that the improving can try out and the less adventurous can admire from afar.

Deer Valley's Supreme run off of Empire Canyon lift was designated by SKI as the "most athletic" intermediate run in the West. "For blue-square lovers, Supreme is the place to work a little harder without being overmatched," the magazine said. "You'll find S-turns and undulating pitches and never be more than a catwalk away from the blacks, where experts in the family can ski."

Canyons becomes third Learn To Ride Center

The Canyons has joined Park City Mountain Resort and Brighton as official Burton Learn To Ride Centers. The program combines Burton snowboard rental equipment and resort instructors trained in the Learn To Ride philosophy for first timer boarders age 15 and older.

Pre-purchase lift tickets

at Deer Valley

Deer Valley limits its lift tickets sales to 6,500 per day to preserve an uncrowded feeling for its visitors. Peak periods around Christmas and President's Day weekend often reach the limit.

A new online ticket sales program allows guests to pre-purchase lift tickets to ensure a day on the mountain. Visit the resort's Web site, deervalley. com, for more information.

Cisero's one of top 10

mountain bars

Cisero's in Park City was listed at No. 6 among the "Top 10 Mountain Bars" by SkiNet.com, an online publication of SKI and Skiing magazines. "Destroying any notion that Utah is prudish," Cisero's was praised for its hot dancing, beauties and "late-night Scooby Snacks" (a rum, pineapple and melon concoction).

- Mike Gorrell and Brett Prettyman