SAM Magazine--Boulder, Colo., Sept. 8, 2004--For the 13th time in 17 years, Vail tops SKI Magazine's annual Top 60 resort ranking. The list is based on a survey of more than 20,000 veteran SKI subscribers.

Vail leads a group of six Colorado resorts in the top ten. Deer Valley and Snowmass each move up a notch in this year's poll, to the No. 2. and No. 3 spots, respectively. Beaver Creek jumps from No. 8 to No. 4, while Aspen breaks into the Top Ten. In the East, Tremblant was voted No. 1 for the eighth consecutive year.

This year SKI is adding Lifestyle Rankings to its annual guide. A few examples: The best place to head for a Guys' Trip? Jackson Hole. Best Weekend Escape Resort? Alta. The full guide appears in the October issue of SKI, on newsstands in mid-September.

The top 10 resorts according to SKI readers are:

1. Vail, Colo.

2. Deer Valley, Utah

3. Snowmass, Colo.

4. Beaver Creek, Colo.

5. Whistler/Blackcomb, B.C.

6. Breckenridge, Colo.

7. Aspen Mountain, Colo.

8. Park City, Utah

9. Mammoth Mountain, Calif.

10. Steamboat, Colo.

Unfortunately, the Midwest lost out this year and will not have its own section naming their top resorts.