Love to ski bumps? So do we, so this fall we went in search of "North America's Favorite Mogul Runs."
Although hardly scientific, we put out calls on social media asking skiers and snowboarders to name their favorite bump runs. We didn't specify if the runs had to be hardest, or the longest or the most famous bump runs. We just wanted to start a list and start a discussion.
Here's what we found out.
Colorado Rules
When it comes to moguls, skiers and riders love Colorado.
In particular they love Winter Park's Mary Jane Territory. Without a doubt, the runs at Mary Jane received the most mentions. Some people qualified their nominations: "Mary Jane front side has the best bumps - until they turn into Volkswagens," wrote one skier.
PHOTO: Winter Park Resort
Others were quite specific, noting, "Any of the runs off of Derailleur are good for heart-throbbing bumps. For a perfect practice bump run, Over 'n Underwood on the Winter Park side will serve you well."
Vail was right on the heels (or would that be back bindings?) of Mary Jane. Prima into Pronto and Highline both were mentioned, along with Look Ma.
Not surprisingly, Pallavicini at Arapahoe Basin has very loyal supporters, while White Out, Storm Peak and Nelson's at Steamboat, along with runs on Beaver Creek's Grouse Mountain also made the list.
PHOTO: Arapahoe Basin
The West: Gunbarrel and More
Moving west, we skipped right over Utah, a state that, surprisingly, did not get one mention. Or maybe that's not surprising. I have a Salt Lake-based friend who claims that Utah doesn't have bumps, because the mountains get so much snow.
California, however, has bumps, most famously the bumps on Heavenly's Gunbarrel. Each spring skiers compete in the Gunbarrel 25, attempting laps down this steep and deep face, before their legs turn to jelly.
PHOTO: Heavenly Mountain Resort
Other notable mogul runs near Lake Tahoe include an intermediate option at Heavenly called the Little Dipper, Sierra-At-Tahoe's Dynamite, and Lookout Janek at Kirkwood.
Squaw Valley's famous KT 22 was also nominated - all of the terrain, not any particular run.
Northern Bumps: Canada West to East
Bumps at Whistler Blackcomb? You'd better believe it. According to our poll, In Deep, Gear Jammer and Gnarly Knots are three of the many runs worth mentioning.
Moving east to Alberta, check out Mt. Norquay. As one person put it, "Don't forget anything off the North American lift. Bumps, bumps, bumps - and they get bigger all season. It is some of the steepest, bumpiest terrain out there."
PHOTO: Banff Norquay
Mogul skiing in French is "ski de bosses" and there are plenty of bosses in Québec. At Mont-Sainte-Anne, near Québec City, the twin runs La S and La Super S were nominated, although only La S is guaranteed to have moguls. La Super S is often groomed.
Another bump run to look for when you're skiing en français, is Sous Bois at Mont Sutton.
PHOTO: Mont Sainte Anne
The East: Big Mountains, Little Mountains
Although Killington received, by far, the most shouts in the East, it was interesting to see how many bump skiers love the runs at the region's many smaller mountains.
Starting with Killington, it's no surprise that the "beast of the East" has some beastly bumps, especially on Outer Limits, home of the annual Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge. With a bit less pitch, but still plenty of moguls, Superstar was Killington's runner-up.
PHOTO: Killington Resort
Elsewhere in Vermont, Organgrinder and Lower F.I.S. at Sugarbush were noted for a mix for bumps and grooming. In Maine, Shock Wave at Sunday River was nominated for best bump run in springtime.
As for the smaller mountains, one respondent called Belleayre in New York's Catskill Mountains, "the best place to learn to ski bumps," citing short runs of "progressive difficulty right next to each other."
PHOTO: Belleayre Mountain Ski Center
Northface at Plattekill and Annapurna at Hunter Mountain, both in New York, also made the list, along with True Grit at Waterville Valley, New Hampshire.
Build Our List
As mentioned above, there was nothing scientific about this poll. Our goal was to start a list and keep it going as we build the stoke for winter.
So please, help us out. Nominate your favorite bump run, let us know what we missed and also, let's find some moguls in Utah. You just know they're out there.