Ski The Americas Trivia Quiz

Answer: Telluride

Butch Cassidy, birth name Robert Leroy Parker, and three other men robbed the San Miguel Valley Bank in Telluride, Colorado, stealing $21,000, on June 24, 1889. After a spell in prison, he formed 'The Wild Bunch' in about 1896. Harry Longabaugh, "The Sundance Kid", was one of the men who joined.

The ski resort of Telluride extends to about 2,000 acress and has 115 trails. [Source tellurideskiresort.com, December 2008]

Answer: Sundance

Sundance is a ski resort in Utah that was bought by Robert Redford in 1969. It had operated as a resort called Timphaven since the 1950s and he renamed it after the character he played in the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969). The resort has 41 trails in 450 acres. It also became the home of the Sundance Film Festival. See www.sundanceresort.com

Answer: Lake Placid

Lake Placid hosted the III Olympic Games in 1932. It also hosted the XIIIth games in 1980. Other US rests to host the games were Squaw Valley in 1960 and Salt Lake City in 20002. In Canada Calgary hosted the 1988 games, while Vancouver was picked to host the 2012 games.

Answer: Aspen

"It's a long way from LA to Denver
It's a long time to hang in the sky
It's a long way home to Starwood in Aspen
A sweet Rocky Mountain paradise
Oh, my sweet Rocky Mountain paradise"
John Denver was one of the first stars to make a winter home in Aspen, Colorado.
Aspen Mountain is now part of a ski area that also features Snowmass, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk. In terms of size they are: Snowmass, 3,132 acres; Aspen Highlands, 1,028 acres; Aspen Mountain, 673 acres; and Buttermilk, 470 acres. [www.aspensnowmass.com]

Answer: Chile

Valle Nevado is close to Santiago (46kms away). It was created in 1988 by a group of French businessmen and was modeled on European ski resorts. By 2008 it had 203 pistes (ski runs). Note: All ski areas constantly upgrade and add runs and facilities.

Answer: Las Lenas

Las Lenas has 40 pistes; Varra Bayo 24; La Hoya 7; and Perito Moreno 5. Note: All ski areas constantly upgrade and add runs and facilities.
The top elevation at Las Lenas is 11,257 feet and the runs are served by 11 lifts [Source: www.goski.com] The Ski Club of Grea Britain notes: "Las Leņas is a long way from Buenos Aires and can't match Valle Nevado for convenience, it's probably the best southern hemisphere powder spot on the planet - on its day."

Answer: Bolivia

Bolivia has, in fact, just one ski area, the glacier called Chacaltaya. It reaches a height of just under 18,000 feet and has just one rope tow. The area was developed in the 1930s, but global warming is contributing to a decreasing ski area.

Answer: Stowe

All of these are resorts in Vermont, USA. The Trapp Family Lodge opened in 1950 with 27 rooms, but greatly expanded in subsequent years. [see www.trappfamily.com]. Stowe's skiable area of 485 acres has 116 trails. [www.stowe.com]

Answer: Whistler

Whistler extends to 4,757 acres; Fernie to 2,504; Stoneham to 326 and Lake Louise to 4,200. [Sources: Individual websites, December 2008] Note: these figures are for individual resorts, and not those that combine to operate under the same lift pass arrangement, such as that involving Lake Louise and Banff.

Answer: Banff

Construction work on the The Banff Springs was started by the Canadian Pacific Railway company in 1887 and completed the following year. It was largely rebuilt in 1920, after a fire. Originally a summer-only hotel, it now operates all year round. Banff as a ski resort is now linked to nearby Lake Louise, which has its own grand hotel, originally built in the style of a French Chateau.