American Adrenaline Adventures

Forget driving down to your local ski slope – with your Visa card in hand you could be carving up America’s serious powder in no time. The country is home to some of the best ski fields in the world, so what are you waiting for? Grab your Visa card and go.

Utah’s Park City is an ideal base for an adventure holiday that’s about more than just hitting the slopes. Canyons Resort, Deer Valley and Park City Mountain Resort are all within easy reach. Head to Deer Valley if you’re after long, well-groomed runs where you can really work up some speed. Book in for a private lesson and you’ll be tackling the steep stuff like a professional. Skiing works up an appetite – you’ll find locals enjoying spicy buffalo chicken and slow cooked ribs at Grub Steak Restaurant.

One of the best times to visit these ski resorts is during the Sundance Film Festival. With screenings and red carpet events at Park City, Salt Lake City and nearby Sundance Resort, celebrities keep the crowds in town and off the slopes. But why not do both – secure a spot on the red carpet and grab some tickets to a few screenings with your Visa card. You might even spot some celebrities on the ski lifts.

Every year celebrities of another kind head to Colorado. The world’s best snowboarders, skiers and snow mobile stunt riders descend on Aspen’s Buttermilk Mountain for the X Games. Don’t settle for just being a part of the audience. Use your Visa card to book a lift pass or a private ski lesson and you’ll be skiing alongside the stars during the day. They practice on the mountain before the big events.

If you’d rather watch the action beside a crackling fire, head to The Little Nell in Aspen. You might share some spiced wine with some of Hollywood’s biggest names – the hotel and bar is popular for its low-key style and superb bar staff.

For some serious luxury, Beaver Creek is the place to be. The small, boutique ski resort a few hours south of Aspen has heated walkways so you’ll never have to trudge through snow, escalators from the bus stop to the chair lifts so you can forget struggling up stairs, and a daily afternoon “Cookie Time” when chefs descend on the slopes holding silver platters piled high with chocolate chip cookies. The resort still delivers the goods on the ski fields – there are plenty of double black diamond runs for you to work up some speed.

For those of you not hitting the slopes, you can still work up some speed. Speeding through the snow-covered woods on your own dog sled is something extraordinary. Arriving at the camp base, you’ll get to meet your dogs. They love a good pat but as soon as they know the sleds are being readied, it’s down to business. They’re keen to stretch their legs and as soon as you’re strapped, in they’re off. Racing around frozen lakes and climbing up snow-covered hills is a great thrill.

Whether it’s sledding or skiing in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain, or watching celebrities from the ski slopes in Utah’s Park City, get your adrenalin pumping with your Visa card.

Grub Steak Restaurant
2200 Sidewinder Dr.
Park City, Utah 435 649 8060
www.grubsteakrestaurant.com

The Little Nell
675 E Durant Ave Aspen, Colorado 970 920 4600
www.thelittlenell.com