The Canyons — best overall (13 and 18), best access (6), best weather (16) and best on-mountain food (19).

Deer Valley — best overall (1), best grooming (1), best service (1), best on-mountain food (1) and best luxury trip (1).

Park City Mountain Resort — best overall (2), terrain park of the year (1), best access (1), best off-hill activities (6) and best dining (7).

Powder Mountain — best snow (2) and best value (3).

Snowbasin — best lifts (1), best on-mountain food (2), best customer service (4) and best resort (22).

Snowbird — best skiers mountain (1), best terrain/challenge (2), best access (3), best snow (5), best powder (1), best backcountry (5) and best overall (4).

Solitude — best powder (3), best weather (6), best access (9), best overall (14) and best value (13).

Sundance — travelers choice in United States (2) and travelers choice in the world (34).

Of all the accolades, the most telling is "access."

"No where in the world will skiers find better access to world-class skiing than here in Utah," said Rafferty.

There are seven resorts within 30 minutes of the Salt Lake International Airport, and 11 within an hour's drive.

One group of Utah skiers hit all 11 resorts in a single day.

One man reported that he surfed in the morning in California, flew to Utah and skied in the afternoon. Another golfed in Arizona and skied in Utah on the same day, and another flew into Utah in the morning from New York, skied and returned to New York in time for a late-evening dinner.

There's little doubt that Utah has the snow and the resorts skiers want and enjoy. Just count the votes.

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Utah skiing facts

— The Salt Lake City International Airport is situated within a 2 1/2-hour flight from half of the United State's population.

— The airport served 21.5 million passengers in 2006.

There is nonstop service to all of Salt Lake City's top 50 markets.

— In 2005, the airport was ranked first in the United States for on-time departures and second for on-time arrivals.

— In 2005, the facility was ranked 25th busiest in the United States and 50th busiest in the world.

— There are more than 800 scheduled daily flights from the facility serving more than 100 cities with nonstop flights.

— More than 73,000 daily airplane seats are available through Salt Lake City.

— The airport is located within 60 miles of 11 world-class ski resorts.

— Convenient access to five national and 46 state parks.

— Gateway to 100 golf courses statewide, 24 in Salt Lake County and 25 more within an hour's drive.

E-mail: grass@desnews.com