SUMMIT COUNTY — All three major Summit County ski areas stayed in the top 20 of SKI Magazine’s annual reader survey, with Breckenridge lead­ing the local pack at No. 9.
  But that marked a drop of two posi­tions, as two other Colorado areas — Aspen and Steamboat — squeezed past into the No. 7 and No. 8 spots, respectively.
  The Imperial Chair at Breckenridge got high marks in the reader survey, but the story in the October issue of SKI also refers to crowding and base-area log­jams, something the resort hopes to address with the addition of new ter­rain on Peak 6 in a proposal under con­sideration by the U.S. Forest Service.
  Copper dropped the five places it picked up in last year’s survey, showing up at No. 19. Readers of SKI praised the easy access from Denver, and the resort’s naturally divided terrain con­tinues to elicit positive comments.
  Some readers favorably contrasted Copper’s village vibe with the some­times- hectic scene at Breckenridge and Vail, while others suggested that the resort could use a little more nightlife.
  “We’re always thrilled to be part of SKI’s top 20,” said spokesperson Lau­ren Pelletreau.
  The resort rankings may not be a big deal to locals, but Pelletreau said the list can have a big impact outside ski coun­try, in places like Kansas City, where skiers use magazines like SKI to help plan their winter vacations.
  Pelletreau said a recently approved base-area redevelopment plan includes a flagship hotel, which will add to the energy level at Copper.
  “We won’t see any changes this year,” Pelletreau said, referring to the redevelopment plan.
  But the opening of the Woodward action sports training arena and some major marquee events at Copper will keep things hopping during the coming season, she said.
  Keystone dropped from No. 11 to No. 16 in this season’s list, as some readers cited a long walk from the parking lot to the lifts as an issue — especially with kids.
  The SKI story points out that reloca­tion of Keystone’s main gondola into the village, along with a new midway unloading station, should help address those gripes.
  Keystone’s terrain park, proximity to Denver and an extensive night skiing operation have always been popular amenities with SKI readers, and eater­ies like the mountaintop Alpenglow Stube and the Ski Tip Lodge will always be a draw.
  “We take the rankings pretty seri­ously,” said Pat Campbell, Keystone’s vice president and chief operating officer. “It’s one measure of how we’re doing. We pay quite close attention. We definitely strive to achieve a high­er position and we think we should be in the top 10.”
  Campbell said the opening of the new River Run gondola puts Keystone in a position to reach that goal.
  Keystone’s recent up and down bounce in the rankings — from 14 in 2007 to 11 in 2008 and back to 16 this season — is a function of how competi­tive the rankings are, Campbell said.
  It could be that some resorts that experience an exceptional snow year “show better” to their guests in a given season, resulting in the shifts, she said.
  Arapahoe Basin didn’t make the overall top 20 list, but was ranked num­ber 10 in the country for terrain.
  The addition of Montezuma Bowl probably didn’t hurt that ranking, as A-Basin even rated a separate story in the same issue, focusing on the new ter­rain on the back side of the mountain.
  Deer Valley, Utah, scored the top spot in the survey, followed by Vail and Whistler.