Best Sidecountry?

JACKSON HOLE!
Hands down (for me), best sidecountry if you don't care about burning money for a Ticket.
Conditions allowing, Easy access, awesome terrain, lots of vert.

i think you've got to start with a definition like Scotsman's then figure it out.  Does it have to be avy controlled, or simply accessed through gates from the ski area? 

Going a little farther... the Red Mt and Kicking Horse side/slackcountry are amazing.  But neither are avy controlled.

Good point- I always considered sidecoutry = avy controlled or is it that it only has to be adjacent to a ski area, entered via a gate.
What is the concensus regarding sidecountry definition as oppsed to BC?

I was trying to pigeonhole definitions a while back but got stuck on sidecountry (other side of the ropes) since i figure it can be accessed by lifts, or not.  but I've always figured it for no snow management..

The Ski Magazine issue (see above), for what it's worth,  defines "Sidecountry" as lift served backcountry skiing for those who prefer to spend most of their time going down the hill rather than up it.

They claim it began about 15 year ago when the USFS and ski patrol began opening  gates to the side of the resort, often with a way to ski back to the lift. There may or may not be avalanche patrol.

So that's their take on what it is.

They claim it began about 15 year ago when the USFS and ski patrol began opening gates to the side of the resort, often with a way to ski back to the lift.

Skiers were so well behaved 16 years ago! I remember everyone would see a rope and be like "hey there's amazing skiing over there, but there's this rope I'd have to cross, too bad."

JH is also amazing. Not in the PNW, but I was at Telluride a few weeks ago and they had some nice hike-to gated and controlled terrain. I really view that as in-bounds though. It's restricted access and avy-controlled, so how is it that different than a normal high-hazard run? They may say they don't patrol it, and have a nice sign up in legalese, but they're controlling the area...

JH is also amazing.  Not in the PNW, but I was at Telluride a few weeks ago and they had some nice hike-to gated and controlled terrain.  I really view that as in-bounds though.  It's restricted access and avy-controlled, so how is it that different than a normal high-hazard run?  They may say they don't patrol it, and have a nice sign up in legalese, but they're controlling the area...

I agree on Telluride being almost inbounds. The Prospect Basin area is great skiing, but it is patrolled, so I see that as hike to inbounds. I think if it is not patrolled regularly then it is side country.

In general I think avy control makes gated/roped off area side country and no avy control would be backcountry.