Twelve North American Ski Destinations: Terrain and Trip Planning

North America has hundreds of ski areas, but some have a character all their own: deep Wyoming powder, ridges above 12,000 feet in Colorado, a skiers-only canyon in Utah, the snowiest season ever recorded in Washington. These twelve destinations, from Vermont to the Canadian Rockies, show the range of skiing on the continent and what makes each one worth the trip.

Skier on a snowy run at Grand Targhee, Wyoming — Grand Targhee, Wyoming.

Rocky Mountain ski areas

1. Grand Targhee, Wyoming

Grand Targhee, in Alta, Wyoming, sits on the western side of the Teton Range about 42 miles northwest of Jackson; the only road in comes from Driggs, Idaho, less than five miles away. It averages more than 500 inches of snow a season, among the most in North America, and about 1,000 acres of terrain are reserved for guided snowcat skiing. Many skiers combine it with Jackson Hole, on the other side of the Tetons, for a week of contrasting terrain.

2. Loveland, Colorado

Loveland sits on the east side of the Eisenhower Tunnel, where Interstate 70 crosses the Continental Divide, and is generally regarded as the closest major ski area to Denver. It has two parts: Loveland Valley, geared to beginners, and Loveland Basin, with most of the lifts and all of the expert terrain, topping out at 13,010 feet. Lift 9 gives access to the Ridge along the Divide.

3. Bridger Bowl, Montana

Bridger Bowl is a locally owned, non-profit ski area in the Bridger Range, about 16 miles north of Bozeman, set up to give locals affordable skiing. Above the lift-served runs lies the Ridge, expert-only terrain divided into six sections and mostly reached on foot; skiers there need an avalanche beacon and shovel. The Schlasman’s lift, opened for the 2008–09 season, added 311 acres of expert terrain with a 1,700-foot vertical rise.

Tree-lined ski slope at Bridger Bowl, Montana — Bridger Bowl, Montana.

4. Snowmass, Colorado

Snowmass, one of the four ski mountains around Aspen, covers 3,362 acres with a vertical drop of 4,406 feet (1,343 m). Wide cruisers make it a favourite for families, while moguls, glades and terrain parks give experienced skiers plenty to explore.

5. Alta, Utah

Alta sits at the head of Little Cottonwood Canyon in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains, above Sandy and the Salt Lake Valley, and opened its first lift, the Collins chair, on 15 January 1939. It averages about 543 inches of snow a year, and it remains a skiers-only mountain where snowboards are not permitted, one of only three such resorts in the United States. Its two base areas, Wildcat and Albion, are linked by the Transfer Tow, and the only road in is Highway 210 up the canyon, so check road conditions before you drive.

6. Arapahoe Basin, Colorado

A-Basin sits on US Highway 6 below Loveland Pass in Summit County, about 68 miles west of Denver. Its base is at 10,780 feet and its summit at 13,050 feet, and it has one of the longest seasons in Colorado, usually opening in October and often running into June; the latest closing on record was 10 August 1995. Experts head for the double-black moguls under the Pallavicini lift and the hike-to Upper East Wall, while Montezuma Bowl on the back side and the Beavers area add blue and black bowls and tree skiing.

7. Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico

Taos Ski Valley, in New Mexico’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains, was founded in 1955 by Ernie and Rhoda Blake and is known for steep, demanding terrain. Snowboarders have been welcome since 19 March 2008, and in 2014 the Kachina lift opened to the 12,481-foot Kachina Peak. The town of Taos is about 30 minutes’ drive down the canyon.

Skier looking towards a broad mountain landscape at Taos Ski Valley — Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico.

West Coast ski areas

8. Kirkwood, California

Kirkwood lies in the Eldorado National Forest about 33 miles south of South Lake Tahoe, reached by State Route 88. Its base sits at 7,800 feet and its top at 9,800 feet, so the snow tends to stay dry, and the steep chutes along its ridgeline make it a favourite with expert skiers. It has been owned by Vail Resorts since 2012.

9. Mount Bachelor, Oregon

Mount Bachelor is a stratovolcano in the Cascades about 18 miles southwest of Bend, Oregon, rising to 9,068 feet. Its ski area covers 3,683 acres, from open snowfields high on the cone to forest runs lower down, and Bend makes a lively base for skiing and other outdoor sports.

10. Mount Baker, Washington

Mt. Baker Ski Area, at the end of State Route 542 about 52 miles east of Bellingham, holds the world record for the most snowfall measured in one season: 1,140 inches (95 feet) in the winter of 1998–99. It has day lodges but no hotels, which keeps the atmosphere relaxed, and since 1985 it has hosted the Legendary Banked Slalom snowboard race, whose winners receive a duct-tape trophy. The ski area lies closer to Mount Shuksan than to Mount Baker itself; the terrain beyond the boundary is avalanche country for experienced, equipped backcountry skiers only.

Vermont and the Canadian Rockies

11. Stowe, Vermont

Stowe skis on two mountains, Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak, near the town of Stowe in northern Vermont. Lifts climb to 3,719 feet on Mansfield, and the 2,360-foot vertical drop is among the biggest in the state. The steep trails known as the Front Four are classics of eastern skiing, and the official maps show the Toll House area and the Cross-Country Center as well. Vail Resorts has run the ski operations since 2017.

12. Lake Louise, Alberta

Lake Louise ski resort lies in Banff National Park, 57 km west of the town of Banff. Its 145 marked runs and back bowls spread across four mountain faces, and its sightseeing gondola offers views of glaciers all year. Between 1993 and 2020 it hosted the season’s first downhill and super-G races of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, as the circuit’s only Canadian stop.

Lake Louise Mountain Resort, Alberta, Canada

Choosing the right trip

Choose by region first: Loveland and A-Basin sit on either side of Loveland Pass, Alta is close to Salt Lake City, while Mount Baker and Grand Targhee reward a longer journey. For a family holiday, Snowmass and Stowe offer villages and gentle terrain; for steep skiing, look at Alta, A-Basin, Taos and Bridger’s Ridge. See also the Western Canadian ski-area list and our questions for a family ski trip.