Five North American ski areas stood out for the 2014–15 winter, each with something new on the mountain: fresh lift-served terrain in New Mexico, Canada’s biggest vertical, a rebuilt lift network in Washington and a newly merged giant in Montana. Here is what makes each one worth a trip.
1. Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico
Surrounded by Carson National Forest beneath Wheeler Peak in northern New Mexico, Taos Ski Valley was founded by Ernie and Rhoda Blake in 1955 and built its reputation on steep, demanding terrain. In 2014 it built the Kachina lift, which serves a peak of 12,481 feet (3,804 m) and put expert terrain that once required a long hike within lift reach. Taos still mixes that steep skiing with a strong ski school and a small, Alpine-style base village.
2. Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, in Teton Village, offers 4,139 feet (1,262 m) of continuous vertical from the summit of Rendezvous Mountain, served by an aerial tram that entered service in December 2008. It is famous for steep chutes such as the infamous Corbet’s Couloir, and for marked gates through which expert skiers with avalanche gear reach the out-of-bounds terrain. Go into those gates only with avalanche gear, training and a partner – or with one of the resort’s guides.
3. Revelstoke Mountain Resort, British Columbia
Opened on 21 December 2007 on Mount Mackenzie, just outside the town of Revelstoke, Revelstoke Mountain Resort has the largest vertical drop in North America: 5,620 feet (1,713 m). Long runs and cat-skiing and heli-skiing in the upper bowls make it a magnet for powder skiers. The historic railway town of Revelstoke sits at the foot of the mountain.
4. Crystal Mountain, Washington
Crystal Mountain, just northeast of Mount Rainier National Park, is the largest ski resort in Washington State, and its Mount Rainier Gondola, running since New Year’s Day 2011, carries visitors up to views of the volcano. On 10 March 2014 an avalanche triggered during ski-patrol control work destroyed the High Campbell chairlift. For 2014–15 the resort installed two new chairlifts: a double chair replacing High Campbell, renamed Chair 6, and a new Quicksilver quad, both dedicated in January 2015.
5. Big Sky Resort, Montana
In October 2013 Big Sky Resort merged with neighbouring Moonlight Basin, creating one of the largest ski areas in the United States, with about 5,850 acres of terrain and 4,350 feet of total vertical. The centrepiece is Lone Peak (11,166 ft / 3,403 m), where the summit tram opens a continuous 4,100-foot descent to the main base.
Planning a ski trip to these resorts
- Taos: a mountain village base at 9,321 feet, best for strong skiers who want steep terrain.
- Jackson Hole: Jackson Hole Airport is about 11 miles from Teton Village.
- Revelstoke: stay in the town at the foot of the mountain and plan around storms for the deepest powder.
- Crystal Mountain: southeast of Seattle, about 40 miles beyond Enumclaw.
- Big Sky: about 50 miles from Bozeman.
For more ideas, read about Aspen Snowmass’s four-mountain setting and our ski-season ideas.
Related reading
- Aspen Snowmass: Four Mountains and a Town Beyond the Slopes
- Ten Terrain-Park Destinations: Features, Progression and Resort Settings
- Thirty-Seven Ski Areas in Western Canada: Mountain Regions and Resort Choices
- Twelve North American Ski Destinations: Terrain and Trip Planning
- Twenty-Five Ski Towns and Mountain Destinations Around the World
Sources
- Taos Ski Valley
- Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
- Crystal Mountain – two new chairlifts for 2014–15
- Photographs: Clark Weber (Taos), Phil Tomlinson (Jackson Hole), Dan Zelazo (Revelstoke), Trey Ratcliff (Crystal Mountain).
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