Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Outdoors

Up your ski game with these lesser known ski resorts in North America

Undiscovered ski towns: Avoid lift queues and busy groomers and discover a whole new ski area

Andy Cochrane
Tom Kilpatrick
By and

I remember when I took up snowboarding in a hectic French Alpine resort. Everywhere I turned, there were lines of skiers coming down the mountain, and if you stopped for a break — I was a beginner, cut me some slack — you had to merge into traffic like you were entering a busy highway. What’s more, once I started cruising runs, I realized I was spending more time standing in lift lines than I was riding. Then I moved to Canada. On the suggestion of a friend, I shirked the better-known resorts and headed to a small town with a small mountain, which boasted a ridiculous amount of skiable acres per person. I no longer had to wait for lifts, I could ride fresh powder all day, and ski accidents were few and far between.

Sure, if you love a big aprés ski scene or long for the buzz of a busy holiday destination, there might be a benefit to going to a better-known or all-inclusive ski resort. But if your idea of the perfect ski holiday is a quieter destination with great snow, shorter lift queues, and good vibes, then check out one of our lesser-known ski resorts.

Related Videos

Best Overall Resort: Fernie Alpine, British Columbia

Just north of the border, the snow at Fernie is like the fountain of youth — always light, fun, and deep. I’ve made it a ritual to visit multiple times each season in the small, friendly Canadian town. The community in the area loves to ski and, unlike many American resorts, is always friendly to strangers. This kindness is like nothing else.

Related

The resort offers 2,500 skiable acres of terrain, 3,500 feet of vertical drop, and one run that’s over 3 miles long. They have 37 feet of snow each season across five bowls. Because of the location in the Canadian Rockies, it’s often light champagne powder. Plus, who wouldn’t want to visit the set for Hot Tub Time Machine?

Snow King Mountain

Best Local Resort: Snow King Mountain, Wyoming

Grossly overshadowed by Jackson Hole and Grand Targhee, Snow King gets little love. I want to change that. The resort sits in the town of Jackson and offers the perfect place for a quick lap before work or at lunch. Dogs are allowed before lifts spin, making it a great place for you and Fido to get a workout together. After dark, the resort offers night skiing, which is fun for the whole family. There are no frills here, just a simple, well-run resort with a reputation for some of the country’s steepest high school ski races.

Best Culture: Taos, New Mexico

It’s hard to believe there is a ski resort nearby as you’re driving into the town of Taos. Based in the northern New Mexico desert, the area is filled with adobe dwellings more reminiscent of a Western movie. Fear not. Just a dozen miles uphill in the Sangre de Cristo range at an altitude of 8,000 feet is one of the best resorts on the continent. Taos offers world-class skiing paired with deep Native American Pueblo culture. Because of the arid climate, the resorts get ultra-dry powder. A ski trip here is different than anywhere else because you can grab an apres and visit a Native art gallery or cultural center.

Best Ski Resorts

Best Nachos: Whitefish, Montana

To be fair, Whitefish has a few other things going for it, too. The resort is perched high near Glacier National Park, with stunning views, and rarely has crowds or lift lines, and like Fernie and Taos, has an incredibly laid-back vibe. If all you know is Vail and Jackson, you’ll feel like you have the place to yourself. The resort is well known for “snow ghosts,” pine trees coated in fog and ice. The town is similar, with many budget hotels and cheap bars to celebrate your huge day on the mountain.

best ski towns

Best of the Worst: Lutsen Mountains, Minnesota

My favorite award goes out to the largest, steepest, and longest ski resort in the Midwest, Lutsen Mountain. A 1,000-foot drop across four mountains — some would call them big hills — gives Lutsen bragging rights over the breadbasket of America. The resort sits adjacent to Lake Superior, offering incredible views, and pays homage to the local culture by offering reasonably priced cheese dishes at the mountain inn. A vacation favorite for families, ample accommodation is nearby for those who plan to stay for an extended weekend or more.

Skiers and snowboarders on slopes.

Best Opening Party: Mammoth Mountain, California

Imagine a fleet of massive groomers in an even more massive “flying V” formation slowly driving down the steep slope toward you. Add Christmas lights, fireworks, loud music, and hundreds of skiers in lit-up costumes. Night of Lights is not an event to miss. It’s free to all and celebrates the start of winter at one of my favorite resorts in the country, Mammoth. Tucked away on the eastern side of the Sierra, Mammoth was designed and built by a weather expert to maximize snowfall — and it doesn’t disappoint. Over 4,000 vertical feet and a season that lasts up to 9 months, you’ll have a place to ski and snowboard almost year-round.

Alyeska Resort
Alyeska Resort/Getty Images

Best Big Terrain: Alyeska Resort, Alaska

Everything is bigger in Alaska — sorry, Texas— and this includes the mountains. Tucked in the Chugach Range, the Alyeska averages 669 inches of snow annually, and nearly every trail feels big and steep. Just 40 miles from the Anchorage airport, it’s also relatively easy to get to. If you’re looking to go bigger, Alaska might be your ticket.

Killington in Vermont.

Best Moguls: Killington, Vermont

A staple of east coast skiing, Killington is well known for its rugged terrain and bulletproof ice runs. Everyone who survives a stay at the northeastern resort quickly learns how to use their edges — and when to go inside to get a hot chocolate. Lesser known is the quality of the moguls. Hosts to the best event of the year, the Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge, Killington has gained an insider reputation for perfect bumps, soft knees, and “oh shit!” wipeouts. And for that, we’re giving it the award for best moguls in the continent.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
The best snowshoes for winter trail exploration
Float above the snow and maintain your grip with these snowshoes
tips for snowshoeing low section of man walking on snow field

The first time I ever put on a pair of snowshoes it was to guide a tour group around a wooded area at the base of the ski resort I had moved to. I fumbled my way through putting my snowshoes on and traipsed over to the meeting point. But then the inevitable happened; I was presented with a group of adults holding a different pair of snowshoes, each hoping I would be the oracle that could demystify these clattering metal objects they had borrowed or rented for the evening.

I had no idea — naively, as it feels now — how many different styles and shapes of snowshoes were on the market. That evening, over a few celebratory beers, I did some research. I brushed up on snowshoe styles, closures, shapes, sizes, and everything snowshoe related so that I was more prepared the next time I went out. That knowledge stood me in good stead for a winter of snowshoe tours — we always ended with fondue in the woods, so it was worth it for more than just the extra spending money — but also means I feel qualified to put together this list of snowshoes you should consider this winter.

Read more
The best winter hiking boots: Don’t leave home without one of these great picks
Hit the trails in confidence with great traction and insulation this winter
winter hiking boots

Heading out hiking in the depths of winter is no mean feat. You might be heading out for your usual few hours on the trail, but when the temperatures are below zero, and the weather can change in a moment, you need more than just your summer hiking gear to keep you safe. As well as warm merino layers and a backpack full of winter safety essentials, you need to be wearing a proper pair of winter hiking boots.

Sure, you can get by in your summer hiking boots, and perhaps you'll be okay. But what about those days when you're not? Those days when temperatures plummet, snow is melting through your lightweight boots, and you can feel your toes turning blue or going numb. On those days, a pair of insulated, fully waterproof winter boots are worth their weight in gold — trust me. We've put together this list of the best winter boots to keep you on track in the snow.

Read more
Sleep tight (and warm) this winter in the best cold-weather sleeping bags
Winter camping: All you need is the right gear and a little extra preparation

A lot of campers pack up their camping gear to store for the winter season. But some people — those of us who live with many snowy months each year — are simply swapping out their go-to items. Cold weather doesn't have to mean camping and backpacking season is over for anyone, though. With the right winter camping gear, wintertime camping can be a beautiful change to getting outside during the warmest parts of the year.

The key, of course, is having the right equipment, like a four-season tent, a camping sleeping pad, and a high-quality sleeping bag designed to handle low temperatures. A cold-weather sleeping bag is essential to make sure that, no matter how low the mercury drops, you can always sleep soundly. With the best cold-weather sleeping bag, you can rest easy and toasty warm wherever your adventure takes you. From snowy conditions to cold nights in the desert, these bags should cover cold nights in an array of terrains.

Read more