Alta
Utah, USA
2026
Skier-only mountain at the head of Little Cottonwood Canyon, paired with Snowbird through combined uphill access. Known for the lightest snow in North America and for a no-snowboarders policy that has held since 2002. Ridge-and-bowl terrain with iconic chutes like Eagle's Nest, High Boy, and Greeley Bowl.
Notes
Chill family mountain with well designed groomers, incredible service, unique terrain and incredible snow. Unbeatable if you are looking for a skiers mountain.
Sun Peaks
British Columbia, Canada
20262024
Canada's second-largest ski area by skiable terrain, spanning three connected mountains in interior British Columbia. Drier snow climate than the coast, with a smaller pedestrian village than Whistler but similar uphill capacity. Long alpine bowls, gladed tree runs, and a meaningful nordic network at the base.
Notes
Short lines, great service, never ending mountain with great groomers. Nothing too steep, but fun for fast speed and short lines. The village has locally run and operated businesses.
Pacific NorthwestHome
2026
Crystal Mountain
Washington, USA
202620252024
Washington's largest ski area, with views of Mt. Rainier from the summit on clear days. Eleven lifts spread across the front side and the more remote Northway and Southback backcountry zones, with a season that often runs into late spring. Northway and the King zone catch most of the storm snow when systems push in off the Pacific.
Notes
Beautiful views, great terrain! It's unbeatable on a powder day, but grooming leaves something to be desired when snow is not fresh. Solid home mountain.
Snowbird
Utah, USA
2026
Steep, big-mountain terrain accessed via the aerial tram out of Little Cottonwood Canyon. Vertical relief is dominated by Hidden Peak and the Cirque Traverse, with most of the upper mountain skiing well above tree line. One of the few American resorts that regularly operates into late spring.
Notes
Terrain is a lot of fun with steeps. Some areas are a bit unpredictable because of conditions and not everything is well marked. Experts leaning terrain.
Summit at Snoqualmie
Washington, USA
202620252024
Four-mountain network closest to Seattle, connecting West, Central, East, and Alpental across Snoqualmie Pass. The bases have very different personalities — Alpental is steep and serious, while the rest of the complex caters to families and learning terrain. Strong night-skiing operation runs most evenings through the core season.
Notes
This is a nice backup mountain for night skiing or short drives. Lifts are slow and it's usually crowded, but hits the spot when needed.
Copper Mountain
Colorado, USA
202220212020
Colorado resort naturally divided by topography into beginner, intermediate, and expert zones running west to east across the mountain. Tucker Mountain and Copper Bowl extend the lift-served front side into real high-alpine terrain above tree line. Best known for the Woodward terrain parks and the U.S. Ski Team training facilities at the base.
Notes
Something for all skill levels. Amazing snow, great grooming, and some interesting off piste. Views are not wow, but skiing is wow.
Winter Park
Colorado, USA
2021
Colorado's longest-operating resort, spread across two main mountains plus the Vasquez Cirque backcountry. Mary Jane is famous for some of the toughest moguls in Colorado, while the original Winter Park side leans more groomer-friendly. The Winter Park Express ski train runs from Denver Union Station on weekends through the season.
Notes
Fun mountain with lots to cover. I like Copper more because of the lift infrastructure and the feeling of openness, but the snow quality and slopes are comparable.
Diamond Peak
Nevada, USA
2017
Family-oriented resort on Lake Tahoe's quieter Nevada side, with full views of the lake from the upper runs. Smaller footprint than the major Tahoe destinations, with no crowds and significantly cheaper tickets. Most of the terrain is intermediate cruising with a few short steeper pitches off the top.
Notes
Went here in April. It's mostly a resort for views and not intense skiing. It's incredibly beautiful but the terrain is relatively limited. Views of Tahoe are insane.
Erciyes
Kayseri, Turkey
20142012
Built on a dormant volcano outside Kayseri, with the largest skiable terrain in Turkey and multiple FIS-rated slopes. Modern gondola network, glass-walled cabins, and a long season thanks to the high altitude. The summit caldera offers high-alpine terrain unusual for Turkish resorts.
Notes
Large and easily accessible resort. The crowds make it hard to enjoy if you are an expert as there are lots of non skiers and weekend enjoyers. Interesting landscape, no trees.
Sarikamis
Kars, Turkey
2011
Eastern Anatolian resort in Kars province, known for unusually dry crystalline snow thanks to the cold continental climate and high altitude. Sustained pitches through tall pine forest with a small village base and minimal crowds. Among the highest skiing elevations in Turkey.
Notes
Small resort but great dry powder. Great for a few days as it's quiet and staff/service is great. This is the Alta of Turkish skiing.
Kartalkaya
Bolu, Turkey
20112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998
Family-oriented resort in Turkey's Köroğlu mountains, the largest and most-visited ski destination in northwest Anatolia. Three connected hotel-resorts at the base offer ski-in/ski-out access, and the lift network spans both sides of the ridge.
Notes
This is where I learned how to ski. Beautiful nature, however the lift infrastructure is really behind times. Most slopes are short and gets crowded on the weekends. Snow quality is great, and grooming is really good.
Uludag
Bursa, Turkey
201020092003
Resort complex above the city of Bursa, historically Turkey's most prominent winter destination thanks to its proximity to Istanbul. Multiple independent hotel-bases each operate their own lifts, which can make navigating the mountain confusing for first-timers. Heavy weekend traffic from the Istanbul metro area.
Notes
Old infrastructure, overpriced, bla bla bla. However has the best trails, and if you stay away from the central area incredible terrain.
Ilgaz
Çankırı, Turkey
1999
Small Black Sea-region resort in Çankırı province, a few hours' drive from Ankara and a popular weekend trip. Single hotel base, a handful of lifts, and a short season relative to the bigger Anatolian resorts. Quiet alternative when Kartalkaya is overrun.
Notes
Small chill resort. Beautiful nature, and nature is why you go here.
