Top 5 Fun Ski Areas of North America

[@jimtamagni2829]

No matter where u ski if there is snow under your skiis you gotta be having fun!!!

[@matthewbennettutah]

That is very true for you Jim.

[@wnee1]

Alta/Snowbird are truly wonderful! I grew up in CO, and loved Keystone for early season, Breckenridge for mid season, and A-Basin for the spring! Brek has a lot of steep terrain that the crowds tended to overlook due to the design of the traffic flow, and A-Basin is paradise for those who love steep chutes/moguls. After living in Asia for 20 years, I moved back to the US, in the SLC area. Trying to teach my kids to ski this year, we had the most fun (probably) at Brighton, Solitude, or even Deer Valley! I was surprised at DV, which, disclaimer, I could only afford to ski since it’s on the Ikon, but we found that there are so many lifts that one so can ski without lines even on the weekends. It’s great for kids learning to ski, but there’s actually a nice selection of terrain.

[@matthewbennettutah]

Brighton is a great place to teach kids to ski.

[@jimkurowski6207]

Heavenly and Steamboat my all time favorites!

[@matthewbennettutah]

Both are great. Unfortunately Heavenly has been plagued for the past decade with bad snow years. Let's hoping for that changes.

[@josiahsimmons9866]

For the fun factor, I definitely say Keystone! Their terrain has a lot of really good variety, without too big of crowds since most people wander over to Breckenridge. The groomers on the front side are really speedy with plenty of interesting turns and ridges, the North Peak has some good mogul runs, while the Outback is famous for its fantastic trees. Bonus: you never really end up with boring traversing or endless catwalks, most runs end up right at the bottom of a lift!

[@matthewbennettutah]

Good to know. I asked my wife is she wants to go to someplace tropical next February and she said she wants to hit more Colorado areas we have yet to ski. Keystone is on that list. Thanks for the recommendation.

[@edcotterjr1926]

I'm going to hit Breck tomorrow and Keystone the next day. I feel blessed to be able to go mid week anytime I want. Any ski area is fun if you approach it with the right attitude. Being in the mountains is a privilege many never get to enjoy. God's playground. I used to live in Nor Cal and would go to the Tahoe area a bunch. Unfortunately the folks in California can be a challenge because of the numbers and the attitudes. I have fond memories of Sugar Bowl anyway and may go back some day on a nostalgia tour.

[@matthewbennettutah]

Midweek skiing is the best! It is great that you can get to both Breck and Keystone this week. Enjoy!

[@DaddysLittleFelons]

For those of us who don’t ski 100 days a season, but less than 5, I would suggest Deer Valley. Slopes are perfectly groomed, amenities are 5-star, and they limit attendance.

[@matthewbennettutah]

Unfortunately the limit is too high as it always seems crowded on the hill now.

[@brianoconnor3407]

You forgot to mention, snowboards not allowed (same with Alta)

[@sc100ott]

I’m definitely like you-more about skiing and less about “apres-ski”. I concur with Alta/Snowbird, and I also really enjoyed Big Sky. Anyplace is fun as long as the snow is half-decent and the lift lines are short!

[@matthewbennettutah]

Thanks for backing me up. I hate long lift lines.

[@juniorjohnson9509]

@@matthewbennettutah Try Sugarloaf in Maine - if you can ski everything there hard, you can ski anything in the rest of the world. No, there is almost nothing to do or see once off the mountain, but who cares! Your are there for the great skiing! AND, during the weekdays, there is almost no one there!

[@matthewbennettutah]

@@juniorjohnson9509 Thanks for the recommendation. Every time I ski the Sugarloaf chair at Alta, it reminds me that I need to get out East and give the ski area a try.

[@juniorjohnson9509]

@@matthewbennettutah Depending on your ability, try to spend 3 days at the minimum to get to ski most of the slopes, and 5 days if you want to go in the glades. And make sure that your edges are razor sharp! While they have great snow making and grooming ( you should see the winch cable groomers going up and down the double diamond runs!) the weather at times can destroy all their hard work overnight, and take 4 days to fix! Sugarloaf is still old-fashioned New England skiing - what I grew up with there back in the 60's and 70's - and is still one of the best hard-core ski areas in the country. Off the mountain, there is almost nothing for you to do, other than the restaurants and a couple of bars. During the week, because of the low numbers of customers, some are open only a couple days of the week, alternating those days with the other restaurants. Great food, though, and a fun and friendly old-time atmosphere! Whiteface up at Lake Placid is also another area you would love. Fantastic skiing for all levels of skiers, and you have the bonus of the Olympic Village being only a few miles away with all of the Olympic venues you can visit. I highly recommend going to Mt. Van Hovenburg for the bobsled and luge runs ( and you can actually gets rides down the bobsled run) and the 90 and 120 meter jumps - the view down from the top of the 120 meter jump is insane! Incredible little village, with a LOT of winter stuff happening all the time.

[@juniorjohnson9509]

@@matthewbennettutah The other experience you need to have is skiing Tuckerman Ravine on Mt. Washington in NH - there is nothing like it anywhere else.

[@erichoss4218]

I went to Sun Valley this year and it was icy! I saw someone slide 1/4 of a mile! I have heard other similar stories. I would imagine on a powder day it would be a paradise though. I remember a lift operator saying "even when it's busy. It's not busy."

[@matthewbennettutah]

My buddy Jim went there and reported the same thing. He said all of the green circles on Seattle Ridge skied like black diamonds. Snow conditions are very important.

[@brianoconnor3407]

I wasn't that impressed with Sun Valley. Skied it in Spring and good coverage. Not as much variety as say, Big Sky, which was one of the alternates. Also, not a fan of Vail either, ski resort by the freeway. Back bowls were on the tame side. The others, full thumbs up and have skied them all. Cheerski.

[@matthewbennettutah]

@@brianoconnor3407 For me, I enjoy the atmosphere at Sun Valley and that is why it made the list. I agree that it doesn't have the variety of Big Sky. As for Vail, I had a great time skiing the bumps.

[@jleonas]

Great list, having skied all of these except Sun Valley, seems I will have to get out there sometime soon.

[@matthewbennettutah]

Thanks and yes, Sun Valley is a great area.

[@masonerlewine2459]

Mammoth and Brian head where some of the places I’ve had the most fun

[@matthewbennettutah]

Both are great ski areas.

[@TheGweedMan]

Time for you to visit Mammoth Lakes in California.

[@matthewbennettutah]

Been there and love it. Now is a great time to go though as Mammoth will be skiing for awhile longer.

[@j.thomas7128]

I'm loving the vibe in your videos... new 'scriber. A great place to 'experience' is Mad River Glen in Vermont. A single seat fixed grip chair takes you on a low and slow ride up the hill. You are guaranteed to spot wildlife all around you. Then, a host of tight classic Vermont cuts trails that make the most of the terrain wind through trees for another run. (For reference: Home mtn was Alta-Bird for season pass and Solitude Sunday only pass. Most of those years were 100 day sessions). Great videos. Thank you!

[@matthewbennettutah]

Mad River Glen is definitely on my list of places to visit. Thanks for the kind comments.

[@mtadams2009]

@@matthewbennettutah If you go pick your day carefully. It’s a great maintain but they don’t blow much snow. I only go after a big storm or cycle. When good it’s great.

[@matthewbennettutah]

@@mtadams2009 I think that can be said for any ski vacation. The only problem is you want to book your trip early so you can get the best prices.

[@mtadams2009]

@@matthewbennettutah I used to believe that too but after being burnt so many times I am now willing to pay more for my trip. The last time I skied Alta it was rock hard. I am talking worst than a bad day at Killington, my home mountain. This year my friend called me from Steamboat to tell me the conditions were worst than the East coast on a bad day. I showed up a week later after the snow came and it was wonderful. I am season pass holder at Killington. They have replaced pretty much all their lift, spent millions on snow making, new lodges so I ski there primarily. Having Alta Snowbird as your home mountains is truly special. I am sure even on a bad year you have skied some great snow. They are both wonderful and on my top three, the other one is JH. Take care

[@matthewbennettutah]

@@mtadams2009 Good advice. My best day at Snowbird this year was a Monday when the mountain was empty and nobody thought about coming up to ski the 10 inches of fresh. The regulars all remarked about how great it was.

[@williammiller2544]

Go South, Telluride, Taos and Crested Butte.

[@matthewbennettutah]

I like both Taos and Crested Butte. I have yet to get to Telluride but it is on my list. I just keep having trouble with getting the snow right.

[@davidyork8020]

thats what warren miller would say

[@matthewbennettutah]

@@davidyork8020 He also would say that if you don't do it this year you'll be a year older when you do it next year.

[@Gary-np7hl]

and don't miss out on wolf creek. an amazing little indie mountain.

[@matthewbennettutah]

@@Gary-np7hl A little flat but amazing.

[@kylecarscaden3953]

Love Alta/Bird i think I'm moving to Utah for next winter....Its just the best

[@matthewbennettutah]

No, its awful. You'll hate it.

[@kylecarscaden3953]

@@matthewbennettutah wow what a rude comment.

[@matthewbennettutah]

@@kylecarscaden3953 Sorry, it was meant sarcastically. I wouldn't be here if the skiing wasn't awesome.

[@wtfisdat6382]

Mineral Basin's lines at Snowbird have ruined more than one day of "fun" for me, as I like you, prefer to go back and forth and can't avoid that spot. :/ Jackson is a whole lot like Snowbird's terrain or Snowbasin's borders so I have a hard time justifying the drive for what's already in my back yard (although i just skied 2 days there 2 weeks ago). I really have a good time in trees and Brighton's center-of-mountain has always been a very good time for me, despite the enormous herds of vaping snowboarders. I really love Steamboat's Mt. Werner areas for the same reasons and of course, consider the town (and their shuttle plans) to be one of the best in the West without the madness of some of the other Colorado properties and the heaping helping of Jholes at Jackson. As a former Park City employee and growing up on Park West, it's really difficult to see that absolute monster combo get bypassed, even with their current traffic and parking problems. Just the absolute mass of terrain get overlooked, particularly when those mountains are sitting wide open on days that LCC is backed up to 6400 with a 4 hour cue. We truly have an embarrassment of riches.

[@matthewbennettutah]

It seems like the only way to ski Mineral Basin is to hit it early and peace out after 3 runs as the lines get too long. This season, the way to enjoy everything in LCC is to get a parking reservation at Alta on the weekend. Skied there all day yesterday and never once waited in a line for more than 3 minutes. Snowbird's parking lots were full 30 minutes before I even got to Alta. Jackson is a great place to ski and I try to get there every other season if possible. Brighton is also great but it is suffering from packed-parking-lot syndrome as is Solitude. Oh how I miss the days of sleepy old Park West. There is a lot to ski there, as you mentioned. I understand that quite a few ski areas are getting swamped this year. Even the small ones like Powder Mountain are seeing larger-than-usual crowds. Tahoe is in the same boat with massive swarms of people . . . when the lifts can actually run. One of my ski buddies spent yesterday in BCC backcountry and said that normally untouched lines are skied out. I guess it is time to start finding some lesser known backcountry than the usual places.

[@johnhelms8226]

Mount Bohemia in the UP of Michigan! No beginners allowed!

[@matthewbennettutah]

I get an amazing number of comments about Mt. Bohemia. It must be a great place.

[@maineb1111]

I’d have made it Vail/Beaver Creek and put it in front of Sun Valley. Also, Breck belongs on a list like this, you ski for miles and miles.

[@matthewbennettutah]

Thanks for the recommendation about Breck. Every time I mention I would like to go there, people discourage me saying it is too crowded and over-rated. I'm hoping they are wrong and it has some great skiing.

[@maineb1111]

@@matthewbennettutah - It does tend to be “crowded” on weekends, but the question was about “fun”, and Breck has a lot to recommend it on that front. A great lift system, long and highly varied trails, bowls, five mountains and all the areas between them, and a first-rate real town. One caveat- 9,600 feet at the base!

[@matthewbennettutah]

@@maineb1111 Yes, that 9,600 foot elevation at the base makes it the highest ski area in North America. I'll need to get there. Thanks for your suggestion.

[@mtadams2009]

Anyplace that has deep pow works for me. For me it’s all about the snow.

[@matthewbennettutah]

Snow is a very important ingredient for making a great ski vacation.

[@bruceboeder9984]

Alta!!!

[@matthewbennettutah]

I agree, Alta is great.

[@suziemichalek2022]

Mount Bachelor has 360 degrees of skiing with 4200ft of vertical.

[@matthewbennettutah]

Thanks for the recommendation. I still need to get to Bachelor.

[@Skiingdef]

I've had the most fun at Banff Sunshine, and Norquay. Sadly, Lake Louise is just okay for me.

[@matthewbennettutah]

That is good to know. I really want to get to Sunshine. Perhaps this coming season.

[@johncheresna]

@@matthewbennettutah WOW! While Sunshine is OK I would do more research before taking these recommendations seriously.

[@matthewbennettutah]

@@johncheresna Don't worry, I have a list of places I want to visit regardless of comments.

[@filislas]

Can't beat Steamboat glades on a deep champagne powder day!

[@matthewbennettutah]

I agree. I also had a great powder run on Sundown Liftline that was amazing.

[@trublu9200]

Keystone and A-Basin

[@matthewbennettutah]

Great recommendations that I need to visit. Thanks.

[@xtc996]

Kirkwood and Stevens Pass use to be in my Top 5, then Vail came along and ruined the dream.

[@matthewbennettutah]

That's too bad. There are a number of independent areas still out there and my next video will be "Hidden Gems" to expose some of the smaller areas.

[@denisjacques819]

I would have added big sky instead of vail, but my opinion.

[@matthewbennettutah]

Big Sky is a great recommendation. Thanks for the comment.

[@Dan-mh4ge]

How many times do I have to say I don't care about where people are skiing

[@matthewbennettutah]

Probably about as many times as there are people making videos about ski areas. I doubt that will stop us from making videos though.

[@brianoconnor3407]

Why do you think anyone cares what you have to say about skiing Dan? If you don't like the video, don't watch it.

[@matthewbennettutah]

@@brianoconnor3407 That's what I thought when I saw the comment. I just figure this is the Internet and trolls will be trolls.

[@markeaton2003]

Please send me a lift ticket!

[@matthewbennettutah]

Wait, isn't that my line?