国产吃瓜黑料

GET MORE WITH OUTSIDE+

Enjoy 35% off GOES, your essential outdoor guide

UPGRADE TODAY

The Insider Guide to North America’s Best Ski Towns

We asked. They told. In-the-know locals divulge their secret powder lines, apr猫s breweries, and hidden hot springs.

Published: 
(Photo: Jeff Engerbretson/Courtesy Big Sky Resort)

New perk: Easily find new routes and hidden gems, upcoming running events, and more near you. Your weekly Local Running Newsletter has everything you need to lace up! .

From how to score聽the best cup of joe to fuel聽your first chair dreams to where聽to find powder well after a storm, each ski resort is unique, and it can take years to learn all of its聽secrets. And unless you鈥檙e lucky enough to live near your favorite mountain, who has that kind of time? Good thing you don鈥檛 have to be local to shred like one. All it takes is a townie or two willing to show you the way. Here are 16 of them to fill you in on which chairs open first after a storm, the best on-mountain eats, and where to stay聽at some of our most beloved resorts.

Deer Valley, Utah

The Local: Sue Anderson, Deer Valley鈥檚 avalanche-mitigation supervisor

On Mountain: 鈥淧eople sometimes call 鈥楤ambi basin,鈥 but when they get here, they鈥檙e surprised by how much expert terrain the mountain has. And the resort has a limit on ticket sales, so even the busy spots never get too crowded. After skiing, in Snow Park Lodge features live music on the deck and turkey chili on its nachos. If you keep an eye out, you can snag discounts at the five-star midmountain (from $330).鈥

Off the Hill: 鈥淐heck out , a new chef-owned restaurant in nearby Park City.鈥

Pro Tip: 鈥淚f you want to know when a lift is opening or how to get to a certain place, message the Deer Valley Text Program (435-538-5900).鈥

Mammoth Mountain, California

The Local: Ben Wisner, director of freeski and snowboard team

On Mountain: 鈥淭here are reasons elite athletes train here: the snow falls in feet and not inches, the length of the season can鈥檛 be beat, our terrain parks are the best in the world, and our steeps rival anywhere in the Alps. My favorite spot is Lincoln Peak, off Chair 22. On a powder day, sneak through the trees to find untracked snow. restaurant, by chairs 10 and 2, has the best barbecue I鈥檝e ever eaten. And the is the best ski-in, ski-out lodge (from $139).鈥

Off the Hill: 鈥淒on鈥檛 miss dinner at the in Mammoth Lakes. There are natural hot springs out of town, too. Just drive south on U.S. 395 to the green church, hang a left, and explore the dirt roads. If you see steam rising, you鈥檙e on the right track.鈥

Pro Tip: 鈥淧arking at the resort is a pain. If you鈥檙e staying in town, treat yourself to a coffee at , then hop on the shuttle to the mountain instead.鈥

Hunter Mountain, New York

Hunter Mountain
Hunter Mountain (Daniel Kenney)

The Local: Sarah Slutzky, director of and granddaughter of the resort鈥檚 founder

On Mountain: 鈥淪ince it鈥檚 only two and a half hours from Manhattan, the resort has always been known as the best skiing close to the city. But it鈥檚 not the party scene it was in the seventies and eighties. More families come here now. It still has aggressive terrain, but with five new runs added this winter, over 60 percent of the mountain is now considered beginner and intermediate. If you鈥檙e looking for slopeside accommodations, try the (from $130).鈥

Off the Hill: 鈥淥n Saturday night, head to in Tannersville for live music and cheese plates in the middle of an antiques shop.鈥

Pro Tip: 鈥淥n the drive to the mountain, stop at , one of the tallest cascades in New York.鈥

The Jet Set

Mountain Collective pass holders should book their two free days at Niseko, Japan, in January or February to best experience the resort鈥檚 legendary powder. Refuel with crab ramen at between waist-deep runs and trips to local hot springs.

Sugarbush, Vermont

The Local: Jon Jamieson, owner of Jamieson Insurance and a lifer

On Mountain: 鈥淪ugarbush is the kind of place where families return year after year. There are really three peaks: Lincoln Peak, Mount Ellen, and Castlerock. With an old fixed-grip double chair and steep, twisting trails like Rumble, Castlerock is classic eastern skiing at its finest. on Mount Ellen is a great place for a midmountain grilled cheese, and , in the base lodge at Lincoln Peak, is the go-to spot after skiing.鈥

Off the Hill: 鈥淭he mountain is flanked by two picturesque villages. For coffee, stop by the , seven miles away in Waitsfield. The is a popular hangout nearby, and is opening a new brewery and taproom in town. For unique old-school accommodations, head a few minutes north to the (from $99).鈥

Pro Tip: 鈥淧eople don鈥檛 realize it, but at the Mount Ellen base area, lifts open at 8 A.M., an hour before the others. Get there early and you can snag a bunch of runs before everyone else shows up.鈥

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Jackson Hole
Jackson Hole (Courtesy Jackson Hole Mountain Resort)

The Local: Zahan Billimoria, lead guide for and owner of

On Mountain: 鈥 is a very authentic mountain known for expert terrain, but the northern side of the resort is great for intermediates. I prefer the Thunder and Sublette lifts on the upper mountain, because even on the busiest days it鈥檚 easy to find your own zone. Afterward, I鈥檒l go to , a five-minute walk from the lifts, for red curry. Ask for a 3.5 spice level.鈥

Off the Hill: 鈥淭here are lots of fancy coffee shops in Jackson, but I鈥檓 a guy. It鈥檚 affordable, the brew is always good, and I鈥檓 likely to run into friends. We tell our clients to stay at the (from $175). The homemade breakfast is legendary, and you鈥檒l be within walking distance from the restaurants.鈥

Pro Tip: 鈥淢arch is a unique window in the Tetons鈥攜ou have a more stable snowpack but you鈥檙e still skiing powder. This is the time to have big adventures at the resort or in Grand Teton National Park.鈥

Aspen Snowmass, Colorado

Aspen Snowmass
Aspen Snowmass (Dan Bayer)

The Local: Andrew Helsley, executive chef for Aspen Skiing Company鈥檚 on-slope restaurants

On Mountain: 鈥 four mountains鈥擜spen, Snowmass, Buttermilk, and Aspen Highlands鈥攁ll offer something different, but I could be happy with just Snowmass. It has some of the most difficult runs, if you know where to look. Everyone heads to Hanging Valley and the Cirque because they鈥檙e both high-alpine runs, but there鈥檚 incredible low-mountain terrain on Powderhorn or Campground. For a quick snack, the cookies and hot chocolate at , the highest of all of our restaurants, at over 11,000 feet, will get you warm. Or sit on the deck at with a glass of wine and a plate of maple-pickled deviled eggs with pork belly.鈥

Off the Hill: 鈥 opens this winter at the base of the gondola, with perks like a great breakfast spread, live music, and wood-fired pizzas (from $447).鈥

Pro Tip: 鈥淯philling is permitted on each mountain, and there鈥檚 a Friday-morning breakfast club that skins up Buttermilk for French toast at the . All are welcome.鈥

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, California

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows
Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows (Kate Abraham)

The Local: Robin McElroy, 12-year veteran of the ski patrol

On Mountain: 鈥淭he stereotype is that Squaw is this extreme mountain. Yes, you can get rad, and our average snowfall is a massive 450 inches, but there鈥檚 something for everyone. My favorite lift is KT-22, for its steep, sustained pitches.鈥

Off the Hill: 鈥淭ruckee and Tahoe City are close, but the base village at Squaw is always bustling. is a local favorite for apr猫s, but ski patrollers go to the for our own private room. Stay at the , a short drive from the village. It has its own chairlift that connects to the rest of the ski area (from $199).鈥

Pro Tip: 鈥淥n a powder day, wait in line at the Red Dog or Far East lifts. Those usually open first and are most likely to run in strong winds.鈥

Sunday River, Maine

The Local: Greg Luetje, former boot fitter and hard-goods manager at

On Mountain: 鈥 to bring kids. My five-year-old twins learned to ski here, and the ski-school program is amazing. While they鈥檙e in lessons, I鈥檓 in the woods skiing Poppy Fields, Shock Wave, or the steep bumps on Downdraft. My kids love the cinnamon buns at North Peak, the midmountain lodge, and they鈥檙e big enough to split. If you want to stay on the mountain, the and the hotels are ski-in, ski-out (from $179 and $159).鈥

Off the Hill: 鈥淏ethel, a 15-minute drive from the base, is a real community-oriented place. Our movie theater, , is a good option for when the weather isn鈥檛 great. has space for the kids to run around.鈥

Pro Tip: 鈥 is a separate base area that doesn鈥檛 get as crowded. It鈥檚 great terrain for children who are chairlift-ready and has plenty of steep runs, too.鈥

Park City, Utah

The Local: Shaun Raskin, guide and owner of

On Mountain: 鈥淪kiers come to for its famed intermediate terrain and perfect grooming. If you want to get more extreme, boot-pack up Jupiter Peak or McConkey鈥檚 for steeper bowls, or ride the newer Quicksilver Gondola over to the Canyons side for advanced runs off the Ninety-Nine 90, Peak 5, and Dreamscape lifts. For a beer at the base, you can鈥檛 beat the or .鈥

Off the Hill: 鈥淟ocals take a lot of pride in our Olympic and silver-mining history. In Park City proper, I love for upscale, locally sourced American fare and a menu that changes constantly. If you rent a house through , it鈥檒l arrange your lift tickets, dinner reservations, and ski rentals.鈥

Pro Tip: 鈥淟ooking for powder? Go to Scott鈥檚 Bowl. You鈥檒l find snow there well after a storm.鈥

The Jet Set

The new Ikon Pass comes with seven days at , which has some of the steepest, longest runs in the Southern Hemisphere. With monthly full-moon parties and outdoor concerts, it can get as rowdy as you鈥檇 expect. The village鈥檚 has a good pub and is centrally located (from $195).

Crystal Mountain, Washington

The Local: Bob Grubb, owner of , sellers of outdoor apparel

On Mountain: 鈥淏ackcountry skiers love . You can hike from the lifts and be in real wilderness in minutes. In bounds, the front side of the Rainier Express Lift鈥擱ex, as the locals call it鈥攊s a crowd favorite, since it鈥檚 steep and quick, but Chair 6 is my go-to. It鈥檚 a fast 1,000 feet of vertical, and on a powder day you can get six or seven runs before hitting anyone鈥檚 tracks.鈥

Off the Hill: 鈥淟ocals live in Greenwater, but there鈥檚 not much there. Instead, book a room at the , at the resort鈥檚 base (from $100). Next door, the pours Elk Frost, a heavy winter beer made just for the resort by in Seattle.鈥

Pro Tip: 鈥淭he King and Southback sidecountry zones have wild terrain. You鈥檒l need avalanche-safety gear, but it鈥檚 worth it.鈥

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Steamboat Springs, CO
Steamboat Springs, CO (/)

The Local: Marla 鈥淐ookie鈥 Bailey, strategic planner for Smartwool

On Mountain: 鈥 is an escape from that 鈥楲ook at me, I鈥檓 so badass鈥 vibe. As the saying here goes, you can鈥檛 swing a dead cat without hitting an Olympian, but you鈥檇 never know it if you were sitting next to one on the lift. The head chef of , at the base, even turned down an appearance on Top Chef because it would have gotten in the way of her mountain-biking season. Another uniquely Steamboat experience is skiing through a proper aspen grove, so the Shadows, Closets, and Twilight runs are all a must.鈥

Off the Hill: 鈥淵our stay won鈥檛 be complete without a visit to our three local breweries鈥, , and 鈥攁苍诲 , a 30-tap tasting room that serves Colorado microbrews and spirits.鈥

Pro Tip: 鈥淐ome during our 106th , held February 6 to 10, 2019. The Saturday Night Extravaganza鈥攚ith fireworks and ski patrollers jumping through flaming hoops鈥攊s reason enough to make the trip.鈥

Heavenly, California

The Local: Debra Scolnick, bartender at South Lake Tahoe鈥檚

On Mountain: 鈥淲e鈥檙e known for groomers with lots of vertical, but the thing I love most about is the tree skiing. If Mott and Killebrew canyons are open, that鈥檚 your expert terrain. The views are epic, and on some runs you鈥檒l feel like you鈥檙e skiing right into Lake Tahoe. is a new, beautiful midmountain lunch spot, but is where locals go for a beer.鈥

Off the Hill: 鈥淪outh Lake Tahoe, the town at the base of the mountain, used to be a giant party, but it鈥檚 becoming more family friendly. Still, we have 24-hour casinos and plenty of bars. A new place called does pour-your-own beer and wood-fired pizzas. The has a beer garden and isn鈥檛 far from the gondola (from $99).鈥

Pro Tip: 鈥淔ire Break is an amazing 3,000-vertical-foot line under the gondola that鈥檚 only accessible through marked backcountry gates. You鈥檙e allowed to ski it, but you have to know where you鈥檙e going.鈥

Snowbird, Utah

The Local: Lexi Dowdall, program director for the International Freeskiers and Snowboarders Association

On Mountain: 鈥 is for powder skiers. Supercharged storms roll off the Great Salt Lake before crashing into the Wasatch Range, which means that Snowbird and Alta, just to the east, often report higher snow totals than neighboring resorts. The anticipation of waiting in the tram line on a powder day and knowing you鈥檙e going to ski Great Scott, Silver Fox, or Baldy is an energy like no other.鈥

Off the Hill: 鈥淪tay at the base village to avoid the 30-minute drive to and from Salt Lake City. At the , you can enjoy the heated rooftop pool and eucalyptus steam room, then ski out the door (from $230). The neighboring has a drink special that few can pass up鈥攖he famous $5 shot and a beer.鈥

Pro Tip: 鈥淭he breakfast burrito from is the best way to prepare for first chair.鈥

Big Sky, Montana

The Local: Brenna Kelleher, a member of the Professional Ski Instructors of America ski team

On Mountain: 鈥淟one Peak towers over everything in , and people always want to know how to ski Big Couloir, the main line off the top. Though it鈥檚 in-bounds, you have to drop it in pairs, check in with ski patrol, and carry a beacon, a shovel, and a probe. But there are a lot of other big lines people overlook, such as the steep, consistent couloirs you can hike to from the Headwaters Lift. This winter, Andesite Mountain, a separate peak at Big Sky, is getting the first eight-person lift in North America.鈥

Off the Hill: 鈥淏ig Sky鈥檚 village is a quiet place. Everyone heads to 聽for beer and burgers when the lifts close, but I like the , next door in the , for live eighties rock or country music (from $215).鈥

Pro Tip: 鈥淪top at the Six Shooter Chair for a chocolate chip or oatmeal cookie at , a shed with a ski-up window.鈥

Sun Valley, Idaho

The Local: Paul Ken颅ny, author of 鈥檚 snow report

On Mountain: 鈥淭he resort started out by catering to Hollywood celebrities, so it鈥檚 got a reputation for being very elite. But it doesn鈥檛 feel that way. It鈥檚 low-key and friendly. You鈥檒l get tired, though, because lift lines are rare. Tin Can Alley, off Lookout Lift, always has soft snow, and for early-morning groomers, it鈥檚 a nonstop carver on Warm Springs. For lunch, has good wood-fired pizza and chili. Apr猫s is at in the village.鈥

Off the Hill: 鈥淣earby Ketchum has plenty of events and restaurants. For dinner I like 鈥檚 unique Southeast Asian street food. is totally refurbished and has a good vibe (from $153).鈥

Pro Tip: 鈥淭here are two sides of Baldy, so depending on where the sun is, you can ski one face of the mountain in the morning, then the other for softer snow.鈥

Arapahoe Basin, Colorado

The Local: Brian York, bartender at , in the base area鈥檚 A-frame lodge

On Mountain: 鈥 is serious about one thing: skiing. No golf course, no condos. During a big snow year, lifts can turn through the Fourth of July. The most famous lift is Pallavicini鈥1,200 vertical feet, straight up from the parking lot. The best time to ride it is mid-April through early May. When other ski areas are closing, A-Basin is still opening terrain in the high couloirs. The deck at , and the Beach鈥攖he row of cars closest to the lifts鈥攚ill be going off.鈥

Off the Hill: 鈥淪tay in Keystone, ten miles away, for the closest hotels. For live music, it鈥檚 the or the Goat, and Pizza 101 has the best pie around.鈥

Pro Tip: 鈥淭here鈥檚 a new lift into the Beavers, a great backcountry area that鈥檚 now in-bounds with avalanche control.鈥

The Jet Set

Epic Pass holders get two free days at France鈥檚 鈥, which offers 9,000 skiable acres of groomers and hike-to couloirs. On sunny afternoons, the outdoor deck at La Folie Douce might be the most epic apr猫s-ski in the universe.

From 国产吃瓜黑料 Magazine, December 2018 Lead Photo: Jeff Engerbretson/Courtesy Big Sky Resort

Popular on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online