The 40 Best Ski Resorts in North America

Published November 5, 2012 12:00AM

Going skiing is an effort. There’s the online hunt for tickets and reservations, the recruiting of partners in crime, the cramming of bulky gear into its casing, the drive up, the checking in, the suiting up, the snapping in. Not to mention the cost: Skiing and riding are among the most expensive of sports.

But if you’re the type who’s never been deterred by the energy it takes to get out there—and if you’re reading this, you very likely are—you know that all that fuss is, of course, worth it. Your reimbursement comes in the form of crisp air, the smell of a snow-blanketed pine forest, classical-crescendo-inspiring views, the crunch of fresh powder underfoot. And, more than anything else, the unmatched rush of carving your way downhill, leaving nothing but fresh tracks behind.

There’s that good après stuff too: Sharing a hot or liquored drink and hearty food with flush-cheeked friends and strangers, then lowering yourself onto a massage table or into a steaming hot tub can cap off a damn near perfect day.

Still, you don’t want to waste the effort of putting together a ski trip on just anyplace. So here’s our thorough ranking of spots where the haul of getting on the hill is likely to pay off with dividends. To create it, we developed a long scoring key to measure a mess of factors, from snow conditions, terrain quality, and ski-related amenities to affordability, safety, and level of service. We also looked at lodging options, off-hill recreational offerings, and the après-ski scene. Finally, we asked whether a resort takes responsibility for its environmental impact—because it’s pure hypocrisy for an industry so dependent on climate, so inspired by mountain grandeur, to degrade nature.

The result of all that research is this list. Use it as your hack to figuring out which mountains are right for you. You’ll notice that these span a spectrum from frou-frou fancy to no-frills basic: At some places, all there is to do is ski and ride; at others, there’s so much else that the thrill of shredding can feel almost beside the point. Whatever your wintertime pleasure, we hope that our work will make your next snow adventure an effort that’s well worth making.