One of our favorite pastimes is hitting the mountains for a day of skiing and boarding together.
Here is our list of the places we’ve been, pluses and minuses of each, and our favorite part of the mountain.
MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN, CA
PROS
Just everything. The size of the mountain and amount of terrain, the quality of the runs, the quality of the snow, the town and free shuttles throughout at all times of day and night, THE VIEWS, the surrounding areas, the people, the lodges… we could go on and on.
CONS
The main “con” (if you can even call it that) is how remote it is. It’s about a 6 hour drive (without traffic or weather delays - took us 9hrs our first time) from the bay, so you really have to commit. But once you’re there, it is beyond worth it.
It also does get pretty windy, pretty consistently. It is not uncommon for the gondolas to stop operations during the day, or for days at a time, for weather-related reasons. But we’re glad they’re so safe and on top of things!
FAVORITE PART
We can’t choose. Mammoth is hands down our favorite resort.
OVERALL
I mean, we love Mammoth so much we originally planned to get married here. Our first trip here for Kylie’s birthday was during a 100” snowstorm! We thought this was unheard of, but the town and mountain handled it with such ease. And they even got another 100” the week after we left! All the locals we spoke with said yes, this was a big snowfall, but it is totally regular for them to get feet upon feet of snow throughout the season.
HEAVENLY AT TAHOE, CA & NV
PROS
Absolutely STUNNING views, great snow, basically an intermediate to advanced mountain all the way around, you can ski in two states in the same day, cute resort and town with lots to do, good snow, free parking!
CONS
The only complaint we could really have is how slushy some of the catwalks can get towards the end of a spring day, but we took the moguls down to totally avoid this!
FAVORITE PART
The views, hands down!
OVERALL
This resort is an absolute must. We went during the spring time and it was GORGEOUS. About 50 degrees each day and we kept stripping layers off. Ideal spring skiing if that is what you’re looking for. Our airbnb was on the California side, so we spent most of our time there before realizing that the Nevada side was where it was really at. Wide open runs, long lifts, steep chutes, GREAT moguls - we loved being over there. It almost felt like people didn’t know about that side. It was absolutely amazing and we can’t wait to go back. Probably in our top 3 favorite resorts we’ve skied.
PALISADES TAHOE, CA
PROS
ALSO HUGE! Tons of slightly more advanced terrain, and it seemed less busy that we expected. That may be because the mountain is just so well laid out, but it could also be because it’s more tucked away than other Tahoe resorts like Northstar and Heavenly. Beautiful, light snow. Amazing views with a pretty unique layout.
CONS
Pretty small village, though to call it a con is a stretch.
FAVORITE PART
Honestly, it’s super cool to see the remaining Olympic venue aspects of this mountain. We love that it’s not too far of a drive from the bay and felt more like local skiers rather than tourists. Much more our speed.
WINTER PARK, CO
PROS
HUGE! So much terrain, great parks (half pipe is a must), amazing tree runs, Mary Jane territory, seems to get the most regular snow, close to Denver, off I-70 before the Eisenhower tunnel so you avoid most traffic and will rarely ever have closures
CONS
Can stay pretty cold, almost always snowing on the drive in (but this is sometimes also a pro), expensive parking if you want to be close, hard to navigate if you’re with people who aren’t familiar with the resort, not much town/lodge life, certain catwalks are ridiculously long so you really have to build up speed to get through them (especially if you’re on a board)
FAVORITE PART
The size and location! With 7 different terrains there is so much to do for all skill levels. Great place to come with a big group and some of the longest runs we’ve ever skied.
KEYSTONE, CO
PROS
Close to Denver, lot’s of terrain (the outback is our fave), super pretty views of other nearby resorts, cute base with good food, and an awesome terrain park (Area 51). It’s also ridiculously close to Arapahoe Basin so you can ski two mountains in one day if you want (also close to other Summit County resorts)
CONS
Lots of beginner terrain, crowded/popular, touristy, not a lot around outside the resort base.
FAVORITE PART
The outback is hands down our favorite part. Every time we hit the key we head straight back as far as we can go. And the views from that side are absolutely breathtaking. This is where we fell in love with tree runs.
COPPER MOUNTAIN, CO
PROS
Still fairly close to Denver and basically right off the freeway. Nothing beats Woodward terrain parks and they have great villages at the bases. The mountain is also laid out in a way that you can just ski areas with people of similar level (aka you can avoid beginner or advanced skiers easily) and it is much bigger than it seems (don’t miss the bowls). It also tends to be mostly locals, so it is typically less crowded (although this does seem to be changing).
CONS
If you don’t know the resort (or have people with you who aren’t familiar) you/they can accidentally ski down to the wrong village and have to take a shuttle around to the next village over.
FAVORITE PART
The mid-mountain lodges (“beaches”) during the spring time are so much fun to hang at! Loud music, lots of drinks and good food. A great home base if you’re with a large group! Apres is also super fun in Copper cause it tends to be a much younger demographic.
ASPEN, CO
PROS
Considered the epitome of Colorado skiing, Aspen has absolutely stunning views, super long runs, and SO MUCH terrain. It’s more of a destination resort and there are several mountains in the area to choose from (we love Snowmass - Buttermilk is also great). Aspen also hosts the X-Games which has always been a favorite weekend of ours since we first started dating.
CONS
It’s far from Denver (both a pro and con for different reasons, but not an easy same day trip) and it is EXPENSIVE. Probably the most expensive resort we’ve been to, tbh.
FAVORITE PART
The tree runs are phenomenal and we have found some of the best hidden gems around the mountain (one of which is a cookie hut that literally has the best, freshest cookies we’ve literally ever had). Highly recommend getting first chair and heading as far back as possible. We have skied up until about 11am with barely anyone around.
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO
PROS
The resort is known for its champagne powder and it does not disappoint! The mountain is very open and not busy, and they have some of the most fun rolling runs. They also have some of the best black tree runs EVER (don’t miss Biscuits and Gravy). The town is also super cute and the nearby hot springs are a blast (spoiler alert - they’re nude!).
CONS
Our only con here is that it’s a pretty remote resort. If you’re going to Steamboat you’re going to Steamboat and you better be committed since there is not really anything else around.
FAVORITE PART
Biscuits and Gravy runs, hands down. The are truly so much fun and it felt like we were in a different world. And honestly, we loved the hot springs so much. You can’t miss those.
CRESTED BUTTE, CO
PROS
Super cute town and village, mostly locals. Really enjoyed the views and the atmosphere.
CONS
The snow can really take some time to gather here and early season is pretty icy. It’s also rather expensive, and a bit of a drive.
FAVORITE PART
Some of the fastest runs we’ve ever skied. Kylie hit her top speed of 70mph here.
BRECKENRIDGE, CO
PROS
Lots of terrain and a great town. There’s something for everyone in Breck and they make it really easy to get around. Their Gondola system is very well developed. We’ve also had some of our best powder days here. Great family vaca location.
CONS
SUPER busy, almost always packed. It is also a super flat and wide mountain in our opinion. We prefer resorts where you can keep going deeper and deeper into the terrain. Everything at Breck is just on one side.
FAVORITE PART
The town is everything. And the t-bar runs can be super fun if you can handle them.
PARK CITY/CANYONS, UT
PROS
TONS of terrain, and when we went it really never felt super busy. They seemed to do a good job of weaving terrain features into the runs, too! Loved the tree runs here and the town was everything. You’re also basically in between three different resorts, so if you’re in the area you can switch up your skiing each day.
CONS
Just the fact you’re a bit remote by being in Utah. But this could also be a plus! Can’t really think of anything else.
FAVORITE PART
Love, love, LOVE the town. So cute and quaint, it is the exact place you picture when you think of a ski resort. Some great restaurants and shopping, too!
ARAPAHOE BASIN, CO
PROS
More advanced skiers, younger demo, and super sick runs. The bowls are really one of a kind. A-bay is also kinda tucked away, so most people stop at Keystone on their way in. Plus you can take the pass and avoid Eisenhower tunnel! (but this can easily become a con)
CONS
It is super easy to get trapped back here, since i70 and the pass get shut down OFTEN. They also switch passes all the freaking time, and sometimes have removed themselves all together from being associated with Epic or Ikon.
FAVORITE PART
Tailgating and apres. It’s kinda what a-bay is known for and it lives up to the hype. The amount of grilling, drinking, and dogs you’ll see in the parking lot makes it so much fun.