Thinking of Skipping Ski Season? 35 Reasons Why You Should Go

The excuse: “I can’t afford it” Solution: Montana Whitefish Mountain Resort—with its thigh-melting groomers and glade skiing among rime-covered trees—will make you want to quit it all and move into Whitefish, the neighboring town, where a tight-knit community congregates at kombucha breweries and hikes in Glacier National Park. Plus, it’s super cheap (once you get there): Lift tickets never top $8 and several hotels run for about $100 a night with breakfast and hot-tub access included.

The excuse: “I don’t know how to ski!” Solution: A getaway with flatland options (and beginner terrain) Telluride Ski Resort is that rare combination of rad local scene and amazing terrain. In town—connected to the ski village via a gondola—Victorian-era buildings house hip cocktail joints, experimental-art centers, and craftsman shops to keep non-skiers occupied. But even ski newbies will be tempted by the mountain’s beginner and mid-level runs, all of which overdeliver on staggering views.

The excuse: “But we need time alone” Solution: A ski town with romantic options Secluded behind a canyon of the Sangre Cristo Mountains, the charming Taos Ski Valley debuts ski-in/ski-out weddings this winter. Guests schuss down any of the green-to-black runs to 10,870 feet for the ceremony, then ski some more. The resort’s short lift lines leave you with plenty of time to ski and still go into artsy Taos for a candlelit dinner at the Love Apple—or to retreat straight to one of the1,160-square-foot, fireplace-clad suites at The Blake.

The excuse: “Riding isn’t green enough” Solution: A terrain park that tries harder Community-owned Diamond Peak was the second resort in the industry to become STOKE-certified (a sustainability evaluation with a 110-point criteria) thanks to cheeky signs encouraging environmental awareness, water stations, electric-vehicle chargers, extra-efficient snow guns and groomers, and stone-paper maps. The resort also gets props for its newly expanded terrain park, a free-style playground with ever-changing features, starter rails, and jumps.

The excuse: “Skiing has gotten so far from its roots” Solution: A resort with an old-school feel Home to the country’s very first lift, Sun Valley still feels like the place where Hemingway would indulge in his life of rugged luxury. Despite its tony origins and swank upgrades to legacy spots like Sun Valley Lodge, an unpretentious vibe (and a heavy dose of wintry nostalgia) is the norm here.

The excuse: “Skiing’s too wholesome” Solution: A mountain that plays hard At Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, skiers do shotskis 
in neon suits during the Retro Après-Ski Party, chill in hot tubs at High Camp, and end powder days with pints at institutional locales like Le Chamois and The Slot Bar, where vintage ski movies play on a loop. Well, most years they do. The scene is a little tamer and a little more socially-distanced these days, But it’s the deep chutes, open bowls, and legendary KT-22 chair (plus an in-the-works gondola connecting the two mountains) that keep ‘em coming anyway.

The excuse: “I can’t take my kids” Solution: Kid-friendly resort Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s family offerings have been majorly upgraded with Solitude Station—a one-stop shop with tickets, gear rental, ski school, and separate kids’ and adults’ mess halls all under the same roof. Its mid-mountain location perfectly positions the next generation to tackle the resort’s notoriously gnarly slopes—and parents can rip and rest easy knowing their kids are learning from some of the most highly certified ski instructors on the slopes.

The excuse: “We can’t leave the modern world behind” Solution: A snow getaway as high-tech as you are In the past year, Deer Valley spent $7.6 million to install digital clocks that give real-time updates for lift lines and tickets, replace its rentals with the newest Rossignol gear, and add more Cadillacs to its shuttle fleet. That’s all atop the area’s James Beard–recognized restaurants and one of only a few five-star, on-mountain hotels. Daily tickets are capped at 8,500 for the ultimate luxe amenity: space.

The excuse: “All the good resorts are too popular” Solution: An undiscovered gem Get to Big Sky Resort this year, and you can say you knew the mountain pre-blowup. The Montana destination has never been shabby, but its remote location tends to keep the crowds at bay. That may change with $150 million in upgrades, plus a new Montage and One & Only Resort, in the pipeline as part of a decade-long development plan. For now, though, Big Sky is still chill.

The excuse: “Lessons are too pricey!” Solution: How does free sound? Look for midweek clinics, like the women-only ones at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. every Thursday at Mt. Rose–Ski Tahoe in Nevada. Starting early Dec; free with Thu lift ticket or season pass.   Please note that ladies-only ski clinics have been suspended until further notice for the 2020-2021 season.

The excuse: “I can’t stand the cold” Solution: Heated chairlifts We’ve been waiting for this: a warm, cushy seat, complete with a windshield, thereby eliminating the number-one complaint about skiing. No more cold cheeks! At least not at Park City, Utah, home of North America’s first heated chairlift: the Jetsons-esque Orange Bubble. Hop onto the cushion, which gets an electric burst of hot air as the chair rounds the turnstile, and pull down the shield, which gives the snow a happy orange hue. Take off your mittens. Make a phone call if you like. And dream of the day when every chair is just like this.

The excuse: “I hate group lessons” Solution: Book a private instructor to the stars Whom you’re assigned as a ski instructor is often the luck of the draw, but you can pick them too. Ultimately, you want someone you can get along with for a couple of hours and who really knows her stuff. A U.S. Ski Team development program pedigree doesn’t hurt either. And if she’s good enough for, say, Jodie Foster, even better. A member of an all-star ski clan that includes a former Olympian, Danielle Carruth is on the exceptionally good ski staff at Sun Valley Resort in Idaho and receives rave reviews from her students, who, by the way, include non­celebs too. From $500/half-day plus lift ticket; sunvalley.com. Want more options to train like an Olympian? At Crested Butte, freeskiing champ Wendy Fisher (from $689 for up to five people; fishski.com) holds clinics for beginners and pros. At Waldorf Astoria Park City (from $3,250 for up to four people; waldorfastoriaparkcity.com), ski or bobsled on Olympic-level runs with gold medalists, like Nate Roberts. Afterward, review your progress at a private dinner with your instructor.

The excuse: “Nachos and beer just don’t cut it” Solution: Sushi and sake After a while, every après-ski snack in a wood-beamed lodge tastes the same. But pull into the Nest at the Viceroy Snowmass, at the base of Snowmass Mountain in Colorado, and you can sit at the sleek modern sushi bar sipping sake, slurping steamy bowls of miso-udon soup, and dipping especially good sashimi into freshly grated wasabi. Nest open early Dec–mid Apr, $$$; rooms from $421

The excuse: “Ski boots suck” Solution: Find a ski-boot whisperer Insiders tout family-run BootDoctors, in Telluride, Colorado, and Taos, New Mexico, as one of the best. There’s also Larry Houchen at Larry’s Boot Fitting in Boulder, Colorado. These guys will make custom foot beds or tweak a liner till it fits just right. From about $30 for a fitting. At Deer Valley Resort in Utah, you can drop off your skis overnight and have them tuned by morning.

The excuse: “Lift tickets are too expensive” Solution: Ski for a song Late sleepers and beginners: At Alta Ski Area, in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, lift tickets are $15 on the Sunnyside Lift at the Albion Base after 3 p.m. So anyone with sticks (Alta is one of the last holdouts—no snowboards) can schuss or pizza-plow down the packed powder until closing at 4:30. And at Mt. Bachelor in Bend, Oregon, kids under 18 ski or board for free if Mom or Dad buys a multiday ticket. You can tell the kids, No, we don’t have to ski together.

The excuse: “The lines are too long” Solution: Skip ’em—and cat-ski Long considered the poor man’s heli-trip, cat-skiing has come into its own. Few realize it’s not just for double-black-diamond rippers; blue-square skiers can do it too. (You could even say it’s safer than the congested beginner and inter­mediate runs at some resorts, which boast names like Times Square for a reason.) Outfitter CS Irwin in Crested Butte, Colorado, is a luxe version of the typically bare-bones cat-skiing expe­rience. You kick off with fresh pastries in town, then pile into plush snow buses with leather seats and flat-screens playing ski movies as you chug up the mountain. They’ll groom runs for anyone who prefers corduroy to waist-deep powder, and cook up lunch in their cozy backcountry log cabin. Dec 15–Apr 30; $650/person or $6,000/group of 10 including equipment

The excuse: “I don’t have $600 a night for a slopeside room” Solution: The Hostel in Teton Village If you want to take the hassle out of ski trips—loading the car every morning, finding parking, battling après-ski traffic—it helps to stay on the mountain. But slopeside accommodations, as lovely as they are, will cost you. Especially in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, which boasts about as many five-star resorts as moose. You may not do hostels anymore, but the Hostel, within a few ski-boot steps of Jackson Hole’s gondola and tram, just might change your mind. With recently renovated rooms that come with one king or four twins (and private baths), it’s more hotel-motel than college dorm. There’s daily maid service, a roaring fireplace, TV, table tennis, plus 25-cent coffee and cocoa. And it’s just $79 to $199 a night (from $34 for the bunkroom).

The excuse: "I'm accustomed to lodging in style" Solution: Stay at a spot where even die-hard bunnies will beg to tag along A slopeside splurge in Park City. If you have no intention of leaving the hotel, you might as well book at one of the best: Montage opened midmountain at Deer Valley Resort last year, wooing luxury-seeking schussers and dragged-along spouses alike. After your skier glides out the door, you can curl up on the fire-warmed terrace, take in the sweeping Wasatch Front views, and snack on s’mores with homemade marsh­mallows. There’s a heated pool if you do want to be outside; otherwise the spa, whirlpools, and indoor lap pool with piped-in classical music and staffers passing out cups of raspberry sorbet will do just fine. From $845 A special spa in Whistler (pictured). Scandinave Spa, few minutes from Whistler Blackcomb, is ideal for après-ski—or in lieu of skiing. Picture an indoor-outdoor theme park for serious soakers, with steamy hot baths, Finnish sauna and Norwegian steam room, waterfalls, cold plunges, masseuses, and plenty of cozy nooks for cuddling up. At about $62 U.S., it costs less than a lift ticket.

The excuse: "I just can't without my moment of Zen" Solution: High-altitude sun salutations Find Zen atop Aspen Mountain, where a yogi leads sun salutations in the resort’s window-walled Sundeck. Meanwhile, in Breckenridge, guests staying at certain hotels (One Ski Hill Place, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Breckenridge, River Mountain Lodge, and Mountain Thunder Lodge) can drop into the free Altitude Asana classes held Wednesday through Friday at various locations. Stick around to mingle with yogis while sipping on wellness elixirs.

The excuse: "Ski reorts never have swimming pools" Solution: A ski resort with a pool Don’t you dare call it a hot tub: The 85° pool at Alaska’s Alyeska Resort is set under beamed ceilings, surrounded by epic views.

The excuse: "I only travel by RV" Solution: A luxe RV camp BYO rig, and luxe Angel Fire RV Resort provides the clubhouse, hot tub, and weekly wine and cheese tastings. From $55.

The excuse: "Ski-resort amenities are so ho-hum" Solution: Three words: bourbon body scrub Four Seasons Vail dishes up outside-the-box delights, from pocket-size bacon treats to an après whiskey cart. From $450.

The excuse: "The kids will be bored" Solution: Family fun night Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows' take on dinner and a movie stars a four-course meal, killer cocktails, and beanbags for kids. From $59.

The excuse: "I don't want to drive in snow" Solution: Take the train Glide to the slopes without hitting one traffic light on Denver’s resurrected ski train. Plush railcars whisk you to Winter Park from Union Station. From $29 one way. Please note that ski train service has been suspended for the 2020-2021 season. Amtrak hopes to resume service in 2022.

The excuse: "All there ever is to drink is beer" Solution: A resort with a stellar bar program Perched high in the Wasatch, The St. Regis Deer Valley slings elevated cocktails, like the 7452 Mary, a Bloody made with local vodka distilled at 7,000 feet. $$$$.

The excuse: “I can’t handle the altitude” Solution: Go for an oxygen high No more huffin’ and puffin’ your way through your first few days of vacation. Ok, you may still get winded—but check into One Ski Hill Place in Breckenridge and the adjustment will be much smoother. Their Acclimatization Package comes with a 15-minute dose of flavored oxygen (you know, the stuff you don’t get enough of up in the mountains, leading to headaches, nausea, and all-around shoddiness). Sucking up concentrated O2 is said to alleviate altitude sickness symptoms and pump you up with energy. One Ski Hill’s oxygen is infused with teas in flavors like mint, passionfruit, and orange, which makes this more pleasant than your typical oxygen-bar experience. The package covers two people and comes with schwag.

The excuse: “I’m a loyalist, but my resort needs some love” Solution: Baller renovations As more and more high-power deals and mergers happen behind the scenes, you can expect to see spiffy renovations and splashy additions for your favorite hotels. The International Wing at The Lodge at Vail, A RockResort welcomed a multi-million dollar reno in 2017 that polished 21 deluxe rooms, as well as the lobby and all corridors, with new furniture, decor, and A/C. Viceroy Snowmass debuted a $4 million facelift complete with a new restaurant (TORO Latin Kitchen & Bar from chef Richard Sandoval), a better gym, swankier rooms, and a new coffee shop and yoga studio.

The excuse: “We’re overdue for a romantic getaway for two” Solution: Get married on a mountain (Although maybe not so much this year.) The folks at Loveland Ski Area are so aware that the snow is such a strong love agent, that every year the staff holds a big ole’ communal wedding on Valentine’s Day. Seriously. The Mountaintop Matrimony, a tradition for more than 25 years, gathers dozens of adventure-loving couples ready to tie the knot or renew their vows. After the ceremony, couples ski free. Not trying to put a ring on it? You’ll still get a deal here. Beginner skiers get free season passes after completing three classes. Avoid the schlep-fest and rent all gear—and clothes and lift passes—for $145 (less than most resorts’ daily fees). Then go rogue on the Continental Divide with Loveland’s recently debuted (free!) cat skiing. What’s not to love?   This even is unlikely to happen in 2021, but check back in 2022.

The excuse: “Um, aren’t ski resorts bad for the environment?” Solution: Green promises In some ways, the answer to the question above is yes—but no one intends to keep it that way. In 2017, Vail Resorts announced its Epic Promise for a Zero Footprint program within its 14 properties by 2030. Through efforts such as switching to renewable energy, improving recycling systems, and working with industry partners to reduce landfill trash, the initiative aims to reach zero net emissions, zero waste to landfill, and zero net operating impact to forests and habitats within 12 years. Vail Resorts isn’t the only party with sustainability in mind. In 2016, Aspen Snowmass  won a Golden Eagle Award for its abundance of LEED-certified buildings, roster of sustainable practices, and partnership with Protect Our Winters advocacy group. Soda Springs, in California, was also recognized. Its biggest contribution? Making 100% of its snow using recycled water. What’s more, the Park City-based U.S. Ski & Snowboarding Association—the nation’s governing body of Olympic skiing—announced its commitment to support sustainability efforts within the industry in 2017.

The excuse: “I can’t leave my dog” Solution: Stay at a resort that treats your best friend like royalty Resorts are not only becoming more lax about letting the dogs in, but also they now pull out all the stops for furry guests—especially in dog-loving Colorado. Worried about leaving your pup locked in a room all day? The Arrabelle at Vail Square offers plush beds and homemade treats, as well as dog walking services so your pooch won’t even miss you. The Pines Lodge equips guests with maps to dog-friendly hikes—including a killer Fourteener you can tackle together—and a GoPro and dog harness to document your adventures. Come back to the Pupdown Pillow Service with a rawhide bone to reward your buddy’s efforts.

Excuse: “I only want to ski—nothing else” Solution: Check out this badass backcountry wonderland Whisper Ridge Cat Skiing answered the call of single-minded enthusiasts with a lodge that’s dedicated to the backcountry—no lines, no village, no hand holding (unless you want or need it, of course). With its location deep in the Wasatch Mountains, limited supply of lodging (10 luxe yurts with wood-burning hot tubs), and plenty of snow cats to shuttle folks around, you can bet on having more than 70,000 acres (yes, it’s massive) of untracked powder pretty much to yourself. Packages are all-inclusive and come with chef-prepared meals, so you can focus on what really matters.

The excuse: "The resort scene is cool, but I’m allergic to crowds” Solution: Ticket caps Powder Mountain enjoyed a meteoric rise in 2016 when it expanded to become the biggest resort in North America. But the owners don’t want this spot—long known as a relatively untapped gem for serious skiers—to get too big for its britches. Now Powder caps day ticket sales at 1,000 and season passes to 3,000 to keep crowds down 10 percent from what you’ll find at other winter wonderlands. The result: the ideal ratio to have a cool après scene (albeit, a laid-back, indie one) without suffocating.

The excuse: “I’m in Southern California, and all the good resorts are so far!” Solution: Tap into Arizona and New Mexico’s new cool Skiing in the Southwest keeps gets bigger and better as Arizona Snowbowl, known for its beginner-friendly terrain, completes a three-year, $35 million improvement project on its five mountains. Meanwhile, Taos has undergone a $350 million transformation that includes a boutique inn—The Blake at Taos Ski Valley—as well as new runs, skiing schools, and better cell coverage so you can #humblebrag in real time.

The excuse: “I’ve already been skiing a dozen times this season, what else you got?” Solution: Beyond-the-slopes snow adventures Resorts around the West get more creative with their offerings every year. As part of its expanded outdoor school, Colorado Adventure Guides, launched a series of classes that take winter enthusiasts on like-a-local-pro excursions around Breckenridge. Ride where few others do on the backcountry splitboarding trek, summit a Fourteener on the winter peak ascent program, or learn how to save the day on the one-day avalanche rescue course. Guides place special emphasis on conservation, so you learn to take care of the mountains while enjoying them. Park Hyatt Beaver Creek partnered with a guiding company to create an authentic snow cave in the Vail Pass backcountry. Guests ski or snowshoe to the site, where warm drinks, fur blankets, and a roaring fire await. In its venture with gear outfitter Arc'teryx, Exum Mountain Guides in Jackson Hole debuted a three-day backcountry academy in 2018. Ride with top athletes, demo gear, see films, and hear from industry luminaries. In Aspen, The Guided Experience allows guests to skip the lines and tour the mountain with a knowledgeable guide, learning about the history and makeup of the resort town. Diamond Peak, in Colorado, also has Interpretive Ski Tours for those who want to know more about the resort’s past and nature. B.C. joined forces with Boulder Hut Adventures to bring ski touring to Kimberley Alpine Resort. Helicopters pick skiers up from the resort and conveniently shuttle them to 15,000 acres of backcountry terrain. See? You literally have no excuse.