Skiing is a sport of evolving and myriad choices. Back in its early days, decisions were geographically limited. People skied more locally and took whatever conditions the resorts and Ullr the snow god would give them.
Skiing in the 2020s, however, has provided an entirely new set of goggles to scan the global terrain. Even five years ago, skiing in Japan or Chile seemed reserved for bucket lists. Now, in the era of megapasses, such locations feel as accessible as Killington or Park City. When Vail launched Epic in 2008, granting access to Tahoe’s Heavenly and five Colorado resorts, it detonated a seismic shift in the ski industry. Today, Epic’s global network spans more than 80 resorts. Its chief competitor, Alterra’s Ikon Pass, provides access to more than 50 resorts across every continent except Africa and Antarctica.
We’ve rounded up some Epic and Ikon recommendations for this winter’s skiing — and a couple of options outside those bounds.
Utah’s Alta and Snowbird
It’s hard to dispute Utah’s claim of “the greatest snow on earth.” Alta shattered its snowfall record by over 12.5 feet during the 2022-23 season, piling up 903 inches of fluffy powder. Last year, it tallied the second-highest snow total in North America with 643 inches (only Alaska’s Alyeska topped it). Alta and its Little Cottonwood Canyon neighbor, Snowbird, benefit from frequent storms that deposit most of their Pacific moisture in the Sierras before continuing over the Great Basin and Salt Lake, drying and cooling en route. When the snow hits the Wasatch Mountains, it falls in six-pronged “dendrite” flakes, which stack up against each other rather than clumping together—creating amazing float.
But it’s the terrain that sets both Alta (open to skiers only) and Snowbird (where snowboarders are also welcome) in a tier of their own. Both areas offer plenty of beginner terrain and intermediate groomers, but the expert-level chutes, couloirs, bowls and trees are these mountains’ true calling cards. Check out Devil’s Castle and Catherine’s Area at Alta or the Cirque and Mineral Basin (especially in the morning) at the Bird.
Purists can argue the merits of each resort, but since they share the Ikon pass and are interconnected through a few different gates, you should hit them both. Luxuriate afterward at either of the Forbes Travel Guide Recommended resorts: Snowpine Lodge, “Alta’s first luxury hotel,” and The Cliff Lodge at Snowbird.
Jackson Hole and Big Sky
Jackson Hole and Big Sky offer breathtaking scenery and extremely demanding terrain — and Ikon accesses the lifts and trams at both. Set in Wyoming’s jagged Tetons, Jackson is beautiful, featuring some of the most spectacular views in North America. Corbet’s Couloir, with its mandatory drop-in and average pitch of 40 degrees, is probably the most legendary run on the continent, a rite of passage for expert and extreme skiers and boarders. Like Ikon’s flagship town of Aspen, posh digs abound in Jackson, including the Five-Star Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole, the Four-Star Amangani and the Four-Star Hotel Jackson.
About four hours north, on the other side of Yellowstone, Big Sky Resort has evolved from fewer than 20 trails and four lifts in 1973 to more than 300 and 38, respectively, today. In December 2023, Big Sky, the largest resort in Montana (and one of the largest in the U.S.), unveiled its newly upgraded Lone Peak Tram, with each car whisking 75 passengers uphill at 22 miles per hour. Frequent skiers laud Big Sky’s variety of terrain — with bowls, chutes, cliffs and groomers — and its size and pitch. Everything feels bigger and steeper. It’s still an authentic experience, even if it has become more commercialized. When you go, check out the Five-Star Montage Big Sky and its in-house adventure outfit, Compass Sports.
Jay Peak Resort
While western resorts claim much of North America’s ski glory, Epic and Ikon have also teamed up with beloved resorts in New England, such as Stowe, Sugarbush and Sugarloaf. But for the best powder on the right coast, you’ll need to ditch those passes and head to Jay Peak Resort — about four miles south of the Canadian border, in Vermont. Much of the mountain’s magic depends upon the legendary “Jay Cloud” that seems to deposit snow only on this peak. “We get the most snow in eastern North America, and there are reasons both real and mythical and really mythical that drive it,” resort general manager Steve Wright says. “Maybe we leave it at that and agree that we can always use a little more mystery in our lives.”
Because of its open-woods policy, allowing skiers to poach whatever pow they can find, Jay earns frequent accolades for the “best trees in the East.” “What sets our glades apart is they’re approachable for multiple levels of skier/rider,” Wright says. “Most Eastern tree runs have limited options the further down you drop on the competency scale; we have plenty for everyone here.”
Niseko and Rusutsu
As Japan’s ski scene has transformed from the stuff of wild powder dreams to a sneaky value (a trip to Hokkaido can be less expensive than one to Colorado for many American travelers), the Niseko area — with four ski resorts on Ikon — has emerged as the epicenter of winter fun. And luxury brands have taken notice, with The Ritz-Carlton and Aman resorts on the horizon. Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono opened in 2020, joining Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Suiboku Hirafu and The Vale Niseko.
Just 13 miles east of Niseko, Rusutsu (on Epic) offers a big mountain experience with fewer crowds. It’s also renowned for its heavy snowfalls and light powder, boasting some of the most legendary conditions in the world. Rusutsu is a southerly facing resort, sheltered from the wind, and due to its proximity to the Pacific, the area enjoys many sunny days.
Bella Coola Heli Sports, British Columbia
While both Epic and Ikon present more menu options than a snow cone shop, you’ll need to take to the air if you want to explore the final frontier. Bella Coola Heli Sports, headquartered a short flight north of Vancouver, is considered one of the world’s best heli-ski operators.
Javier Munoz Santos has been guiding for Bella Coola full-time for four years in what he calls “the mecca of heli-skiing.” With access to 3.5 million acres (think: the entire Swiss Alps), he says, “You can ski very remote slopes, mountains where no one has skied before.” Unlike some companies that revisit the same bowl (or “farm” the hills), “Bella Coola will ski one mountain, then pick you up and fly to a new one.” In other words, fresh tracks, literally for days.
Because Bella Coola’s permitted territory is so vast, guides have more options in terms of snow conditions, too. “We can choose between climates,” Munoz Santos says. “One of the benefits of coastal snowpack is we can ski steeps more safely. But if the snow gets too wet, we can fly inland to the dryer continental mountains. If the weather is bad, we can ski down to a fjord and have lunch by the river. Sometimes I think, ‘How am I just here in the middle of the world, having lunch?’”
While skiing with Bella Coola is amazing all season, springtime is special. “I love April,” he says. “Avalanche conditions are better. We’ll ski blower pow in the morning, then head down to a river. These are magic, long days.”
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