North America Snowboard Guide
Skiing and snowboarding in Canada and the USA are a must on any winter bucket list. With a variety of ski resorts from the huge Whistler Blackcomb in BC to lesser known Brian Head in Utah, a North American ski trip can suit everybody’s requirements. North America offers some of the best powder skiing in the world, locals who are passionate about their mountain and some epic landscapes. On the East Coast you will find Killington warmly referred to as ‘the Beast of the East’ alongside lots passionate East Coast skiers and snowboarders. Skiing the East coast isn’t always easy and this is reflected in the hardy locals. On the West Coast you will find the incredible Lake Tahoe home to a group of stellar mountains; Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood, and of course Squaw Valley to name a few.
Canada is known for having great snow coupled with big mountain terrain and incredibly scenic resorts. Because of the popularity of skiing and snowboarding in Canada, the resorts tend to spend money updating facilities and infrastructure meaning fast lifts and great base area facilities. The quality of the resorts coupled with the welcoming people and of course… poutine, make Canada an appealing choice for any ski trip.
Whereas the Canadian Resorts may have a more relaxed vibe, it’s fair to say that the USA tends to think that bigger is better. With a number of resorts offering masses of terrain, think; Mammoth, Killington and Park City, there is a whole load of choice when it comes to a US ski trip. Although a contentious subject, the introduction of Epic and Ikon passes in the USA has made it easier for skiers and snowboarders to visit more resorts on a budget. When you combine great resorts with a large annual snowfall you are onto a winner. Although with Deer Valley, Alta and Mad River Glen still refusing access to snowboarders there are some resorts a little behind the times.
MULTI RESORT LIFT PASSES
There are two main options in the USA and Canada for multi-resort ski passes; Epic Pass and Ikon Pass. Other multi-resort passes such as Mountain Collective do exist and may suit your needs, but tend not to offer the mass amounts of unlimited snowboarding I would look for in a season pass. The Epic Pass is owned by Vail Resorts and if you are a Vail local makes perfect sense, as you will pay for your season pass with just 4 days of skiing or snowboarding. For me it made perfect sense as well. In the 2019/2020 season I will use my Epic Pass in France, Italy, USA, Japan and hopefully Australia, which shows the versatility of this pass.
I considered the Ikon Pass which is also a great shout if you solely intend to ride in the USA and Canada but offered less options for skiing in other parts of the world on an unlimited basis, although it does offer 7 days with NZ Ski at Coronet Peak, The Remarkables and Mt Hutt… you can read more about those resorts here.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A NORTH AMERICAN SKI TRIP
If a multi-resort pass isn’t an option for you then a trip to Canada will be easier on your wallet than the US, which has quite high lift pass prices. Both a Canadian and American ski trip may feel a little different from a European perspective with less on snow accommodation in favour of ski towns a short distance from the slopes. This can actually feel like a better environment with ski towns being more functional than the European ski-in ski-out villages. A major benefit of the ski town experience is the access to a range of other activities such as; curling, cinema’s, ice rinks, etc.
EXPLORE BY COUNTRY
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How many ski resorts are in North America?
This article lists 817 ski resorts in North America which should be enough choice to keep most people happy! Not only is there a great amount of ski resorts in North America but also a great diversity of ski resorts. With local run ski resorts like Mt Bohemia and large corporate resorts like Vail you can choose ski resorts not only based on terrain and ability but also somewhat on beliefs!
What is the largest ski resort in North America?
There are a number of huge ski resorts on the North American continent but the biggest is still Whistler Blackcomb in Canadas British Columbia. Whistler is not just a massive ski area but a year round resort that is worth visiting at all times of year. Whistler offers skiing in both the winter and in the summer with access to the Whistler glacier possible during the summer months. Other notable large North American ski resorts are Park City in Utah and Big Ski in Montana that have 7,300acres and 5,800acres of terrain respectively. Although Whistler is the largest ski resort in Canada at 8,171acres the second largest is nearly half the size with Sun Peaks, BC having 4,270acres of terrain across three mountains.
What ski resort gets the most snow in America?
Not only do the ski resorts in North America receive large amounts of snowfall, in some areas it is up there with the best in the world. The most snow recorded falls at Mt Baker in Washington where they record season averages of 16.5m, which is more than Tsugaike Kogen in Hakuba! The snow quality can vary a lot across North America with the coastal resort of Whistler having sometimes wetter heavier snow with British Columbias interior resorts like Whitewater having a dry light powder snow. Other notable resorts that receive large snowfalls are; Snowbird 13m, Kirkwood 12m, and Mt Hood Meadows 11.5m.