Epic Pass

Observations From Northstar’s Opening Day

Our ranker-in-chief Sam stopped by Northstar on its opening day. Here, he shares some thoughts on the experience.

Keystone Opens Today After Receiving Last Minute State Approval, Fills First Week-Of Reservations

As many expected, Colorado’s Keystone Resort opened for the 2020-21 season today. As of the end of November 6, all reservations for the upcoming week are completely booked.

Arapahoe Basin Abruptly Opens for the Season Today

Early this afternoon, Arapahoe Basin announced its 2020-21 season opening via tweet. The resort’s Black Mountain Express, which will only service the High Noon trail, will be open until 4:30pm today for Season, Any Day, and Ikon Passholders.

Breckenridge Opening Tomorrow, November 13; Opening Week Completely Booked

Breckenridge is set to open for the 2020-21 season tomorrow, November 13, following in the footsteps of several other nearby Front Range resorts. All reservations for the upcoming week are completely booked, but nearby Keystone still has some open spots.

Video Review: Heavenly

An in-depth video review of Lake Tahoe’s Heavenly ski resort, located in South Lake Tahoe, CA and Stateline, NV.

Epic or Ikon: Which Should You Choose?

Today is the last day to buy an Epic Pass before prices go up for the third, and likely final, time tomorrow. In this piece, we’ll aim to shed light on the differences between Ikon and Epic—and whether either is worth getting during these uncertain times.

Wildcat

One of the tallest, most stunning ski resorts in New Hampshire is held back by a modest footprint size and significant wind exposure.

Attitash

This New Hampshire resort offers pleasant terrain and fast lifts, but it doesn’t especially stand out when it comes to the overall experience.

Mount Snow

This popular resort delivers a lot for southern Vermont but struggles to handle crowds in some areas.

Okemo

This family-friendly mountain boasts modern lifts and a wide variety of groomers, but expert terrain is lacking. Crowding has gotten worse in recent seasons.

Stevens Pass

Despite limited parking and a short vertical drop, this modestly-sized Washington ski area punches above its weight thanks to generous accumulation and demanding terrain. Clear skies are rare due to perennial fog.

Fernie

It’s hard not to love this remote Canadian resort on a good day, but a combination of variable weather, wide-ranging logistical shortcomings, and outdated infrastructure put it at a major disadvantage compared to its cutthroat Rockies competition.

Breckenridge

This high-elevation resort offers diverse terrain, including conveniently accessible alpine bowls. However, the altitude and navigation logistics will be overwhelming for some.

Stowe

Despite a few logistical flaws, this classic Vermont resort holds its own against the best on the East Coast.

Northstar

This family-friendly resort offers excellent grooming and a top-tier terrain park, but expert and above-treeline terrain is lacking.

Kirkwood

This relatively undeveloped mountain isn’t for everyone, but its striking aesthetic, local feel, and extreme terrain are tough to match.

Heavenly

This Lake Tahoe area offers some of the most beautiful slopes we’ve seen anywhere. A few logistical problems diminish the resort’s size advantage.

Crested Butte

This striking Colorado resort is an expert’s paradise. Reasonable ticket prices counterbalance limited terrain offerings for other demographics.

Park City

This uniquely expansive resort offers diverse terrain and a world-class freestyle setup. Despite recent improvements, navigation logistics are still a major sore point.

Kicking Horse

It may not be as tough or striking as the best in the Canadian Rockies, but this British Columbia resort still has a lot to offer.

Keystone

This Colorado resort offers unique, enjoyable slopes and finally boasts lift-serviced high-alpine bowls, but it still falls somewhat short in its lift-served footprint size and expert terrain.

Telluride

Despite its modest size and reputation for extreme terrain, this beautiful, remote resort delivers an experience that can be enjoyed by everyone.

Beaver Creek

Despite its family-centric reputation and lack of above-treeline terrain, Beaver Creek delivers an experience that visitors of all ability levels will enjoy. Just don’t expect anything to be cheap.

Vail

With expansive, diverse terrain and modern lifts, this top-of-the-line resort competes well with the best in the country.

Whistler Blackcomb

Despite somewhat variable snow conditions, this massive resort delivers one of the most well-rounded experiences we’ve seen anywhere.