Best

Peaks Overall

The rank-order of West Coast ski resorts we’ve been to based on overall mountain experience.

#1 of 20 West Coast

Whistler, BC

MOUNTAIN SCORE

    +   Pros

Size
Diverse terrain for all ability levels
Extremely demanding expert runs
Lift infrastructure
One-of-a-kind aesthetic

    –   Cons

Relatively variable conditions, especially in lower mountain areas
Crowd flow during peak times

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

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#2 of 20 West Coast

Mammoth Lakes, CA

MOUNTAIN SCORE

    +   Pros

Substantial footprint
Diverse variety of terrain
World-class terrain park setup
Breathtaking rock-lined landscapes
Phenomenal spring-skiing experience

    –   Cons

Variable weather patterns resulting in inconsistent conditions
Poorly-designed on-mountain signage
Lift chokepoints at some junctions

This massive resort offers a highly competitive experience only hours from Southern California, although variable weather patterns may not make it the best place to fly to.

See our review →

#3 of 20 West Coast

Olympic Valley, CA

MOUNTAIN SCORE

    +   Pros

Wide variety of demanding expert terrain
Unique topography
Lively base village
Top-notch spring skiing experience
Large overall footprint

    –   Cons

Wind exposure, especially on beginner and low-intermediate terrain
Serious congestion issues in some areas
Variable openings for lower-elevation expert terrain
Impractical lift link between Palisades and Alpine sides
Considerable access road traffic on weekends and holidays

Two of Tahoe’s best ski areas have now been linked as one continuous lift-served destination, but the resort still functions as two separate mountains in many ways.

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#4 of 20 West Coast

Bend, OR

MOUNTAIN SCORE

    +   Pros

One-of-a-kind 360-degree footprint
Substantial acreage
High-speed lift service across all areas
Distinctive freestyle experience
Easy to get between front-facing mountain areas
Proximity to town of Bend

    –   Cons

Extremely inconsistent openings for upper mountain, backside, and expert terrain
No on-site lodging
Variable conditions across different mountain areas
Arduous hikes or runouts from backside terrain
So-so facilities
Annual snow totals have decreased considerably in recent years

Inconsistent openings for its most unique terrain seriously hurt this massive Oregon resort’s practicality as a destination ski area.

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#5 of 20 West Coast

South Lake Tahoe, CA

MOUNTAIN SCORE

    +   Pros

One-of-a-kind mountain aesthetic
Diverse terrain, including an abundance of glades and intermediate groomers
Ample mountain facilities
Size

    –   Cons

Frustrating navigation logistics
Long, painfully slow lifts in some areas
Lackluster beginner terrain
Difficult egress from some expert terrain

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.

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#6 of 20 West Coast

Kirkwood, CA

MOUNTAIN SCORE

    +   Pros

One-of-a-kind extreme terrain
Local feel
Breathtaking mountain aesthetic
Low crowds
Snow quality for Lake Tahoe

    –   Cons

Slow lifts in most areas
Serious wind exposure that leads to regular wind holds
Many resort areas inaccessible for beginners and intermediates
Limited on-mountain facilities
Subpar resort signage

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

See our review →

#7 of 20 West Coast

Crystal Mountain, WA

MOUNTAIN SCORE

    +   Pros

Remarkable annual snowfall
Wide variety of demanding expert terrain
Available on-site lodging
Sizable footprint for Washington state
Striking surrounding scenery

    –   Cons

Wet, inconsistent snow
Poorly designed crowd flow logistics
Low-visibility conditions throughout winter months
Hiking required to reach several expert areas
Limited or impractical on-mountain facilities in some areas

Despite some notable lift capacity shortcomings, this decently-sized resort offers one of the most well-rounded experiences in Washington state.

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#8 of 20 West Coast

Twin Bridges, CA

MOUNTAIN SCORE

    +   Pros

Top-notch tree terrain
Excellent freestyle experience
Local feel

    –   Cons

No on-site lodging
Expert terrain is unpatrolled and subject to particularly variable openings

While it can’t boast the same crazy lake views, striking terrain, or expansive base village as some other Tahoe areas, this moderately-sized resort offers reasonable prices and a local feel.

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#9 of 20 West Coast

Deming, WA

MOUNTAIN SCORE

    +   Pros

Top-tier snowfall
Remote, local feel
Extraordinary surrounding scenery
Truly demanding in-bounds terrain
Easy sidecountry access

    –   Cons

Very limited groomed terrain

No lodging within 30 miles of the area

Heavier powder than some other resorts

Somewhat variable early-season conditions

Terrain, lifts, and base facilities partially closed on weekdays

Overcast skies most days

While it doesn’t even try to offer a true resort experience, this remote Washington area receives truly astounding snowfall totals each season and offers some of the most extreme terrain in the state.

See our review →

#10 of 20 West Coast

Northstar

Truckee, CA

MOUNTAIN SCORE

    +   Pros

Top-tier terrain park experience
Excellent grooming operations
Lift infrastructure
Ease of navigation

    –   Cons

Merely ordinary terrain diversity
No expert or above-treeline slopes
Variable glade terrain openings
Commercialized, moneyed feel

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

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#11 of 20 West Coast

Sugar Bowl

Norden, CA

MOUNTAIN SCORE

    +   Pros

Terrain for all ability levels
Extremely demanding expert footprint
Unique, rock-formed landscapes
Snow quality for Tahoe
Vintage gondola

    –   Cons

Short vertical drop
Modest footprint
Flat runouts in some areas
Some expert terrain almost never open

This California resort can’t match the acreage and vertical drop of competing Tahoe mountains, but it stands out with trails for all ability levels and an extremely demanding expert footprint.

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#12 of 20 West Coast

Mount Rose

Reno, NV

MOUNTAIN SCORE

    +   Pros

High-quality snow
Unique glade terrain
Demanding Chutes expert terrain
Views of Reno

    –   Cons

Horrendous wind exposure, leading to lift shutdowns and scoured slopes
Modest footprint
Limited lake views
Variable openings for Chutes expert area

Despite its high elevation, a number of shortcomings detract from this Nevada mountain’s appeal as a destination resort.

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#13 of 20 West Coast

Mount Hood Meadows

Mt Hood, OR

MOUNTAIN SCORE

    +   Pros

Unique high-alpine terrain for all ability levels
High-speed lift service
Progressive freestyle setup
Extremely challenging expert footprint
Striking mountain vistas
Available night skiing

    –   Cons

Windswept, icy conditions at times
Extremely inconsistent openings for high-alpine terrain
Large crowds, especially when high-alpine areas are closed
Extensive hiking required to reach some terrain
Arduous catwalk out of expert Private Reserve area

Mount Hood’s largest ski resort boasts diverse terrain and a reasonably large footprint. High-alpine areas are subject to extremely variable openings.

See our review →

#14 of 20 West Coast

Stevens Pass

Skykomish, WA

MOUNTAIN SCORE

    +   Pros

Generous snow accumulation
Diverse advanced and expert terrain
Competitive terrain park experience
Available night skiing
Local feel

    –   Cons

Perennial foggy, low-visibility conditions
No on-site lodging
Limited parking and inconvenient overflow lots
Short vertical drop
Very little beginner terrain
Limited on-mountain facilities outside base area

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.

See our review →

#15 of 20 West Coast

Timberline Lodge

Government Camp, OR

MOUNTAIN SCORE

    +   Pros

Year-round ski season
World-class terrain parks
Distinctive high-alpine snowfields
Rustic, historic lodge
High-speed lifts
Available night skiing

    –   Cons

Resort never spins 100% of lifts, with high-alpine areas closed during the winter and lower elevations closed during summer
Inconsistent conditions during winter months
Very little true advanced and expert terrain
Lift logistics that result in chokepoints and long lines

North America’s only four-season outdoor ski resort provides a one-of-a-kind summer experience but fails to stand out during the core winter season.

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#16 of 20 West Coast

Diamond Peak

Incline Village, NV

MOUNTAIN SCORE

    +   Pros

Excellent lake views
Superb grooming operations
Lack of crowds
Impressive freestyle terrain
Unique off-piste glade areas

    –   Cons

Small, exceptionally narrow footprint
Slow lifts in many areas
Somewhat limited on-mountain facilities
Variable conditions, especially in glade terrain
Day ticket prices

This Tahoe mountain will impress many visitors with breathtaking lake views, but its terrain and amenities are no match for the area’s better-known destination resorts.

See our review →

#17 of 20 West Coast

Homewood

Homewood, CA

MOUNTAIN SCORE

    +   Pros

One-of-a-kind mountain aesthetic, including astonishing lake views
Excellent glade terrain
Extraordinary accumulation in good seasons
Low wind exposure compared to other Tahoe resorts

    –   Cons

Inadequate resiliency measures for bad seasons
No direct lift operations in some areas on weekdays
Slow lifts, some of which don’t have safety bars, in many areas
Very limited on-mountain facilities
Frustrating traverses to get to or from many trails

While this Tahoe hill can’t hold its own overall against the destination resorts, it boasts an astonishing, one-of-a-kind mountain aesthetic.

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#18 of 20 West Coast

Alpental

Snoqualmie Pass, WA

MOUNTAIN SCORE

    +   Pros

High annual snowfall
Convenient location from Seattle
Incredible advanced and expert terrain
Striking on-mountain scenery
Limited lower-mountain night-skiing

    –   Cons

Small footprint
Extremely limited beginner and intermediate terrain
No lift redundancies, leading to horrendous weekend and holiday crowds
Limited, capacity-constrained facilities
Wet, inconsistent snow quality
Perennial fog during peak winter months

This small resort offers incredible advanced and expert terrain close to Seattle. However, weekend crowds are a major problem.

See our review →

#19 of 20 West Coast

Mount Hood Skibowl

Government Camp, OR

MOUNTAIN SCORE

    +   Pros

Local feel
Low crowds
Extensive night-skiing footprint
Advanced bowl terrain
Beginner terrain off every lift

    –   Cons

Ancient, difficult-to-load chairlifts
No daytime operations on weekdays
Limited acreage and vertical drop
Lower-quality snow than higher-elevation Hood resorts
Variable openings for expert Outback area

This small, no-frills mountain offers less crowded slopes and extensive night skiing close to Portland.

See our review →

#20 of 20 West Coast

Summit at Snoqualmie

Snoqualmie Pass, WA

MOUNTAIN SCORE

    +   Pros

High annual snowfall
Convenient location from Seattle
Extensive selection of bunny hills
Available night skiing

    –   Cons

Wet, heavy snow
Meager vertical drop
Slow lifts with no safety bars in many areas
I-90 highway background noise
Summit East closed on weekdays

Really more of a large hill than a mountain, this area offers a solid learning environment for Seattle-area residents. Destination-goers should look elsewhere.

See our review →