Hot damn. There’s nothing like a list of “Top Ski Resorts” to get the blood pumping early on a Monday morning. Ski media outlets just love making lists, including us here at Unofficial, and people love debating the results.
Is there truly an objective way to determine which ski resorts are better than others? Definitely not, but it’s sure fun as hell to debate them with other skiers and snowboarders. This is what the internet was made for, right?
Here are Ski Magazine’s Readers Top 10 Ski Resorts in the East and West, as voted by Ski Mag readers. I’ll provide a little commentary at the end of each list on my super-important-must-read thoughts on the matter.
Ski Mag’s Top-Ranked Ski Resorts In The East 2021
1. Smugglers’ Notch, VT
2. Tremblant, QB
3. Mad River Glen, VT
4. Killington, VT
5. Whiteface Mountain, NY
6. Holiday Valley, NY
7. Bretton Woods, NH
8. Sugarbush, VT
9. Wachusett Mountain, MA
10. Sunday River, ME
My Thoughts: Hell yeah. Smuggs takes the top of the list for Eastern resorts and I couldn’t agree more. I’m most definitely biased as hell, but I don’t really think that’s a secret at this point. I grew up going to Smuggs every year, and I really do believe it provides one of the best skiing experiences no matter your age, ability, or preferences.
I also love that Mad River Glen cracked the Top 5. MRG definitely isn’t a “resort” by any stretch of the definition, but that mountain should be renamed ‘Rad River Glen’ because it’s undeniably awesome. Sorry snowboarders.
Only complaints I have is that Jay Peak, Saddleback, and Cannon were snubbed from this list. Jay’s snowfall and terrain are badass. Saddleback’s Casablanca glades alone should land them on this list, and how can you make a list of top ski resorts in the East without Cannon? That place is downright legendary. Feels like a big miss by the readers of Ski Mag. Oh well!
Ski Mag’s Top-Ranked Ski Resorts In The West 2021
1. Sun Valley, ID
2. Deer Valley, UT
3. Whitefish Mountain Resort, MT
4. Taos Ski Valley, NM
5. Aspen Snowmass, CO
6. Telluride Ski Resort, CO
7. Whistler Blackcomb, BC
8. Steamboat, CO
9. Beaver Creek, CO
10. Crested Butte, CO
My Thoughts: Hmmm…. where do I begin with this list… Looks like the ‘Valleys’ had a great showing, and I couldn’t help but notice the overwhelming number of resorts from Colorado.
I know this list is completely subjective, but it feels like the Western resorts list is definitely skewed towards luxury rather than skiing experience. Don’t get me wrong, Sun Valley and Deer Valley are awesome places to go skiing, but I don’t think they would take #1 and #2 on my personal list.
Seems like Whitefish is the only resort that cracked the list that wouldn’t be considered a ‘luxury’ resort. All of the other resorts are known for having fancy lodging options and expensive lift tickets.
Alta, Snowbird, Powder Mountain, Snowbasin, Brighton, Arapahoe Basin, Mt. Baker, and Mammoth all seem like snubs in my book. I also can’t believe that not a single resort from the Lake Tahoe area cracked this list. Odd. Must have something to do with Ski Mag’s reader’s demographics.
What are your thoughts on these lists, and who would be in your Top 10 Ski Resorts In The East and West?
Here’s my ‘Unofficial’ picks below: