Industry News
Each year, ski resorts are becoming more and more crowded. Although there may not be one exact reason ski resorts are becoming overcrowded, contributing factors may include the rise of multi-mountain season pass popularity, the increase in outdoor activities due to COVID-19, and the wish for a winter wonderland escape away from one’s bustling city. With crowds come increased lift line wait times, traffic to/from resorts, prices/availability on housing accommodations, and full parking lots. Do not fear; there are still plenty of resorts aiming to reduce overcrowded slopes.
Commonalities amongst these resorts include limiting tickets/passes, daily reservation systems, a remote location (not near a major airport), and little to no mainstream accommodations. If you’re looking to take a less crowded approach to skiing and snowboarding, research resorts off the beaten path—you won’t be disappointed.
Mad River Glen, Vermont: Mad River Glen is an hour from Burlington, Vermont, and is America’s only cooperatively owned ski resort. The co-op’s goal is to preserve the experience rather than modernize it. It is a ski only-resort, and the majority of the terrain is for intermediate and advanced skiers.
Mount Bohemia, Michigan: Located on the upper peninsula of Michigan, Mount Bohemia is known for its extreme skiing. Primarily a backcountry resort, it has only two lifts but four buses that run along the backcountry routes to pick up skiers/riders. It’s opened Voodoo Mountain, which is accessible only for cat skiing, and hopes to expand to offer more than 2,000 acres of terrain.
Powder Mountain, Utah: Only a little over an hour from Salt Lake City sits Powder Mountain. It has the most skiable acres of any ski resort in the U.S., coming in with 8,464 skiable acres. The resort limits the amount of daily lift tickets and season passes available for purchase as well as a reservation system for those with Ski Utah Passports, Yeti Passes, and Indy Passes. No wonder they have named themselves “Uncrowded by Design!”
Grand Targhee, Wyoming: Grand Targhee is the neighbor of Jackson Hole, just on the other side of the Teton Mountain Range. It is a bit more remote than its neighbor (a little over an hour from the Jackson Hole airport) and has less advanced terrain, which helps it stay way less crowded. And they average 500 inches of snow every year!
Whitefish Mountain Resort, Montana: For over 76 seasons, Whitefish Mountain Resort has provided skiers and snowboarders a place to escape the crowds in a beautiful mountain atmosphere. It is accessible by Amtrak (from Seattle and Minneapolis directions) and Glacier Park International Airport (serviced by direct flights from airports like Denver, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, and Las Vegas). It offers over 3,000 skiable acres and 11+ lifts.
Honorary mentions are Crested Butte and Sun Valley—they are a part of Epic Pass and Ikon Pass groups but are still known to be less crowded. Crested Butte is located in Colorado, roughly four hours from Denver. Its extreme terrain, remote location, and little mainstream lodging options keep the crowds down. Even though Sun Valley has an uphill lift capacity for 21,580 skiers/hour, they only average around 3500 skiers per day. It offers access to two mountains, and since one is more beginner terrain-focused, it allows skiers to spread out.
Hoping more resorts across the U.S. follow suit and aim to take the less crowded approach in 2024 and beyond. Let us know how other ski resorts are helping buffer crowds.
