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Ask anyone what a ski trip costs and you will usually get a groan. Lift tickets at the famous resorts keep climbing, and by the time you add lodging, food and rentals, a long weekend can easily turn into a month of payments. The good news is that some of the best snow in North America falls at places most people have never heard of, and a day on the mountain there often costs a fraction of what the big names charge.
These are ten that are worth the drive.
1. Lost Trail Powder Mountain, Montana and Idaho
Sitting right on the state line, Lost Trail is a small, old school ski area with a big reputation for powder. It gets roughly 300 inches in a good year, there are almost no lines, and the vibe is more local hangout than resort. There is no fancy village, just a lodge, a few lifts and lots of untouched snow. Day tickets are some of the cheapest you will find for terrain this good.
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2. Bridger Bowl, Montana
Just outside Bozeman, Bridger Bowl is run as a nonprofit, which is one of the reasons the prices stay low. The terrain is steep and serious, with a famous ridge that you can hike to with a beacon and the right gear, and the snow is light and dry. It is a favorite with locals who could afford to ski anywhere and choose to ski here.
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3. Monarch Mountain, Colorado
Colorado has a reputation for expensive skiing, and Monarch is the exception. It sits on the Continental Divide, gets around 350 inches a year, and does not have a fancy base area or crowds. If you want a bit more adventure, the snowcat skiing is available at a much lower price than at most places. Salida, a laid back mountain town, is a short drive away and is a great place to stay.
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4. Wolf Creek, Colorado
This one regularly gets more snow than any other resort in Colorado, often above 400 inches a season. It is also family run, cash friendly and almost completely free of the glitz you find at other places. There is no slopeside town and not much going on after dark, so come for the skiing and sleep in nearby Pagosa Springs.
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5. Loveland, Colorado
Loveland is the cheat code for skiing near Denver. It is about an hour from the city, high enough to get early season snow, and tickets cost much less than the big resorts along the same highway. It is not fancy, but it is open early, stays open late and has a great mix of terrain.
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6. Brundage Mountain, Idaho
Brundage sits above the town of McCall and is known for dry powder and great views over a frozen lake and mountain ranges. It is a rare combination of a quiet mountain, reasonable prices and well groomed runs, and the small town below has plenty of cozy places to eat and stay. Families love it, and so do people who just want skiing without the circus.
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7. Mt. Baker, Washington
Mt. Baker holds the world record for the most snowfall in a single season, and that tells you everything you need to know. It is remote, a little rough around the edges, and has no on-mountain lodging, which keeps both crowds and prices down. You come here for deep snow, and you will find it.
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8. Beaver Mountain, Utah
Utah is famous for its snow and equally famous for its prices, but Beaver Mountain proves you can do it on a budget. Family owned since the 1930s and located near Logan, it gets around 400 inches of snow a year and has none of the traffic you find at the resorts near Salt Lake City. It feels like skiing used to feel.
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9. Whitewater, British Columbia
Canada has plenty of famous names, but Whitewater near Nelson is the one the locals quietly love. It is known for incredibly deep, dry powder, with something like 40 feet of snow in an average winter, and a friendly, low key atmosphere. There are only a few lifts and a simple lodge, which is exactly why it works. Nelson itself is a charming little town with great coffee and cheap places to stay.
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10. Marmot Basin, Alberta
Marmot Basin sits in Jasper National Park, and the surroundings are unreal, with elk wandering through town and huge peaks in every direction. It is cheaper than the better known resorts in Banff, much quieter, and has plenty of terrain for all levels. If you want a Canadian Rockies trip without the Banff price tag, this is the place.
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A few ways to save even more
Tickets bought in advance online are almost always cheaper than at the window, sometimes by a lot. Weekdays are cheaper and quieter than weekends, and many small resorts run midweek deals. If you ski more than a few days, look at multi day tickets or regional passes, which can bring the daily price down a lot.
Lodging is where the real savings happen. Stay in the nearby town instead of at the base, rent a place with a kitchen, and pack your own lunch for the mountain. At small resorts the food is usually cheap anyway, but it is still one of the easiest ways to cut costs.
One last thing worth remembering: the best snow is not always at the resort with the biggest name. Some of these mountains get more powder than places that charge three times as much, and you will spend more time skiing and less time waiting in line. Pick one, book it early, and you might end up wondering why you ever paid more.