Best Ski Cities
Wanna be relatively close to the slopes, but still enjoy the comfort and convenience of big city life? Well this carefully cultivated list of the best ski cities in America is just up your alley! The following list contains 10 cities that are close enough to the ski slopes to be accessed by a quick drive or shuttle ride. In no particular order, here are 10 of the best ski cities in the good old U.S.A., enjoy! ~Zack Phelan~
Criteria of a ski city
Please don’t confuse this with a list of best “ski towns,” we’re talking cities here. Like with their own major airport, high rise buildings and highways. The criteria for a “ski city” includes:
-Minimum population: 50,000
-Major commercial airport
-At least one ski area within 40 miles
-Additional ski areas within 100 mile radius
Reno, Nevada
Closest ski area
Located just 25 minutes from Reno/Tahoe International Airport is Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, a ski area known as a Reno locals resort and even has a Reno address despite being removed from the city proper. Mt. Rose has 6 chairlifts, 60 runs and 1,200 skiable acres.
Ski areas within 100 miles
Reno boasts 15 ski areas within a 100 mile radius including: Sky Tavern, Mt. Rose, Diamond Peak, Northstar, Palisades, Tahoe Donner, Sugar Bowl, Boreal, Soda Springs, Donner Ski Ranch, Granlibakken, Homewood, Sierra @ Tahoe, Heavenly, and Kirkwood.
Regional mountain Range
Reno, Nevada is situated in the shadow of the Sierra Nevada and it’s city limits stretch well into the foothills and even technically envelope nearby Mt. Rose.
“The Biggest Little City in the World!”
– Reno city slogan
264,165
City population
53″
Annual snow in city
122
Regional Chairlifts
15
Regional Ski Areas
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Santa Fe, New Mexico
Closest ski area
“Ski Bueno” on the local slopes at Ski Santa Fe which is just a quick 35 minute trek up road from the center of the city. Ski Santa Fe has 7 lifts and 88 named runs and is usually open November to April.
Ski areas within 100 miles
Santa Fe has 7 ski areas within a 100 radius including: Taos Ski Valley, Angel Fire, Ski Santa Fe, Pajarito, Sipapu, Red River, and Sandia Peak.
Regional mountain Range
Santa Fe resides next to the Southern tip of the Rocky Mountains, which stretch all the way through the Continental U.S. from Canada.
“The City Different, at every turn.”
– Santa Fe city slogan
87,505
City population
20″
Annual snow in city
43
Regional Chairlifts
7
Regional Ski Areas
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Portland, oregon
Closest ski area
Just a quick 70 minute jaunt up U.S. 26 from downtown Portland lies the largest Night Skiing area in all of North America. Open until 11pm on weekends, Mount Hood Skibowl has 4 chairlifts, 69 runs and 960 acres of skiable terrain.
Ski areas within 100 miles
In addition to Mount Hood Skibowl, only slightly further up the highway on Mount Hood, 4 additional ski areas can be found including: Timberline Lodge, Mount Hood Meadows, Timberline Summit Pass and Cooper Spur.
Regional mountain Range
Portland, Oregon lies just West of the Cascade Range which spans from Canada down to Northern California. Mount Hood is a glacial peak rising to over 11 thousand feet and skiing lasts from November through August.
“The city that works.”
– Portland city slogan
652,503
City population
4″
Annual snow in city
30
Regional Chairlifts
5
Regional Ski Areas
San Bernardino, California
Closest ski area
Most folks don’t often associate SoCal with the ski scene, but the nearby San Bernardino and San Gabriel Mountains offer quite a scenic backdrop to the cities especially when they become snowcapped in the Winter time. Snow Valley is the closest ski resort and lies only 30 miles from the city center. The ski area has 12 lifts servicing 29 runs over 240 skiable acres.
Ski areas within 100 miles
There are a total of 7 SoCal ski areas within 100 miles of San Bernardino including: Snow Valley, Mountain High, Mt. Baldy, Bear Mountain, Snow Summit, Mount Waterman, and the Buckhorn Ski Club.
Regional mountain Range
San Bernardino borders both the San Gabriel Mountain Range to the North, and the San Bernardino Mountain Range to the East.
“City on the move.”
– San Bernardino city slogan
222,101
City population
0″
Annual snow in city
49
Regional Chairlifts
7
Regional Ski Areas
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Anchorage, Alaska
Closest ski area
The Hilltop Ski Area is located within the Municipality of Anchorage in the foothills to the South of the city center. Hilltop has 3 total lifts and 10 ski trails.
Ski areas within 100 miles
Anchorage has 5 ski areas in a 100 mile radius, including Alyeska Resort, Hilltop Ski Area, Arctic Valley, Skeetawk and Hillberg which resides inside of the local Airforce base.
Regional mountain Range
Anchorage sits next to the Cook Inlet in the shadow of the mighty Chugach Range, famous for long Winters and tons of snow!
“Anchorage: Living the Big, Wild Life.”
– Anchorage city slogan
291,247
City population
78″
Annual snow in city
10
Regional Chairlifts
5
Regional Ski Areas
Bozeman, Montana
Closest ski area
Bridger Bowl ski area lies just outside the town of Bozeman, Montana, roughly 16 miles to the Northeast. It boasts 8 chairlifts, 75 named runs and over 2,000 skiable acres and despite its reputation, is very much a locals resort.
Ski areas within 100 miles
Only 51 miles away, nearby Big Sky is one of the most famous ski areas in North America and its neighbor the privately owned and operated Yellowstone Club offers some world class terrain as well.
Regional mountain Range
A sub range of the Rocky Mountains, Bridger Bowl and Bozeman reside in Montana’s Bridger Range.
“The most livable place.”
– Bozeman city slogan
53,293
City population
91″
Annual snow in city
45
Regional Chairlifts
3
Regional Ski Areas
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Flagstaff, Arizona
Closest ski area
Arizona Snowbowl is a large ski area that resides inside of Flagstaff city limits and is a part of the San Francisco Peaks of Northern Arizona. Snowbowl averages over 260″ of snow every Winter and has a ski season spanning from November to May on most years. The resort has 8 total lifts, 55 named runs and 777 skiable acres.
Ski areas within 100 miles
Although closed for the last few seasons due to the pandemic, nearby Elk Ridge Ski Area has been purchased by Arizona Snowbowl and could soon come back to life. This small community ski area offers skiing, snowboarding, tubing and snow play and is about 37 miles West of Flagstaff.
Regional mountain Range
The San Francisco Peaks are a stand alone mountain cluster in Northern Arizona on which the city of Flagstaff resides.
“To protect and enhance the quality of life for all.”
– Flagstaff city slogan
76,831
City population
100″
Annual snow in city
5
Regional Chairlifts
2
Regional Ski Areas
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Spokane, Washington
Closest ski area
The city of Spokane has it’s own mountain of the same name, with a ski area to match. The Mount Spokane Ski & Snowboard Area is a mere 34 miles from the city center and offers 6 chairlifts giving access to 62 runs over 1,700+ skiable acres.
Ski areas within 100 miles
Including Mt. Spokane, there are 4 other ski areas within a 100 mile radius of Spokane including: 49 Degrees North in Washington and Schweitzer, Lookout Pass and Silver Mountain in the neighboring state of Idaho.
Regional mountain Range
Mount Spokane is a part of the Selkirk Mountains located in Eastern Washington.
“Near nature, near perfect.”
– Spokane city slogan
228,989
City population
44″
Annual snow in city
31
Regional Chairlifts
5
Regional Ski Areas
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Salt Lake City, Utah
Closest ski area
One of 4 large ski areas within a short drive of Salt Lake City, Snowbird claims the distinction of the being the closest and is only 34 miles from the city’s airport.
Ski areas within 100 miles
The mecca of the World’s lightest and driest powder, Salt Lake City has 11 ski areas within a 100 mile radius including: Snowbird, Alta, Brighton, Solitude, Park City, Deer Valley, Sundance, Snow Basin, Nordic Valley, Powder Mountain, Cherry Peak and the currently under construction Mayflower Resort will add a 12th resort to the area in the coming seasons.
Regional mountain Range
The mighty Wasatch Range cuts through the heart of Utah and is a Western extension of the Rocky Mountains. Most incoming storms to the region pass over the Great Salt Lake which dries out the snow and creates some of the lightest powder in the World.
“Different by nature.”
– Salt Lake City slogan
200,133
City population
54″
Annual snow in city
109
Regional Chairlifts
11
Regional Ski Areas
Denver, Colorado
Closest ski area
The undisputed King of Ski Cities, Denver, Colorado has ski areas spattered on either side of Interstate 70 all over the Rocky Mountains, but the closest to the city is Echo Mountain which is 36 miles from the city center and has 3 total lifts, 13 runs and 226 skiable acres.
Ski areas within 100 miles
Denver has an impressive 10 ski areas within a 100 mile drive including: Echo Mountain, Winter Park, Eldora, Loveland, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, Breckenridge, Copper Mt, Vail, & Granby Ranch.
Regional mountain Range
The city of Denver marks the end of Great Plains and the beginning of the Rocky Mountains which splay off in 3 directions on the Western edge of city.
“The mile high city.”
– Denver city slogan
715,522
City population
56″
Annual snow in city
114
Regional Chairlifts
10
Regional Ski Areas
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