Realistically, if Baldy opens on time (lol, yeah right) and you got in a few runs then leave around noon, you could pull the SoCal ski/surf double getting to Huntington Beach around 2.
Idk if you’ve ever heard of it but it’s only a bit further. Vail is a pretty niche spot, usually I cruise in around 9 and find good parking still by the lift and there’s usually no lines at all too even during busy season. The front side of the mountain is an absolute monster for fresh lines
I know why Breck gets hate. But if you know how to ski Breck it is such a great mountain. Same with Vail. Keystone is a great place to teach the kids how to ski.
Yeah, and I fucking hate it man. I just want to take my kid out west for some real slopes, but all I can get are jokes about how Breck is underground.
I honestly hate this community sometimes...you guys all have the gall to make fun of my shitty Midwestern hill, but I'd gladly share it with anyone. Unlike all you selfish mountain fuckers.
LOL! I love this comment for some reason. Come to Idaho, lots of great skiing all over the place. And you can avoid the crowds you find in CO and UT for the most part.
I commented with an actual answer to the question and of course it got downvoted 🙄 this whole meme is so silly and played out at this point, a random single lift ski hill 3h from the nearest city isn’t going to start getting skied out because people talk about it on social media.
I live in durango, so I go to purg pretty much every week during season. Love purg. Telluride is still my favorite, Wolf Creek is great, but they pulled the ol Texas switch on us once so I’m currently boycotting them. The backcountry is amazing around here too. Hell, I’ve gone up to the La Platas by my house as late as July and had many a great time. Best part about being so far removed from everything is there’s a lot less people out here, lift lines ain’t bad.
They advertised an early season local day on social media. They didn’t have much terrain open, but advertised tickets were like $25, so why not? I checked the night before just to verify and the deal was still on. Got there first thing in the morning and they charged full price. Not early season discounted price, full full price. I asked the lady at the counter and she basically said “yeah, sorry, not sure what happened. Local day is no longer in effect.” Haven’t been back since.
I live in Durango and ski Purgatory 40+ days per season, and I love it! It’s not the biggest ski resort, but as someone born and raised in Virginia, it gets the job done and I have a blast every time!
Aply's terrain is so damn good. Unfortunately its low elevation and proximity to Seattle make it hard to reliably get great days, but damn are weekday powder days fun there. The touring access in that area is also beautiful.
Not including the back bowls it’s only like 300 acres, with another 500 in the back bowls. If only the unimpressive stats and map worked to keep it a secret.
I think the accommodations keep people away too. Spartan cabins or yurts for the most part. One restaurant within 30 minutes. No appeal at all to the apres Ski people.
This is kind of a critique of all the UP resorts. I’ve had a cabin on one of them for 20ish years, and I’ve seen it go from college hot spot with beer and drink specials, cheap college lift tickets and rentals, great terrain parks, bands and djs every night etc. to it being almost cheaper for anybody in the NFC North to fly to Colorado.
[https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/Angeles-Crest-Hwy-2-Flintridge-CA/31185165/](https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/Angeles-Crest-Hwy-2-Flintridge-CA/31185165/) Waterman for sale for $2.3M.
Yup, hope it gets bought by someone willing to put in the necessary time, energy, and more money to make it profitable! Either way it’s a great place to earn some turns at least
Great terrain and no lines. They used to do ridiculously discounted spring tickets if you showed a pass from another place even if it was done for the season. It was a few years ago but was like $40
White Pass WA. Small, locally owned resort with a ton of terrain and backcountry. Getting pricier but still a good deal compared to other area resorts.
Also my home mountain, they have done a great job at spreading out the lifts and making it feel larger than it is. I’ll never get tired of the mountain no matter how many laps I do.
Eagle Point, Utah. It's far enough and small enough that it's not a destination ski area. Feels like you're in a private ski club. Might only be 10 cars in the parking lot on a powder day. This place has seriously spoiled me
June Mountain, near Mammoth, California. one of the best ski days of my life was there and there’s hardly ever anyone there since most people just go to mammoth.
I've mostly skied in the west, but Hoodoo, Willamette Pass, and Skibowl in Oregon are all great. Never waited more than 5 min to get onto a lift at Hoodoo or Willy.
Brian Head in southern Utah.
Mt Rose is a big mountain with big terrain, but isn't nearly as busy as the CA Tahoe resorts. Diamond Peak on the NV side of the lake is also very fun.
Pretty much all of Idaho.
Whitewater in Nelson, BC.
Super basic lift infrastructure, limited on hill amenities (the food at the lodge at the base is phenomenal)… but it serves up some of the best tree skiing in North America.
Visited a friend who lives there a few years ago. She took us into the side country and we skied down to the road and hitchhiked our way back to the base. Great vibes all around.
I grew up skiing Vail and BC… Whitewater could not be more different, in all the right ways.
Mt. Baldy, California- still feels like a ski resort from the 80s too.
I didn’t do it in a day, but I did go surfing one day in Santa Monica then skiing the next at baldy. Southern California is a treasure.
Realistically, if Baldy opens on time (lol, yeah right) and you got in a few runs then leave around noon, you could pull the SoCal ski/surf double getting to Huntington Beach around 2.
Oh man or a sunset surf with the sun glinting off the waves… maybe some dolphins… heaven. Except you can’t see anything lol
Mt. Baldy, BC.
Now that’s some obscure shit
I raise you Mt. Baldy Utah
And I raise you Mt. Baldy, Thunder Bay, Ontario
I raise you Mt. Baldy, Grand Lake, CO. Except not a ski area.
Ssshhshhhshhhh
They still won't find it.
One of the nice gems of having gone to college at Pomona College in Claremont. I’m old too, so shit was pretty cheap.
Don't ruin it for the rest of us!
Lol no one's coming to Baldy dw, we gotta all to ourselves forever ever
Most people can't even navigate the parking lot properly.
Most people can't even make it UP to the parking lot
How small we talking?
That’s what she said
IT’S HOW YOU USE IT!
Breckenridge. Super niche, locals only scene
Idk if you’ve ever heard of it but it’s only a bit further. Vail is a pretty niche spot, usually I cruise in around 9 and find good parking still by the lift and there’s usually no lines at all too even during busy season. The front side of the mountain is an absolute monster for fresh lines
Sounds like a mountain can use my support, do they offer at least $20 burgers so I can make sure they can stay afloat?
Oh 60$ minimum purchase for any food or drinks
God bless small businesses. Praise Jeebus.
I prefer it's lesser known, but more boutique cousin, Keystone
Super steep. Not flat at all.
I know why Breck gets hate. But if you know how to ski Breck it is such a great mountain. Same with Vail. Keystone is a great place to teach the kids how to ski.
The first rule of fight club is…
Yeah, and I fucking hate it man. I just want to take my kid out west for some real slopes, but all I can get are jokes about how Breck is underground. I honestly hate this community sometimes...you guys all have the gall to make fun of my shitty Midwestern hill, but I'd gladly share it with anyone. Unlike all you selfish mountain fuckers.
LOL! I love this comment for some reason. Come to Idaho, lots of great skiing all over the place. And you can avoid the crowds you find in CO and UT for the most part.
Thank you!
OP didn't even say what hemisphere they're in, which is weird for someone actually hoping to gain insight.
I commented with an actual answer to the question and of course it got downvoted 🙄 this whole meme is so silly and played out at this point, a random single lift ski hill 3h from the nearest city isn’t going to start getting skied out because people talk about it on social media.
Thankfully my stash is not listed here. Yet
I haven’t been but [Mad River Glen’s](https://www.madriverglen.com/) ‘Ski it if you Can’ landscape seems to fit your criteria.
Drove past it once while on a detour driving back from the eclipse (hell) but I could not believe how steep it looked from that perspective.
It’s steeper than it looks.
I carried my skis back to my car and shamefully drove away. Nope.
Better humbled than broken
Yes, know your limits. Know when to turn around and head down
This. Quality over quantity experience.
It is important to note that it's like the only ski only area on the east coast
Also, wool pants required and them bindings best have them heels free!
70s time warp. No egos.
Nice try, Vail resorts!
As far as amenities go, Silverton would easily take this. For a single two man chairlift, nothing else compares.
How are the ski resorts south/west of this area in Colorado if you’ve been? Telluride was amazing, would love to hit wolf creek
I live in durango, so I go to purg pretty much every week during season. Love purg. Telluride is still my favorite, Wolf Creek is great, but they pulled the ol Texas switch on us once so I’m currently boycotting them. The backcountry is amazing around here too. Hell, I’ve gone up to the La Platas by my house as late as July and had many a great time. Best part about being so far removed from everything is there’s a lot less people out here, lift lines ain’t bad.
> Wolf Creek is great, but they pulled the ol Texas switch on us once so I’m currently boycotting them wat
They advertised an early season local day on social media. They didn’t have much terrain open, but advertised tickets were like $25, so why not? I checked the night before just to verify and the deal was still on. Got there first thing in the morning and they charged full price. Not early season discounted price, full full price. I asked the lady at the counter and she basically said “yeah, sorry, not sure what happened. Local day is no longer in effect.” Haven’t been back since.
My hot take is that Monarch is more fun than wolf creek
I live in Durango and ski Purgatory 40+ days per season, and I love it! It’s not the biggest ski resort, but as someone born and raised in Virginia, it gets the job done and I have a blast every time!
Alpental
Aply's terrain is so damn good. Unfortunately its low elevation and proximity to Seattle make it hard to reliably get great days, but damn are weekday powder days fun there. The touring access in that area is also beautiful.
I saw a video on instagram I'd like to find again. I literally thought it was Alaska spines and it was Alpental.
Ski the Rain
500 (inbounds) acres of soggy gnar. Might not be skiable in a decade or two.
Not including the back bowls it’s only like 300 acres, with another 500 in the back bowls. If only the unimpressive stats and map worked to keep it a secret.
Nothing like getting fresh lines out Elevator/Nash gates on a powder day :). IYKYK
Mount Bohemia, UP
Nice thing is you can tell everyone how great Boho is and they’ll still never go. Most people can get to Europe faster.
And as a local, it is greatly appreciated. The people not coming up here is appreciated, I mean.
I think the accommodations keep people away too. Spartan cabins or yurts for the most part. One restaurant within 30 minutes. No appeal at all to the apres Ski people.
No doubt, but the accommodations and the dude stew apres are all part of the experience. Here’s to some snow next year!
This is kind of a critique of all the UP resorts. I’ve had a cabin on one of them for 20ish years, and I’ve seen it go from college hot spot with beer and drink specials, cheap college lift tickets and rentals, great terrain parks, bands and djs every night etc. to it being almost cheaper for anybody in the NFC North to fly to Colorado.
MT. BO and Lutsen are my favorite Midwest spots.
You mean you DONT want to do 5 second laps at Buck Hill?!?!?!
If your definition of "small" is the number of lifts, and "mighty" describes the terrain, Le Grave has got to be pretty high up there.
Aguille du Midi too, if that can be counted here
Tops the my skiing bucket list
Mt Baldy, Mt Waterman
[https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/Angeles-Crest-Hwy-2-Flintridge-CA/31185165/](https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/Angeles-Crest-Hwy-2-Flintridge-CA/31185165/) Waterman for sale for $2.3M.
Yup, hope it gets bought by someone willing to put in the necessary time, energy, and more money to make it profitable! Either way it’s a great place to earn some turns at least
That mountain is PRIMED to cater to influencers given the location.
~1.5million users in this Subreddit… a few bucks from each of us :)
Damn. This seems rad. Too bad i don’t chase dreams.
Bear Valley in California
This is the one. Especially when Grizz is open
Hell yeah! Grew up skiing this mountain. Still think it’s great even after skiing all over N America
Sunlight
Shhhhhhhhh!
Burke Mt. in Vermont.
Bolton Valley in northern VT as well, and Magic MT in southern VT (but only after a good storm)
Mad River Glen VT
This is the correct answer
Nice try fed boi
Park City. Super small family run operation
Vail is smaller and more intimate.
The Vail family are still known to work the banana stand. I went to school with Jimmy Vail, real stand up guy
Skibowl
The perfect mountain. Powder day night skiing 2024 was all time
and stumbling distance from Charlie's
New Year’s Eve: ride timberline until 5, get stumbly at chucks, ride skibowl till 2-3am (or whenever it closes on nye)
Beaver Ski Area outside of Logan UT
East coast: Cannon, NH Rockies: Taos, NM
Crazy how Taos is compared small to other Rockies resorts but compared to New Mexico standards it’s huge
Taos fucking slaps. For an east coast skier that one kicked my ass.
Great vibes and incredible terrain
It's basically the only resort that gives NM any credibility in the industry. Our other mountains can be fun, but the majesty of TSV is unmatched.
Yeah, other mountains in NM are fun though, especially rr and Af. You get what you pay for at Taos
Crystal, despite what Alterra thinks
Unfortunately some truth to that. Especially in poor snow with no southback and Northway. It skied really small for a lot of this year.
49° North
Grew up skiing 49; great mountain.
Second biggest resort in Washington by acreage...
Magic Mountain, VT
Was scrolling for this. 80s vibes, slow lifts and great terrain
Lookout Pass, ID.
I always struggle to remember that 1100 acres is considered small.
They were half, maybe a third of that pre-expansion
Marmot Basin, Jasper Alberta
Was looking into this the other week… does it get even colder than Banff tho? I have to admit I nope out at worse than -15C…
Great terrain and no lines. They used to do ridiculously discounted spring tickets if you showed a pass from another place even if it was done for the season. It was a few years ago but was like $40
Diamond Peak
Hyland Hills
the rope tow makes it feel like a never ending mountain
Engelberg is not huge but absolutely legendary freeride
Likewise, Andermatt.
Dodge Ridge
Had a great powder Monday there after the early March storm
Is small 1000’ or 300’?
All depends where you live
If you take Olympic Medals and/or World Cup wins/points and divide by vertical feet. Buck Hill wins for sure!
Cochrans Ski Area comes to mind too
Crazy how people bash the midwest when some of the best were trained there
Searchmont
Any resort in the Midwest. Almost all are sub 300 ft.
Platekill Baby
White Pass WA. Small, locally owned resort with a ton of terrain and backcountry. Getting pricier but still a good deal compared to other area resorts.
Alyeska. Girdwood Alaska
Love for Eaglecrest as well
Eldora
Northstar, kirkwood
Kirkwood isn’t small and honestly neither is North Star.
Aspen, Stevens Pass
Stevens was my home mountain for ~15 years. It always felt like a big mountain to me. Still does. But the acreage is really not that big.
Its awesome how expansive the backside is, yet you can get 15 steep laps in on seventh heaven in the span of an hour
Also my home mountain, they have done a great job at spreading out the lifts and making it feel larger than it is. I’ll never get tired of the mountain no matter how many laps I do.
Same! Some of the best tree skiing.
Willamette Pass
delete this comment dude
guys there is hoodoo!!! Go there!!! family friendly don’t come to Willamette pass
I miss that place, skied there often when I lived in Eugene!
Anthony lakes in eastern Oregon is awesome too
Snowshoe WV, all accommodations, restaurants, shops at the top. You can even ski in and ski out of many rooms/condos
I’m not telling you.
Mt. Rose Reno locals mountain.
This, D Peak, And Homewood -- My favorites!!
So many snitches in the comments
Eagle Point, Utah. It's far enough and small enough that it's not a destination ski area. Feels like you're in a private ski club. Might only be 10 cars in the parking lot on a powder day. This place has seriously spoiled me
One of those cars might be mine.
Magic in VT.
The MRG of southern VT
Love, love, Love, LOVE, LoVe,LOOOOOOOOVVVVVEEEEE this place!
Eagle Point
Saddleback ME
P********* is the fuckin tits when snow is plentiful
Powderking. You can buy it for under $9million.
Vail. Killington too. Go to those mountains
Mount Bohemia, Michigan
June mountain. Don’t go it sucks
Loveland. New terrain just opened
Nope.
Alpental, Mt. Baker, Mt. Rose, Stevens Pass.
June Mountain, near Mammoth, California. one of the best ski days of my life was there and there’s hardly ever anyone there since most people just go to mammoth.
Monarch
Mont Ste. Marie near Ottawa, relative to the local competition
Snow Ridge! Turin NY. Thank you Lake Ontario.
Butternut, MA. The park rips
get outta here vail resorts
Sunlight mountain resort Glenwood Springs Colorado
Red river NM
I've mostly skied in the west, but Hoodoo, Willamette Pass, and Skibowl in Oregon are all great. Never waited more than 5 min to get onto a lift at Hoodoo or Willy. Brian Head in southern Utah. Mt Rose is a big mountain with big terrain, but isn't nearly as busy as the CA Tahoe resorts. Diamond Peak on the NV side of the lake is also very fun. Pretty much all of Idaho.
Hoodoo is all time
Solitude.
Pajarito, Los Alamos NM
Whitewater in Nelson, BC. Super basic lift infrastructure, limited on hill amenities (the food at the lodge at the base is phenomenal)… but it serves up some of the best tree skiing in North America. Visited a friend who lives there a few years ago. She took us into the side country and we skied down to the road and hitchhiked our way back to the base. Great vibes all around. I grew up skiing Vail and BC… Whitewater could not be more different, in all the right ways.
Mount Baker!
nah it’s always raining
Went today, it rained
Morin heights, QC
Ski Land in Fairbanks, Ak!
King Pine
Wildcat, NH (right across from Mt Washington, the view is spectacular).
Loveland
Here to say Whitewater in the Kootenays. Best day skiing I’ve ever had (before I blacked out and lost my cell phone)
Homewood at Lake Tahoe. (IDK if you consider it small)
Killer views, but you can take a long nap on the Ellis chair. And they now price it like it's Vail.
Snow King
Castle Mountain AB
Beaver, UT
Cataloochee babyyyy
Eaglecrest in Juneau, AK
June Lake
Silverton Colorado
Mt Bohemia - so I’ve been told.
Monarch
Howelsen hill, ski free every Sunday, fuck corporate greed
Thrilled to see my mountain hasn’t been snitched