If you’re planning a winter vacation, you’re either wanting to escape to the beach or embrace the cold with a snowy stay and a warm fire not too far away.
HomeToGo, a vacation rental marketplace, released its annual Ski Season Report, which ranks the top ski destinations in North America.
The team behind the report took the top 100 most-searched ski destinations in North America and narrowed them down to 48 areas with 44 miles of ski slope or more.
HomeToGo then ranked the destinations across six categories:
- Affordability
- Accommodations
- Skiers’ search trends
- Historical snow depths
- Chairlift capacities
- Slope Count
In last year’s ranking, Breckenridge, Colorado was North America’s No. 1 ski destination.
This year, the only locale in Colorado to make the list is Vail, which drops from the No. 3 spot in 2023 to No. 8. The Colorado town is home to the largest ski mountain in the state, Vail Ski Resort.
No. 1 ski destination in North America: Schweitzer Mountain
Nestled in the northern Idaho panhandle, Schweitzer Mountain is the most popular ski destination in North America for 2024.
Boasting 2,900 acres of snow-covered grounds, the area offers skiers beautiful views of two U.S. states, Canada and Lake Pend Oreille—the biggest lake in the state.
The average lift ticket in Schweitzer Mountain is $110 and the median accommodation price is $100.17 per person, according to the report.
Of Schweitzer’s skiable area, there are 92 named runs plus open bowls served by 10 lifts with an average annual snowfall of over 12 feet, according to the resort’s website.
Top 10 ski destinations in North America 2024
- Schweitzer Mountain, Idaho
- Park City, Utah
- Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia and Mount Baker, Wash. (tie)
- Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia and Mount Baker, Wash. (tie)
- Palisades Tahoe, Calif.
- Mount Hood Meadows, Ore.
- Silver Star, British Columbia
- Vail, Colo.
- Mount Bachelor, Ore.
- Sun Peaks, British Columbia and Alta Ski Area, Utah (tie)
Park City, Utah comes in at No. 2 on the list. The Park City Mountain has more than 7,300 acres of skiable terrain and the largest lift access in the United States.
Located southeast of Salt Lake City, Park City is also home to the Sundance Film Festival.
Source: CNBC