Lech Zürs ski resort is in one of the snowiest areas in Austria, located in the famous Ski Arlberg region. It's been rated as the Best Overall Ski Resort in the World by our community and for a good reason - the skiing is exceptional. Reviewers complement the quality of lift-accessed backcountry and freeride opportunities, the quietness of the slopes, the incredible lift system and the 'minimal to no' lift queues. It's also been highly-rated for families, intermediates and beginners with a great mix of terrain across the vast area, offering 301km of skiable terrain, in Lech alone. Lech's massive ski area is shared with Zürs and is linked to both (the famously snowy) Warth-Schröcken and St Anton.

The Snomad community have also complemented the range of restaurants, the outstanding hotels, the excellent service and the gorgeous, traditional town. The Après-Ski scene is on the less rowdy end of the spectrum but there are some good bars and pubs on and off the mountain with a lively atmosphere.

One reviewer recommends skiing the "white ring" - Arlbergs legendary ski circuit providing access to a 22km circuit and 5,500m of vertical and 6 runs.

Lastly, some reviewers, mention than Lech can be on the pricier side when it comes to eating out, hotels and lift passes but seeing as it's been officially rated as the best ski resort in the world, you get what you pay for and more!

Val Gardena has grown to become a world-renowned ski resort, offering access to hundreds of kilometres of interconnected slopes. It's particularly popular for its well-groomed pistes so we're not surprised that it's taken the top-spot in the Best Ski Resort for Groomed Runs category. Looking to improve your carving turns? This might be the perfect place to work on those high-edge angles!

Reviewers complement the wide range of runs suitable for all levels and they also give praise to the 'world-class' lift system. Val Gardena also gives skiers and snowboarders access to the Sella Ronda, a 40km circular ski route with four mountain passes around the Sella massif, which can be skied either anti-clockwise (the green route) or clockwise (the more challenging 'orange' route). The resort also gives direct access to the huge Dolomiti SuperSki area and has become a popular choice, especially for families and intermediates. Advanced terrain is fairly limited, although there are a few excellent black runs.

Finally, our community have also complemented the friendly locals, the spectacular views, the après ski options and the incredible food - located in Sud Tirol, you get the best of both Austrian and Italian cuisine - think fantastic local beers and authentic Italian pizzas. Does it get any better? 🍻🍕

If you’re a snowboarder, we’re sorry to say that you’ll have to sit out Alta’s legendary off-piste runs. As one of only three skier-only resorts in the United States, it’s remarkable that Alta has cut their potential clientele in half and still become one of Utah’s most beloved resorts. That’s just a testament to their terrain.

From the steepest chutes and tight tree runs to gnarly cliffs and wide-open powder fields, Alta has the dream off-piste run for any skier. Bring your comfy boots (and maybe a pair of skins), because most advanced terrain requires a hike or traverse. Anyone who has skied Alta quickly becomes familiar with its beloved acronym: Another Long Traverse Again.

Reviewers can’t get enough of Alta’s snow conditions, with last year bringing in a record-breaking 900 inches of pure pow. Most will testify that Utah’s climate makes that snow better than almost anywhere in the world. Quality and quantity make for quintessential conditions.

You won’t find many reviewers complimenting Alta’s nightlife; in fact, most skiers hope to catch an overnight interlodge, where they are locked into their housing accommodations as Ski Patrol makes the mountain safe on the steepest and deepest days. But almost everyone is okay with catching as much sleep as they can, because you’ll need all of your energy to tackle the world's best off-piste skiing.

If the name didn’t give it away, this remote Vermont resort once served as a haven for Prohibition-era smugglers moving between the United States and Canada. Now, the tree cover is used for something much more legal but just as thrilling: enjoying the best tree skiing that Snomad reviewers can find.

The resort feels like a step back in time and the rugged amenities are just as full of character as the terrain. If you’re looking for a luxurious après-ski experience, you might want to check out Stowe Resort a few miles to the south. But if you’re looking to weave your way through the pines, look no further. It doesn’t get much better for tree-riders than Smugglers Notch.

The most famous runs are just off the Madonna lift, but don’t let the map hold you back. Let your heart guide your line. Some of the best tree runs are unmarked, and locals suggest exploring between Upper FIS and Freefall. The top half of the mountain is extremely steep, so if you're not comfortable making jump turns on a dime, it might be helpful to start on Morse Mountain, which is well-loved as a family-friendly area.

With above-average snowfall compared to most northeastern mountains, exploring the trees at Smuggler’s Notch on a powder day is about as good as it gets.

If you need proof that the terrain parks at Copper Mountain are the best the world has to offer, look no further than the Dew Tour, hosted at this Colorado Front Range favorite since 2020. Every year, the best freeskiers and riders tackle 70-foot jumps, a 22-foot superpipe, and rails longer than Shaun White’s hair used to be to show off their skills. If it’s good enough for Alex Ferreira and Chloe Kim, we can pretty much guarantee that it’s good enough for you.

Even if you’re not throwing cork 720s on a regular basis, Copper is built to satisfy all your park needs—literally. They’ve developed a progressive model for building their parks, meaning they have as many small jumps and boxes as they do kickers and rails. And if you prefer to keep your skis on the ground, they’ve converted wider tree runs and gullies into Family Cross Zones.

Located just over an hour from the Denver metro area, locals and tourists alike love the free parking and shuttle system, meaning less time fighting to get on the hill and more time flying through the air. However, like most Colorado Front Range resorts, weekend traffic can turn that hour-long drive into a 4- to 5-hour journey.

Copper Mountain has mastered the art of snow sculpting, whether that means carving out a pipe or making the most of the natural terrain. The parks are so well maintained that they are skied all the way through the summer at the acclaimed Woodward Copper summer camp!

The first thing you learn about Winter Park is that it’s really two mountains with two separate entrances—Winter Park and Mary Jane. Winter Park has a gondola at the base, tons of lodging options, and restaurants galore, complete with little red wagons to help haul children's skis through the village. The Jane has, well, parking. But that’s all the people who frequent the Mary Jane side need, because they’re on the slopes early to get to the best mogul skiing there is.

The Jane has a few blue groomed runs that will funnel you back down to the base easily, but you’re free to turn off at any time into the trees or down a chute—and once you do, the moguls take over. Just make sure your legs are ready for it. Many a skier has been seen waddling through the parking lot at the end of the day, their legs barely able to hold their own weight after a few hours of shredding.

The natural features don’t disappoint either; there are plenty of cliff drops and trees to keep your day interesting. Keep an eye out when you’re deep in the trees—there are plenty of hidden wooden huts for you to catch your breath.

With a great reputation comes great traffic, meaning that you should try to hit the Jane early in the day before hundreds of other skiers pack the moguls down into ice. If you do get there late, don’t be afraid to hit the Winter Park side of the mountain! Because it’s generally considered the ‘family-friendly’ side of the mountain, fewer people tear up the moguls. The moguls off Eagle Wind tend to hold up especially well throughout the day.

Often overlooked due to its proximity to Val d'Isere and Les Arcs, Sainte Foy Tarentaise is regarded as the hidden gem of the French Alps. While the secret of this resort has been out for years, it doesn’t feel that way on the slopes. There’s no need to keep your head on a swivel here—the only thing to worry about at Sainte Foy Tarentaise is you and your skis on the snow.

Part of the quiet energy of Sainte Foy has to do with it trading the traditional booming après-ski vibe for cozy restaurants and cafes. The serene village charm translates straight onto the slopes, with visitors celebrating skiing in its purest form—getting in touch with nature. Even though you can ski as fast as you want without worry here, be sure to stop and admire the breathtaking views of the Clou Valley.

Sainte Foy is well known for being family-friendly, with its sweeping, deserted groomed runs making it a safe place to learn to turn for the first time. As an added bonus, all runs lead down to the same location, making it impossible for adventurous kids to get lost.

Advanced and expert skiers, fear not! Sainte Foy Tarentaise has a little something for everybody. Our reviewers that crave steep and deep powder runs love the more rugged top half of the mountain and the seemingly endless off piste skiing.

Boasting an average of nearly 500” of fresh snow per year, it's no wonder that Jackson Hole takes the win for the best powder in the world. While there are plenty of other mountains with triple-digit yearly dumps, what helps to set Jackson apart from the rest is the sheer scale of the mountain. The Snomad community loves how much room there is to spread out and find your own line.

Jackson Hole is perhaps most famous for Corbet’s Couloir. Depending on snowpack, Corbet’s starts out with a mandatory 10-20 foot drop into a steep curve. On paper, that might not sound too insane, but check out the highlights from Kings and Queens of Corbet’s (an annual competition where skiers and boarders drop in with as much style as possible) to get an idea of why thousands of people flock to Jackson every year to try their hand at the drop.

If even that is not enough for you, pray for snow. With enough of that world famous powder beneath your feet, you might be able to try S&S Couloir, which is thought of, by those crazy enough to try it, as Corbet’s on steroids.

Speaking of flocks, no one in their right mind would call Jackson Hole a well-kept secret. It is perhaps the worst-kept secret of all time. And that means it can get so crowded that some say that those famous powder dumps get skied off completely within an hour. Most Snomad reviewers disagree with that—between the 2,500 acres of in-bounds terrain and an additional 3,000 acres of backcountry terrain, you should be able to find a place to lay down your tracks. Even so, set your alarms early to make sure that you can experience the best powder skiing in the world.

No one can seem to agree on what to call 3 Peaks Dolomites. It exists at the intersection of a lot of languages, so if you’ve never heard of it, you might have heard it as Drei Zinnen or Tre Cime Dolomiti. They’re the same - a massive interconnected resort consisting of 6 different mountains. And while there may be some confusion on what language you should be speaking in the valley, there is no confusion that 3 Peaks Dolomites have the most extensive lift system in the world.

Most of the time, when people talk about lifts, they’re talking about the lines being too long or the lift being too slow. That’s not the case for 3 Peaks Dolomites. When people talk about the lift system here, they use words generally used for art and athletics rather than infrastructure—brilliant, incredible, amazing, show-stopping, spectacular. It is so extensive that reviewers feel like they’re skiing in Japan rather than Europe, where almost every run gets its own devoted chairlift.

You won’t be caught shivering on a slow two-seater during a sleet storm here. Almost all the lifts are high-speed with heated seats to boot. From the slopes to the lifts, everyone at 3 Peaks Dolomites is riding in style.

The lift system isn’t reserved for the mountain alone—you can take a chairlift from the town itself. Slopes within the valley and beyond are connected by cable cars. While the system is miles ahead of what most other mountains have in place, they’re always improving. In the next few years, most of us can only imagine how easy it will be to get from one mountain to the next. 3 Peaks Dolomites has some fun and challenging terrain; depending on where you are trying to go, it might even be easier to take a lift there than to ski!

In many countries, ski instructors come in all shapes, styles, and skill sets. They might have a background in racing, freestyle, or family vacations. That is not the case in Italy. Italy has some of the strictest requirements for ski instructors, which is why, when Italian ski instructors come to other countries to teach, they are often given immediate seniority. In order to enter Italian ski instructor school, applicants have to pass a famously difficult timed Giant Slalom race. There are a very small number of new ski instructors accepted into the program every year.

With that said, it is no surprise that the best ski schools are in Italy, and the Snomad reviewers have decided that Livigno does it best. How does it set itself apart? Vibe, of course. They have 150 ski instructors to choose from, with specialties in all age and experience levels. While they are all guaranteed to be some of the best technical skiers you’ve ever met, making you the best skier on the mountain is only one of their priorities.

Livigno instructors believe that skiing is safe first, fun second, and technically correct third; so you won’t just be running drills. They are there to help you relax into a new experience, explore different terrain and atmospheres, and make you feel comfortable and safe while trying out a new activity. If you book a private lesson, you can expect to have a completely unique cultural experience, unlike anything offered at any other ski school in the world.

If your skiing specialty is après, it doesn’t get better than St. Anton am Arlberg. It boasts one of the best reputations for après-ski in the Alps, and let’s be honest—who does après better than the Alps? There are plenty of options both in town and up on the mountain, so you can decide whether you’ll be capable of getting back down the mountain later in the night or if it’s better to start and finish at the base. Either way, you pretty much can’t go wrong at St. Anton.

The fan favourites in the village are easily Mooserwirt and Krazy Kanguruh. Be sure to bring a change of shoes or make sure your ski boots are very comfortable because you’ll want to make the most of the dance floor. Mooserwirt may just be the most famous après bar in the world. Their motto is “probably the worst après-ski bar in the Alps.” Only the best could make that claim and still be packed from morning till night. Just be cautious of the Tiroler schnapps—you still want to be able to do it all again tomorrow!

Even though the party scene is second to none, don’t overlook the skiing here! Reviewers love the easy off piste access and the challenging runs, although this resort might not be the best for beginners. Many runs go directly back into town and can get pretty chopped up by the end of the day (which is made more challenging if you’ve had a few beers too many).

If challenging terrain makes you nervous but you still want to party with the best of them, St. Anton connects easily to plenty of other mountains like St. Christoph, Stuben, Zürs, and Lech, where you might find easier terrain during the day and return whenever you’re ready to après.

With skiing widely regarded as a great family-friendly activity, achieving the title of best in the world is no easy feat. However, Montgenèvre has taken a bird's-eye view of what families want and tailored their entire resort to ensure it is safe and enjoyable for all ages. This commitment extends beyond the mountain itself—just a few years ago, visitors had to navigate a busy border road, but it has since been rerouted and sunken into a tunnel, enhancing safety even within the town.

The charming village is perfect for exploring at day's end, and while it may not boast the most intense après-ski scene (typically not the focus for families at Montgenèvre), there are plenty of family-friendly restaurants to satisfy hungry bellies after a long day on the slopes.

The mountain terrain naturally lends itself to learning and skiing at various levels. Montgenèvre is less steep compared to many mountains in the French Alps, with the majority of marked runs being blue and red, ideal for beginners and intermediate skiers to explore freely without the fear of inadvertently ending up on a challenging slope. However, for those looking to venture off piste, there are ample opportunities for more adventurous skiing.

Reviewers appreciate the reasonably priced family lift pass and enjoy the unique feature of being able to ski directly into Italy for a short excursion—an experience not commonly available, especially for families. For those less enthusiastic about skiing (a common occurrence in ski families), Montgenèvre offers a variety of winter activities including snowshoeing, a 1.5 kilometer luge, ice skating, and a pool.

Where most resorts turn to ​hiking and mountain biking events to keep the town running through the summer, Livigno turns to food festivals and gastronomic excellence. So it’s no surprise that they slide easily into first place when it comes to restaurant quality.

The town of Livigno is charming, and the mountain is covered in quaint huts serving delicious food with a side of panoramic views of the Italian Alps. With a heavy focus on traditional food and locally sourced ingredients, dining in Livigno is a cultural experience. Most chefs have mastered traditional recipes, and work to differentiate themselves by putting a twist on the classics. Pizzoccheri and bresaola is a must try! It’s a buckwheat pasta that originated in the Lombardy region and has been perfected in Livigno. Nearly every restaurant in the town has it’s own version, and you’ll want to try at least a few of them. After all, it’s the best in the world.

While you can’t go wrong anywhere in a food-centric town like Livigno, fine dining afficiandos should head to Al Peršéf, which boasts a Michelin star.

While it might take a train and a few buses to get to Livigno, you won’t have any reason to leave once you arrive. Access to the mountain is extremely easy directly from town, and the town itself has a free shuttle. You will always be just a ski-tip length away from some of the most incredible Italian cuisine in the world.

Austria is renowned for its sprawling, ritzy resorts, and Sölden stands out with its unparalleled variety of accommodations. From four and five star luxury hotels, family run huts, or reasonably priced rentals, everyone has a place to stay in Sölden. That energy extends to the entire town, whether you are looking to head to an après scene rivalling that of St. Anton or you are hoping to relax in a cosy slopeside cabin.

Traditional hotels and housing options are central to town, and connected to the mountain by cable car. There are some newer developments a bit further from town as well for more affordable options. Just be sure to check that your accommodation is located exactly where you want to be. There are lots of small towns around Sölden that get absorbed into the online searches for accommodation there. While it is easy to travel in between, no one likes a surprise required drive.

Be sure to look into Hochsölden for your accommodation needs as well—it’s a ski-in ski-out hamlet located a bit above the town of Sölden.

Reviewers love the lift infrastructure and are amazed at how easy it is to get around the mountain. The piste side bars are an added bonus, with Bubis being the overall favorite stop. Of course, for James Bond fans, no Sölden trip is complete without stopping in for the true 007 experience at Ice Q.

With resorts becoming more and more expensive every year, many skiers are turning away from conglomerate passes and turning to local mountains to help them get on the slopes without breaking the bank. With a full day weekend pass coming in at $89, it doesn’t get much more affordable than Bolton Valley. Go ahead and compare that to Vail’s weekend pass, which comes in at a whopping $269.

Sure, Bolton isn’t as big as Vail, but it has a fun, friendly vibe that locals and tourists alike love. There are no hidden fees either. The parking lot is free, and there are plenty of affordable rentals near the mountain if you’re looking to stay awhile.

But remember, the Snomad reviewers don’t just love this mountain because it’s cheap - they love it for its value. Bolton is higher in altitude than most east coast resorts, and often gets snow when others get rain. That extra bump in snowfall means that they have enough to night ski, unlike any other resort in Vermont.

The tree skiing is as good as anywhere on the east coast, and while Bolton might not be the biggest mountain, it has variety, and there are plenty of runs for beginners, experts, and everyone in between. If you’re not someone who buys a pass at all and prefers their lines in the backcountry or cross country skiing, they have a warming hut for you too.

Sure, the lifts aren’t detachable, and it’s not as sprawling as the mountains in the Rockies and the Alps. But, if you find yourself endlessly ranting about the price of a pass these days, or how your family mountain was ruined by a conglomerate coming in and bulldozing the Poma lift you learned on, go ahead and check out Bolton Valley. It might just be the dose of “good old days” you’ve been craving.

If you know anything about Avoriaz, it’s probably that it is home to one of the steepest runs in the world, the Chavanette or Swiss Wall. But don’t let that single run fool you - Avoriaz has all types of terrain, and it is as beloved by beginners learning how to clip into their bindings as it is by the thrill seekers of the world.

Reviewers love how well maintained the groomed runs are, and know that because it’s part of the Portes du Soleil, you will never run out of new terrain to try. The variety means that one half of a mixed-ability group can pursue their cliff-jumping desires while the other half enjoys sitting back and relaxing on the mellow greens. Beginners love The Stash, a long groomed run with plenty of small jumps and trees for people to hop into if they’d like to dip into some trickier terrain without fully committing.

Those who have never skied before can start off at the Ecoles or Dromonts area, which is serviced by slow tow lifts, meaning you won’t need to start your first run figuring out how to get onto a ski lift. They’re centrally located and easy to find, and once you’ve mastered the bunny slope, there are plenty of easy cruisers nearby to try out!

If, like some beginners, you find it difficult to spend a whole day on the mountain, Avoriaz has some awesome après opportunities—La Cabane for top-notch food and YAK for lively dancing. Speaking of which, if you love music, be sure to head to Avoriaz during the Snowboxx festival to ski your way to different concert stages.

“Am I in Heaven?”

“No, you’re at Heavenly.”

It’s all in the name. And while the first word that everyone uses to describe the mountain is obviously “heavenly,” the second is “huge.” Spanning 4,800 acres across two states, it boasts 113 runs, with 68 classified as intermediate. Most intermediate skiers aren’t sticking only to the blue runs; they’ll want to relax into a green every once in a while, and also try their hand at a black diamond when they feel up to the task. 95% of all runs at Heavenly fall into one of these categories.

The runs at Heavenly are long and wide, the longest of them stretching over 5 miles. That means that there’s plenty of time to find your rhythm and plenty of space to try out new things. Just don’t get too distracted by the incredible views of Lake Tahoe.

Reviewers also rave about the ski school, making it an excellent place to advance your skills if that’s your goal. But if you’re happy with your skill level where it is, you’ll never tire of cruising around Heavenly.

The downside of this resort is how well-loved it is. As a favourite for both California and Nevada residents, not to mention tourists from all over the world, there’s certainly potential for some long lift lines and crowded runs, so try not to book during peak holiday times. Or at least, don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Because one of the steepest groomed runs in the world, Langer Zug, is located at Lech Zürs, it would seem obvious that advanced skiers love it. But, as any bonafide shredder knows, there’s a lot more that goes into a day of hard-charging skiing than just steep groomed runs. Reviewers love the backcountry and off piste opportunities here, and highly recommend that you take advantage of local guides to find secret stashes of powder, days after the snow falls. If you prefer to explore on your own, the areas around Madloch, Muggengrat and Trittkopf are sure to be thigh-burners that are as difficult as they are rewarding.

Even advanced skiers and riders are always able to improve in an area or two, and the terrain at Lech Zürs is perfect for improving fitness and technique. While it might feel like trial by fire (or trial by powder) at times, you’re sure to leave Lech Zürs a better skier than when you arrived.

Because of the scale of the Arlberg region, advanced skiers love that there is almost always a run that is empty enough to rip as hard as you want. Lech Zürs connects with St. Anton and St. Christoph, so if you somehow exhaust the in-bound and off piste terrain, you can easily ski over to one of the other resorts.

Another plus of the Arlberg location is that Lech Zürs visitors can take advantage of the Snomad award winning après-ski at St. Anton, but enjoy spending their night in a slightly quieter village. Most of the hotels in Lech are within a ten minute walk from the slope, which means less lugging equipment and more riding hard.

Crested Butte, affectionately known as “Crusty Butt” by Colorado locals, is anything but what the nickname suggests. It has some of the most challenging in-bound terrain in the world, with acres of hike-to terrain off the back of the mountain. It’s intimidating to just look at, with the titular butte rising high over the valley. And yes, you can ski that.

Rambo is the steepest marked inbound run in the United States, although some skiers will tell you the often unnamed hike-to terrain at Crested Butte is even more challenging than Rambo. It is ungroomed, with trees, stumps, and rocks peeking through the moguls. There is a sign at the top of the run made by Ski Patrol and updated every morning. Most days, they will warn you that if you want to ski it, you can; but steep doesn’t necessarily equal fun. No matter what the conditions are, you will be working hard to get down in one piece. But once you do it, you get lifetime bragging rights. If you prefer your steep runs to be groomed, check out International, located off the main lift.

Crested Butte is relatively isolated in the Colorado hills, so you won’t need to worry too much about lift lines or traffic. The town at the base is quaint and homey with beautiful architecture. Be sure to stop at the Secret Stash for the best pizza in the state.

On a good snow day, it doesn’t get much better for an expert skier than Crested Butte. There are hundreds of different cliff drops, chutes, and steep tree runs to pick from. The only limit is truly your imagination. Grab a buddy, be safe, and shred as hard as you can. The mountain will meet your challenge, guaranteed.

Avoriaz is seen by many as the snowboard capital of Europe, if not the world. So, it’s no surprise that Snomad reviewers give it the top spot. It was one of the first resorts to designate a snowboard-only zone, offering them a terrain park of their own. Skiers, if that makes you feel left out, head to Alta. Let the snowboarders have this one thing. While everyone loves a long run, snowboarders are particularly fond of the kilometers-long pistes, where they don’t need to worry about strapping in and out. The pistes are also particularly wide, so it’s easy to make long, arcing turns that riders love.

Reviewers love the high altitude of Avoriaz compared to other nearby mountains like Les Gets and Morzine - it means that the snow tends to hold up better over time. For the freshest snow, run to the trees and off piste runs. They tend to be a bit steeper, but it doesn’t get much better on a powder day. And with the resort spanning all the way across both France and Switzerland, you’ll never run out of new terrain to discover.

The après scene at Avoriaz is well loved, with Folie being the most famous spot - although our reviewers recommend checking out Happy Hours as well. If you’re really looking for a special après experience, book your trip during the Snowboxx festival, which has multiple different music stages set up in between pistes.

During the winter, Avoriaz is car free, making nearly everything ski-in ski-out. Be sure to book a sleigh or snow vehicle on arrival to get transported to your accommodation.