Photo Credit (+Cover Photo): Liftopia
Photo Credit: Liftopia | Cover Photo: Kirkwood

Liftopia has just released their ‘Best In Snow Awards‘ for the 2016/2017 ski season and the results will have some people answering in the affirmative while others answer in the negative.

Among the surprise winners, Vermont’s Magic Mountain pulled down the award for best overall, ‘Best in Snow’ ski area with fans calling it, “the best kept secret in the Northeast” and “a true skier’s mountain.” The Best In Snow Awards rely heavily on customer input and neglects the pay-for-play advertising that has become common practice across winter sports publications in the US and abroad.

“More than 10,000 responses were then weighted with a proprietary algorithm based on Liftopia’s exclusive dataset that includes skier and snowboarder visits annually, acreage, uphill capacity and average true cost of skiing to surface the best ski areas overall, across seven categories and five regions, based on what matters most to skiers and snowboarders.” – Liftopia

While we neglected the beginner-friendly rankings, we did include three other categories that include “Most Challenging, Least Crowded, and Best Value” ski areas. So without further ado, Liftopia is proud to present the 2016-17 Best in Snow Awards to the following recipients.

Most Challenging

Photo Credit: Jackson Hole
Photo Credit: Jackson Hole

North East

  1. Magic Mountain VT
  2. Mad River Glen VT
  3. Wildcat Mountain NH
  4. Jay Peak VT
  5. Cannon Mountain NH
  6. Sugarloaf ME
  7. Whiteface – Lake Placid NY
  8. Killington VT
  9. Stowe VT
  10. Sunday River ME

West Coast

  1. Kirkwood CA
  2. Kicking Horse BC
  3. Squaw Valley – Alpine Meadows CA
  4. Revelstoke Mountain Resort BC
  5. Crystal Mountain WA
  6. Mammoth Mountain CA
  7. Alyeska AK
  8. Whistler Blackcomb BC
  9. Red Mountain Resort BC
  10. Mt Baker WA

High West

  1. Jackson Hole WY
  2. Snowbird UT
  3. Alta UT
  4. Arapahoe Basin CO
  5. Silverton Mountain CO
  6. Big Sky MT
  7. Taos Ski Valley NM
  8. Crested Butte CO
  9. Powder Mountain UT
  10. Telluride CO

South East

  1. Canaan Valley WV
  2. Snowshoe Mountain WV
  3. Timberline Four Seasons Resort WV
  4. Winterplace WV
  5. Sugar Mountain NC
  6. Beech Mountain Resort NC
  7. Cataloochee NC
  8. Wisp MD

Mid West

  1. Mount Bohemia MI
  2. Crystal Mountain MI
  3. Boyne Mountain MI
  4. Nubs Nob MI
  5. Caberfae Peaks MI
  6. Wild Mountain MN
  7. Granite Peak WI
  8. Boyne Highlands MI
  9. Cascade Mountain WI
  10. Lutsen Mountains MN

Least Crowded

Photo Credit: Magic Mountain
Photo Credit: Magic Mountain

North East

  1. Big Squaw Mountain ME
  2. Mt. Abram ME
  3. Magic Mountain VT
  4. Kissing Bridge NY
  5. Snow Ridge NY
  6. Oak Mountain NY
  7. Hickory Ski Center NY
  8. McCauley Mountain Ski Area NY
  9. Saddleback ME
  10. Sugarloaf ME

West Coast

  1. Anthony Lakes OR
  2. June Mountain CA
  3. 49 Degrees North WA
  4. Red Mountain Resort BC
  5. Homewood CA
  6. Kicking Horse BC
  7. Revelstoke Mountain Resort BC
  8. Powder King BC
  9. Alyeska AK
  10. Panorama Mountain Resort BC

High West

  1. Soldier Mountain ID
  2. Powder Mountain UT
  3. Lost Trail MT
  4. Silverton Mountain CO
  5. Castle Mountain Resort AB
  6. Maverick MT
  7. Eagle Point UT
  8. Tamarack Resort ID
  9. Blacktail Mountain MT
  10. Pebble Creek ID

South East

  1. Canaan Valley WV
  2. Timberline Four Seasons Resort WV
  3. Wolf Ridge NC
  4. Beech Mountain Resort NC
  5. Massanutten VA
  6. Cataloochee NC
  7. Snowshoe Mountain WV
  8. Sugar Mountain NC
  9. Bryce Resort VA

Mid West

  1. Mount Bohemia MI
  2. The Whitecap Mountains WI
  3. Terry Peak SD
  4. Norway Mountain MI
  5. Treetops Resort MI
  6. Nordic Mountain WI
  7. Snow Snake MI
  8. Devil’s Head WI
  9. Blackjack MI
  10. Boyne Highlands MI

Best Value

Photo Credit: Lost Trail Ski Area
Photo Credit: Lost Trail Ski Area

North East

  1. Arrowhead NH
  2. Magic Mountain VT
  3. Mad River Glen VT
  4. Abenaki Ski Area NH
  5. Jay Peak VT
  6. Wildcat Mountain NH
  7. Sugarloaf ME
  8. Bretton Woods NH
  9. Loon Mountain NH
  10. Cannon Mountain NH

West Coast

  1. Anthony Lakes OR
  2. Kirkwood CA
  3. Revelstoke Mountain Resort BC
  4. Kicking Horse BC
  5. Alyeska AK
  6. Squaw Valley – Alpine Meadows CA
  7. 49 Degrees North WA
  8. Tahoe Donner CA
  9. Crystal Mountain WA
  10. Diamond Peak NV

High West

  1. Powder Mountain UT
  2. Alta UT
  3. Snowbird UT
  4. Jackson Hole WY
  5. Arapahoe Basin CO
  6. Grand Targhee WY
  7. Big Sky MT
  8. Lost Trail MT
  9. Solitude Mountain Resort UT
  10. Bald Mountain ID

South East

  1. Canaan Valley WV
  2. Cataloochee NC
  3. Snowshoe Mountain WV
  4. Winterplace WV
  5. Beech Mountain Resort NC
  6. Timberline Four Seasons Resort WV
  7. Sugar Mountain NC
  8. Wolf Ridge NC
  9. Wisp MD
  10. Bryce Resort VA

Mid West

  1. Mount Bohemia MI
  2. Crystal Mountain MI
  3. Treetops Resort MI
  4. Caberfae Peaks MI
  5. Shanty Creek Resorts MI
  6. Boyne Highlands MI
  7. Alpine Valley OH
  8. Boyne Mountain MI
  9. Devil’s Head WI
  10. Nubs Nob MI

Find the entire awards list here: Liftopia’s ‘Best In Snow’

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