Image: Mt Hood, OR
Here is our Unofficial list of the best large cities in the United States for people into skiing and snowboarding. We compiled the list by looking at the number of different ski resorts within driving distance, the caliber of the skiing as well as the size of the cities.
*Please keep in mind that this list is limited to large cities, so cities like Bozeman, Bend, Boise (wow that’s a lot of b’s) did not make this list simply because of the size. However, with the rate of growth in these areas, it’s not hard to imagine that they will make the cut soon enough.
Salt Lake City, UT
SLC ski a skiers paradise. The Wasatch Mountains, located just outside Salt Lake City, is known for having some of the best snow on earth and some of the most aggressive terrain anywhere in the States.
Population: 1,153,340
Ski Resorts within 4 Hours: 14
Closest Ski Resort: Snowbird (25 miles – 30 minutes)
Reno, NV
The “Biggest Little City in the World” is located just over the hill from beautiful Lake Tahoe, and it’s 13 ski resorts. Mt Rose, the closest ski resort to downtown Reno, is home to The Chutes – 1500 vertical feet of north-facing slopes with pitches from 40-55 degrees!
Population: 425,417
Ski Resorts within 4 Hours: 13
Closest Ski Resort: Mt Rose (25 mi – 30 minutes)
Denver, CO
Spend some time in the Mile-High City, and you might just think every single Denveronian either skis or snowboards. Hop on I-70 on a Friday afternoon, and you will be sure of it. During the 2010/11 season, Colorado resorts recorded more than 12 million skier visits. That number accounts for more than 20 percent of all skier visits nationwide, not bad considering 37 different states host at least one ski resort.
Population: 2,932,415
Ski Resorts within 4 Hours: 19
Closest Ski Resort: Loveland Ski Area (56.5 miles – about 1 hour)
Anchorage, AK
First off, it’s Alaska. Second, Alyeska Resort is located just down the road and averages a whopping 650″ of snow per season! If your able land a good-paying job in Alaska’s biggest city you can drop some coin on heli bumps to the top of some of the best mountains for skiing anywhere in the world.
Population: 295,570
Ski Resorts within 4 Hours: 3
Closest Ski Resort: Hilltop Ski Area (0 miles – 0 minutes)
Seattle, WA
The ski resorts of the Pacific North West often receive the most snowfall in the entire United States. Heck, during the 1998-99 season Mt. Baker received 1140 inches of snow. That is 95 feet of snow at a ski resort you can drive to!
Population: 3,939,363
Ski Resorts within 4 Hours: 12
Closest Ski Resort: The Summit at Snoqualmie (52 miles – just under 1 hour)
Portland, OR
Portland is not only weird; it’s also a great city for skiers and snowboarders. Mt. Hood, located just over an hour away, is home to some of the best skiing anywhere in the states. Added to this, Timberline Lodge offers nearly year-round skiing.
Population: 2,478,810
Ski Resorts within 4 Hours: 11
Closest Ski Resort: Mt Hood Skibowl (54.6 mi, just over 1 hour)
Sacramento, CA
If you enjoy skiing but don’t like the cold sunny Sacramento might be for you. California’s capital enjoys warm temps and palm trees but is located just an hour and a half from Sugar Bowl Ski Resort.
Population: 2,149,127
Closest Ski Resort: Sugar Bowl (95 miles – 1 hour and 30 minutes)
Ski Resorts within 4 Hours: 13
Boston, MA
The ski resorts of New England might not boast the deepest snowpacks or the highest peaks but with more than 60 ski resorts located within driving distance of Boston how could Beantown not make the list?
Population: 4,628,910
Ski Resorts within 4 Hours: > 60
Closest Ski Resort: Blue Hills Ski Area (16.8 mi – about 24 minutes)
San Francisco, CA
Beautiful Lake Tahoe is located just 3.5 hours from the tech capital of the planet. The Tahoe Area is home to some 13 ski resorts all enjoying an abundance of annual snowfall. In SF you can make a fortune and blow it all on a lakefront cabin.
Population: 4,729,484
Ski Resorts within 4 Hours: 13
Closest Ski Resort: Sugar Bowl Resort (179 mi, just under 3 hours)