Everyone loves a nice long ski run to close out the day. Going from the very top of the resort all the way down to your favorite bar as the last run is a perfect way to end a long vacation or just a big day on the mountain.
Some mountains have a pretty incredible vertical drop but require some serious hiking to access it. Others can be accessed entirely by chairlifts. These are the 5 largest lift-served vertical drops at ski resorts in the United States.
5. Timberline Lodge, OR – 3690 feet
The Palmer Lift, when open, can take skiers and snowboarders up to 8,540 feet. From there to the bottom of the Jeff Flood lift, skiers can descend 3,690 feet.
4. Telluride Ski Resort, CO – 3,790 feet
Telluride’s highest lift, the Revelation Lift, reaches up to 12,515 feet. With a base at 8,725 feet, the ski resort offers 3,790 total lift-served vertical.
3. Aspen Snowmass, CO (Snowmass) – 4,110 feet
From the top of Snowmass’s Cirque Surface Lift (12,510 feet) to the Snowmass base village (8,400 feet), skiers can continuously descend 4,110 feet.
2. Jackson Hole, WY – 4,139 feet
Jackson Hole’s Ariel Tram, which takes skiers and snowboarders from Teton Village to the top of Rendezvous Mountain, offers a massive 4,139 feet of vertical in just one lift ride. That’s the second most lift accessed terrain in the United States and it’s accessed with just one tram.
1. Big Sky Resort, Montana – 4,350 feet
The Lone Mountain Peak Tram takes skiers and snowboarders up to 11,166 feet. From there to the resort’s lowest lift-accessed point, riders can take advantage of a monstrous 4,350 feet of vertical.