North America — While North American skiing and riding can feel bloated and expensive at times, there are still some gems out there. In honor of the new year, we’ve compiled a list of ski resorts that have been attracting more attention recently.
These picks are based on recent investments, and other skiers are beginning to notice these places. Here are our picks for six ski resorts on the rise in 2026.
Angel Fire Resort: A lot of changes came to Angel Fire this winter, and more improvements are on tap for next winter. The marquee addition for this winter is seven new trails, including the ski resort’s first double black diamonds. Other additions at the New Mexico ski resort include a new fixed-grip quad chairlift (which serves The Steeps), a new covered conveyor lift, snowmaking upgrades, new snow groomers, additional parking, and more. As of 2026, the ski resort features 95 trails, 8 lifts, and a vertical drop of 2,077 feet.
Next winter will see a new detachable high-speed six-pack chairlift out of the base area, along with a new ticketing and rental shop. Offseason activities will also grow thanks to the completion of new pickleball courts.
Black Mountain: New Hampshire’s Black Mountain appeared to be knocking on heaven’s door in 2023 after its owner announced it wouldn’t operate that winter. Enter Erik Mogensen and Entabeni Systems, who have revitalized it. There have been plenty of changes since then, including lift refurbishments, vast snowmaking enhancements, new dining experiences, and lots of champagne. The biggest addition could be a new hike-to expert terrain pod, which has helped Black Mountain increase its vertical drop.
Burke Mountain: Burke Mountain has been under the radar for years, despite its varied terrain and a nice mid-mountain hotel. That’s partly because it was under federal receivership for around a decade. That changed last year, as a group of locals bought the Vermont ski resort.
So far, investments have included tripling the snowmaking capacity, which has included 150 new snow guns. Other investments include lift maintenance, behind-the-scenes work, and leadership hires.
More improvements could be coming, making it a great stop on a Vermont ski trip.
Castle Mountain Resort: Alberta’s second-largest ski resort by acreage hasn’t received much press until recently. That’s changed with the Haig Peak expansion, which was previously only available for cat skiing. Acquiring an old high-speed quad from Banff Sunshine Village gave them lift-serviced access to Haig, with finishing touches currently being put on the lift.
With Alberta listing it as an “All-Season Resort” late last year, more growth could be coming in the years ahead.
Mont Orford: For some reason, many Northeast skiers aren’t aware that there are various excellent ski resorts just north of the US-Canadian border. Known as the Eastern Townships, there are several high-quality ski resorts just north of the border in Quebec. Perhaps the jewel of them all is Mont Orford.
Situated in Mont-Orford National Park, the ski resort features 44 trails, 18 glades, 7 lifts, and 245 skiable acres. With it being situated near Jay Peak, it also does pretty well snow-wise. A $20 million CAD investment was announced last year, which included renovating their chalet, modernizing the snowmaking system, and adding more summer activities (such as a mountain biking park). With affordable lift ticket prices (your dollar goes further up north), it’s worth checking out.
Skeetawk: Alaska’s newest ski area has been growing slowly since its opening in 2020. Currently, the ski area features 30 skiable acres, two lifts, and a vertical drop of 300 feet. However, they made noteworthy investments last year, including installing snowmaking, improving the access road, and adding a magic carpet lift.
Next up is securing funding for a new mid-mountain lift (potentially a gondola), followed by additional lifts to access more technical terrain on the upper mountain. If their master plan is completed, Skeetawk would be the largest ski area in Alaska.
Image/Video Credits: Angel Fire Resort, Black Mountain, Burke Mountain, Castle Mountain Resort, Mont Orford, Skeetawk
