Rankings
Best Ski Resorts for Powder
Powder days are why we do this. The alarm goes off at 5 AM, the snow report says 18 inches overnight, and suddenly nothing else matters. These resorts get the most snow, the lightest snow, and have the terrain to actually enjoy it before it gets tracked out.
Niseko
IndependentJapanNiseko averages 630" of snow per year across 2,191 acres of terrain.
Alyeska Resort
IndependentAlaskaAlyeska Resort averages 669" of snow per year across 1,610 acres of terrain.
Alta
IkonUtahAlta averages 547" of snow per year across 2,614 acres of terrain.
Snowbird
IkonUtahSnowbird averages 500" of snow per year across 3,240 acres of terrain.
Grand Targhee Resort
IkonWyomingGrand Targhee Resort averages 500" of snow per year across 2,602 acres of terrain.
Mt. Bachelor
IkonOregonMt. Bachelor averages 462" of snow per year across 4,318 acres of terrain.
Solitude Mountain Resort
IkonUtahSolitude Mountain Resort averages 500" of snow per year across 1,200 acres of terrain.
Big Sky
IkonMontanaBig Sky averages 400" of snow per year across 5,800 acres of terrain.
Revelstoke Mountain Resort
IndependentBritish ColumbiaRevelstoke Mountain Resort averages 450" of snow per year across 3,121 acres of terrain.
Whitewater Ski Resort
IndependentBritish ColumbiaWhitewater Ski Resort averages 465" of snow per year across 1,300 acres of terrain.
Jackson Hole
IkonWyomingJackson Hole averages 459" of snow per year.
Kiroro
IndependentJapanKiroro averages 433" of snow per year.
Steamboat
IkonColoradoSteamboat averages 349" of snow per year across 3,668 acres of terrain.
Rusutsu Resort
IndependentJapanRusutsu Resort averages 394" of snow per year.
Fernie Alpine Resort
IndependentBritish ColumbiaFernie Alpine Resort averages 349" of snow per year across 2,504 acres of terrain.
How We Score
Each resort gets a 0-100 score based on weighted attributes specific to this category. We pull from real data: average annual snowfall, skiable acres, vertical drop, summit elevation, pass coverage, proximity to major airports, and editorial “best for” tags from our resort profiles.
Scores are normalized so the best resort in each attribute gets 100 and the rest scale proportionally. The final score is a weighted average -- heavier weights go to the attributes that matter most for each category.
This isn't pay-to-play. No resort can buy a higher ranking. It's math, data, and a little editorial judgment.