Ski Resorts in the USA and Canada

With ski season lasting until June in select resorts in North America, there's no reason not to hit the slopes.

Aspen, Colorado

If you're in the mood for a high-altitude Champagne buzz and exciting days on and off piste and enough options in the Aspen Snowmass collection to please skiers and boarders of all levels.

Stay at The Little Nell for the ultimate pampered ski-in/ski-out experience with a dedicated ski concierge and access to First Tracks, a blissful hour of skiing on the freshly groomed runs before the mountain officially opens for the day. For a true taste of Aspen's storied wild west, check into the town's oldest and chicest Hotel Jerome, Auberge Resorts Collection for the coziest living room and bar filled with old Western portraits, leather seating, and a roaring fire.

Take off your boots and head to the patio of Ajax Tavern for a spritz in the sun followed by truffle fries to whet your après appetite. After that, catch a concert at The Snow Lodge, the alpine outpost of Montauk's The Surf Lodge that hosts nightly concerts and DJs inside and on the patio of the St. Regis Aspen Resort. If the night calls for an espresso martini, no one shakes them like Casa Tua.

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

If you're in the mood for the anti-Aspen and having way too much fun in fluffy Champagne powder. The cowboy life on skis is total Steamboat style.

Stay at the recently opened Gravity Haus, a modern ski-in/ski-out base camp with a lively eatery where you can fuel up before the slopes and wind down after. Sooth tired muscles in and out of the Japanese-style onsen and dry sauna, and bouncing on the super trampoline. Dedicated skiers might be interested in signing up for the Gravity Haus membership program, with perks like discounts on rooms and meals; access to work spaces, special events, fitness classes, and outdoor gear; and reciprocal benefits at Vail, Steamboat, Truckee-Tahoe. Vista Verde, a family-friendly luxury dude ranch just north of the slopes, has a strong culinary program, special offerings for solo travelers, and weeks marked for adults only.

Take your boots off and head to Strawberry Hot Springs for a soak at sunset. If you want 24/7 hot springs access, check into their Train Caboose or, for a rustic BYOELB experience (that's BYO electricity, linens, and blankets), book the wagons or cabins.

Read more on Fathom: A Champagne Powder Toast to Steamboat Springs

Breckenridge, Colorado

If you're in the mood for T-shirt skiing for miles. The town's base elevation of 9,600 feet means its mountains are blessed with consistent snow through May. Close out ski season with a skim on the pond, an annual competition where participants skim or sink into a melted-snow basin at the bottom of the mountain combined with a big dance party and costume competition.

Stay at Mountain Thunder Lodge, a ski-in/gondola-out alpine chalet with apartment-style lodging ranging from studios to townhouses, with five outdoor hot tubs, and private ski lockers.

Take your boots off and stroll historic Main Street for local shops, breweries, and cozy eateries like Blue River Bistro and SouthRidge Seafood Grill.

Read more on Fathom: It's All About the Snow: How to Ski Breckenridge

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

If you're in the mood for pushing yourself and advancing your turns with sprawling views of the 14ers and 2,500 acres of in-bounds terrain and nearly the same out-of-bounds.

Stay at Caldera House, the swank, eight-suite hotel and members club' in Teton Village with a a restaurant and cafe, private bar, lounge, locker room, ski valet, and ski shop. Jackson Square's newest hotel, The Cloudveil, offers a modern-yet-cozy basecamp for exploring the cowboy town along with guided backcountry ski tours into the deep powder. Anvil Hotel, a converted motel in town with a welcoming and funky vibe, has 50 rooms full of thoughtful, crafty details like custom iron beds and furnishings.

Take your boots off and strap into a sleigh for a ride into the National Elk Refuge, a 25,000-acre outdoor sanctuary set up by the government to ensure the survival of the elk population.

Stowe, Vermont

If you're in the mood for an idyllic winter weekend where a fresh coat of snow is cause for celebration and the natural surroundings entice you to spend time outdoors.

Stay at Bluebird Tälta Lodge, a base camp built for adventurers with close access to the slopes, gear storage, an indoor heated pool, outdoor hot tub, yoga room, and sauna. Twin Farms, a Relais & Châteaux property, offers solitude and fresh powder with six private ski trails spread across 300 acres with slope-side picnics and hot chocolate breaks delivered by the culinary team.

Take your boots off and head to the nearby Idletyme Brewery for the great roasted chicken, fish dishes, and samplers of their on-site brew (Zog’s Pale Ale, Helles Brook Lager, Fest Maerzen). Stowe Cider has daily live music and creative cider tastings. The extensive vinyl collection and cozy interiors at Doc Ponds, run by two chefs formerly of Stowe's fine dining sweetheart Hen of the Wood, fuses music into the casual American fare.

Photo by Scott Markewitz / courtesy of Utah Office of Tourism.

Park City, Utah

If you're in the mood for diverse, excellent skiing easily accessible to downtown's walkable and social high streets.

Stay at Washington School House, a twelve-room charmer and wind down before dinner in the heated pool tucked into the hillside. Also on offer are in-room massages, cryotherapy sessions, yoga, IV therapy, Pilates, and a dedicated hiking butler for early-morning strolls.

Take your boots off and come hungry to Zoom, Robert Redford's classic American upscale restaurant, for fantastic food in a cozy yet refined interior. Bistro 412 serves incredible mussels in white wine sauce, finished off with icy drafts from No Name Saloon and gastropub Tavern.

Read more on Fathom: Skiing Park City, Utah: A Love Story

Canyons, Utah

If you're in the mood for leveling up to side and backcountry adventures, topped off with Champagne at home base. Just ten minutes from Park City, Canyons is a better option for more advanced skiers.

Stay at Pendry Park City, a new ski-in/ski-out destination with spacious suites, residences, a year-round rooftop pool and bar, and slopeside "snow beaches" for soaking up the late-winter rays and recapping the day's adventures.

Take your boots off and sip bubbly at the Moët & Chandon Pool House Champagne Terrace with après fare and live DJs.

Deer Valley, Utah

If you're in the mood for pristinely groomed slopes reserved for skiers only, an excellent ski school with a max of four adults per instructor, and majestic views at every turn.

Stay at Stein Eriksen Lodge for daily seafood buffet, fondue, and fireplace-equipped suites with private hot tubs on the deck. Goldner Hirsch, recently renovated and now part of Auberge Resorts Collection, is the little sister to Hotel Goldner Hirsch in Salzburg and totally leans into that Euro-chic chalet heritage, with Austrian decor and an alpine vibe throughout.

Take your boots off for a tipsy dinner in The St. Regis Deer Valley's private wine vault

Alta, Utah

If you're in the mood for a greater challenge than Park City with steep chutes with heavy powder on long, exhilarating drops of vertical feet and a vibe edgier than Deer Valley.

Stay at Snowpine Lodge, a primed ski-in, ski-out location with a new private chairlift that ensures first access to the powdery runs, a local après scene, along with an outdoor lap pool, steam room, sauna, and oxygen bar.

Take your boots off and snowshoe with a naturalist searching for animal tracks, and learn about the flora and fauna of Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Mammoth, California

If you're in the mood for a low-key SoCal approach to skiing with scenic gondola rides, après dance parties, and that special Mammoth Mountain bonus: fresh powder through June.

Stay at Sierra Nevada Resort for a roaring fireplace, hot toddies, and a couple games of pool in the cozy old bar.

Take your boots off and recoup at Wild Willy's Hot Springs just a few miles away. Or support the local brewery for a a tasting of seasonal beers at Mammoth Brewing Company.

Read more on Fathom: Little Black Book: California Ski Bunny

Photo courtesy of Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.

Banff, Alberta

If you're in the mood for slope hopping among three ski resorts: Lake Louise, Sunshine Village, and Mount Norquay. Conveniently located less than an hour from one another, a dedicated and avid skier could hit all the slopes — especially in the spring when the sun doesn't set until 8 p.m. or later.

Stay at the stately Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, which transforms Lake Louise's storybook snow-covered frozen lake into a winter village, with a hockey and ice skating rink, snow shoeing and cross-country skiing trails, and an ice bar serving hot toddies with blankets and fire pits.

Take your boots off for a guided expedition of ice climbing Louise Falls, or hike to Johnson Canyon with ice cleats into the upper and lower falls.

Read more on Fathom: The Ultimate Guide to Wintering In Banff and Beyond.

Tremblant, Quebec

If you're in the mood for a fairytale European village experience, with animated colors and a Victorian vibe that feels straight out of a Disney movie. Oh, of course, also for 102 trails across 754 acres.

Stay at one of the family-friendly resorts. We like Fairmont because it's the highest up the mountain and it's a treat to ski down the piste that runs parallel to the pedestrian street to the gondola that takes you up the mountain.

Take your boots off in a Frenchie bistro like La Forge, La Forchette du Diable, La Maison de la Crêpe, and La Savoie. And, oui, you're supposed to order the poutine, raclette, fondue, crêpes, steak frites. And many bottles of wine.

It Pays to Get Your Ski Pass Early

Skiing is an expensive hobby, in no small part because lift tickets cost a pretty penny. Many resorts share ownership, and when frequent skiers purchase resort passes for multi-day periods or even the season, the savings can be big. You just can't take advantage of them if you're a spontaneous, last-minute planner because skiers are incentivized to purchase passes early. Ikon Pass, which gives access to some 50 resorts worldwide, including Mammoth, Sreamboat, Banff, the Dolomites, Aspen, and Sun Valley, go on sale from late spring through December for the following ski season. Epic Pass is another option for Vail, Beaver Creek, Whistler, and Stowe, among others.