Methodology: Why Best in Snow?
The 2019 Best in Snow Awards, Powered By Liftopia, is the first and only list that ranks the best ski areas in North America. This list is based on feedback from thousands of skiers and snowboarders, combined with Liftopia's proprietary dataset (which levels the playing field between big and small resorts), to uncover the true top ski areas across North America, based on what matters most to consumers.
Step 1: Who?
Thousands of passionate skiers and snowboarders
What those customers say ski areas do best
Step 2: How?
Survey Results
Number of ski area guests
Survey Results
Skiable acres
Survey Results
Cost of skiing
Proprietary Algorithm
Liftopia's proprietary dataset levels the playing field between big and small resorts in order to uncover the true top ski areas across North America based on what matters most to consumers.
Step 3: What?
Best in North America
Best by Category
The winners are the best, regardless of size.
Comparing the Raw Data
When we look at the sheer volume of ratings, all of the great large resorts that we know and love are in the list. The resorts that made the top 10 Overall Best in Snow when weighted by our algorithm (skier and snowboarder visits annually, acreage, average true cost of skiing, and uphill capacity) were the ones that have an outsized group of passionate customers.
- Raw Data Top 10
- Alta, UT
- Big Sky, MT
- Whistler Blackcomb, BC
- Jackson Hole, WY
- Snowbird, UT
- Vail Mountain, CO
- Killington, VT
- Magic Mountain, VT
- Titus Mountain, NY
- Snowbasin, UT
- Best in Snow Overall Top 10
- Magic Mountain, VT
- Titus Mountain, NY
- Mad River Glen, VT
- Alta, UT
- Powder Mountain, UT
- Grand Targhee, WY
- Snowbird, UT
- Jackson Hole, WY
- Jay Peak, VT
- Big Sky, MT
