The ski resorts of North America are found across the two enormous countries of Canada and the USA, with the better skiing found on the western side of the continent. The main mountain range is the Rockies, home to the famous ski resorts of Colorado, Idaho, Alberta, and interior British Columbia, and you can also ski in the Sierra Nevada (California / Nevada), the mountains of the Pacific North-West, and the ranges of coastal British Columbia. Here you’ll find the largest ski areas anywhere outside Europe, world famous for their excellent terrain and, in the case of the Rockies, excellent snow (though the coastal mountains suffer a little in the snow quality department).
You can also ski east of the Rockies, though the mountains are smaller and the snow conditions less reliable (and be prepared for severe cold); for most people heading to North America for a ski holiday or to seek work in the snow, the western resorts are the draw.
My own personal experiences of snowboarding in North America come from the two winter seasons I spent skiing in Canada, living in Vancouver and working at Cypress Mountain. Naturally I did most of my riding at Cypress, but also managed to check out half a dozen other resorts in the region.
Whistler is the Big Daddy and standout resort in the region, though Revelstoke actually beats it for vertical drop as well as having better snow due to its location in the BC interior. The most famous place for snow though is Mt Baker, just south of the border in America’s Washington State – unfortunately we caught it on a lousy day.
Click below to see my reviews for skiing in Canada (in the BC area):
1. Vancouver (Cypress, Grouse, and Seymour mountains)
2. Revelstoke
3. Whistler
4. Hemlock
5. Mt Baker