Top 4 U.S. Cities for Skiers and Snowboarders

Some of you reading this have are unfamiliar with the pain and frustration of living in a mountainless city. Some of you might live in a city surrounded by skiing opportunities—cities with shuttle services to popular resorts and public transportation that will take you back to your apartment after a day on the slopes. While I am certainly not in that wonderful position, I thought I’d take a moment to share some of the most ski- and snowboard-friendly cities in America. There are, in fact, a lot of them. I just don’t live in one. So, if you want to mix city life with weekend shredding, consider moving to one of these places. If you’re stuck in a flat city like me, refer to nearly every other piece of content on this site.

• Denver—Ha! How could I not start this list with Denver, CO? It feels like every person who lives or has lived in Denver knows how to ski and snowboard. I’m not surprised, too—there are a whopping nineteen ski resorts within four hours of downtown. That’s downright absurd. The closest ski resort, Loveland Ski Area, is around an hour away from downtown. While it’s not exactly walking distance from the city, there are dozens of ways to get to and from popular ski resorts.

• Boston—This one might seem a bit weird, but trust me: Boston is a haven for New England skiers. This part of the country might not boast the deepest snowpacks of the highest peaks but there are over 60 ski resorts within driving distance of the city. Sure, they might be small mountains, but everything in New England is just… closer. The nearest ski resort is just a half hour outside the city.

• Salt Lake City—Another obvious choice, Salt Lake City is full of outdoor recreation opportunities. There are countless resorts in the general area, most of them boasting world-renowned peaks and vistas. Resorts like Snowbird and Park City are just under an hour’s drive from downtown. What more could you ask for?

• Seattle—The ski resorts of the Pacific North West generally receive the most snowfall in the entire country. I’m serious—look it up. In the late 1990s, Mt. Baker received 1140 inches of snow. That’s absolutely absurd. Seattle is a great place for avid skiers to live; there are twelve resorts within a four-hour drive of downtown, and the closest resort is just under an hour’s drive away.