Skip the popular resorts and enjoy a crowd-free ski day. Photo / Unsplash
Looking for a way to have a better ski trip? Consider an indie ski resort, writes Sydney Baker.
As you breathe in crisp, mountain air, your boot-covered feet dangle over snow-covered tree tops and ant-like figures tracing their way down runs. Mountain peaks stretch out in cascading layers ahead as you push off the chairlift, ready for the first run of the day.
Yet, reality sets in as you’re greeted by hordes of fellow skiers and snowboarders. You join the swarm at the summit and file into yet another line (never mind the one you waited in at the bottom of the mountain) to head down. And, like many snowsports enthusiasts in recent years, you wonder if an idyllic ski getaway is possible in North America anymore.
Unfortunately, busy to the point of being unenjoyable has become the norm across the continent. Additionally, skiing has never been more expensive and can now be prohibitively so – between accommodation, lift tickets, equipment rentals, food, and other activities.
For Kiwi travellers, the added costs of plane tickets to the other side of the world, and a trip even just for two, can quickly become unfathomable. And there’s no bigger disappointment than shelling out months of savings, only to have your trip spoiled by a lack of breathing room, not only on the mountain, but also at the resort, and in town.
The pandemic changed travel trends seemingly overnight, with many travellers favouring outdoor activities and nature-oriented destinations. Outdoor retailers, national parks, and, you guessed it, mountain resorts saw massive increases in visitor numbers.
In addition, the Ikon and Epic Passes completely changed the ski and snowboard landscape in North America. These competing passes allow holders access to dozens of resorts across the continent, including world-renowned names such as Aspen, Snowbird, and Sugarbush on Ikon and Vail, Heavenly (Tahoe), and Whistler on Epic.
The two have been accused of ruining skiing in numerous articles that detail how crowded these resorts have become.
As Gordon Laforge wrote for Slate, “Mountains are losing their culture as the same two companies take over lodge after lodge after lodge….Skiing has fast become just another soulless, pre-packaged, mass commercial experience.”
The final trifecta of the issue is that large corporate conglomerates, namely Vail Resorts, owner of the Epic pass, and Alterra Mountain Company, which profits from Ikon, among others, have bought up numerous resorts to then include in their respective passes.
This has led to an upcharge and an overcrowding of some of the most beautiful winter destinations. While at the same time, displacing residents, ruining local businesses and culture, and increasing traffic.
Luckily, for travellers, there’s a simple solution. Not all resorts are Epic or Ikon; in fact, there are still quite a few that are independently owned, many of which stubbornly wish to remain so.
Indie resorts provide a much nicer experience overall. They tend to have roomier slopes and are often cheaper destinations. Additionally, the towns maintain local culture and, literally, the locals when the cost of living isn’t on a vertical rise every year.
I learned to ski this past year and had the privilege of doing so on a few different mountains. My initial experience was a New Year’s Eve lesson at Seattle’s commuter resort, Snoqualmie, and I nearly gave it up after a lacklustre lesson and impossibly crowded bunny slopes. Luckily, I have a ski enthusiast dad who had just gotten back into the sport for the first time since I was a baby. He wasn’t letting me give up so easily.
After a few more, slightly less crowded days at the corporate hill, we ended up skiing two other, independent resorts in Washington state, Mt Baker (a snowboarding and backcountry mecca) and Mission Ridge, a hidden gem in eastern Washington. At both, we marvelled at the lack of lift lines and the ability to just rock up to the ticket window and gain same-day mountain access.
“It’s like the old days!” Dad exclaimed as we admired photos from decades past in the Baker lodge.
Outside of Washington, I had the opportunity to ski Whitefish in Montana, a town better known as a summer destination thanks to its proximity to Glacier National Park. I was stunned at the friendliness, efficiency of rentals without the corporate business feel, and the Rocky Mountain views of your social media dreams, sans crowds.
“It’s a bit busy for a weekday,” Brian Schott of Explore Whitefish said as we got in the lift line.
“This is busy?!” I thought as we made it on the chairlift in under 60 seconds.
Independently-owned resorts provide a much more intimate experience, that harkens back to the ski days of our parents (oh, and the food’s better), at a much friendlier price. I also visited Tahoe in the winter and made the decision not to ski, due to price (can be upwards of $300 NZD for a single-day lift ticket, not including gear) and crowds. In comparison, a full-day ticket at Baker is half that, at $150 NZD for adults. Mission Ridge is similar, with varied pricing depending on the day of the week, between $130 and $140 NZD, and Whitefish, a bit pricier at $182 for a day pass, but you’re paying for the Rockies and a larger resort.
Across the border, it’s a similar story; Canada’s most famous resort, Whistler, can add up to well into the five figures for a two-person package. In comparison, indie resorts such as Big White can be a much better deal, and not just when it comes to cost.
I spoke with Michael J. Ballingall, Senior VP of Big White, who said his favourite thing about the resort compared to others is the way things operate. As a family-owned resort, people factor into the decisions, not just quarterly reports.
“Families like to be surrounded by other families and like-minded people,” he said. “It’s always exciting when we see three generations of families with some of them having worked for us years and years ago, bringing their loved ones back to the resort.”
This creates a community and actual mountain town feel, where mom and pop operations are the restaurants, bars, cafes, and activities you’ll be supporting as a visitor.
So, this season, instead of becoming dreamy-eyed on that run you’ve seen from Whistler or Aspen, remember it’ll come at a social and literal price – and consider a less-trodden run.