Vermont Ski Resorts RANKED - Worst to Best 

Hey all! For whatever reason, chapters are not showing up in this video, despite being in the description. If you want to jump to certain resorts, here are the timestamps: 0:00 Intro 0:51 13th in Vermont 2:01 12th in Vermont 3:31 11th in Vermont 4:41 10th in Vermont 6:24 9th in Vermont 7:52 8th in Vermont 9:19 7th in Vermont 11:07 6th in Vermont 13:01 5th in Vermont 14:36 4th in Vermont 16:09 3rd in Vermont 17:41 2nd in Vermont 18:59 1st in Vermont 20:31 Conclusion And if we missed something very obvious that's disabling chapters for this video, please let us know 😅 Also, CORRECTION: Sugarbush and Stratton are UNLIMITED on the Ikon full and Base passes, not 7/5-day access partners.

pico is criminally underrated, and that's by design. The longest I ever waited in line there was 3 minutes, and that was on a 17 inch powder day saturday after getting 40 inches that week.

Bolton night skiing is unmatched. May not be the best mountain but definitely has the best vibe.

Smugglers notch true strengths lie in their back country which has some of the best woods skiing you can find, and the unmarked trails, if you plan a trip to smuggs I strongly recommend to find a local to show you the best trails

I'm extremely fortunate to have skied all these mountains. Can't really comment on the rankings because we're all looking for something a bit different. However, I got a serious sense of nostalgia watching this and thinking about my experiences at each mountain.

I am happy and thankful I learned to ski in Vermont. Once you learn how to ski there, you can ski everywhere.

Getting ready to go to killington next week very excited

Used to ski pro , and my favorite East Coast ski resort is definitely Bolton Valley...Fun terrain, and they have "The Big Rock" where you can send it...I highly recommend this mountain....Good for families too!

After 15 years skiing/riding the east from northern NJ, this is the best overview and ranking I have seen

I love magic and it goes to shows the 80s ski area once you look past the lodge and snowmaking that’s the fun it to be free and no lines

Great list, and awesome video as always. However, I will say that Burke should have been included on this lift. I’m a Canadian from Quebec, and I often drive down to Burke due to its close proximity to Montreal to get away from the massive lines at Quebec resorts around montreal as an alternative to jay peak. It’s got a great fall line, and two high speed lifts, so I think it should have been included

Great video! I am consistently impressed with Sam’s ability to remain composed while skiing the craziest expert terrain. I would love to see a similar video ranking Quebec ski areas.

Mad River is in my top three fav mountains in VT, tied with Jay at number 1(given similar snow conditions between the two I would choose MRG pretty much every time), and then Smuggs after them. However, given the lack of grooming and snow making, Mad River is probably the worst option to plan your whole trip around if it's a short trip and you're coming from farther away. That being said, if ur intrigued by MRG but dont wanna risk ruining your vacation, Sugarbush is just down the road, so you could plan more around that and if the weather is good, you could take a day to check out Mad River. If you arent keen on the prices and commercial vibe of Sugarbush but want the reliability, consider getting passes limited to just the Mt Ellen peak (Sugarbush North) instead of full mountain passes. You will not be bored here and this section (which is completely separate from the rest of surgarbush) has a much humbler and local vibe than the main Sugarbush resort. ALSO, for experts interested in MRG's terrain, do not be turned off by the small "skiable" acreage because the mountain truly shines with its unmarked terrain (but still within bounds) which I dont think gets taken into account in the official number. If it looks remotely skiable, someone has probably done it and paved the way for you even if its not on the map. FINALLY, if you feel comfortable going out of the resort's bounds and ski patrol rounds, Smugglers Notch offers some incredible backcountry terrain conncted to the long trail, which is also fairly accessible and lapable as it leads you to the parking lots just below the lifts at the bottom of the resort.

Love the videos keep up the good work!!

I’m sad you guys didn’t include Burke, It actually has a hotel, A nice beginner pod (which might be better with 1 or 2 more trails) 2 High speed quads, and a lot of good glade terrain! It’s a mountain I would certainly like to visit.

Real Vermonters remember the chairlift jump over the rock at SMUGGS

Would love to see a Burke video some time. One of the best resorts in the east coast and criminally underrated.

Can you do a video on New York?

Thank you!! Pray for snow this season 🙏💯🌲⛷🤙

As a vermonter, I agree with this list! Granted that its geared twoard folks looking for a vacation destination. I love bolton as a Burlington resident, the low traffic and slower lifts means you can still find untouched powder 2+ days after a storm. And thier summertime mountainbike trails in the woods get covered with snow and make for some EPIC tree runs with jumps!!! But - the access road can be a beast and possibly one of the gnarliest access roads for VT resorts. This list dosnt expand much on parks for folks looking for that - killington is the best imo, but sugarbush has a massive park set up on that ‘second’ mountain location which are only a 8 min drive apart if you dont take that long connecting lift. Just take off one ski boot for the drive ;) Stowe has amazing terrain and lifts and midweek is really good - its just so expensive… really kills the vibe there… Awesome list, maybe look for some locals to interview when making these lists for those good secrets if theyll share them! And also - the ultimate trip advice. Consider staying in burlington Vt and rent a car or drive up here, TONS to do in this awesome city. And jay peak, sugarbush, stowe all about an hour away. Killington 1.5 hrs.

Excellent video. Helps me decide.

I always loved Burke Mountain the best. I went there a lot from 99-02. The place was always empty but it had a ton of awesome trails, glades, and a decent park.

Thanks for a great video.

I remember Mad River Glen, and the only working lift at the time was this smoke belching diesel powered chair lift. The only lodging we could find was this room above a bar, we had to squeeze through the crowded bar with our snowy skis to get to the room! The terrain on the mountain was challenging as advertised though, and it was a memorable weekend.

Agree ski’d Pico last year while at Killington, the wait to get on the lifts were unbelievably short and the terrain is quite good!

Lived in Vermont years ago. In Waterbury. I recognized/remember the slopes of Sugarbush, Mad River, Jay, Bolton, and Stowe. I wonder if Jay still has their VT resident (drivers license) specials on Fridays? It was a 75% discount on a day ticket😊. So it was worth the drive of a little over an hour. I was spoiled. It took about 25 minutes to get to Sugarbush, only about 15 to get to Bolton.

I love the flat dome summit of Stratton! It feels like you can just skate around while you make up your mind where to descend.

awesome video!

Well done and helpful video

love your videos and agree with this list!

I would love to see the same format for New Hampshire.

The Stratton & Sugarbush pass affiliation is wrong in the video, both are unlimited with the Ikon pass!

with all due respect ranking Bromley, Snow and Okemo OVER MRG and Bolton simply because they're in southern Vermont and have good numbers on paper is INSANE! I prefer mountains with character

Love the videos! I would love to see one of these videos for New York State!

Great video, I am from NJ and was planning on hitting Vermont this year.

Jay Peak has incredible snow and terrain. I just visited for my first time last weekend and it was the best powder I’ve ever snowboarded at a resort. But yes it was very cold on the lifts and windy and some trails did have some bad ice in some exposed spots. Still, if you prepare yourself accordingly it may be rugged, it’s absolutely the best ski resort I’ve ever snowboarded and I’ve done Killington. But I do like rugged and I like backcountry type feel over comfort and groomed.

Great list! As someone who does a lot of skiing out west, I always tell people that if it’s a good snow season for vermont, killington is as good as most. Love killington (with good snow)!

My man, I was waiting for this video

I just moved to Bolton and cannot wait for this season! Tomorrow is opening day ❄

Nice rankings, nice priorities for the rankings, nice narrator voice. Glad Killington is #1-everyone should go there!

I lived in the northern suburbs of Boston for like 20 years, we only start driving up towards the ski area at the tail end of a major snowstorm

This was a great list. I’ve seen a lot of videos like this from other people but none like this. Also you might wanna consider best ski resort base villages. Might be cool.

I learned to cross-country ski when I moved to New England 10 years ago. every time I'm tempted to try downhill I see the crowds, the lines, and the cost and I'm happy to stick to the skinny skis.

Even though I’ve never been to Vermont, I still love the vids you put out. Do “California resorts ranked” next !

Failed to mention that mount snow has the biggest and best terrain park in the north east and has some serious terrain on north face

Great video! Would love to see a similar rundown for New Hampshire.

I'm alright with you putting Bolton Valley near the bottom. Means us locals get to continue enjoying it without a big dent to lift lines from your influence B)

I'd have to say my favorite VT mountain is Jay for affordability, depth of snow, terrain (woods and steeps), and overall vibe. Drawbacks are cold and wind. Magic is only an hour from where I live and has my favorite steep woods skiing after Jay. Yes, you have to wait for a good snowfall, but when they get it, and they do get sneaker storms that are off the radar, I've had some of my best powder days there. Not as cheap as it used to be (was dirt cheap not too many years ago). I've skied at Killington a fair amount over the years. I got less and less enthused about the vibe there in recent years. It doesn't consistently get the snow some of the northern areas get, it's gotten prohibitively expensive, and it tends to be pretty icy, windy, and cold. It does have some good powder skiing in the woods, but it generally gets tracked out pretty fast. I'll give honorable mention to Bolton Valley for snow totals in a good year and variety and challenge of woods terrain. The drawback is the steep sections are close to the top and fairly short with long run-outs back to the lift.

I had a ton of fun at Jay Peak on my visit! Super helpful lesser-known fact- the Airbnb’s in the towns close by are CRAZY cheap, and they’re all SUUUPER nice. I can’t recommend them enough! Hope you guys do a Maine review soon, it’s my fav east coast state to ski!

Great job but surprised you didn't even mention the North Face at Mount Snow. Some leg burning Terrain there aside from the main mountain and a important part of Mount Snow. That's a big reason I would go there vs places like Okemo, Stratton and other less challenging resorts in southern VT

Great video! I think the judgment changes based on if you come with a family or expert skier friends, and also whether you come for just a day or two, or entire week. Would probably disagree on one comment about Mount Snow's trails being "too similar" across the mountain. I think that would definitelly be hallmark of Stratton (and for that reason I would move it down the list), and to an extent Okemo. At Snow, depending on conditions, SNOWDANCE fun for wide carving turns, ROLLERCOASTER full of berms and jumps while still on the main face, the area from Ego Alley all the way to the Ridge has different feel and you can come in and out of the woods, because of sun Sunbrook has different snow conditions, and is fun for a visit during the day, and Carinthias trails, even if you dont come for the features can keep you engaged, and then there is the north face with its blacks and glades.

As someone who skis Killington a lot- IT DESERVES THE WIN ❤ Can we have some appreciation? 🎉

new hampshire resorts when?

Would love to see a list like this or reviews for NH ski mountains

This is very helpful, when is the Smugglers Notch video coming out?

Good video! I have a home at Stratton and I recognize its drawbacks but 3 things i would add: it’s unlimited on Ikon, the tree skiing (when open) is underrated and it’s where you can find much more of a challenge, and having a true “walking village” at the base is a nice thing to have, even if it feels a little Disney-ish. Like any ski resort, it’s great on weekdays!

Ski bus days growing up in Vermont >>

Mad river glen is insane when you get fresh powder. Was there a day after 2ft of powder and it was the best day of skiing I have ever had and will probally ever have

Good list

Good accurate report; however, Stratton and Sugarbush are now unlimited with the full IKON pass. And being a skier-only mountain, even with the slow single chair at MRG, it's worth the throwback feel because it drops a single skier up top every 30 seconds which means you are guaranteed to not have a high speed double quad dropping dozens of dopes and boarders up top at the same time to create massive CFs like you encounter every day at Killington. Plus, MRG is a co-op, skier-owned resort and so lift tix remain very affordable, and they don't gouge you for a beer, wings, or swag in the basebox. On pow days, the MRG single chair is the lift to Heaven. And the General Stark Pub rules!

I have skied every mountain on this list, all of them many times. That said I am a season pass holder at Killington and for a reason. It has great terrain and they have a very big commitment to your skiing experience. That means they run their snow making guns whenever possible and relentlessly. I love Sugerbush, Mad River, Stowe and Jay and if it’s a good snow year they are all great. If not you are much better off at Killington. During peak season and holidays Saturdays can be a bit much. The Canyon area which has some of the best terrain never has a lift line. The tree skiing is also very good. If you study the map a bit you will find it’s laid out very well and they have built tunnels to reduce issues. They have replaced almost all their slow lifts. The ones that are left are in areas that never have a line. For younger people or those of us who like to go out at night Killington has a great nightlife and lots of restaurants. Places like Jay or The Bush not so much. A few year ago 2019 my wife wanted to go to Stowe for a few days with family, the conditions were terrible and even though the temps were cold enough they never ran their guns. This was on a holiday week. Killington on the other had had their guns doing their job. It left a very bad taste, really expensive and rock hard with no commitment to making things better. If it sucks at Killington, say after a rain, freeze cycle it sucks every place else in Vermont. There is a reason the woman’s World Cup races here every November, They know and trust Killington to make snow. Killington has been open for well over a week already.

After 45 years , I would personally still rate Stowe Vt. the top Ski Capital of the East,… beautiful trails with natural snow and a host of many close accommodations in Stowe itself making for a super vacationing week .

Learned to ride at Magic, love the trees, the steeps, the slow chairs and everything else - MAGIC FOREVER.

If you know your way around Killington and prefer expert trails, you can easily avoid the crowds and lift lines by never going to a base lift. We also used to hang out at the peak after lifts closed and race the 4 miles down Great Eastern to the car at the end of the day.

I went to UVM Lived in VT for 6 years. Skied at everyplace in this video. I agree with everything in this video. Oh yea, now I ski at Mammoth Lakes. The hell with Vermont!!! 😂😂😂😂😂

Take a guess, what state has the most ski resorts in the country? You'd think Colorado, Utah, or Vermont but no, it's New York baby! We've got 52 ski resorts compared to Vermont's 26, so time to get rankin' PeakRankings!

This is one of the most accurate reviews of Vermont ski resorts I've seen. My wife and I have been skiing Vermont for over 20 years and have visited many of the resorts you reviewed here - well done ! Though, we would have put Jay as #1 because of the terrain but yes, it can be friggen cold !

Please make more contact like this for every state makes try to decide where to go when making a ski trip to a specific state easier, love the contact tho keep it up

Giving the smaller, non corporate owned mountains the lowest ratings is a sin.

Totally unbelievable lift ticket prices! I remember paying $23 at Mount Snow in 1978, and thinking it was high. These places seem to be disinterested in day skiers. I remember when Mt. Snow was the go-to for the closest big-mountain skiing to southern New England. Bubble chairs, clickety-clack converted conveyer belt lifts, Frozen Fountain, outdoor swimming pool, all the funky features, mostly no more.

Nice video. Will you be doing one on New Hampshire mountains?

Montana next please! 😊 Love ur content!

You forget to mention the biggest thing my snow has going for it, one of, if not the best park on the entire east coast

Where is Burke???!!!!!! Best mountain in VT!! You guys should really go there.

As someone who has only snowboarded on the east coast Pico and Killington are the 3rd and best resort that I've gotten to spend some time on. Can definitely relate to Pico having tons of open space with short lift lines as well as getting completely lost at Killington

Contrary to popular belief, MRG is accessible to beginners. I started last season. It’s also one of the only places I could find that offered Telemark lessons. Peace

I’ve been skiing at smuggs since I was 2. Amazing variety and the lifts aren’t bad at all. Smuggs for life

Do NY next

S6 was competitive 20 years ago. Haven’t been there in a while. I live/ski in Colorado, but still miss glade skiing in leeward snow pockets in VT and especially spring skiing loose granular/corn bumps on bear peak at Killington.

Just a note at least for Mount Snow, the Epic Local does have blackout dates. There is a 4th Full Epic pass for no blackout dates.

Wow, I would have never guessed Killington at number 1 😂

I'm from Southern VT and Magic Mt is an awesome mountain. Being fro. Southern VT I agree that Killington is the best Mt in VT and I worked at Stowe, Jay, and Burke. But our whole state has awesome skiing. God Bless VT!!

I've skied Vermont for 20 years, this is spot on for every mountain.

Missing a few but, solid list.

Okemo over snow is crazy

Cant argue with the list. I spent 2 seasons as a ski instructor at Sugarbush back in the early 00's. So I have a soft spot for them. I might put Sugarbush ahead of Jay Peak but your reasoning makes sense. Enjoyed the video.

I would say one of the biggest advantages of Killington is the cost booking an airbnb. Compared to Stratton for example, my friends and I were able to find consistently better deals.

I haven’t skied anywhere but Smuggs in Vermont, but I’ve skied all over the west and several mountains in Europe. Smuggs is one of my favorite places I’ve ever skied. It is low-key, not pretentious, not overly fancy, not overly expensive. It’s not made for instagram. It’s made for life. It’s made for families. It’s not built according to some theme generated by a corporate consultant, designed and built like a theme park to look “like” something. Smuggs just IS. It’s a ski mountain made for skiers/boarders to have a good time and a good experience. I fell in love with the place and will be back. If you want a fancy place that makes you feel like a big shot or helps you get likes on Instagram, please go elsewhere.

I've been at the top of Jay in a wind chill of -70 degrees. It's no joke...

Cochran's Hill also offers night skiing.

Descent list for beginners and intermediates. This list has a strong bias towards size and modern infrastructure and doesn't consider challenge or vibe. If you are more hardcore (you like narrow winding steeps, trees, cliff drops, natural trails), Magic, Mad River, and Sugarbush(Castlerock) would rise towards the top. Stratton, Bromley, Mt. Snow, and Okemo towards the bottom.

Bolton is a top 8 Mountian at least 1. Killington 2. Stowe 3. Jay peak 4. Sugarbush 5. Okemo 6. Mount snow 7. Stratton 8. Bolton Valley 9. Pico 10. Smugglers Notch 11. Hermitage Club 12. Burke 13. Bromley 14. Mad River glen 15. Middlebury snowbowl 15. Magic 16. Ascutney 17. Saskedena

Thanks for putting this video together... PICO is definitely a great mountain to ski at during those holiday weekends... And your crazy for thinking that OKEMO is #9 on this list... OKEMO was originally known for having the BEST SNOWMAKING/GROOMED TRAILS in the NORTHEAST!!! being I've Ski'd at Both OKEMO and STRATTON, STRATTON is more versatile for those who also like fresh SOFT POWDER as STRATTON allows that by NOT GROOMING ALL THEIR TRAILS AFTER SNOW STORMS... So OKEMO is Definitely at the TOP still for GROOMED PACKED TRAILS in my book. But YES, STRATTON does a VERY good job with their SIGN MAKING, VERY WELL LABELED TRAILS... They always have good MUSIC an huge EVENTS like KILLINGTON has... If you're into the NIGHTLIFE these 2 are where it's at. OKEMO is probably just a close 3rd in the NIGHTLIFE SCENE on Thursday-Saturdays! I honestly will say however that the Police that patrol over near STRATTON an BROMLEY are corrupt! The State Police an Benningt0n Cty Police an Winhal Police. So I would honestly just ski OKEMO, PICO and KILLINGTON... The Winhal Police DON'T EVEN HAVE JURISDICTION at the south side of STRATTON going towards WEST WARDSBORO, nor PIKES FALLS, nor RAWSONVILLE, nor SOUTH LONDONDERRY, or JAMAICA, (that is all WINDHAM CTY SHERIFF'S JURISDICTION!) But yet Winhal will try to be sneaky an pull you over in RAWSONVILLE and PIKES FALLS 😂. They are out of control!!! Thinking they are State Troopers or Sheriff's 😂 Just saying, an something to be weary about 👉🏽. MT. SNOW you should've mentioned is known for its HALF PIPE PARK an SNOWBOARDING, EXCELLENT for that! An BROMLEY has improved their HALF PIPE PARK too... If you are up for a whole weekend an want to explore a bunch of options, I HIGHLY SUGGEST you start at the bottom of Route 100 at MOUNT SNOW then head on 100 North to then hit up STRATTON, then BROMLEY, then MAGIC, then OKEMO, then PICO and Finish with KILLINGTON... But shoot if your in that area and have 10 days to spare, your going to definitely wanna head over to Quechee, then over the Connecticut River into NEW HAMPSHIRE to Ski LAKE SUNAPEE, DARTMOUTH Ski area, and WHALEBACK MOUNTAIN... Thats what I'd do then plan another week trip to hit up the Northern Mountains of VERMONT an NH... Nice job otherwise. Didn't agree with everything in the video but this gives people from outside VT & NH a good sense of how to decide an plan their SKI/SNOWBOARD TRIP 👉🏽👍🏽 🇺🇲

Im pretty sad that you did not include Burke because it is bigger than bromly and majic mountain and Burke mountain academy the second best ski team in the world if you did not include Burke on this list will you make a independent video reviewing it?

We found Mt. Snow intermediate runs less difficult and on weekdays non-holiday less crowded than those at Okemo.

Okemo used to have so much more character before vail bought it! For a few reasons, that's always been my family's go to mountain

I'm planning on going in April and I want fresh snow and easy to medium terrain any suggestions?

I stopped skiing in North America and now go to the best places in Europe where lift tickets are 70% less and the savings buys my airfare and ski rentals. Hotels and B&B are $100-150 a night, way more ambiance and food and beer much cheaper. A week at Zermatt cost about the same as a week at Stowe.

I basically grew up going to Sugarbush, and its all very fair and accurate

20:46 you flipped Okemo and Mount snow in the overall ranking screenshot