Vote With Your Skis
February 15, 2025
You may have noticed recently we are on a rampage about Vail Resorts and Alterra (aka Aspen) controlling the ski industry. They essentially fix the prices; they force us into buying their multi-area passes; they pay their employees squat while the executives take down millions and do little to preserve the uniqueness of our sport. Consequently, we have decided the French soldier is right – we shall fart in their general direction! (And if that means nothing to you then please, oh please for the love of God, go watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail right now!)
One of our suggestions in a recent article was to vote with your skis; i.e. go ski elsewhere!
For many years we have tried to ski the lesser-known mountains. When we were skiing mostly in the northeast we tired of the masses at Killington and ventured north to Mad River Glen and then to the Canadian border to Jay Peak. Once we were that far we crossed the border and skied Mont Oreford, Mont Sutton and Mont-Saint-Anne. We tried to speak some French and ate artery hardening poutine. We still regret not making it to Le Massif. One day…
For the last 10-15 years we have moved the focus of our skiing to western North America and discovered the endless possibilities the Canadian and US Rocky Mountains offer. We have put thousands of miles on our trucks, escaping the crowds and the cookie cutter trails that abound at the Vails and the Aspens. The independent areas exude uniqueness, and you will sense the community pride the locals have in their hills. But the Rocky Mountains aren’t hills, and many of the less well-traveled areas aren’t small. The verticals often exceed 2,500 ft. and the menu of trails include everything from groomers to glades to expansive bowls.
These adventures are more than just about skiing. They are about being nowhere and finding a cozy corner in a coffee shop that serves real espresso and hot blueberry muffins. They are about hearing the story of the couple who moved to nowhere and made a community based around their little shop. They are about skiing jaw dropping glades at Red Mountain in British Columbia on a powder day and coming across a hidden cabin in the woods (pictured below). They are about being invited into the cabin to share stories with the draft dodger owner who hastily left his love and the States to move to the safety of Rossland, BC. Charlotte and I will forever remember his tale of a shattered life pieced back together in the Canadian woods. And we remember his warm fire and smile.
Yes, we primarily go exploring for the skiing. Instead of getting off the lift knowing all your options, we get on lifts not knowing where they are going. Instead of seeking the lift with the shortest lift lines, we have wondered whether no lift line means the lift is closed. It’s about staying close to your ski buddy since nobody else is around. It’s about getting to the bottom of a long run and marveling with Charlotte about that open bowl we tumbled into once we came out of the trees at Montana Snowbowl. And it’s about rolls of steeps that come at you unexpectedly on the backside of Discovery Basin.
It’s out there folks. We encourage you to taste it. Some food for thought below.
Money – Go north. The Canadian dollar (aka the Loonie) is currently in the dumps. The exchange rate is such that for every US dollar you get $1.4 Canadian dollars. Lift ticket prices in the independent Canadian ski areas are already generally lower than US prices. For instance, a day lift ticket at Whitewater Ski Resort (one of our favorites with the best ski lodge lunch you will ever have) outside of Nelson, BC is $144 Canadian or $100 US. And that is the walk up to the window same day price. The discounts for pre-bought multi day tickets are ridiculous.
The Indy Pass is definitely worth a look. Think of it as the anti Vail/Aspen pass. It costs $350 ($450 with no blackout dates) and gives the pass holder two days (and a third at a discounted rate) at over 100 independent ski resorts. Both Montana Ski Bowl (2,600 vertical) above Missoula, MT and Lost Trail Powder Mountain (pictured below) are on the Indy Pass. We highly recommend both areas which are about two hours apart.
British Columbia – If you haven’t been, you must go! It is littered with unique independent ski resorts that offer amazing skiing, fun lodging and skiing the way it used to be. Start with a trip to Red Mountain Resort (3,000 vertical) and Whitewater Ski Resort (best resort tree skiing in North America). Stay at the historic Hume Hotel in Nelson, BC and get yourself a burger. Nelson is what Aspen was like 30 years ago.
Other resorts worth checking out – Kicking Horse (4,000 vertical), Revelstoke (5,500 vertical – but beware the bottom 1,500 can be low on snow or iced over), Sun Peaks ( 3,000 vertical and second largest area in Canada after Whistler/Blackcomb), and Fernie (3,500 vertical). In addition to slopeside lodging, most of the resorts have interesting towns nearby with good restaurants, bars and shops.
US – While the US is clearly more dominated by the big boys, there are plenty of independent cool ski areas to explore, particularly in the Rocky Mountains. We mentioned Lost Trail Powder Mountain and Montana Snowbowl above. Add to them in Montana Discovery Ski Area and Bridger Bowl. See our article on a Montana road trip we took several years ago – Montana Road Trip. We also just posted an article on a southern Colorado road trip that included Telluride, Purgatory and Silverton – Colorado Trip. Next week we venture north to check out Schwietzer (yeah we know unfortunately it has been bought by Alterra) and Silver Mountain Resort in Idaho and Whitefish Mountain Resort in Montana. Anybody been? We’d love to hear your thoughts.
Listen, if you want a mega house slopeside with three fireplaces and eat fancy meals at high end restaurants before taking in a movie, all of the above is not for you. We respect that choice – we are just happy you are skiing. But if your inner voice has been nagging at you that there is more to our sport than the big glitzy towns, then it it time to explore. Yes it may take two flights to get to your rental car, and it may mean you have to drive around to check out several resorts, but trust us – it is worth it!
And of course if you want help planning a trip reach out to us.
Be Well; Ski Well.
Kevin Dennis is a life long ski bum with a 34 year legal career on the side. Now retired, he skis 80+ days a year. While he lives in Alta UT in the winters, he has traveled extensively through skiing and has skied almost every major resort in North America (and many you have never heard of). He continues to hit the road often throughout the western United States and Canada and trips over the last several years have included ventures in British Columbia, Montana and Colorado. Whether you want to know about the behemoths like Aspen or Squaw or are interested in the road less travelled (Lost Trail Powder Mountain in Montana or Whitewater in BC anyone?), Kevin has been there, has an opinion and you will most likely have to tell him to shut up after a half hour!
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