Mountains: US & Canada
Familiar peaks and easy weekends away, planned with the same care as anywhere else.
These are the mountains across the US and Canada that I know best and recommend most, closer to home, though no less considered in the planning. This is a personal list, not a directory of every resort in North America, just the ones I know well enough to recommend with confidence. If you don't see what you're looking for, or want help narrowing it down, reach out and I'll build the right trip with you.
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Resort 2,438m (8,000ft), skiing to 3,813m (12,510ft)
Aspen/Snowmass remains the benchmark for U.S. luxury skiing: four mountains, a celebrity clientele, and an après scene (Cloud Nine, Ajax Tavern, J-Bar) that's part of the draw as much as the skiing itself. The Little Nell, Hotel Jerome, St. Regis Aspen, and Viceroy Snowmass are all strong choices. It's pricey, but it delivers. A 10-minute transfer from Aspen Airport, or 4 hours from Denver.
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Resort 2,220m (7,300ft), skiing to 3,403m (11,166ft)
Huge, uncrowded terrain and genuine privacy suit families and clients who want space more than a scene. Montage Big Sky and the new One&Only Moonlight Basin, the brand's first U.S. property, are the standout stays, the latter with its own private gondola into the resort. Après is quiet and low-key rather than a big draw here. An hour from Bozeman Airport.
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Resort 2,774m (9,100ft), skiing to 3,707m (12,162ft)
A remote, laid-back option for expert skiers who want serious terrain without the crowds. Scarp Ridge Lodge and Sopris House are the luxury boutique picks, and Montanya Distillers is worth a stop for craft cocktails. Fewer five-star hotels than other Colorado resorts, but a genuinely unique experience. 45 minutes from Gunnison Airport.
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Resort 1,924m (6,311ft), skiing to 3,185m (10,450ft)
For clients who want extreme terrain and real Western character, Jackson Hole delivers some of the best skiing in North America, though it's not beginner friendly. Four Seasons Jackson Hole and Amangani are the top stays, and Mangy Moose and the Four Seasons' Handle Bar are where the après crowd lands. 15 minutes from Jackson Hole Airport.
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Resort 1,897m (6,225ft), skiing to 3,060m (10,067ft)
Tahoe covers a lot of ground: Northstar, Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows, and Heavenly all sit around the lake, making it a good option for groups who want variety rather than a single mountain. The Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe (Northstar) and Edgewood Tahoe (South Lake) are the top picks. South Lake has the livelier nightlife, North Tahoe the more polished lounges. An hour from Reno Airport, 3.5 hours from San Francisco.
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Resort 2,100m (6,900ft), skiing to 3,048m (10,000ft)
This one is changing fast. Deer Valley recently completed the largest ski resort expansion in the industry's history: the East Village addition adds roughly 3,700 acres of new terrain, and the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley has been open there since late 2024, with a Four Seasons Hotel & Private Residences slated for the 2027/28 season. In the meantime, Montage Deer Valley, Stein Eriksen Collection, The St. Regis Deer Valley, and the Goldener Hirsch remain the top picks, along with Pendry and the Waldorf Astoria in Canyons. For clients who don't need to be right on the slopes, the Lodge at Blue Sky is a beautiful, more remote option just outside of town. Park City has better nightlife; Deer Valley (no snowboarding allowed) stays more refined and exclusive. Both are about 40 minutes from Salt Lake City Airport.
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Resort 1,753m (5,750ft), skiing to 2,780m (9,121ft)
Sun Valley has quietly become one to watch again. It's always had understated, old-money charm and a loyal following, and the Limelight Hotel gave Ketchum a genuinely stylish base. Viceroy is opening its first Sun Valley property in 2026: a 73-room resort with a rooftop observatory tied into the area's Dark Sky Reserve. Worth introducing to clients who loved Aspen a decade ago and want something quieter and less discovered.
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Resort 2,667m (8,750ft), skiing to 4,008m (13,150ft)
Telluride trades some accessibility for privacy and scenery: no crowds, historic charm, and heli-skiing access for clients who want to go further. Madeline Hotel & Residences and Element 52 are the standout stays. It's more remote than other Colorado resorts (private jet, or a two-hour drive from Montrose), which is exactly the appeal for the right client.
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Resort 2,457m (8,060ft), skiing to 3,527m (11,570ft)
Massive, beautifully groomed terrain in a European-style village makes this a great fit for families and intermediate skiers who want luxury without sacrificing ease. The Arrabelle Sonnenalp, and Four Seasons in Vail, and the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch in Beaver Creek, are the top luxury picks. It can feel crowded on weekends, but the level of luxury is hard to beat. Two hours from Denver, 40 minutes from Eagle Airport.
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Breckenridge, CO (lively après, great for intermediates); Steamboat, CO (Champagne Powder®, family-friendly); Taos, NM (unique culture, steep terrain); Whitefish, MT (affordable, near Glacier National Park); Alta/Snowbird, UT (legendary terrain, an easy day trip from Park City, with The Cliff Lodge at Snowbird as the one decent on-mountain stay); Grand Targhee, WY (a worthwhile powder day trip from Jackson Hole, around the Tetons).
Western US
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Resort 1,380m (4,528ft), skiing to 2,730m (8,957ft)
A strong pick for clients who want sightseeing built into the ski trip: UNESCO scenery, lake views, and grand historic hotels like the Fairmont Banff Springs and Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. The base altitude is lower and it can run cold, but the setting more than makes up for it. 90 minutes from Calgary.
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Resort 512m (1,680ft), skiing to 2,225m (7,300ft)
North America's heli-skiing capital, and a better fit for serious powder-focused clients than beginners. Eleven Experience is the standout luxury stay, with a low-key brewery-and-cocktail scene rather than a big après draw. 2.5 hours from Kelowna Airport, or about 30 minutes by helicopter.
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Resort 675m (2,214ft), skiing to 2,284m (7,494ft)
The largest ski resort in North America, and it feels like it: huge terrain, a genuinely vibrant après scene (Garibaldi Lift Co., Araxi for dinner), and every luxury amenity a client could want. Fairmont Chateau Whistler and Four Seasons Whistler are the top stays. It can get busy, but it earns the reputation. Two hours from Vancouver. Skiing runs into early summer some years, so it's also worth a look for an off-season trip.
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Kicking Horse, BC (huge vertical and decent on-mountain lodging, though more of a long day than a quick one from Banff or Revelstoke); Sun Peaks, BC (Canada's second-largest ski area, family-friendly, though not close enough to the others here for a day trip).
Western Canada
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Resort 350m (1,148ft), skiing to 1,290m (4,229ft)
Killington is the largest ski area in the East, with more terrain and vertical than anywhere else in New England, though it trades some polish for that scale. It suits intermediate to advanced skiers and larger groups more than a quiet couples' getaway. About 2.5 hours from Boston or Albany.
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Resort 265m (869ft), skiing to 875m (2,871ft)
Mont Tremblant is the closest thing to a European alpine village within a short flight of the East Coast: a colorful, walkable base with genuine Québécois charm. It suits families and intermediate skiers looking for solid grooming and easy village life rather than extreme terrain. Fairmont Tremblant is the standout ski-in/ski-out stay. About 90 minutes from Montreal.
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Resort 457m (1,500ft), skiing to 1,339m (4,395ft)
Stowe is the classic New England ski town: a charming village center, Vermont's highest peak, and a sense of history newer resorts can't replicate. The Lodge at Spruce Peak and Topnotch Resort are the top stays, a good fit for couples and families after a quintessential New England week. About 3 hours from Boston.
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Mad River Glen, VT (a purist's mountain with no real lodging to speak of, but an easy add-on day from Stowe).