Leaderboards

Longest seasons

Resorts with the most days open — directly tied to your earning window

Biggest resorts

The most skiing you can reach on one pass — skiable area and piste kilometres combined into one comparable measure

Most snowfall

Highest average annual snowfall — powder days all season

Biggest vertical drop

Highest vertical drop from summit to base — more variety and challenge on every run

Gnarliest terrain

Gnarliness score: expert reputation (60%), steepness density (20%), skiable area (10%) and vertical drop (10%)

Best backcountry access

Most accessible slackcountry from the lifts — for skiers who tour and sidecountry ski

Best for carvers

Highest ratio of groomed, manicured pistes — for riders who love long carving runs

Best for beginners

The best resorts to actually improve your skiing on a full season

Best nightlife

The legendary après-ski scenes — because life after skiing matters too

Cheapest beer

Average price of a pint in the resort village — a reliable proxy for overall resort pricing culture

Cost of living

Where a season leaves the most money in your pocket — rent, food, beer and a season pass, weighed against local wages

Closest airport

Shortest distance to an international airport — you'll use this more than once