Skiing is easily one of the best ways to enjoy a bright blue bird day during the wintertime. Combine the joyous feeling of playing in the great outdoors with the thrill of gliding down a mountain and you’ve got the makings of an epic day! If you’ve never skied before and don’t know where to go for the first time, or you’re simply new to skiing no worries! We’ve groomed a list of the top 5 resorts for beginners to enjoy skiing this season!
Make sure that before you hit the slopes to check out our ski shop to get a few essentials you won’t want to be on the mountain without! From goggles to gloves, you’ll be sure to find everything you need to make sure your first-time out skiing is successful. While we also recommend taking a lesson on your first time out, there are a few basics to skiing that are worth reading up on before you hit the slopes! Such as, how to fall, how to stop, and other basics.
The 5 Best Ski Resorts for Beginners
1. Beaver Creek Ski Resort
Acreage: 1,832 acres
Highest elevation point: 11,440 ft.
Number of runs: 149
Best for: Epic Pass holders, families, beginners, all-levels
Beaver Creek resort is one of the best places for beginners to learn how to ski or snowboard for several reasons! At the base of the mountain, Haymeadow Gondola takes beginners up to a learning area that has plenty of short, gentle hills to learn on. Magic carpets help move you back up the hill a short distance, which translates into you getting several reps in while keeping the time skiing to a manageable amount!
After you’ve become confident after running several laps at Haymeadow, be sure to check out Beaver Creek’s best feature: Red Buffalo Park! Located at the top of the mountain, Red Buffalo Park is a dream for beginners. There are tons of amazing green runs that all offer spectacular views of the Gore Mountains, which is one of the things that makes Beaver Creek a particularly unique resort for beginners!
2. Crested Butte Ski Resort
Acreage: 1,547 acres
Highest elevation point: 12,170 ft.
Number of runs: 121
Best for: Epic Pass holders, families, beginners, views, apres-ski
Another absolute must visit resort to learn how to ski at is Crested Butte. Located within the heart of Colorado, Crested Butte offers abundant opportunities for beginners to gain their confidence while riding down the mountain! The beginner greens are easily accessible from the main lifts at the base of the mountain and the blues are relatively gentle, which means that you’ll be able to quickly progress onto the many more trails that Crested Butte offers as you gain confidence as a more intermediate skier.
In addition to the many different runs that are sure to inspire confidence while on skis, the views of the West Elk Mountains are absolutely breath taking. What’s better is that there are several lodges on the mountain that offer guests a variety of food and drink options. Be sure to make time between laps to hit up the Umbrella Bar at the top of the Red Lady Express Lift for a hot beverage and cool views! Crested Butte is a bit further from the Denver airport than many of the other Colorado ski resorts, however, this means it’s also often much less busy than other popular beginner ski resorts, which means less crowds!
3. Park City Ski Resort
Acreage: 7,300+ acres
Highest elevation point: 10,026 ft
Number of runs: 348
Best for: Epic Pass holders, powder, families, beginners, groups
Park City is the largest resort in the US with an astounding amount of family friendly runs that are sure to give you plenty of beginner friendly trails to choose from. This will help those who are progressing quickly, as the amount of terrain to explore at this resort will help keep everyone engaged for hours on end! Because this resort is well known for their powder days, beginners should read up on tips for how to ski powder.
After you’re done exploring all the green trails at the top of Crescent and King Con Express lifts, be sure to take a ride on Home Run. At 3.5 miles long, this trail is one of the longest green trails in Utah! Be sure to take plenty of breaks to enjoy the serenity of the aspen and cottonwood groves that line the trail. One of our favorite things about Park City, is its proximity to the Salt Lake City airport, making it one of the best Utah ski resorts for those who prefer just a short trip after flying!
4. Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort
Acreage: 3,500+ acres
Highest elevation point: 11,053 ft.
Number of runs: 175
Best for: Ikon Pass holders, beginners, park skiers
Once you have gotten the hang of the basics and you’re looking to explore riding in the park, look no further than Mammoth Mountain to satisfy your curiosity for more thrilling features. Mammoth is well known for is large park features like jumps, half pipes, and rails, but it’s also a great place for people to begin to learn how to ride those features without prior experience! Be sure to explore one of three beginner friendly terrain parks to unlock a whole new world of potential fun at either Disco, Wonderland, or Eagle playground!
If riding park isn’t on your goals list, no worries. Mammoth Mountain still has plenty of beginner friendly terrain at their resort that doesn’t require that you jump, jib, or grind! If you’re a beginner skier who is looking to get into the park, make sure you’re safely equipped with a helmet for the slopes.
5. Big Sky Ski Resort
Acreage: 5,850 acres
Highest elevation point: 11,166 ft.
Number of runs: 300
Best for: Ikon Pass holders, beginners, powder, amazing views
Big Sky is one of the best ski resorts in Montana, which is saying something about a state with a name that literally translates to “mountain!” Beginners will love skiing here since the green runs are very well separated from any intermediate or expert runs.
Start by exploring Moonlight Basin by taking Pony Express and Derringer lifts up to find tons of green runs that are uncrowded. This will give you and anyone else who is just starting out plenty of space to make wide turns without worrying about running into someone accidentally!
Skiing is one of the best ways to get outside during the winter. The joy that you feel while gliding down the mountain as the sun shines in your face is enough to make you want to spend all your time skiing! And with plenty of resorts to choose from, there are nearly infinite opportunities to find a resort that is sure to get you hooked on skiing for life. Go visit them all and tell us which one was your favorite!
