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Whenever you think of the best places to hit the slopes, in North America most people think about the west coast, especially in the United States. It has the best powder and some of the best-known ski mountains in the world. But when you live on the east coast and it’s not possible to get to that powdery bliss what can you do?

There is still some great skiing and riding to be done on the east coast. You can even get some great powder days though early season skiing and riding do not typically have the best conditions. So, whether you are just getting started or looking for a place to hone your skills, there is still something for everyone. These are my picks for best ski resorts on the east coast.

Poconos ski mountains

Located in Pennsylvania, the Poconos has a little bit of everything. Skiing in the Poconos was brought to the forefront with the invention of the artificial snow maker, by Pennsylvania native John Guresh. In Pennsylvania and New Jersey you cannot rely on natural snow. Otherwise you would have a very short season or no season at all.

With a combination of fresh and artificial snow and some high class grooming these ski mountains are a great place to learn. The downside, they are also extremely commercialized, with families coming out from all over the tristate. I’m talking to you Camelback!

Shawnee

Shawnee was my first experience with the Poconos ski mountains and was the perfect way to improve my snowboard skills. Well known as a great “learner’s mountain” it can get a bit busy but the easy, well-groomed trails make it easier to figure it all out.

Shawnee has a summit of 1,350 feet and a vertical drop of only 700 feet. That is nothing compared to ski mountains like Stowe, Jay Peak and Sugarloaf. And a laughable 50 inches of snowfall a year (compared to the 300+ at Jay Peak).

It had been around 12 years since I had been on a snowboard, and I wasn’t good back then, so this made me nervous. Shawnee has several gentle trails, unless there’s ice, ice ruins all the fun. My first time out led to much bruising and an inability to walk normally for a few days. But I toughed it out and went back multiple times, grateful to have that ski mountain to learn on. It definitely prepared me for the bigger, badder mountains.

Camelback Mountain Resort

This place has become a serious zoo ever since they put in the waterpark. We bought night ski tickets and headed out on a Sunday only to leave and go to Shawnee due to insane traffic. We didn’t move at all for an hour! I couldn’t believe it.

Camelback, also known as Big Pocono, does, however, have the second highest number of ski runs in the Poconos with a peak over 2,133 feet.

Blue Mountain

If you are already well versed in skiing/snowboarding this is the mountain of choice in the Poconos. Blue Mountain has a 1,082-foot elevation gain with 14 ski lifts and 39 trails. It’s no Snowbird or Whistler or even Stowe, but for the area it’s thought of as one of the best for the more advanced rider.

Looking for lift tickets? Check out Liftopia for discounts on your next visit to the mountain.

Vermont Mountains

Stowe Mountain Resort

Stowe, Vermont is not just a cute little town it also sees some incredible snowfall. It boasts an average of 314 inches, and amazing powder conditions if you hit it at the right time. It is also now owned by Vail resorts and is therefore on the Epic Pass.

With views of Mount Mansfield, the highest peak in Vermont at 4,395 feet, Stowe has some spectacular views from all it’s trails. Stowe has a skiing elevation of 3,625 and a vertical drop of 2,360 feet. It’s no joke.

If you are a beginner, there is not a significant amount of options for green circles. They are mostly in one small area of the mountain. The statistics say that percentage wise, only 16% of the mountain is for beginners, with 55% and 29% for intermediate and expert, respectively.

So, I wouldn’t necessarily make this your “learner mountain” it’s more of an intermediate mountain. Though I will say, the beginner trails are strikingly beautiful. It doesn’t matter how many times you go down, you will still be awed by it every time.

Jay Peak

Jay Peak is known for its tree runs and for being the best kept secret of the east. Just 6 miles from the Canadian border, this is where the Canadians head that don’t want to deal with Mont Tremblant in Quebec.

It’s starting to draw more people in since putting in a waterpark, to the chagrin of those who have loved it for years. Prior to the waterpark, Jay was just a mountain in the middle of nowhere.

Let’s face it, at the time I was not advanced enough to be doing tree runs. So, while my husband and another buddy went off to explore Jay Peak, us girls took a break and checked out the town of Stowe. Check out my top picks for things to do in Stowe on your rest day.

Jay sees some of the most snow of any of the ski mountains in the east and boasts 79 trails, slopes and glades with 385 skiable acres. They encourage you to get off the beaten track and explore beyond the edge of the trail, with a “liberal out of bounds area” of over 100 acres of gladed terrain.

Jay Peak has a summit elevation of 3,968 feet and a vertical drop of 2,153 feet with an average snowfall of a whopping 349 inches (that’s 950 centimeters!!!!). Like Stowe, it’s designed for the more intermediate to advanced boarders and skiers with 20% beginner trails and 40% intermediate and expert trails, each. That’s one intense mountain!

Sugarbush

Located in the Mad River Valley in Warren, Vermont, this mountain boasts great groomers and natural ski areas and is one of the largest ski resorts in New England. This mountain boasts a vertical of 2,600 feet, 483 skiable trails, and 53 miles of trail. I mean what more could you want?

Road access can be a bit dicey, they definitely have the plows going but this small town area tends to be a wait until it’s over kind of place before they plow. So, make sure you have good snow tires because the average snowfall for the mountain is 250 inches (640 cm).

This mountain is on the Ikon base pass as a full season, so you can head to this mountain anytime you like. If you don’t have an Ikon pass, lift tickets will run you during peak season between $109-169. But watch the site for deals, because Valentine’s Day has lift tickets for $28.

Maine Mountains

Sugarloaf

Sugarloaf was my first experience with a “real ski mountain.” As I said above, about 12 years ago, I tried snowboarding for the first time. With no previous lessons, I figured it couldn’t be that hard. I was wrong of course, but that’s a lesson I had to learn.

Starting on one of the small mountains in Nova Scotia, Canada, I went right up to the top on the lift and almost had a heart attack followed by an ugly cry. But I managed to get down to the bottom using only my heal side edge, remaining face front all the way down the mountain.

For anyone who has ever tried this, you know that your thighs will never last through this abuse. You need to use both edges. I went out a couple more times, when I moved to Prince Edward Island, Canada, which as I mentioned before, was a bit of a bust.

Then a big group of us took a road trip to Sugarloaf, Maine. The second largest ski mountain resort east of the Mississippi, after Killington in Vermont. It has a vertical drop of 2,820 feet and summits at 4,237 feet. It is also the second tallest mountain in Maine, after Mount Katahdin, at 5,267 feet and offers the only above treeline skiing in the Northeast.

I took my first, and only, lesson here. It helped a lot at the time and I was even able to do a run with some of the people I went with. But I had zero endurance and just wasn’t able to keep going. I spent more time in the lodge and hot tubs than I did on the slopes.

It does, however, have a great mix for all skill levels with 25% green circle beginner trails, 32% blue square trails for intermediate skiers and riders, 28% black diamond advanced trails, and 15% double black diamonds for the experts. Plus twenty glades for those that like to play in the trees.

Sunday River

Located in the Newry area in Maine, this mountain boasts a vertical drop of 2,340 feet with 135 trails though only 668 acres of skiable terrain. It’s a smaller one but the groomed trails are a lot of fun and there are a ton of great places to eat close by. Make sure to check out my top picks for best places to eat near Sunday River.

I highly recommend staying right at the mountain resort. The hotel has a great outdoor hottub and heated pool and a board and ski check-in that you can grab your board in the morning and literally ski out of the hotel to your chairlift. Make sure to take a run down White Heat while you are there.

And if that hasn’t gotten you excited here are 5 reasons why you should visit Sunday River.

New York Mountains

Belleayre

This is a great ski mountain. Located in Catskill Park, New York, right next to Woodstock, this family friendly mountain is considered more relaxed than its sister mountain, Hunter and is around a 3 hour drive from New York City. It’s a smaller mountain compared to Stowe, Jay Peak, and Sugarloaf, with a summit of 3,429 feet and a vertical drop of 1,404 feet, seeing around 141 inches of snowfall a year.

If you’re not up for skiing the mountain one day, you can also visit one of their 5 cross-country ski trails for no charge. The mountain itself, however, has another great mix of trails for all levels and if you get tired the lodge has one hell of a brisket sandwich!

Whiteface

I had a blast spring snowboarding here! The mountain has some of the best east coast skiing and riding. This is one awesome mountain, with some of the best views you will ever see on the east coast. Situated next to the little town of Lake Placid, with a ton of dining options, surrounded by the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks, the views will literally blow you away. On a clear day you can see both Canada and Vermont.

Whiteface is the 5th largest mountain in New York, with a summit of 4,867 feet and a vertical drop of 3,166 feet. It also features “The Slides” a hike-to terrain that’s double black diamond wilderness terrain. This area was already closed when we arrived, due to the time of the year. The slides were literally a sheet of ice that you could probably “slide” down and end up in the hospital.

My favorite trail on this mountain was Excelsior. It was a blue square that snaked its way down the mountain from the gondola joining with the green circles below. It was so much fun following the curves of this trail, I just kept doing it over and over again.

A couple of other fun features include the placards on the lift poles headed up to the summit. These placards tell you which mountain you have just surpassed in height, including Jay Peak and Stowe. On the same summit quad lift you come across a sign that says “bear crossing ahead” and after a small freak out you see wood carved bears crossing the path below you.

There are so many things to get you outside in this area that you could stay for weeks and never do the same thing twice. It’s the home of 2 different winter Olympic games so all that infrastructure is still there and you can go and enjoy it, not to mention the hiking, oh my, the hiking!

Check out my “Top 11 Things to Do in Lake Placid” for more information.

New Hampshire Mountains

I personally have not visited any of the ski mountains, like Loon Mountain Resort, in New Hampshire, so I am unable to give a personal account. However, my husband has rode at Loon and said it’s a fun little mountain but not as good as some of the bigger mountains mentioned in this post.

It is, however, snuggled within the White Mountains, which is my favorite place and the best part of living on the east coast of the US. Mostly for hiking and the impressive views from these challenging trails.

Concluding Thoughts

All the mountains in the east have a little something special to offer. It’s a great way to enjoy those cold winter months and a perfect opportunity to try something new or hone your skills. No matter which mountain you choose you will find no shortage of options in the Northeastern US.