March 4–7, 2027 · driving from NYC
Dads' Ski Trip Shortlist
Each mountain gets a score out of 100 (shown under its rank), and the list is sorted by it. Every column counts, weighted by the sliders above the table. Drag them to match what matters to you and the ranking re-sorts as you go. Tap any column heading to sort by it (tap again to flip the order); the # always stays the overall rank. Your slider settings stay in your own browser and don't change what anyone else sees. The math is fixed, but the inputs are estimates.
- Points: every column becomes 0–5 points. Star and dot ratings count as they are.
- Crowds: Lowest 5 · Very low 4.5 · Low 4 · Low–mod 3 · Moderate 2 · High 1.
- Snow: 1 point per 60" of average snowfall, up to 5 (300" or more).
- Ice and Drive count in reverse: ice points are 6 minus the ice rating. A drive of 3 hours or less is worth 5, minus 0.7 for each extra hour.
- Score: the sum of points × weight, divided by the most that's possible with those weights, × 100. Ties go to the mountain with more snow.
- Default weights: crowds and vibe ×2, snow and terrain ×1.5, snowmaking and ice ×1, lifts and drive ×0.5.
- Drive: rough hours from NYC with no traffic or stops.
- Avg. snow: each resort's own average annual snowfall, in inches.
- Crowds: typical weekend lift lines and trail traffic, based on the mountain's reputation and how close it is to big cities.
- Local vibe (1–5 stars): who owns it (co-op, local or state vs. a big company), whether there's a real town or a resort village, and how many skiers are locals vs. weekend visitors.
- Snowmaking (1–5): how much of the mountain can run on man-made snow, which shows how well it holds up after a thaw or rain.
- Terrain (1–5): size, vertical drop, variety, and how much steep and glade skiing there is.
- Lifts & infra (1–5): how fast and new the lifts are, plus the lodges and grooming.
- Ice risk (1–5, higher is worse): how often the snow turns hard and icy. Wind exposure, reliance on man-made snow, warm-cold swings, and heavy traffic scraping the trails all push it up. Cold, sheltered mountains with lots of natural snow stay softer.
Weights
Swipe the table sideways to see every column →
| Mountain | About | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1score80 | BurkeVermont | ~6.5 hr6.5h | ~200" | Very low | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Back from years in receivership with new owners spending big. Quiet Northeast Kingdom feel.
March 4–7: Quebec spring break may make Thursday and Friday busier. |
Back from years in receivership with new owners spending big. Quiet Northeast Kingdom feel.
March 4–7: Quebec spring break may make Thursday and Friday busier. | ||||||||||
| #2score78 | SaddlebackMaine | ~8 hr8h | ~225" | Lowest | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Lakeside mountain reborn in 2020. SKI readers voted it #1 in the East for 2025.
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Lakeside mountain reborn in 2020. SKI readers voted it #1 in the East for 2025.
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| #3score78 | SugarloafMaine | ~8 hr8h | ~200" | Very low | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Maine's big mountain, with the East's only lift-served skiing above treeline.
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Maine's big mountain, with the East's only lift-served skiing above treeline.
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| #4score77 | PicoVermont | ~5 hr5h | ~250" | Very low | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Killington's quiet sister: same lift ticket, short lines, and the Access Road bars 10 minutes away.
March 4–7: Open all four days; some side lifts skip Thursday and Friday. |
Killington's quiet sister: same lift ticket, short lines, and the Access Road bars 10 minutes away.
March 4–7: Open all four days; some side lifts skip Thursday and Friday. | ||||||||||
| #5score77 | SugarbushVermont | ~5 hr5h | ~250" | Low–mod | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Two mountains joined by one long lift. Castlerock is the expert prize; Mt. Ellen is the quiet side.
March 4–7: North Ridge Express on Mt. Ellen has been unreliable. Sources: peakrankings.com · liftblog.com |
Two mountains joined by one long lift. Castlerock is the expert prize; Mt. Ellen is the quiet side.
March 4–7: North Ridge Express on Mt. Ellen has been unreliable. Sources: peakrankings.com · liftblog.com | ||||||||||
| #6score75 | Bolton ValleyVermont | ~5.5 hr5.5h | ~300" | Low | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Burlington's family-owned home hill, with lit night skiing and real backcountry right off the resort.
March 4–7: Quebec spring break may make Thursday and Friday busier. Sources: boltonvalley.com · en.wikipedia.org |
Burlington's family-owned home hill, with lit night skiing and real backcountry right off the resort.
March 4–7: Quebec spring break may make Thursday and Friday busier. Sources: boltonvalley.com · en.wikipedia.org | ||||||||||
| #7score75 | Mad River GlenVermont | ~5 hr5h | ~230" | Low | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Skier-owned co-op with no snowboards and an old-school, ski-it-if-you-can attitude.
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Skier-owned co-op with no snowboards and an old-school, ski-it-if-you-can attitude.
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| #8score74 | Smugglers' NotchVermont | ~6 hr6h | ~300" | Low | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Slow vintage doubles and capped ticket sales keep it quiet. Home of the East's only triple black.
March 4–7: Quebec spring break may make Thursday and Friday busier. Route 108 from Stowe is closed in winter. |
Slow vintage doubles and capped ticket sales keep it quiet. Home of the East's only triple black.
March 4–7: Quebec spring break may make Thursday and Friday busier. Route 108 from Stowe is closed in winter. | ||||||||||
| #9score73 | Jay PeakVermont | ~7 hr7h | ~350" | Low–mod | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Border mountain with glades open boundary to boundary, and an indoor waterpark for the off afternoon.
March 4–7: Quebec spring break; Montreal is 2.25 hr away, so Thursday and Friday will be busier. |
Border mountain with glades open boundary to boundary, and an indoor waterpark for the off afternoon.
March 4–7: Quebec spring break; Montreal is 2.25 hr away, so Thursday and Friday will be busier. | ||||||||||
| #10score69 | Le Massif de CharlevoixQuebec | ~10 hr10h | ~250" | High (spring break) | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | You ski down toward the frozen St. Lawrence River. Nothing else in the East looks like it.
March 4–7: Quebec spring break makes this its busiest stretch. Passport required. |
You ski down toward the frozen St. Lawrence River. Nothing else in the East looks like it.
March 4–7: Quebec spring break makes this its busiest stretch. Passport required. | ||||||||||
| #11score69 | Magic MountainVermont | ~4 hr4h | ~150" | Low | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Independent cult hill with the best glades in southern Vermont.
March 4–7: Usually open Thursday to Sunday; confirm closer to the date. |
Independent cult hill with the best glades in southern Vermont.
March 4–7: Usually open Thursday to Sunday; confirm closer to the date. | ||||||||||
| #12score68 | KillingtonVermont | ~5 hr5h | ~250" | High (weekends) | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | The Beast of the East, locally owned since 2024 and spending big. Steeps by day, Wobbly Barn by night.
March 4–7: Saturday and Sunday will be busy. |
The Beast of the East, locally owned since 2024 and spending big. Steeps by day, Wobbly Barn by night.
March 4–7: Saturday and Sunday will be busy. | ||||||||||
| #13score68 | GoreNew York | ~4 hr4h | ~150" | Low–mod | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | State-run, four peaks and a gondola above small-town North Creek.
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State-run, four peaks and a gondola above small-town North Creek.
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| #14score68 | PlattekillNew York · Catskills | ~3 hr3h | ~120" | Low | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Family-run "Alta of the Catskills." If you can see it, you can ski it.
March 4–7: Closed Thursday; open Friday to Sunday. Sources: plattekill.com · onthesnow.com |
Family-run "Alta of the Catskills." If you can see it, you can ski it.
March 4–7: Closed Thursday; open Friday to Sunday. Sources: plattekill.com · onthesnow.com | ||||||||||
| #15score66 | Black MountainNew Hampshire | ~6 hr6h | ~120" | Very low | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Skiing since 1935 in Jackson village. Tiny and charming, with new money behind it.
March 4–7: Confirm it's open Thursday. |
Skiing since 1935 in Jackson village. Tiny and charming, with new money behind it.
March 4–7: Confirm it's open Thursday. | ||||||||||
| #16score61 | CannonNew Hampshire | ~5.5 hr5.5h | ~160" | Low–mod | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | State-owned and old-school, famous for steeps, cold and ice. Bring sharp edges.
March 4–7: No aerial tram this season. |
State-owned and old-school, famous for steeps, cold and ice. Bring sharp edges.
March 4–7: No aerial tram this season. | ||||||||||
| #17score61 | Berkshire EastMassachusetts | ~3.5 hr3.5h | ~65" | Low–mod | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Family-run hill powered entirely by its own wind and solar.
March 4–7: Confirm it's open Thursday. |
Family-run hill powered entirely by its own wind and solar.
March 4–7: Confirm it's open Thursday. | ||||||||||
| #18score59 | WildcatNew Hampshire | ~6 hr6h | ~200" | Low–mod | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Head-on views of Mount Washington from the trails. The exposed summit means wind holds.
March 4–7: A warm spell in March 2026 shut the summit lift for a day. |
Head-on views of Mount Washington from the trails. The exposed summit means wind holds.
March 4–7: A warm spell in March 2026 shut the summit lift for a day. | ||||||||||
| #19score59 | WhitefaceNew York | ~5 hr5h | ~180" | Moderate | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | The 1980 Olympic hill. Lake Placid is the après.
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The 1980 Olympic hill. Lake Placid is the après.
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| #20score59 | BelleayreNew York · Catskills | ~2.75 hr2.75h | ~140" | Moderate | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | State-run Catskills cruiser with a gondola and the region's highest base.
Sources: onthesnow.com · en.wikipedia.org |
State-run Catskills cruiser with a gondola and the region's highest base.
Sources: onthesnow.com · en.wikipedia.org | ||||||||||
| #21score58 | Waterville ValleyNew Hampshire | ~5 hr5h | ~150" | Moderate | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Intermediate mountain with a resort village below and a hut on top.
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Intermediate mountain with a resort village below and a hut on top.
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| #22score56 | OkemoVermont | ~4.5 hr4.5h | ~200" | High | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Vail-run cruiser heaven, adding 700 snow guns this season.
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Vail-run cruiser heaven, adding 700 snow guns this season.
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| #23score55 | Bretton WoodsNew Hampshire | ~6 hr6h | ~200" | Moderate | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Gentle, perfectly groomed terrain next to a grand old hotel.
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Gentle, perfectly groomed terrain next to a grand old hotel.
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| #24score55 | BromleyVermont | ~4 hr4h | ~150" | Moderate | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | South-facing "Sun Mountain," turning 90 this season. Mellow for strong skiers.
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South-facing "Sun Mountain," turning 90 this season. Mellow for strong skiers.
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| #25score54 | BousquetMassachusetts | ~3 hr3h | ~60" | Low–mod | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Pittsfield's town hill, 95 seasons in, and the claimed birthplace of night skiing.
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Pittsfield's town hill, 95 seasons in, and the claimed birthplace of night skiing.
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| #26score52 | CranmoreNew Hampshire | ~5.5 hr5.5h | ~100" | Moderate | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Small hill you can walk to from North Conway's bars and restaurants. Big ski history.
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Small hill you can walk to from North Conway's bars and restaurants. Big ski history.
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| #27score52 | WindhamNew York · Catskills | ~2.5 hr2.5h | ~100" | Moderate | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Now a members' club that still sells public day tickets, with capped crowds at premium prices.
March 4–7: Saturday requires a 2-day ticket. No Ikon Pass. |
Now a members' club that still sells public day tickets, with capped crowds at premium prices.
March 4–7: Saturday requires a 2-day ticket. No Ikon Pass. | ||||||||||
| #28score51 | StrattonVermont | ~4 hr4h | ~180" | High | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Polished village resort with the biggest après scene around. Birthplace of resort snowboarding.
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Polished village resort with the biggest après scene around. Birthplace of resort snowboarding.
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| #29score50 | HunterNew York · Catskills | ~2.5 hr2.5h | ~120" | High | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Closest big mountain to NYC, Vail-owned and almost all man-made snow. K-27 is the steep shot.
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Closest big mountain to NYC, Vail-owned and almost all man-made snow. K-27 is the steep shot.
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| #30score49 | CatamountMassachusetts / New York | ~2.5 hr2.5h | ~70" | Moderate | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Closest hill to the city, straddling NY and MA, with two legit double blacks.
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Closest hill to the city, straddling NY and MA, with two legit double blacks.
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| #31score48 | LoonNew Hampshire | ~5.5 hr5.5h | ~160" | High | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Modern, busy and close to Boston. Get there early for parking.
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Modern, busy and close to Boston. Get there early for parking.
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| #32score46 | AttitashNew Hampshire | ~6 hr6h | ~120" | Moderate | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Two linked peaks near North Conway; the Vail ticket also works at Wildcat.
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Two linked peaks near North Conway; the Vail ticket also works at Wildcat.
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| #33score46 | ButternutMassachusetts | ~2.75 hr2.75h | ~60" | Moderate | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Family-run since 1963, mellow and well groomed, with a brand-new quad.
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Family-run since 1963, mellow and well groomed, with a brand-new quad.
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| #34score45 | Jiminy PeakMassachusetts | ~3 hr3h | ~75" | High | ★★★★★ | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | The Berkshires' most polished resort, partly powered by its own wind turbine.
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The Berkshires' most polished resort, partly powered by its own wind turbine.
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Notes
- Snowfall: resort-reported averages. Independent measurements (OnTheSnow) usually come in 25–50% lower across the board, so use them to compare mountains, not as exact numbers.
- Quebec spring break: March 1–5, 2027, which overlaps our Thursday and Friday. Le Massif's crowd rating reflects it, and Jay Peak, Burke, Smugglers' Notch and Bolton Valley may be busier those two days.
- Opening days: Plattekill is closed Thursday. Black Mountain and Berkshire East haven't posted midweek schedules, and Magic usually runs Thursday to Sunday. Check before booking.
- Mad River Glen has almost no snowmaking, so it depends on natural snow.
- The Catskills are a little west of our Gore cutoff. They're on the list for comparison.
Out West option
Details TBDA long-weekend alternative. It means flying, but March is prime season out there and both regions average more snow than anywhere on the list above.
Lake Tahoe California / Nevada
- Getting there
- Fly into Reno, then about 1 hr to the lake
- Avg. snow
- ~350–450"
- Local-vibe picks
- Kirkwood, Sugar Bowl, Mt. Rose
Colorado
- Getting there
- Fly into Denver, then 2–3 hr on I-70 (weekend traffic is bad). Or fly into Eagle/Vail, which is 20–40 min from Vail and Beaver Creek and skips I-70. It has seasonal winter flights and usually costs more. Smaller airports serve Steamboat and Crested Butte.
- Avg. snow
- ~300–350"
- Local-vibe picks
- Crested Butte, Steamboat, Arapahoe Basin
Updated Oct 6, 2026, 10:36 PM EDT · version 2026-10-06_2236