While the East Coast of the United States is known for its fiery autumn colours, it also offers exceptional winter skiing. Here are five resorts that can match the Rockies for thrilling runs, cosy lodges and scenic beauty.
Stowe, Vermont, dubbed the 'ski capital of the East', boasts the nation's first chairlift (1937) and an average annual snowfall of 26 feet. With 116 trails across 485 acres on Spruce Peak and Mount Mansfield, it offers challenging runs like National, Liftline, Starr and Goat, as well as gentler slopes. The von Trapp family of The Sound of Music fame settled here, and their legacy is felt at the Trapp Family Lodge & Resort, which features Austrian-style architecture, two swimming pools and Nordic ski trails.
Killington, known as the 'Beast of the East', is the largest ski area in the eastern US with 1,509 skiable acres across seven interconnected mountains. It offers 155 trails, six terrain parks, and a lively après-ski scene. With a maximum elevation of 4,229 feet and snow guns supplementing its 20-foot annual snowfall, it is often the first resort to open and the last to close.
Other notable resorts include a former Winter Olympics venue in New York State, a New Hampshire resort that has hosted famous guests like Thomas Edison and Babe Ruth, and a mountain in Maine with a frontier-wild vibe. These destinations provide Christmas card-worthy mountains and old-world charm, with hearty food, roaring fires and mulled beverages taking priority over rowdy parties.
For those planning a trip, Boston Logan International Airport serves as a major gateway, with drives of around three to four hours to the resorts. Burlington International Airport is also an option for Stowe, located 40 miles away.
