With mostski lodges and hotelsimposinglimited capacitythis winter due to COVID-19, why not bring or rent a camper or RVinstead? Mostresorts don’t allow for overnight parking, but we found eight ski hills across the country that have dedicated lots for your cabin on wheels.
If You Have an Ikon Pass
Crystal Mountain, Washington
(ticket pricing to be announced), outside of Enumclaw, Washington, allows (from $30) in the resort’s slopeside RV lot. This winter, reservations will be required—book a month in advance if you can, as spots will fill up quickly. The lot offers66 sites and electrical hookups for RVs. Also new this year, Wi-Fi will cover the entire lot, in case you need to call in for a Zoom meeting mid-ski day. The on-site in the base area will have online ordering this winter, so you can request pickup for groceriesor a six-pack of local lager.
If You Live on the East Coast
Gunstock, New Hampshire
Not many ski resorts on the East Coast allow overnight camping, but does (day passes from $84). This small ski area, locatedin Gilford, New Hampshire, 90 miles from Boston, has a (from $45) that comes with access to a bathhouse with hot showers and laundry machines. Make a reservation online ahead of time. Some folks even book sites for the entire winter season. If you want to ditch the RV for a night, the resort also rents out two rustic cabins in a forested area along the cross-country ski trails.
If You Have an Epic Pass
Stevens Pass, Washington
The at , Washington, (day passes from $124, if you buy a four-pack Epic Day pass)will be operating this winter with reservations required. Book one of the 60 free RV parking spots in advance to secure your space. Many of the families and individuals who stay overnight here do so every season, so there’sa real community feel to it. And you can’t beat the location, right at the base of the ski hill, which is two hours east of Seattle. The T-Bar Market, in, has espresso and to-go itemsto bring back to your camper.
If You Want Uphill Access
Whitefish Mountain Resort, Montana
It’s a few minutes’ walk from the Willow Tail Lot—where to park for up to three nights—to the base lodge at , inMontana. No reservations are required for RV parking—it’s first come, first served—but there is a $15 fee per night, and you’ll need to fill out registration paperwork at the main lodging check-in. From the base lodge, it’s a couple lifts to the top of the mountain, where you can enjoy views of Glacier National Park before dropping into powder stashes through the trees of North Bowl. If you like skinning, Whitefish allows uphill access on designated routes throughout the day, but this year, you’ll need to buy a(from $85).
If Your Season Pass Is Part of the Powder Alliance
China Peak, California
, 65 miles northeast of Fresno, California, doesn’t bring in the same destination travelers who flock to the ski resorts closer to Lake Tahoe, so you’ll find few crowds at this locally owned resort (day passes from $104). Plus, there’s plenty of room to spread out, with seven chairlifts and more than 1,400 skiable acres. The best part? You can pull your van or RV into one of (from $49) in a designated overnight lot not far from the slopeside . The resort is part of the —if you have a season pass to any of the participating resorts, you get three free days of skiing here.Reservations are required for overnight parking.
If You’re with theFamily
Schweitzer, Idaho
It’s free to park in the at (day passes from $89) in Sandpoint, Idaho, but there is a three-day limit. You’ll come for the empty glades—this independently owned resort in the Selkirk Mountains has some of the best tree skiing around—and an average of 300-plus inches of snow peryear. Road-tripping families will find many conveniences here, from resort daycare to kids’ nights out to snow tubing and entry-level terrain parks.
If You’rea Backcountry Skier
Grand Targhee, Wyoming
The nicest thing about the (from $25) at , in Alta, Wyoming, is that there are different lots for different rigs. If you’re coming in a Sprinter van, park in the Meadow Campground. If you’ve got a big pull-behind trailer, Lot 4 is for you. Need a rig? , located over Teton Pass in Jackson, Wyoming, rents four-wheel-drive truck campers. As for the skiing, there’s coldsmoke powder, resort-operated cat skiing, and great backcountry access (with options for ) through designated gates (day passes from $103).
If You’reanIntermediate Skier
Sipapu, New Mexico
Not many ski areas also operate their own year-round campground, but you’ll find one at family-owned , outside of Taos, New Mexico (lift ticket pricing to be announced). (from $40) in designated lots a short walk from the ski area’s base lodge. You won’t find the same steep terrain as nearby —most of it is more intermediate thanadvanced—but the snow quality can be just as good.Sipapu also boasts one of the longest ski seasons in New Mexico—typically from November through April. Plus, kidstenyears old and under get to ski free all season long.