Located just 40 minutes Northwest of Kansas City, Missouri, sits a small but lively ski area called Snow Creek. This is where so many flatlanders learn to ski or ride and where my passion for the mountains was born. Local hills like Snow Creek play a vital role in exposing those all around the world to the beauty of winter sports.
Opening in 1986, Snow Creek was owned and operated by Peak Resorts until 2019 when Vail Resorts purchased the ski area. Here at “The Creek” you can find yourself lapping the Rattlesnake Terrain Park, straight-lining Six Shooter, getting your first turns off the Long Rider tow rope, or tubing down Tornado Alley. The mountain typically operates December-March, where you can spend all day, 9 am to 9 pm (yes there’s night skiing!) ripping up the slopes in whatever fashion you choose. Snow Creek offers it all for anyone to enjoy a little slice of the mountains.
Fresh powder is hard to come by at Snow Creek, but that doesn’t stop them from having a great season. 60 snow machines pump 3,000 gallons of water per minute to cover all 25 acres of terrain in just 72 hours. No need to wait for snow, just head over to the mountain when the temperature drops below freezing and they’ll deliver the freshies.
My favorite memory from Snow Creek, with no doubt, was the annual stoke on New Year’s Eve. $20 passes would get you on the hill from 4pm until after the fireworks went off at midnight. I loved starting the year off-right by getting a lap in with the crew right as the clock struck twelve. I will always cherish my memories made on those slopes, and I am so thankful that I grew up with a hill like Snow Creek.
Snow Creek is for the community, hosting plenty of events during the season. Some of these fun activities include S’more Sunday, Snakebite Banked Slalom, and the Heartland Winter Games. In the past, Snow Creek has put on some legendary competitions like the Duct Tape Derby, where you guessed it, riders make a sled out of duct tape and let it rip!
If you’ve ever skied in the Midwest (or the East Coast) you know how icy it can get on the slopes. Snow Creek is no exception, if you can learn to shred these icy slopes then you will crush it out West! So put on your jeans and camo hoodie and join the crowd!
Fun fact: Snow Creek’s Tornado Alley tubing park got its name after a tornado touched down on the ski area in 2003.
The mountain stats might not be much, but they cover the essentials.
- 300 vertical feet
- 25 acres
- 12 trails: 30% beginner, 60% intermediate, 10% expert (including terrain park)
- 5 Lifts: 2 Triple Chairlifts, 1 Double Chairlift, 1 Conveyor Carpet, and 1 Rope Tow
- 2 Terrain Parks: Rattle Snake and Gunslinger Progression Park
I love this place, grew up near there.