The world is full of incredible mountains. Some are better to ski and snowboard than others. What makes a mountain range great for skiing and snowboarding is the combination of copious amounts of snow and great terrain. The mountain ranges below have both of these qualities in excess.
The World’s Best Mountain Ranges for Skiing & Snowboarding:
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Teton Range
- Wyoming, USA.
- Birthplace of extreme skiing in North America.
- 55-miles long.
- 13,770′ Grand Teton = highest elevation.
- 450″ = Average annual snowfall.
- Quality ski resorts: Grand Targhee and Jackson Hole.
Sierra Nevada Mountains
- California, USA.
- “The Range of Light” – John Muir.
- 600-miles long.
- 14,495′ Mt. Whitney = highest elevation.
- 409″ (at UC Berkley Snow Lab, Donner Summit, CA) = average annual snowfall
- Quality ski resorts: Palisades Tahoe and Mammoth Mountain.
Selkirk Mountains
- British Columbia, Canada, Idaho & Washington, USA.
- Home of Canada’s first National Parks.
- 326-miles long.
- 11,545′ Mount Sir Sandford = highest elevation.
- 370″ (average snowfall at Roger’s Pass, BC).
- Quality ski areas: Revelstoke, BC, and Roger’s Pass.
Japanese Alps
- Honshu Isle, Japan.
- Possibly the most consistent powder on Earth.
- 10,476′ Mount Kita = highest elevation.
- ? = Average annual snowfall (likely around 600″)
- Quality ski resorts: Happo-One, Myoko Kogen, Nozawa Onsen.
Andes Mountains
- Chile/Argentina, South America.
- Longest mountain range on Earth.
- 4,500-miles long.
- 22,838′ Aconcagua = highest elevation.
- 200-400″ = Average annual snowfall.
- Quality ski resorts: Las Lenas, Argentina; Catedral, Argentina; Portillo, Chile.
Chugach Mountains
- Alaska, USA.
- The best skiing on Earth.
- 250-miles long.
- 12,884′ Mt. Marcus Baker = highest elevation.
- 600+” = Average annual snowfall.
- Quality ski resorts: Alyeska.
Southern Alps
- South Island, New Zealand.
- Some of the most gorgeous mountain scenery on Earth.
- 300-miles long.
- 12,218′ Mt. Cook = highest elevation.
- 200-400″ = average annual snowfall.
- Quality ski resorts: Treble Cone, Cardrona, Mt. Hutt, Craigieburn, The Remarkables.
Coast Range
- British Columbia, Canada.
- This range holds endless ski and snowboard opportunities.
- 1,000-miles long.
- 13,168′ Mt. Waddington = highest elevation.
- 400+” = average annual snowfall.
- Quality ski resorts: Whistler, BC.
North Cascades
- Washington, USA.
- The most rugged terrain in the Lower 48.
- 150-miles long.
- 10,781′ Mt. Baker = highest elevation.
- 600+” = average annual snowfall.
- Quality ski resorts: Mt. Baker.
Alps
- Europe.
- Best and biggest ski resorts on Earth.
- 750-miles long.
- 15,780′ Mt. Blanc = highest elevation.
- 300-400″ = average annual snowfall.
- Quality ski resorts: Chamonix, Verbier, Zermatt, St. Moritz, Courmayeur.
Himalaya
- Asia.
- The biggest mountains on Earth.
- 1,500-miles long.
- 29,035′ Mt. Everest = highest elevation.
- 500-800″ = average annual snowfall.
- Quality ski resorts: Gulmarg.
Why are you guys BITCHING about the Wasatch if it has snow I’m good to go I’ve road in Utah a handful of times had some killer days has some shitty days Quit bitching about who’s got the baddest mountain range they’re all bad ass
Really, just checking to see if you have heard of the Rocky Mtn Range or the Wasatch??
Crap list without Wasatch! 500+ inches of powder with some of the best terrain….
Snow Brain? You mean brainless. Leaving out the Wasatch Range? It is like a top 10 list of sports cars and leaving out the Porsche 911.
Seriously? This list is flawed in so many ways. The Wasatch Range would make the top three list. Southern Alps? Japanese Alps?
+1.
even as a California skier (KIrkwood home mountain) I can’t believe the Rockies are not on this list.
Thank you…..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9l0I-piT3E
Looks like I have found my bucket list for skiing 🙂
Cheers,
Frank V.
Where does the Swiss Alps image come from? May I reuse it as a background image on a website?
We did a google image search and could not find it attributed to a photographer. It was used on a travel site as well as a swiss government health site.
What an American centric ego list written by city folk, hilarious.
very cool mountains dude very cool moutins
Seriously how does the Wasatch range not make this list? Pound for pound the snow quality and terrain is up there with any of these.
B.S. A little crazy that the place with some of the best snow and the most heli/cat ski operations in the world isn’t included here… the interior ranges of BC should probably be first on the list!
Hey Casy stop crying about how rad BC is
It is
Columbia Mountains of Canada
seeeee
The Chugach definitly has a ton to offer. The back country is awesome if u know what you’re doing. And Alyeska ski resort is a great place to be. Especially come spring skiing time.
it’s the TETON RANGE, not the “Grand Tetons.” There is just one Grand Teton.
You’re right. Just fixed it. thanks.
why would the himalayas be on here but not the wasatch? i don’t think that many people ski mount everest, duh.