Brains
For those willing to earn their turns, some of the best ski experiences in North America lie beyond the reach of a chairlift. Because hike-to terrain requires significantly more effort to reach than what the average ski area guest is willing to put forth, it often offers access to untouched powder, steep chutes, expansive bowls, and an extra thrill beyond traditional resort riding.
Since these zones are still within the ski area limits and managed for common risks, skiers and riders can feel comfortable accessing them even though it can feel like backcountry terrain. However, these zones are often advanced and technical terrain, and it is still a good idea to be prepared with backcountry gear, a partner, and other essentials just in case. But, if you’re looking for the best inbounds hike-to terrain in North America, here are some of the top spots offering steep chutes, deep powder, and big mountain lines—all without leaving resort boundaries.
#11 Bridger Bowl, MT – The Ridge
The best hike-to-ski terrain at Bridger Bowl is The Ridge, offering expert-only, steep, and deep terrain with some of the best snow on the mountain. To access it, take the Bridger Lift to the top, then hike up the bootpack along the ridge for 10-45 minutes, depending on your chosen drop-in point. Be prepared as this area requires avalanche gear (beacon, probe, and shovel), as patrol enforces a mandatory avalanche transceiver policy before allowing access to the hike-to terrain.
#10 Taos, NM – West Basin Ridge
The West Basin Ridge at Taos requires a short but lung-punching hike above Chair 2 (Lift 7A can also be an option) that hovers around 12,000 feet. From there, hike-to terrain spiders to the east and west, unlocking chutes and bowls and tree stashes that would seemingly take a lifetime to explore in detail. Local favorite runs like Stauffenberg and Zdarsky are a must-do for advanced riders seeking an off-piste adventure.
#9 Snowbird, UT – Mount Baldy
Mount Baldy at Snowbird offers some fantastic hike-to skiing, with steep, open bowls and technical chutes that often hold great snow. To access Mount Baldy, take the Tram to the top of Hidden Peak and follow the ridge northeast to the top to reach epic bowls and steep lines.
#8 Revelstoke, BC – North Bowl & Sub Peak
With Revelstoke’s massive snowfall, Sub Peak and North Bowl, located at the highest elevation, provide hike-to inbounds terrain that stays fresh longer than lift-served areas. To reach it, take the Stoke Chair to the top, then follow the bootpack up to Sub Peak for breathtaking views and deep snow. From there, drop into runs like Powder Assault or traverse right into Greely Bowl for some of the resort’s best untouched terrain.
#7 Telluride, CO – Palmyra Peak
The hike to Palmyra Peak at Telluride Ski Resort is a demanding but rewarding ascent, gaining over 1,000 vertical feet from the top of Revelation Lift (Lift 15) or Prospect Lift (Chair 12). Once at the top, hikers are rewarded with incredible views and epic, high-alpine terrain, featuring steep chutes and wide-open faces. From the 13,150-foot summit, expert skiers can drop into legendary terrain like Temptation, Electric Shock, and Roy Boy, offering some of the steepest and most exhilarating inbounds runs in North America. Even if you don’t go all the way to the top, there is killer terrain to drop into along the way, including Gold Hill 1, 2, and Gold Hill Chutes 6-10 on the Revelation Lift side or West Lake and Dihedral on the Prospect Lift side.
#6 Alta, UT – Baldy Chutes & Devil’s Castle
At Alta Ski Area, the hike to Baldy Chutes begins at the Baldy Shoulder gate, accessible from the Sugarloaf Lift, requiring a short but steep bootpack to the summit of Mount Baldy (the same Mount Baldy where you can hike and ski at Snowbird). Here expert skiers can drop into steep, challenging chutes. To access Devil’s Castle, go skier’s left from the top of the Sugarloaf Lift to the bootpack up the ridge. Both hikes reward skiers with incredible views and some of the best terrain in the Wasatch, with steep drops, tight chutes, open bowls, and deep snow.
#5 Kicking Horse, BC – Terminator Peak & Whitewall/Rudi’s Bowl
Kicking Horse has some of the most extreme inbounds terrain in Canada and offers some of the best steep skiing in the Rockies. Terminator Peak can be accessed by a 20-minute hike from the top of the Golden Eagle Express gondola. Here it leads to expert-only double black runs, including Glory, Truth, Dare, Consequence, and the entire Super Bowl area. To get to Whitewall and access to Rudi’s Bowl and Feuz Bowl, hike from the top of the Stairway to Heaven chair. This is also where the Freeride World Tour (FWT) takes place on the Ozone face. Both areas offer some of the best inbounds hike-to terrain in North America, with steep chutes, cliffs, and deep powder.
#4 Whistler Blackcomb, BC – Spanky’s Ladder
Spanky’s Ladder at Whistler Blackcomb is a short but steep hike that grants access to some of the most legendary inbounds terrain on the mountain. To reach it, skiers and snowboarders take the Glacier Express lift, traverse across the ridge, and climb a brief bootpack to enter the vast, steep, and powder-filled Sapphire, Diamond, Garnet, and Ruby Bowls. The reward for the effort is some of Whistler’s best expert terrain, with long, challenging lines, deep snow, and breathtaking alpine views.
#3 Jackson Hole, WY – The Headwall & Casper Bowl
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is known for having plenty of advanced terrain and for anyone looking to score some powder days after a storm, the Headwall hike-to terrain is where to go. The traditional bootpack can be accessed from the top of the Tram or the Sublette Chair by skiing through Tensleep Bowl and taking the traverse to the top of the Cirque. The hike itself is relatively short and from the top you can drop directly into the Headwall and other chutes or continue to traverse into Casper Bowl and the Crags. The terrain offers steep, wide-open bowls and technical chutes, rewarding skiers with untouched powder.
#2 Aspen Highlands, CO – Highland Bowl
Highland Bowl is legendary as it offers steep, wide-open bowls, deep powder, and over 2,400 vertical feet of descent. The 45-minute hike to the 12,392-foot summit rewards skiers and riders with breathtaking views of the Maroon Bells and surrounding mountains as well as legendary runs with pitches ranging from 38° to 48°. To access it, take the Loge Peak lift, then either hike the ridge or catch a ride on the snowcat before trekking the final stretch to the top.
#1 Big Sky, MT – The Headwaters & A-Z Chutes
Big Sky delivers some of the most intense terrain anywhere. So intense that it added an extra diamond to a few zones, giving freeriders a reason to think twice before taking the plunge. The Headwaters terrain offers some of the resort’s steepest and most technical chutes, accessible via a bootpack from the top of the Challenger Lift or by riding the Headwaters Lift when it’s running. Avalanche gear and a partner are highly encouraged on the exposed bootpack and expert technical terrain. On the south side of the ridge are the A-Z Chutes that provide a mix of tight, technical couloirs and wider, freeride-friendly zones, often holding hidden powder stashes. This terrain demands expert skills and a solid snowpack, making it some of the most exhilarating big mountain skiing anywhere.
If you are an adventurous and advanced rider, consider this your bucket list for finding some of the best terrain on the continent without ever leaving the resort boundary. These zones test endurance, skill, and commitment, but the payoff is untouched powder, steep chutes, and breathtaking alpine descents. Whether it’s a short bootpack to a hidden stash or a full ridge traverse to a technical line, the best hike-to terrain blends the thrill of the backcountry with the accessibility of the resort. So, if you’re looking to push your limits, grab your gear, take a deep breath, and start climbing, because you know the hike will be worth it.
