Best Resort for Least Crowds & Lift Lines | Scout Picks (2023)

A simpleday trip from Jackson Hole, Grand Targhee offers endlesshigh alpine bowls,as well as 600 acres of cat serviced terrain and limitless backcountry accessibility. It's a wonder that Grand Targhee remains under the radar, as it has fantastic terrain for all ability levels, and receives more snow than many resorts in the US. Here you will find barely any lift lines and plenty of opportunities to enjoy those waist-deep powder pockets!

Head Southwest in Colorado and you'll find the stunning San Juan Mountainsand theWolf Creek Ski Area. One of the oldest resorts in Colorado, it isknown for its deep-powder skiing andfriendly atmosphere, as well as distinct lack of crowds. Enjoy over 1600acres of skiable terrain, with plenty of bowl skiing (and even cat skiing!) and over 430 inches of snowfall annually (it is trademarked as the most snow in Colorado!). Don't expect all the bells and whistles of a largepurpose built Colorado resort, but you can expect no lift lines and plenty of snow to go around. It's the perfect addition to a Colorado roadtrip!

Crested Butte is one of Scout's favourite ski resorts in Colorado. Itsoff-the-beaten-path location means no crowds, no lift lines and plenty of powder for everyone to share.A relatively small resort(at only 1167 acres) compared to others in the US, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in the complete absence of crowds and no lift lines. Scout skied Crested Butte the day after President's Day Weekend, and there were no lift lines to be seen!

Head down the famous Powder Highway and you'll find one of the hidden gems of BC - Whitewater ski resort. There's no glitz or glamour to be found, nor lift lines or crowds (pictured above is what they would consider a lift line), which is one of the reasons we love this part of Canada.Renowned for it's consistent snowfall andepic powder days, Whitewater is a community ski resort - simple but perfect for real powder skiers and families who want to escape the larger (and busier) ski resorts in BC.

Panoramais not only one of our favourite ski resorts for families in Canada - it is also one of the quietest in terms of crowds and lift lines. Boasting almost 3000 acres of terrain, including the monstrous hike-to and cat-accessible bowls, and long wide groomers that interconnect seamlessly, skiers are spread evenly across the resort (you'll often find yourself on a run all by yourself!). Being a little further from Calgary than the Banff resorts, you can expect a quieter base area, fewer people in your ski lesson,and no lines at the all-important lunch time!

Big Skyis home to the ‘Biggest Skiing in America’ – which it can legitimately claim (based on vertical feet and skiable area). Bigger in this case definitely means better in terms of space for skiers! Withover 23 chairlifts, skiers are ferried quickly and efficiently, with plenty of snow to go around. The resort area is not overly developed, with only a handful of lodging options and purpose-built facilities at the base (and no downtown mountain areas), which keepsthe number of visitors limited.Being locatedin southwest Montana, it is only about an hour from Bozeman (easy to get to) but has remained a relatively 'local's mountain.

Being officially the second largest ski resort in Canada, Sun Peaks offers plenty of snow (and space!) for skiers in BC. The ski area itself is spread across two main mountains with endless ridges, valleys and bowls, and the super efficient lift system (and layout of each of the runs) means skiers are dispersed quickly and evenly (hello no morelift lines!).Plus, if you're a cross country fan, Sun Peaks has over 34km of groomed cross country trails to explore.

Another resort in BC that is perfect for those who like a little more space to ski is SilverStar. It often flies under the radar which means skiers are spoilt with nice and long empty groomers and not having to fight for those first tracks.Silver Star is rarely crowded. The village may have a hustle and bustle in the mornings with ski school check-in along the main strip, but this is far from the case on the slopes. Having a vast spread of terrain across all four mountain faces means skiers are evenly dispersed and lift lines are minimal. It is also home to the largest network of cross-country trails in Canada!

Of the resorts in Europe,Cerviniawould be our top pick for the best resort with least lift lines and crowds. Firstly, the terrainisserviced by a super fast and efficient lift system (including chairs, gondola and the Plateau Rosa cable car), which eliminates any waiting time. The area is smaller than other resorts, with only 350km of runs, however, the slopes are mainly long and wide (and well groomed), easy to navigate and well-connected, so skiers aren't funnelling into only a few chairs. Being connected to Zermatt also adds a whole lot more terrain, and advanced skiers tend to head over there for a better selection of runs - it is connected in two places also, so the trek back to Cervinia at the end of the day is fast and easy.

The fact thatPortilloonly allows a maximum of 450 guests at the resort at any given time, means it definitely makes the list of our best ski resorts for no crowds and least lift lines! The resort itself is serviced by 14 lifts, including several of the infamous Va et Vient; a high speed poma that transports 5 skiers at a time, sling-shotting them up steep short slopes - lift lines are virtually non-existent! The beginner and intermediate runs are long and wide, and there's definitelyno fighting for the fresh powder that can be found in the wide-open bowls, rocky chutes, and incredible off-piste skiing on offer at Portillo.

Being the first resort in the world to have a ski lift,Sun Valley is ironicallyalso home to no lift lines!The ski terrain here is expansive and varied, but the real highlight is the long, wide and often steep groomers that are crowd-free.Sun Valley has excellent groomingand snowmaking, and the lifts are fast and well-positioned to make the most of different parts of the mountain. Plus, there is an entire separate mountain for beginners to cut their teeth without being bombed by advanced skiers (or having to dodge first-timers as you make your way down the slopes).

There are many reasons why skiers are "Happy in Appi", and the lack of crowds and lift lines are two of these! Being a purpose-built ski resort, all the facilities and services on offer atAppi Kogenprovide an almost carefree skier experience. The lift infrastructureis fast and efficient and allows easy access to the vast terrain, with no waiting in peskylift lines. Beginner slopes are situated lower mountain, allowing the upper and off-piste skiing areas to be crowd-free. If you're lucky to score a powder day at Appi Kogen, you can be sure you won't need to fight for first tracks!

Being a lesser known resort in Japan, skiers will be spoilt with empty groomers and non-existent lift lines at Shizukuishi. A lack of Western influence and development means you aren't fighting other international visitors for first tracks in the fantastic Japanese snow. The chairlifts are old and slow, and the hotels and facilities are seemingly stuck in the 80's, but this means it draws the hardcore skiers and eliminates vast crowds of visitors each season. For something new and a change from the typical larger resorts in Japan (and for more time spent on snow than in a chairlift line!), Shizukuishi is a top choice.

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