JVK Adventures | Ski and snow trips planned by Jonathan VanKim

I skied it: 2013, 2017 and 2020

Whistler Blackcomb

Two full mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb, linked by the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola.

8,171acres
36lifts
200+runs

Why I'd send you here

Largest ski resort in North America8,171 acres, over 200 marked runs and 36 lifts.
PEAK 2 PEAK GondolaThe world's highest and longest continuous lift system: about 11 minutes from peak to peak.
Big vertical5,280 ft on Blackcomb and 5,020 ft on Whistler.
Getting thereAbout 2 hours from Vancouver airport (YVR) on Highway 99.

Sources: whistlerblackcomb.com; whistler.com

Plan this tripEpic Pass

I skied it: February and March 2026

Banff

Three ski resorts in Banff National Park, all on one lift ticket, and I've skied all three: Lake Louise, Sunshine Village and Mt Norquay.

3resorts, 1 ticket
7,948acres
367runs

Why I'd send you here

Three resorts, one ticketLake Louise, Sunshine Village and Mt Norquay, all on the SkiBig3 lift ticket.
Room to roam7,948 acres and 367 runs across the three resorts.
Night skiingMt Norquay has the only night skiing in Banff National Park, Friday and Saturday nights, December to March.
Getting thereAbout 90 minutes from Calgary airport (YYC) to Banff; Lake Louise is 40 minutes farther.

Sources: skibig3.com

Plan this tripIkon Pass

I skied it: February 2026

Revelstoke

The most vertical in North America.

5,620 ftvertical
3,121acres
75runs

Why I'd send you here

Most vertical in North America1,713 m (5,620 ft) of lift-accessed vertical.
Big terrain3,121 skiable acres and 75 runs.
Cat and heli-skiingOffered through the resort with Great Northern Snowcat Skiing and Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing.
Getting thereAbout 2.5 hours from Kelowna airport (YLW).

Sources: revelstokemountainresort.com; seerevelstoke.com; ikonpass.com

Plan this tripIkon Pass

I skied it: February 2026

Kicking Horse

Chutes and big vertical above the town of Golden, BC.

4,314 ftvertical
3,486acres
85+chutes

Why I'd send you here

Golden Eagle Express GondolaAn 8-person gondola, 3,413 m long, with a 12-minute ride to the top.
85+ inbound chutes3,486 acres and 120+ runs.
Big vertical1,315 m (4,314 ft); the top is 2,505 m (8,218 ft).
Getting thereAbout 2.5 hours west of Calgary (270 km).

Sources: kickinghorseresort.com; tourismgolden.com

Plan this tripEpic Pass

I went cat skiing here: February 2026

Fernie

Three days of cat skiing with Fernie Wilderness Adventures: untracked lines all day and no lift lines.

5,000+acres, FWA tenure
7,150 fttop elevation
75 minfrom Cranbrook (YXC)

Why I'd send you here

Cat skiingA snowcat drives your group up, you ski fresh powder down, and you repeat all day. FWA runs day trips and multi-day packages from a lodge about 20 minutes from town; I skied with them.
The terrainFWA's tenure covers over 5,000 acres just southeast of Fernie Alpine Resort, topping out above 7,150 ft.
Resort days tooFernie Alpine Resort is next door: 2,500+ acres, 5 alpine bowls and up to 37 feet of snow a season.
Getting there75 minutes from Cranbrook airport (YXC), or about 3.5 hours from Calgary.

Sources: ferniewildernessadventures.com; tourismfernie.com; skifernie.com

Plan this tripCat skiing

I skied it: 2018 and 2025

Jackson Hole

Big-mountain skiing at Teton Village, home of Corbet's Couloir.

4,139 ftvertical
2,500acres
131trails

Why I'd send you here

Aerial TramRises 4,139 vertical feet in about 9 minutes.
Two mountains2,500 in-bounds acres and 131 named trails; the summit is 10,450 ft.
SnowAverages 458 inches a year.
Getting there36 minutes from Jackson Hole airport (JAC).

Sources: jacksonhole.com; ikonpass.com

Plan this tripIkon Pass

I skied it: January 2025

Big Sky

Huge terrain and big vertical under Lone Peak.

5,850acres
4,350 ftvertical
320runs

Why I'd send you here

Lone Peak TramThe new tram opened in December 2023: two 75-person cabins to the 11,166 ft summit.
Huge terrain5,850 acres, 40 lifts and 320 named runs.
Big vertical4,350 ft, with about 400 inches of snow a year.
Getting thereAbout an hour (50 miles) from Bozeman airport (BZN).

Sources: bigskyresort.com; visitbigsky.com

Plan this tripIkon Pass

I skied it: March 2023

Park City

I skied the Canyons Village side of Park City Mountain, the biggest ski resort in the US.

7,300acres
41lifts
330+trails

Why I'd send you here

Largest ski resort in the US7,300 acres, 41 lifts and more than 330 trails.
Orange Bubble ExpressAt Canyons Village: the country's first bubbled, heated chairlift.
Up highThe summit is 10,026 ft.
Getting thereAbout 35 minutes from Salt Lake City airport (SLC).

Sources: parkcitymountain.com; visitparkcity.com

Plan this tripEpic Pass

I skied it: January 2022

Vail

Big terrain, including the famous Back Bowls.

5,317acres
32lifts
278trails

Why I'd send you here

Big mountain5,317 acres, 32 lifts and 278 trails.
The Back BowlsNearly 3,000 acres of bowl skiing.
Up highThe summit is 11,570 ft.
Getting there40 to 45 minutes from Eagle County airport (EGE), or about 118 miles from Denver (DEN).

Sources: vail.com; discovervail.com

Plan this tripEpic Pass

I skied it: 2016, 2020 and 2022

Keystone

I've been back three times.

3,149acres
21lifts
140trails

Why I'd send you here

Night skiingKeystone calls it the longest ski day in all of Colorado.
Bergman BowlA six-person chair serves 555 acres of glades, open faces and runs from green to black.
The numbers3,149 acres, 21 lifts and 140 trails; the summit is 12,408 ft.
Getting there90 miles from Denver International (DEN).

Sources: keystoneresort.com

Plan this tripEpic Pass

I skied it: January 2017

Breckenridge

Some of the highest skiing in North America.

2,908acres
35lifts
187trails

Why I'd send you here

Highest lift in North AmericaThe Imperial SuperChair tops out at 12,840 ft.
The numbers2,908 acres, 35 lifts and 187 trails; the summit is 12,998 ft.
Getting thereAbout 2 hours (104 miles) from Denver International (DEN).

Sources: breckenridge.com; gobreck.com

Plan this tripEpic Pass

I skied it: February 2021

Steamboat

Big vertical and Champagne Powder® snow.

3,741acres
3,668 ftvertical
23lifts

Why I'd send you here

Champagne Powder®Steamboat is known for its Champagne Powder® snow in the trees.
Big vertical3,668 ft from the base to the 10,568 ft summit of Mt. Werner; 3,741 acres and 23 lifts.
Mahogany Ridge650+ acres of advanced and expert terrain.
Getting thereYampa Valley airport (HDN) is 22 miles away.

Sources: steamboat.com; steamboatchamber.com

Plan this tripIkon Pass

I skied it: December 2022

Winter Park

Big terrain, including the Mary Jane side.

3,081acres
23lifts
3,060 ftvertical

Why I'd send you here

Mary JaneWinter Park's side known for moguls and tree skiing.
Big terrain3,081 acres and 23 lifts.
Up high3,060 ft of vertical up to a 12,060 ft summit.
Getting there87 miles from Denver International (DEN).

Sources: winterparkresort.com; ikonpass.com; Wikipedia

Plan this tripIkon Pass

I skied it: April 2025

Lake Tahoe

I skied Palisades Tahoe and Northstar, each well under an hour from Reno.

6,000acres, Palisades
3,170acres, Northstar
< 1 hrfrom Reno (RNO)

Why I'd send you here

Olympic historyPalisades Tahoe hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics.
Two mountains, one gondolaPalisades' Base to Base Gondola links Olympic Valley and Alpine Meadows: 2.4 miles in 16 minutes. 6,000 acres and 39 lifts in all.
Northstar3,170 acres and 20 lifts, with a village for après, dining and shopping.
Getting thereFrom Reno-Tahoe airport (RNO): about 45 minutes to Palisades and 40 to Northstar.

Sources: palisadestahoe.com; northstarcalifornia.com

Plan this tripPalisades: Ikon PassNorthstar: Epic Pass

I skied it: April 2024

Washington

I skied Stevens Pass and Crystal Mountain on back-to-back days.

2,600acres, Crystal
1,125acres, Stevens
75 mifrom Sea-Tac

Why I'd send you here

Crystal Mountain2,600 acres and the Mt. Rainier Gondola, the state's only high-speed gondola.
Stevens Pass1,125 acres, with night skiing on up to 5 lifts.
Getting thereCrystal is less than 2 hours from Seattle; Sea-Tac airport (SEA) is 75 miles away.

Sources: crystalmountainresort.com; stevenspass.com; ikonpass.com; epicpass.com; Wikipedia

Plan this tripCrystal: Ikon PassStevens: Epic Pass

I skied it: January 2026

Snowshoe

West Virginia skiing, with the village at the top of the mountain.

1,500 ftvertical
4,848 ftsummit
65 mifrom LWB

Why I'd send you here

Village at the topThe village sits at the top of the mountain instead of the base.
Western TerritoryA 1,500 ft vertical drop; the summit is 4,848 ft.
Getting there65 miles from Greenbrier Valley airport (LWB), or under 4 hours from Pittsburgh airport.

Sources: snowshoemtn.com; ikonpass.com

Plan this tripIkon Pass

I've skied it

Seven Springs

An easy drive from Pittsburgh.

285acres
2,994 ftsummit
~1 hrfrom Pittsburgh

Why I'd send you here

Largest in PennsylvaniaEpic lists it as the largest ski resort in PA.
The numbers285 skiable acres; the top is 2,994 ft.
Getting thereAbout an hour's drive southeast of Pittsburgh.

Sources: 7springs.com; epicpass.com

Plan this tripEpic Pass

I skied it: 2024 and 2025

Holiday Valley

Right next to the village of Ellicottville, about an hour from Buffalo.

290acres
60trails
750 ftvertical

Why I'd send you here

EllicottvilleThe village next door is called the “Aspen of the East.”
The numbers290 acres, 13 lifts and 60 trails (39 lit at night); 750 ft vertical.
Quick tripsSKI Magazine readers ranked it #1 for quick trips in 2025.
Getting thereAbout an hour (50 miles) from Buffalo.

Sources: holidayvalley.com

Plan this trip

I skied it: 2014 and 2016

Boyne Mountain

Michigan skiing with a big indoor waterpark for the off-hours.

415acres
65trails
500 ftvertical

Why I'd send you here

Avalanche BayMichigan's largest indoor waterpark: 88,000 square feet.
The numbers415 acres, 10 chairlifts and 65 trails; 500 vertical feet.
Getting there45 minutes from Traverse City airport (TVC); about 3 hours from Grand Rapids and under 4 from Detroit.

Sources: boynemountain.com; ikonpass.com

Plan this tripIkon Pass (limited days)

I skied it: 2013 to 2022

Mad River Mountain

Ohio's largest ski area, an easy day trip from Columbus.

144acres
16trails
9lifts

Why I'd send you here

Ohio's largest144 acres, the most skiable terrain in the state; 16 trails and 9 lifts.
TubingThe largest tube park in Ohio.
Getting thereAbout 45 minutes from Columbus.

Sources: skimadriver.com; experiencecolumbus.com

Plan this tripEpic Pass