To qualify as a proper ski town, a destination听needs a few things. For starters, a decent ski hill. It doesn鈥檛 have to be a big, flashy resort鈥攋ust a good-sized mountain and ample snowfall (and a lively bar at the base lodge always helps). Beyond that, it鈥檚 nice if there鈥檚听a downtown with some shops, caf茅s slinging quality food, and housing and lodging that real people with normal jobs can afford. If a town has those things, then chances are a close-knit community of mountain dwellers has formed.听Read on to discover the next great affordable ski towns.
Revelstoke, British Columbia
The ski area that towers above the quaint mountain town of Revelstoke is relatively new听by ski-resort standards.听听(day tickets from $109), which now boasts the most vertical听in North America鈥5,620 feet from the top of Mount Mackenzie鈥攐pened in 2007. Since then听the town鈥檚 population has boomed to 7,500. With an average of over 400 inches of snowfall a year, you鈥檒l find reliably good skiing, whether you鈥檙e backcountry touring on Rogers Pass, riding the gondola at the resort, or heli-skiing with听. Access to the mountains is this town鈥檚 biggest asset, thanks to its location smack in between the Monashees to the west and the Selkirks to the east. The closest airport is Kelowna, two hours away, but that keeps the crowds low. Don鈥檛 miss La Baguette for fresh croissants and the best breakfast in town, and stay at (from $274) for ski-in, ski-out access.
Ogden, Utah
There鈥檚 a reason ski-industry brands like Atomic, Salomon, and Scott have moved their U.S. headquarters to Ogden, population 87,000, over听the last few decades. The city is affordable鈥攁verage homes go for around $250,000鈥攁nd close to ski areas like 听(from $95) and听听(from $105). You鈥檙e 30 minutes from Salt Lake City, but it feels far from the hustle. This historic railway town has rebooted itself in recent years, offering听a thriving food scene, a growing number of craft breweries and distilleries, and the new arts-centric Nine Rails Creative District, the latest听home for galleries and murals. Check out the recently opened听, and stay in one of 15 rooms at the听 (from $229), a boutique inn in nearby Huntsville that has an in-house observatory听for stargazing.
June Lake, California
Just 30 minutes northwest of听Mammoth Mountain, June Lake is Mammoth鈥檚 much sleepier sister town, with some听700 year-round residents. The family-friendly ski hill of听听(from $87)听is the local spot, and while the resort itself is small鈥攋ust 1,500 skiable acres and seven lifts鈥攖he backcountry access is unparalleled. You can hit听eastern Sierra gems like the Negatives or Devil鈥檚 Slide from the resort鈥檚 backcountry-access听gate, and听 offers听guided tours into nearby zones. A new wave of entrepreneurs has arrived in the town of June Lake, opening up shops and apr猫s听spots听like the听, a music venue, and the coffeehouse听. (from $199) has lodge rooms, cabins, and an indoor pool with views of the mountains, while the (from $95) is a no-frills motel that鈥檚 centrally located and allows dogs.
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Not traditionally thought of as a ski destination, the artsy city of Santa Fe, population 83,000, is surprisingly听close听to听world-class skiing.听听(from $84) is a local鈥檚 hill just 30 minutes from downtown鈥檚 historic plaza, and with a base elevation of 10,350 feet, it鈥檒l have snow even when lower-elevation spots get warm and melt. You can ski-tour uphill in-bounds听while the resort is open, if that鈥檚 your thing. Otherwise听enjoy powder after a storm, burgers smothered in green chile, and a post-ski soak in the hot springs at听, where you can stay in an adobe house featuring听Japanese decor just down the hill from the ski area听(from $255). If you need a bigger mountain,听听(from $110), with its notorious steeps and backcountry runs, is just two hours听north.
Bethel, Maine
Bethel is a small town, with around 2,600 living there full-time, but it鈥檚 a vibrant community. In 2016, the town raised $35,000 on Kickstarter to help reopen the local movie theater as a hip community cinema, and a new bowling alley called River Lanes recently opened next door. You鈥檒l ski听听(from $109), a sprawling resort that includes eight neighboring peaks. Midmountain, at the Peak Lodge鈥檚 restaurant, a new chef听is now preparing dishes like whipped-ricotta toast and egg and pork belly buns.听 near the base of Sunday River has some of the most affordable rooms in town (from $99). Grab a beer at once you鈥檙e off the hill. For a smaller, throwback ski area, the cooperatively owned听听(from $29) is 15 minutes away and now on the new听.
Victor, Idaho
Just over Teton Pass from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, you鈥檒l find the low-key ranching communities听of Teton Valley, which include听the towns of Victor and Driggs, Idaho. Housing prices are spiking here, too, but the Teton Valley remains considerably more affordable than Jackson, and the access to skiing is nearly as good.听听(from $98), 30 minutes down the road, has the region鈥檚 only cat-skiing operation and gets more than 500 inches of snow a year. You could also just do backcountry laps off Teton Pass or drop down to world-famous Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.听The small but growing town of Victor, with a population of 2,200, is home to not one but two microbreweries. Start your day with the two-course home-cooked breakfast at 听(from $149).
Lake Placid, New York
It鈥檚 been exactly 40 years since Lake Placid hosted the Winter Olympics. The town has changed a lot since then, but winter sports are still a priority. Take part in its听 by visiting the Olympic Museum,听bobsled down a high-speed track at听the Olympic Training Center,听or ski听听(from $49), a half-hour听away, which claims the most vertical in the East. The town itself, with its 2,300 residents, is situated on scenic Mirror Lake, with Adirondack peaks spiking up in every direction. The听 (from $99) recently renovated its apartment-style lodging, which is close to town and steps from the tasty sandwiches of听Saranac Sourdough. Don鈥檛 miss听 down a 30-foot-high former ski jump onto frozen Mirror Lake.