7 North American Resorts with the Toughest Terrain

Every fall, we look forward to seeing how the American Resorts fare on challenging terrain in our reader-driven ranking. Despite our interest in expert and extreme terrain, the resorts with the most difficult slopes aren’t always at the top.

How come? Extreme stuff doesn’t appeal to everyone. Falling, climbing, and breathing mandatory air aren’t for everyone. Not a problem.

Here are the best places to stand at the top of steep slopes, skis hanging over the abyss. Is there something we missed? SKI’s reader survey will reopen next spring and we want to hear from you.

Freeride World Tour Qualifiers have long been held in Taos. It will take place from March 2-7, 2025. There’s nothing like the expert terrain off Kachina Peak in North America, and when the snow gods smile on it, it’s the only place in the southwestern U.S. to experience steeps, chutes, high-angle trees, and low crowds.

Highline Ridge, with its excellent north-facing trees, and West Basin, with its chutes and spicy cliff bands, are also excellent areas for experts.

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Skiers from other Vermont resorts travel there to test their skills on MRG’s tough terrain. Located off the iconic Single Chair are even more go-tos, such as Chute and Lift Line, and Fall Line, which have natural obstacles.

The sustained 40-degree pitch at Paradise features bumps, trees, cliff bands, and rock outcroppings, so you won’t get bored. Probably a packed pack of slick, icy stuff? That’s part of the charm, though.

Corbet’s Couloir may be famous, but Jackson Hole offers plenty of other steep and technical terrain that is equally impressive. Adding Alta Chutes to your list is well worth it. Try Chute 2 or 3 before going for Chute 1, which is the steepest, narrowest, and most technical chute.

Cody Peak’s Central Couloir carves right through the center with an often icy and rocky entrance. The mandatory air at the couloir’s end wouldn’t have been much fun. Rendezvous Bowl’s top is a minute’s hike from Central Couloir.

Apart from the heavy snowfall provided by the “Jay Cloud,” Jay’s intrigue lies in its intense terrain accessible by tram. The steep chutes and sustained pitches, which are made even harder by the exposed terrain, are loved by experts. Stormy, windy days make the tram face difficult to face.

When the trees are tight and technical, you win. Try Staircase Glade, one of the tightest trees in the state.

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Crested Butte has run like Body Bag and Dead End Chutes for expert and extreme skiers. Probably the most famous in-bounds steep on CB is Rambo due to its 55-degree pitch and natural obstacles. Snow conditions must be good to enjoy this steep, fast slope.

You can also ski Nearby Body Bag if you like trees. You’ll need confidence to turn on a dime in these double-black glades.

Children’s programming and death-defying steeps are both key features of this ski area. Madonna Mountain, at Smugglers’ Notch, is most definitely not suitable for kids due to its challenging terrain.

Upper Madonna Liftline is a good place if you like an audience. There’s also a massive boulder to navigate, as well as an inconsistent fall line, on the liftline below Madonna I. Plus, you have to avoid the chairs above that are frighteningly close. No worries, they’re not.

Another black diamond, Black Hole, is about a third down the Upper Liftline. Ski Black Hole for its tree stumps and other obstacles. With the best intentions.

With legends such as Shane McConkey and Robb Gaffney, Palisades Tahoe was the birthplace of extreme skiing in the U.S. With good reason. OGs can’t be missed, from steep pitches off KT-22 to hike-to terrain from the Headwall chair.

You can access some of Tahoe’s best and most undiscovered wide-open bowls on the Alpine side of the mountain via a short hike through the Pacific Crest Bowls.

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