The Best Ski Resorts You've Never Heard Of

Their snow is good, their views are great. All they're missing are the crowds.

Glitzy ski destinations such as Aspen, Vail, Jackson Hole and Park City are justifiably famous, as much for their great powder and dramatic slopes as for the beautiful people who inhabit them. They have name recognition, night life, loads of apres-ski activities. But we went looking for the lesser-known resorts: places with great powder and dramatic slopes, sure, but with a quieter, low-key ambiance.

Which is how we ended up at Mount Shasta Ski Park in Northern California last season. We found well-groomed trails with views of an unspoiled countryside, a deep base with fresh powder as fine as anything we've experienced in Colorado, and sunny blue skies. No beautiful people, just the beauty of a mountain landscape.

Smitten, we wondered: Are there more places like this? Three experts who know mountain slopes like you know your neighborhood streets helped us identify other well-kept secrets in both the eastern and western United States that fit our laid-back mold: no glitz, but a special, hushed distinction all their own.

Oh, and in most cases, as with Mount Shasta, you'll find ski passes, lodging and food less expensive, too. If this is your style, these are your places.