Stowe sits leeward of Vermont's Mt. Mansfield—in the shadow of the mountain relative to most passing storms—and it catches about 300 inches of snow a year, which is a monster average for ski resorts east of the Rockies. The resort has a gondola and it sees a lot of skiers—try to avoid it on peak days—but quiet powder days during the week can be blissful. Skiers can float down the mountain's 2,160 feet of vertical and soak in some of the best skiing Vermont has to offer.

Jay Peak gets a lot of snow, the most and best snow in the east. This fact alone pushes the ski resort, which sits near the border of Quebec, way up our Vermont ski resort rankings. Jay Peak receives more than six inches of snow on 17% of its winter days, with a quarter of months bringing more than 90 inches. These would be elite numbers in the western United States, but are utterly anomalous for the east. With these frequent storms, however, comes a great deal of wind, which can scour Jay's faces of snow. The good news is that the powder has to go somewhere, and it often ends up in the trees, which is why Jay's trees are perhaps the best habitat for snow east of the Rockies. Jay's frequent storms are also one of the reasons the resort has a Jackson Hole-style tram that goes from the bottom to the mountain all the way to to top, giving skiers some shelter and a stable ride when other mediums, such a chairlift or a gondola, couldn't run.

Tucked into a ridge that rises above the northern shoulder of Mt. Mansfield, the tallest peak in Vermont, Smugglers' Notch sits in an advantageous position to gather snow from passing weather systems. The ski resort averages more than 320 inches of snow a year, making it the the second snowiest resort in the east behind fellow Vermont mountain Jay Peak. Smuggs is a good bet for those looking to dodge the crowds at Stowe, which is just a jog south in the same valley. Smugglers' Notch comprises 1,000 acres of ski runs and glades, making it one of the larger ski resorts by area in the East. As with most eastern resorts, there are loads of picturesque tree-cut runs. There are also some steeper shots off of Madonna Mountain that are best skied when the cold is holding and the snow is chalky.

Killington truly is the Beast of the East, with the terrain and lifts befitting a bigger ski resort out west. The base area is stoutly built up with all manners of lodging; skiers can go big and fancy or laid back and chill. The skiing provides some classic long Eastern groomers and some of the best bump runs anywhere. With its superior snowmaking, Killington is often first to open and last to close in the East.

The Alterra Mountain Company purchased Sugarbush in November 2019, making it a permanent member of the Ikon Pass. This gives eastern skiers another stalwart on the Ikon Pass, and a great candidate for holiday skiing, for which Sugarbush's powerful snowmaking system typically gets good swaths of terrain open.

Mad River Glen remains one of three ski resorts in the United States that does not allow snowboarders on its slopes. It also has zero snowmaking, which can make skiing during earlier days in the season sporadic. But by mid January the slopes here often offer some of the better underfoot conditions in the east, as there's no man-made icy crust nudging out at the edge of runs. The mountain is actually a collective, owned by a cooperative. Skiers can buy in, or they can show up and just ski the place for daily fee like anywhere else. Mad River Glen's trees, bumps and short boulder shots give it some of the better terrain in the east. Its vibe feels like Alta did 30 years ago. It's a place where skiing is just skiing, and it's marvelous.

This is a good place for skiers to head who are seeking cold snow and smaller crowds. More than 80% of Pico's terrain faces north, which helps it preserve the snow it receives, and it gets far better than average compared to most mountains in the East. Pico sits at the southern edge of the ridge that runs through northern Vermont that receives the best snow east of Rockies in North America. It's a far quieter spot than Killington, which is just down the road and can get overloaded with crowds on weekends.

Okemo sits farther south in Vermont than many of the best mountains in the state, but it still manages to catch more than 160 inches of snow per winter, which is a respectable total in the east. The ski resorts has built up a reputation as a family pleaser and a place that gets open early and stays open late in the season. It can do this because of its expansive snow-making system, something that Vail, as the newer owner of the place, has continued to prioritize. The resort largely faces east, which isn't a bad deal in the deepest heart of winter when the sun's rays can help expel the deep cold of January Vermont nights. That east exposure becomes a problem in mid to late February when those sun rays can soften the snow up and set the mountain into a freeze-thaw cycle, but that's fairly standard in the east.

Stratton receives the most snow in southern Vermont, and it has a mix of terrain that includes swaths that are good for beginners, intermediates and experts. The varied terrain and the higher level snow make it one of the best choices in this part of the state, only rivaled by Mt. Snow. Half of the terrain at Stratton faces east, which puts the sun on it early and can put the snow into a freeze-thaw cycle earlier in season, usually by mid-February. That's fairly common for the east, however. The ski area covers more than 600 skiable acres, which lets the weekend crowds, which can be intense, spread out across a lot of runs. Stratton is easy to reach from Boston, and one of the closer spots in Vermont to drive to from New York City.

For skiers in southern Vermont, Mount Snow is one of the best options for big league skiing along with Stratton. It preserves snow fairly well for a resort in southern Vermont as 50% of its slopes face north. Its 164-inch annual snowfall average is solid for a ski area just three hours from Boston and just more than four from New York City. The proximity to New York and the fact that Mount Snow is owned by Vail make it a popular destination for New Yorkers who hold the Epic Pass. This can lead to some crowds on the weekend, but those are generally hard to avoid at most larger resorts in New England.