3 Ultra-Exclusive Ski Resorts in the US That Will Leave You Speechless

You could easily argue that skiing, in and of itself, is a luxury sport. The gear is expensive, as are all the associated accouterments like season passes and lessons. Some destinations take this foundational element and run with it, housing enormously fancy hotels with fine-dining opportunities to match. These are five of the most luxurious ski resorts in North America.

1. Yellowstone Club, Montana

High-class lodging: Let’s be real, you—or I—probably won’t be getting into the Yellowstone Club anytime soon unless that pending marriage into the Gates family works out. 

Who’s it for: Almost no one. The Yellowstone Club is so exclusive that only the ultra-wealthy can gain access to it.

Talking about luxury and skiing—at least in the North American context—without mentioning the Yellowstone Club, a fully private ski resort in Montana, is impossible.

Known for being the stomping grounds of the elite, notable current and former members of the Club include Justin Timberlake, Bill Gates, Tom Brady and Jessica Biel. The Yellowstone Club doesn’t share membership requirements on its website, but in 2022, The San Francisco Standard reported that entrance fees cost $400,000, followed by $60,000 annual fees—and you need to purchase a property within the Club to become a member.

The high barrier to entry nets unfettered ski resort access with unparalleled service (according to an anonymous Club member who spoke with The Standard, concierge members will actively prevent you from carrying your own skis). These private slopes feature more than 100 runs across 2,900 acres—they say money can’t buy you happiness, but it can certainly help you avoid lift lines.

2. Deer Valley, Utah

High-class lodging: Stein Eriksen Lodge, The St. Regis Deer Valley

Who’s it for: Groomer and glade hounds who appreciate the finer things in life.

Amongst the dense collection of Salt Lake City, Utah, area ski resorts, Deer Valley is often considered the most luxurious—with pristine groomed slopes and numerous nearby five-star hotels, it’s easy to see why.

One of these establishments, the St. Regis, has its own funicular cable car that connects the Snow Park Residences with the upper resort building. The hotel’s reservable Wine Vault dining location houses a 10,000-plus bottle wine collection. Top-notch amenities don’t mean much if the skiing isn’t great, but Deer Valley has that base covered, too.

Its already large terrain footprint—2,342 acres—will expand in the coming years to encompass a new base area, the East Village, eventually reaching 5,726 acres. For early risers, the resort offers exclusive mountain access between 8 am and 9 pm at the starting cost of $10,000 for up to 20 skiers. If riding the lifts with just you and your crew isn’t luxurious, we aren’t sure what is.

3. Aspen Snowmass, Colorado

High-class lodging: The Little Nell

Who’s it for: Aspen can be over the top and a bit flashy, but that’s part of the fun—particularly if you have a penchant for people-watching.

Studded with multi-million dollar slopeside homes, numerous luxury stores (Moncler or Prada, anyone?), and a renowned music venue that draws popular headlining artists, Aspen, Colorado, is the pinnacle of skiing glitz and glamor. 

Aspen Snowmass, the town’s ski area, covers four mountains—Buttermilk, Aspen Mountain, Highlands, and Snowmass—which, together, encompass over 5,700 acres of skiing, all accessible with a single lift ticket. At Highlands, the Cloud 9 Bistro is famed for its swanky champagne-spraying parties.

For ski-in ski-out access, there’s the Little Nell, a hotel established in 1989 that sees a rotating cast of upper-crust skiing clientele dressed in designer clothes. One of the hotel’s restaurants, the Ajax Tavern, has a menu item that perfectly encapsulates Aspen’s blend of high luxury and ski culture: a Wagyu double cheeseburger.