Forget the mile high club. Is there anything more romantic than sitting in a recliner chair? Imagine fir trees, fresh powder, and goggles…
Whether your idea of a fun time is snowboarding or double black diamond, US ski resorts love catering to couples.
Here are four resorts that offer ski holidays that cater to both you and your better half.
Best for: Comfort and complete privacy.
Only a three-hour drive from New York City, Plattekill Mountain is a Catskills getaway that you can easily enjoy on a weekend. Its unique independent vibe is a result of it being one of the very few family-owned ski resorts in the area.
These aren’t the Rocky Mountains or even the Adirondacks—there are only 38 trails served by four lifts—but that’s good news for couples looking to get an entire mountain to themselves. Yes, for $7,500 you can rent everything, including snow tubing operations, for a day. Since the price includes up to 200 lift tickets, why not make it a double date, multiple times?
rates: Lift tickets start at $59 per day. Lodging in the area starts at $79 per night.
Best for: Expert skaters who want to be extreme.
Expect pristine powder at Mount Bohemia, a funky resort dubbed “Poor Man’s Japan” on Michigan’s untamed Upper Peninsula, where Mother Nature spews 273 inches of snow each year.
“Experts only,” the signs read, warning skiers who run are not prepared and beginners are not welcome.
There are only two lifts serving 900 feet of vertical elevation, but the back country options are endless.
In December, Mount Bohemia will open a sister property, Mount Voodoo, offering the first commercial snowcats east of the Rockies, where skiers ride in a 20-person vehicle to a remote mountain for pristine skiing. Also new this year: a traditional Nordic spa.
Couples can shock their systems together by doing a circuit including Michigan’s largest outdoor hot tub, polar plunge pool, and ice waterfall.
rates: Lift tickets start at $85 per day. Accommodation ranges from $60 per night for a hostel bed to $400 per night in a tent.
Best for: Celebrity-watching, hiking.
Big Sky Resort has so many courses that you can stay for two weeks and still not set tracks on all of them. This 5,850-acre slide is serviced by 39 removable lifts complete with extras like heated seats and weatherproof bubbles.
Big Sky is also currently building the fastest aerial lift system in North America. However, they are not likely to be as fast as zip lines between runs. Competing partners can race each other on the double streak.
Big Sky’s Mountain Village does not have Aspen’s après ski, but the mountain is shared by the exclusive Yellowstone Club with A-listers and avid skiers like Tom, Gisele, Justin and Jessica, the latter of which is rumored to move here full time.
rates: Lift tickets start at $74 per day. Lodging starts at $179 per night and includes a new Big Sky montage, which opens in December.
Best for: Low budgets and entry-level running.
Find your slice of paradise at super low price in Purgatory, Colo.
There’s a saying at the underrated Colorado resort named after a nearby stream: “If this is cleansed, heaven can wait.” Previous owners tried to rename it Durango Mountain Resort, but that only offended the locals, so it’s now back to the original.
Located just 30 minutes north of Durango in the San Juan Mountains, Purgatory falls more than 21 feet of annual snow. Its 105 trails lean from beginner to intermediate, making it a great place to learn. But what really sets it apart is the price.
The Purgatory Resort offers “mini weddings” for a party with a view.
For three years now, it has been voted Best Ski Resort by Trip Advisor, and all kids 12 and under ski free, every day.
In addition to traditional wedding packages, Purgatory also offers “mini weddings” Monday through Thursday.
rates: Lift tickets start at $39 per day. Lodging starts at $99 per night.
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