NYNext Guide to: Ski Travel…
Sure, everybody from Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Bezos to Prince Harry and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have been frolicking in the snow — or lack thereof — in Aspen in latest weeks, but other boldfaces are trying past the standard winter locations in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Switzerland.
New — and newly invigorated — ski resorts close to and far are attracting energy gamers and celebs with contemporary powder and contemporary perks, from luxurious golf equipment, personal mountains and Michelin-starred cooks.
Have a look.
Denali National Park, Alaska
Perched high above Denali and accessible only by helicopter, Sheldon Chalet was not too long ago named to Condé Nast Traveller’s 2026 Gold List. Courtesy of Sheldon Chalet
Key gamers: In 2019, Julia Roberts reportedly took husband Danny Moder to this ultra-isolated resort to have fun his fiftieth birthday. Reachable only by helicopter, it sits in the shadow of Mount McKinley, North America’s tallest peak, on a 33-acre nunatak deep inside a national park.
“There is no other way to experience the mountain unless you’re willing to pitch a tent, eat freeze-dried food and survive the elements,” proprietor Marne Sheldon told NYNext. “So we put you in a beautiful 2,000 square-foot chalet, with a chef preparing gourmet meals, warm and fluffy down beds — all the features that you would find at any ski resort, and then some, in the the most gorgeous place on all of Earth.”
The land itself is a component of the legend: Sheldon’s father-in-law, Don Sheldon, a bush pilot and surveyor, claimed the location under the Homestead Act many years before Alaska achieved statehood and the world grew to become a national park.
Built to notice Don’s imaginative and prescient of a true refuge at the sting of the world, the chalet spares no consolation. The two-story, hexagonal lodge hosts just 5 bedrooms (10 visitors max), a rooftop sauna and a kitchen run by Neil Young’s former personal chef. Every keep is a full buy-out, with nights priced at $32,000.
Two resident mountain guides tailor every keep — from heli-skiing and glacier trekking to fly-fishing. Few locations on earth offer a better seat for the aurora borealis.
From crab legs to barbecued oysters, every visitor at Sheldon Chalet receives a bespoke menu tailor-made to their cravings — cooked by Neil Young’s former chef. All ingredients are delivered to the mountaintop by helicopter. Courtesy of Sheldon Chalet
Fljót Valley, Iceland
Skiing at Eleven Deplar Farm means helicoptering into untouched Arctic terrain — infinite powder traces, ocean views and zero elevate traces. Courtesy of Iceland Deplar Farm
Key gamers: Former Blackstone real estate govt Chad Pike opened this distant spot in 2016. It’s one of eight lodges around the world operated by his Eleven Experience, a luxurious journey journey company. In May 2025, Justin Bieber reportedly spent a week right here recording music and having fun with the beautiful surroundings.
Set close to the Arctic Circle on a former sheep farm, Eleven Deplar presents excessive terrain without even a semblance of crowd. Guests are ferried by helicopter to untouched runs — huge snowfields stretching all the way in which to icy Atlantic waters. The ski season lasts nicely into June, at which level the solar units around midnight.
Adventurers can also decide to go snowmobiling or attempt Arctic-surfing. Ultra-thick wetsuits can be found on-site.
The luxurious inn options just 13 visitor rooms, one restaurant and a geothermal spa.
Given the terrain, the resort might be best suited for professional skiers who don’t thoughts a bit of a drive. The outpost takes four-hours to attain by car from Reykjavík, Iceland’s capital, or two-and-a-half from Akureyri, a regional airport.
Most winter weeks are booked up years in advance.
“It seems every day is going to be the best day ever, even on days we thought we knew what to expect,” one reviewer wrote.
The lodge at Eleven Deplar Farm is a former sheep farm reimagined as a 13-room hideaway. Courtesy of Iceland Deplar Farm
Hokkaido, Japan
In Niseko, Seasons Collection delivers complete privateness with front-row access to the Annupuri mountain. Seasons Collection Niseko
Key gamers: Japan’s ski scene is booming. Niseko, a mountain city on the nation’s idyllic northern island, has drawn comparisons to Aspen and St. Moritz and attracted celebs such as Hugh Jackman and Sam Neil, as nicely as builders such as Malaysian billionaire Francis Yeoh, and the Thai billionaire and co-owner of Red Bull GmbH, Charlerm Yoovidhya.
While there are a growing quantity of upscale accommodations, the six-star Seasons Collection Niseko on the quiet facet of Mount Niseko-Annupuri stands aside.
To attain the one-of-one personal property, ski through the trees on the little-known Seasons Chairman’s Run. You can’t miss the multi-level villa, and you shouldn’t miss its in-house Michelin-starred chef.
The lodge, which appeared on Netflix’s “The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals,” also boasts a home theater, indoor heated swimming pool and 1,000-bottle wine cellar.
“With [all that], you might not want to hit the slopes,” one reviewer wrote.
At Seasons Collection Niseko, eating is dealt with in-house, with menus constructed around Hokkaido’s local seafood, wagyu and seasonal produce. Seasons Collection Niseko
Windham, NY
Windham Mountain is still open to non-members, but paying up for admission to Windham Mountain Club opens access to first observe runs and members-only elevate traces — among other perks. Paul Martinka
Key gamers: Hospitality gurus Kemmons Wilson Jr. — inheritor to the Holiday Inn empire — and Sandy Beall — founder of Tennessee’s five-star Blackberry Farm — acquired the beforehand low-key ski space in 2023. They’ve spent $70 million remodeling the once humble Catskills spot into a personal, amenities-packed membership.
Members pay $200,000 to be a part of, plus $9,000 in annual dues, for early access to “first tracks” on the mountain, which had surprisingly good snow (for the East Coast) last season and this December. While elements of the mountain are still open to the public, there are members-only elevate traces, personal locker rooms, valet providers and exclusive eating choices, including a steakhouse and 15-table sushi restaurant.
New boutique accommodations like The Henson — which options a vacation spot restaurant, Matilda, from the group behind stylish Wildair on NYC’s Lower East Side — add to the upscale vibe.
“Can we beat Vale or Aspen or Jackson on skiing? Probably not,” Beall told NYNext. “But we’re running an elevated resort — we can beat them on food and beverage, on hospitality, on experience.”
Part of the choices at Windham Mountain Club are access to two on-mountain eating choices: a steakhouse and 15-table sushi restaurant. Courtesy of Windham Mountain Club
Dolomite Mountains, Italy
Rosa Alpina is seated squarely within the Dolomites’ Alta Badia area — a pristine alpine basin prized for immaculate grooming, sunlit pistes and seamless access to the Sella Ronda circuit. Courtesy of Aman Rosa Alpina
Key gamers: In years past, everybody from Tom Cruise to Prince Albert of Monaco have stayed at the storied Rosa Alpini, which dates back to the Nineteen Thirties. This past summer season, after a two-year, $69-million renovation designed by famous architect Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston, the historic lodge reopened as the Aman Rosa Alpina.
“This new chapter with Aman is something we approach with great pride, as it brings together our history with a shared vision for the future,” Hugo Pizzinini, the lodge’s managing director and co-owner, told Travel + Leisure.
Tucked in the quaint village of San Cassiano, the lodge is just a short stroll from the Piz Sorega gondola and the adjoining mountain, elevation 6,565 ft. Skiing occasions in the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics might be happening about an hour’s car trip away in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Some of the unique Rosa Aplini’s charms — such as the longtime piano participant and the ski butler, who can help newcomers navigate the mountain’s terrain — stay. Aman did away with other options, including the three-Michelin starred restaurant, Hubertus, in favor of a more relaxed grill, aptly named The Grill. Standout objects including cotaletta alla Milanese and Piemonte rib-eye steaks.
A refurbished spa boasts two out of doors infinity swimming pools, a heat thermal bathtub and a lap pool. The lodge will prepare for helicopter switch from the local airports if you don’t need to drive the twisting mountain roads.
Aman is constructed on the thought that true luxurious is invisibility: discreet service, huge space and locations that permit visitors to disappear fully. Rosa Alpina follows the philosophy to a T. Courtesy of Aman Rosa Alpina
Park City, Utah
Deer Valley’s Expanded Excellence program has redrawn the map: since December 2024, the resort has added 10 new lifts — more than doubling its footprint — and grown to 4,300 skiable acres across 202 runs. Courtesy of Deer Valley Resort
Key Players: The common mountain has reportedly drawn visits from everybody from Taylor Swift and Gwen Stefani to the Kardashians — but in latest years, it’s maybe been best recognized as the place of origin for an alleged accident that landed Gwyneth Paltrow in court.
Deer Valley beforehand ranked as the fifteenth largest ski resort in the nation with over 2,000 skiable acres, but, in the past 12 months, it has added ten new lifts and more than doubled in dimension. The outgrowth, dubbed “Expanded Excellence,” brings the mountain to 31 lifts, 202 runs and 4,300 skiable acres.
Lodging growth lags behind mountain growth, so this winter could be one of the least crowded in Deer Valley’s historical past. Come 2026-27, the current five-star choices — Montage Deer Valley and Stein Eriksen Lodge — might be joined by a Four Seasons, which is presently under construction.
Despite all the adjustments, at least three of the resort’s hallmarks stay. Deer Valley still caps daily capability to handle crowds, snowboarders are still banned and day classes with an Olympian can still be had for about $3,000.
“This isn’t a reinvention,” President of Deer Valley Resort Todd Bennett told NYNext. “It’s an expansion of what has worked well — we’re continuing with that.”
Deer Valley has undergone a major transformation — but skiers can relaxation assured, snowboarding is still strictly prohibited. Courtesy of Deer Valley Resort
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Wolf Creek, Utah
Reed Hastings’ imaginative and prescient for Powder Haven is a deliberate antidote to mega-pass snowboarding — fewer people, more space and a semi-private model designed to protect powder. Courtesy of Powder Mountain
Key gamers: Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings acquired Powder Mountain in 2023 and began developing this $300 million semi-private housing neighborhood on it shortly thereafter.
While public skiers can still use a lot of the mountain, proudly owning a Powder Haven home — costs start at around $2.5 million — unlocks access to exclusive lifts and uncrowded, un-groomed traces reserved for members.
This winter marks the first operational season of the mountain’s personal facet with the debut of the Primetime elevate. It’s opened roughly 1,200 acres of north-facing powder in the mountain’s newly expanded Davenport territory.
That’s just the start. Two more personal lifts are set to open in the approaching years and a 73,000-square-foot members-only summit clubhouse with an in-house fitness center, omakase, heated out of doors pool and pickleball courts is presently under construction.
With so a lot to offer, it’s no shock that Hastings bought almost all 39 build-ready tons before a single highway was paved. Thirty-four extra customized homesites are now accessible, with average itemizing costs around $4 million.
“The demand has been tremendous,” he told Robb Report.
At Powder Haven, choose houses are designed with devoted ski lockers and gear rooms, permitting house owners to step from boot room to contemporary tracks without ever touching a base lodge. Courtesy of Powder Mountain
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