From Sea Level to Summit — A Texan's Ski Vacation, Made For You
Real Winter Is Closer Than You Think
While a winter spent sipping iced tea and sweating through another 70-degree "cold front" has its charms, a winter spent carving fresh corduroy, breathing crisp mountain air and watching the sun set over a 13,000-foot peak is better. Way better.
Forget complicated logistics and generic packages. At Ski.com, a real Mountain Travel Expert — someone who's actually skied the mountain you're dreaming of — builds a ski trip around you. Resort, lodging, logistics. It's all handled by someone who's done it before, so you don't have to figure it out yourself.
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Pick Your Peak: A Ski Vacation for Every Kind of Texan
Cruiser or thrill-seeker. First timer or double-black diehard. Whoever you are on the mountain, there's a peak there waiting for you.
Pick Park City, Utah, for a weekend getaway
Touch down in Salt Lake City, and 45 minutes later you're clicking into your bindings. That kind of speed turns a Friday-to-Sunday trip into a real mountain vacation instead of a rushed layover with skis. A couple of days is all it takes to get the summit views, the aprés and the sense that you outsmarted the calendar.
Pick Big Sky, Montana, for a bucket-list trip
Big Sky operates on a different scale entirely with 11 peaks, 5,800-plus acres and big-mountain terrain that holds its own. Big Sky isn't a resort; it's a destination. Skiers come for wide-open bowls, tram lines with legend status and a Montana sky vast enough to make the whole experience feel bigger than a vacation.
Pick Vail, Colorado, for the easiest flight of your life
Fly non-stop right into Eagle County, and you're minutes from the lift, so no vacation hours are wasted. As one of the largest mountains in the country, you're on it almost as fast as you landed. Come back down to a European-style village with cobblestone paths, ski-in ski-out charm and lively aprés. If seamless is the goal of your trip, Vail is the answer.
Pick Aspen Snowmass, Colorado, for the luxury splurge
Four mountains, one iconic town and luxury woven into every layer of the experience. Ski world-class terrain by day, then explore a village built for fine dining, fur coats and aprés so indulgent it feels like a vacation within the vacation. Here, even the view feels curated.
Pick Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for the expert's trip
This is where "advanced" starts to feel like a warm-up. Corbet's Couloir, steep chutes and some of the most legendary terrain in the country draw skiers who've already conquered everywhere else. Add in the Tetons rising straight out of the valley floor, and you've got a trip that's as much a challenge as it is a vacation.
Pick Keystone, Colorado, for the whole family
Free kids' lift tickets, night skiing under the stars, and learning zones built right into the mountain — the kind of details that keep everyone happy, warm, and engaged all day long. The whole family will come home begging to go back.
Pick Copper Mountain, Colorado, for the budget trip that still feels like a splurge
Terrain that holds its own, a mountain naturally laid out to keep beginners and experts out of each other's way and lift tickets that won't make you flinch at checkout. Copper is proof that the best mountain trip doesn't have to come with the biggest price tag.
Big Mountains, Short Flight
For most Texans, flying is the fastest way to trade the heat for a lift line. Plus, once you factor in gas, hotel stops and time lost to driving, flying gets you more actual ski days for the same trip length. That's more runs, more time in the village and more vacation.
If you’d rather drive, West Texas road-trippers can still reach Red River or Wolf Creek in about six to eight hours.
We'll help you find the fastest, easiest flight for your dates — just ask your Mountain Travel Expert.
"Here's a secret: nobody needs five sweaters for a ski trip. Pack a base layer, a cozy mid layer, a shell you can peel off when you're working up a sweat and waterproof gloves. I also pack thin or medium ski socks (too thick can bunch up) and a neck gaiter. Rent your skis at the resort so you're not wrestling gear through the airport. I like to have my own helmet and boots. Then, save that suitcase space for the fun stuff, like a swimsuit for the hot tub,"
Lilly Maier, a Ski.com Mountain Travel Expert since 2004
Sea Level to Summit: Altitude 101
Here's the thing nobody tells you before your first mountain trip: going from Houston's 43 feet (or Dallas's 430) to a mountain town sitting at 9,000+ feet is its own kind of adventure. A little prep makes all the difference.
Hydrate before you fly
Start drinking more water and electrolytes two to three days before departure. Mountain air is dry and altitude pulls moisture out of you fast.
Go easy the first night
Save the celebratory Champagne or margarita for night two. Alcohol at altitude hits harder and messes with sleep, so let your body adjust first.
Consider a layover city
Landing in Denver and taking a night to adjust before heading up to high peaks gives your body a gentler ramp-up.
Pack the basics
Ibuprofen for headaches, or ask your doctor for a preventative prescription if you're altitude-sensitive. Oxygen canisters are also easy to grab at mountain town pharmacies.From Texas to the Slopes — Here's What Our Travelers Are Saying
A Christmas Ski Trip From Houston & California to Colorado
With in minutes of answering questions about dates and locations, I was given plans for my group of 13. Chatting with daughters in Houston and California, I booked our Christmas vacation plans. The process was easy, and we're excited to take our family on a ski trip.
Logistics Made Effortless
I’m so impressed with Kristine B. I sent one email requesting a quote for four people with complicated flight instructions from different cities. Plus, skiing, rentals and transfers. Kristine got it right the first time! She saved me the frustration of trying to coordinate it myself, and now, we can all sit back in excitement for our upcoming family ski vacation.
Top Notch Customer Service
I had an outstanding experience booking my Park City ski trip through Ski.com with Teddy. Teddy was incredibly knowledgeable, responsive and genuinely invested in making sure our trip was perfect. His expertise on Park City was clear right away. He walked me through the best lodging, optimized our location and made sure every detail aligned with what we wanted.
Your Ski Vacation Questions, Answered
By driving distance, Ski Apache in Ruidoso, New Mexico is closest. It’s about four hours from Lubbock, Texas. For a full-service resort experience, New Mexico’s Red River and Angel Fire (five-and-a-half hours from Lubbock, 10 hours from Dallas) are the go-to picks. Flying, though? You can be on the slopes in Park City or Breckenridge in the time it takes to drive halfway there.
If you're in Houston, Austin or San Antonio, flying wins. Drive times run between 14 and 18 hours, while a flight gets you there in two-and-a-half to four hours. Even from Dallas Fort Worth, flying to Summit County, Colorado, beats a 13-hour drive.
While you could rent gear locally before your trip, our Mountain Travel Experts recommend renting in the mountain town or right at the resort instead. That way, you skip the hassle of lugging gear through airports altogether. Your Mountain Travel Expert can help track down the right gear shop for your trip, so it's one less thing to plan yourself.
Epic Pass suits Texans hitting Breckenridge, Vail or Park City. Ikon Pass fits travelers splitting time between New Mexico and Colorado.
