Most Scenic Ski Runs in North America — A Photographer’s List

Ski Photography Guide

Most Scenic Ski Runs in North America — A Photographer’s List

Some ski runs are fast. Some are steep. But only a handful deliver views so dramatic that you stop, pull out a camera, and forget you’re skiing. This guide is a photographer’s curated list of the most scenic ski runs in North America — chosen for their views, terrain, and natural light, not just their vertical drop.

Quick Facts — Best Scenic Ski Runs (2026)

Region	Resort / Run	Best For
Wyoming	Jackson Hole — Rendezvous Bowl	Teton skyline, big-mountain feel, storm-day drama
Idaho, USA	Sun Valley — Bowls off Bald Mountain	Classic Sun Valley light, long fall-line bowls
Colorado	Copper Mountain — Spaulding Bowl / Sierra Area	High-alpine bowls, wind-sculpted snow, above-treeline views
Alberta, Canada	Lake Louise — Larch / Ptarmigan	Glacial valleys, evergreen forests, classic Rockies atmosphere
Alberta, Canada	Mt Norquay — North American / Lone Pine	Steep classic lines above Banff townsite, dramatic valley views
Utah	Alta — Devil’s Castle / Ballroom Traverse	Rock amphitheater, deep powder, sunrise color
Utah	Snowbasin — Needles Run	Long ridgeline views, storm inversions, follow-cam laps

Jackson Hole — Rendezvous Bowl (Wyoming)

Best for: Big-mountain scenery, powder shots, classic Teton views
Difficulty: Advanced

Rendezvous Bowl is one of those places where you feel small in the best way. From the tram, the Teton Range stretches across the horizon. Drop into the bowl and you get a perfect blend of pitch, space, and backdrop for both stills and video.

Take a tram in early morning or late noon
Pause at the top of the bowl to capture skiers dropping in with the Tetons behind.
Use a slightly wider lens (24–35mm full-frame) to keep both terrain and sky in frame.

Skier dropping into Rendezvous Bowl with Teton Range behind — Rendezvous Bowl on a clear day, with the Tetons layered on the horizon.

View from Jackson Hole tram over snowy ridgelines — View from the tram: long ridgelines and storm clouds rolling over the valley.

Sun Valley — Bowls off Bald Mountain (Idaho)

Best for: Classic Sun Valley light, long fall-line shots, and open bowl skiing
Difficulty: Intermediate to Advanced

The bowls and upper faces off Bald Mountain offer long, consistent fall lines with huge views toward the valleys around Sun Valley. In the right light, the snow takes on a golden tone that looks amazing on both video and stills.

Time your laps for late afternoon when the low sun rakes across the bowls.
Use longer lenses to compress the rolling lines of skiers and ridges.
On bluebird days, shoot from slightly above your subject to show the depth of the valley below.

Wide view over Bald Mountain bowls at Sun Valley — Soft afternoon light over Bald Mountain’s upper bowls.

Skier in a long fall-line run at Sun Valley — Long fall-line turns dropping toward the Sun Valley base area.

Copper Mountain — Spaulding Bowl / Sierra Area (Colorado)

Best for: High-alpine bowls, wind features, dramatic above-treeline views
Difficulty: Intermediate to Advanced (depending on line)

The high terrain around Spaulding Bowl and the Sierra lift at Copper Mountain gives you long, open pitches above treeline. Wind-sculpted snow, distant peaks, and soft afternoon light make this area incredibly photogenic.

Frame skiers against the skyline to emphasize how high and open the terrain is.
Look for sastrugi and wind lips to add texture to your foreground.
On stormy days, use the flat light to create moody, minimalist compositions.

High alpine terrain in Spaulding Bowl at Copper Mountain — High-alpine turns in Spaulding Bowl with distant peaks behind.

Skier descending near Sierra lift at Copper Mountain

Lake Louise — Larch & Grizzly Express (Alberta,Canada)

Best for: Glacial valleys, evergreen forests, classic Rockies atmosphere
Difficulty: Mostly Intermediate

The Larch and Grizzly Express zones at Lake Louise are pure postcard material. With glacial valleys, perfectly spaced trees, and jagged peaks in the distance, you can practically shoot in any direction.

Use tree islands to frame your subject and create depth.
On clear days, look for vantage points where the valley drops away beneath the run.
Snowy days give you soft, pastel tones — great for a calmer, cinematic feel.

Larch area groomer at Lake Louise framed by Canadian Rockies — Larch area groomers with the Canadian Rockies lining the horizon.

View over glacial valley from Ptarmigan at Lake Louise — Looking down into a glacial valley from the Grizzly Express top side of the mountain.

Mt Norquay — North American / Lone Pine (Alberta, Canada)

Best for: Steep classic lines above Banff, dramatic valley views, night-skiing vibes
Difficulty: Advanced

Mt Norquay sits directly above Banff, so from runs like North American and Lone Pine you get unreal views straight down to the townsite and along the Bow Valley. It’s a smaller hill, but from a photography perspective it punches way above its weight.

Use the town of Banff and the highway as tiny details that emphasize the scale of the peaks.
On clear days, shoot wide to capture both the steep pitch and the valley floor.
At night, experiment with long exposures to capture the lights of Banff below.

View from Mt Norquay over Banff townsite and Bow Valley — Looking down from Norquay toward Banff and the Bow Valley far below.

Steep groomer at Mt Norquay dropping toward the valley — Classic steep groomer at Norquay with huge valley views.

Alta — Devil’s Castle & Ballroom Traverse (Utah)

Best for: Dramatic rock walls, deep powder, long-lens landscapes
Difficulty: Intermediate to Advanced

Alta’s Devil’s Castle is one of the most striking rock features in American skiing. When the morning sun hits the cliffs, the entire amphitheater glows warm orange against cold blue snow shadows. From the Ballroom Traverse, you can frame skiers against the cliff band, open bowls, and layered ridgelines.

Arrive for first chair on a bluebird morning for the best color and contrast.
Shoot from slightly below your subject to keep the rock walls and sky in the background.
After a storm, focus on turns that throw snow against the dark rock for dramatic action shots.

Skier below Devil's Castle cliffs at Alta Ski Area — Devil’s Castle forming a massive rock backdrop above fresh powder lines.

Wide view of Ballroom Traverse at Alta covered in fresh snow — Ballroom Traverse after a storm, with untouched snow and steep cliff bands.

Snowbasin — Mt Ogden Run (Utah)

Best for: Long scenic groomers, sunrise and storm inversions
Difficulty: Intermediate

Step off the John Paul Chair and you’re immediately at the spot that feels made for filming. The Mt Ogden Run follows the spine with long, gentle turns and scenic views toward the Mt Odgen and Porky Face run.

Use the gentle rollers to capture cruising turns with layers of rocks and snow on the left.
For a better view, get to Allen Peak to capture 360 panoramic views of the entire area.
Great lap to record follow-cam shots thanks to wide, predictable terrain.

Needles Gondola with ridgeline views at Snowbasin Resort — Needles Gondola rising along the ridgeline with huge views into Mt Ogden.

Skier carving turns on Needles Run with valley backdrop — Cruising long turns on Mt Ogden Run with a full view on Mt Ogden Peak.

Tips for Photographing Scenic Ski Runs

Chase the light: First and last chair usually deliver the best contrast and color.
Look back: Many of the best shots appear when you stop and look uphill or back down the valley.
Keep it safe: Always stay in control, respect closures, and follow local drone rules.
Tell a story: Mix wide landscape shots with close-ups of skis, chairs, and faces for a full narrative.

We’ve filmed at several of these resorts and will keep adding more visual guides on the Next Outdoor Adventures YouTube channel. If you have a favorite scenic run we missed, share it in the comments or tag us on social media so we can feature it in a future guide.

By Andy Newman, Next Outdoor Adventures founder, updated November 27, 2025.