The Best Resorts in the U.S. for Bump Skiing

Bumps are skiing’s ultimate proving ground. There’s no faking sound technical skills in the moguls; if your form is poor or your balance is off, you’re going to wipe out, likely in full view of a packed chairlift.

But that’s what makes a good bump run so satisfying—you can test your skills and either stroke your ego or get completely and totally humbled. If you call yourself an expert skier, put yourself to the test at these ski areas known for their classic bumps this season. They’ll decide if you speak the truth.

The Top 8 Resorts for Moguls in North America

Winter Park, Colo.

First things first: The best bumps are at Mary Jane, not Winter Park. The Jane has its own exit from the highway, its own base complex, and its own special brand of abuse–it’s one of the few ski areas that’s truly a mogul resort. Mary Jane is about facing your worst fears. It’s a shame the trail map is only 2D: Most of the mountain has tighter zippers than your skinniest jeans and a bolder relief than Roosevelt on Rushmore. Thanks to the talented local bumpers, the lines are true and uniform. And long. And relentless. Beware: If you’re a gaper, you’ll hear about it from the lift. The names tell the story: Railbender. Outhouse. Boiler. Way back when, Mary Jane was a local lady of pleasure who received land from railroad workers as payback. Her domain has held true: rough, wild, and just plain gratifying.

Watch: Glen Plake on the One Skill You Must Master to Get Better in the Bumps

Heavenly Mountain Resort, Calif.

Shake up your morning groomers routine and charge hard on moguls next time you visit Heavenly. Consider this while you’re on them: Legendary bump skiers like Glen Plake and Jonny Moseley made their name on the Heavenly bumps. Epic runs like Gunbarrel are littered with pros testing their skills (and their knees). Stop by to check out their abilities and to test yourself.

Deer Valley, Utah

Deer Valley might be known for its well-manicured slopes, but its steep mogul runs are plentiful and largely uncrowded. After all, the resort hosts World Cup freestyle events, welcoming the best mogul skiers in the world to its Champion run every February. (This season’s competition takes place Feb. 6-9, 2025.) And in 2034, Deer Valley will host the freestyle and aerial events during the Salt Lake City Winter Games.

Elsewhere on the mountain, hit up the terrain of the Lady Morgan Express for wide mogul runs where the bumps are huge, the pitch is steep, and trails are so long you’ll enjoy some major thigh burn that will have you questioning you life choices. Or at least your fitness routine.

Killington Resort, Vt.

Outer Limits is perhaps the most ornery bump run in the East. A half-mile in length, it drops nearly a quarter-mile in vert and has served as a stomping ground for Olympians Donna Weinbrecht, Hannah Hardaway, and Evan Dyvbig. How did those guys get so damn good? By skiing Killington. It’s where the hardest of the bump corps crunch big, granite-hard moguls, jam deep rut lines, and pound the 1,200 feet of Outer Limits under a chairlift audience.

Palisades Tahoe, Calif.

It’s no coincidence that mogul champ Jonny Moseley hails from Squaw. This mountain is seething with kick-ass skiers, so even the steepest runs get bumped out, whether the moguls are widely spaced in open bowls off Headwall or tight and off-kilter in the gullies and chutes of Olympic Lady. You could spend all day on KT-22, but only if you can handle Chute 75 and West Face, both tilted to 45 degrees. Locals challenge: Lap KT-22 on closing day and see how many Chute 75 runs you get in by the closing bell at 6 p.m.

Sun Valley, Idaho

In a few words: Consistent. Long. Perfect. Sun Valley is renowned for inverted-egg-carton mogul runs like Holiday and Exhibition. It has bumps as high as your waist and as tight and even as a plastic surgeon’s stitches.

Sugarbush Resort, Vt.

You haven’t been punished till you’ve hammered Eastern moguls like Stein’s Run, named for legendary skier Stein Eriksen. Why it rips: At first glance, the consistently steep and arrow-straight swath practically begs to be skied fast and loose. Don’t be fooled. Those bumps at Sugarbush could hide a hippo.

Taos Ski Valley, N.M.

At Taos, the snow is dry and soft, and the runs are steep. The most notorious bump fest, Al’s Run, drops 2,000 feet straight down the fall line to the base, under the ski area’s brand new lift, upon which every rider will be on wanting a good show. It’s do or die (of shame) on Al’s.