The Best Patios for Après-Ski in North America

Spring is peak après-ski season, and there are few things better than topping off a day on the slopes with drinks, food, and Vitamin D on a sun-drenched patio. Many of the best après-ski patios are on the mountain, and are generally attached to mid-mountain or summit restaurants where you can soak up the sun while indulging with a belly-busting burger and your favorite post-ski libation. Yet you’ll also find many great patios at the base lodge or nearby village. Below we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite ski resort patios around North America.

The Best Ski Resort Patios In North America

Mammoth Mountain, California: Canyon Après at Canyon Lodge

Mammoth Mountain nails the après trifecta: live music, bluebird skies, and killer views. Mammoth’s legendary patio parties turn Canyon Lodge into an après scene, complete with a live DJ and a crowd that’s always ready to throw down. Past weekends have featured big-name talent like LP Giobbi and NEIL FRANCES, drink specials, and pop-up activations from partners including Red Bull, Athletic Brewing, Sun Bum, and more. If your perfect run ends with a cold drink, loud beats, and sunshine, Mammoth’s where you’ll want to drop in.

Aspen, Colorado: The Sundeck

High atop Aspen Mountain, The Sundeck couldn’t be more aptly named. Operated by the Little Nell Hotel, one of the top ski resort hotels in the world, The Sundeck’s food, hospitality, and views are unparalleled. Not to mention the scenic 15-minute gondola ride from the hotel. Once you arrive, The Sundeck’s spacious patio opens up to views of stunning peaks, including one of Colorado’s famous fourteeners. What’s more, The Sundeck’s building, located in a 23,000-square-foot day lodge perched on the edge of Forest Service boundaries, became the country’s first resort project to be awarded a LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy Efficient Design program.

The Sundeck is just one of the many great patios in Aspen. After all, OnTheSnow users and readers rated Aspen Snowmass the best ski resort in North America for après-ski for the 2023-24 ski season.

The Sundeck Restaurant on Aspen Mountain - The Little Nell Hotel. — Sundeck Restaurant on Aspen Mountain ©The Little Nell Hotel

Vail, Colorado: Pepi’s Restaurant and Bar

Pepi’s outdoor deck at the iconic Gastof Gramshammer provides some of the best outdoor experiences you’ll find in the Vail Valley. Pepi’s, named for the Austrian ski racer who established the Gastof, is a legendary eatery close to the slopes near Gondola One. It’s hailed as “the sunniest deck in Vail Village.” Pepi’s is a great spot for lunch, après-ski, and dinner, so we won’t judge if you go twice in a day. But it’s not only great for spring since the heated covered patio section is open year-round.

People sitting at tables outside Pepi's Bar — ©Hotel Gasthof Gramshammer

Breckenridge, Colorado: Quandary Tequila Bistro

While many people rave about Breckenridge’s TBar, don’t sleep on the Quandary Tequila Bistro. This bistro, located on Main Street in Breckenridge, is often voted one of the best après-ski hot spots anywhere. Enjoy 12 beers on tap, games, and happy hour specials from 3-5 p.m. daily. Quandary’s sunny deck, overlooking Peak 9, Peak 10, and Maggie Pond, is huge, and makes for an ideal lunch or après-ski spot. Quandary is located where Main Street meets the mountain, on the corner of South Park Ave. and Main Street, inside the Hyatt Main Street Station Plaza.

Park City, Utah: Lookout Cabin

Lookout Cabin, located near the mid-station of the Orange Bubble Express lift on the resort’s Canyons Village Side, earns its name at Park City Mountain. Enjoy a nice lunch here while taking in the expansive views of the Wasatch. This is not your everyday ski resort food menu with menu items like pan-seared diver scallops, braised short ribs, and Bison Bolognese. Yet you can still get classics like the chili and Wagyu Burger.

Lookout Cabin, Park City Mountain Resort. — The Lookout Cabin ©Park City Mountain Resort

Palisades Tahoe, California: KT-22 Base Bar

KT-22 Base Bar is a particularly lively outdoor après-ski scene at the base of the famed KT-22 lift at Palisades Tahoe. Longtime Palisades skiers and riders will likely tell you there’s no better place to soak up the sun than on the KT Deck. Enjoy a refreshing cold one while watching skiers make their way down the fabled KT-22 run. The steep 8,070-foot slope was named when Sandy Poulsen, wife of the resort’s founder, hiked it and was intimidated. So she traversed back and forth to descend, making 22 kick turns.

KT Base Bar Palisades-Tahoe friends apres ski. — Palisades-Tahoe ©KT-22 Base Bar

Stowe Mountain Resort, Vermont: Cliff House

Atop the gondola on Stowe Mountain Resort’s Mount Mansfield, the Cliff House brings panoramic-view seating with floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the surrounding alpine peaks. While a popular spot in winter, spring means it’s time to grab a seat on Cliff House’s outdoor deck. The chef serves regional American cuisine with a rustic Vermont flair for lunch. Needless to say, this is a step up from your typical après-ski meal.

Cliff House Restaurant at Stowe, night dusk. — Stowe Mountain Resort ©Cliff House Restaurant

Mt. Bachelor, Oregon: The Sun Bar

Few bars are so aptly named for our purposes here. The Sun Bar, located on the upper patio of Sunrise Lodge, is the place to be on those spring skiing afternoons at Mt. Bachelor. Bonus: Mt. Bachelor has one of the longest spring skiing seasons in North America. Kick back just steps from the slopes as skiers come down the mountain. The Sun Bar has a great selection of warm and cold craft cocktails, as well as a selection of beer and wine.

The Sun Bar at Mt. Bachelor, Oregon. — Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort ©The Sun Bar

Blue Mountains, Ontario, Canada: Rusty’s

Blue Mountain is one of Ontario’s most popular ski resorts, and once it’s time for après-ski, Rusty’s is the place to be. Headliners of the food menu include the smoked brisket, served up on nachos or in the Chili con Carne. Rusty’s is a cornerstone of Blue’s spring skiing experience come March when you can drink in the sun on the patio then move onto the dance floor after dark. This takes après-ski up a notch.

Sunshine Village, Banff, Canada: Mad Trapper’s

We named Mad Trapper’s, at Sunshine Village, one of the best après-ski bars in Canada, and it’s for good reason. They’ve been slinging drinks here since 1928, and while the bar itself is an experience, Mad Trapper’s patio is just as good. Located in the Old Sunshine Lodge, Mad Trapper’s gets busy on a beautiful spring day, so get here early. Chow down on its great selection of chili, like the bison chili, along with a great selection of drinks.