As winter settles in and resorts continue to compete over advertised snow totals, a lesser-known region of New York is quietly blanketed in one of the steadiest yearly snowpacks of any largely inhabited location in the U.S. Although the Tug Hill region of New York may not be able to boast world-class skiing, locals manage to make use of the endless lake-effect snow that pummels the area through an array of winter activities.
Resorts such as Alta and Snowbird regularly see average annual snowfall totals north of 500 inches of light, dry snow. This is no coincidence, as these mammoth totals are largely thanks to a phenomenon known as the lake effect, in which cold air moving over a body of water picks up moisture from the lake's surface. That moisture is then deposited in nearby mountains as light, fluffy snow-perfect for skiing and riding (or just skiing, in Alta's case).
Industry NewsMount Bohemia, located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, is a top-notch ski destination and is ranked as the third-best ski resort in North America for the 2025 season. The ranking came from USA TODAY 10BEST, which curates and highlights the top recommendations in categories such as destinations, hotels, restaurants, ski resorts, and more, to help readers plan their best getaways and daily adventures. The best ski resorts in North America were determined using factors such as snowpack, varied terrain, lift access, and more.
Areas along the southern and western coasts of Lake Michigan experienced a phenomenon known as lake effect snow on Monday. This develops when cold air which covered the US this week moves over the relatively warm water of a lake or inland sea. This produces convection and heavy showers that move inland downwind of the lake, and can continue for hours or even days on end. Snowfall totals can be extremely localised and are notoriously difficult for forecasters to predict.
