I've skied in the east, west and mid-west. Western Colorado through Utah has the best of all worlds imo. Telluride is tremendous, as is Steamboat. Those would be my top two. Love Squaw, but the Sierra cement can make it tough to turn. Love the east, but ice, sketchy conditions and crowds are far more prevalent.
I think Mount Snow lives up to its reputation as the closest good, all-mountain skiing. I also love that the North Face has only black diamonds, so you really reduce a l0t of the crowds and the risks of less-experienced skiers. Because of its proximity, Mount Snow tends to be more of a New York crowd, fwiw. It seems Okemo is the mountain preferred by many Connecticut residents, and I think it's a great family mountain, although it can take a long time to get from one area to another if, e.g., you have kids in lessons in one spot and you want to ski in another.
Driving a little further begins to pay off imo, as Mt. Ellen (the old Sugarbush North) is still a pretty old school, less-crowded and very challenging and fun mountain that generally draws much smaller crowds. A little further still brings you to Mad River, which I love, but is probably too rustic and difficult for beginners to jump in, as they don't have much in the way of amenities.
Jay Peak is awesome--especially the glades. But it's wayyyyy too far most times.
