As skiers increasingly seek out new terrain, resorts are stepping up with expanded acreage, guided trips, and new lifts. Peak 6, at Colorado鈥檚 , is adding two new chairlifts, providing access to 543 additional acres across three high-alpine bowls鈥攂oosting the resort鈥檚 skiable terrain by 23 percent鈥攁nd offering private, guided tours above the tree line (from $730).
This winter, Crested Butte begins guided tours of a new back-side, experts-only zone called Teo 2, featuring 60 acres of north-facing chutes filled with cliff jumps and pillow lines.
In Montana, Big Sky and Moonlight Basin . The two have always shared a mountain, but now one lift ticket lets you access 5,750 acres of steep, varied terrain鈥攖he second-highest acreage in the country鈥攁nd an enormous 4,350 vertical feet from top to bottom. Advanced skiers can even sign up with a professional mountain guide and be shown around the newly combined terrain (from $460).
And last spring, the U.S. Forest Service approved a 646-acre expansion off the southeast side of Oregon鈥檚 . A new chairlift won鈥檛 be installed until 2014, but it鈥檚 great news for avalanche-savvy skiers willing to hike in and DIY the still-uncontrolled, gladed slopes.