Mountains are never so spectacular as when blanketed in white, and meals are never as satisfying as after a day of vigorous exercise in the cold. Pack your thermal underwear and soaking trunks, line up a car with four-wheel drive, and string together a few of these classic winter destinations.
British Columbia鈥檚 Powder Highway
Distance: 776 miles
Time: 10 days
You could spend a month exploring the skiing of central British Columbia, where eight ski resorts, nine heli-ski operations, and ten cat-ski outfits offer a mind-boggling array of deep, crowd-free riding. That鈥檚 not even mentioning the ski-touring possibilities.
For ease of connection, fly into Spokane, Washington, rent your car at the airport, and then spin a clockwise lap northward, spending two days at each of the region鈥檚 four steepest resorts. Start at , in Rossland, British Columbia, where day tickets are just CA$89 (about $68). Driving an RV? You can park in the lot for an extra $10. While you鈥檙e there, hit up , easily the continent鈥檚 best value for cat skiing. The company鈥檚 early/late season rate is just CA$449 (about $343) and gets you a dozen runs鈥攁bout twice the industry norm. Then drive an hour north to hippie enclave Nelson, where you can test your fitness on the fantastic hike-to terrain of this exceptionally steep local鈥檚 hill. There鈥檚 no on-mountain lodging, but the cafe in the base lodge has the best low-cost dining in ski country.
For apr猫s, head to on the shore of Kootenay Lake, just a 40-minute drive away. Three-and-a-half hours north is , with North America鈥檚 biggest vert at 5,600 feet. Beware on backside hike-to routes like Discipline鈥攎any an expert has been cliffed out there. Next, drive the hour and 40 minutes to Golden, past the famed ski-touring terrain of , and get ready for . Go in March to give time for this craggy mountain鈥檚 couloirs to fill in as much as possible. On the six-hour drive back to Spokane on Highway 95, you鈥檒l pass , , and , all powder hound bucket-list spots. Maybe take a sabbatical?
Colorado and New Mexico Soak and Ski
Distance: 268 miles
Time: 6 days
This tour of Southern Rockies ski resorts and hot pools allows you to alternate ski days with ambitious chill time. Modest , in New Mexico, is a good warm-up mountain to start the trip. Cruise the intermediate Gayway, or crank it up a little in the glades under the Millennium chair. Your first soak is at the Japanese-themed spa, where you can wander the gardens, float in the hot tubs, and recharge in the cold plunge. Book a private 鈥渟pa suite鈥 for exclusivity. An hour north is renowned hot springs, with its 11 separate thermal pools, including a mud bath听补苍诲 specific pools containing elevated levels of iron, arsenic, soda, and lithia, each believed to have particular medicinal benefits. Another hour beyond that is the expert鈥檚 mecca of . Its new ownership has sunk millions into upgraded lifts and, this season, the new 80-room four-star Blake Hotel. Experts should challenge themselves on Kachina Peak, but take a minute to admire the view of the high desert from the top. It might be the world鈥檚 best view from a ski hill.
Drive three hours northwest to Pagosa Springs, Colorado, where for centuries people have been soaking in the mineral baths. Book a room at the LEED-certified at the Springs Resort and Spa, which has 23 different thermal baths ranging in temperature from 80 to 114 degrees. Thirty minutes up Highway 160 is , Colorado鈥檚 snowiest resort, averaging 430 inches of snow per season. On a powder day, head for Alberta Face, where, thanks to wind loading, the snow depth聽usually exceeds the snow report.
Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks
Distance: 132 miles
Time: 5 days
Yes, Yellowstone鈥檚 roads are almost all unplowed and closed to cars in winter, which is why a chunk of this road trip is by snowcoach鈥攕pecifically, a Mercedes Sprinter van outfitted with tank tracks. Start in Jackson Hole, home of and the photogenic Teton Range鈥攑articularly pretty in their winter whites. Cross-country ski right underneath the Cathedral group to frozen Jenny Lake. Afterward, grab a hot toddy at , where ski mountaineers gather to admire their tracks through the bar鈥檚 big plate-glass windows.
Or take a day on the slopes at . Intermediates can spin laps on the new Teton lift, while experts can test their skills on the steeps and cliffs accessed via the tram. Book a night in the cozy renovated cabins at , an hour northeast of Jackson. The ranch offers 12 miles of groomed cross-country ski trails, a fleet of loaner fat bikes, and farm-to-table dining featuring hearty dishes like risotto and short ribs.
Drive an hour north past frozen Jackson Lake to Flagg Ranch, at the South Entrance to Yellowstone, where you鈥檒l meet your snowcoach from . The naturalist-led trip to Old Faithful features a visit to the famous geyser basin and cross-country or snowshoe excursions among elk and bison herds. Tours range from one to seven days and include nights at the .