I want to live and work in a mountain town this summer, but finding affordable housing is proving to be near impossible. Can you give me any tips or direction so I can turn this dream into reality? 鈥擜 Frustrated Flatlander

鈥淚 came for the winter and stayed for the summer鈥� is a common mountain-town refrain. That sentiment, combined with a pandemic-fueled real estate boom, has resulted in a dearth of affordable housing, both seasonal and permanent, in mountain towns across America.

In many small western communities like Steamboat Springs, Durango, and Snowmass, Colorado; Sun Valley, Idaho; and Mammoth Lakes, California, it used to be that employees and locals lived in houses, and tourists stayed in hotels. The reverse is now true: houses are monopolized by Airbnb and VRBO rentals and second homeowners, and some hotels are being purchased by ski resorts and converted to affordable employee housing.

Sadly, more and more essential jobs are going unfilled, some with six-figure salaries, because potential employees can鈥檛 find reasonably-priced rentals. As a result, many mountain towns are shifting their focus to year-round, affordable-housing programs. In Wyoming, for example, Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Teton Area helps to fill critical nursing and teaching positions by building homes for individuals and families making between 30 to 80 percent of the area鈥檚 median income.

What does this mean for seasonal workers? Here鈥檚 my advice for finding affordable summer housing in a mountain town.

Find Towns Working on Their Housing Shortages

Whitefish, Montana, the gateway to Glacier National Park, is one such place. Its , which supports full-time and seasonal employees, is funded in part by a added to local lodging, food, and transportation. Half of the contributions from its participants go to Housing Whitefish, a nonprofit that facilitates affordable housing.

Part of last year鈥檚 $52,000 allocation went toward a newly launched rental-assistance program, modeled after a similar one in . Over 12 months, Housing Whitefish will distribute a total of $64,620鈥攐r $5,385 a month鈥攖o 17 qualified applicants. (The money goes directly to the property owner or management company.)

The , which advocates for better options in the North Tahoe and Truckee, California communities, aims to add inventory for the local workforce through its recently launched Accessory Dwelling Unit pilot program. Homeowners are incentivized to add rental space that includes a bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen, and in return they receive assistance with building, permitting, and leasing processes.

Although the organization can鈥檛 help you find housing, it does direct prospective renters to resources through the .

In 2022, Breckenridge, Colorado, allocated $50 million to a five-year workforce housing plan to create some 1,000 new units. The town鈥檚 housing fund also receives money from a short-term rental fee requiring owners to pay a set amount for each bedroom they rent. The goal is for nearly half of the town鈥檚 workforce to live in Breckenridge, with a little over a third of the housing inventory reserved for locals.

In 2016, Aspen Skiing Co., the town鈥檚 largest employer, purchased six 280-square-foot tiny homes for about $100,000 each and put them in the Aspen-Basalt Campground for both summer and winter seasonal employees. The project was such a success that it now offers 69 tiny homes for hires, and for the first time this year has introduced units designed to accommodate year-round employees.听Units range from $550 to $750 a month, and summer leases are available from May 15 through October 31. The units currently have a waitlist for Aspen Skiing Company employees.

Employers in Sun Valley, including the Limelight Ketchum hotel, have also purchased tiny homes in the Meadows RV Park, 3.5 miles away, to rent to employees. Many of these programs run on an application system and most take enrollment for summer employees in March.

Land a Job Before You Head Out

Many large employers, notably ski resorts such as Aspen Snowmass, , and , Colorado, or , Vermont, offer housing or make an effort to help you find housing after you鈥檝e been hired. Sun Valley Resort, for example, has two dorm-style buildings with free laundry and fitness centers available for seasonal employees on a waitlist basis. Two-to-four-person accommodations range from $140 to $210 per person every two weeks. There鈥檚 also an option to pay day-to-day, starting at $10 a day.

Beyond ski resorts, places like offer town employees short-term seasonal rentals, for jobs at businesses like the recreation center or golf course, as well as rental-deposit-assistance programs.

Betsy Crum, housing director for the town of Snowmass Village, notes that winter housing is typically full, while there鈥檚 sometimes more housing available for summer workers.

Montana鈥檚 Big Sky Housing Trust has housing for up to 100 seasonal residents in four- and five-bedroom dorm-style configurations. These units are leased to local independent employers. Lone Mountain Land Company, another major employer in Big Sky, offers dorm-style housing for up to 400 seasonal residents employed by their entities.

Check Out These Helpful Housing Websites and Social Media Sites

Due to the huge demand for housing, many landlords avoid popular rental-listing sites Craigslist and Zillow. One resident seeking a new tenant for housing she has in Carbondale, Colorado, 30 miles from Aspen, didn鈥檛 publicly post a listing because she knew she鈥檇 be overwhelmed with calls. Instead, she put the word out quietly to friends and looked at posts from people in need of housing on a local Facebook group, .

In fact, local Facebook community groups or neighborhood-focused sites like often have rental listings you won鈥檛 find on larger, public sites like Craigslist. is a free site where you can find a roommate or a room available to rent within a house.

When posting that you鈥檙e seeking housing, be clear about your employment situation, desired rental dates, and budget. Younger people should present themselves as a mature, responsible option, preferably coming in with a job already secured. (For example: 鈥淗ello, I鈥檓 coming here to work for the Solar Institute and need a place to stay from mid-June through July that鈥檚 less than $600 a month.鈥�)

You might find success on , a housing marketplace for vacation towns that pays property owners to convert their homes to short- and long-term rentals for the local workforce. Mountain destinations include Woodstock, Vermont; Truckee and South Lake Tahoe, California; Wood River Valley, Idaho; East Placer County, California; and Eagle County, Colorado.

Finally, is a membership-based platform (starting at $10.75 a month) where you can find house-sitting or pet-sitting gigs.

Consider 5 More Resources

1. Look at a Town鈥檚 Website

Many communities offer housing programs or partner with local nonprofits or housing authorities, like the , to administer programs. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always worth a call to any city鈥檚 housing development and housing authority to see if they have resources,鈥� says Daniel Sidder, executive director of Housing Whitefish.

2. Embrace Camping or Vanlife

In Colorado, and have options for free car camping for a season. You can shower at local rec centers.

3.听Cruise the Town

Some good old-fashioned neighborhood drive-bys to spot 鈥淔or Rent鈥� signs posted outside of apartments, on community boards at grocery stores, or in coffee shops can lead to deals, too.

4. Talk to Locals

Lindsay Nohl, 46, enjoyed free communal housing in Tucson, Arizona, while working as the director of NOLS Southwest. But when the campus closed during Covid, she moved to Teton Valley, Idaho. Recently, she made her eighth move in four years, as landlords continue to increase prices or start to rent their properties on Airbnb.

Her go-to strategy for finding cheap housing on the fly? Word of mouth. Another lesson: be flexible. Even though Nohl hasn鈥檛 had a roommate in two decades, she鈥檚 now paying $1,000 a month to share a two-bedroom, 800-square-foot house so she can remain in Teton Valley for the summer.

5.听Scan Newspaper Classifieds

You might come across opportunities to pet-sit or nanny. Or working as a property manager can also lead to free or affordable housing.

Weigh Your Options

The last thing you should consider, Flatlander, is which mountain towns are too pricey or too popular. For example, Steamboat, Aspen, and Telluride, Colorado, as well as Jackson, Wyoming, and Big Sky, Montana, have reputations as luxury vacation escapes, which means housing is in high demand and the cost of living will be greater there than in lesser-known but more economical mountain towns like Le Grande, Oregon, and Reno, Nevada. Or even Laramie, Wyoming, which has a lot going for it.

Many seasonal jobs pay minimum wage, which varies from state to state. In Utah and Wyoming, for example, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, while Montana pays $10.30 an hour, Colorado $14.42 an hour, and California $16 an hour.

You should also consider free services offered by the mountain town you鈥檙e considering. Aspen is expensive, but it offers free public transportation, which is another way to help save on costs.

Spending a summer working in a mountain town can be one of the best experiences of a young person鈥檚 life. I hope my advice lands you good, affordable housing. I鈥檒l be pulling for you.

Travel-advice columnist Jen Murphy has scored affordable rent by offering free travel tips to her landlord, as well as volunteering to take out the building鈥檚 trash cans on garbage day and maintain the gardens.听

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As skiers, we put a lot of stock in certain resort attributes: snow, challenge, and lifts are among the top-three qualities that readers rank as most important when choosing a ski area. But terrain variety鈥攖he amount of different types of terrain鈥攊s also incredibly important, especially if you have skiers of various abilities in your crew. After all, it鈥檚 a vacation, and the overarching theme should be having fun. Getting stuck on runs that are too steep, or lapping low-angle groomers all day when you want to be bashing bumps, isn鈥檛 exactly fun.听

See the Whole List:

Our advice: don鈥檛 overlook variety of terrain as a highly important metric when choosing a ski resort to visit. The following three ranked at the top of Ski magazine鈥檚 2022 Reader Resort Survey for their varied terrain, so we asked around and identified some of the best runs and pods for every ability level at each. If you鈥檙e striving to satisfy a family or ski group with beginner-to-expert skiers, consider one of these for your next trip.

Top Three Resorts in the West for Terrain Variety

No. 3:

Known for some of the best views in skidom, as well as hike-to and backcountry access that attracts world-class skiers to the region, serves up a surprising amount of varied terrain throughout its 2,000-plus skiable acres. The best part? You don鈥檛 have to be a rippin鈥� skier to take in these San Juan vistas, thanks to lower-angle terrain that tops out at elevations as high as 12,000 feet. Here鈥檚 where to find the goods at Telluride.

Terrain-Variety Score: 9.27/10

What Readers Say

鈥淭elluride is a skier鈥檚 mountain. There is terrain for beginners to experts, with amazing backcountry areas that will challenge the best and open horizons for newbies.鈥�

Best Beginner Terrain at Telluride听

Sundance: Although upper Sundance is rated blue and lower Sundance is green, as a whole we鈥檇 call the run a wonderful advanced-beginner trail that鈥檚 long, wide, and boasts just enough pitch to help you get moving at a good clip. It鈥檚 also located in a pod comprised of all beginner terrain, so you needn鈥檛 worry about speeding yahoos taking you out. Chair: Sunshine Express

Best Intermediate Terrain at Telluride听

See Forever: Revelation Bowl is wide-open, usually groomed, and serves up views of the knife-tipped San Juans that are among the most scenic at the resort. The rest of Revelation Bowl is best for experts, but See Forever offers intermediates the chance to soak in the same vistas on an iconic run that鈥檚 a long, cruisey dream. Chair: Revelation听

Best Expert Terrain at Telluride听

Bushwacker: All the terrain off the Plunge chair will give experts a chance to strut their stuff, and Bushwacker, with its consistently steep, thigh-burning pitch, is one of the most classic black diamonds at the resort. More challenge? No problem. Double-black Power Line adds moguls to kick it up a notch. Chair: Plunge听

Best Extreme Terrain at Telluride听

Gold Hill Chutes: The hike-to terrain off Palmyra Peak may not be that much steeper than what you鈥檒l find off Plunge, but add in a 15-to-30-minute hike at 13,000 feet, and exposed rocks and such, and this becomes an endeavor for only the fittest and strongest of skiers. The chutes themselves are technical, with rocks, stumps, cliffs, and hazards. But when the snow is good, there鈥檚 no better way to get the adrenaline pumping at Telluride. Chair: Revelation听

No. 2:

Most people think of the iconic Big Couloir when it comes to but this massive resort really does have all types of terrain鈥攁苍诲 lots of it. With an astounding 5,800 skiable acres that range from the mellow cruisers of Spanish Peaks to the triple blacks off the Lone Peak tram, Big Sky delivers in spades. Even beginners could spend a week here exploring the greens and not get bored. Here鈥檚 what Big Sky has to offer when it comes to terrain variety.

Terrain-Variety Score: 9.39/10

What Readers Say

鈥�Big Sky is a large resort with an outstanding lift system that makes crowds almost nonexistent. There is a great variety of terrain for all abilities, and its grooming is both impeccable and there is lots of it. I would recommend Big Sky to almost all type of skiers, from families, couples and groups and to those seeking the most challenging steeps or those who are focused on cruising groomers.鈥澨�

Best Beginner Terrain at Big Sky

Jaywalk: The green runs off the Explorer chair are the most accessible beginner terrain on the mountain and just long enough to really get your ski legs under you. When you feel like you鈥檝e got more stamina, ride the Swift Current six-pack and try Jaywalk, a cruisey green with great views. Chairs: Explorer and Swift Current听

Best Intermediate Terrain at Big Sky

贬补苍驳尘补苍鈥檚: Just about anything off the Ramcharger eight-person chair will float any intermediate skier鈥檚 boat, but especially long groomers such as Hangman鈥檚 and Ambush. Chair: Ramcharger Express听

Best Expert Terrain at Big Sky

Liberty Bowl: It鈥檚 easy to become so enthralled with all the frontside terrain at Big Sky that the back side gets forgotten. Experts, don鈥檛 make that mistake. Liberty Bowl has some of the most fun, moderately angled terrain at the resort, and it funnels down into awesome glades to boot. Chair: Lone Peak听

Best Extreme Terrain at Big Sky

North Summit Snowfield: This wide-open, north-facing terrain empties into a series of seriously steep chutes. Sign out with ski patrol, and ask about conditions and where to find the best lines. Chair: Lone Peak

No. 1:

That ranks No. 1 in terrain variety in the Reader Resort Survey year after year speaks to its ability to serve all skiers and abilities on its 4,700 acres spread across two distinct peaks. Yes, there鈥檚 amazing above-tree-line bowls, chutes, and couloirs. But there鈥檚 also winding groomers and wide corduroy-plastered cruisers that seem to go on and on. With over 5,000 vertical feet, that shouldn鈥檛 come as a surprise. Here鈥檚 a sampling of Whistler Blackcomb鈥檚 impressive terrain variety.

Terrain-Variety Score: 9.54/10

What Readers Say

鈥�Spanky鈥檚 Ladder, long, sweet-pitch giant slalom runs, Secret Bowl, Symphony & Harmony Bowls, and Whistler鈥檚 double-black runs make for the most outstanding variety in skiing across the continent. Whistler Blackcomb is the granddaddy of skiing in North America.鈥�

Best Beginner Terrain at Whistler Blackcomb

Green Line: Whistler offers incredible opportunities for novice skiers to get up off the bunny slopes and take in some of the Coast Range views. Green Line is the location of the famous Inukshuk stone structure, plus you can see the famous Black Tusk volcano in the distance. Chair: Seventh Heaven Express

Best Intermediate Terrain at Whistler Blackcomb

Symphony Bowl: More of a terrain pod than a trail, per se, Symphony Bowl is striped with blue cruisers, including main drag Adagio, the Glissando Glades鈥攚idely spaced, low-angle trees鈥攁苍诲 Encore Ridge. It鈥檚 truly a playground for intermediates and a testament to Whistler鈥檚 variety amid blue-rated terrain. Chair: Symphony Express

Best Expert Terrain at Whistler Blackcomb

Blackcomb Glacier: The Showcase T-bar is an experience in itself and something all high-intermediate to expert skiers should ride. Showcase Bowl is rated as blue, but it drops into a web of black-diamond trails and glades, including Dave鈥檚 Day Off and Overbite. Chair: Showcase

Best Extreme Terrain at Whistler Blackcomb

Saudan Couloir: Home to the Saudan Couloir Ski Race Extreme, this Blackcomb Mountain legend is steep, technical, and narrow, making it one of the premier spots on the mountain to test one鈥檚 skills. Chair: Seventh Heaven Express

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Perched on skis at the top of Bullion King Basin, I admired a wide barrel of spring corn glistening below me. I鈥檇 been waiting for this moment. It was my reward for suffering through a five-hour traverse between two backcountry cabins in southwest Colorado鈥檚 San Juan Mountains. We started that morning at the near Ophir Pass, just west of Silverton, which we鈥檇 skinned up to the previous afternoon. Now we prepared to descend to Highway 550 on Red Mountain Pass, the second day of a new five-day, 27-mile adventure between three luxurious huts in the range.

As I pushed off the ridge and embraced the lightness of gliding down perfectly softened corn, my worries dissolved. No longer was I feeling the burn of a newly formed ankle blister or the hunger pangs brought on by my failure to pack enough snacks. I tucked into my turns with little effort, arcing down one of America鈥檚 most spectacular backcountry skiing playgrounds, knowing that a hot meal and a shower awaited that night.

Multiday ski tours between full-颅service cabins, which allow guests to travel light and fast and sample big-mountain turns along the way, have existed in Europe, Canada, and other great ranges around the world for years鈥攎ost notably, the Haute Route between Chamonix, in France, and Zermatt, in Switzerland. But in the U.S., hut-to-hut skiing has mainly been a DIY endeavor. You had to bring your own food, prepare your own meals, and be strong enough to skin long stretches under the weight of a 40-to-50-pound pack. As outdoor enthusiasts in greater numbers 颅discover the magic of backcountry skiing, and demand grows for well-stocked refuges, that鈥檚 starting to change, especially in the San Juans.

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If you haven鈥檛 discovered at least a dozen hidden gems in your backyard and hometown since the start of the pandemic, you鈥檝e been doing it all wrong. But don鈥檛 worry, there鈥檚 still time to build that list. For those of us living in cities, there are plenty of weekend-long detours that will make you feel as if you鈥檝e escaped the grind, without having to had to travel very far at all.

If You鈥檙e in Seattle or Portland听

Go to Sisters, Oregon. The听听(from $125), three hours from Portland or five from Seattle, has everything you want in a quick summer getaway: a lake with kayaks, canoes, and SUPs on loan, a bar serving up lakefront cocktails, mountain bike trails nearby in听, and musicians playing music around the campfire most nights. Stay in one of 11 newly restored lodge rooms or 16 rustic cabins on Suttle Lake.

If You鈥檙e in San Francisco or Los Angeles听

Go to Mammoth Lakes, California.听It鈥檚 a six-hour drive from San Francisco, or听five hours from Los Angeles. 听is staying open for skiing through Memorial Day; then the resort offers lift-accessed mountain biking, hiking trails, and scenic gondola rides. Need a camping rig?听听has rental campervans you can pick up in L.A. or San Francisco. Or check in to the听听(from $169), which has independent chalets.

If You鈥檙e in Boston or New York听

Go to North Adams, Massachusetts. A听three-hour drive west of Boston and a 3.5-hour haul from New York City,听the northern Berkshires in the spring is a good place to be: the summer crowds haven鈥檛 arrived yet and hiking on a stretch of the Appalachian Trail is good to go. For birdwatchers, you鈥檒l find plenty of action at the Audubon Society鈥檚 in Lenox, which has seven miles of hiking trails. Stay at , 1.5 miles from downtown North Adams, which has 100 lakeside and wooded sites for RVs, campers, and tents (from $25). Pick up barbecue and a growler of craft beer at in town.

If You鈥檙e in 础迟濒补苍迟补听

Go to Ellijay, Georgia. Less than two hours from Atlanta, this is a mountain biker鈥檚 dream spot, but there鈥檚听plenty to do here鈥攆rom hiking to fly-fishing through听鈥攊f you don鈥檛 ride听bikes. Stay in a cabin or park your van or RV at听听(from $70 per person) and you鈥檒l have miles of singletrack and gravel riding from your door.

If You鈥檙e in Chicago

Go to , Illinois.听Its waterfalls and wildflowers come alive in the springtime, and the park鈥檚 campground and lodge see relatively fewer crowds. Hike into the sandstone canyons or scenic bluffs via 13 miles of marked trails or fish for white bass and walleye in the Illinois River. Less than two hours by car from Chicago, the park has a sprawling (from $25) and a (from $120), built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

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In the early hours of June 11, Ezra Smith听was sleeping in a tent a short ways from the Beehive Basin Trailhead in Big Sky, Montana. Smith, a 20-year-old junior at听the University of Colorado Boulder, was camping with a friend, but they soon realized they weren鈥檛 alone.听

Here鈥檚 her story, as told to 国产吃瓜黑料.

Around 3 A.M., I woke up to my friend Leah screaming. I was confused. Just six hours earlier, we鈥檇 settled into our sleeping bags inside our tent. I鈥檇 been sleeping soundly, but even before I could get my bearings, I realized what she was yelling about鈥攖he top听of our tent had fully collapsed onto our legs, and we were being crushed by something.

I鈥檝e spent the past couple summers in Montana cross-country听ski training with the CU听Boulder ski team. The winter season starts in November, but we begin training in May. Each morning听the team drives from Bozeman to Big Sky, where we ski during the day before returning to Bozeman in the evenings. The night before our first day in Big Sky, though, my teammate Leah and I wanted to do something different. Instead of driving out with the team the next day, we thought a night camping at Beehive Basin听would be fun.

The drive was short鈥攋ust an hour鈥攚ith a few stops along the way to pick up some gear, a canister of bear spray included. We parked off the Beehive Basin Trailhead and walked about 500 feet to set up our tent along a pine tree鈥搘ooded ridge. By 9 P.M., after eating some tofu stir-fry for dinner, changing into clean clothes to sleep in, and stuffing away听leftover food inside the Subaru, we were ready to sleep. I usually bring a snack inside the tent with me, but tonight I didn鈥檛.听I鈥檇 recently heard stories about bear attacks and sightings in .

Before tucking in, we thought about听how exactly we should sleep鈥攁 decision all campers have to make once they realize they set up the tent on an incline鈥攁苍诲 ultimately decided it would be better to have our feet facing downslope. We zipped in and chatted about our plans for the next day before drifting off.

When I heard the animal鈥檚 heavy breathing, I knew immediately that it was a bear. There was so much听pressure growing in my left leg, like nothing I鈥檇 ever felt before, but I figured it was from the bear鈥檚 weight. At that moment, all I could think about was grabbing the bear spray. But it was useless to us now, located at the bottom of the tent鈥攗nder the bear. I don鈥檛 know how long Leah and I screamed, but we must have disturbed the bear enough. The animal climbed off our tent and was gone. We never saw it.

Leah and I sat in our tent听crying and shaking. I didn鈥檛 know much about bears, but I was worried it would come back to fight if it felt provoked, so I began searching for the bear spray. We didn鈥檛 want to be caught dashing uphill to the car if the bear was hanging around outside听the tent. After听an hour, we decided to move to the car. No bear in sight, we ran. Upon making it to the car, we headed to the trailhead鈥擫eah driving, me in the passenger seat鈥攖o wait for our teammates.

As we drove down the mountain, I was reminded of my leg, which hurt when I ran from the tent to the car, though I was still too worked up to think about much pain. Pulling off my pants, I gasped. My entire left leg was swollen, and on my thigh were four perfectly placed punctures. But oddly enough, my pants weren鈥檛 ripped at all. I assumed the bear must have stepped on me. A couple hours later, my coach and teammates arrived, and my coach had the same suspicion: I was stepped on. We figured that, if I felt up to it, I might as well ski. So I did, for three and a half hours. I felt all right, though by the end of my cross-country runs, I was in severe pain as my leg continued to swell.

We drove to a hospital in Bozeman, where I was sure the doctor would tell me what I already knew: that I鈥檇 been stepped on by a bear. My doctor couldn鈥檛 be certain, so he conferred with a wildlife specialist from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The specialist, on the other hand, was confident: these were bite marks, likely from an adult bear, though it was hard to know whether听it was a grizzly or black bear. The wildlife specialist estimated that the bite wasn鈥檛听aggressive, and that the bear probably听got caught up in our tent while sniffing around it. 鈥淚nitial details of the incident indicate the bear鈥檚 behavior was likely investigative, not predatory, and that the bite was defensive,鈥� the FWP later said in a . If it were a real bite, they told me, my leg would have been completely ruined.

I was given some antibiotics and instructed to wrap and ice my leg. Though the muscle and tissue in my thigh quickly turned squishy with damage, and I wasn鈥檛 able to do physical activity for a week, less than a month later I was back out skiing. The FWP patrolled the area where Leah and I camped听but unfortunately wasn鈥檛 able to track the bear. It rained that week, so they couldn鈥檛 find the bear鈥檚 tracks, which was a bummer.

A couple things stand out to me as I look back on the experience. The summer before, I was warned repeatedly to buy bear spray before going to Montana, but I didn鈥檛.听Even though we didn鈥檛 end up using the spray this year, the reminders to buy the stuff felt like a foreboding of what was to come. I also shudder to think about what would have happened if Leah and I had slept with our heads at the other end of the tent, which听we considered. Leah could have suffocated, and I might have been bitten on my face.

Two months later, I鈥檓 now back in Boulder for my third year of college. Though we鈥檙e not sure there will be a regular ski season due to the pandemic, I鈥檓 still training, grateful to have recovered so quickly听except for a couple lasting marks on my leg. I was lucky听but still feel traumatized by the experience. I don鈥檛 plan to camp again anytime soon鈥攊f I do, it鈥檒l be in the desert. I know bear attacks are rare, but the fear of waking up at 3 A.M.听to another one at my mountain campsite may keep me away for just a while longer.

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This is a developing story. For the latest information on the status of resorts听and protocol, visit听individual resort websites.

Ski season is going to happen this year. But it won鈥檛 look like it used to. Resorts around the U.S. are听using input from state and local health guidelines听to operate as safely as possible. In place of crowded apr猫s-ski bars and packed gondolas, you鈥檒l see extra-long, spaced-apart lift lines, skiers in full-face coverings, and take-out lunches eaten outside. Many听resorts will also require advance reservations, so be sure to听check for capacity updates before you go.

Beyond operating and safety protocols, we wanted to know听what some of our favorite ski areas听around the country have planned for this winter, so we called up places like Taos, Big Sky, and Breckenridge to see what鈥檚 on tap.听

Copper Mountain, Colorado

Opening day: November 30. Though the resort usually opens earlier in the month, a later opening date should allow for more snowmaking and natural snowfall to ensure听there鈥檚 enough听terrain for skiers and riders to spread out. 听

Passes and tickets: The (from $1,049)听gets you unlimited access to Copper, and pass holders won鈥檛 need a reservation to ski. You鈥檒l buy听.听Any ticket purchased听more than 12 days ahead of time will be mailed to you; otherwise,听you鈥檒l grab it from on-site pick-up boxes.

What鈥檚 new: The resort is implementing an for parking. Whether you鈥檙e skiing, tubing, or just coming to walk around the village, you鈥檒l need to book a parking spot in advance. If you ride 听or get dropped off, you won鈥檛 need to make a reservation.

Lessons: Copper will kick off听the year by offering only for groups of up to six people who are related. Starting in 2021, additional youth ski and snowboard programs should be available.

Before you go: Check the听 for updates and the听听for notifications.

Aspen Snowmass, Colorado

Opening day:听November 26 for Aspen Mountain and Snowmass; December 12 for Aspen Highlands, and December 18 for Buttermilk.

Passes and tickets: You can ski seven days at Aspen Snowmass on the Ikon Pass听or two days on the ($489)鈥攚ith either, you鈥檒l need to in advance. A limited number of lift tickets will be sold, so听book yours at least 72 hours ahead of time. Tickets can be delivered to your local lodging or collected from pick-up windows.听

What鈥檚 new: Aspen is expecting a 20 percent decrease in visitors this year, due in part to the lack of international tourists and corporate groups it often attracts, which means fewer听crowds this winter.

Uphill access: Known for its liberal uphill policies, the ski hills of Buttermilk, Snowmass, and Aspen Highlands听will continue to allow uphill ski access during lift-operating hours, but this year听you鈥檒l need to stick to designated routes and check for closures due to capacity limits. The ski area鈥檚 fourth hill, Aspen Mountain, will only allow uphill access before or after the ski day.

Don鈥檛 miss: A $2.5 million renovation of , atop Snowmass, is now complete. A sit-down lunch includes slipper service, where you can swap ski boots for (freshly cleaned) slippers. Make a reservation, as capacity will be limited.

Before you go: Check the听 for updates, be sure to download the听, and stay abreast of what鈥檚 happening with听this听, launched this year.

Breckenridge, Colorado

Opening day: Breckenridge plans to open exclusively to those听who have any level of an 听(from $999) beginning November 13. Single-day tickets won鈥檛 be sold until December 8.

What鈥檚 new: All Vail Resorts, including Breck, will be starting the season with a听 for Epic pass holders. So听book your ski days in advance鈥攜ou鈥檙e allotted up to seven priority days (which vary by resort)听that听can be made well ahead of time, while other days can听be reserved the week of. This听reservation system will open for the season on November 6. Skiers and riders will now be allowed to bring their own lunches into lodges. If you plan to rent ski or snowboard gear, book online ahead of time and get it delivered to wherever you鈥檙e staying.

Don鈥檛 miss: is installing a new clear dome, which can be reserved for property owners and guests in an existing group who want to apr猫s responsibly in a heated, private slopeside space听with beverage听service and mountain views.

What鈥檚 closed: Full-service bars will likely not open for indoor service, but beer and wine will be available to go at most lodges and markets.

Before you go: Check the听, and be sure you have the听 for updates.

Big Sky, Montana

Opening day: November 26.

Passes and tickets: Big Sky may limit the number of season passes sold this year, but as of press time, they鈥檙e on sale and won鈥檛 require reservations. The Ikon Pass grants you seven days at Big Sky, for which you鈥檒l need to make a 听to ski. The Mountain Collective Pass听gets you two days here, and at this time, reservations for Mountain Collective pass holders aren鈥檛 required.

What鈥檚 new: The Lone Peak Tram will open this year, with face coverings required and limited capacity. The resort is also considering a new boot-pack route to offer听skiers and riders a way to climb Lone Peak from the top of Dakota lift,听bypassing the tram. Also, this winter听the public will be able to access the 8,000-square-foot Yellowstone Conference Center as a bigger indoor space for lunch and hot-chocolate breaks.

Early ups: New this year, an unguided first-tracks program called will let skiers and riders load the Ramcharger 8 lift at 8 a.m., an hour before everyone else. You鈥檒l need to purchase an Early Access ticket online听(from $60), and only a听limited number of them听are being sold.

Before you go: Check the听 for updates, and be sure to听.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Opening day: November 26.听

Passes and tickets: Jackson Hole Mountain Resort pass holders听won鈥檛 need to make reservations to ski, but Ikon听pass holders鈥攚ho get seven days here鈥攚ill need to book a spot. Mountain Collective pass holders, who get two days at Jackson Hole, do not need to make reservations at this time. The resort will sell a limited number of daily tickets;听buy听them听online at least 14 days in advance for the biggest discount.听

What鈥檚 new: If you want to skip the tram, skiers and riders will be allowed to boot-pack up Rendezvous Bowl via the East Ridge Traverse. Those interested in trying out a pair of demo skis this season听can now rent gear from seven different locations at the base of Jackson Hole, as well as two hotels鈥斕�(from $480) and 听(from $370)鈥攐r request delivery to your lodging.

Early ups: Book a and you鈥檒l have an option to upgrade for early tram and gondola access. This winter听the general public will be able to load Teewinot, the Sweetwater Gondola, and the Apr猫s Vous chair 30 minutes earlier than the resort鈥檚听9 A.M. opening time, to help spread people out from the base area.

What鈥檚 happening: The invite-only听, an event which听features top skiers and riders launching into the famed Corbet鈥檚 Couloir,听will return for its fourth year this winter. It鈥檚听scheduled to run听February 16 to 21, 2021, via听livestream.

Where to stay:听When you book a well-designed vacation rental with听听(from $95), amenities include听a no-contact check-in,听bundled lift tickets, and a fridge stocked prior to your arrival.

Before you go: Check the听, and download the听, which now features听real-time updates on lift wait times, parking access, and other information.

Snowbird, Utah

Opening day: Snowbird plans to open, conditions permitting, on November 30. By kicking the season off a bit later than usual, the resort hopes to have expanded terrain, more snowmaking, and as many lifts open as possible starting from the first day.

Passes and tickets: Ikon听pass holders get seven days at Snowbird, and no reservations to ski will be required, but you will need to . If you鈥檙e buying a day ticket, get it online ahead of time, and plan to pick it up from self-service kiosks scattered around the base area.

What鈥檚 new:听All visitors to Snowbird arriving by car will need to make a reservation for parking. The will still operate but at reduced capacity and with a face-covering听requirement.

Lifts: The tram will operate at just 25 percent of its usual winter capacity; however,听anyone not skiing or riding won鈥檛 be allowed up to the top of the mountain this year.听

Before you go: Check the听, and get the soon-to-be-released Snowbird app, which will have wait times, parking information, and other critical updates.听

Park City, Utah

Opening day:听November 20.

Passes and tickets: If you have any version of the Epic Pass, you鈥檒l need to make a听 to ski. For day tickets, rather than buy a regular lift ticket in advance (pricing to be announced), opt for the more affordable听听(from $107 a day), a low-commitment version of the Epic Pass. The Epic Day Pass also gets you between one and seven days, and, yes, those still require听a reservation.

Lessons: Group lessons for the four-and-under age group won鈥檛 be available this year.

Eat: For dinner, is offering dine-in service, take-out meals for a family of four, and frozen entr茅es to cook at your lodging, like chef-prepared lasagna, plus free delivery. The restaurant will also sell an听array of boxed to-go lunches that you can听bring听to the ski hill.

Don鈥檛 miss:听 is hosting听virtual mixology classes and online whiskey-education courses. Pick up a bottle of bourbon, and learn how to make a proper old-fashioned at your condo.

Before you go: Check the听, and be sure you have the听 for updates.

Taos, New Mexico

Opening day:听November 26.

Passes and tickets: Taos Ski Valley will operate at 50 percent capacity this season, which means that both day ticket听(available on October 15; prices to be announced) and season pass (available on October 9; from $450) holders will need to reserve spots in advance.听If you buy an Ikon Pass, you鈥檒l get seven days at Taos听and听will need to make a reservation before you show up. The Mountain Collective Pass gets you two days here, with no reservations needed.

Travel restrictions: As of press time, if you鈥檙e traveling to New Mexico from a state on the high-risk list for COVID cases, then you鈥檙e required to听.

Start your day: Get a green-chile-smothered breakfast burrito and a coffee to go from , located inside the , which is set to reopen听this winter. The resort is going cashless, so plan to pay for everything鈥攆rom dining to rentals鈥攂y card.

Stay here:听听(from $250)鈥攖he resort鈥檚 newest ski-in, ski-out hotel, was closed for the summer听but is expected听to听reopen for winter at 65 percent capacity. Its听restaurant, , is currently open for online ordering and takeout.

Before you go: Check the听.

Sugarloaf, Maine

Opening day:听To be announced.

Passes and tickets: The (from $649), on sale until October 12, gives you access to both Sugarloaf and Sunday River;听the Ikon Pass gets you up to seven days of skiing here; and the Mountain Collective Pass gets you two days. Currently, no reservations will be required for any of those passes. Lift tickets can be purchased online听and, unlike many resorts, at walk-up ticket windows the day of. You鈥檒l also find ten听new automated kiosks around the base area to pick up lift tickets purchased ahead of time.

What鈥檚 new: Gone are the days of human ticket checkers. Sugarloaf has installed radio-frequency identification听gates that you鈥檒l ski through to scan your passes before听loading the lifts.

Travel restrictions: coming from outside of a handful of nearby states are required to show a negative COVID test result or self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in the state.

Transportation: You can still ride the free shuttle around the area, but plan on wearing a face covering, and expect capacity to be cut in half.

Before you go: The听 has more details, and be sure to download the听. The听 will post updates on听operations and conditions.听

Stowe, Vermont

Opening day: November 20.

Passes and tickets: All guests using an Epic Pass will need to make a听 to ski at Stowe this winter. Lift tickets will only be sold online after December 8 for designated days.

Travel restrictions: Vermont currently has听 in place, so if you鈥檙e coming from outside its borders, be sure to read up on quarantine requirements before you pack your听bags.

Lifts: The gondola will be open. Face coverings will be required, and only related groups will be allowed to load听together.

For your convenience: You can now get take-out orders or groceries delivered to your door, thanks to听, the area鈥檚 first (and only) food-delivery service.

Before you go: Check the听 and the听 for the latest updates.

Mammoth Mountain, California

Opening day: Mammoth tends to be one of the first ski resorts in California to open. This year听the resort will start cranking the lifts听November 14.

Passes and tickets: Walk-up day tickets won鈥檛 be available, and those听purchased in advance will be sold on a limited basis, so expect to secure them at least seven days in advance. Skiers and riders with an Ikon Pass have unlimited access to Mammoth and won鈥檛 need to make reservations, as of press time.

Drink: has a socially distant beer garden that鈥檚 open for patio dining and beer tasting, or order online to pick up a growler to take back to your pad.

Soak: Squeezing into a natural hot springs with strangers isn鈥檛 a great idea this year, and many of the steaming pools around Mammoth can get crowded in a normal year. Instead, book a private tub and winter campsite or room at听 (from $60), 50 minutes northeast of town.

Before you go: Check the听, and download the free听.

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, California

Opening day: November 25, conditions permitting.

Passes and tickets: There鈥檚 no reservation system here for skiing and riding. Ikon pass holders get unlimited days at Squaw Alpine; Mountain Collective pass holders get two days. There will be no walk-up ticket sales, and advance tickets will be offered on a limited basis. If you buy a ticket more than ten听days ahead of time, it can be mailed to you.

What鈥檚 open: Ski and ride schools will be operational, with new regulations in place. The Funitel and aerial tram are slated to open with face coverings required and social-distancing efforts in place.

What鈥檚 closed: The popular sunset happy hours at High Camp, atop the tram, won鈥檛 be available this year, though restaurants there will be open. Favorite festivities,听such as听the holiday torchlight parade and moonlight snowshoe tours, aren鈥檛 currently scheduled, but the springtime is likely to go on, pending local ordinances.

Eat here:听, which opened last year in Squaw Valley Village, has online ordering and swift take-out service.

Before you go: Be sure to check the听 and听 or the听 for the latest on parking and mountain capacity.听

Sun Valley, Idaho

Opening day: Sun Valley鈥檚 Bald Mountain will open on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, with nearby Dollar Mountain to follow on December 12.

Passes and tickets: You won鈥檛 find a reservation system at Sun Valley this winter, though lift tickets may be restricted to minimize crowds, so be sure to get there early. Epic pass holders now get seven days of skiing or riding at Sun Valley, and even though the Epic Pass requires reservations at Vail-owned destinations, at this time you don鈥檛 need a reservation to use your Epic Pass here.

What鈥檚 new: This winter, a high-speed quad replaces what was the resort鈥檚 oldest chairlift, Cold Springs, and skiers and riders will be able to spread out on 380 acres of new skiable terrain, located on Bald Mountain鈥檚 south side.

For your convenience: If you need to leave items behind, there will be a bag-check station outside the lodge.

Before you go: Check the听 and听 for updates.

The post What This Ski Season Will Look Like appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Starting next winter, Vail Resorts鈥櫶鼸pic Pass听($939) gets you access to 67听resorts. Alterra鈥檚 Ikon Pass,听just $10 more,听is good for unlimited days at 14听North American resorts. The season pass is truly having a heyday.

Recently, Marc Peruzzi argued in 国产吃瓜黑料 that this massive consolidation occuring across the ski industry is a great thing for core skiers. His argument was essentially that skiing, overall, is getting cheaper.

OK, sure. But the cost issue is a lot more complicated when you dig into it.听The relatively cheap passes that result from the industry鈥檚 consolidation are a great deal鈥攊f they existed in a vacuum. But they don鈥檛.

Vail Resorts is a publicly traded company with a current market capitalization hovering near $8 billion. Alterra is a privately owned entity reportedly worth around $4 billion. Why aren鈥檛 core skiers,听the people who live in ski towns,听happy that gigantic business interests seem suddenly aligned with their own?听

To start, these companies grew as large as they did by acquiring other resorts, a trend that began in the 1980s. That development, as Peruzzi rightly notes, has led to homogenized ski areas and coddled, tepid so-called 鈥渆xperiences鈥� for weak skiers with strong wallets. There is certainly more to the story than these easy targets.听

In the wake of Vail鈥檚 2017 acquisition of Stowe, in Vermont, real estate prices, which weren鈥檛 cheap before, rose notably, according to Gayle Oberg of听the locally based听Little River Realty. 鈥淭here鈥檚 been a significant difference.听Prices are as high as we鈥檝e seen,鈥� says听Oberg, who originally moved to Stowe to ski bum in 1973. Big Sky, Montana, was recently added to the Ikon Pass network, and already locals are feeling the housing squeeze. 鈥淎ll the affordable long-term rentals we had before this year are now off the market and seem to be on VRBO,鈥澨齭aid a longtime local and resort employee,听who requested anonymity for fear of losing their job. 鈥淚t鈥檚 priced out all the people that support this town. I know of resort employees living in听tents in the forest. People here are really pissed off.鈥� One could blame global market forces and nationwide shortages for housing crunches (and they would not be totally听wrong), but massive pass systems bringing large听swarms of people to small听mountain towns certainly don鈥檛 help.听

To be clear, I鈥檓 not arguing that any ski corporation听has a duty as a fairy godmother to ski culture, soul skiers,听or the surrounding communities. Vail鈥檚 duty is a fiduciary one鈥攖o its shareholders. Alterra also has investors. They aren鈥檛 responsible for anyone鈥檚 ski dreams. But, while Peruzzi may tell us they are 鈥渢hrowing [core skiers] a lifeline,鈥澨齮hey鈥檙e certainly not doing that either.

For about seven years, residents of Squaw Valley, California鈥攃ore skiers if there ever were any鈥攈ave worked to oppose a huge development proposal at the base of Squaw by KSL Capital, a founding partner of Alterra. They fear thousands of more tourists, heavier traffic, high-rise hotels, a lower quality of life, and significant environmental impacts. According to Squaw icon Robb Gaffney, locals raised half a million dollars to support the incorporation of Olympic Valley, the community in Placer County that houses Squaw. As a municipality, they could deny the project. 鈥淓veryone donated, even waitresses throwing in $20. And we were just bulldozed over,鈥澨齢e said. 鈥淜SL spent nearly a million dollars to thwart a democratic process through legal maneuvers. It鈥檚 really different when you鈥檙e facing a multibillion-dollar company. Even though there is huge local opposition, there is an agenda听and a high-powered legal battle to take [the development] to the finish line.鈥� Alterra鈥檚 president, David Perry, said听in an e-mail that while his company supports each resort 鈥渉aving significant local decision making and keeping the resort and community working together as best they can,鈥澨齮he situation at Squaw is 鈥渁 different topic with its own complexities.鈥澨鼳 cheaper season pass seems like small consolation for giving up control of your community.

For the industry, perhaps the biggest casualty of the mega pass has been the single-day lift ticket. A day pass at Vail recently hit $209. Compare that to a day pass at some world-class mountains in ($55), ($40), ($70), or ($50). At the same time, average accommodation prices at western U.S. resorts have听risen 30 percent听in the last eight years.听It鈥檚 no wonder that annual U.S. skier days have dipped over the last 20 years.

鈥淭he U.S. ski industry is facing鈥� increasing prices, paid by a declining number of customers,鈥� analysts wrote听in the . 鈥淭his tends to make ski[ing] less affordable鈥� especially for the beginners, who usually purchase daily passes鈥�. The business model of the large U.S. resorts [can be summarized as trying to get] always more money from always less customers.鈥澨�

Vail Resorts has long been the butt of skier鈥檚 jokes, for its expensive, bland, and commercial reputation. Peruzzi cheerily writes that听鈥渨ith shareholders calm, the company can invest in better grooming, new lifts and restaurants, and staffing.鈥� Staffing, you say? , Vail reportedly tried involuntarily cramming 100 more beds into its Keystone employee housing. The plan was to add two more residents per听select two- and three-bedroom units, increasing听the occupancy of those to four-听and five-person units, respectively, creating a college-dorm-like situation. 听that offered employees 鈥渇inancial incentives鈥濃€攅mployees were to be charged $330 each in the increased-occupancy rooms, instead of $460. However, if you do the math, the total rent for each unit would actually increase by $270 for a three-bedroom unit and $400 for a two-bedroom unit. Maybe you think saving $130 on rent is a good thing (and worth taking on a roommate for). I disagree. So did the staff, which听had a fit until the resort quickly听backpedaled.

Vail quietly got what it wanted six months later by pressuring the county to allow the 鈥渢emporary鈥� employee density, which it听then tried to extend in September 2018. Luckily, county commissioners . The company has also made a point of publicizing its $30 million pledge for employee housing, made in 2015. However, whether the company has upheld that pledge has .

And听anyway, $30 million doesn鈥檛 actually equate to much when it鈥檚 spread across the company鈥檚 wide portfolio of resorts. Vail Resorts听actually cost that would bolster the company鈥檚 chances of receiving approval to include low-income rentals in its new employee-housing development in Keystone (meant to alleviate some of the housing issues that contributed to the aforementioned听controversy), leaving the taxpayers on the line. Meanwhile, Vail just announced an approximate $180 million commitment听to by upgrading lifts, on-mountain dining, and other superimportant stuff. Peruzzi鈥檚 implication that the company cares about investing in its staff鈥攚riting that 鈥渢he big companies have brought better jobs鈥濃€攊s laughable. Those better jobs are in Broomfield, not Breckenridge, and the money from your mega pass is padding the pockets of executives, not the average worker, who听deserves to be treated fairly. 听

. But听independent ski areas听do still exist鈥攆or now. And skiers and riders can still support them with their wallets. At these ski areas, there may still be听bars at the base that haven鈥檛 been converted to genteel, pricey apr猫s听bistros听and are fun and rowdy enough to actually sell you the听cheap PBR that Peruzzi suggests season pass holders can buy with their extra money.

The post Actually, the Mega Season Pass Is Killing Skiing appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

From how to score听the best cup of joe to fuel听your first chair dreams to where听to find powder well after a storm, each ski resort is unique, and it can take years to learn all of its听secrets. And unless you鈥檙e lucky enough to live near your favorite mountain, who has that kind of time? Good thing you don鈥檛 have to be local to shred like one. All it takes is a townie or two willing to show you the way. Here are 16 of them to fill you in on which chairs open first after a storm, the best on-mountain eats, and where to stay听at some of our most beloved resorts.

Deer Valley, Utah

The Local: Sue Anderson, Deer Valley鈥檚 avalanche-mitigation supervisor

On Mountain: 鈥淧eople sometimes call 鈥楤ambi basin,鈥� but when they get here, they鈥檙e surprised by how much expert terrain the mountain has. And the resort has a limit on ticket sales, so even the busy spots never get too crowded. After skiing, in Snow Park Lodge features live music on the deck and turkey chili on its nachos. If you keep an eye out, you can snag discounts at the five-star midmountain (from $330).鈥�

Off the Hill: 鈥淐heck out , a new chef-owned restaurant in nearby Park City.鈥�

Pro Tip: 鈥淚f you want to know when a lift is opening or how to get to a certain place, message the Deer Valley Text Program (435-538-5900).鈥�

Mammoth Mountain, California

The Local: Ben Wisner, director of freeski and snowboard team

On Mountain: 鈥淭here are reasons elite athletes train here: the snow falls in feet and not inches, the length of the season can鈥檛 be beat, our terrain parks are the best in the world, and our steeps rival anywhere in the Alps. My favorite spot is Lincoln Peak, off Chair 22. On a powder day, sneak through the trees to find untracked snow. restaurant, by chairs 10 and 2, has the best barbecue I鈥檝e ever eaten. And the is the best ski-in, ski-out lodge (from $139).鈥�

Off the Hill: 鈥淒on鈥檛 miss dinner at the in Mammoth Lakes. There are natural hot springs out of town, too. Just drive south on U.S. 395 to the green church, hang a left, and explore the dirt roads. If you see steam rising, you鈥檙e on the right track.鈥�

Pro Tip: 鈥淧arking at the resort is a pain. If you鈥檙e staying in town, treat yourself to a coffee at , then hop on the shuttle to the mountain instead.鈥�

Hunter Mountain, New York

The Local: Sarah Slutzky, director of and granddaughter of the resort鈥檚 founder

On Mountain: 鈥淪ince it鈥檚 only two and a half hours from Manhattan, the resort has always been known as the best skiing close to the city. But it鈥檚 not the party scene it was in the seventies and eighties. More families come here now. It still has aggressive terrain, but with five new runs added this winter, over 60 percent of the mountain is now considered beginner and intermediate. If you鈥檙e looking for slopeside accommodations, try the (from $130).鈥�

Off the Hill: 鈥淥n Saturday night, head to in Tannersville for live music and cheese plates in the middle of an antiques shop.鈥�

Pro Tip: 鈥淥n the drive to the mountain, stop at , one of the tallest cascades in New York.鈥�

The Jet Set

Mountain Collective pass holders should book their two free days at Niseko, Japan, in January or February to best experience the resort鈥檚 legendary powder. Refuel with crab ramen at between waist-deep runs and trips to local hot springs.

Sugarbush, Vermont

The Local: Jon Jamieson, owner of Jamieson Insurance and a lifer

On Mountain: 鈥淪ugarbush is the kind of place where families return year after year. There are really three peaks: Lincoln Peak, Mount Ellen, and Castlerock. With an old fixed-grip double chair and steep, twisting trails like Rumble, Castlerock is classic eastern skiing at its finest. on Mount Ellen is a great place for a midmountain grilled cheese, and , in the base lodge at Lincoln Peak, is the go-to spot after skiing.鈥�

Off the Hill: 鈥淭he mountain is flanked by two picturesque villages. For coffee, stop by the , seven miles away in Waitsfield. The is a popular hangout nearby, and is opening a new brewery and taproom in town. For unique old-school accommodations, head a few minutes north to the (from $99).鈥�

Pro Tip: 鈥淧eople don鈥檛 realize it, but at the Mount Ellen base area, lifts open at 8 A.M., an hour before the others. Get there early and you can snag a bunch of runs before everyone else shows up.鈥�

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

The Local: Zahan Billimoria, lead guide for and owner of

On Mountain: 鈥� is a very authentic mountain known for expert terrain, but the northern side of the resort is great for intermediates. I prefer the Thunder and Sublette lifts on the upper mountain, because even on the busiest days it鈥檚 easy to find your own zone. Afterward, I鈥檒l go to , a five-minute walk from the lifts, for red curry. Ask for a 3.5 spice level.鈥�

Off the Hill: 鈥淭here are lots of fancy coffee shops in Jackson, but I鈥檓 a guy. It鈥檚 affordable, the brew is always good, and I鈥檓 likely to run into friends. We tell our clients to stay at the (from $175). The homemade breakfast is legendary, and you鈥檒l be within walking distance from the restaurants.鈥�

Pro Tip: 鈥淢arch is a unique window in the Tetons鈥攜ou have a more stable snowpack but you鈥檙e still skiing powder. This is the time to have big adventures at the resort or in Grand Teton National Park.鈥�

Aspen Snowmass, Colorado

The Local: Andrew Helsley, executive chef for Aspen Skiing Company鈥檚 on-slope restaurants

On Mountain: 鈥� four mountains鈥擜spen, Snowmass, Buttermilk, and Aspen Highlands鈥攁ll offer something different, but I could be happy with just Snowmass. It has some of the most difficult runs, if you know where to look. Everyone heads to Hanging Valley and the Cirque because they鈥檙e both high-alpine runs, but there鈥檚 incredible low-mountain terrain on Powderhorn or Campground. For a quick snack, the cookies and hot chocolate at , the highest of all of our restaurants, at over 11,000 feet, will get you warm. Or sit on the deck at with a glass of wine and a plate of maple-pickled deviled eggs with pork belly.鈥�

Off the Hill: 鈥� opens this winter at the base of the gondola, with perks like a great breakfast spread, live music, and wood-fired pizzas (from $447).鈥�

Pro Tip: 鈥淯philling is permitted on each mountain, and there鈥檚 a Friday-morning breakfast club that skins up Buttermilk for French toast at the . All are welcome.鈥�

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, California

The Local: Robin McElroy, 12-year veteran of the ski patrol

On Mountain: 鈥淭he stereotype is that Squaw is this extreme mountain. Yes, you can get rad, and our average snowfall is a massive 450 inches, but there鈥檚 something for everyone. My favorite lift is KT-22, for its steep, sustained pitches.鈥�

Off the Hill: 鈥淭ruckee and Tahoe City are close, but the base village at Squaw is always bustling. is a local favorite for apr猫s, but ski patrollers go to the for our own private room. Stay at the , a short drive from the village. It has its own chairlift that connects to the rest of the ski area (from $199).鈥�

Pro Tip: 鈥淥n a powder day, wait in line at the Red Dog or Far East lifts. Those usually open first and are most likely to run in strong winds.鈥�

Sunday River, Maine

The Local: Greg Luetje, former boot fitter and hard-goods manager at

On Mountain: 鈥� to bring kids. My five-year-old twins learned to ski here, and the ski-school program is amazing. While they鈥檙e in lessons, I鈥檓 in the woods skiing Poppy Fields, Shock Wave, or the steep bumps on Downdraft. My kids love the cinnamon buns at North Peak, the midmountain lodge, and they鈥檙e big enough to split. If you want to stay on the mountain, the and the hotels are ski-in, ski-out (from $179 and $159).鈥�

Off the Hill: 鈥淏ethel, a 15-minute drive from the base, is a real community-oriented place. Our movie theater, , is a good option for when the weather isn鈥檛 great. has space for the kids to run around.鈥�

Pro Tip: 鈥� is a separate base area that doesn鈥檛 get as crowded. It鈥檚 great terrain for children who are chairlift-ready and has plenty of steep runs, too.鈥�

Park City, Utah

The Local: Shaun Raskin, guide and owner of

On Mountain: 鈥淪kiers come to for its famed intermediate terrain and perfect grooming. If you want to get more extreme, boot-pack up Jupiter Peak or McConkey鈥檚 for steeper bowls, or ride the newer Quicksilver Gondola over to the Canyons side for advanced runs off the Ninety-Nine 90, Peak 5, and Dreamscape lifts. For a beer at the base, you can鈥檛 beat the or .鈥�

Off the Hill: 鈥淟ocals take a lot of pride in our Olympic and silver-mining history. In Park City proper, I love for upscale, locally sourced American fare and a menu that changes constantly. If you rent a house through , it鈥檒l arrange your lift tickets, dinner reservations, and ski rentals.鈥�

Pro Tip: 鈥淟ooking for powder? Go to Scott鈥檚 Bowl. You鈥檒l find snow there well after a storm.鈥�

The Jet Set

The new Ikon Pass comes with seven days at , which has some of the steepest, longest runs in the Southern Hemisphere. With monthly full-moon parties and outdoor concerts, it can get as rowdy as you鈥檇 expect. The village鈥檚 has a good pub and is centrally located (from $195).

Crystal Mountain, Washington

The Local: Bob Grubb, owner of , sellers of outdoor apparel

On Mountain: 鈥淏ackcountry skiers love . You can hike from the lifts and be in real wilderness in minutes. In bounds, the front side of the Rainier Express Lift鈥擱ex, as the locals call it鈥攊s a crowd favorite, since it鈥檚 steep and quick, but Chair 6 is my go-to. It鈥檚 a fast 1,000 feet of vertical, and on a powder day you can get six or seven runs before hitting anyone鈥檚 tracks.鈥�

Off the Hill: 鈥淟ocals live in Greenwater, but there鈥檚 not much there. Instead, book a room at the , at the resort鈥檚 base (from $100). Next door, the pours Elk Frost, a heavy winter beer made just for the resort by in Seattle.鈥�

Pro Tip: 鈥淭he King and Southback sidecountry zones have wild terrain. You鈥檒l need avalanche-safety gear, but it鈥檚 worth it.鈥�

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

The Local: Marla 鈥淐ookie鈥� Bailey, strategic planner for Smartwool

On Mountain: 鈥� is an escape from that 鈥楲ook at me, I鈥檓 so badass鈥� vibe. As the saying here goes, you can鈥檛 swing a dead cat without hitting an Olympian, but you鈥檇 never know it if you were sitting next to one on the lift. The head chef of , at the base, even turned down an appearance on Top Chef because it would have gotten in the way of her mountain-biking season. Another uniquely Steamboat experience is skiing through a proper aspen grove, so the Shadows, Closets, and Twilight runs are all a must.鈥�

Off the Hill: 鈥淵our stay won鈥檛 be complete without a visit to our three local breweries鈥�, , and 鈥攁苍诲 , a 30-tap tasting room that serves Colorado microbrews and spirits.鈥�

Pro Tip: 鈥淐ome during our 106th , held February 6 to 10, 2019. The Saturday Night Extravaganza鈥攚ith fireworks and ski patrollers jumping through flaming hoops鈥攊s reason enough to make the trip.鈥�

Heavenly, California

The Local: Debra Scolnick, bartender at South Lake Tahoe鈥檚

On Mountain: 鈥淲e鈥檙e known for groomers with lots of vertical, but the thing I love most about is the tree skiing. If Mott and Killebrew canyons are open, that鈥檚 your expert terrain. The views are epic, and on some runs you鈥檒l feel like you鈥檙e skiing right into Lake Tahoe. is a new, beautiful midmountain lunch spot, but is where locals go for a beer.鈥�

Off the Hill: 鈥淪outh Lake Tahoe, the town at the base of the mountain, used to be a giant party, but it鈥檚 becoming more family friendly. Still, we have 24-hour casinos and plenty of bars. A new place called does pour-your-own beer and wood-fired pizzas. The has a beer garden and isn鈥檛 far from the gondola (from $99).鈥�

Pro Tip: 鈥淔ire Break is an amazing 3,000-vertical-foot line under the gondola that鈥檚 only accessible through marked backcountry gates. You鈥檙e allowed to ski it, but you have to know where you鈥檙e going.鈥�

Snowbird, Utah

The Local: Lexi Dowdall, program director for the International Freeskiers and Snowboarders Association

On Mountain: 鈥� is for powder skiers. Supercharged storms roll off the Great Salt Lake before crashing into the Wasatch Range, which means that Snowbird and Alta, just to the east, often report higher snow totals than neighboring resorts. The anticipation of waiting in the tram line on a powder day and knowing you鈥檙e going to ski Great Scott, Silver Fox, or Baldy is an energy like no other.鈥�

Off the Hill: 鈥淪tay at the base village to avoid the 30-minute drive to and from Salt Lake City. At the , you can enjoy the heated rooftop pool and eucalyptus steam room, then ski out the door (from $230). The neighboring has a drink special that few can pass up鈥攖he famous $5 shot and a beer.鈥�

Pro Tip: 鈥淭he breakfast burrito from is the best way to prepare for first chair.鈥�

Big Sky, Montana

The Local: Brenna Kelleher, a member of the Professional Ski Instructors of America ski team

On Mountain: 鈥淟one Peak towers over everything in , and people always want to know how to ski Big Couloir, the main line off the top. Though it鈥檚 in-bounds, you have to drop it in pairs, check in with ski patrol, and carry a beacon, a shovel, and a probe. But there are a lot of other big lines people overlook, such as the steep, consistent couloirs you can hike to from the Headwaters Lift. This winter, Andesite Mountain, a separate peak at Big Sky, is getting the first eight-person lift in North America.鈥�

Off the Hill: 鈥淏ig Sky鈥檚 village is a quiet place. Everyone heads to 听for beer and burgers when the lifts close, but I like the , next door in the , for live eighties rock or country music (from $215).鈥�

Pro Tip: 鈥淪top at the Six Shooter Chair for a chocolate chip or oatmeal cookie at , a shed with a ski-up window.鈥�

Sun Valley, Idaho

The Local: Paul Ken颅ny, author of 鈥檚 snow report

On Mountain: 鈥淭he resort started out by catering to Hollywood celebrities, so it鈥檚 got a reputation for being very elite. But it doesn鈥檛 feel that way. It鈥檚 low-key and friendly. You鈥檒l get tired, though, because lift lines are rare. Tin Can Alley, off Lookout Lift, always has soft snow, and for early-morning groomers, it鈥檚 a nonstop carver on Warm Springs. For lunch, has good wood-fired pizza and chili. Apr猫s is at in the village.鈥�

Off the Hill: 鈥淣earby Ketchum has plenty of events and restaurants. For dinner I like 鈥檚 unique Southeast Asian street food. is totally refurbished and has a good vibe (from $153).鈥�

Pro Tip: 鈥淭here are two sides of Baldy, so depending on where the sun is, you can ski one face of the mountain in the morning, then the other for softer snow.鈥�

Arapahoe Basin, Colorado

The Local: Brian York, bartender at , in the base area鈥檚 A-frame lodge

On Mountain: 鈥� is serious about one thing: skiing. No golf course, no condos. During a big snow year, lifts can turn through the Fourth of July. The most famous lift is Pallavicini鈥�1,200 vertical feet, straight up from the parking lot. The best time to ride it is mid-April through early May. When other ski areas are closing, A-Basin is still opening terrain in the high couloirs. The deck at , and the Beach鈥攖he row of cars closest to the lifts鈥攚ill be going off.鈥�

Off the Hill: 鈥淪tay in Keystone, ten miles away, for the closest hotels. For live music, it鈥檚 the or the Goat, and Pizza 101 has the best pie around.鈥�

Pro Tip: 鈥淭here鈥檚 a new lift into the Beavers, a great backcountry area that鈥檚 now in-bounds with avalanche control.鈥�

The Jet Set

Epic Pass holders get two free days at France鈥檚 鈥�, which offers 9,000 skiable acres of groomers and hike-to couloirs. On sunny afternoons, the outdoor deck at La Folie Douce might be the most epic apr猫s-ski in the universe.

The post The Insider Guide to North America’s Best Ski Towns appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

With so many great guest houses out there, it wasn鈥檛 easy to decide听which were worthy of making our list of the world's best adventure lodges.听 In the end, we听weighed听the location, amenities, outdoor access, architecture, style, and so much more to cull our list candidates. So what did it take to make the final cut? Everything. From paragliding over the Dolomites and paddleboarding around deserted Panamanian isles to farm-to-table feasts and Finnish-style saunas, these lodges have it all. Time to check in.

Remota

Puerto Natales, Chile

The design of this 听in Chilean Patagonia is almost as dramatic as the landscape that surrounds it. Slanted steel-and-glass walls mimic the iconic wind-bullied sheep-shearing sheds endemic to the country鈥檚 Magallanes region. But getting outside is why you travel all the way to Puerto Natales, the gateway to 700-square-mile Torres del Paine National Park. Spend one day hiking 12 miles round-trip to the base of the park鈥檚 famous 8,500-foot granite spires and another stalking fat brown trout along the R铆o Prat. Or paddle the waters of Last Hope Fjord in a kayak, then send the 30 private sport-climbing routes the lodge put up on its own secluded cliffs. Before a king crab dinner, hit the indoor pool or Finnish-style sauna, housed in a building purposefully set a three-minute walk away. Why? So you can feel the wind and rain first. From $280听鈥擳im Neville

Adler Lodge Alpe

South Tyrol, Italy

Surrounded by the toothy spires of Italy鈥檚 Dolomites, the 听offers some of the best adventure access in Europe. It鈥檚 located on the Alpe di Siusi plateau, a carless Unesco World Heritage site that鈥檚 accessible only by foot, skis, or cable car unless you鈥檙e staying at the lodge. In summer, head out on guided hikes, like the eight-mile Witch鈥檚 Path, which winds through green foothills and alpine meadows. Other options: grab a loaner hardtail and hit the nearby singletrack or paraglide over the iconic 8,400-foot Schlern massif with Tandem Fly. In winter, explore Sciliar-Catinaccio Nature Park on skis, or ice-climb Vallunga Valley鈥檚 18 routes. That is, if you can drag yourself away from the lodge and its floor-to-ceiling window views, sauna, saltwater pool, and gourmet meals eaten under the stars with a glass of Montalcino in hand. From $235, all-inclusive听鈥擭ick Davidson

The Lodge on Little St. Simons Island

Little St. Simons Island, Georgia

Rent your own slice of southern charm at , a private 11,000-acre barrier island with an unpretentious collection of five cottages and one lodge. More Southern Gothic than tropical, the landscape is dominated by live oaks dripping with Spanish moss, rugged dunes, and seven miles of private beach. You can book a room or cottage or blow it out by reserving the whole resort. With a limit of only 32 guests at a time, you鈥檙e almost guaranteed solitude as you walk the trails, comb the beach, or fish for flounder and red drum. Naturalists are on hand to take you birding and kayaking along the tidal waters and teach you about the local population of nesting loggerhead turtles. Better yet, everything is included, from the bicycles to the Low Country shrimp boils. From $425 鈥擥raham Averill 听

Collective Retreats

Wolcott, Colorado

Don鈥檛 dismiss these 听as just another glamping getaway. Private decks with Adirondack chairs, Pendleton blanket-adorned beds, and en-suite bathrooms with flush toilets and rain-style showers make these canvas tents more of a mobile private lodge. Locations include Big Sky, Montana, the Texas Hill Country, and even New York City鈥檚 Governors Island. But our favorite venue is situated on 1,000 acres of working ranchland just outside Vail, where guests can explore White River National Forest , take in views of the Sawatch Range on horseback, and raft whitewater on the Upper Colorado. Hiking and biking trails are right outside your tent. Nearby hot springs, campfire s鈥檓ores, and chef-crafted farm-to-table fare are motivation to trek or ride a few extra miles. From $500 鈥擩en Murphy

The Swag

Waynesville, North Carolina

The hardest part about staying at , perched atop its own mile-high grassy peak in the Blue Ridge Mountains, may be convincing yourself to leave. Fill your days with croquet, treehouse picnics, and hammock sessions. Or hike straight from the property into Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Join a guide in search of bears and birds, or head into the Cataloochee Valley at dusk to see elk milling around the park鈥檚 meadows. The Swag will pack your lunch and have afternoon tea waiting when you return. Save room for dinner鈥攂ig plates of regional fare like local trout, cast-iron fried chicken, and banana-pudding pie鈥攖hen savor the evening views from your room鈥檚 copper soaking tub. You even get a personalized hiking stick to take home. From $525听鈥擥.A.

Surfers Lodge Peniche

Peniche, Portugal

When former Swedish national surf champion John Malmqvist outgrew beach camping and hostels, he started dreaming up the ultimate surf stay. The result, , feels more like a home than a hotel. Located an hour north of Lisbon, just outside the small city of Peniche, the space marries Scandinavian aesthetics with 1960s California beach vibes. The in-house school caters to all abilities. First-timers work on pop-ups at nearby Baleal Beach, while experienced riders get barreled at Supertubos, a World Surf League tour stop just ten minutes away. Back at the lodge, follow up your session with a massage, yoga, and vegetarian-focused organic meals. On Sundays everyone heads up to the Moroccan-inspired roof deck to listen to DJ sets and soak in the sunset from the Jacuzzi. From $57 鈥擩.M.

Vermejo Park Ranch

Raton, New Mexico

Spread across 585,000 acres straddling the New Mexico鈥揅olorado border, 听is so massive that even its veteran guides estimate they鈥檝e seen only 60 percent of the property. Ted Turner purchased the land in 1996 and fondly refers to it as his private Yellowstone. It can be yours, too, as a splurge. Accommodations include private guesthouses; the 12-room Casa Minor, built in the early 1900s; and the Costilla Lodge, a large log-and-stone cabin located at 10,200 feet. Or stay in the media mogul鈥檚 former personal residence, Casa Grande, an estate of Gatsby-esque grandeur. But the real luxury? The southern Rockies just outside your door. Home to elk, bison, antelope, black bears, coyotes, and more than 180 species of birds, Vermejo is the closest you鈥檒l come to a big-game safari听in the U.S. Instead of 20 tourist-loaded cars bearing down on one poor bison, you鈥檙e likely to be surrounded by a herd while hiking, mountain biking, or horseback riding. From $850, meals included 鈥揓.M. 听

Islas Secas Reserve and Lodge (From $1,000, All-Inclusive)

Isla Cavada, Panama

With parts of Costa Rica overrun with tourists and Nicaragua working to recover from recent unrest, Panama is poised to be the next great Central American hot spot. This new sustainable 听on Cavada, a 400-acre island in the Pacific鈥檚 Gulf of Chiriqu铆, is one of its crown jewels. Hike a couple of miles through the dense jungle, SUP or kayak the calm leeward bays of the resort鈥檚 private 14-island archipelago, float in a secluded plunge pool, or lounge on empty beaches鈥攖he lodge has nine casitas and only hosts up to 18 people at once. It also has its own dive center with on-site instructors, so even novice guests can explore the gulf, which is filled with manta rays, dolphins, hammerhead sharks, leatherback turtles, and teeming coral reefs. Finally, boat into the big blue to catch-and-release monster tuna and marlin in the world-renowned Hannibal Bank and off Isla Montuosa. From $1,000, all-inclusive 鈥揝tephanie Pearson

Denali Backcountry Lodge

Denali National Park, Alaska

Best For: Mountain views and digital detoxing 听

The journey to 听is an adventure in itself. It鈥檚 accessed by either a six-hour bus ride deep into five-million-acre Denali National Park, or via a 35-minute air-taxi flight from the park entrance over the snowcapped Alaska Range. Once you鈥檝e checked in to one of its 42 log cabins鈥攏estled alongside Moose Creek by an old gold-mining camp鈥攍et the rugged wilderness engulf you. There鈥檚 no TV or cell service. Naturalists lead botanical walks and day hikes through the nearby trailless tundra, while you keep an eye out for caribou, moose, Dall sheep, and blond grizzlies. Or explore the endless backcountry on your own. Just be sure to pack a can of bear spray in your day bag. Our favorite excursion? Cycling five miles to Wonder Lake, where you鈥檒l score the park鈥檚 best view of 20,310-foot Denali gleaming pearly white in the midnight sun. From $545, meals included 鈥揘.D.

Chem Chem Lodge

Manyara, Tanzania

Best For: Game viewing and Giving Back

Sandwiched between two national parks, 听provides unparalleled access to Africa鈥檚 big game. It鈥檚 located along an ancient migration corridor, where herds of giraffes, elephants, zebras, and gazelles pass by to forage the plains of Tarangire. The lodge is a collection of breezy tent villas, and all visitor profits are funneled into community-based projects, like anti-poaching efforts and skills training for locals to help reduce human-animal conflict. You can participate, too, by bringing children鈥檚 clothes and classroom supplies in your luggage and stopping by a Chem Chem鈥搒ponsored school during your stay. The owners also have two properties nearby: , on a 40,000-acre private preserve, and the smaller , which offers three vintage tents beneath fever trees on the Tarangire River. From $920, meals, activities, and conservations fees included听鈥擥.A.

Wickaninnish Inn

Tofino, British Columbia

Best For: Surfing and storm watching

Just 25 minutes north of the 198-square-mile Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, this 听on Vancouver Island embraces B.C.鈥檚 turbulent weather. In addition to ocean views, each room comes with hurricane-rated glass to better withstand the stunning tempests that roll in from across the Pacific. Don the inn鈥檚 complimentary rain slickers and boots, and step outside for a free 鈥淲est Coast facial,鈥� or head to the Ancient Cedars Spa for treatments based on indigenous cleansing ceremonies. On clearer days, walk the 13 beaches that line the seal-and-eagle-flecked coast, or make your way 25 miles south to the village of Ucluelet for a short hike to the Amphitrite Point Lighthouse, a linebacker of concrete and steel that defies the storm-whipped swells that assail it each winter. The island has plenty of good surf breaks, including Cox Bay Beach, just minutes from the inn. Afterward, refuel with a meal of drippingly fresh steelhead salmon. From $260听鈥擳.N.

Lone Mountain Ranch

Big Sky, Montana

Best For: Nordic skiing, yoga, and Yellowstone access

Sitting on 150 acres in Custer Gallatin National Forest, , founded in 1915, keeps 52 miles of trails meticulously groomed for cross-country skiing. Routes meander from your door up 2,000 feet through pine forests and alpine meadows and offer stunning views of 11,145-foot Lone Mountain, home to the Big Sky Resort. Many of the lodge鈥檚 27 log cabins have wood stoves or 1920s-era stone fireplaces. Meanwhile, chef Eric Gruber, of the Horn and Cantle restaurant, knows how to feed starving skiers, whipping up three nour-ishing daily meals, like homemade pappardelle with elk meatballs. Take a break from nordic skiing and head into the backcountry of nearby Yellowstone or ride the lifts at Big Sky, 12 minutes away. Not into snow? Visit in the warmer months to hike, horseback ride, fly-fish, whitewater raft, or enjoy a weeklong meditation and yoga retreat. From $375听鈥擲.P. 听

The post The World’s Best 国产吃瓜黑料 Lodges appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Northland: A 4,000-Mile Journey Along America鈥檚 Forgotten Border () offers searing portraits of the people and places that live on the line between the United States and Canada. Author Porter Fox, who also wrote Deep: The Story of Skiing and the Future of Snow, spent three years exploring this line鈥攆rom Maine to Washington鈥攐n foot and by canoe. During his travels, he found lots of forgotten places. The Medicine Line, which gives its name to this excerpted chapter from the book, in northeastern Montana, is one of them. Named by Native Americans for how the U.S. Calvary magically stopped pursuing them at the U.S.-Canada boundary, the Medicine Line was one of the last safe havens in North America for northland tribes. Today, Medicine Line country is crisscrossed with freight trains, highways, wheat fields, missile silos, oil patches, and all the trappings of 21st-century resource extraction and life. About the only things that haven鈥檛 changed are the endless prairies and the endless wind, which sounds like someone whispering in your ear if you stand in it for a while.

Power lines glided over the road. Ribbons of asphalt, steel, water, soil, and trees ran parallel with the highway, cutting the northland off from the rest of the country. I was on U.S. Route 2, somewhere in eastern Montana. The two-lane 鈥淗i-Line鈥� shadows the northern border 2,500 miles from Maine to Washington, with a break over the Great Lakes.

There were curves at the western end of the northland: river bends, winding train tracks, Swainson鈥檚 hawks banking low, wide arcs over the road. The earth slanted to the east. Sage flats skirted the road. There were sacred formations south of the highway: the Black Hills, the Bighorn Mountains, the headwaters of the Missouri.

鈥淢ontana鈥� is a Spanish name, though Spanish explorers never made it that far. Francisco V谩zquez de Coronado crossed the Rockies in 1540 near present-day Santa Fe, but he chose to trek east to Kansas instead of north. Montana license plates call their home Big Sky Country. It was easy to see why. The state is larger than Japan. You can see a good chunk of it from almost any vantage point. Humidity averages in the low sixties. The whipsaw crest of the Rocky Mountains is visible from a hundred miles away. Big Sky Country averages seven people, one pronghorn antelope, one elk, and three deer per square mile. Eighty percent of the counties are still classified as 鈥渇rontier,鈥� meaning they are occupied by six or fewer people per square mile.

There are more elk, grizzly bears, loons, and trumpeter swans in the state than anywhere else in the continental U.S.

The air was so clear that I could see the legs of an antelope five miles away. A stand of whitebark pine three miles beyond that swayed in the breeze. A teenage boy cruised past in a beige 1970s Lincoln Continental. Square head, square shoulders, pale blue eyes. Looking in the mirror, he parted his hair with his left hand while dangling his right hand on top of the vinyl steering wheel. He didn鈥檛 have to steer; the car steered for him. He didn鈥檛 look like he was driving at all. It was like something was pulling the road out from under him. Time stopped moving in eastern Montana sometime around 1973.

Montana and 鈥淥regon Country鈥� were some of the last unexplored and unmapped regions on the planet in the early 1800s, along with interior Africa, Australia, and both poles. Oregon Country stretched 250,000 square miles from the Pacific coast to the Continental Divide in western Montana. Thomas Jefferson considered it the last piece of America that would create an 鈥淓mpire of Liberty鈥� from sea to sea. It was a pipe dream. America was having a hard time managing the territory it already had. And the Northwest was already claimed by Russia, England, France, Spain, and dozens of Indian nations.

The Northwest was the final stretch of the northland for me as well. I was 2,500 miles from home, 1,500 from the Pacific. It was fall again and getting cold. The last miles were not going to be easy. Montana, Idaho, and Washington are home to some of the tallest peaks on the continent, scattered across remote wildernesses, rainforests, alluvial plains, and a matrix of lake and river systems. I would be camping the whole way. The weather forecast predicted a hard frost by the end of the week. I needed to make it to the coast before the first snow.

Low-angle autumn light glanced off buttes alongside Route 2. Barn swallows flitted over hay fields. Dirt driveways in Culbertson and Blair were dry and dusty. Covered porches had been closed up for winter and storm windows installed. The Continental floated ahead of me. The car was an apparition. Wheat and flax fields moved by like they were on a studio set. The land wasn鈥檛 flat like in North Dakota. Combines ran up and over knolls and ravines, harvesting wheat.

Bright-red fire hydrants had been installed every quarter-mile in one field, 30-foot-tall iron sculptures of birds in another.

Sitting Bull made his last stand near here. Shortly after the Battle of the Little Bighorn, he had led what was left of his tribe through Montana鈥檚 northland. They camped and hunted across the northern plains, outwitting Colonel Nelson Miles and six companies of the U.S. Fifth Infantry Regiment. America wanted blood after Custer鈥檚 defeat, and Generals Sherman and Sheridan initiated a policy of killing every Indian their troops could find. Mainly they found women and children headed to a reservation to turn themselves in, most of whom were shot or hung.

The winter of 1876 was severe, with fierce wind and temperatures dipping to minus 30. Miles outfitted his men with buffalo robes, mittens, and face masks cut from wool blankets. Sitting Bull went largely undetected, but freezing temperatures and a lack of game weakened the tribe. They retreated farther north and, the same month that Crazy Horse and 900 Sioux tribal members surrendered at Camp Robinson, Sitting Bull crossed into Saskatchewan over what Indians had begun to call the 鈥淢edicine Line.鈥�

The 鈥渟trong medicine鈥� of the 49th parallel stopped U.S. forces in their tracks, allowing Indians a measure of peace to the north. American officers wouldn鈥檛 have thought twice about pursuing an enemy across the U.S.-Canada border 20 years earlier. But cross-border bootlegging skirmishes in the 1860s had alerted Canadians to the porous and dangerous state of their southern boundary. After Britain granted Canada dominion status in 1867, and the line along the 49th was marked in 1873, Canadians and their North-West Mounted Police let it be known that the border was real.

Montana鈥檚 鈥淢edicine Line鈥� was not the first in America. The Iroquois, who lived in Ontario and upstate New York, used the same sobriquet for the French-British boundary in the Seven Years鈥� War. The Iroquois documented the border on their wampum as a white line between two black ones. Great Lakes tribes used the term as well for the line between British Ontario and the American colonies.

Wallace Stegner wrote about Medicine Line country. He grew up 30 miles north of the Montana border in a small Saskatchewan town called Eastend. Like many northland settlers, Stegner鈥檚 father was a roamer. The author spent time in an orphanage when he was four, then lived in an abandoned dining car near the Canadian Pacific Railroad in Saskatchewan. The family moved to a shack on the border in the summer, where they farmed wheat. In a memoir of his childhood, , Stegner wrote about the evolution of small towns in the region: 鈥淭he first settlement in the Cypress Hills country was a village of m茅tis winterers, the second was a short-lived Hudson鈥檚 Bay Company post on Chimney Coulee, the third was the Mounted Police headquarters at Fort Walsh, the fourth was a Mountie outpost erected on the site of the burned Hudson鈥檚 Bay Company buildings to keep an eye on Sitting Bull and other Indians who congregated in that country in alarming numbers after the big troubles of the 1870s.鈥�

I drove Route 2 past draws, moraines, hollows, arroyos, rift valleys, and mesas in the east near Frazer and Nashua. This is the language of Big Sky Country: laccolith, dike, shonkinite, marine shale. The state is split in two along the Rocky Mountain Front. East is prairie; west is the Northern Rockies. The front is a 50 million-year-old thrust-and-fold jumble of wetlands, forests, and vertical subranges. The wall of rock is so formidable that it shapes weather across America. Western-flowing air from the Gulf of Mexico hits the front and reflects it back onto the plains, helping to create a vortex of wind and storms across the Great Plains known as Tornado Alley.

The single-engine plane sticking out of the roof of the Hangar Bar in Glasgow, Montana, looked like it had seen some weather. Another plane, a U.S. Air Force T-33 trainer, sat in the front yard of the . There were six casinos, one rodeo arena, one Taco Shack, three car-parts stores, and the downtown. Afternoon light dropped out of the sky on my way through, touching the tips of Sudan grass growing along the soft shoulder.

The sun became a spotlight just before it set, shining through an opening in the clouds and splintering on my bug-splattered windshield. I鈥檇 been following the Continental for hours. A barbed-wire fence bordered the road most of the way. Rifts and mesas lifted, fell, vanished, then reappeared. The bluffs on the horizon looked bigger than anything I鈥檇 seen in a while. I drove past a steak house, a bowling alley, a hundred wide-screen TVs shining through double-paned windows. A pharmacy at the edge of town was closed, but a string of Christmas lights had been left on.

I passed a grain elevator at the end of Main Street, and the sky darkened like an eyelid closing. A sliver of sun held out just above the horizon. A silver moon shone through the clouds before the sun went down. It was simultaneously night and day for about seven minutes. A freight train rushed past, and the rumble shook the car windows. The train was a mile long and stacked double high with 40-foot containers. A string of black, cylindrical oil cars took up the rear. The train blasted east, and the eye closed. Then everything was gone: traffic, tracks, Continental, casinos, town. It was 35 degrees. Snow tomorrow in the high peaks, the radio announcer said. The last of the light leaked out of the clouds, leaving me at the dark edge of the Rocky Mountains.

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