It鈥檚 that time of the year again, when Ski releases the results of its annual Reader Resort Survey, ranking the top ski resorts in North America. And after the pandemic season we all made it through, it was anyone鈥檚 guess which resorts were going to come out on top. In the West, where travel was less restricted, many of you said that you made most, if not all, of your typical ski trips鈥攁side from Canada, as borders were closed. That said, we did see a bump in responses for smaller, , and more appreciative comments about them, as well.

Not surprisingly, the West鈥檚 biggest resorts bore the brunt of the frustration from readers, with comments about interminably long lift lines and packed slopes dominating the responses this year. Readers both lamented the loss of skiing鈥檚 softer side鈥攍imited access to the dining and apr猫s facilities, less camaraderie after a day on the slopes鈥攁nd celebrated just skiing without all the bells and whistles. While we anticipate a return to normalcy at ski areas this winter, we acknowledge that the pandemic changed how we ski at the resorts鈥攁nd that some of us are opting not to, with a newfound love of backcountry skiing.

Whatever the coming season will look like for you, we hope you can use these rankings to inform your vacation choices. As one wise reader wrote, 鈥淭here is no one resort that 鈥榟as it all鈥�. People need to decide what鈥檚 important to them.鈥� We couldn鈥檛 have said it better ourselves.

Top 30 Resorts in the West

30. Palisades Tahoe, California

Overall Score: 7.83
Strengths: Challenge, Variety
Weaknesses: Grooming, Service

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What Readers Say

鈥淵ou can find whatever you鈥檙e looking for at [the former] Squaw/Alpine. The combo of the two gives every resort skier the they鈥檙e looking for. There is enough development at both mountains that give sufficient apr猫s options but without ruining what makes these mountain American classics. The appeal of Tahoe will almost be focused around the lake. Doesn鈥檛 matter what is built around the base of the mountain, they can鈥檛 beat the star attraction of Lake Tahoe. They are beginning to turn away the local and semi-local patrons by trying to overbuild around the resort and ruin what makes the mountain unique.鈥�

29. Solitude Mountain Resort, Utah

Overall Score: 7.84
Strengths: Snow, Value
Weaknesses: Dining, Local Flavor

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What Readers Say

鈥淧erfect blend of family-friendly groomers and wicked inbounds extreme terrain. Who can beat the Utah powder, really? The resort isn鈥檛 crowded, food and such are good and reasonable. Did I mention the skiing? The powder? Only downside is there is really no nightlife to speak of but then again, you鈥檙e there for skiing and with the steeps, chutes, trees and cliffs, you鈥檙e too fried to party all night and be able to hit it again the next day.鈥�

28. Snowbird Resort, Utah

Overall Score: 7.85
Strengths: Snow, Challenge
Weaknesses: Family, Local Flavor

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What Readers Say

鈥淪nowbird is for skiers and boarders. The snow-sliding experience is epic for those of intermediate abilities and greater. People ski hard and crash early so they can do it all over again the next day. There is little 鈥渘ightlife,鈥� hardly an issue for those struggling to stay awake much after 8 or 9pm. For those with less interest in the mountain experience, metropolitan Salt Lake City is well under a half hour away and offers the wide variety of options one would expect in any major city.鈥�

27. Alta Ski Area, Utah

Overall Score: 7.89
Strengths: Snow, Overall Satisfaction
Weaknesses: Nightlife, Grooming

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What Readers Say

鈥淎lta is purely for skiing. The terrain variety is amazing and fun for any level skier. It is the resort where I jumped my first big cliff, and is the resort I took my kids to so that they could jump their first cliff. It holds memories and experiences that expanded my skiing reality and love of the sport. I would recommend this resort to anyone. It has all that you need to enjoy a great day on the mountain, whether you stop for lunch or pull it out of your ski jacket pocket.鈥�

26. Heavenly Mountain Resort, California

Overall Score: 7.91
Strengths: Lodging, Nightlife
Weaknesses: Service, Variety

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What Readers Say

鈥淗eavenly is beautiful! The views cannot be beat, desert on the Nevada side and the lake on the California side. Most days are sunny and there is so much terrain to cover. The resort has dining options, but venture out (not far), and you will find great local options. Overall, Heavenly lives up to its name, especially when it comes to the weather and views, but it can be extremely busy and you will spend a lot of time waiting in line and riding lifts to get to everywhere on the mountain.鈥�

25. Big Sky Resort, Montana

Overall Score: 8.04
Strengths: Variety, Lifts
Weaknesses: Access, Apr猫s

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What Readers Say

鈥淏ig Sky was my bucket list ski trip. And it didn鈥檛 disappoint! I love everything about this mountain. It鈥檚 got terrain for days. A true skiers鈥� mountain. What it lacks in nightlight and dining options, it makes up for in terrain. I tell people who want to come to Big Sky, if you want to party, it鈥檚 not the place. If you want to ski your butt off, go now.鈥�

24. Keystone Resort, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.06
Strengths: Family, Access
Weaknesses: Challenge, Snow

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What Readers Say

鈥淚鈥檝e spent the past ten years skiing in Colorado, and out of all the resorts, I keep coming back to Keystone. It has the right mix of steep and deep tree runs, groomers, and fast access to all of it.鈥�

23. Revelstoke Mountain Resort, B.C.

Overall Score: 8.07
Strengths: Snow, Challenge
Weaknesses: Family, Lifts

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What Readers Say

鈥淥ne of my favorite ski resorts in Western Canada. The terrain is difficult and the double blacks are extremely challenging. However, for an advanced or expert skier, this is one of the best mountains in Western Canada to really push your skills and experience some of the best steep skiing in the West. Excellent tree runs, bowls, chutes, glades, and gullies. Not a family or beginner- friendly mountain.鈥�

22. Mammoth Mountain, California

Overall Score: 8.09
Strengths: Variety, Lifts
Weaknesses: Access, Value

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What Readers Say

鈥淚 absolutely love Mammoth. It lives up to its name as the place is Mammoth! It鈥檚 cool to ride the Gondola and look out to see all the lifts and terrain available. If you want black and double- black terrain, they鈥檝e got it. You want blues, they have that too! You need some greens for the first-timers and young ones, they have that as well. Well-groomed with fast long runs but also plenty of untouched terrain that鈥檚 great for powder or bump skiing. If you want to really ski, go here!鈥�

21. Crested Butte Resort, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.11
Strengths: Local Flavor, Apr猫s
Weaknesses: Snow, Access

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What Readers Say

鈥淲hat can you say about a beautiful ski town? It鈥檚 called Crested Butte. This place has charm. The skiing is out of this world with some really dry pow and terrain that鈥檚 meant to challenge you and humble you.鈥�

20. Vail Mountain, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.12
Strengths: Dining, Nightlife
Weaknesses: Value, Service

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What Readers Say

鈥淰ail is an amazing place. It鈥檚 vast, stunningly beautiful, and has terrain to challenge any level of skier. The Back Bowls, especially Blue Sky Basin, are incredible, and are worth the trip just on their own. However, the sheer size of the place can sometimes be intimidating, and for an intermediate skier like myself, it can be easy to get in over your head, so it鈥檚 important to map out your day in advance and talk to some people with local knowledge to get the lowdown.鈥�

19. Loveland Ski Area, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.14
Strengths: Value, Access
Weaknesses: Lodging, Nightlife

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What Readers Say

鈥淟oveland is old school. Affordable. No frills. In the day lodge (practically the only base-area amenity) you鈥檒l see tables of locals who all know each other. They all greet each other by name. Everyone boots up inside, gets a cafeteria coffee and chats at big round tables. It鈥檚 so warm and convivial as well as affordable. Must be one of the least expensive day tickets in the state if not the nation. Very friendly, uncrowded, old-school vibe. Reminds me of Vermont in the 鈥�70s before base area villages were even a thing. If you want a mellow, affordable, no stress, no frills day that will leave you relaxed and peaceful, this is the place.鈥�

18. Arapahoe Basin, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.16
Strengths: Value, Local Flavor
Weaknesses: Family, Lodging

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What Readers Say

鈥淚f I am taking a trip to Colorado, I always make it a point to ski A-basin. I love how it鈥檚 a mountain and not a resort, giving you just what you need. Plus the parking lot tailgating is always fun.鈥�

17. Breckenridge Resort, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.20
Strengths: Apr猫s, Nightlife
Weaknesses: Value, Service

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What Readers Say

鈥淏reck offers the ambiance of a small town with big-mountain skiing right outside your door. The variety of terrain, excellent grooming, outstanding local lodging/dining/entertainment options and easy access from Denver make it my top pick for Colorado skiing.鈥�

16. Beaver Creek Resort, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.20
Strengths: Grooming, Service
Weaknesses: Value, Variety

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What Readers Say

鈥淏eaver Creek is the best-kept secret in skiing. Just ten miles west of Vail, it gets 1/4 of the skier traffic, with terrain that in some cases eclipses that of its older brother. It鈥檚 the only place in the United States where you can sample a mainstay on the World Cup downhill circuit. I guarantee you鈥檒l never forget the first time you ski past the double-black diamond warning sign that says 鈥楻ace conditions may exist鈥� and plunge over the Brink, not knowing whether said conditions exist until after it鈥檚 too late to turn back.鈥�

15. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyoming

Overall Score: 8.21
Strengths: Challenge, Snow
Weaknesses: Family, Access

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What Readers Say

鈥淓ver since I can remember or maybe since the first time I saw Warren Miller鈥檚 鈥淪teep and Deep鈥� (which was when I was pretty young), it was a dream of mine to ride the Jackson Hole Aerial Tram. This dream came true during the 鈥�19/21 season, when my parents and I got out there for a few days. I absolutely loved the chutes at Jackson Hole! Even with poor snow conditions they were still fully covered, and they are long enough to have a lot of fun. I can鈥檛 say Jackson Hole would be my first recommendation for beginner skiers, but it is an absolute must for people who are looking for some awesome steep terrain.鈥�

14. Lake Louise Resort, Alberta

Overall Score: 8.23
Strengths: Access, Variety
Weaknesses: Lodging, Overall Satisfaction

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What Readers Say

鈥淟ake Louise has dry snow and it鈥檚 windy so it refreshes most nights even without new snow. You can find dry fresh pow days after a snowfall. The Lake has more expert terrain than the other areas close to home. The avy crew is the best around and the trail crew farm snow better than most ski hills anywhere, capturing our dry snow as it blows over the mountain leaving fresh lines each morning. The views from the hill are some of the best in the world of endless snow-covered mountain peaks. It鈥檚 like a dream鈥攏o really, just ask people who come here from around the world. There is always good skiing to be had at the Lake, you just need to go.鈥�

13. Park City Resort, Utah

Overall Score: 8.24
Strengths: Access, Dining
Weaknesses: Snow, Value

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What Readers Say

鈥淚f you are traveling with a larger group, Park City is sure to meet the needs of everyone in your party. The mountain is so ginormous, if you can鈥檛 find terrain that interests you, it probably doesn鈥檛 exist anywhere. The town of Park City has plenty of shopping and dining options. Overall, Park City should serve any traveling group well. With a huge selection of on-mountain terrain, in-town shopping and dining, and lodging to fit any need, if you can鈥檛 find what you need here, you probably aren鈥檛 going to find it anywhere else.鈥�

12. Winter Park Resort, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.25
Strengths: Family, Lifts
Weaknesses: Dining, Nightlife

Read the resort review and get trip-planning tips: No.12, Winter Park Resort

What Readers Say

鈥淢y husband and I try to visit all the different resorts in Colorado in order to find our favorite, and out of the eight we have visited, Winter Park ranks up at the top for both of us. The mountain has a good flow, lift lines were short, the runs were challenging, but not too challenging. It was an overall great experience as we skied first to last lift!鈥�

11. Copper Mountain, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.30
Strengths: Lifts, Access
Weaknesses: Dining, Nightlife

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What Readers Say

鈥淐opper has a huge variety of terrain spread across this large resort, so there are plenty of options for every level. Great, long groomers in both lower-intermediate and upper-intermediate ranges. Limited truly extreme terrain, but even some pockets of deserving double-diamonds in several locations. And much more and better tree skiing than most people know.鈥�

10. Steamboat Resort, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.40
Strengths: Family, Dining
Weaknesses: Challenge, Value

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What Readers Say

鈥淎 great family resort. Lots of terrain on the mountain and lots of things to do off the hill. The area around the resort and the town have lots to offer. Great restaurants, bars and a few breweries make Steamboat a great destination. Spring skiing is fun and the outdoor apr猫s facilities are a fun time. They even have live music daily outside. 鈥�

9. Whitefish Mountain Resort, Montana

Overall Score: 8.42
Strengths: Local Flavor, Value
Weaknesses: Grooming, Snow

(Photo: Grant Gunderson)

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What Readers Say

鈥淥nce you have skied or snowboarded in Whitefish, you will always want to come back. It is the perfect mountain to ski, snowboard and apr猫s-ski for beginners, experts and everyone in between. It has everything you want and nothing you don鈥檛 want.鈥�

8. Snowbasin Resort, Utah

Overall Score: 8.45
Strengths: Lifts, Service
Weaknesses: Nightlife, Lodging

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What Readers Say

鈥淚 hate letting people in on our secret but sharing is caring. Our resort is one of the best. They work hard for opening day and maintain the mountain so well during the ski season. It can be super busy on Saturday but that鈥檚 because the secret is out.鈥�

7. Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico

Overall Score: 8.45
Strengths: Challenge, Overall Satisfaction
Weaknesses: Access, Nightlife

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What Readers Say

鈥淚 love the mountain and the vibe of TSV鈥擨鈥檝e been traveling there every winter for over 22 yrs. It has a feel all its own, and their Adult Ski Week program is unparalleled鈥攅very time I go I advance my skills. Everyone should experience Taos at least once, but it鈥檚 addicting! They get a good amount of snow each season, but even during dry spells the snow is kept in great condition.鈥�

6. Telluride Ski Resort, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.50
Strengths: Variety, Dining
Weaknesses: Value, Access

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What Readers Say

鈥淭elluride is our favorite resort for two reasons. First, the most beautiful ski area, hands down, in the US. Secondly, for the most part, best snow you鈥檒l ski anywhere. A perfect blend of light, yet dense, so you鈥檒l ski better on this snow than on any other. A complete boost for the ego.鈥�

5. Banff Sunshine, Alberta

Overall Score: 8.59
Strengths: Lifts, Snow
Weaknesses: Nightlife, Challenge

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What Readers Say

鈥淥nce you take the gondola up the mountain you have a variety of lifts to take you to several different peaks with virtually no lines. And the best part is your pass only gets scanned once for the gondola and then never again! On each run I can take easier paths while kids do more challenging runs, then we meet at the lift for another long run.鈥�

4. Whistler Blackcomb, B.C.

Overall Score: 8.55
Strengths: Variety, Nightlife
Weaknesses: Snow, Value

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What Readers Say

鈥淲histler is the total package. You鈥檙e surrounded by beautiful mountains and there is a village at the base of the mountain that you can walk to with nightlife and very good restaurants. Everything is right there. You never have to travel again once you get to your destination. And the snow is typically awesome!鈥�

3. Aspen Snowmass, Colorado

Overall Score: 8.68
Strengths: Nightlife, Lifts
Weaknesses: Value, Access

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What Readers Say

鈥淎spen is a wonderful vacation for Coloradans looking to get away from the closer-to-Denver mountains. Downtown Aspen is fantastic and as a somewhat local you can still feel at home and not under the pressure to buy into a ritzy trip. Highlands is a family favorite, but Bonnie鈥檚 at Ajax is still one of the best鈥攖ake a break to grab a sweet treat and coffee.鈥�

2. Deer Valley Resort, Utah

Overall Score: 8.74
Strengths: Family, Access
Weaknesses: Challenge, Variety

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What Readers Say

鈥淒eer Valley has been the best resort we have skied at thus far. The customer service is exceptional, the Utah powder is like no other, the food/restaurants/amenities/apr猫s both at the resort, and in town, are exceptional. I recommend Deer Valley, and Park City, to everyone. These are the reasons why we have skied there numerous times and will continue to go back every opportunity we get.鈥�

1. Sun Valley Resort, Idaho

Overall Score: 8.91
Strengths: Grooming, Service
Weaknesses: Access, Snow

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What Readers Say

鈥淪un Valley is just magical. The village and the Lodge can鈥檛 be topped. The mountain is perfectly maintained and has perfect pitch on every run. The history makes it fun to be a part of. The Holding family are supreme stewards of this jewel. 鈥�

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Sugarbush

Fresh Tracks

Heli- and cat skiing have long been luxuries afforded only to western skiers. Sugarbush changes half that with its new cat program, which gives 13 skiers free rein on the venerable resort’s New England聳style trails any morning the fresh stuff falls. Congregate in Timbers Restaurant at 6:45 A.M., then pile into the Lincoln Limo, a flatscreen-TV-equipped cat that rolls the crew to Sugarbush South’s 4,000-foot summit. Reservations are best made a day in advance. (We suggest you bookmark NOAA’s storm-watch Web site, , and look for eastbound weather systems above the Great Lakes.) From $75;

: Stowe

Euro Style

Stowe Mountain Resort

With its exposed, alpine-style peak, international crowd, and plummeting trails, Stowe has always felt like a grand European resort. Now it finally has the lodging and amenities of one. Opened in 2008, the stone-and-timber Stowe Mountain Lodge affords Vail-style luxury (doubles from $230; ), while the nearby Spruce Camp Base Lodge聴a complex of apr猫s bars, retail shops, and outdoor fire pits聴provides post-skiing fun. The slopes have been upgraded, too: Intermediate-friendly Spruce Peak has two new high-speed quads and a fully automated snowmaking system, plus a ten-person gondola accessing Mount Mansfield’s superior steeps. Lift tickets, $84;

: Mad River Glen

Old-School

Mad River Glen

The only news coming out of Mad River Glen is that there is no news, and that’s how its 1,800 ski-hard shareholders like it. In fact, the closest thing to an upgrade happened in 2007, when Mad River renovated its legendary single-chair聴the last in the lower 48聴with an electric motor. Everything else remains the same. Which is to say, untamed. Steep trails follow the mountain’s fall lines, huck-worthy boulders abound in the glades, and lurching lifts ensure that slopes never get crowded. Showboat down the bump-rutted Chute, beneath the lift’s highly opinionated audience, then nurse your bruised ego over a pint of Magic Hat’s Single Chair Ale at the General Stark’s Pub. Midweek lift tickets, $39; weekend tickets, $62;

: Killington

Best Park

Due to its high prices and Manhattanite-choked slopes, Killington gets the worst rap of all Vermont ski areas. Which isn’t entirely fair聴on this coast, the resort’s size and terrain go unmatched. Spanning seven miles across six peaks, Killington serves up more than 3,000 feet of vertical. Then there’s the Stash, a year-old, all-natural terrain park designed with the help of Jake Burton. The half-mile-long park offers glades, log slides, and even a sugar-shack warming hut, whose steeply pitched roof doubles as a massive kicker. At day’s end, saddle up to the Lookout Bar and Grill’s mountain-view deck, then crash at the Killington Grand Resort Hotel and Spa. Doubles from $199; lift tickets, $77;

Skiing Back West

WESTERN PREP


Fly Like a Grommet


There’s a reason those X Gamers make their aerials look effortless: They’ve got the world’s best training facilities at their disposal. Oh, and talent. This winter, Woodward at Copper, a new action-sports training academy at Colorado’s Copper Mountain, begins offering at least half that recipe with a three-story Snowflex center. Coaches like Olympic gymnast Phoebe Mills and X Gamer Jess Cumming will have you landing flips (in a foam pit) after the first lesson. Daylong courses, $199;

NORTHWESTERN PAD


Trail Trailers


Mazama, Washington’s year-old, steel-and-wood Rolling Huts take minimalist prefab architecture into the adventure realm. Set on 40 acres in the ponderosa-heavy Methow Valley, the six fireplace-and-WiFi-equipped huts, designed by architect Tom Kundig to resemble a souped-up trailer park, provide direct access to the Methow’s 125-mile network of groomed nordic trails. Hut rentals, $110;

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EASTERN PROMISES

We love the steep, off-piste terrain and mellow vibe. But what makes Jay Peak, Vermont, our favorite New England area is the snow. It consistently gets about 20 percent more than other eastern resorts.

STEEP THRILLS

A winding dirt road and two antique double chairs keep the crowds away from Nelson, British Columbia’s Whitewater, so you get plenty of snow to yourself. Fifty-plus feet a year falls on steep slopes dotted with trees straight out of a Dr. Seuss book. The locals call it Kootenay Gold. You should sample some.

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

With more than 900 vertical feet of legitimately steep terrain, a base area that consists of three interconnected yurts, and not a single groomed run, Michigan’s Mount Bohemia is the Midwest’s most challenging resort. The only catch? It’s in the Upper Peninsula, a six-hour drive from Minneapolis.

UTAH’S SECRET

It’s huge (5,500 acres total) and sees just a fraction of the skiers that Utah’s better-known resorts do. But here’s the best thing about Powder Mountain: For 12 bucks, you can catch a cat ride to Lightning Ridge, where 700 sparsely gladed acres of 2,200-foot-long runs await.

OLD-SCHOOL CALI

Kirkwood is small聴two high-speed quads, 2,300 acres聴but it’s also steep and gnarly. (The annual Subaru North American Freeskiing Championship is hosted here.) Nightlife? Bub’s Pub is a hole in the wall with a jukebox and a pool table.

Resort Picks: Steeps

Bring your A game to these fall-line meccas

TRAINING GROUND
Want to get a better handle on steep skiing? Taos’s ridge and west basin聴which are pinstriped with 500-vertical-foot chutes, many with trees聴dish up the type of bowling-lane-wide rodeo skiing that’s great for improving your technical skills.

HIGH VARIETY

With easily accessed shots like the Big Couloir off Lone Peak, Montana’s Big Sky has long held some of the steepest above-treeline skiing in North America. And Moonlight Basin, which runs lifts up the other side of Lone Peak, opened up next door in 2003. Now that you can ski them both on the same lift ticket, there’s effectively twice as much expert terrain. bigskyresort.com,

SHOWTIME
The birthplace of America’s extreme movement, Squaw Valley’s cliff-strewn KT-22 and Palisades areas used to be the exclusive habitat of deranged locals and huck-for-money pros. But today’s rockered powder skis (see page 24) make these slopes accessible to the rest of us.

THE STEEPEST CAT
Most cat-ski operations serve up uniformly low-angle powder skiing. Not Chatter Creek, whose lodge is a short heli-ride outside of Golden, British Columbia: It’s run by a bunch of adventure guides who aren’t afraid to bump up the pitch. From $1,395 for three days;

HELI-HEAVEN
Because British Columbia’s jagged Coast Range gets blanketed every winter in wet dumps, it has a more stable snowpack. Translation: Bella Coola Heli Sports can safely guide clients down steeper terrain than outfits in other ranges. From $7,230 per week;

Resort Picks: Sidecountry

A little bit of effort at these resorts offers big rewards

BIG START
At over 12,000 feet, Copper Mountain‘s Copper Bowl is perfect for testing your legs and lungs. A free snowcat ride (tip not included) and a short hike take you to the top of Tucker Mountain, where you can line up wide, 30-to-35-degree chutes.
Tip: It can get wind-scoured quickly, so try to hit it just after a storm.

GO WITH PROS

Most European resorts have guides to take you beyond the pistes. In the U.S., forget it聴unless you’re at Jackson Hole, where the resort’s in-house pros lead customers to the same drainages the locals ski. Guide not in the budget? Plenty of hike-to terrain awaits in Cody Bowl. Guides from $370 per half-day;

NEW KID IN TOWN

Canada’s newest mega-destination, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, consumed an existing snowcat operation, a heli-skiing outfit, and a smaller ski area to create one big sidecountry experience聴it’s avalanche-controlled but wild. Pay for the bird or the cat or explore the 3,000-acre resort on your own.

LIMITLESS OPTIONS
There’s literally a lifetime of skiing within striking range of Whistler Blackcomb’s perimeter聴all of which is fair game. If you don’t have the skills, you might be better off hiking for your powder turns above the controlled Blackcomb Glacier, a perfectly pitched (35 degrees) playground.

ACROSS THE LINE

The best in-bounds skiing at Alta聴Devil’s Castle, East Castle, Catherine’s Area聴requires quad-burning sidestep traverses or boot-packs up aprons. Tracked up? On the other side of the rope, you’re almost guaranteed to find fresh snow. Alaska Mountain Guides offers half- and full-day ski tours. From $115;

Resort Picks: Lodges

Make the most of winter at these snowy getaways

ONE-STOP SHOP
Just 40 minutes by floatplane from Anchorage, your backcountry castle awaits. Chugach Powder Guides’ swanky, 5,600-square-foot Tordrillo Mountain Lodge is open most of the year, but if you wait until June, you can heli-ski, fish for king salmon right out your door, and whitewater-raft聴all in the same trip. $8,200/five days;

UNPLUG AND PLAY

Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness can be a zoo in the summer, but come winter it’s deserted. The family-owned Bearskin Lodge‘s 11 rustic cabins have neither televisions nor phones and sit beside 48 miles of groomed skate-skiing and classic trails. From $115;

PRIVATE PENINSULA

With its lakefront views, supple leather armchairs, and chiseled-stone fireplaces, your lavishly appointed “cabin” will be tough to leave. But staying indoors would be crazy. The Point, a former Rockefeller Great Camp, sits on 77 acres of pristine Adirondack real estate and is stocked with snowshoes and cross-country skis. From $1,350;

THE BIG PAYOFFLooking for something more adventurous? Sun Valley Trekking’s Coyote Yurt is a six-and-a-half-mile, 2,300-vertical-foot haul from the trailhead. Your reward: a wood-fired sauna, sweeping views of the Boulder and Pioneer ranges, and endless terrain for backcountry skiing in the surrounding Sawtooth National Forest. From $150 (guides available);

NORTHWEST ESCAPE

Washington State’s Methow Valley has more than a million acres of wilderness, with 110 miles of cross-country-ski trails. Take it easy and stay at Mazama Country Inn, which has a great restaurant, a rental shop next door, and quick access to the nearby overnight-hut system. From $115;

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Road Trips

skiing road trip

Snowshoe Break: on the road in Colorado

High-Speed Ski Safari
Why choose between Summit County’s bounty, Jackson’s steeps, Steamboat’s trees, and Big Sky’s big sky? On this nine-day, Denver-to-Bozeman Rockies odyssey, they’re all yours. Day One: Rent a car for the 90-minute drive west from Denver to Summit County, then head to Keystone (877-625-1556, ) for blue cruisers. If your quads can stand it, dive off Peak 7 at Breckenridge (800-404-3535, ).
Overnight: Two nights at Galena Street Mountain Inn (doubles from $79; 800-248-9138, ), a tidy, mission-style lodge in Frisco.
Day Two: Find that hidden powder stash off the Upper East Wall at Arapahoe Basin (888-272-7246, ). For long, tree-lined runs, drive up I-70 to Copper Mountain Resort (866-841-2481, ).
Day Three: From I-70, head north on Colorado 9 along the Blue River. On U.S. 40, pass through the snowy spruce of 9,426-foot Rabbit Ears Pass before dropping into the ranch country of Steamboat Springs.
Overnight: Two nights at Vista Verde Guest and Ski Ranch ($250–$400 per person per night, meals included; 800-526-7433, ), where you can cross-country ski on 18.6 miles of trails.
Day Four: All Colorado resorts blow hot air about champagne powder, but Steamboat (877-237-2628, ) delivers, especially between the trees. Or spoil yourself with a day of snowcat skiing with Steamboat Powdercats ($259–$359 for a full day; 800-288-0543, ).
Day Five: Head for the deserts of southwestern Wyoming, then north on U.S. 191 to Jackson, where the Tetons tower over the pancake-flat plains.
Overnight: The Alpine House (doubles, $125; 800-753-1421, ).
Day Six: Check out the scary vertical of Jackson Hole (888-333-7766, ) or head 45 minutes northwest through Idaho, on Route 33, and back into Wyoming to Grand Targhee (800-827-4433, ). Averaging more than 500 inches of snow a year, Targhee’s like the promised land.
Overnight: Alpine House, in Jackson, or Targhee’s slopeside Teewinot Lodge (doubles from $59; 800-827-4433, ).
Day Seven: Drive northwest to Montana, and pick up U.S. 191 to Big Sky (800-548-4486, ).
Overnight: Two nights at the Summit at Big Sky (doubles from $144; 800-548-4486, ), a ten-story high-rise.
Day Eight: Ski your heart out at Big Sky—with 750 miles under your belt, this is the end of the line.
Day Nine: Mourn your real-world reentry while driving north on U.S. 191 to the Bozemen airport, where you can ditch the rig and wing back to reality.—P.O.

Thrills
Zip, Don’t Rip
Downhill resorts are going Disney with the ZIPRIDER, a nylon chair slung beneath a steel cable that zooms downhill at speeds up to 60 miles per hour. Don’t worry: A brake system kicks in as the descent steepens. Park City debuted its ride two years ago ($17; 800-453-1360, ); Snowbird added a similar rig in August ($15; 800-232-9542, ). —Ryan Brandt
Nightlife
Bright Lights, Big Mountain
With 15 runs and almost 300 illuminated acres, KEYSTONE’s got the market cornered on Colorado night skiing. Use your day pass until the lights go off at 8 p.m. 877-625-1556,
Sure, it’s New Jersey. But MOUNTAIN CREEK, near Vernon, is a rambunctious scene with both lights and music at full blast. The superpipe is serious enough to warrant a February Grand Prix event. 973-827-2000,
SKI NORQUAY, just outside Banff, is open for night skiing on Fridays only, but on other evenings you can assemble 50 or so buddies and rent the place—$40 per person—for a private party. 403-762-4421, —P. O.

exum mountain guides

I Lead, You Follow: Doug Coombs on the edge above Jackson Hole

Guided Descents
Go Way Out of Bounds
Widely viewed as the most challenging downhill slope in the lower 48, Wyoming’s 13,771-foot Grand Teton is characterized by icy snow and lethal exposure. The two-day, 7,000-vertical-foot descent had never been nailed by a commercially guided client until June, when EXUM MOUNTAIN GUIDES’ Doug Coombs, 44, and Mark Newcomb, 37, escorted Cameron Romero, 38, of Park City, down via a ski-belay system they developed that lets the client ski normally with a rope attached to his harness. Exum (307-733-2297, ) maintains that the Grand is far too tough to open it to just anybody. “This is going to be a rare event,” says Al Read, the company’s co-owner. “Conditions have to be perfect.” But if Exum is comfortable with your skills (that is, how you did on previous, tamer Tetons expeditions with the company), a guide will take you up and down Wyoming’s most imposing mountain for a cool $1,650.—R. S.

Air Time
Go Huck Yourself
SUGAR BOWL, CALIFORNIA: The closest ski area to San Francisco, Sugar Bowl (530-426-9000, ) is the proud owner of—in the immortal words of Web blogger C. Horn, from Granite Bay, California—”big rocks to huck ‘n’ chuck your wares.” Horn knows what he’s talking about. The mountain is rife with couloirs, spikes, boulders, cornices, and knobs, and a majority of its leaps are manageable by most advanced skiers. The area’s average annual snowfall of almost 500 inches promises soft landings, too. What’s more, Eric DesLauriers, a former ski-film star, runs Sugar Bowl’s advanced clinics through All-Mountain Ski Pros (full-day, $390–$440; 888-754-2201, ) and can show you how to handle off-piste air.
SQUAW VALLEY, CALIFORNIA: Like to watch? Carve a seat at the Palisades, a 300-foot-wide cliff band that explains why Squaw (800-545-5430, ) is considered by many to be the birthplace of American extreme skiing. And the countless Arriflex-toting cinematographers who flock to this pilgrimage site explain why the resort has been dubbed Squawllywood. Scot Schmidt, Shane McConkey, and dozens of other pro freeskiers have made their name on the steep, narrow chutes striping the Palisades. It’s a voyeur’s delight, with prime, front-row viewing available from the runout zone, Siberia Bowl. Note: Catch the show on weekdays; Squaw often closes the Palisades on Saturdays and Sundays to keep weekend warriors from staining the snow an unsightly red.—R. S.
Terrain Park
One Smokin’ Pipe
The crew that built the 492-foot-long, 66-foot-wide SUPERPIPE ON BLACKCOMB MOUNTAIN, in British Columbia, like to joke that it’s so big you can see it from space. A slight exaggeration, but the action will be easy to spot when the likes of Shaun White, Ross Powers, and Danny Kass give the halfpipe its first test runs, in the Snowboard World Championships, January 15 to 23. Located at Base II, the pipe is easily accessible for both spectators and groms itching to give it a go. One caveat: This beast will attract a trash-talking crowd, so expect no mercy if you execute a flailing face plant.—R. B.

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Slicing through powder at Copper Mountain

Q: Can you tell me which ski areas open the earliest? Would it be worth making a trip to snag some early turns or am I better off waiting?

— Heidi Hagemeier,
Bend, Oregon



国产吃瓜黑料 Advisor:

A: I was outside today near my home in northern New Mexico in shorts and not much else, looking up at the bare mountains and wondering if I hadn’t made a mistake in buying a season pass to our little local hill. You can imagine my surprise when I phoned up various ski resort associations and discovered that three areas in Colorado and one in New Hampshire are already open. Granted, it’s still the pre-early season by almost any standard, but the thought of getting in a few turns now, while I’m still finishing off the Halloween treats I robbed from little kids, seems far-fetched as I sweat in the sun.

Loveland, Arapahoe Basin, and Copper Mountain were all in the running to capture the title of first resort to open-and to stay open-but Loveland landed the win when it opened on Tuesday, October 28. A-Basin opened over the Halloween weekend, and Copper Mountain officials report their lifts also started up for the season on November 1. In New Hampshire, Tenney Mountain opened October 4, but only on the weekends and Wednesdays, with a zero- to five-inch base and no lifts running. The mountain is attracting snowboarders mostly interested in doing tricks on the area’s terrain park. Tickets at Tenney are $20. (603-536-4125; )
None of the resorts, of course, are open at anywhere near full capacity and most of the snow you’d be carving is of the manmade variety. Still, they all offer discounted tickets and the chance to see just how out of shape you’ve gotten during the shoulder season. Loveland seems to be the best bet for early skiing as it’s the only resort with full top-to-bottom skiing. Snow reports say there’s a 10- to 20-inch base. The one chair that’s running will take you up about 1,000 vertical feet, where you can link three green runs to get you back to the base. Tickets are $30 for folks 15 years old and up, $15 for kids. (800-736-3754; ).

The folks at A-Basin can’t be too upset as this year is still the earliest they’ve been able to open, thanks to a new investment in snow-making machinery. They’re reporting one lift and one run are open. The Exhibition Lift takes skiers up about 780 vertical feet to the mid mountain, where they can hop on the intermediate High Noon run and slide down for about a half mile to the base. There’s a 12- to 20-inch base and tickets cost $35 for adults or $25 for kids up to 14 years old. (888-272-7246; ).

At Copper Mountain, the Ptarmigan run, an intermediate, is open for the general skiing public, while racers are currently running laps on the Copperopolis slope. Two chairs are currently running, and for the snowboarders and tricksters out there, there are some rails set up and ready to go. The base coverage is 20-24 inches, and tickets cost $31 for adults and $20 for kids up to 13 years old. (866-841-2481; )

So is it worth it? If you’re sleeping with your boots on-as a friend says she’s now doing-then by all means a few early turns could prove to be more comfortable. Then again, most resorts will open Thanksgiving. And who knows, maybe the season pass will seem like a good idea by then.

Planning a trip of your own?

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JANUARY

Once more into the breach: staring down the chutes of Alta

Alta Ski Area/Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, Utah
WITH ABOUT 500 INCHES of smoke-light Utah powder falling annually in Little Cottonwood Canyon, neighbors Alta and Snowbird are famous for a reason. And January is often the snowiest month, sometimes spectacularly so. The area has been known to receive 100 inches of snow in 100 hours. And, lucky you, the resorts have aggressive policies toward allowing people on the mountain after big storms, adhering to the time-tested theory that skiers help to compact new snow layers and stabilize the snowpack. Enjoy the benefits on the wide-open spaces of Greeley Bowl; then, when conditions permit, slip through the Keyhole from Alta to Snowbird and schuss the steep chutes of Peruvian Gulch. Skiers are welcome at both mountains, but snowboarders are anachronistically barred from Alta.
COOL DIGS: The slopeside Alta Lodge (doubles, $276-$449, including breakfast and dinner; 800-707-2582, ) dates back to 1939 and oozes woodsy charm. The Cliff Lodge at Snowbird is all steel, glass, and concrete and has a first-rate spa (doubles, $1,556 for five nights, including three-day lift tickets; 800-453-3000, ).
MOUNTAIN STATS: summit, 11,000 feet (Snowbird); vertical drop, 3,240 feet (Snowbird); skiable acres, 4,700 (Alta and Snowbird); annual snowfall, 500 inches
LIFT TICKET: $38, Alta; $56, Snowbird; $64 for a ticket valid at both resorts Contact: Alta, 888-782-9258, ; Snowbird, 800-453-3000,

Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado
ASPEN’S NOTORIOUS GLITTERATI typically wait until later in the season, for warmer weather, to do their vacationing, or they simply retreat from January’s winter chill to one of Aspen’s $25-per-entree restaurants, leaving the mountains all but deserted. The skiing terrain at the four areas that make up Aspen/Snowmass (Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, and Buttermilk) totals 4,893 acres, meaning that a powder day is usually a day of soulful solitude. The real goods are stashed at Aspen Highlands, where Highland Bowl (gradually opened to legal skiing over the last four years) has quickly become the gold standard of in-bounds steep skiing in Colorado. Be sure to pick up “The Highlands Extreme Guide,” a trail map devoted exclusively to Highlands’ hardcore terrain and to the Bowl’s 40-degree-plus lines.
COOL DIGS: Tucked into a corner of downtown Aspen, the glass, stone, and right angles of Hearthstone House (doubles, $189-$299, breakfast included; 888-925-7632, ) evoke the architectural sensibilities of Frank Lloyd Wright.
MOUNTAIN STATS: summit, 12,392 feet (Highland Bowl); vertical drop, 3,635 feet (Aspen Highlands); skiable acres, 4,893 (all four mountains); annual snowfall, 300 inches
LIFT TICKET: $68 for all four areas contact: 800-525-6200,

February

Jackson Hole, Wyoming
NO RESORT IN THE UNITED STATES can match Jackson’s jumbled package of steep chutes, cliffs, and huge, open bowls, and that doesn’t even include the truly harrowing stuff just outside the boundary ropes. This terrain attracts high-caliber skiers (maybe America’s best), and watching them from the chairlift is akin to popping in a video by Teton Gravity Research. It can take 40-50 inches of snow to cover Jackson’s rocky underpinnings, a fact that sometimes limits the early-season possibilities. That’s why Jackson is at its best in the heart of winter. Sure, it can be cold (below-freezing temperatures aren’t uncommon in February), but there’s always the enclosed tram or gondola for weather protection. Plus, the fall line will make you work up a sweat.
COOL DIGS: Alpine House (doubles, $110-$245; 800-753-1421, ), an inn run by two former U.S. Ski Teamers, Hans and Nancy Johnstone, is in the town of Jackson—ively than Teton Village, at the ski-area base.
MOUNTAIN STATS: summit, 10,450 feet; vertical drop, 4,139 feet; skiable acres, 2,500; annual snowfall, 400 inches
LIFT TICKET: $61 Contact: 888-838-6606,

Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico
WHEN A MIDWINTER CHILL settles in over the central and northern Rockies, head to New Mexico. That might seem crazy if you’re already in Albuquerque, where February temperatures commonly reach the fifties and the monthly precipitation is less than half an inch. But three hours north in Taos, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains rise 5,000 feet from the surrounding desert to 12,000 feet, an orographic bull’s-eye where passing clouds relinquish the driest snow in America. Taos is also a four-letter word for steep: More than half of the terrain is rated expert, legitimately so. But on the dry, ice-free snow, skiers (snowboarders are not allowed) can be confident of holding an edge.
COOL DIGS: The Hotel Saint Bernard, a slopeside French-alpine-style hotel, is run by Jean Mayer, a legend in North American ski instruction (seven-day, all-inclusive packages—lodging, meals, lifts, lessons—start at $1,490; 505-776-2251, ). Mountain Stats: summit, 12,481 feet; vertical drop, 3,244 feet; skiable acres, 1,294; annual snowfall, 312 inches
LIFT TICKET: $49 Contact: 800-347-7414,

March

Able to leap tall bumps in a single bound: flying high over Stowe’s finest

Stowe Mountain Resort, Vermont
THE SNOW-PLASTERED, treeless summit of Stowe’s Mount Mansfield is striated with cliff bands—impressive stuff, but not always inviting in the dead freeze of a New England winter. Yet by March, Stowe’s snowiest month, the cold relents, the snow softens, and the skiing is as good as anywhere in the country. The moguls on the steeps of Stowe’s famous Front Four trails become navigable rather than knuckle-hard. The locals take advantage of the lengthening days of spring by being at the lift when it opens at 7:30 on powder days. They beat the crowds and score first tracks, then kick back for a few hours, letting the sun go to work, and ski corn in the afternoon.
COOL DIGS: The Trapp Family Lodge (doubles, $180-$485; 800-826-7000, ), with its chalet-like eaves and flower-painted walls, is reminiscent of the kind of Austrian setting that its owners (yes, the beloved singing family) made famous in The Sound of Music.
MOUNTAIN STATS: summit, 4,395 feet; vertical drop, 2,360 feet; skiable acres, 480; annual snowfall, 260 inches
LIFT TICKET: $58 (2001脨2002 price) Contact: 800-253-4754,

Telluride Ski Resort, Colorado
EVERYBODY LOVES THE WAMR DAYS of spring, but not everybody loves the warm, sloppy snow. For an antidote, head to Telluride, where the high elevations (between 10,000 and 12,000 feet) keep the snow midwinter dry. Ride the lifts to the steep chutes of Gold Hill or hike to the similarly steep chutes of Prospect Bowl, opened just last year. But if pounding soft spring moguls is your thing, head to the lower half of the mountain and take on classic bump runs like The Plunge and Spiral Stairs. Either way, you get stunning vistas of Colorado’s San Juan Mountains and plenty of spring sun.
COOL DIGS: Built in 1891 as the centerpiece of Main Street, The New Sheridan Hotel (doubles, $100-$300; 800-200-1891, ) summons the spirit of Telluride in its mining-town glory years.
MOUNTAIN STATS: summit, 12,260 feet; vertical drop, 3,530 feet; skiable acres, 1,700; annual snowfall, 310 inches
LIFT TICKET: $65 Contact: 800-801-4832,

April

Big Sky Resort, Montana
COME THE FIRST WEEK of April, you can score a great package deal and stay in the slopeside Huntley Lodge for hundreds of dollars less than typical midwinter prices. And when you look out your window at Big Sky’s Lone Peak in the morning, you’ll realize what you really came for: some of the best all-mountain skiing in North America. The mountain’s multiple exposures are ideal for making the best of spring conditions, but for those with big cajones, the supersteep Big Couloir is the perfect place to find dry snow.
COOL DIGS: Huntley Lodge ($709 per person for seven nights, including a six-day ski pass and breakfast; 800-548-4486, ) is not ashamed to be western. Think elk-antler chandelier, bronze bear sculpture, and river-rock fireplace.
MOUNTAIN STATS: summit, 11,150 feet; vertical drop, 4,350 feet; skiable acres, 3,600; annual snowfall, 400 inches
LIFT TICKET: $58 Contact: 800-548-4486;

Snowbasin, Utah
EVEN WITH ITS CELEBRITY status—it hosted the 2002 Olympic downhills—its 3,200 skiable acres, and its nine lifts (including two gondolas and a high-speed quad) that access 2,950 vertical feet, Snowbasin is still waiting for its first winter with more than 100,000 skier visits. (A place like Vail sees that many people in a couple of weeks.) Snowbasin remains the best undiscovered ski area in the country…for now. Hit the steeps of John Paul, almost 3,000 feet of vertical on a sustained 30-degree pitch, or carve the vast open spaces of Strawberry Bowl.
COOL DIGS: The Snowberry Inn (doubles, $65-$115, including breakfast; 888-334-3466, ) in nearby Eden is a log cabin with an old-school, ski-lodge feeling.
MOUNTAIN STATS: summit, 9,465 feet; vertical drop, 2,950 feet; skiable acres, 3,200; annual snowfall, 400 inches
LIFT TICKET: $48 Contact: 888-437-5488,

May

Livin’ single: hucking big air off Mount Bachelor

Mount Bachelor, Oregon
THE WHITE, VOLCANIC DOME of Mount Bachelor sits high above its warm, semi-arid surroundings like a scoop of ice cream on a plate of green-brown sage. The jockaholics from nearby Bend might be biking, running, and rafting, but there’1s still about a 100-inch base up on the mountain in May for everyone who can’t shake their winter-sport habit. For all of its conical symmetry from afar, Mount Bachelor is, in fact, full of subtle irregularities: lateral ridges, nubs of volcanic rock, short slots through the rocks, and all manner of swoops and rolls. Which is why new-school skiers and snowboarders flock to this natural-terrain park.
COOL DIGS: The Pine Ridge Inn (doubles, $130-$275, including breakfast; 800-600-4095, ) has romantic gas-flame fireplaces in each room, but it’s the view from the balcony above the Deschutes River that will really warm your spirits.
MOUNTAIN STATS: summit, 9,065 feet; vertical drop, 3,365 feet; skiable acres, 3,683; annual snowfall, 350 inches
LIFT TICKET: $44 Contact: 800-829-2442,

Alyeska Resort, Alaska
WHEN IT COMES TO SKIING in Alaska, heli-skiing tends to hoard the attention. And in a state with so many mountains, so much snow, and so few lifts, one can see why. But Alyeska’s five-minute tram gets you to the goods on the North Face, a chillingly steep fall-line pitch of about 2,000 vertical feet. On a powder day (when helicopters can’t fly anyway), this is the place to be, and huge winter dumps assure a season running well into May. Long northern days, warm temperatures, plenty of snow, and scintillating views of the Turnagain Arm make this a late-season winner.
COOL DIGS: With a three-story lobby of cherry wood and a river-rock fireplace, the Alyeska Prince Hotel (doubles, $145-$200, including breakfast and lift tickets; 800-880-3880, ) and its sushi bar look and feel like they were shipped in from downtown Tokyo.
MOUNTAIN STATS: summit, 3,939 feet; vertical drop, 2,500 feet; skiable acres, 1,000; annual snowfall, 789 inches
LIFT TICKET: $45 Contact: 800-880-3880,

June

The storm magnet: Mammoth California

Mammoth Mountain, California
FOR SEVEN OF THE LAST TEN YEARS, skiing has continued here into June, even July. The mountain protrudes from the southeastern Sierra like a prehistoric creature—its profile turning it into a bullseye for prodigious storms. During the winter of 1992-93, 617 inches fell at Mammoth. The numerous steep lines off the summit ridge present a true test for the top skiers in the country, making this a regular stop on the U.S. Ski Team’s late-season training program. And even if the snow is less than ideal, the hiking, fishing, and hot springs make it a worthwhile June trip.
COOL DIGS: At the 80-year-old Tamarack Lodge & Resort (doubles, $84-$110 with shared bath, $150-$185 with private bath; 800-626-6688, ) on the wooded shores of secluded Twin Lakes, you can indulge in afternoon fly-fishing after a morning of skiing.
MOUNTAIN STATS: summit, 11,053 feet; vertical drop, 3,100 feet; skiable acres, 3,500; annual snowfall, 384 inches
LIFT TICKET: $60 Contact: 800-626-6688,

July

Timberline on Mount Hood, Oregon
THE TERRAIN IS SOMEWHAT limited during summer, and much of it is dedicated to racers in training, from ten-year-old dreamers to Olympic medalists, but Mount Hood is the only place in the United States that offers lift-served skiing for 12 months of the year. Here’s an ideal July day: Rise early and ski hard before the snow turns to slurpy mush. By 11 a.m., descend from the volcano into the valley for mountain biking on hundreds of miles of trails around Government Camp, or hit the Columbia River Gorge for windsurfing. Then it’s back up the mountain for sunset viewing and drinks on the veranda of Timberline Lodge, a national historic landmark.
COOL DIGS: Timberline Lodge (doubles, $80-$230; 800-547-1406, ) is the epitome of the great American ski lodge, with immense wood beams, stone floors, and a giant central hearth. (It also served as the exterior of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining.)
MOUNTAIN STATS: summit, 8,540 feet; vertical drop, 2,616 feet; skiable acres, 2,500; annual snowfall, 400 inches
LIFT TICKET: $39 Contact: 503-622-7979,

Endless Witner

August

Snow kidding: New Zealand glacier skiing in August

Mount Hutt, New Zealand
A GIANT, GLACIATED BOWL at the foot of the Southern Alps on New Zealand’s South Island, Mount Hutt is an above-treeline, alpine experience with New Zealand’s most reliably dry and plentiful midwinter snow conditions. Stand atop South Face, Mount Hutt’s best powder stash, and look far below to green valleys. No wonder national ski teams like the Americans, Austrians, and Swiss train here during their summers. New Zealand is also the land of reasonably priced heli-skiing. In this case, that’s not an oxymoron. For about $325 a day (cheap by heli-skiing standards), Alpine Guides (011-64-3-302-8108, www.heliskiing.co.nz) will fly you into the Arrowsmith and Ragged ranges for runs totaling 10,000 vertical feet in above-treeline bowls and chutes.
COOL DIGS: Don’t expect luxury—just standard, motel-room-like accommodations in places like The Lodge (doubles, about U.S. $81; 011-64-3-303-2000, ) in nearby Methven.
MOUNTAIN STATS: summit, 6,806 feet; vertical drop, 2,148 feet; skiable acres, 900; annual snowfall, 156 inches
LIFT TICKET: about $31 (2002 price) Contact: 011-64-3-308-5074,

September

隆Viva gravity!: Argentine downhill

Thredbo, Australia
Snow is always an iffy proposition in Australia, but 200 inches a year is nothing to sneeze at. On a typical day at Thredbo, in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales in southeastern Australia, rain at the bottom of the mountain is not uncommon (which can mean snow up high), and by early September (the austral equivalent of March) the snow depth is still near its peak. Thredbo is a well-rounded mix of intermediate cruising and bump runs, plus decent steeps and some adventurous off-piste skiing in the above-treeline seams that feed into Golf Course Bowl. Plus, where else can you ski past parrot-inhabited gum trees?
COOL DIGS: Stay in a lakeside condo at nearby Lake Crackenback Resort (doubles, about $65; 011-61-2-6456-2960, ) and ride the ski train—a.k.a. the Skitube—to the mountain.
MOUNTAIN STATS: summit, 6,681 feet; vertical drop, 2,204 feet; skiable acres, 1,186; annual snowfall, 200 inches
LIFT TICKET: about $44 (2002 price) Contact: 011-61脨459-4294,

Las Le帽as, Argentina
Snowfall in Las Le帽as Can be irregular—weeks might go by without a trace and then boom! an eight-foot dump. That’s why it’s best to wait until late in the austral ski season to visit what Southern Hemisphere ski bums consider the best resort in South America. By September, the snow on the famous steeps has turned to corn, and while the resort’s Argentine guests are sleeping off the nightly routine of partying until 4 a.m., you’Ll have more than 10,000 acres to yourself—half a million acres if you go off-piste. The terrain off the Marte lift, with steep chutes lined by knuckle-like rock outcroppings, is good for powering turns that make the snow peel away from your edges in even sheets. And if you get lucky, a so-called Santa Ana wind will bring a storm to hammer you with powder.
COOL DIGS: Piscis is the resort’s biggest and fanciest hotel, but if you want some relief from the late-night-partying crowd, stay at the smaller, more moderately priced Geminis (package rates start at about $110 per person per night, including meals and lift tickets; 011-54-26-27-471100, )
MOUNTAIN STATS: summit, 11,253 feet; vertical drop, 3,904 feet; skiable acres, 10,000 to 15,000; annual snowfall, 250 inches
LIFT TICKET: $42 (2002 price) Contact: 011-54-627-71100, www.laslenas.com (recommended tour operator: Ski Vacation Planners, 800-822-6754, )

October

Killington, Vermont
OK, SO THERE MIGHT BE only one or two trails open, and Vermont in October is better known for its radiant foliage than for skiing, but Killington is pathological about opening before anyone else in the East, which it has for the last 41 years. Legendary snowmaking expertise and cold temps ensure an early-season ski fix; plus, an October snowstorm isn脮t out of the question. The action begins on Rime, which descends at a steady advanced-intermediate pitch. Even if Rime is the only trail open in October, subtle variations in the fall line still keep things interesting.
COOL DIGS: Indulge in a healthy dose of all things Irish—darts, Guinness Stout, corned beef—at the Inn at Long Trail (doubles, $84-$114; 800-325-2540, )
MOUNTAIN STATS: summit, 4,241 feet; vertical drop, 3,050 feet; skiable acres, 1,182; annual snowfall, 250 inches
LIFT TICKET: $25 (2002 early-season price) Contact: 800-621-6867,

Valle Nevado, Chile
AS SPRING SKIING WINDS DOWN in Chile, Valle Nevado offers the best chance in South America to find decent late-season snow. The reason? Twenty-two thousand acres of terrain. Add to that the neighboring resorts of La Parva and El Colorado, for a grand total of 42 lifts, and it’s time to call your travel agent. From the top of Cerro Negro at over 12,000 feet, you can often find powder in October, and, lower down, Valle Nevado’s wide-open intermediate bowls allow high-speed arcs. Bonus: After September 1, room rates at this cluster of hypermodern buildings perched on treeless slopes are slashed to less than half.
COOL DIGS: Hotel Tres Puntas (doubles in late season, $200, including breakfast, dinner, and lift ticket) is a sleek ski-in, ski-out high-rise.
MOUNTAIN STATS: summit, 12,040 feet (Valle Nevado); vertical drop, 2,600 feet; skiable acres, 22,000; annual snowfall, 320 inches
LIFT TICKET: $26 (2002 price) Contact: 800-228-0088, www (recommended tour operator: Moguls Mountain Travel, 800-666-4857, )

November

Copper Mountain Resort, Colorado
DURING TWO OF THE LAST three years, World Cup organizers have moved November races to Copper from resorts nearby, because Copper has early snow when other resorts don’t. A summit elevation above 12,000 feet attracts late-fall storms, and extreme cold enables an excellent snow-making program on more than 380 acres. Last year, Copper opened its halfpipe before any other ski area in the country; this year, the resort plans to open portions of the terrain park and make it available to snowboarders and twin-tip hucksters in early November.
COOL DIGS: Condos in the Mill Club ($243 a night for a two-bedroom unit, 888-263-5302) in the expanding new base village at Copper are country-clubby in a palatable way, with lots of leather and polished-granite countertops.
MOUNTAIN STATS: summit, 12,313 feet; vertical drop, 2,601 feet; skiable acres, 2,450; annual snowfall, 280 inches
LIFT TICKET: $31 (2001-2002 early-season price) Contact: 866-656-1540,

Tremblant Ski Resort, Quebec
IT WASN’T LONG AGO that Tremblant appeared destined for obscurity; then Intrawest, the company that turned Whistler Blackcomb into an elite resort, took over in the early 1990s. The new owners have poured roughly $500 million into Tremblant, turning the base village into a replica of a Paris arrondissement, complete with French restaurants and patisseries. A slew of new, fast lifts, including a gondola as well as six high-speed quads, have raised the hourly uphill lift capacity to more than 26,100 skiers, quickly getting you to lots of wide, groomed cruisers and impressive steeps like Expo. And because Canada celebrates its version of Thanksgiving in October, Tremblant is an uncrowded and reasonably priced choice for a November getaway.
COOL DIGS: Le Lodge de la Montagne’s (doubles, $60-$100; 800-461-8711) French dormer windows and Bavarian-style woodwork are the kind of ersatz Euro touches that make close-to-home Quebec seem so far away.
MOUNTAIN STATS: summit, 2,871 feet; vertical drop, 2,132 feet; skiable acres, 610; annual snowfall, 141 inches LIFT TICKET: $37 Contact: 800-461-8711,

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When it comes to ski resorts, split personalities come in handy—especially when you’re traveling with a significant other. At these 18 great North American playgrounds you can huck big air off cliff bands while your partner shusses corduroy, then follows it up with a seaweed facial wrap. Throw in some apres-ski togetherness on a horse-drawn sleigh ride, and you can rest assured that no knock-down, drag-’em-outs about “my needs” will be surfacing on this vacation.

CALIFORNIA

Alpine Meadows Ski Resort, CA
800-441-4423;
Diagnosis: With family-friendly programs like the Parent Interchangeable Ticket (parents can share one ticket, exchanging it and the baby like batons) and the ski-bum-friendly open-boundary policy (visitors can ski at their own risk out-of-bounds), Alpine spans the gap between ear-to-the-baby-monitor parental needs and rabid fanaticism.
Extremes
Heli-ski with Ruby Mountain Helicopter Skiing (775-753-6867) for hidden powder stashes, or drop the steeps of Keyhole for in-bounds fright.
The Subway run keeps it simple: groomed, open, and nearly flat.
Neutral Territory
If your trip coincides with season’s end, watch the trough-crossing Gates and Wakes, where skiers and snowboarders skim across a shallow pond—spectacular crashes guaranteed.
Average Annual Snowfall 495 inches
Breakdown 25% beginner, 40% intermediate, 35% expert
Acreage 2,000

Bear Valley Mountain Resort, CA
209-753-2301;
Diagnosis The un-Tahoe resort, Bear Valley is small and family owned, but the terrain is big and ambitious. Grizzly Bowl is 1,400 jumbled feet of chutes, trees, glades, and cliffs, but the Backside is all sun-soaked blues.
Extremes
On a powder day, ski Grizzly Bowl’s finest and most consistent fall line: West Ridge to the trees of Uptight (the steepest chute on the mountain at 45 degrees) into the alluvial Strawberry Fields.
Ego Alley. The name says it all.
Neutral Territory
Bear Valley Cross-Country (209-753-2834; ), on the valley floor, has 43 miles of ski skating and classic trails. Reggae on the Mountain ends the resort’s season with live music, pond-skimming, a big-air contest, and a brew festival.
Average Annual Snowfall 360 inches
Breakdown 30% beginner, 40% intermediate, 30% expert
Acreage 1,280

Heavenly Ski Resort, CA
775-586-7000;
Diagnosis Views of Lake Tahoe, the Sierra Nevada, and the open sky are combined with miles of groomers and diabolical steeps that make for grace- or terror-filled days—you pick.
Extremes
The 38-degree Snakepit chute in Mott Canyon is barely wide enough to make a turn, but the snow is protected and soft.
Edgewood Bowl meanders through the forest and exemplifies the cruising Heavenly is known for.
Neutral Territory
The Olympic Terrain Park features a combination of jumps and slides, and the High-Altitude Half-Pipe on California Trail is sure to result in massive air. The boardercross course on Comet is a Mad Max–inspired run with high-banked turns, rollers, tabletops, and hits. Try tubing, nordic skiing, and snowshoeing at the Heavenly Activity Center, new for the 2001–2002 season, and of course, gambling in Stateline, Nevada.
Average Annual Snowfall 360 inches
Breakdown 20% beginner, 45% intermediate, 35% expert
Acreage 4,800

Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, CA
800-626-6684;
Diagnosis Ski from November to June at this eastern-Sierra institution. Eight high-speed quads spread the masses over 3,500 acres—at 11,053 feet, Mammoth’s highest lift is well above tree line.
Extremes
Exit the resort and ski Hole in the Wall off Dave’s Run, then hop the free shuttle at Tamarack Lodge back to the resort.
Sesame Street is a wide, open boulevard, good for learning to carve.
Neutral Territory
Poke around for the many free, undeveloped soaking pools, like Wild Willy’s, off Benton Crossing Road, ten miles south of town. Ski skate, stride, and snowshoe on the 16 miles of groomed trails at the Tamarack Cross Country Ski Center (760-934-5293). Dogsled with Mammoth Dog Sled 国产吃瓜黑料s (760-934-6270).
Average Annual Snowfall 385 inches
Breakdown 30% beginner, 40% intermediate, 30% expert
Acreage 3,500

Ski resorts that give you the best of both worlds: Colorado

Copper Mountain, CO
800-458-8386;
Diagnosis Copper is naturally divided by skier ability: The gradual slopes of the West Side are for beginners, the steeper pitches of the midmountain are for intermediates, and the East Side and the four Arctic-like bowls that cap the mountain please the experts.
Extremes
Spaulding and Resolution Bowls top the mountain at over 12,000 feet and feel like gnarly out-of-bounds terrain.
The gentle grades of Roundabout and Soliloquy are easier on the nerves.
Neutral Territory
With one terrain park, a half-pipe, and a superpipe, Copper caters to the young at heart (and limb). Tubing, ice-skating, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing are also available, and the Sunsation event at season’s end tops the silliness chart with the Eenie Weenie Bikini Contest.
Average Annual Snowfall 280 inches
Breakdown 21% beginner, 25% intermediate, 54% expert
Acreage 2,450

Monarch Ski and Snowboard Area, CO
888-996-7669;
Diagnosis Perched at 11,961 feet in the Sawatch Mountains of southern Colorado, Monarch gets hit with storms regularly. Its isolation on the Continental Divide keeps crowds away, giving beginners plenty of room to practice and experts plenty of terrain to ski hard.
Extremes
The Panorama Lift, with its perfectly spaced tree runs, is your best bet in-bounds, but splurge with Monarch Snowcat Tours ($180 per person; 888-996-7669) for the real steeps.
The Thumbelina Lift is a short ride to an open field of green circles.
Neutral Territory
Ski, board, or snowshoe up 11,312-foot Monarch Pass, or tromp out to Lost Wonder Hut—a swanky backcountry log cabin (970-382-9722; ). Drink Il Vicino’s Wet Mountain Pale Ale in the Sidewinder Saloon.
Average Annual Snowfall 350 inches
Breakdown 21% beginner, 37% intermediate, 42% expert
Acreage 670

Telluride Ski Resort, CO
866-287-5016;
Diagnosis In 2000, Telluride spent $14 million to put three new high-speed detachable quads into Prospect Bowl, adding 733 acres and nearly doubling the skiable terrain. Yet the town remains unchanged: quaint Victorian buildings and lots of caf茅s, like the Steaming Bean, for sipping lattes and jawing with locals.
Extremes
If skiing The Plunge off Lift 9 or ducking out-of-bounds through the backcountry gate off Gold Hill doesn’t get your blood pumping, then call Telluride’s Helitrax (800-831-6230), the only heli-skiing outfit in Colorado.
Double Cabin off the Sunshine Express meanders for two miles with great views of the San Sophia Range.
Neutral Territory
The in-town network of cross-country trails is free. For gear rentals call Telluride Sports, (800-828-7547). Ice-skating is also free at the town park. Call Telluride Parks and Recreation (970-728-2173) for times and rentals. Wintermoon Sled Dog 国产吃瓜黑料s (970-729-0058) is an option, and so is the San Juan Hut System (970-626-3033), a series of eight backcountry huts spread over 206 miles.
Average Annual Snowfall 311 inches
Breakdown 22% beginner, 38% intermediate, 40% expert
Acreage 1,700

Vail, CO
800-404-3535;
Diagnosis With everything from superpipes to five-star hotels to world-class spas, Vail is the Disney World of ski resorts. It’s got everything for the entire family…for a price.
Extremes
For a real leg-burner, link up the bumps, steeps, and chutes of the Prima, Pronto, and Log Chute runs (The PPL, to locals).
Any run from Chair 14 (the Sourdough Lift) is groomed to perfection—like a putting green on a slope.
Neutral Territory
The superpipe is 425 feet long with 15-foot walls and 17-foot transitions. Need we say more? If you’re pooped, check out the Dew Drop Inn—a heated yurt with video games, a sound system, and a 40-foot sundeck. And who needs cross-country skiing when you can Thrill Sled (a headfirst ride on an independently suspended, four-ski sled), tube, ski-bike, and play laser tag at the 国产吃瓜黑料 Ridge activities center (970-476-9090).
Average Annual Snowfall 346 inches
Breakdown 18% beginner, 29% intermediate, 53% expert
Acreage 5,290

Ski resorts that give you the best of both worlds: Idaho, Maine, and Montana

IDAHO
Schweitzer, ID
800-831-8810;
Diagnosis Only 50 miles south of Canada in northern Idaho, Schweitzer has exceptionally dry snow (for the Northwest) and plenty of it. Add to this a high-speed six-pack lift and a stunning view of Lake Pend Oreille and the mountains surrounding Sandpoint, and you’ll know why Schweitzer’s owners are building a new 48-condo lodge slated to open this spring.
Extremes
2,400 feet of vertical and powder-choked tree runs, like Big Timber off Chair 6, are enough for most people, but the open-boundary policy satisfies those desiring more vertical challenge.
The Musical Chairs lift tops out at Happy Trails run, an open, mellow meadow.
Neutral Territory
Imitate Doctor Zhivago on sleigh rides with Mountain Horse 国产吃瓜黑料s (208-263-8768), or rate the overabundance of ugly Hawaiian shirts at the season-ending Caribbean Carnival’s Downhill Dummy Derby.
Average Annual Snowfall 300 inches
Breakdown 20% beginner, 40% intermediate, 40% expert
Acreage 2,500

Sun Valley Resort, ID
866-786-8259;
Diagnosis Sun Valley is a high-tech oasis in rural central Idaho. Seven high-speed quads (20 lifts total) span more than 2,000 skiable acres and 3,400 feet of constant pitch. The 630 acres of man-made snow extend the season and attract international Olympic teams.
Extremes
Hot dog like the 1970s competitors who raced down the steep pitch and VW Bug–size bumps of Exhibition off Bald Mountain (“Baldy”).
Adjacent Dollar Mountain offers 685 vertical feet of open, treeless skiing.
Neutral Territory
Sun Valley owns two ice rinks (an Olympic-caliber one inside for hockey and an outdoor one open year-round for shows), over 90 miles of cross-country skiing and snowshoe trails, and, for visitors who really miss suburbia, a bowling alley.
Average Annual Snowfall 200 inches
Breakdown 36% beginner, 42% intermediate, 22% expert
Acreage 2,050

MAINE
Sugarloaf/USA, ME
800-843-5623;
Diagnosis “The Loaf” has the best above-timberline skiing in the East, not to mention the steepest, plus the town and resort feel almost European with their tucked-into-the-mountain ambience.
Extremes
Hike to the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain (4,237 feet) from the Timberline quad and enjoy boundary-to-boundary skiing (no roped-off obstacles) down the Snowfields and into the well-spaced trees.
You need not even ride a lift. Just click in and ski The Birches, a leisurely run starting at the day lodge.
Neutral Territory
Three terrain parks, one for each level of skier or rider, and a superpipe to challenge the best. Give tubing or dogsledding a go (Guest Services, 207-237-2000), or cross-country ski and ice-skate at The Outdoor Center (207-237-6853).
Average Annual Snowfall 260 inches
Breakdown 16% beginner, 59% intermediate, 25% expert
Acreage 480

MONTANA
Big Mountain Resort, MT
800-858-4157;
Diagnosis Any resort with runs in a place called Hellroaring Basin can’t be half bad. With an open-boundary policy, epic chutes in Canyon Creek, and smooth cruising terrain off the Bigfoot T-bar, Big Mountain lures both hero skiers and your mother-in-law.
Extremes
Try snowcat skiing (406-862-2900) on the resort’s north side for steep faults, cliff bands, glades, and, of course, bone-dry Montana powder.
The Village Lift (Chair 6) is only 250 vertical feet, but it’s free.
Neutral Territory
Sleigh-ride dinners, lift-served snow tubing, Thrill Sled rides, and K2 ski-bike riding are all offered through the Guest Service and Information Center (406-862-2900).
Average Annual Snowfall 330 inches
Breakdown 25% beginner, 50% intermediate, 25% expert
Acreage 3,000

Ski resorts that give you the best of both worlds: Utah, Vermont, and Wyoming

UTAH
Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, UT
800-453-3000;
Diagnosis Snowbird and its neighbor, Alta, are now connected by a new high-speed quad in Mineral Basin and by a common season pass. Skiers have access to 4,700 acres of Little Cottonwood Canyon’s powder-rich terrain—part of which is in boarder-unfriendly Alta. Sorry, knuckle draggers.
Extremes
Heli-ski with the Wasatch Powderbird Guides (800-974-4354), or go for glory on Great Scott, a steep rock-lined chute, off the tram.
Try the Chickadee run, where the ski school teaches beginner classes. Then move on to Big Emma, a long and classic green.
Neutral Territory
Call the base area Activity Center (801-933-2147) for tubing and luge or the Cliff Lodge (801-933-2265) for outdoor ice-skating.
Average Annual Snowfall 500 inches
Breakdown 27% beginner, 38% intermediate, 35% expert
Acreage 2,500

VERMONT
Stowe Mountain Resort, VT
800-253-4754;
Diagnosis People have been skiing and cutting trails on Mount Mansfield since the 1930s for good reason: loads of snow, high elevation, and a consistent 2,360-foot fall line. Plus, Stowe is a real New England town, complete with a white-steepled church and the oldest sport of all—shopping.
Extremes
Famous throughout the East, Goat—one of the Front Four off Mount Mansfield—is narrow, steep, and heavily moguled.
Spruce Peak is melloowww and separate from the faster skiers.
Neutral Territory
Employees playing hooky from nearby Burton Snowboards dominate the terrain park and half-pipe. Nordic ski on 47 miles of trails (Cross Country Center, 802-253-3688). Topnotch (802-253-8585) and Stoweflake (802-253-7355), both four-star hotels, have luxurious day spas and Tae Bo–trendy fitness centers.
Average Annual Snowfall 260 inches
Breakdown 16% beginner, 59% intermediate, 25% expert
Acreage 480

WYOMING
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, WY
888-333-7766;
Diagnosis The Meet Your Maker chute inspired the cinematographers at Teton Gravity Research, while the groomed slopes of Apr猫s Vous and Casper make anybody on shaped skis feel like local phenom Tommy Moe.
Extremes
A 50-degree chute at 40 feet wide and 500 feet long, Corbet’s Couloir is the signature trophy run at Jackson Hole, demanding a vertical entrance (read: mandatory air).
Eagle’s Rest Double Chair serves a roped-off beginner area with mellow slopes like Eagle’s Rest run, Pooh Bear, and Antelope Flats.
Neutral Territory
Then there’s always the ski-less ski vacation: Tube at King Tubes Snow Tubing Park (307-734-8823), hot-air balloon with Wyoming Balloon Company (307-739-0900), ice-skate inside at Snow King Resort (800-522-5464), cross-country ski or dogsled at the Saddlehorn Activity Center (307-739-2629), sleigh ride with National Elk Refuge Sleigh Rides (307-733-5386), or paraglide with Two-Can Fly (307-690-8726).
Average Annual Snowfall 402 inches
Breakdown 10% beginner, 40% intermediate, 50% expert
Acreage 5,000

Ski resorts that give you the best of both worlds: Washington, Quebec, and British Columbia

WASHINGTON
Crystal Mountain, WA
360-663-2265;
Diagnosis In the shadow of Mount Rainier, Crystal hosts avalanche clinics for a reason: backcountry terrain, 3,100 vertical feet, and mounds of snow. But not everything is ski-movie steep. The glade skiing of Orgasm Meadows is, well…you’ll want a cigarette at the bottom.
Extremes
Drop into Pinball, a narrow chute off The King mountain (7,012 feet high), and ski into Avalanche Basin in the South Back.
Tinkerbell, a two-mile-long cruiser through the trees.
Neutral Territory
Snowshoe up Bouillon Basin (Rainier Rides, 360-663-0182). Soak in the hot tubs at the East Peak Massage and Fitness Center (360-663-2505). Drink Rainier Beer at the Snorting Elk.
Average Annual Snowfall 340 inches
Breakdown 13% beginner, 57% intermediate, 30% expert
Acreage 2,300

QUEBEC
Tremblant Ski Resort, Qu茅bec
888-736-2526;
Diagnosis In the Laurentian Mountains—a steep range on the Canadian Shield with challenging terrain—Tremblant offers action at night as well. Strike a pose at Le Caf茅 de l’脡poque with the people who invented apr猫s-ski.
Extremes
For slush bumps in the Spring, try Expo, a long and steep mogul run. And to test those edges, ski Zig-Zag and Vertige, both double black diamonds on the mountain’s south side.
Cruise the resort’s entire 2,131-foot drop on the snaking, 3.75-mile Nansen trail.
Neutral Territory
Hit the Snow Park with its superpipe, big airs, and rails. Dare we say, compete in the Caribou Splash Cup in April? Ski or board from the resort’s summit, do shots on the way down, then jump into a swimming pool. Simmer down at the Scandinavian Spa (819-681-4848), or try dogsledding, tubing, or snowshoeing with Mont Tremblant Activities (819-681-4848).
Average Annual Snowfall 180 inches
Breakdown 17% beginner, 32% intermediate, 51% expert
Acreage 610

BRITISH COLUMBIA
Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia
800-766-0449;
Diagnosis With the massive spring snowpack, international crowd, and above-timberline skiing, Whistler Blackcomb’s US$41 ticket is a bargain. The two mountains offer terrain for every level of skier over a whopping 7,070 acres.
Extremes
The glacier-carved West Cirque—menacing and vertical—tops Whistler mountain.
Easy Out on Blackcomb gives you all the views, without the steeps.
Neutral Territory
If two half-pipes, three terrain parks, and a snowcross course—all fitted with on-slope, tower-mounted speaker systems blasting DJ-mixed music—are a tad overstimulating, chill (literally) in a horse-drawn sleigh (Blackcomb Horse Drawn Sleigh Rides, 604-932-7631), cross-country ski and ice-skate (Meadow Park Sports Centre, 604-938-7529), snowshoe (Whistler Outdoor 国产吃瓜黑料s, 604-932-0647), or dogsled (Cougar Mountain, 604-932-4086).
Average Annual Snowfall 360 inches
Breakdown 17% beginner, 55% intermediate, 28% expert
Acreage 7,070

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