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Sure, east coast skiing gets you sliding over snow, but when you get tired of the ice and slop, follow the words of Horatio Alger and go west! Western mountains and ski areas have a variety of snow conditions, terrain and apres-ski activities. When you are ready to get some snow and slope-side action this winter, look to some of the best areas on the country, let alone the west, and then head out cowboy.
Big Sky, Montana
When you are ready to forgo the $12 bowls of chili, $10 bottled beers and “skiers” who only want to be seen in the latest Gucci snowsuits, head to Montana and the slopes of Big Sky.
Big Sky is a ski and snowboard mecca. This is the place to go when you want to hit as much vertical in a day as possible, without having to wait in long lift lines or spend a mortgage payment for a lift ticket. The mountain has three terrain parks and eight square miles of runs covering 4,350 vertical feet. Play in- or out-of-bounds in the bowls at the top and back of the mountain. If you choose to go out-of-bounds, be sure to have an avalanche beacon, shovel and probe and know how to use them.
Crystal Mountain, Washington
Two hours up from Seattle is world class skiing with billowy pockets and huge snowfalls. Crystal Mountain, near the Bavarian styled village of Leavenworth, WA offers in- and out-of-bounds skiing. The snow at Crystal is an anomaly, as it has more of a continental snow pack than a coastal snow pack, and is within two hours of the ocean. Like Big Sky, this is the place to go when you want to escape the hoards and just ski to your heart’s content.
Ajax Mountain, Aspen
Sure, Aspen is Hollywood in the mountains, but don’t kid yourself, Ajax Mountain is one of the best hills for terrain and challenges. Ajax represents the best of a skier’s mountain, with 3,267 feet of vertical rise, 300-inch average bases per year, and 673 acres of pure white snow covered bliss. Runs for all levels of ability are at Ajax, and the runs are serviced by gondola, chairs and bars. When you are finished skiing the slopes at Ajax, head into Aspen and ski one of the bar-runs known as “Mahogany Ridge”.
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
It’s hard not to imagine Jackson Hole making a list for best of the west. Jackson has legendary snow falls of blissful champagne powder and runs that challenge even the most hardcore of snow enthusiasts. Apres-ski fun is had in town, or in nearby Yellowstone National Park. Ski one day, then snowshoe with buffalo and elk the next.
