Skiing is the one sport on my list that happens in winter, and so far it has taken me to seven mountains in three states. Four of them are in Utah, which says something about where the snow is.
Utah
- Alta. At the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon, still skiers-only, and known for how much snow it collects.
- Snowbird. Alta's neighbor in the same canyon, steeper and rockier, with an aerial tram that runs straight to the summit.
- Deer Valley. Also skiers-only, with careful grooming and a capped daily crowd.
- Park City. One of the largest ski areas in the country, which mostly means you won't run out of terrain in a day.
Colorado
- Vail. Groomed runs on the front side and the wide-open Back Bowls behind.
- Telluride. Steep terrain in the San Juan Mountains, with a free gondola linking the old mining town to Mountain Village.
Idaho
- Sun Valley. America's first destination ski resort. Bald Mountain is one long, steady pitch from top to bottom.
When the snow melts I'm usually backpacking or diving instead. The full list of trips is in my field notes.