REGIONAL RESORTS
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egon and Washington. Round out the trip by toasting the day’s adventures with one of the many outstanding microbrews in downtown Bend for a perfect Oregon ski adventure.
3-mile gondola to take you to the mountain village and explore the 1,600 acres of glades and groomers over two mountain peaks. To make the most of your trip to Silver, plan to stay at one of the Morning Star condos and visit Silver Rapids Waterpark, Idaho’s largest indoor waterpark, located in the heart of Gondola Village.
Mount Baker
Glacier, Washington • mtbaker.us 1,500 vertical feet • 32 runs Internationally recognized for the huge amount of snow that falls annually, Mount Baker is humbled by its surroundings, with dramatic inbounds drops and steeps. The ski area sits in the shadows of its namesake, with exciting terrain scattered throughout its 1,000 acres of skiable terrain. The average annual snowfall is close to 700 inches, making it one of the most amazing ski areas in the Pacific Northwest.
Mount Baldy
Oliver, B.C. • skibaldy.com 1,350 vertical feet • 22 runs Mount Baldy overlooks the Okanagan Valley in southern British Columbia, a 45-minute drive from the town of Oliver. The area offers plenty of sunshine, tree skiing and powder, with an average of 250 inches of snowfall annually on more than 500 acres of skiable terrain. The area is proud of its wine industry, so make sure to carve out some time off the mountain to explore one of the region’s many award-winning wineries.
Mount Hood Meadows
Parkdale, Oregon • skihood.com 2,780 vertical feet • 85 runs Mt. Hood Meadows, located on the protected side of Oregon’s most iconic mountain, offers 2,150 acres of skiable terrain, lots of night skiing over 140 acres, and a huge average annual snowfall of 430 inches. In addition to their huge vertical drop, there’s an additional 1,700 feet of hiking terrain — a big-mountain experience with convenient access.
Mount Hood Skibowl
Government Camp, Oregon • skibowl.com 1,500 vertical feet • 65 runs Mt. Hood Skibowl dates back to 1928, making it one of the country’s oldest ski resorts. The mountain offers options for the entire family: In addition to skiing and snowboarding on the 960 acres, they offer the Winter Adventure Park just for kids. While their parents are away, kids can frolic in the tubing area and playland. Enjoy several dining and lodging options nearby.
Mount Norquay
Banff, Alberta • banffnorquay.com 1,680 vertical feet • 60 runs
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Silver Star Mountain
The Silver Star Mountain village. If a visit to Banff is on your list this winter, take the time to visit Mount Norquay, located above Banff National Park, only 4 miles away. The ski area offers a unique adventure, with 190 acres of terrain; 85 percent of the acreage is open for snowmaking. There’s daily bus service to and from Banff, and the mountain’s not far from Calgary, 75 miles away.
Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park
Mead, Washington • mtspokane.com 2,000 vertical feet • 45 runs The most convenient ski area to downtown Spokane — only 28 miles from downtown — Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park has a lot to offer. It’s located in the heart of Washington’s largest state park, with 1,425 acres of skiable terrain, including fast groomers and thrilling glades, and the largest amount of terrain for night skiing — 16 runs — open four nights per week for riding under the stars. Get up there a little early and take in the beautiful sunset, as it makes it way into the western horizon.
4,020 vertical feet • 120 runs Panorama Mountain boasts one of the top 10 verticals in North America, with a drop of 4,020 feet. The 2,847 patrolled acres of skiable terrain ranges from wide-open groomers to steep and deep glades. The family-friendly mountain also offers plenty of non-skiing activities, from snowmobiling and fat-tire biking to glass bead making. Make time to relax in the world-class hot pools back in the village.
Phoenix
Grand Forks, B.C. • skiphoenix.com 800 vertical feet • 18 runs A mountain typically visited by local skiers from surrounding towns, Phoenix Mountain is charming and far enough off the beaten path to make for an unlikely grand adventure. The ski area offers beautiful views of the southern Monashee Mountains and is widely known by those in the know as “The Best Little Mountain in B.C.”
Red Mountain
Kananaskis, Alberta • skinakiska.com 2,412 vertical feet • 79 runs Home to the 1988 Winter Olympics and the closest ski area to Calgary, Nakiska offers 1,021 acres of immaculate, wide-open groomers and is blanketed with man-made snow, with the capacity to make the good stuff on 75 percent of their terrain, enabling them to typically open the slopes as soon as early November. World-class dining, accommodations and spas can be found nearby in the Kananaskis Village.
Rossland, B.C. • redresort.com 2,920 vertical feet • 110 runs In a time of large, mega-resort mergers, Red Mountain is going in the other direction, currently selling shares of the mountain, with the result being a community-owned entity. The future ownership structure pairs well with the vibe that’s existed for years — Red is truly a great, unspoiled resort, located just outside of Rossland. The mountain boasts 4,200 acres of steep and deep skiing, with recent terrain expansions adding more intermediate terrain. There are plenty of lodging and dining options in the village and nearby.
Panorama Mountain
Revelstoke Mountain
Nakiska
Panorama, B.C. • panoramaresort.com
Revelstoke, B.C. •
revelstokemountainresort.com 5,620 vertical feet • 69 runs Revelstoke Mountain Resort is located on Mt. Mackenzie in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia, one of the snowiest places in North America. The resort offers the biggest vertical drop on the continent at 5,620 feet, with a massive 3,121 acres of skiable terrain and four alpine bowls. There’s a vast amount of gladed terrain, and endless groomers — the longest being 9½ miles. It’s the only resort to offer heli, cat and lift-assisted skiing from the same base area; a true amenity for groups with different skiing abilities who want a common lodging area for evening activities.
Schweitzer Mountain Resort
Sandpoint, Idaho • schweitzer.com 2,400 vertical feet • 92 runs Being able to take in the panoramic views from the summit just became that much more comfortable. This season, Schweitzer finishes up construction on their well-equipped mountaintop lodge with dining and drinking amenities and floor-to-ceiling windows to admire the view while warming up between runs next to the fireplace. Then, head out to explore the 2,900 acres of glades, groomers and hidden stashes. Back down in the village are multiple dining options to please any palate, and lodging options for any size group.
Silver Mountain
Kellogg, Idaho • silvermt.com 2,200 vertical feet • 73 runs Silver Mountain Resort is all about convenience. Located off of Interstate 90, the Gondola Village is well equipped, with paved parking and a coffee shop to grab your morning cup of joe, before loading the scenic
Vernon, B.C. • skisilverstar.com 2,500 vertical feet • 132 runs Silver Star, which dates back to 1958, has evolved into a world-class winter holiday destination, with four distinct mountain faces and all sorts of progressive terrain for those just learning over 3,282 skiable acres, making this the third largest ski area in British Columbia. The village area is themed on a 1900s mining town and is well equipped, with many food and beverage outlets and lodging options — some even being mid-mountain, offering a true ski in/ski out experience.
Sitzmark Ski Area
Havillah, Washington • gositzmark.org 660 vertical feet • 10 runs A charming ski area located 20 minutes from Tonasket, Sitzmark offers dry powder snow, lots of sunshine, great views, small lift lines and low ticket prices, with 80 acres to explore. Back in the village, the ski area offers Wi-Fi and a friendly lodge.
Ski Bluewood
Dayton, Washington • bluewood.com 1,125 vertical feet • 24 runs The statistics say that Bluewood is small, but this southeastern Washington ski area is anything but. Located in the Blue Mountain Range, rising out of the high desert, Bluewood boasts clear skies, cold temperatures, dry, light powder, the second-highest base area elevation, the most memorable tree skiing offered in the region, 400 skiable acres and the reputation for the best snow in the state.
Snoqualmie Pass
Snoqualmie Pass, Washington • summitatsnoqualmie.com 2,280 vertical feet • 25 runs The easiest resort to get to from the Seattle area, Snoqualmie Pass has four very different ski area options to fit any style. The pass is located 54 miles east of Seattle off Interstate 90, and the four areas total 1,981 acres of skiable terrain. In addition to amazing terrain parks at Summit Central, the steeps of Alpental and extensive night skiing at Summit West, the Pass also offers Nordic skiing and snow tubing adventures. ...continued on page 10