the Adventure Lifestyle magazine

Season, Mid Nov- Mid April Ticket Price, $55 (2000-2001) Summit Elevation (feet), 3,875 Vertical Drop (feet), 2,003 Terrain (acres), 583 Green/Blue/Black (percent), 35/37/28 Annual Snowfall (inches), 180 Directions, Drive 4 hours from NYC or fly into Albany, NY, Ai rport and drive one hour 30 minutes to the resort. Amtrak runs from NYC to Brattleboro, a 45-minute taxi ride from the resort. A SUGARBUSH W WARREN, VT Sugarbush is divided into two distinct territoriesj Mount Ellen and Lincoln Peak. The Slide Brook Express Quad o g links the two peaks, and now riders can rip from boundary to boundary without having to catch the shuttle bus. The Slide Brook Express Quad spans the Slide Brook Basin which is not served by lift, although there are guided tours through this great backcountry area. Telephone, 800-53 SUGAR Website, www.sugarbush.com Snow Report , 802-583-SNOW Season, Mid Nov- Mid Apri l Ticket Price, $55 (2000-2001) Summit Elevation (feet), 4,135 Vertical Drop (feet), 2,650 Terrain (acres), 468 Green/B lue/B lack (percent), 18/39/43 Annual Snowfall (inches), 262 Directions, Drive 5 hours from NYC or fly into Burlington International Airport and drive 45 minutes to the resort. Amtrak runs from NYC to Waterbury, a 20-minute taxi ride from the resort. a CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN • WASHINGTON W foot shadow of Mount Rainier, in the Cascade Range of Central Washington. Ringed by awesome volcanic peaks, this isolated resort is another gem in the North-West's crown jewels. Once again, the wide expanses of accessible backcountry on either side of the resort's lift-serviced ter- rain are the main allure. In-bounds has plenty of variety, with fall-line flyers or easier tracks and trails that wind down the mountain. Telephone, 360-663-2265 Website, www.skicrystal.com Snow Report 888-754-6199 Season, Mid Nov- Mid April Ticket Price, $43 Summit Elevation (feet), 7,012 Vertical Drop (feet), 3,100 Terrain (acres), 2,300 Green/Blue/Black (percent), 13/57/30 Annual Snowfall (inches), 340 Directions, one hour 30 minutes from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. A MT BAKER ..., BELLINGHAM, WA O V wild in-bounds terrain, punctuated by two certain death cliff bands. The 25 percent expert rating would rise con- siderably if the backcountry was included, and this is why you can bump into some of the world's best riders here. For this season, the resort upgraded one of the doubles to a quad, making the totals 5 doubles and 3 quad lifts. Telephone, 360-734-6771 Website: www.mtbakerskiarea.com Snow Report 360-671-0211 Season, Nov-Late April Ticket Price, $24 Summit Elevation (feet), 10,750 Vertica l Drop (feet), 1,500 Terrain (acres), 1,000 Green/Blue/Black (percent), 30/45/25 A This is just the tip of the iceberg when you consider the Mt. Baker receives the most snowfall of any resort in North America. You'll find every feasible type of freeriding terrain on The Hemispheres and Shuksan Arm backcountry hikes. A Washington's largest ski area and sits under the 14,410 CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, WA Crystal Mountain Resort, strung over four peaks, is Annual Snowfall (inches), 647 Directions, Fly into Bellingham International Airport and drive 15 minutes to the resort. WYOMING A GRAND TARGHEE W ALTA, WY Grand Targhee undoubtedly has the goods, spectacularly stashed on the west side of the Tetons in the Targhee National Forest. It's a wide intermediate level area dotted with trees and punctuated with a few short steeps. There are actually two peaks: Fred's Mountain where the lifts are locat- ed, and Peaked Mountain where the cats operate. Mary's Nipple pokes up between them and though it appears to be backcountry, it's actually in-bounds and patrolled by the resort, though often closed due to avalanche risk. The only lift-accessible backcountry is called "Steve-!!a Bowl" and it's strictly for the advanced; being un patrolled on n~tional foresl land. Telephone,800-TARGHEE Website, www.grandtarghee.com Snow Report 800-TARGHEE Season, Mid Nov-Mid April Ticket Price, $47 Summit Elevation (feet), 10,000 Vertical Drop (feet), 2,000 Terrain (acres), 3,000 Green/Blue/Black (percent), 10/70/20 Annual Snowfall (inches), 504 Directions, Grand Targhee is 1 hour from Jackson Hole, WY, and one hour 30 minutes from Idaho Fall s, 10. e A JACKSON HOLE W TETON VILLAGE, WY The Jackson Hole Ski Area sits astride some of the most epic mountains in North America, and has traditionally claimed the largest continuous vertical drop in the US, though this has recently been surpassed by Big Sky's gondola. The resort consists of two peaks, both accessed frOm Teton Village. Apr.s Vous, or Lower Mountain, is neatly separated from the mega double-diamonds of Rendezvous. While it won't enthrall those seeking steeps, it's an excellent learner and intermediate mellow playgrQund with uncrowded lifts and some steep but legal out-of-bounds in Saratoga !lowl. Telephone, 888-DEEP SNO Website, www.jacksonhole.com Snow Report 307-733-2291 Season, Early Dec-Apri I Ticket Price, $59 Summit Elevation (feet), 10,450 Vertical Drop (feet), 4.139 Terrain (acres), 2,500 Green/Blue/Black (percent), 10/40/50 Annual Snowfal l (inches), 402 Directions, Fly into Jackson Hole Airport and drive 30 min- utes to the resort. bLue, 611 Broadway. Suite 405. New York, NY 10012 USA. TeL,212-n7- 0024 Fax:212-777-0068 www.bluemagazine.c;om © 2001 by BLue Media Ventures I nco bLue I1SSN # 1093-75601 is pub- lished six times a year by BLue Media Ventures In c. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permis- sion is strictly prohibited. Views expressed herein are those of the author exclusively. bLue™ and its accompanying Adventure LifestyleH4 logos are registered trademarks of Blue Media Ventures Inc. Applications to mail PERIODICALS postage rates are at New York, NY, and additionaL mailing offices. 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