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I I Website: www.skitaos.org Snow Report 505-776-2916 Season, Mid November-Early April Ticket Price, $49 Summit Elevation (feet) , 12,481 Vertical Drop (feet), 3,244 Terra in (acres), 1,200 Green/Blue/Black (percent), 24/25/51 Annual Snowfall (inches), 312 Directions, Fly into Albuquerque International Ai rport and drive 2 hours 30 minutes to the resort. e 8 e HUNTER HUNTER, NY Hunter is a rugged little number that gives a misleading impres- sion from the highway; it looks scarcely more than a lump (even by eastern resort standards) and it's not until you're up and rid- ing that its potential becomes apparent. There are a couple of reasons for the initial misapprehension: first , you can't see the developed Hunter West back side where much of the challeng- ing terrain lies. Second, until you're up close, you can't witness the extensive power of Hunter's snow-making system. There is lots of hype about pushy New Yorkers but compared to European lift lines, these guys are grannies. The apres-ski scene at Hunter will make many NYC clubs look tame. Telephone, 888-HUNTERMTN Website: www.HunterMtn.com Snow Report 888-HUNTERMTN Season, Mid November-Mid Apri l Ticket Price, $49 Summit Elevation (feet), 3,200 Vertical Drop (feet), 1,600 Terrain (acres), 240 Green/Blue/Black (percent), 30/27/43 Annual Snowfall (inches), 125 Directions, Drive from NYC 2 hours 30 minutes. Or take one of the buses avai lable from NYC through Boards Blade and Skate. Amtrak ru ns from NYC to Hudson, a 30-minute shuttle ride to the resort. NEW YORK WINDHAM WINDHAM, NY The Windham resort sits amid the Catskill range, ten miles northwest of Hunter Mountain and a couple of hours north of NYC. The resort spans two peaks: its western face is the most developed with a flamboyant, shiny-new base lodge. The eastern face is served by a solitary lift, the Why Not Chair. There's also a half pipe and two terrain parks. If you're wondering why all the lifts and trails begin with W, it's W for Windham, wish of the resort's w-olicy makers. Telephone, 800-SKI-WINDHAM Website: www.skiwindham.com Snow Report 800-729-4766 Season, Mid November-Early April Ticket Price, $48 Summit Elevation (feet), 3,100 Vertical Drop (feet), 1,600 Terrain (acres), 242 Green/Blue/Black (percent), 30/45/25 Annual Snowfall (inches), 150 Directions, Drive 2 hours from NYC. Amtrak runs from NYC to Hudson, a 30-minute taxi ride to the resort. MT BACHELOR OREGON BEND, OR Mt Bachelor is a perfect volcanic cone, rising out of the high desert plateau of central Oregon's Cascade Range. This pictur- esque peak has two distinct areas: The entire lower half of the mountain is blanketed in Oregon's famous coniferous forest, which gives way abruptly to the wide open spaces of the bald upper cone. The trees have some great tra il and glade riding while providing protection from adverse weather. The upper half ~BLUE.COM 60 holds steep chutes, open bowls and the wind-shaped snow for- mations that are common on volcanic peaks. Telephone, 800-829-2442 Website, www.mtbachelor.com Snow Report 541-382-7888 Season: Mid November-May licket Price, $44 Summit Elevation (feet), 9,065 Vertical Drop (feet), 3,365 Terrain (acres) , 3,683 Green/Blue/Black (percent), 15/25/60 Annual Snowfall (inches), 350 Directions, Fly into Portland International Airport and drive 3 hours 30 minutes to the resort. MT HOOD MEADOWS MT HOOD, OR The conical majesty of Mt Hood is home to two top-class resorts: Mt Hood Meadows and Mt Hood SkiBowl. They are separated by the White River Canyon. Mt Hood Meadows covers a vast cross- section of terra in j from tasty trees lower down to consistent cor- nices and wind lips above the tree line. Add the steep chutes of Superbowl and Heather Canyon serviced by the snowcat, and you have one of the best all-round riders' resorts on the conti- nent. Quad chairs service the important parts of the mountain, spreading out the crowds and keeping lift lines to a minimum. Telephone, 800-SKI-HOOD Website, www.skihood .com Snow Report 503-227-SNOW Season, Mid November-May Ticket Price, $44 Summit Elevation (feet), 9,000 Vertical Drop (feet), 2,777/4,477 (with snowcat) Terrain (acres), 2,150 Green/Blue/Black (percent), 15/50/35 Annual Snowfall (inches), 430 Directions, Fly into Portland International Airport and drive hour 30 minutes to the resort. MT HOOD SKIBOWL GOVERNMENT CAMP, OR Although Mount Hood SkiBowl doesn't occupy a position on the they'll use glowing terms such as "rad, killer or sick" to describe some of the lines available. On the east side of this circular ridge line is Tom Dick Peak, with its bowls, chutes and cliffs, beyond which you'll find the endless freeriding at Outback. Once a great ski jump hill in 1928, Multorpor lies to the west side. It's short and steep with great trees off the sides. The run is serviced by four chairs that can be combined with a bit of hik- ing and traversing to access a wide range of terrain. SkiBowl is America's largest night ski resort, and has Oregon's most lit black diamonds. Add the best winter pipe and one of the steep- est terrain parks around and you 've got a great little all-round resort. Telephone, 800-754-2695; 503-222-BOWL Website: www.skibowl.com Snow Report 503-222-2695 Season, Mid November-Mid April Ticket Price, $25 Summit Elevation (feet), 5,056 Vertical Drop (feet), 1,500 Terrain (acres), 960 Green/Blue/Black (percent), 20/20/60 Annual Snowfall (inches), 300 Directions, Fly into Portland International Airport and drive hour to the resort. UTAH BRIGHTON BRIGHTON, UT Salt Lake locals have been skiing here since 1936, and Brighton also has one of the oldest snowboard scenes in Utah and the US. The mountain is well known and consistently patronized for conical flank of Mount Hood proper, it does have some of the ~ most radical terrain in the area. Ask any hard-core local and W U ~ historic, pragmatic and financial reasons. When no one in Utah welcomed snowboarding, Brighton opened its lifts to riders. On a practical level the terrain includes a satisfying mix of steeps, trees, hits, rocks and access to a heap of good backcountry. Brighton also offers the largest night-skiing area in Utah, with 200 plus lighted acres. And to the relief of your wallet, the lift pass is the cheapest in the area. Telephone, 800-873-5512; 801-532-4731 Website, www.brightonresort.com Snow Report 801 -532-4731 Season, Mid November- Early May Ticket Price, $40 Summit Elevat ion (feet), 10,500 Vertical Drop (feetL 1,745 Terrain (acres), 850 Green/Blue/Black (percent), 21/40/39 Annual Snowfall (inches), 500 Directions: Fly into Salt Lake International Airport and drive 30 minutes east to the resort . THE CANYONS PARK CITY, UT The Canyons has a thriving snowboard scene with riders making up 40 percent of mountain users, including a fair mix of freerid- ers and freestylers, as befits the varied terrain and snowboard park. It used to be a smallish, low-key resort, but was recently added to the American Skiing Company's portfolio. Telephone, 888-CANYONS Website: www.thecanyons.com Snow Report 435-6 15-3456 Season, November-April Ticket Price, $59 Summit Elevation (feet), 9,990 Vertica l Drop (feet), 3,190 Terrain (acres), 3,500 Green/Blue/Black (percent), 14/44/42 Annual Snowfall (inches), 355 Directions, Fly into Salt Lake International Airport and drive 30 minutes to the resort. PARK CITY PARK CITY, UT Park City offers it all to its visitors with every type of mountain terrain and terrain parks. They have some steep runs that you can hike to and jump into powder. The snowboarders rip up the parks and halfpipes that are legendary because of the telephone toys that you can play with. Then the rest of the mountain hits the spot for every craving. Telephone, 800-222-PARK Website: www.parkcitymountain.com Snow Report 435-647-5449 Season, Mid November- Mid April Ticket Price, $60 (flexible) Summit !:Ievation (feet), 10,000 Vertica l Drop (feet), 3,100 Terrain (acres), 3,300 Green/Blue/Black (percent), 18/44/38 Annual Snowfall (inches), 350 Directions, Fly into Salt Lake and drive 45 minutes to the resort. SNOWBIRD SNOWBIRD, UT Snowbird is the basso it's a mythically huge, double black dia- mond behemoth. It's even bigger this year with the $64 combi- nation pass which will allow you to go over the mountain between Snowbird and Alta. Snowbird has become something of a benchmark for aspiring freeriders who migrate here from far and wide for long winters of abundant light powder and steep terrain. Snowbird now has the Baldy Express, a new high-speed quad which transports 1,800 skiers an hour from Mineral Basin at Snowbird to Sugarloaf Saddle at Alta. Easy accessibility, Alps- like terrain, gold key accommodations and one of America's best adaptive ski programs make Snowbird a top- notch spot. Telephone, 800-232-9542 Website: www.snowbird.com Get some serious air. Check out 'TRIPS, Tap Into the Beauty of Heli-Skiing" on blue.com to start planning your heli-ski holiday. ~ w w ::c ยง o I Cl.