• Skiing at Whitefish Mountain Resort (MT; tel. 800/858-3930; www.skiwhitefish.com): With an annual snowfall of 300 inches, a vertical drop of 2,500 feet, a superpipe for the snowboarding crowd, and virtually no lines, Whitefish Mountain is one of the best ski areas in the northwestern United States.
  • Skiing at Big Sky and Moonlight Basin (MT; Big Sky tel. 800/548-4486, www.bigskyresort.com; Moonlight Basin 877/822-0430, www.moonlightbasin.com): Big Sky and the much newer Moonlight Basin have connected their trail systems, making for a combined 5,300 acres of terrain -- the largest ski area in the country, not to mention the one with the most vertical drop.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.