Shut Up and Ski
The latest ski resort trends--ritzy spas, slopeside boutiques--have nothing to do with why you head to the mountains in the first place. America's top 10 old-school ski resorts, where lift tickets max out at $52
Laurie Kuntz, Bret Roedemeier, and Brad Tuttle
February 2006 issue
From Missoula, Lost Trail is a two-hour drive, or about four hours from the Idaho Falls Airport by car. The two nearest towns--Salmon, Idaho, and Conner, Mont.--are each about 20 minutes from the lifts.
Where to stay
How's this for a ski report? First thing in the morning, look out the window from the 100 Acre Wood B&B, a timber lodge outside Salmon that, despite the name, sits on a 27-acre property. If there's a herd of 200 elk grazing, a whole lot of snow fell in the high country the previous night. The elk move down to the valley when the snow is too deep (2356 Hwy. 93, Salmon, 208/865-2165, 100acrewoodresort.com, from $80 with breakfast).
Après-ski
The Rocky Knob Lodge was built by loggers in the 1940s in exchange for "favors" from the property's owner, a member of the oldest profession. On the Montana side 20 minutes from Lost Trail, the former brothel now serves $2.25 cocktails and excellent food--the smoked ribs ($17) in particular (6065 Hwy. 93, Conner, 406/821-3520).
Local's tip
"Go on a Thursday or Friday for good powder," says Chase Cooper, a wood-flooring contractor in Victor, Mont., who started skiing at Lost Trail when he was 10 and manages to hit the slopes about 20 times a year. "The mountain is closed Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday; so when Thursday comes, the snow's fantastic. And since it's not the weekend yet, there's also hardly anyone there, and you can get on lifts right away without having to wait."
MONTANA
BRIDGER BOWL
Elevation: 8,100 feet
Vertical drop: 2,000 feet
Skiable terrain: 1,500 acres
Annual snowfall: 350 inches
Lift ticket: $39 or less
Info: 800/223-9609, bridgerbowl.com
Twenty minutes from downtown Bozeman and long a favorite excuse for Montana State students to ditch class, Bridger Bowl stretches along a wide ridge, with easy terrain at the bottom and in the Apron area, and hairy steeps and great powder-filled bowls up at the top. Last season, the nonprofit resort marked its 50th anniversary.
How to get there
Drive 16 miles north from Bozeman, which has an airport served by Delta, Horizon, Northwest, and United.
Where to stay
Right on Main Street in Bozeman, the Lewis & Clark Motel is a quirky gem, with a roadside neon sign depicting the eponymous explorers and casino poker in the lobby. Down in the basement, there's a swimming pool, as well as a tiny pond stocked with rainbow trout (824 W. Main St., 800/332-7666, lewisandclarkmotel.net, from $62).
Local's tip
"On a powder day, get there early," says Keven Wiesner, owner of the Ph.D. Skis shop in Bozeman, who puts in about 80 days per year at Bridger Bowl. "Leave at 7 o'clock from town. If it's deep powder, there'll be a ton of people waiting. Good skiers should get over to the Ridge area. It's a great experience, and the snow is twice as deep."
VERMONT
MAGIC MOUNTAIN
Elevation: 3,200 feet
Vertical drop: 1,650 feet
Skiable terrain: 135 acres
Annual snowfall: 160 inches
Lift ticket: $49 or less
Info: 802/824-5645, magicmtn.com
After Magic shut down in 1991, heartbroken locals sold save the magic T-shirts to raise money for its rebirth. The mountain reopened in 1997, and while it doesn't have the fancy lifts, restaurants, and snowmaking equipment of nearby resorts, it does feature some of the steepest trails in southern Vermont--and a whole lot of heart. One thing it almost never has is crowds, even on the weekends. This season, lift tickets for all ages cost only $25 Monday through Friday (non-holiday).
How to get there
Magic is about three hours by car from Boston, or four hours from New York City.
Where to stay
The Swiss Inn rents standard motel rooms with a full breakfast included, and patrons can always find fondue on the restaurant's menu (249 Rte. 11, Londonderry, 800/847-9477, swissinn.com, from $69).
Local's tip
"The west side has a lot of difficult terrain," says Marlene Williams, an administrative assistant for Green Mountain Beverage. She and her husband Jim have lived within walking distance of the lifts since 1978 and ski four or five days a week. "If we have good snow, Talisman is a great run. It's really challenging. My husband's favorite trail is Sorcerer, which is steeper and has a lot of bumps."
IDAHO
BOGUS BASIN
Elevation: 7,600 feet
Vertical drop: 1,800 feet
Skiable terrain: 2,600 acres
Annual snowfall: 250 inches
Lift ticket: $42 or less
Info: 800/367-4397, bogusbasin.com
A twisting, 16-mile drive north of Boise, the nonprofit Basin is the pride and joy of locals. Sun Valley gets all the attention as Idaho's premier resort; the fact is, the blue-collar Bogus Basin has more acreage and receives more snow. Its name comes from a legendary gold swindle in the 1880s, but the slopes are anything but bogus. For a challenging mix of tree skiing, bowls, and steep faces, head right to the expansive backside of the mountain.
How to get there
Downtown Boise's Harrison Boulevard turns into Bogus Basin Road, which ascends about 3,000 vertical feet in a series of switchbacks, then dead-ends at the resort. Caldwell Transportation runs a bus service to the mountain every day, with pickups all over town (208/459-6612, ctcbus.com, $10 round trip).
Where to stay
At the mountaintop Pioneer Condominiums, guests ski down to the lifts (800/367-4397, pioneercondos.com, from $99).
Local's tip
"Experts have got to make a lap through the Waterfall and the Triangle," says Charles Butrick, leader of the Bogus Basin Ski Patrol. "They're not really on the map, but are known areas nonetheless. Have a local show you the way. Also, don't miss beers in the Bogus Creek Lodge, where ski bums congregate to lie about all the crazy runs they supposedly took."
WASHINGTON
49° NORTH
Elevation: 5,774 feet
Vertical drop: 1,900 feet
Skiable terrain: 2,325 acres
Annual snowfall: 300 inches
Lift ticket: $37 or less
Info: 866/376-4949, ski49n.com
Unabashedly retro, with lifts that aren't remotely high-speed, 49° North offers 70 percent beginner and intermediate terrain. For those who refuse to take it easy, there's backcountry skiing in the East Basin, accessible by a fairly mild traverse from the peak. Taco Time, a local restaurant chain, hands out two-for-one lift ticket vouchers on Tuesdays, no purchase necessary. Also, skiing is totally free for everyone during the last week of the season (April 3-9). Just show up and ask for a lift ticket.
How to get there
From Spokane, drive for about an hour on Hwy. 395 north. With little else up there, the mountain is hard to miss.
Where to stay
At the rustic Humble Beginnings lodge in Chewelah, eight miles from the mountain, each of the four rooms comes with a queen-size featherbed. Breakfast is served on the deck or (more likely in winter) in a great room with a cathedral ceiling, hardwood floors, and fantastic mountain views (2408 Flowery Trail, 877/767-0707, humblebeginnings.biz, from $100).
Local's tip
"If you're looking for bumps, do Klondike," says Daniel Voltz, who owns the Norski Conoco gas station in Chewelah and finds a way to ski 50 to 60 days a year. "If you're looking for fast cruisers, ski Mahre's Gold, named after the gold-medal winner of the slalom in the 1984 Olympics."
OREGON
WILLAMETTE PASS
Elevation: 6,683 feet
Vertical drop: 1,563 feet
Skiable terrain: 550 acres
Annual snowfall: 340 inches Lift ticket $36 or less
Info: 541/345-7669, willamettepass.com
What Willamette Pass lacks in convenience--it's a 90-minute drive southeast of Eugene--is made up for with a fun mix of tree skiing and cruising runs, along with a peaceful setting amid lakes and hundreds of miles of national forest. Starting this season, it'll be closed Monday through Wednesday, meaning untracked snow on Thursday!
How to get there
Willamette Pass is right off of Hwy. 58 deep in the thickly forested Cascade Mountains, and there's not much in the way of civilization on the drive from Eugene. Skiers don't have to drive, though: A bus service called the Willamette Pass Express departs from downtown Eugene Thursday through Sunday at 7:15 a.m. (541/345-7669, $14 round trip).
Where to stay
Seven miles from the lifts, the Willamette Pass Inn has standard rooms and cabins, all with kitchens and most with fireplaces (Mile 69, Highway 58, 541/433-2211, from $76).
Local's tip
"Get hot cocoa at the Crescent Lake Lodge & Resort (Hwy. 58, 541/433-2505, crescentlakeresort.com), which overlooks Crescent Lake," says Svein Berg, manager of Berg's Ski & Snowboard Shop, a third-generation family business in Eugene. "There's an old stone fireplace where you can sit back and check out the view. It's fabulous."
Note: This story was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm
all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning
your trip.
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