In 1914, Colorado’s Howelsen Hill Ski Area officially opened. Now, over 100 years later, the site stands as the oldest continuously operating ski area in North America. The past century has seen ski resorts evolve into increasingly more complex and exciting destinations. In the United States, there are hundreds of ski resorts for winter sports enthusiasts to choose from. The trouble is choosing which ones to visit in your limited vacation time.
Lucky for you, Outdoors Wire has compiled a list of six sensational U.S. ski resorts. Make trip planning easier with this round-up of some of the country’s best skiing spots.
Avid and aspiring mountain bikers will be stoked to hear about Madbush Falls, a new bike and ski-centered basecamp that opened this summer in Vermont’s Green Mountains. The 20-acre property has all a mountain or gravel biker needs, with a world-class trail network, 75-seat restaurant, bar, bike and ski shop, guiding center, and 20-room lodge. Oh, and a waterfall and swimming hole. Come winter, biking gives way to skiing. You might never want to leave.
Madbush is the brainchild of long-time Vermonter Jonny Adler, who dreamed of starting a Vermont biking hub. He wanted to share Vermont’s loamy dirt, warm pastures, ridgelines, gravel roads, and cool shaded woods with other enthusiasts. In November 2021, he closed a deal on the old Madbush Alpine Chalet. While the 1950s-era motel had been vacant for 20 years, the property had potential with a river running through it and a 30-foot waterfall. And it’s only about 40 miles from Burlington.
Photo courtesy of Madbush Falls
The finished basecamp is a truly Vermont collaboration. The property’s woodwork, metalwork, landscaping, art, and interior design feature Vermont materials and are crafted by Vermonters. The bike trails are community-built and maintained by Mad River Riders, a founding chapter of the Vermont Mountain Bike Association.
Photo courtesy of Madbush Falls
Guests can bring their own bikes or rent one from the bike shop. Certified guide-instructors from Stowe Mountain Bike Academy can recommend routes ranging from 2.5 to 5.5 hours. Intermediate and advanced riders will find jumps and technical challenges. If you want more variety in your vacation, the Blueberry Lake route lets you combine a ride with a swim, picnic, and SUP.
Photo courtesy of Madbush Falls
“Here at Madbush Falls, we’ve thought through everything you need to power your riding adventure,” Adler explains in a welcoming message on Madbush’s website. “Above all else, Madbush Falls is a magical place,” he says. “Its energy is real.”
For those of us who would rather glide along peacefully than torpedo down mountains, cross-country skiing provides a way to get some exercise and enjoy the whitest days of winter. It’s a sport that offers an excellent cardio workout while being low-impact on your joints. Skiing also uses both upper and lower body strength and improves your balance. Plus, cross-country skiing will make your wrists, legs, and collarbone feel safer than downhill skiing.
If you’re a beginning cross-country skier, easy, well-marked trails and a few lessons will give you confidence and improve your technique. Independent sorts can pick up tips from a how-to-ski book. But for those seeking hands-on experience, you can’t go wrong by visiting these six ski destinations for beginners. Here are some of the best places to learn how to cross-country ski.
[afflinkbutton text=”How to Cross Country Ski in Easy Steps – $14.95″ link=”https://amzn.to/3V9EOaP”]
Skiing is all about the thrill of flying downhill, the crisp wind filling your lungs, feeling your body react skillfully to the slope, and praying you don’t faceplant into a tree — right? Well, mostly. Fashionable skiers know it’s also about the joy of looking good before, during, and after skiing. Drop by Park City, Utah, or the French Alps, and you’ll see what we mean. It’s a veritable catwalk on snow, with skiers sporting the chicest ski gloves, goggles, and balaclavas. Find your style and keep up with ski fashions by bringing some of our favorite ski accessories on your next winter trip.
A video ski report from Pennsylvania’s Seven Springs Mountain Resort is piling up views on social media mostly because of the hilarious episode playing out behind the reporter.
A video ski report from Pennsylvania’s Seven Springs Mountain Resort is piling up social media views mostly because of a hilarious episode that plays out behind the reporter.
The accompanying footage shows Abbey Way providing a detailed report about new and continuing snowfall while a skier precariously navigates down an icy stairway in ski boots.
As Way touts 16 inches of snow that fell during the past week, the skier enters the picture trying valiantly not to slip and injure herself – the latter task made possible, thankfully, by a railing that she clutches with both hands while loosing her footing.
❄️ 1 inch of natural snow overnight
🌨 16 inches of snow this week
🎿 21 slopes and trails
🏂 3 terrain parks
🚡 9 am – 9 pm
More than one follower alluded to this being a staged publicity stunt, and if that’s true it was superbly executed.
But assuming this was, in fact, an unintentional photobombing event involving a novice skier learning how to walk on ice in ski boots, there are many among us who can relate.
