North Americas 5 Best Ski Highways and Byways

Photo: taberandrew

Chris Weiss has the 5 most appropriate driving routes for putting together an epic ski roadtrip in the U.S. or Canada.

FOR ME, MOUNTAIN PICKING is customarily the 3-3-3 game: 3,000+ acres skiable terrain, 3,000ft vertical, 300+ inches snow/year, give or take.

Truly epic ski trips, upon the alternative hand, we measure by the opposite count: series of resorts. No matter how tighten together dual areas are, any has the own vibe, the own terrain, the own locals, the own stashes.

Here have been some of the most appropriate thoroughfares upon the continent which weave large plateau in to large trips.

1. Wasatch Boulevard, Utah

Ski Areas: Alta, Brighton, Snowbird, Solitude
Road Conditions: http://commuterlink.utah.gov/

Photo: Argyleist

Cutting next the 11,000ft peaks which demeanour most incomparable up tighten than they do lining Salt Lake Citys skyline, Wasatch Boulevard is the ticket to the Greatest Snow upon Earth.

Its exit 6 off I-215, from where it takes we away from the city stretch as well as upon the relatively forgettable ride by some commercial as well as residential neighborhoods.

Fortunately, the not about great scenery. What the about is which dark, angry cloud unresolved over the plateau to the east.

Enjoy the final piece of ease driving youll have prior to battling avalanche control closings (there have been 35 slide paths upon whats ordinarily called the nations most avalanche-prone main road in Little Cottonwood Canyon); blurry, blizzardy visuals; slick, unwashed snow; as well as ice patches.

If the bail out is utterly bad as well as we dont have the 4WD with sleet tires or the two-wheel with chains, stop during ! the sing le of the park-and-rides along Wasatch as well as let the UTA train with automatic tire chains finish the debate for you.

Up until the traffic light for Big Cottonwood Canyon, we dont really need to know where youre going. You can save which preference for the final minute.

Either turn left as well as breeze your approach up to the uncrowded, hike-to bliss of Solitude as well as board-centric Brighton, or hurl straight through, eventually attack the mount up Little Cottonwood Canyon, where Snowbird serves large turf quick as well as Alta caters to powder purists.

Photo: randomduck

No matter which we choose, youre looking during 500 inches of annual 500 of desert-wrung, ultralight blower so the possibility to be the partial of the biggest, sickest snowstorm youve ever gifted is regularly in the air.

Once we commit, the upward past the flashing yellow main road condition pointer as well as onward to your chosen endpoint.

As we mount possibly canyon, dont be surprised if the sleet cover is thin during the beginning; it gets noticeably deeper the over we drive. Once during the top, we might not be saying Wasatch Boulevard again for the couple of days.

When the sleet is during the best/worst, authorities tighten off the Cottonwoods, utterly Little Cottonwood, for hours even days. And all thats left to do is be thankful youre not trapped upon the alternative side of the gates, since from here the endless face shots for we as well as the couple of lucky bastards around you.

Detour: The 7-11 during the dilemma of Fort Union Blvd as well as Wasatch isnt the most epicurean ski sunrise stop, though the a go-to for removal the sunrise pot of Colombian as well as grabbing the breakfast biscuit.

2. I-70, Colorado

Ski Areas: Loveland, A-Basin, Breckenridge, Copper, Vail, Beaver Creek, as well as more
Road Conditions: http://www.cotrip.org/home.htm

This Interstate is not usually the main road to usually about every the single of Colorados twenty-six resorts the a gateway to the Rockies in general, where the plains of the American Midwest finally give approach to some-more dynamic topography. And when an Interstate climbs as well as drops by valleys as well as passes next thirteen as well as 14,000ft mountains, the not the typical exhaust-huffing main road experience.

The debate begins outside of Denver, where youre expected driving south from DIA. The murky gray as well as white plateau mount absolute in the distance, as well as theyll usually get incomparable as we expostulate west upon 70.

Photo: Zach Dischner

Loveland, the review which peeks out over the Eisenhower Tunnel as well as sits upon the Continental Divide, is the initial stop upon the debate about 50 miles in. Surprisingly, since the location, the not the big-draw end review similar to most Colorado ski areas.

Thats got nothing to do with the skiing, though; Loveland has the important 1,570 acres dropping down 2,210 feet of vert. Its additionally the single of Colorados top resorts, attack the rise usually upon top of 13,000 feet, which means 400 inches of sleet the year as well as the single of the earliest openings in the country.

Past Loveland, the upon to Summit County. Here, large names similar to Breckenridge as well as Keystone stretch out the couple of ridges over from some-more core Coloradoan experiences similar to A-Basin. All can be accessed possibly right off the main road or the reduced expostulate from the exit ramp.

Colorado ski nation continues after Summit, despite the little less densely! . Resort s similar to Vail as well as Beaver Creek have been right off 70 in Eagle County, as well as some-more apart plateau similar to the lift-in-the-backcountry experience during Silverton as well as the ever-expanding expert-centric Telluride have been connected by state highways over west.

In fact, not until youre nearly out of the state does I-70 give up the ski main road status. By which time we could have had the lifetime of ski trips.

Detour: Before skiing took over, the Rockies were all about mining. Idaho Springs is the tiny armed forces next to I-70 which reminds we of that. Its the great place to squeeze the meal and/or supplies prior to streamer in to overpriced review country.

Ill never utterly pardon the Tommyknocker brewpub for removing rid of the fried chicken, though the Buffalo Roadhouse Chili as well as Green Mountain Burger assistance ease the pain.

3. Icefields Parkway, Alberta

Ski Areas: Mount Norquay, Sunshine Village, Lake Louise, Marmot Basin
Road Conditions: http://www.ama.ab.ca/road_report/Highways.htm (All-season radials or chains compulsory in winter. National play ground pass required.)

Photo: Hannah Donovan

More than the main road to the review parking lot, Trans-Canada Hwy 1 as well as the branchoff onto the Icefields Parkway (AB-93) is the single of the most spectacular roads in the world, any time of year. National Geographic ranked the greater route the single of the Drives of the Lifetime.

The outing from the locale of Banff to Jasper is 180 miles of highway, connecting dual of Canadas most noted Rocky Mountain-region inhabitant parks of the same names.

Banff is home to smaller, locals-oriented Mount Norquay, the single of Canadas oldest ski resorts, as well as Sunshine Vi! llage, the review which pushes the limit of backcountry-style, within-the-lines turf in areas similar to Delirium Dive as well as Silver City. Sunshine has some of the most appropriate sleet in Alberta with 360 inches as well as additionally the single of North Americas longest seasons, customarily stretching in to May.

Again, youre in Canadas most renouned inhabitant park, so the view is large from notation one. Continuing on, the expostulate takes in dim stretches of evergreens topped by serrated peaks. Most notable among them is Castle Mountain, the 16-kilometer-long hunk of raw stone which looks from most angles similar to the towering rise atop the flat-top which cuts straight out of the earth.

After 40 miles is the encampment of Lake Louise, where youll find Canadas second largest ski resort. Every lift here services blue, green, as well as black terrain, making Louise great for family getaways as well as expert friend trips alike.

To continue, turn onto AB-93 (the Icefields Parkway) for the rest of the journey. Even if we dont end up skiing, snowshoeing, or removing out for the array stop, youll have the camera-full of eighth month by the time we reach the encampment of Jasper.

Youre driving in to the heart of Rocky Mountain furious country, flitting turquoise lakes, by deeply cut valleys, next peaks as well as glaciers any of which somehow manages to have the own distinct impression inside of the greater pack as well as by the namesake Columbia Icefield, which borders the dual parks.

Photo: Visions of Domino

Some specific names to demeanour out for include Peyto Lake, the Crowfoot Glacier, as well as Mount Athabasca. In addition, moose, elk, wolves, towering goats, as well as alternative wildlife have been ordinarily seen.

Just outside Jasper is Marmot Basin, the single of the less-herald! ed plate au in the region. Its not as large as the Banff/Lake Louise resorts as well as the host play ground not utterly as popular, though Marmot Basin still gives the full taste of Canadian Rocky skiing.

160 inches of dry powder. 3,000 feet of vertical. Over 1,600 acres for all abilities all from groomers as well as trees to far-reaching open bowls as well as steep chutes. And, of course, large views of the inhabitant park.

Detour: There have been no services upon the Icefields Parkway during winter, so stock up upon food as well as gas prior to withdrawal Lake Louise. Similarly, Banffs selection is forever better than Louises squeeze the burger smothered in Rutting Elk Red BBQ Sauce as well as the pint of Powder Hound Pilsner during the Grizzly Paw Brewing Company as well as beeline it for Jasper from there.