Search and rescue crews in rural Vermont are praising a small electronic tracking device for helping them save two people in the backcountry.

On Saturday, December 7, Drew Clymer, the deputy chief of�� received a call from a local woman who said her husband and eight-year-old son hadn’t returned from a backcountry ski outing. The sun had gone down and temperatures were plummeting, so Clymer radioed other members of the team to launch a rescue operation.

The region where the two had gone missing is called the��Bruce Trail, which is located adjacent to Stowe Mountain Resort. A recent storm had dumped nearly a foot of fresh powder on the area.

“Everybody knows the��Bruce,” Clymer said. “Back there you’re a long way from home if something goes wrong.”

The woman then told Clymer that her son was carrying a device called a , a GPS tracking tag made for children. The device, which is about the size of a thumb drive, connects to a smartphone app that shows the location of the device on a map.

Clymer asked the woman to meet him at the Bruce Trail parking lot with her phone. When Clymer opened the Jiobit app, he could see the boy’s exact location on a detailed map, several miles from the trailhead. Clymer and other rescuers zipped into the backcountry on an ATV and��found the missing duo within 15 minutes of departing. Stowe Mountain Rescue has not released the names of the rescued individuals.

“This was the easiest rescue I’ve ever been a part of,” he said.

Neither the father nor the boy had headlamps or extra clothing. They had planned to ski down the trail, but a broken binding forced them to walk. When SAR crews reached them, the father was bootpacking��through deep snow while towing his son behind.

Clymer said the small device was “pivotal” for helping the two avert disaster.

“We were back at the trailhead with them in under 25 minutes,” said Clymer. “Coming from someone who spends most of his professional life searching for missing people, this thing was revelatory.”

Had crews been forced to search for the duo in the dark, Clymber believes they would have eventually located the two. But it would have taken several hours to find them in the dark, since neither the father or boy were carrying headlamps.

Similar to the Apple AirTag and other electronic tracking devices, the Jiobit shares location via cellular data, WiFi signals, and bluetooth. But the Jiobit also has GPS capabilities, which allow it to function in the backcountry where there’s no cellular signal.

The Jiobit is hardly the only device to boast these capabilities—Tack GPS, Gabb Watch, and SecuLife S4 all use GPS signals as well.

On its website, the product is described as “waterproof, durable, discreet, and provides accurate real-time tracking at any distance.”�� It’s��designed specifically to track kids, and comes with a locking device that cannot be disabled.

Clymber, who is also the search and rescue coordinator for the Vermont Department of Public Safety, said he plans to recommend GPS trackers to parents and also caregivers of the elderly. A sizable percentage of the SAR rescues in Stowe, he said, are for elderly people who suffer from dementia or Alzheimers. GPS tags, he said, could dramatically reduce the time it takes to locate them.

“It’s not a silver bullet,” he said. “But at least it gives you some peace of mind.”

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In my early 20s, I zigzagged across Europe by train. Fresh out of college and pinching pennies on a month-long backpacking trip in Italy and Switzerland, I went by overnight rail, combining the cost of a room with travel to wake up in a new country each morning. It was amazing.

Traveling long distance by train is on the rise again, as adventurers look for an eco-friendly and engaging alternative to flying. In Western Europe, night trains are seeing a post-Covid resurgence, with the new Nightjet network connecting major cities. Here in the United States, Amtrak has purchased 125 new diesel-electric locomotives, most for long-distance use. In the past several years, the company spent $580 million in station upgrades and put $28 million toward upgrading its overnight railcars’ seating, lighting, tables, and bedding, as well as reintroducing dining cars after a pandemic-forced hiatus.

Going by train isn’t about getting somewhere fast, or cheaply either: Amtrak and other operators in the U.S. and Canada can’t compete with the budget airlines. But train travel is more eco-friendly than flying, especially with the new diesel-electric locomotives. Trains, writes Andres Eskenazi of the , “pollute much less than airplanes, sometimes by as much as 73 percent, and they are more easily electrified than planes.”

You can customize a train trip with layover days in any stop along the route, to explore an interim park or town. (Arrange the stops upfront when you book.)

Traveling by train��is fun and relaxing; you can read a book, stare out the window, walk around, play cards, or see a film. Just ask Hartwell Carson, who has ridden the rails with his daughter, 13-year-old Evan, multiple times since she was eight.

“It’s everything that is great about traveling,” Carson says. “You’re forced to slow down and spend quality time with your companions. My daughter and I read books, drew pictures, and went to the dining car. There is nowhere to go, so you slowly watch the landscape change. It takes you back to a time when the journey was as important as the destination.”

We’re all about that. So here are six of the most scenic rail journeys in North America, and great things to do along the way, including in our national parks. (Note that costs given are for one-way trips.)

1. The Vermonter

The Route: Washington, D.C., to St. Albans, Vermont
Duration: 611 miles, 13 hours

Want variety? How about a train that travels through nine states, some of the largest cities in the country, lush farming valleys, and rugged mountains? The connects Washington, D.C., with the villages of Vermont right up to the Canadian border, and stops in Philadelphia and New York City along the way. The trip begins among towering skyscrapers, but once you pass New York City, you hit the estuary of Long Island Sound, with its islands and tall seagrass and the occasional lighthouse. Next come the hills and vineyards of the Hudson River Valley. As you reach New England proper, the scenery cedes to a mix of quaint villages (all those steeples), dense hardwood forests, and the lush Green Mountains of Vermont. The final stop is St. Albans, near Lake Champlain and the Canadian border, but you can end your journey anywhere.

The ���ϳԹ���: Stop at the Waterbury-Stowe station, which is within walking distance of historic downtown Waterbury, a lovely place to stay the night. Stowe, home of the massive ski resort of the same name, is 10 miles away and reachable by bus or bike. Bring your skis in winter or your bike in summer (if a bike is under 50 pounds, with tires under 2”, you can carry it on, but check bigger bikes at $20 per rig). The Stowe Recreation Path is five miles long, connecting various trail systems and more than 50 miles of singletrack from town. Check out the nearby , and opt for the super flowy .

The Fares: This isn’t an overnight route, so there are no sleeper cars. Choose coach (from $81) or go for business class (from $253), with its increased leg room and free non-alcoholic drinks. Amtrak’s Café has breakfast sandwiches, burgers, salads, and snacks. The food is tasty but pricey. Regular travelers may want to bring your own.

2. The Coast Starlight

The Route: Los Angeles to Seattle
Duration: 1377 miles, 35 hours

If Amtrak has a superstar route, it’s the , which runs from Los Angeles to Seattle along the western edge of the United States, hitting Portland, San Francisco, and Santa Barbara. The train runs daily in both directions, with many adventure-prime stops along the way. If you begin in L.A. and travel north, the journey starts among the rocky outcroppings and farms of the San Fernando Valley before hugging the coast with its constant breakers and tall, rocky bluffs. You sleep through Northern California, and the next day gaze out on the dense evergreen forests of the Pacific Northwest and views of the Cascade Mountain Range, including—if you wake up early enough—California’s Mount Shasta, as seen from Oregon.

The ���ϳԹ���: Just north of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo is the first stop after the train leaves L.A. (or, if you’re traveling south, the last stop before L.A.), and an ideal spot for a surf break. (Again, schedule any stops ahead of time). There’s no shortage of rental shops, but you can check your own surfboard on the Coast Starlight for just $10. Pismo Beach, 13 miles west and accessible from the station by an hourly bus, has one of the most consistent breaks on California’s Central Coast. The Pismo Beach Pier attracts the most surfers, and hosts a steady clip of contests, but there are several miles of quieter stretches to explore. Pismo’s sloping beach also means a softer wave—better for beginner surfers—than those at some other California places.

The Fares: You can get coach tickets (from $100) or private sleeper cars (from $674). It’s a one-night trip, so you could save some money by roughing it in a seat just for the night. All passengers may use the observation car, with its glass dome ceiling.

3. The Canadian

The Route: Toronto to Vancouver
Duration: 2,775 miles, four days, four nights

VIA Rail, Canada’s national rail service, operates a number of incredibly scenic train routes throughout the country (you can take a train to Churchill, the polar-bear capital of the world), but the is the crown jewel, sampling diverse landscapes from Toronto to Vancouver. The first two days of the trip pass through eastern Canada, known as “the Great Canadian Shield,” a sparsely populated area loaded with thousands of natural lakes and forests full of spruce and pine. East of Winnipeg, the terrain shifts to vast prairie for a day before hitting the jagged, ice-capped peaks of the Canadian Rockies and crossing the Athabasca River amid a dense fir forest. In Jasper National Park, you’ll see the blocky-topped 7,500-foot Roche Miette mountain on the horizon, as well as Mount Yellowhead, Mount Robinson, and Pyramid Falls. Make your way early to one of the glass-dome viewing cars to get a spot.

The train runs twice a week, hitting the towns of Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Jasper. The regularly scheduled stops are short (only a couple of hours at each town), but you can arrange for a multi-day itinerary through VIA Rail.

The ���ϳԹ���: The town of Kamloops sits in the Thompson River Valley, known for its sandstone canyons, rolling hills, and a vast , comprised of both the largest municipal bike park in North America (the Bike Ranch) and lift-served downhill trails at Harper Mountain, a ski and snowboard resort. The trails are fast, flowy, and technical. Start with the Bike Ranch, which has a mix of downhill trails, a massive jump park, and a few intermediate and beginner lines for good measure.

The Fares: Prices for the full trip start at $514 for economy class, but you’ll be sleeping in a reclining seat and eating from a take-out counter. The Sleeper Plus fare (from $1,387) gets you a private cabin, access to the dining car, and community showers. Splurge for the Prestige class (from $6,261) and you get your own shower as well as a concierge, who changes your bedding and helps you with any requests during the trip.

4. The Denali Star

The Route: Anchorage to Fairbanks
Duration: 356 miles, 12 hours

Alaska Railroad operates a handful of train routes throughout the Last Frontier, but the is the flagship, running daily during the summer (May 9 to September 19), connecting Alaska’s two biggest cities and hitting Denali National Park along the way. The scenery couldn’t get more Alaskan: the train crosses the Knik River, which forms a broad valley full of alpine meadows that stretch to the bases of glaciers and the Chugach Mountains, then picks up views of Denali above the Susitna River before dipping into the roadless backcountry, where you look out on the Alaska Range and Healy Canyon. The route stops for 30 minutes at Denali National Park and Talkeetna, but if you really want time to explore around the tallest mountain in the U.S., turn this into a multi-day trip with overnights along the way.

The ���ϳԹ���: Sure, you might want to climb the 20,310-foot mountain for which Denali National Park is named, but that adventure isn’t for everyone, especially on a whim during a train trip. Instead, you can hike up 4,400-foot Sugarloaf Mountain. The Sugarloaf Mountain Trail begins behind the Grande Denali Lodge and ascends 2,700 feet in two miles to the above-tree line summit with views of Mount Fellows and Mount Dora, two peaks in the Alaska Range. You could also sign up for a , a full-day adventure led by a park ranger. The location changes daily, but a Discovery Hike day is typically eight to ten hours and includes off-trail trekking.

The Fare: Choose from ���ϳԹ��� class (from $215) and Goldstar class (from $432). If you opt for Goldstar, you ride in glass-dome cars and have access to an outdoor viewing platform. The price also includes meals in the dining car and two free cocktails per day.

5. Rocky Mountaineer: Rockies to the Red Rocks

The Route: Denver to Moab
Duration: 375 miles, two days with an overnight in Glenwood Springs

Amtrak isn’t the only company running trains in the U.S. The Rocky Mountaineer, a luxury train service formerly used for scenic routes through the Canadian Rockies, debuted its first U.S.-based trip in 2022. The connects Moab with Denver in a two-day journey along the Colorado River, passing remote, roadless canyons only visible from the train. You see the 25-mile-long Ruby Canyon, winding through towering sandstone cliffs on the Utah-Colorado border, and watch the lights flicker off the rock walls in the 6.2-mile Moffat Tunnel as the train cuts through the Continental Divide. The trip takes two days, but instead of offering sleeper cars, the Rockies to Red Rocks puts you in a two- to three-star hotel (the specific hotels change) within walking distance of the Glenwood Springs station. On board, you receive a three-course breakfast and lunch each day.

The ���ϳԹ���: You’re staying over in Glenwood Springs, so soak in one of the town’s developed hot springs; Glenwood Hot Springs Resort has a big lap- and crowd-sized pool kept at 90-93 degrees, and a smaller pool that stays at 104 degrees (day passes start at $32). Iron Mountain Hot Springs has 16 geothermal pools of varying temperatures (passes start at $40). Further, in Moab, Arches National Park is a must. Hike to Landscape Arch, at 306 feet the longest natural arch in the country, on the 7.6-mile . This trail is a gem even among great hikes in our national parks.

The Fares: Prices start at $1599 per person, and include on-board meals and your hotel room in Glenwood.

6. The Empire Builder

Route: Chicago to Seattle
Duration: 2,206 miles, 48 hours

Think two full days on a train is too much? Not when you’re traveling through eight different states, tracing the U.S./Canadian border, and hitting Glacier National Park. The begins with views of Chicago’s skyline, and then crosses the Mississippi River, which is surprisingly wide (several hundred feet) even though you’re close to the headwaters. You’ll see the bright lights of Minneapolis and St. Paul, enter the Great Plains at night, and wake up in North Dakota looking out on pastures of wheat shimmering gold in the sun. Make sure to be in the glass-domed lounge car as you approach Glacier National Park, the train winding along the Flathead River with views of snowfields clinging to the steep granite peaks of the Lewis Ranges. Before the final destination of Seattle, you can detour into Spokane and head south into Oregon and the Columbia River Gorge, where you’ll get views of Mount Hood.

The ���ϳԹ���: The climax of this trip is Glacier National Park. If you time a spring trip perfectly, you can pedal Going-to-the-Sun Road after it’s plowed but before it opens to vehicles. offers rental bikes and shuttles to the start of the ride (from $45). Your other best bet is to hike. Check out the 10.6-mile out and back , which passes waterfalls and backcountry lakes before delivering you to the glacier of that name, one of the few in the park you can actually walk across.

The Fares: This train has a number of options. Coach (from $160) will get you a doss in a reclining chair, while First Class fares with private rooms start at $979 and include all meals on board and access to the lounge and communal showers. For $3,405, the First Class Superliner Bedroom Suite includes a full bedroom with its own bathroom. Amtrak also offers a comprehensive, 10-day package deal ($3499 per person) with multiple days in Chicago, Glacier, and Seattle, and activities and lodging planned for you.

Onboard with all of that? Pick your route, plan your stops, and ride the rails to adventure.

Graham Averill is ���ϳԹ��� magazine’s national parks columnist. He loves the idea of being able to drink a beer, eat snacks, and play poker while traveling from point A to point B.

For more by the same author, see:

The 10 Best Backpacking Trails in Our National Parks

How to Score the Best National Park Campsites for Summer

The Best Budget Airlines—and ���ϳԹ��� Locales They Go To

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The Ford F-150 Lightning, the electric version of Ford’s super-popular pickup truck that came out last year, is my fantasy. I have a standard gas F-150 but with the Lightning, I could save hundreds of dollars’ worth of gas every month. The only thing holding me back from purchasing this particular electric vehicle? Something known as range anxiety. I travel a lot and I’m not sure the Lightning’s reported 320-mile battery range can handle the long miles I demand from my truck.

But the road-trip landscape is getting exponentially more EV-friendly every year. Several years ago, the average max range of an EV per charge was around 100 miles. Today that has more than doubled to 216 miles, according to the non-profit .

Even better news, the network of public charging stations is about to boom, with more than 51,000 already operating in the U.S., according to the Department of Energy. The federal government has allocated $7.5 billion to building more public EV chargers over the next several years to boost that number tenfold to 500,000 across the country by 2030.

In other words, it’s getting easier all the time to take an EV road trip. Just ask Liv and Patrick Leigh, veterans of multiple 1,000+ mile adventures in their Ford Mustang Mach-E, documented on their blog, “We had a lot of anxiety heading out on our first EV road trip,” Liv says. “But after several long trips and seeing friends crisscross the country in EVs, we know it can be done.”

The key to a successful EV road trip, according to the Leighs, is to plan ahead, using apps like or , which offer maps of every public charging station in the country and update you on their status, so you’ll know in advance if one is broken or busy. That advice is worth repeating: Download an app with real-time data.

There are plenty of EV-friendly road trip options out there, and most major car rental agencies now offer electric vehicles you can try out if you’re curious. In addition to gas savings and a lessened environmental impact, it’s possible that EVs actually make the Great American Road Trip even better than ever.

“We’ve learned to enjoy road trips even more now that we are taking an EV,” Patrick Leigh says. “Previously, in our gas car, road trips were all about getting to our destination as quickly as possible. … Now the EV gives us an excuse to stop, stretch our legs, talk to people, and enjoy the journey.”

I’ve mapped out seven scenic and adventurous road trips that you can pull off in an electric vehicle. Each starts from a large city, so you can rent an EV if you don’t have one, and all of them make the most of the burgeoning public charging network, which I’ve noted for each below. Maybe someday you’ll see me out there in that Lightning.

1. The Classic Desert Road Trip: Las Vegas to Grand Canyon National Park

Length: 350 miles

Driving from Vegas to the Grand Canyon is about as iconic a road trip as you can get. With copious DC Fast Chargers along the southern route, including a brand-new one installed by Electrify America near the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, this classic route is an ideal option for EVs.

Day 1: Las Vegas to Flagstaff, Arizona

253 miles

This is a big-mileage day to get you out of Vegas and closer to the Grand Canyon, but there are some potential adventure stops along the way. Las Vegas is loaded with DC fast chargers, so juice up here. Then head south on Highway 93, crossing over the Colorado River below Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam as you enter Arizona. If it’s hot and you feel like taking a dip, head to , on the Arizona side of Lake Mead. Or keep heading south and hike the easy trail to , which is just a quick detour away. There’s a fast charger at the Kroger grocery store in the town of Kingman, about 100 miles into the trip, if you want to top off.

Your destination for the night is Flagstaff, Arizona, where has a mix of inn rooms and cottages surrounding communal outdoor space with fire pits, tables, and lawn games, also a sauna and plunge pool (from $114 a night). You can charge your car at the DC Fast charger at the Walmart off Route 66.

Day 2: Flagstaff to Grand Canyon National Park

80 miles

Head north from Flagstaff for 80 miles on Highway 180 and Highway 64 to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. There’s a hyper fast DC charger at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center in the Grand Canyon Village. If it’s your first time visiting the Grand Canyon, you’re obligated to hike the , which descends from the lip of the canyon to the Colorado River in 9.5 miles of switchbacks, dropping 4,500 feet in elevation. Most people don’t hike the whole trail, though, so consider an 11-mile out-and-back to Plateau Point, passing through wild gardens and petroglyphs before ending at the outcropping that gives the hike its name, with impressive views of the Colorado River and sandstone canyon walls.

2. The Island-Hopping Road Trip: Miami to Key West

170 miles

Much of the South is an EV-charging-station desert, but Florida is an outlier, with more than 2,500 public charging stations, the third-most of any state in the country. A lot of those stations are located in South Florida, making this fun, beach-centric road trip from Miami to the southern tip of America an EV breeze.

Tesla drivers in particular will find plenty of super chargers throughout the islands, but there are Electrify America Fast Chargers in Miami, Key Largo, and Key West. Many of the hotels and resorts also have chargers for guests, so consider an overnight at EV-friendly lodging.

Day One: Miami to Key Largo

70 miles

While still in Miami, hop on the daily paddle of Jones Lagoon, inside Biscayne Bay National Park, with the . The half-day adventure has you paddling a SUP through narrow channels between mangroves looking for turtles and baby sharks in the shallow, clear water ($99 per person).

From the park, head south 70 miles on Highway 1 to Key Largo, where you can snorkel on Molasses Reef, inside the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The live barrier reef is several miles off the coast, but sits in just 10 feet of water, making it an ideal spot for viewing. offers two afternoon trips to the reef daily ($70 per person).

Fuel up at the ElectrifyAmerica fast charging station at the Tradewinds shopping center in the middle of the island. has charging stations for guests, and its own private beach (from $412 a night).

Day Two: Key Largo to Key West

100 miles

Moving south through the Middle Keys, take time to kayak the half mile from Islamorada to an 11-acre island and park only accessible by small boat (entrance fee is $2.50 per person). Here you can hike through the ruins of a 19^th-century town that existed solely to salvage items from ships run aground on nearby reefs, or paddle the healthy seagrass that surrounds the island.

Returning to the road, you can visit the Monroe County Public Library on Marathon Key, which has a free public Level 2 charger. Your next destination is ($8 parking fee), which has one of the prettiest beaches in the entire country. Then continue south to Key West, where you can rent a bike to cruise the eight-square-mile island ( rents bikes of all kinds from $14 a day), and hit , a public beach lined with palm trees and easy, shallow-water snorkeling.

A number of hotels have slower Level 1 chargers that guests can plug into overnight, including the , which is located on the waterfront of Old Town Key West, putting you within walking distance of popular destinations like Mallory Square and Duval Street (from $360 a night). But there’s also an ElectrifyAmerica ultra-fast charger at the Bank of America on Key West, so you’ll be able to recharge wherever you stay.

3. The Perfect Western Road Trip: Denver to Moab

360 miles

This is one of my all-time favorite road trips. Even though the majority of this drive is on the much-maligned I-70, the pit stops along the way are bucket-list worthy, and the final destination is highlighted by two of the most stunning national parks in the West. The I-70 corridor, loaded with DC fast chargers established by a number of different companies, is one of the most EV-friendly roads in the Rockies.

Day One: Denver to Glenwood Springs

75 miles

Get your junk miles out of the way as you head west on I-70 for 75 miles to Frisco, where your detours will be determined by the season. If it’s winter, you’re skiing at Breckenridge or Keystone. If you’re here during summer or shoulder seasons, take your mountain bike for a spin in the , which is free and has dedicated uphill and downhill trails designated by difficulty. The place has dirt jumps and a massive pump track, but don’t overdo it: there’s more mountain biking ahead.

Refuel at the DC fast charger at the Frisco Walmart, and drive past Vail (potential for fly fishing in the summer and powder in the winter) as you make your way to Glenwood Springs, where relaxation will be your priority.

Check out the , which are essentially natural steam rooms, and consider getting a room at the , so you can have immediate access to their hot springs-fed pool (from $199 a night). You have two options for refueling in Glenwood Springs, a ChargePoint fast charger at Starbucks or an ElectrifyAmerica at Target.

Day Two: Glenwood Springs to Palisade

75 miles

There are enough charging stations to get you all the way to Moab, but please—spend a day or so in Palisade, one of Colorado’s hidden gems and one of my favorite towns. If you’re here in ski season, gets 250 inches of snow a year, on 600 acres. If it’s bike weather, get a shuttle from and ride the 32-mile Palisade Plunge, a pedal-heavy downhill trail with plenty of technical bits and cliffy exposure (shuttle rides from $34 a person, available seasonally).

Day Three: Palisade to Moab, Utah

124 miles

There’s a DC fast charger at the Stop n Save in Grand Junction, just west of Palisade that you should hit on your way out of town, but also a fast charger at the city offices in the town of Fruita, near the border of Utah. In the way that people have long known to fill up on gas here, charge up before heading out into the desert.

OK, now you’re taking I-70 west to Highway 191 south into Moab, where you can choose from hiking in Arches National Park or Canyonlands National Park, or mountain biking in Dead Horse Point State Park. If I had to choose just one adventure, it would be the 7.6-mile traverse of the area inside Arches, which also takes in the postcard-worthy Landscape Arch.

Get a room at , in Moab, which has a fast charger and an outdoor pool and hot tub. There’s another charger for Teslas on Main Street. Be sure you charge your vehicle fully in town if you plan on exploring the desert, and keep an eye on your battery life, as there are currently no public chargers in the outlying areas.

4. The Vermont Ski Road Trip: Burlington to Killington

200 miles

Cold will reduce your EV battery life by about 25 percent (in below-freezing temps), according to a study by . That jumps to 50 percent if you’re running the heater. The good news? This particular road trip is low on total mileage with super chargers along the way and chargers at each resort. Recharge while you ski!

Day One: Burlington to Jay Peak, 70 miles

The town of Burlington has 80 Level 2 chargers, including a handful of plugs at Burton Snowboards that are open to the public on weekends and weekday evenings. There’s also a ChargePoint fast charger at Burlington’s Electric Department. After fueling up, head north 70 miles to only five miles south of the Canadian border, which enjoys some of the best snow east of the Rockies (more than 300 inches most seasons) over its 385 acres of terrain (lift ticket prices still TBD). The glades hold the best snow on this windy mountain. You’ll find good tree runs off every lift, but Beaver Pond Glade has beautifully spaced trees with countless options for lines. Not into skiing? Jay Peak grooms more than 20 miles of fat-bike trails.

Jay Peak Resort has 14 Tesla chargers, and at the base of the resort has Level 2 chargers as well as Tesla connectors (average rate is $400 a night).

Day Two: Jay Peak to Stowe Mountain Resort

Wake early and head an hour south (60 miles) to , where almost 500 acres of skiable terrain is split across two mountains (lift tickets from $143 a day). The terrain is notoriously steep, with the famous Front Four trails (Goat, Liftline, National, and Starr) offering double-fall line, double-black pitches. For something less intimidating, check out Main Street, a long intermediate cruiser with views of the surrounding Green Mountains.

The has ski in/ski out digs (from $400 a night).

Stowe operates a handful of throughout the picturesque downtown, but you can also head straight to the and get some of the best IPAs in the Northeast while filling up at their DC Fast charger.

Day Three: Stowe to Killington

If you have an extra day, continue south for 85 miles to Killington Mountain Resort, but make sure you stop at the Ben and Jerry’s Factory, in Waterbury, where you can get a scoop from this iconic ice-cream brand and recharge at their DC fast charger. Killington Resort itself has a full assortment of chargers throughout the base area, so again you can As for the terrain, Killington, dubbed “the Beast of the East,” has 1,500 acres to choose from. The most iconic line on the mountain is Outer Limits, which offers 1,200 vertical feet of bumps. Park rats should check out The Stash, a hidden park developed in partnership with Burton with features scattered throughout the trees.

5. The Classic California Road Trip: Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Big Sur

150 miles

California has more than 73,000 public charging stations, roughly a third of all such stations in the country, so if you suffer from range anxiety, consider any road trip in the Golden State the perfect option. This particular route is a mega classic, following the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Big Sur, hitting state beaches and inland forests.

Day One: San Francisco to Santa Cruz

80 miles

As you head south from San Francisco, stop at Pacifica, a beachfront town with good surf, a walkable pier, and dramatic coastline. Get the lay of the land by exploring Mori Point, a 110-acre swath of beach and bluffs that is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. You can peruse the black sand of Sharp Park Beach, or hike a through wildflower meadows that culminates with a bluff-top view of the Pacific.

Your next stop is the town of Half Moon Bay, where you can watch big wave legends surf Mavericks Beach, and top off at the DC fast charger at the Bank of America on Main Street. As you move below Half Moon Bay, you’ll pass a series of State Park-managed beaches, most with dramatic landscapes where the cliffs meet the water, so you can’t go wrong with any detour. But has a mile of soft sand, an ever-evolving collection of driftwood art, and a very cool rock bridge jutting out of the sand ($8 parking fee). If you want to spot some wildlife, Reserve has a large population of breeding elephant seals that lounge on the beach during the winter ($10 entrance fee).

Hole up for the night in Santa Cruz, at , a funky but upscale inn in the center of town (from $156 a night) with an outdoor pool and fire pits. Charge your vehicle at the DC Fast Charger at the Whole Foods in the center of town.

Day Two: Santa Cruz to Big Sur

60 miles

If you’re itching to surf, head to Cowell’s Beach, a mellow break that’s protected from big swells and has a laid-back vibe that makes it beginner friendly ( has rentals from $30 a day). After testing the waters, continue south on Highway 1, hugging the coast and, if you like, hitting , which protects 1,000 acres of high dunes and pristine beach.

There are a couple of DC fast chargers as you approach Monterey, and an ElectrifyAmerica DC fast charger at the Target in Monterey proper. Juice up if you need to, and keep heading south toward Big Sur, with its awesome juxtaposition of cliffs, forest, and waves. You could spend a week in this nook of California and never get bored. Still, make time to explore Pfeiffer Beach, a day-use area in ($15 entry fee) which has cliffs, natural bridges, and purple sand. No kidding.

There’s no shortage of upscale digs in this lush corner of California, but it’s hard to beat the location of , which has renovated motor lodge rooms or cabins (from $385 a night) and its own hiking trail through towering redwoods where you’ll find swimming holes on the Big Sur River. EV drivers can also refuel overnight at the Level 1 charger at the lodge.

DC fast chargers are scarce in Big Sur (so are cell and internet service), but Tesla drivers can juice up at the Ventana Supercharger on the south end. And as long as you topped off in Monterey, you should have plenty of juice for the return trip north.

Keep in mind that road closures do pop up on Highway 1 in Big Sur because of rock slides. Check page for current status.

6. A Stunning Pacific Coast Road Trip: The Southern Cascade Loop Scenic Highway

205 miles

We’ve called the 440-mile Cascade Loop, which travels from the coast of Washington into the mountains and back, one of the prettiest drives in the country. It’s also one of the most EV friendly, and has been for almost a decade, thanks to Washington State’s emphasis on adding charging stations to its scenic byways. The northern portion of the highway is closed in the winter, but the southern part is open and awesome. You can see one itinerary in the link above, but below, we’ve detailed a 200-mile option along the southern corridor with winter in mind. Think: Bavarian villages and endless cross-country ski trails.

Day One: Everett to Leavenworth, 100 miles

Pick up the southern leg of the Cascade Loop in Everett, just north of Seattle, and take Highway 2 east towards Leavenworth. Follow the Skykomish River and climb 4,000 vertical feet to , an 1,125-acre resort that sits at the top of the Cascade Range and pulls down more than 450 inches of snow a year (lift tickets from $100). Advanced skiers should head straight for the 7^th Heaven Chair and aim for the steep chutes that collect great powder and offer big bumps. Stevens Pass also offers the rare treat of night skiing.

Then head further east to the town of Leavenworth, a Bavarian-themed village that goes all out in the winter; the entire town is decked out with holiday lights from Thanksgiving to Valentine’s Day. The town also operates a small ski hill (named appropriately, “Ski Hill”) with a tow rope and sledding run. In other seasons it is a center for hiking, boating, mountain biking, and climbing and bouldering.

There are a few DC fast chargers in Leavenworth, including one at City Hall and another at the Safeway grocery store. Grab a room at , a budget-friendly adventure inn in the heart of downtown with its own beer garden (from $109 a night).

Day Two: Leavenworth to the Methow Valley

Head down the east side of Stevens Pass on Highway 2 and take Highway 97 north into the Lake Chelan Valley, where more than 30 wineries dot the shores of Lake Chelan. Drop into the family-owned , where rows of grapes overlook the blue water of the lake and the tasting room is open daily. Show up in November and you can experience harvest season and taste wine straight from the barrel at certain events.

Continue north, taking Highway 153 directly into the heart of the Methow Valley, which boasts the largest network of groomed cross-country ski trails in the country. You’ll have 130 miles of trails to choose from. Grab a day pass ($30, rentals ($30) and lessons (starting at $50) if you need them at .

, in Winthrop, offers direct access to the Methow Valley Ski Trails, as well as 20km of trails on the property, and a charging ports for guests (from $207 a night).

7. A Lake Michigan Road Trip: Traverse City to Manistee

150 miles

Michigan has one of the most robust charging infrastructures in the Midwest, increasing the number of chargers in the state by more than 200 percent in the last three years. Considering the car as we know it was born in Michigan, we appreciate seeing the state evolve with the tech. This road trip is short, but delivers, as it follows Highway 22 around Leelanau Peninsula, a skinny spit of land jutting out into Lake Michigan. There are cherries, lighthouses, beaches and dunes. Hit it now, before the snow hits, or wait until late spring. You’ll begin and end in towns with DC fast chargers and have plenty of Level 2 options along the way.

Day One: Traverse City to Leland

60 miles

Juice up at the Hall Street Public Parking charger and head north on Highway 22 as it hugs the Grand Traverse Bay, offering countless views of Lake Michigan. When you hit Northport, head north of town to the tip of the peninsula to hike on the edge of Cat Head Bay. One of the oldest lighthouses in the Great Lakes Area sits on the edge of the park, and you can hike the 4.6-mile which will lead you by a small, interior lake and a sandy beach on Lake Michigan.

Moving south, take a pitstop at Hallstedt Homestead Cherries, a u-pick farm.

You’ll pass which protects 1,700 acres of forest and sandy bluffs that’s popular with nesting eagles, aiming for the small town of Leland, which sits on an isthmus between Lake Michigan and Lake Leelanau, home to “Fishtown,” a collection of historic fishing shacks. It’s a supremely walkable town with easy access to public beaches and boat launches. puts you in the heart of the action, with rooms overlooking the Leland Dam (from $179 a night). You can walk to Van’s Beach to catch the sunset, then peruse town for some fish sausage. Yes, that’s a thing.

Day Two: Leland to Manistee

Continue south on Highway 22 and drive directly to ($25 entrance fee per car), home to massive sand dunes that rise 450 feet above Lake Michigan. Spend some time here climbing the dunes (yes, it’s allowed) and relaxing at the Platte River Point, where the river of the same name flows into the lake.

Heading further south, grab a beer at in Frankfort and end the day in Manistee, where you’ll want to catch another sunset at Fifth Avenue Beach, and stroll the pier to the Manistee North Pierhead Lighthouse. The , in Manistee, will put you on the water and it has a Level 2 charger for EVs (rooms from $171 a night). The Marathon Gas Station has a DC fast charger where you can refuel.

Graham Averill is ���ϳԹ��� magazine’s national parks columnist. He’s been an avid road-tripper ever since becoming obsessed with the Beat poets as a teenager. An electric road trip is enticing to Graham because he likes the idea of taking a nap while his car charges mid-trip.

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Two Vail resorts are transforming their gondolas with custom-made art from two separate artists, each with a unique tie-in.

At Stowe, artwork will be taking over a handicap-accessible gondola, on the SkyRide line, and at Park City ’s diversity-inspired piece will wrap a cabin on the QuickSilver lift. Both artists were hand-selected by the Vail team for their artistic abilities and unique backgrounds that inspire such creativity.

For Harris, art has always been part of his life and a way to express himself. However, he noticed a “sharp distinction” in his creative process after a kiteskiing accident left him with a life-altering spine injury in 2014, causing paralysis. Now, as a walking paraplegic who finds himself frequently on skis, Harris has a strong commitment to helping others with disabilities enjoy time on snow.

“I feel passion involved with the adaptive sports scene at Stowe,” Harris explains. “Stowe has a strong adaptive ski and sports program, and even without having a previous history of visiting it’s really easy to feel some sort of kinship with a place that cares and has similar goals for accessibility.”

The handicap-accessible cabin on Stowe’s SkyRide gondola is wrapped with Harris’s signature landscape-based, topographic map-inspired artwork. The cabin is ADA-accessible and physically bigger to accommodate wheelchairs and necessary apparatus for skiing.

The inspiration for Harris’s piece “Creating Your Line” came after his first visit to Stowe last March. “My work is landscape-based, and I really like looking out at land and terrain. Pre-spine injury I was really good at reading maps and there’s almost this skill with looking at topographic maps… [as an artist], I try to be faithful to what the terrain actually looks like and create optical illusions on paper so its a little bit less work than having to read a map.”

About 2,300 miles West of Harris’s topographic map splendor in Stowe, Lamont Joseph White is bringing his artistic lens of diversity to the slopes at Park City. As a fine artist, painter, and digital designer White has been working in the arts for 30 years. His artwork “brings something different” and he hopes when people see his work it will not only inspire a conversation but also bring joy.

In “Uplifted” White tries to encapsulate the idea of “feeling different in the mountains” through using people he knows to serve as models and amalgamations for his artwork. Raised in New York City, White didn’t have the traditional mountain upbringing like many of his now peers, and part of his artwork journey tells his story of feeling somewhat out of place in a contrasting environment.

“I want to bring something different to the mountain, something different than our traditional norms to mountain or snow sport spaces, it’s a place I’ve recreated in for close to 30 years and it is close to how I’ve felt to some degree, just different in the mountains than most of the people I saw there,” White said. “And I’m hoping that because I did explore that subject that’s why they [Vail] chose me for the project, to show something different than the norm.”

In total it took White about six months from project start to completion, adding that as a Park City resident, he wanted to see the wrapping in person, adding he is looking forward to seeing it with a snowy background.

Both Gondolas are in service at their respective resorts which plan to open for skiing quite soon. Park City has a scheduled opening date of Nov.17 and Stowe the following day on Nov.18. Both artists are also featured in the online gallery in a series of mini films

The Gondola Galery by Epic plans to unveil one more cabin in Spring 2024 at Whistler Blackcomb featuring artwork and collaboration from the .

The post These Gondolas Are Transforming into Art Galleries appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

Nothing beats a mountain slope ablaze with fall color. I know there’s a scientific explanation for the phenomenon—chlorophyll production stops, carotenoids take over—but I believe the leaf transformation is Mother Nature’s greatest magic trick, when she turns a canvas of green into sparkling hues of red, orange, and yellow.

Living in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge mountains, I am a lifelong leaf watcher, and have found nine mountain towns that are smack dab in the middle of the magic. Each gives you easy access to scenery and adventures, but also offers good food, comfortable digs, and a chance to make the most out of the season—think brisk fall hikes, pumping bike rides, and Oktoberfests.

1. Blowing Rock, North Carolina

Named after a cliff overlooking a gorge where wind seems to blow upward, the small, tourist-centric town of Blowing Rock is sandwiched within the lush slopes of the Southern Appalachians, which are incredibly green in the summer but come alive with color in fall as the hardwoods show off in reds, oranges, and yellows. The small town has a walkable, quaint village vibe, but is surrounded by some of the most rugged peaks in the East.

Peak Season: Blowing Rock sits at around 4,000 feet, and fall color tends to peak in mid to late October here, although you’ll still find color in early November. Sugar Mountain Ski Resort hosts an the weekend of October 7 to 8, and the annual , which has a caterpillar race that prophesies the length of winter, runs October 21 and 22.

What to do in Blowing Rock

Cruise the Blue Ridge Parkway: Running for 469 miles between Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Parkway is a bucket-list destination for a scenic drive or epic mountain pedal. I think one of the prettiest sections of the two-lane paved road is near Blowing Rock. Whether you’re pedaling or driving, plan to traverse the , a 1,234-foot- bridge that hovers along the edge of Grandfather Mountain, delivering epic long-range views. From Blowing Rock, make a 20-mile loop by heading south on the Blue Ridge Parkway for 10 miles, crossing the viaduct, and taking Highway 221 north back to town.

Hike Grandfather Mountain: The five-mile out-and-back journey on is a mix of hiking, rock scrambling, and ladder climbing as you make your way up and over three distinct 5,000-foot peaks along the mountain. It’s a vertical adventure and one of my favorite trails in the South. In just over two miles gaining 1,500 feet, you’ll get unmatched views of the surrounding 5,000- and 6,000-foot peaks of North Carolina’s High Country.

Stay: Treat yourself with a room and some hands-on relaxation at , a resort and spa operating out of a historic Greek Revival mansion on a 42-acre mountain top outside of Blowing Rock. (From $250 a night, with a three-night minimum during leaf season.)

Don’t Miss: The southern fair at , a casual restaurant and bottle shop on Blowing Rock’s Main Street that focuses on home-grown ingredients. Try the Cilantro Trout Nachos.

2. Salt Lake City, Utah

OK, Salt Lake is a city (population 200,478), but it’s a mountain city, with access to eight canyons dropping off the adjacent Wasatch Mountains and loaded with white-trunked aspens with leaves that turn bright yellow during fall. The leaf peeping begins right in the heart of town, where parks hold stands of old-growth trees, but you want to spend most of your time exploring the tree-lined gorges that descend from the mountains east of the valley.

Peak Season: Hit it from mid-September through mid-October to see the aspens pop. Snowbird Resort hosts an ongoing celebration, complete with lederhosen and beer steins, every weekend from August 12 to October 15. You can also try to catch a football game at the University of Utah’s Rice Eccles Stadium.

What to do Around Salt Lake City

Pedal Big Cottonwood Canyon: The 15-mile-long State Road 190 climbs through the heart of Big Cottonwood Canyon, ascending almost 4,000 feet from Salt Lake to Brighton Ski Resort. It’s a popular scenic drive in the fall when the aspens are popping, but also a badass road-cycling route with plenty of long-range views and rest stops at picnic areas. You’ll contend with some 13 percent climbs, but remember this is an out-and-back, so anything you climb, you get to bomb, including the dramatic “S Curve” switchback in the middle of the route. Keep an eye out for moose.

Run the Wasatch Crest Trail: This high-alpine singletrack has near-constant 360-degree views as it rolls between 7,000 and 10,000 feet from Big Cottonwood Canyon all the way to Park City. It’s one of the most popular mountain-bike trails in Utah, but tackling it as a trail run might give you more opportunity to soak in the big views. You can form a loop from the top of Millcreek Canyon via the Big Water Trail, Desolation Lake Trail, , and Red Pine Trail that will take you through a number of aspen groves before and after topping out on the Crest.

Stay: The evo Hotel, in the Granary District, a now thriving former industrial zone, doesn’t just have comfy rooms but a bouldering gym, yoga classes, and regular film nights. From $163 a night.

Don’t Miss: is also located in the Granary District, and specializes in lagers perfect for drinking on a crisp fall afternoon. They have a Bavarian-style Helles on tap all year long, but I say go all in on the seasonal schtick with their Bavarian Dunkel Lager, a malty, dark beer with notes of chocolate.

3. Stowe, Vermont

Stowe is best known for its winter activities—mainly alpine and nordic skiing—but this picturesque village at the base of Mount Mansfield absolutely sings with activity and color in the fall. Most of the forest surrounding the town of 5,000 consists of hardwoods, dominated by sugar maples that turn fire red, with beech and birch trees in shades of yellow and orange.

Peak Season: The hardwoods begin turning in the middle of September and typically peak in mid-October. The Trapp Family Lodge, of the famed musical von Trapp family from Austria, hosts an on September 16 this year, while the annual in which people build catapults and hurl pumpkins for distance, will be on October 1.

What to do in Stowe, Vermont

Hike the Mansfield Traverse: This has you climbing up Stowe Mountain Resort’s Haselton Trail to the top of Mansfield’s Nose before zipping along the ridgeline and descending the Long Trail into Smugglers’ Notch State Park. The climbing is arduous, but you earn 360-degree views of the Green Mountains in their fall splendor.

Mountain Bike Cady Hill Forest: For an easy pedal, stick to the 5.5-mile Stowe Recreation Path, a paved greenway that cruises along the West Branch of the Little River through the farm country north of town. For singletrack, veer off the Stowe Rec Path and head to , where 11 miles of purpose-built trails flow through a canvas of technicolor leaves. The nearly mile-long descent on Florence, with its banked turns, rollers, and tabletops, is the standout trail in the forest.

Stay: There’s no shortage of quality lodges and resorts in and around Stowe, but I like the vibe at , designed with adventure in mind. It offers bike storage, a yoga room, and direct access to the Little River and the Stowe Rec Path. (From $150.)

Don’t Miss: The apple cider. Fall means more than just pretty leaves in Vermont. It means ripe apples. , a working cider mill, has become a destination for those who want to see how cider is made while also sampling the goods. There’s a restaurant on site, too; get a grilled panini with local cheddar and cider jelly.

4. Taos, New Mexico

Don’t let the high-desert location fool you; there are plenty of hardwoods in these hills. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains are packed with stands of aspen trees turning yellow and orange in the fall, sticking out like splotches of paint against the backdrop of evergreens. Go lower in the valley, and the cottonwoods are turning yellow. I spent a weekend fly fishing streams around Taos one fall several years ago and was blown away by the color surrounding me. Meanwhile,�� restaurants, such as a local favorite called the Love Apple, make the most of autumn harvests, while the brims with apples, greens, gourds, and nuts.

Peak Season: Leaves begin to change in the middle of September, and color will peak in mid-October, lingering into November. Get your timing right and you can hit the annual in nearby Red River (October 6 to 8), which is complete with German food and music.

What to do in Taos, New Mexico

Raft the Rio Grande: There’s some serious whitewater nearby as the Rio Grande rages through the Taos Box Canyon, but there’s also serious foliage to be seen on the mellow stretches of the famous river. Sign up for a of the Orilla Verde section of the Rio Grande ($65 per adult) where the water meanders past stands of cottonwoods in full glory. Trips run into the middle of October.

Take a Scenic Drive: Highway 64, an 80-mile byway from Taos to Tierra Amarilla, features a number of pullouts overlooking the Brazos Cliffs, which are flanked by golden aspens. Also be sure to stop at Garcia Park, inside where a high-elevation meadow is ringed by aspens, and the higher peaks of Wheeler Peak Wilderness Area dominate the skyline.

Stay: has a handful of cabins and tipis on a 40-acre farm north of Taos (from $119 for tipis; from $129 for cabins). The goji berries for which it is named are harvested in the summer, but the farm also features pumpkin patches and apple orchards, not to mention barrel saunas set beneath the hardwoods.

Don’t Miss: Angel Fire Resort runs a on weekends in the fall ($20 per adult), carrying you to the top of the 10,677-foot peak of the same name, for views of the entire Moreno Valley and Wheeler Peak beyond. From the top, you can take your pick of hiking trails down.

5. New Paltz, New York

This vibrant college town (go SUNY Hawks!) sits on the edge of the Shawangunk Ridge within the Catskill Mountains, just 90 miles from New York City. The terrain is a mix of rocky crags, steep mountains, and Hudson River farmland, most of which is shrouded in tufts of hardwoods that turn it on each fall. Much of the land surrounding this town of 7,500 is protected as either a state park or preserve and open to the public.

Peak Season: The colors tend to peak between early and mid-October, as the red oaks, maples, and dogwoods shift into bright reds, oranges, and yellows. September and October are prime apple-picking season as well. Pick your own (and pumpkins too) at .

What to do in New Paltz, New York

Climb in the Gunks: The Shawangunk Ridge, aka the Gunks, is a collection of quartz conglomerate cliffs inside the ($20 entry fee) in the Catskills Mountains that offer some of the best trad climbing in the country, with hundreds of high-quality routes, mostly one to three pitches. September and October, thanks to the cooler weather, are stellar climbing season. The scenery ain’t bad either, as the hardwoods that dominate the valley below the Shawangunks are ablaze with color. Try the classic two-pitch High Exposure, an amazingly airy 5.6 with a roof crux that will have you questioning the grade.

Bike the carriage trails: Minnewaska State Park has an extensive system of double-track carriage trails that are perfect for your gravel bike. Knock out a of the system, and you’ll loop around Lake Minnewaska and top out on outcroppings with dramatic views of the area.

Stay: The rooms at aren’t cheap (from $995 a night), but the massive historic building sits on its own lake and the prices are all-inclusive, including three meals, afternoon tea and cookies, and access to 85 miles of trails on the property. You can even borrow fishing rods and bait to fish in the lake.

Don’t Miss: The hard cider. The Hudson Valley has a longstanding tradition of apple growing, and a number of cideries have popped up in recent years. grows the apples on its own farm, just east of New Paltz, for its dry and semi-sour ciders. Try the raw cider, which is unfiltered and wild-fermented.

6. Leavenworth, Washington��

Tucked into the Cascade Mountains, the Bavarian-styled village of Leavenworth is partially known as a ski town thanks to its access to Stevens Pass, 40 minutes away. But I’d argue that Leavenworth truly comes alive in the fall, amid the glow of the aspens and cottonwoods that surround the Wenatchee River as it winds through town, while the restaurants and breweries that line Front Street double down on German fare. Bonus? The mountains surrounding Leavenworth have stands of Larch trees, pines whose needles turn golden yellow during the fall.

Peak Season: Leaves start turning in the middle of September and typically peak in mid-October. The small town hosts one of the largest in the country, with events that span three weekends (September 29 to 30, October 6 to 7, and October 13 to 14).

What to do in Leavenworth, Washington

Boulder in Icicle Creek Canyon: Bouldering on the river rocks along the edge of Icicle Creek will put you in the thick of some of the best foliage in the area. Boulders with established problems can be found throughout the canyon along the road. There is no shortage of options, but head to the for the biggest selection at all grades. Breadline, a V0 with gentle layback moves and a clean landing, is the best entry problem to the area.

Hike to Colchuck Lake: This aqua-blue alpine lake sits beneath two of the tallest peaks in Washington: Dragontail and Colchuck Peak. It’s a pretty scene any time of year, but downright magnificent in the fall when the thick forest of larches on the edge of the lake go golden. It’s a tough , but one of the most brilliant foliage hikes ever. Make sure you have cash for a parking pass at Colchuck Lake Trailhead ($5 a day, or purchase an annual which covers all day-use fees for $30).

Stay: Bed down at LOGE Riverside, which has eight recently renovated one-bedroom cabins along the Wenatchee River. In addition to views of the river, the cabins feature a communal outdoor area with hammocks, fire pits, and an open-air kitchen. (From $143 a night.)

Don’t Miss: A brat at . You’re in Bavaria, right? So you order a brat, put some sauerkraut and locally made mustards on it, sit in a beer garden next to a fire pit, and eat it.

��7. Crested Butte, Colorado

You know Crested Butte Resort offers insanely good skiing, and you may know that downtown Crested Butte has a fun, Wild West vibe thanks to the multi-colored facades of the wooden buildings that line Elk Avenue, many of which date back to the late 1800s. But you might not know that those mountains that turn white in winter will shimmer with golden aspens in the fall. September and October are shoulder season in this ski town, which means you won’t have to fight the crowds that line up for the powder come winter.

Peak Season: The aspens should peak in the middle of September and fizzle out by the first of October. Show up on September 9 for the and you can sample bowls of the good stuff from amateurs and professional chefs alike.��

What to do in Crested Butte, Colorado

Hike Kebler Pass: Colorado is known for its aspens, and even has a pretty famous town named after the tree. But the largest aspen grove in the state sits at Kebler Pass in It’s more than 100 acres, holding an estimated 47,000 trees. Hike the easy from Lost Lake Campground near the summit of the pass, for a three-mile jaunt through the yellow trees.

Bike Strand Hill: Kebler Pass has no monopoly on aspens in the Crested Butte area.

is an intermediate-friendly mountain-bike trail that cruises through broad meadows with epic views of Teocali and Whetstone Mountains before delivering you into thick groves of aspens. The singletrack is more flowy than technical, such that the trail stands out amid Crested Butte’s notoriously gnarly mountain biking.

Stay: , in a renovated historic saloon, isn’t huge; there are only six bedrooms, but it’s the common spaces that make this lodge sing. The place is outfitted with an indoor saltwater pool, rooftop hot tub, steam room, and gear lockers, and it even boasts an oxygen-enriched air system to help you combat altitude fatigue. (From $1,080 a night, two-night minimum.)

Don’t Miss: The rum at . Head to the tasting room in downtown Crested Butte for samples of their American-made rum and other cocktails. Order the Hot Flash, a pineapple-and-habanero-infused rum with house-made apple cider.

8. Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Eureka Springs is just plain pretty. The whole town, which is built into the side of a mountain, is on the National Register of Historic Places for its lovingly restored Victorian-era architecture. In the fall, those ornate buildings are completely enveloped by technicolor hardwoods. Need more enticing? The town has 13 cold natural springs, which people have been visiting for their healing properties since the late 1800s. Meanwhile, the mellow Ozark Mountains roll away from main street in every direction.

Peak Season: Mild temps and lower elevation means a later bloom, so expect the leaves to peak late in October.

What to do in Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Bike Lake Leatherwood: This city park protects 1,610 acres of surprisingly steep slopes on the edge of Lake Leatherwood, which is why pro trail builders targeted the park for the , a series of downhill-mountain-bike trails. The spot has now become the state’s most coveted downhill park. There’s something for all skill levels, but DH2, a black diamond, is the standout, beginning with lots of flow before finishing with a quarter-mile of steep, rocky bliss.

Paddle the Kings River: Kings is a free-flowing river running north through the Ozarks into Missouri, passing a series of dramatic rock bluffs and dense forest on its 90-mile journey. Canoe the mellow eight-mile Rockhouse to Trigger Gap, which passes through a preserve owned by the Arkansas Nature Conservancy, and is full of rocky beaches and flanked by foliage. Rent canoes and arrange for a shuttle with ($80 a day).

Stay: Complete your tour-de-trees by sleeping in them. The are six elevated cabins in a canopy of colorful leaves in a 52-acre forest. Each treehouse comes with a fireplace and hot tub. (From $249 a night.)

Don’t Miss: The seasonal menu at . It’s a set, multi-course affair that changes monthly or weekly depending on the chef’s mood and what’s available. Last October had fall-inspired twists like lamb-and-pumpkin pot pie and pear-and-cider sorbet.

9. Stanley, Idaho

There’s “small,” and then there’s Stanley, with a year-round population of fewer than 75. Summer is high season in this outpost tucked into the Sawtooth Valley, at the base of the rugged Sawtooth Mountains, so fall takes on a relatively sleepy vibe. That’s just fine by us, because you’re here for the foliage, not the crowds. Yellow and gold cottonwoods line the rivers, and aspens decorate the mountain slopes. As for recreation, you’ve got fishing and hiking galore, not to mention a bevy of natural hot springs for soaking.

Peak Season: Show up in late September or early October for your best chance at peak color. Also note that a lot of businesses shut down by the end of October.

What to do in Stanley, Idaho

Bike the Sawtooths: The 116-mile Sawtooth Scenic Highway (highway 75) makes for a foliage-filled jaunt. You can take it easy in a car or earn your views by pedaling a portion of this highway. The Galena Summit Overlook (8,701 feet) at the top of Galena Pass makes for a good turnaround point, as it offers a broad view of the entire Sawtooth Valley, highlighted by the headwaters of the Salmon River and the rocky peaks of the Sawtooth Mountains. It’s a big, 60-mile out and back, but you’ll get your fill of foliage and scenic views.

Hike the Redfish Lake Area: The 1,500-acre Redfish Lake, south of Stanley, is a hub of recreation in the Sawtooth Valley, hosting a number of trailheads with paths leading into the higher elevations of the Sawtooth Mountains. The lake is also a hot spot for fall foliage, as the banks surrounding the water are filled with aspens glinting in the sun. Hike the 4.4-mile out and back (Trail 186), from the Redfish Trailhead, for an easy stroll through a tunnel of these sparkling trees.

Stay: has inexpensive rooms in the heart of town. Those rooms also have incredible views of the Sawtooths, and access to the resort’s private hot springs. (From $119.)

Don’t Miss: The hot springs. There are 130 different hot springs in Idaho, several of which surround the small town of Stanley. You have many options, but , with its waterfall and separate natural pools, might be the most scenic.

Graham Averill is ���ϳԹ��� magazine’s national-parks columnist. He loves all seasons, but after this incredibly hot summer, is really looking forward to fall. He’s ready to ride bikes through falling leaves and drink malty lagers next to a campfire.

For more by this author, see:

The Creepiest Unsolved Mysteries in U.S. National Parks

The 10 Most Beautiful Hikes in U.S. National Forests

The post The 9 Best Mountain Towns to See Fall Foliage appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

Any visitor to New England looking to escape to the mountains faces one major question: The Whites or the Greens? Both of the Northeast’s dominant��ranges offer plenty of opportunities to explore but have markedly different environments.

Steep and rugged, the White Mountains��are concentrated in north-central New Hampshire, extending from the Connecticut River east to just across the Maine border. The bulk of the range is contained in 796,000-acre , which includes six federally designated wilderness areas and more than 7,700 acres of alpine habitat. Forty-eight peaks in the Whites exceed 4,000 feet in elevation, capped by 6,288-foot Mount��Washington, the highest point in the northeastern U.S., the former record holder for the world’s highest wind gust (231 miles per hour), and the site of many infamous climbing and mountaineering stories.��An extraordinary network of some 1,250 miles of hiking trails crisscross the Whites, including about 160 miles of the Appalachian Trail. While most forest trails and campgrounds have reopened in both New Hampshire and Maine, be sure to check the ��of individual sites before visiting.

To the west, across the Connecticut River and the Vermont border, lie��the Greens. Gently rolling and thickly forested, the range runs the entire length of Vermont��from the Massachusetts border to the boundary of Quebec, Canada.�� protects 400,000 acres of the range. Within it��is 4,395-foot Mount��Mansfield, the highest of the state’s five peaks over 4,000 feet in elevation,��rising��prominently above the ski area of Smugglers’ Notch. The Greens boast more than 600 miles of foot trails, knitted together by the 272-mile . Completed in 1930, it’s the oldest long-distance trail in the country and includes about 100 miles of the AT. The trail opened on May 22 with new , and some overnight and backcountry facilities have at limited capacity as of June 15. Though Green Mountain Association is encouraging day hikes, dispersed camping is allowed at some locations along the Long Trail and AT. (Check Green Mountain Club’s for the latest.)

How to decide between New Hampshire’s White Mountains and Vermont’s Greens? Whether you prefer breathtaking vistas, waterfalls, or multi-day backpacking trips, we’ve highlighted the best outing in each range to help you pick.

If You Want High Peaks and Vistas

The Whites: Carpeted with delicate wildflowers in early summer, the bald summit of the dome-shaped Mount Eisenhower (4,760 feet) features an impressive 360-degree grandstand over the alpine terrain of the Presidential Range and into the below. Begin from the trailhead at Mount Clinton Road on U.S. Route 302 in , about 20 miles south of the town of Lancaster in central New Hampshire. Ascend via the 2.9-mile , which provides the most direct route to the Mount��Eisenhower Loop, a half-mile hike to the summit. 7.1-mile loop, strenuous

The Greens: The distinctive profile of 4,083-foot Camel’s Hump, Vermont’s only 4,000-plus-foot summit without a ski area or any other development, resembles that of a sleeping lion when viewed from the east or west. The panorama from the mountain’s craggy alpine top takes in��Lake Champlain, New York’s Adirondacks, and��the White Mountains. Start from the eastern base of Camel’s Hump at , a few miles south of the town of North Duxbury, near Burlington. Hike the lower section of Monroe Trail, and continue on to Dean Trail before hitting Wind Gap, which leads to the viewpoint via Long Trail. 7-mile loop, strenuous

If You Want Waterfalls

The Whites: Dropping 80 feet down the northwest side of lofty Cannon Mountain are��a series of cascades and pools, including the main 35-foot plunge of Bridal Veil Falls. From the trailhead just off New Hampshire��Route 116, a few miles north of Easton, the family-friendly Coppermine Trail climbs alongside a brook in a forest of ferns and moss-covered boulders. A log shelter located just a quarter mile across the brook��from the falls makes for the perfect lunch spot. 5��miles round-trip, moderate

The Greens: The 125-foot-tall Lye Brook Falls, reached via , is the most impressive natural feature in the , an 18,000-acre forested plateau of streams, ponds, and bogs just east of the town of Manchester Center. From its source deep in the woods on Stratton Mountain, Lye Brook Falls tumbles and surges through a narrow rock chute to a sea of boulders and down into the valley below. Just before reaching the falls, the trail crosses a short stretch of wide-open hillside, the result of a 500-foot landslide caused by the heavy rains of Hurricane Irene in August 2011. 4.4 miles round-trip, moderate

If You Want Backcountry Hiking

The Whites: In north-central New Hampshire near Mount��Washington, take a trip into the heart of the 45,000-acre Pemigewasset Wilderness. Start at the roaring Pemigewasset River for a few miles of ambling along the Lincoln Woods Trail, then hike the Franconia Brook Trail to��Thirteen Falls��and its Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) tent site. Next, climb the 2.4-mile Twin Brook Trail to Galehead Mountain, one of five 4,000-plus-foot peaks. More tent sites and shelters, including the comfy —one of the most remote huts in the AMC’s system—can be found along the connecting Twinway (part of the AT) and Bondcliff Trails, a beautiful route that leads 11.5 miles over South Twin Mountain, Mount��Guyot, Mount��Bond, and Bondcliff. 25-mile loop, 2 to 3 days, strenuous

The Greens: Glastenbury Mountain (3,748 feet) and its circa-1927 fire tower are the highlights of an outstanding backpacking circuit through the 22,425-acre . From the trailhead at City Stream on Vermont��Route 9, just east of , follow a 10.4-mile scenic stretch of the renowned Long Trail, which passes two shelters, tent sites, and water sources. On the wooded summit of Glastenbury, climb the tower to enjoy the grand 360-degree��view. Returning from the tower, the hike continues on the less traveled West Ridge Trail (7.8 miles) and then Bald Mountain Trail for the 1.9-mile descent to the valley. You’ll end at the East Trailhead on Harbour Road, several miles west of the starting point. Arrange a car shuttle or hitchhike to get back to your vehicle. 22-mile horseshoe loop, 2 to 3 days, strenuous

If You Want Easy and Accessible Trails

The Whites: In the village of North Conway, the lower half-mile of Moat Mountain Trail is a mostly level walk leading to a shady grove of hemlocks and , a pretty series of waterfalls,��pools, and potholes. 1.2 miles round-trip, easy

The Greens: A few miles south of Mount��Mansfield and Smugglers’ Notch, in the village of Stowe, is the��, a popular multi-use greenway that winds along the West Branch of the Little River. The paved path features views of the surrounding high peaks and access to local and along its five-mile length. For a short walk, start at the southern trailhead on Vermont��Route 100��and head north to Weeks Hill Road;��then��on the way back, break off on the adjacent Quiet Path, which is bike-free. About two miles, easy

This story was produced in partnership with magazine.

The post Your Guide to Hiking the White and Green Mountains appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

I grew up skiing on the East Coast. I learned how on a small hill called in Middlefield, Connecticut. College brought me farther north, first to the University of Maine at Farmington for its two-year ski-industry program��and then to the University of Vermont, where I coached the team for a few seasons. The��group of��friends I skied with then��went on to start , an apparel and film company launched in 2005 to show the world that skiing in the East isn’t just ice—powder and backcountry options are abundant if you’re willing to look for them.

While there’s some good skiing just southeast, at resorts like West Virginia’s , I rarely felt the need to leave New England.��I fell in love with the woods surrounding Mount Mansfield, at in Vermont, and spent the next decade living in the state and exploring every corner of it. From 2,000 feet of vertical at Mad River Glen��to the local runs at Stowe, here’s proof that skiing the��“ice coast” is more than you give it credit for.

Mad River Glen, Vermont

The slow churn of that iconic single chair—one of two left in the country—chugging��uphill to the summit of General Stark Mountain and Mad River Glen��(full-day tickets��from $92), provides solitude in a ski area that’s stuck in a time capsule. Mad River is the antithesis of modern-day skiing, and therein lies its appeal. Even with the addition of three double chairlifts��over the years, the resort has managed to��preserve��the snow experience on the hill.

I still recall sitting on the lone seater one March morning over a decade ago, snow pelting down on me, when I heard the words “Holy shit!” from one of my buddies two chairs ahead,��as he came into view of how much��snow had actually come down the previous night. An overnight storm had called for ten inches��but delivered much more, easily two feet of fresh snow.��It was the beginning of a special day. We glided off the chair, sidestepped up to Paradise run and its adjoining glades, and arced through the trees in absurdly deep and light powder.

The winding��trails that contour Mad River and its never-ending tree-skiing terrain are a magical experience. The area has the reputation of needing to bring your A game. The runs��are narrow and steep. Mad River provides as close to a backcountry experience in a ski area as��you’ll ever get.

Need to Know

Timing is your best bet to score at Mad River Glen. Since the area lacks snowmaking, wait until a couple of storms hit and have provided a base. When the midwinter gales��blanket��Vermont, the mountain comes alive.

Don’t miss the classic gladed run called Paradise off the single chair.��Especially if it’s a powder day. There are other tree stashes in and around this area; however, be warned that some have sizable cliffs if you venture past the designated runs. Additionally, Fall Line and Chute are legendary runs when the snow is soft. On the other side of the mountain, the double chairs��lead to more manageable glades and trails for less advanced skiers. At the end of the day, a final burner down the twists and turns of Upper and Lower Antelope is a fun tradition. Follow that��with a Vermont microbrew at General Stark’s Pub, located in the resort’s base lodge.

Appreciate the history. Mad River Glen was founded��in 1948 by Roland Palmedo, a legend among early ski pioneers. He envisioned��“a ski area [that’s]��not just a place of business, a mountain amusement park, as it were. Instead, it is a winter community whose members, both skiers and area personnel, are dedicated to the enjoyment of the sport.” That mission still rings true, as the ski industry faces pressures of resort consolidation, with many areas turning into mock Disneylands. Today, Mad River continues to operate as a co-op that was set up in 1995.

Drop your snowboarding friends off at nearby . Mad River Glen doesn’t allow snowboarding. It has nothing to do with animosity; it’s a policy based on the mountain’s terrain.

When to Go

January through March is prime time at Mad River. Sometimes December is snowy, but winter storms can be fickle in Vermont during the early season. Keep your eye on the weather if you’re flexible, but generally, the midwinter months will provide great conditions. Expect��crowds during holiday breaks.

How to Get There

Fly into Burlington, Vermont. It’s about an hour drive from there to Mad River. Rent a car that can handle winter conditions.��Or drive up from Boston (a four-hour trip) or New York City (a 5.5-hour trip).

The Intel

Where to Stay

You’ll have your choice of historic Vermont B&Bs and private ski chalets��a short drive from the resort. The eight-room ��(from $149), in the town of Waitsfield, is just 15 minutes away, and a quarter mile north of the resort��is this����(from $250), perfect for groups or families.

Terrain

If you want to ski New England glades in soft snow, Mad River is your place—the area has a well-run glading crew in the summer and autumn months. If you’re looking for backcountry zones, stashes are kept on the hush, so prepare to befriend a local in hopes of them divulging beta.��The mountain has 2,037 feet of vertical, with 45��percent of the area labeled expert terrain, 35 percent intermediate, and 20 percent novice. The resort��grooms some novice and intermediate trails when conditions permit.

Off Hill

Visit . The former head of Mad River Glen’s naturalist programs brews some of the finest beer in the state��and recently opened a new tap house. Don’t miss����in Waitsfield for wood-fired pizzas.

The Bottom Line

Mad River is great for skiers looking to charge hard, but it’s equally good for families with a variety of ability levels. It’s not for those who want a ski-resort experience but rather��folks who want to ski without the noise and bustle.

Stowe Mountain Resort, Vermont

Stowe is��considered the ski capital of the East. Even after��Vail purchased ��(day tickets from $78) in 2017, and��it became part of the ,��and swanky hotels opened at the base of the area’s��Spruce Peak, Stowe has remained��an authentic��ski town. The area is a product of legends from the early days of skiing, from the Mount Mansfield Ski Club, established in 1934, to trail crews from the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) that cut Bruce, Nosedive, and other storied runs. Stowe is hallowed ground for New England skiing.

Today��it has been labeled the glitzy alternative to more humble places like Smugglers’ Notch (see below)��or Mad River Glen. However, having spent a decade in the area, I know that it’s also home to one of the best ski-bum scenes in the region. I’m talking about skiers who work all summer so they can ski all winter, because they know all too well the snow bounty that Mount Mansfield receives and the nooks and crannies in the forest that hide it all.

Need to Know

Park on the Mansfield side. Stowe is divided into two zones: Spruce Peak and Mount Mansfield. The Spruce Peak side is where most of the ski-school and ski-club training happens. It’s also where the resort village and hotel are located. You’ll find more parking on the Mansfield side. Then simply jump on the Over Easy Gondola to get to the resort base.

Take advantage of the region’s best lift-served backcountry. The gondola gets you close to the 4,395-foot summit of Mount Mansfield. Once you’ve hiked to the top, there are numerous options to ski down, from long tours to shorter ones. Some runs return to the ski area, and others drop out on the other side of the mountain, into small towns. It’s easy to get lost if you don’t know where you’re going. Be prepared and treat Mansfield��with respect��and you’ll be rewarded with some of the best backcountry skiing east of the Mississippi. Well-known zones such as Angel Food or Hell Brook drop skiers onto Route 108, so expect a mile-and-a-half trek back to the resort if you can’t thumb a ride.��If you’re venturing further into the nearby Smugglers’��Notch territory, bring avalanche gear, because slides do occur.

Start the day��on the Fourrunner Quad.��The main lift opens at 7:30 A.M. on weekends. If it’s a powder day, the Starr, Goat, Lookout, Liftline, and National runs are the places to be, but then head into the woods, either off the Quad or the gondola. Finish the day with a mellow schuss down Bruce Trail—an original CCC��trail cut by Charlie Lord,��the master designer of Stowe’s ski runs; it starts from the Octagon stop off��the quad��and terminates at the , a popular local watering hole known for après and live music.

When to Go

Stowe fires up the snow guns at the first sign of continued cold, so go anytime between November and the end of��April. It snows a lot here for the East—last year,��Mount Mansfield’s base reached 120 inches at the height of the snowpack in March. Additionally, February seems to produce the best storms. And the holiday season��is always busy, in addition to most weekends.

How to Get There

Fly into Burlington, and rent a car that can handle winter conditions. The resort is about an hour��from that��airport. Follow Interstate 89 to Exit 10, then take Route 100 into the town of Stowe, followed by a left at the stop sign onto Mountain Road.

The Intel

Where to Stay

There are a variety of slopeside and in-town options that range in price, from��the fancy 300-room Lodge at Spruce Peak (from $204), just steps from the Over Easy Gondola, or the Town and��Country hotel (from $100) in town, which has 43 recently renovated rooms and an in-house pizza joint. Or opt for condos or private homes offered by����(from $169); many units are within walking distance of��the Toll House Double lift.

Terrain

Stowe’s terrain is divided into 16 percent beginner, 55 percent intermediate, and 29 percent expert, and it has 2,360 feet of vertical drop. The famous front-four��trails—National, Goat, Starr, and Liftline—cascade down the fall line off the Fourrunner Quad��on��Mount��Mansfield. The alpine chutes��and endless tree skiing off Mansfield’s summit (some well-known and others hidden) still make��me smile when I think of my time on them. Meanwhile those epic tree-skiing images you see in the media were mostly taken out of bounds. The resort has an open-boundary policy, so be safe and have fun.

Off Hill

Start the day with breakfast at the . It might seem overpriced for some things, but its coffee and breakfast sandwiches are delicious and affordable.��In addition to��, head down to ��for après and pizza by the slice or pie. If fermented libations are your thing, then be sure to visit ��for an IPA.����in the town of Stowe is also worth a visit, to learn the history of Vermont skiing and how it has shaped the local community.

The Bottom Line

Stowe is definitely one of my favorite East Coast resorts, and the terrain, snow, and community make this place still feel like a local’s hill.

Smugglers’ Notch Resort, Vermont��

(full-day tickets from $39) is a classic northern Vermont ski area that has managed not to fall into the cookie-cutter resort trap. Locals love it for the excellent terrain��and low-key vibe. It’s reminiscent of the old Vermonters who have lived in the towns nearby for generations:��sure, the resort could place high-speed quads here, but the skiing quality would go downhill fast.

The ski area has a modest base village��with lodging��and prides itself on its family programs. Drop the kids off for ski school, shred some classic runs, meet up for family��time in the gentler terrain, and you have the makings of solid��day. The area breeds strong skiers, of which I count my wife. When we first met, she told me she’d grown up skiing Smuggs, and I thought��to myself, OK, this is going to work!

Need to Know

Bundle up for the lift ride. The Madonna I chair is a slow burn to the summit of Madonna Peak, at 3,640 feet. It also faces due north. These are all good things for snow preservation and ski quality, but bring an extra layer for cold days and late afternoons in December and January.

Plan according to skill levels. The area is divided into a lower area, Morse Mountain, and an upper area, consisting of Madonna and Sterling Mountains. Morse is perfect for families and those learning to ski. Sterling��is also great for families who can split up on the downhill and��reconvene��at the chair.

Prepare for tree skiing. It’s abundant here, both within the ski-area boundary and outside of it. Make sure you’re prepared and know where you’re��going if you venture off-piste. Some runs lead to the closed Route 108, from which you’ll need to hike and traverse back to the ski area.

Expect the resort to call it early. Things shut down early at the resort in terms of amenities, but there are plenty of places to grab après drinks and food as you head closer to the town of��Jeffersonville.

When to Go

December through April typically yields quality skiing. School and holiday breaks get busy with local crowds. Non-holiday-weekend��ski traffic is light, and midweek it’s a ghost town.

How to Get There

There are several ways to get to Smuggs traveling east from Burlington, all of which average an hour of driving. Route 108, which passes through the Notch from Stowe, is closed during the winter, so don’t go that way, no matter what Google Maps says.

The Intel

Where to Stay

The resort offers studio to four-bedroom����(from $90) that are either a short walk or a free shuttle ride into the village.

Terrain

Steep bumps with natural features on Freefall, Liftline, and Robin’s Run will keep intermediate and advanced skiers entertained, in addition to excellent tree skiing, in-bounds and out. Last year��Smuggs recorded 329��inches of snow. In-bound glades, such as Doc Dempsey’s, are classic Smuggs terrain, but backcountry stashes are abundant as well. Be prepared with your gear, partner, and navigation to get you to and from the ski area.

Off Hill

The Ben and Jerry’s scoop shop and Black Bear Tavern are a hit with families for après. There are also loads of kids’ activities in the , a 26,000-square-foot indoor playground at the resort. Off the hill, head down the road to . In Jeffersonville,����is a delicious spot for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. If you’re looking to nab tasty baked goods on the go, hit up the�� for locally made goodies. It’s in a former gas station, so you may be tempted to judge, but its cookies and famous bear claw��are worthy.

The Bottom Line

This is a local’s mountain, with a casual, throwback feel. While there are plenty of tough backcountry runs, Smuggs is also popular with beginners and families, thanks to gentler terrain options, like Sir Henry’s Learning and Fun Park��and the Magic Carpet.

Sugarloaf Mountain, Maine

Rising out of the Carrabassett Valley in northern Maine, ��Mountain (part of the ; full-day tickets from $109)��appears akin to a volcano in the Pacific Northwest. The resort��boasts one of largest continuous verticals in the east—2,820 feet—and its location well north of Portland, Maine, means fewer��crowds than many of the more southern New England ski areas.

Other than Stowe, Sugarloaf is the only ski area in the East to offer alpine terrain. At 4,237 feet, Sugarloaf is the second-tallest mountain in the state, and long, sustained fall-line trails tumble downslope from the summit into steep bump runs or open fields of corduroy, begging you to let your skis run. The Loaf (as locals call it) also has some of the best trails for arcing fast groomers. And while this East Coast resort doesn’t have traditional tight New England trails contouring the mountain, it makes up for it with a plethora of newly opened gladed terrain. If you can stomach the��heartier cold spells, there’s no��better place to ski in Maine. The mountain has a vibrant, local vibe and is family friendly.

Need to Know

Look out for new ��runs. Prior to opening up maintained backcountry runs like Brackett Basin, Sugarloaf was known for its snowfields and terrain park. There’s plenty of covert tree skiing still available off the Spillway chair: slide out of bounds, down the shoulder and back side of the snowfields, to a zone of trees that opens up with a couple lanes that stop��at a small cabin called the��Salsa Shack. Then continue��down to��a traverse and back to the King Pine chair, where some of the best natural snow skiing is.��More recently, the Loaf boosted its skiable acres through glades��and just added a new area off Burnt Mountain. Burnt was previously only accessed by hiking but can now be reached via a snowcat with the purchase of an access ticket (from $45).

Bring that extra layer.��Cold temperatures��preserve the mountain from the proverbial January thaws that can wreak havoc on other East Coast ski resorts. Having spent two years in this area, I’ve experienced overhead powder days and bone-rattling cold groomer runs with howling winds. Be prepared for New England weather that can change at any moment.

Mark your calendar. ��is the biggest ski-area spring party I’ve ever seen. It happens every April at Sugarloaf and is full of good times.

When to Go

The Loaf can have reliable coverage from snowmaking in November. Once winter kicks in, the snow is usually good through April. Late winter and early spring are typically the best times to go, and the Loaf averages 200 inches of snow per year. Keep tabs on nor’easters, when storms unload on the resort��as they travel up and stall within the Gulf of Maine.

Getting There

While “you can’t get there from here”��is a classic Mainer response when you ask for complicated directions, luckily for skiers, Sugarloaf is easy to get to if you don’t mind a little driving. The closest large airport is either in Portland, Maine, or Boston, a 2.5- and four-hour drive, respectively. From Boston, take I-95/Maine Turnpike to Auburn, Maine, then Route 4 to Farmington, and then Route 27 north to Carrabassett Valley and the resort. If you’re traveling during��the day, you’ll know you’re close when you hit Oh My Gosh Corner—when Sugarloaf’s broad face comes into view. The best part about Sugarloaf is its remoteness, and you’ll be glad you made the trek, given the diminished crowds.

The Intel

Where to Stay

(from $99), just 100 yards from the SuperQuad lift, has an outdoor hot tub and an on-site restaurant called 45 North. There are also condos and vacation rentals that vary in price.

Terrain

For a ski area this big, it still feels manageable, given the simple base area. The breakdown of trails is 23 percent beginner, 34 percent intermediate, 27 percent advanced, and 18 percent expert. Additionally, the resort’s Brackett Basin and Burnt Mountain provide over 650 acres of backcountry-style glades.��The snowfields atop Sugarloaf’s summit offer the only above-treeline, lift-accessed terrain in the Northeast.

Off Hill

Aside from the on-mountain restaurant��, all the other restaurants and bars are located at��the main base area. Check out ��for lunch and the����and the�� for après brews. ��provides a finer farm-to-table dining experience.

The Bottom Line

Sugarloaf is great for families as well as skiers looking to get into the woods and newly opened terrain. It’s also the training grounds for the , a well-known ski school with racing and freeride programs.

The Backcountry at Mount Washington, New Hampshire

Mount Washington lies within the Presidential Range, located in in northern New Hampshire. At 6,288 feet, it dwarfs the neighboring Green Mountains of Vermont. Its extreme weather has been documented from summit observatories for years, recording a long-standing record of the highest wind speed on land—231 miles per hour in April��1934. The mountain features��2,000 feet of terrain above tree line��and 13 glacial cirques (bowls��loaded with snow that span the ridgelines)��and lies within the convergence of three separate storm tracks. It’s infamously known as home to the worst weather in the world.��The terrain is also avalanche prone.

But when the weather is calm��and the howling winds transition to nothing more than a breath, the steep chutes and bowls become a proving ground for backcountry skiers in New England��and lure westerners, drawn to��the region’s prominence in the history of North American skiing. That’s because the mountain is��home to a��famed cirque called Tuckerman��Ravine,��a rite of passage for many East Coast skiers. Located on the southeast face of Mount Washington, the ravine requires boot-packing up a 50-degree pitch before thundering down a chute that’s close to vertical.

Need to Know

Get the gear and the training. Bring avalanche gear, and know how to use it.��There are several outfits within Vermont and New Hampshire that offer Level 1 Avalanche classes. In addition to taking the class, practice using your gear—especially when you’re tired and cold, because that’s typically when accidents happen. In addition to a beacon, shovel, and probe, Mount Washington skiers should be comfortable using crampons and ice axes. Before you go, check the��, which provides forecasts��along with weather and photo updates.

Familiarize yourself with safe��zones. The lower parts of the Sherburne Ski Trail and Gulf of Slides Ski Trail, which start off Pinkham Notch, bob and weave down the mountain. They function��as a safe space for��touring if the avalanche hazard is high, because��the trails��are sheltered by heavy tree coverage.��Be savvy and don’t push it when conditions are sketchy, as slides��historically have sent timber flying onto these trails.

Make sure to have a map and��compass, or use Gaia GPS. On the west side of Mount Washington, there are alpine cirques similar to Tuckerman Ravine, such as Ammonoosuc Ravine and��Monroe Brook. Make sure to have navigational tools handy in case you lose your way in these high mountains.

When to Go

Luckily, those howling winds on Mount Washington deposit loads of snow during storms. Weather and snow conditions vary greatly day to day. Typically January or February through May is a safe bet for good snowpack.

Getting There

Pinkham Notch is the most popular trailhead start location. It’s on Route 16 in northern New Hampshire��and is a mile south on White Mountain Road from��, another well-known destination��known for its variety of terrain. Pinkham Notch is a three-hour drive from Boston and a two-hour drive from Portland, Maine.��From the Notch, you can access the Sherburne Ski Trail, Tuckerman Ravine, Huntington Ravine Trail, and Hillman Highway’s Ascent. Additionally, the Gulf of Slides Ski Trail begins here and leads to the Gulf of Slides and Oakes Gulf ravines.

The Intel

Where to Stay

��(from $70), located at Pinkham��Notch, has private rooms and bunk rooms with shared baths, plus a breakfast buffet. If the weather allows,����(from $15), located 2.4 miles up Tuckerman Ravine Trail, is the only area permitted for camping on the east side of Mount Washington. The lean-tos and tent platforms are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and a permit can be obtained at Pinkham Notch.

Terrain

The most popular area on Mount Washington is Tuckerman Ravine. Since the early days of the��,��when shredders��barreled down the Lip and Sherburne Ski Trail��during the 1930s, Tuckerman Ravine has been a test for skiers. I distinctly remember skiing over its Center Headwall for the first time: the slope peeled away with each turn, creating an exhilarating drive to see more of it. The first time I scored one of its��chutes in the early spring, a long, white canvas in front of me, it was even more special.

Off Hill

Don’t miss après beers and BBQ at ��and the , especially after a day of backcountry touring.

The Bottom Line

Skiing on “the Big Rock,”��as locals call the mountain,��shouldn’t be taken lightly. From 50-degree steeps, ice-bulge cliffs bisecting chutes, avalanche danger, and late-season crevasses, it’s as real as it gets on the East Coast and a skiing mecca for those with the skills��to experience classic backcountry terrain.

The post The Ultimate East Coast Ski Guide appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

Starting next winter, Vail Resorts’��Epic Pass��($939) gets you access to 67��resorts. Alterra’s Ikon Pass,��just $10 more,��is good for unlimited days at 14��North American resorts. The season pass is truly having a heyday.

Recently, Marc Peruzzi argued in ���ϳԹ��� that this massive consolidation occuring across the ski industry is a great thing for core skiers. His argument was essentially that skiing, overall, is getting cheaper.

OK, sure. But the cost issue is a lot more complicated when you dig into it.��The relatively cheap passes that result from the industry’s consolidation are a great deal—if they existed in a vacuum. But they don’t.

Vail Resorts is a publicly traded company with a current market capitalization hovering near $8 billion. Alterra is a privately owned entity reportedly worth around $4 billion. Why aren’t core skiers,��the people who live in ski towns,��happy that gigantic business interests seem suddenly aligned with their own?��

To start, these companies grew as large as they did by acquiring other resorts, a trend that began in the 1980s. That development, as Peruzzi rightly notes, has led to homogenized ski areas and coddled, tepid so-called “experiences” for weak skiers with strong wallets. There is certainly more to the story than these easy targets.��

In the wake of Vail’s 2017 acquisition of Stowe, in Vermont, real estate prices, which weren’t cheap before, rose notably, according to Gayle Oberg of��the locally based��Little River Realty. “There’s been a significant difference.��Prices are as high as we’ve seen,” says��Oberg, who originally moved to Stowe to ski bum in 1973. Big Sky, Montana, was recently added to the Ikon Pass network, and already locals are feeling the housing squeeze. “All the affordable long-term rentals we had before this year are now off the market and seem to be on VRBO,”��said a longtime local and resort employee,��who requested anonymity for fear of losing their job. “It’s priced out all the people that support this town. I know of resort employees living in��tents in the forest. People here are really pissed off.” One could blame global market forces and nationwide shortages for housing crunches (and they would not be totally��wrong), but massive pass systems bringing large��swarms of people to small��mountain towns certainly don’t help.��

To be clear, I’m not arguing that any ski corporation��has a duty as a fairy godmother to ski culture, soul skiers,��or the surrounding communities. Vail’s duty is a fiduciary one—to its shareholders. Alterra also has investors. They aren’t responsible for anyone’s ski dreams. But, while Peruzzi may tell us they are “throwing [core skiers] a lifeline,”��they’re certainly not doing that either.

For about seven years, residents of Squaw Valley, California—core skiers if there ever were any—have worked to oppose a huge development proposal at the base of Squaw by KSL Capital, a founding partner of Alterra. They fear thousands of more tourists, heavier traffic, high-rise hotels, a lower quality of life, and significant environmental impacts. According to Squaw icon Robb Gaffney, locals raised half a million dollars to support the incorporation of Olympic Valley, the community in Placer County that houses Squaw. As a municipality, they could deny the project. “Everyone donated, even waitresses throwing in $20. And we were just bulldozed over,”��he said. “KSL spent nearly a million dollars to thwart a democratic process through legal maneuvers. It’s really different when you’re facing a multibillion-dollar company. Even though there is huge local opposition, there is an agenda��and a high-powered legal battle to take [the development] to the finish line.” Alterra’s president, David Perry, said��in an e-mail that while his company supports each resort “having significant local decision making and keeping the resort and community working together as best they can,”��the situation at Squaw is “a different topic with its own complexities.”��A cheaper season pass seems like small consolation for giving up control of your community.

For the industry, perhaps the biggest casualty of the mega pass has been the single-day lift ticket. A day pass at Vail recently hit $209. Compare that to a day pass at some world-class mountains in ($55), ($40), ($70), or ($50). At the same time, average accommodation prices at western U.S. resorts have��risen 30 percent��in the last eight years.��It’s no wonder that annual U.S. skier days have dipped over the last 20 years.

“The U.S. ski industry is facing… increasing prices, paid by a declining number of customers,” analysts wrote��in the . “This tends to make ski[ing] less affordable… especially for the beginners, who usually purchase daily passes…. The business model of the large U.S. resorts [can be summarized as trying to get] always more money from always less customers.”��

Vail Resorts has long been the butt of skier’s jokes, for its expensive, bland, and commercial reputation. Peruzzi cheerily writes that��“with shareholders calm, the company can invest in better grooming, new lifts and restaurants, and staffing.” Staffing, you say? , Vail reportedly tried involuntarily cramming 100 more beds into its Keystone employee housing. The plan was to add two more residents per��select two- and three-bedroom units, increasing��the occupancy of those to four-��and five-person units, respectively, creating a college-dorm-like situation. ��that offered employees “financial incentives”—employees were to be charged $330 each in the increased-occupancy rooms, instead of $460. However, if you do the math, the total rent for each unit would actually increase by $270 for a three-bedroom unit and $400 for a two-bedroom unit. Maybe you think saving $130 on rent is a good thing (and worth taking on a roommate for). I disagree. So did the staff, which��had a fit until the resort quickly��backpedaled.

Vail quietly got what it wanted six months later by pressuring the county to allow the “temporary” employee density, which it��then tried to extend in September 2018. Luckily, county commissioners . The company has also made a point of publicizing its $30 million pledge for employee housing, made in 2015. However, whether the company has upheld that pledge has .

And��anyway, $30 million doesn’t actually equate to much when it’s spread across the company’s wide portfolio of resorts. Vail Resorts��actually cost that would bolster the company’s chances of receiving approval to include low-income rentals in its new employee-housing development in Keystone (meant to alleviate some of the housing issues that contributed to the aforementioned��controversy), leaving the taxpayers on the line. Meanwhile, Vail just announced an approximate $180 million commitment��to by upgrading lifts, on-mountain dining, and other superimportant stuff. Peruzzi’s implication that the company cares about investing in its staff—writing that “the big companies have brought better jobs”—is laughable. Those better jobs are in Broomfield, not Breckenridge, and the money from your mega pass is padding the pockets of executives, not the average worker, who��deserves to be treated fairly. ��

. But��independent ski areas��do still exist—for now. And skiers and riders can still support them with their wallets. At these ski areas, there may still be��bars at the base that haven’t been converted to genteel, pricey après��bistros��and are fun and rowdy enough to actually sell you the��cheap PBR that Peruzzi suggests season pass holders can buy with their extra money.

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As part of an effort to get more people to relocate to Vermont, Governor Phil Scott recently signed a new bill into law, called the Remote Worker Grant Program, that will cover up to $10,000 in moving and living expenses for a select number of recipients who bring their own job with them. Sounds pretty good, right? In case you need even more reasons to make the move, we asked a bunch of former and current residents about their favorite things to do in the Green Mountain State. Consider this your welcome wagon.

Spend Time on a Farm

From cheese to apples to maple syrup, agriculture is a mainstay of Vermont’s economy. , a 170-acre family owned organic vegetable and berry farm in New Haven, hosts wellness retreats, yoga classes, and workshops on medicinal plants, basket weaving, and drum making. In summer, come to pick berries and stay for a community pizza night or farm-to-table dinner accompanied by a ballet performance. Don’t miss the honey kombucha, made from the farm’s own hives, or the swimming hole on the New Haven River, which passes through the farm’s front yard.

Hit the Water

Lake Champlain is the state’s most famous body of water, and there are many ways to explore it: Charter a sailboat in Burlington, sea kayak the , or among sunken ships. Our favorite? Camping on , a 253-acre island state park that can be accessed only by a ten-minute ferry ride from Kamp Kill Kare State Park. A small store and café serve up basic necessities, and hiking trails cross the island.

Ride Gap to Gap

In Vermont, mountain passes are called “gaps,” and there’s a stunning that covers 130 miles and more than 10,000 feet of climbing in the mountains outside Burlington. Not up for that big of a ride? Head to the in Killington instead, where you can stock up on bike gear and snag a map of the 20-mile gravel and paved Stream Ride. Along the way, stop for a cheese tasting at the factory and a soft-serve maple creemee at . End the ride with a plunge into the Ottauquechee River and a cold beer at the waterfront .

Learn a Craft

Get a crash course in Vermont’s do-it-yourself spirit at , a design and building school in Waitsfield, where they’ll teach you how to build a yurt or a treehouse, press your own skis, and make furniture. Courses range from two to 55 days, and you can stay in dorms, cabins, or tents on the 38-acre campus, meals included. When class is out, relax in , one of the state’s best swimming holes, before grabbing a slice of wood-fired pizza at ’s classic red barn. There’s also a relatively new mountain bike trail, called , that starts right behind the restaurant.

Hike a Ski Area

Vermont’s ski areas are ramping up their summertime offerings. Stop by Bolton Valley for its Thursday night for a farm-to-table meal, craft beers, and a round of disc golf. Okemo is expanding its lift-accessed , you can surf an indoor wave at , and Stowe has a . A local favorite? Hiking the and the fish fry at General Stark’s Pub in the lodge.

Mountain Bike the Kingdom Trails

You’ll find some of the best singletrack in the state on the in East Burke. There are routes for all levels of riders, including a pump track for the kids. Stay at the (from $129) for easy access and free bike storage, or score a spot at the nearby rustic (from $240). After your ride, grab a pint at , which has more than 30 microbrews, live music, and a rotating cast of food trucks.

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A lawsuit filed May 15 in Vermont Superior Court claims that Craig DeLuca, a former president and chief operating officer of Inntopia, committed acts of sex discrimination, sexual harassment, and false imprisonment against Alison Miley, a resident of Stowe, Vermont, seeking contract employment with the company.

Stowe-based Inntopia, known for travel and booking software that powers some of the country’s most well-known resorts, tour operators, and outfitters, has been named one of ���ܳٲ������’s Best Places to Work for the��past three years. ���ܳٲ������’s attempts to reach DeLuca for comment were not immediately successful.

Trevor Crist, current Inntopia��CEO, said the following in an e-mail: “The referenced complaint includes allegations against a former employee, who departed the company in June of last year. The alleged behavior as described is troubling, and is counter to everything the company stands for.��Neither I nor the company would ever condone the type of behavior described in the complaint. Such behavior is an affront to our company values.��Inntopia is dedicated to workplace equality, promoting respect among colleagues��and maintaining a safe workplace environment that is free of harassment and discrimination of any kind.”

According to the complaint, DeLuca offered Miley what amounted to a trade: part-time��employment for sex. When she didn’t accept his offer, the lawsuit asserts, discussions about the job in question became “vague and non-committal” and “ultimately Miley was not offered the work.” ���ϳԹ��� contacted Miley, but she declined to comment.

In late summer of 2016, the filing alleges, DeLuca approached Miley, a communication strategist and consultant, about the possibility of doing contract work in “public relations, content, and branding.” The suit describes a series of meetings that occurred over the next few months—one with DeLuca and another executive, and one with DeLuca alone.

The lawsuit says that at the second meeting, in October 2016, DeLuca took her into an empty office and locked the door��(the basis for the claim that Miley was subjected to false imprisonment). He then allegedly “suggested the two of them go to a risque show in New York,” brought up the idea of having sex in the office, and spent approximately 20 minutes trying to “convince her they should have a ‘friends with benefits’ sexual relationship.”

Miley said she wasn’t interested, but the suit contends that DeLuca continued to contact her, “calling to ask her if she’d thought more about the offer” and sending her “sexually suggestive” texts and e-mail��over the next few months. The complaint mentions Miley’s desire to maintain a professional link with the company, for possible future work,��rather than cut��things off entirely. She allegedly returned to the company’s offices in spring 2017 to meet with DeLuca and discuss a potential opportunity.

According to the filing, “Inntopia allowed these meetings to happen, despite being on notice that DeLuca had engaged in similar conduct with at least one other female job seeker.” The identity of the second woman was not revealed in the complaint.

The suit also alleges that both DeLuca and Crist��have “admitted to what happened with Miley,” but it does not provide detail to flesh that out or back it up. The suit also says, without offering additional detail, that DeLuca’s departure from Inntopia last summer was a “direct result of his sexual harassment of and discrimination against one or more other women.”

The suit asks for a trial by jury and compensatory and punitive damages.

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