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

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How to make a day on the slopes even more perfect? Pair it with a wintry festival, and let the fun continue long after après. From beer events to wine fêtes and pretty much everything in between, these celebrations will fill your cup (and plate). Plus, you might nab a few celebrity chefs’ autographs along the way.

Check back. We’ll update this list if dates change or new information arises.

Taos Winter Wine Festival, Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico

January 26-29, 2023

The 35th Annual is a three-day weekend highlighting Taos’ culinary artistry and wines from around the world. Look for a reserve tasting, chef luncheons, après-ski tastings, wine dinners, and more.

Beaver Creek’s Winter Culinary Weekend, Beaver Creek, Colorado

February 2-5, 2023

The of food and wine will celebrate Beaver Creek’s many luxurious culinary experiences with cooking demos, innovative wine and spirits events, and gourmet wine-pairing dinners.

Jackson Hole Food and Wine Winter Fest, Jackson Hole, Wyoming

March 2-4, 2023

As if a three-day trip to Jackson wasn’t already magical, with the you can add a caviar-and-champagne tasting, a grand tasting, wine dinners, and cooking classes to your ski day lineup.

Taste of Vail, Vail, Colorado

April 5-8, 2023

Seminars, wine tastings, and après sip sessions populate the long weekend but the banner event—The Mountain Top Picnic—is legendary. Take the gondola up or ski over to Eagle’s Nest, and taste to your heart’s content.

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Taos Ski Valley announced today that it has achieved a CarbonNeutral Certification from . Taos, already the world’s first and only B Corp-certified ski resort, is now the first in the industry to achieve the certification. This milestone follows years of sustainability work and close to $100 million invested in reducing on-mountain energy use, and it puts Taos ahead of its stated 2030 timeline to have a net footprint of zero carbon emissions, otherwise known as net zero.

Taos, located in the Sangre de Cristo range of New Mexico, attained the certification through a combination of on-site emissions reductions and investment in carbon offset projects like the implementation of clean cooking stoves in Ghana and Guatemala.

The Carbon Neutrality Debate

There are some questions about the extent to which carbon offsets and independently awarded certifications like CarbonNeutral mean much in global efforts to address climate change. Auden Schendler is one of the foremost experts on sustainable business. The climate activist, businessman, and current senior vice president of sustainability at Aspen Skiing Company said this CarbonNeutral Certification is something—but not everything. “The is a ‘me versus we’ question,” he said. “If you care about stabilizing the climate and protecting the outdoor economy, you work on systemic change. If you care about how you look, you [do] carbon neutral.”

Instead, Schendler suggested in a white paper to which he’s currently contributing that businesses may be better off investing their offset money in something “actually impactful,” such as “converting offices from natural gas to electric heat or switching company vehicles to electric.” He added that investing time and energy in support of passing more climate legislation is also vital to meaningful change.

“We believe that the use of a carbon offset is not the perfect solution, but to be certified carbon neutral is an outstanding first step,” said Taos Ski Valley CEO David Norden. The hope is that, moving forward, Taos will be incentivized to reduce more emissions on-site to minimize the cost of and need for offsetting. “The ultimate goal is zero emissions,” said Norden.

How Taos Achieved an Industry First

Becoming CarbonNeutral is a process. Taos is already on 100 percent daytime solar and hopes to expand the use of renewables across the resort. In alignment with its new certification, Taos is purchasing 10 electric snowmobiles and will also debut the first electric snowcat in North America this winter. The company also created a new role devoted to overseeing net-zero efforts and monitoring progress toward emissions reductions.

“Carbon neutrality allows us to understand what our footprint is, which most organizations don’t actually know,” said Norden. This transparency is key to reducing future emissions and minimizing reliance on offsets to achieve carbon neutrality.

Despite these critiques, Taos is still leading the charge on carbon reduction in the ski industry, and other ski resorts and businesses are taking notice. B Lab—the nonprofit that provides the esteemed to businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental responsibility—convened its annual summit in Taos prior to the pandemic, to show sustainability leaders that the resort reflects B Corp values. More recently, entities such as the Forest Service, Nature Conservancy, and other ski resorts have reached out to Taos to learn more about how it centers its business model around environmental and social responsibility.

“We are a learning organization, and if we continue to do the work we believe that people will continue to take note and ideally do their part in their region to care for the planet and to care for the people on the planet,” said Norden. “We’re building a story that more people are gravitating towards.”

Taos Ski Valley’s commitment to social and environmental responsibility is also affecting how individuals engage with the resort. Following the announcement of its B Corp certification in 2017, Taos sold more lift tickets than after any other marketing campaign the company has run. Today, Taos continues to see high numbers of visitors and has a robust recruitment pipeline as people seek out Taos’s commitment to sustainability.

“We’re finding, with our guests and our staff, people want to be engaged in business and activities that align with their values,” said Norden. “Doing everything we can to be innovative on social and environmental responsibility is working for us.”

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All across the country, resorts have been working hard to bolster their offerings and to fix systemic issues, from addressing long lift lines and the mountain-town housing shortage��to investing in renewable energy. With the proper precautions, there are more reasons than ever to hit the slopes this season.

There’s More Ground to Cover

Ski resorts spend years—decades even—building out their terrain. The wait is generally worth it, with new glades, bowls, and buttery runs to christen. This season in Colorado, Telluride is getting 40 new acres of beginner and intermediate terrain, including the Grouse Glades, while Beaver Creek will open 250 acres of easy skiing, with two quads and 17 new trails in the bowlish McCoy Park. Last February, Idaho’s Sun Valley pulled the curtain back on 380 acres, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, many weren’t able to ski it. This is your year.

The biggest expansion is at Bluebird Backcountry, located near Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and the only no-lift, ­all-backcountry ski area in the U.S. It will open 12 new runs, for a total of 25. This includes four gullies that are patrolled and controlled for slides, with steep pitches that tilt to a puckering 45 degrees, which increases its avalanche-managed acreage to 1,200. If that sounds intimidating, sign up for the Bluebird+ membership for access to backcountry lessons, seminars, and as many half-day clinics as you want all season long (from $250).

Birding on Skis

In the early months of the pandemic, Americans took up bird-watching like depraved raptors. It is a surprisingly delightful passion that also happens to pair well with skiing. Sign up for Alta’s Birding on Skis tour and you’ll head out on a half-day adventure into Utah’s Little Cottonwood Canyon to look for resident populations of rosy finches, mountain chickadees, and, if you’re lucky, perhaps a pair of the mating golden eagles that frequent the area below 10,920-foot Devil’s Castle. Tours start with a 9 A.M. ride up Alta’s Collins Lift over epic black-diamond terrain and end at noon at the Albion base area. A conservation ecologist from Salt Lake’s Tracy Aviary will be along to help distinguish nuthatches from creepers. Because you’ll be contributing to a bird survey of the area, the tour is free and includes a half-day ski pass. Participants need only be at least 12 years old and able to ski a groomed blue run.

Lift Off

This winter will see the unveiling of arguably the most technologically advanced butt hauler on this side of the Atlantic. Introducing the Kancamagus 8, a.k.a. Kanc 8, at New Hampshire’s Loon Mountain Resort, the first eight-pack in the East and one of only a few such behemoths in the country. This particular beast features heated ergonomic seats that look like something out of a SpaceX rocket, a locking safety bar, individual footrests, and, of course, a tinted bubble to stave off that icy New England wind. The extra-wide chairs can be spun up to 12.5 miles per hour—­making the Kanc 8 the fastest lift of its size in the U.S.—and can haul 3,500 skiers per hour to a mid-mountain station in 4.5-minute increments, which is barely enough time to cool your quads. It’s likely the kickoff of a national overhaul to lift technology. Next up is Montana’s Big Sky Resort, which will launch the Swift Current 6, a blazingly fast (read: 13.6 miles per hour), heated six-pack that will increase uphill capacity by 50 percent.

Lodging Gets an Upgrade

Most destination ski resorts need a robust real estate scene and high ­occupancy rates to help fund all the improvements that keep us coming back. This winter brings a slew of new places to snooze at some of the country’s most iconic resorts. Aspen Snowmass will see the opening of Viewline, a mid-mountain luxury complex that includes an Ayurvedic spa, 254 rooms, and 20 suites featuring sheepskin throws and awesome ski-in, ski-out access (from $329). Meanwhile, in Park City, Utah, the Pendry (from $1,500) opens in Canyons Village with 152 rooms and the city’s only rooftop pool. The project making the biggest splash is one of the largest of its kind ever to land in Montana: the Montage at Big Sky (from $1,395). Clocking in at a whopping half-million square feet in the heart of the mountain ­village, the 139-room, 39-­residence stunner looks out over the 8,400-foot Spanish Peaks and has six restaurants, an indoor lap pool, a 10,000-square-foot spa, and, just out the door, a 450-foot tubing park for kids. Of course, the 5,800 skiable acres just beyond your black-marble bathroom are the real attraction.

An Innovative Ski-Town Fix

The mountain-town housing shortage intensified after a pandemic-fueled real estate boom drove out longtime residents and decimated the local workforce. Summer visitors to these locales report long waits and fewer services due to staffing shortages. Where does that leave us this ski season?

Resorts planned ahead. Starting this winter, Aspen, Solitude, Sugarbush, Vail, and others will pay non-tipped employees at least $15 an hour, more than twice the federal minimum wage. Mount Bohemia, in Michigan, will trump them all by paying $20 an hour. But finding an affordable place to live is as tricky as ever, especially if you want to settle down.

Enter the Big Sky Community Housing Trust, a newly formed nonprofit that makes the Montana haven of 3,000 full-time residents and some 4,000 vacation homes one of the most promising ski towns to live and work.

The trust, which is partially funded by a resort tax, builds on an idea unfolding in Vail, where the town pays homeowners a percentage of their property value in exchange for saddling the property with a restricted deed that slows appreciation, lowers the sale price, and helps bolster a more affordable housing pool.

The Big Sky version uses grants and money from the resort tax to give the owners of second, third, and even fourth homes subsidies to rent their pads to local workers at reduced rates instead of going the Airbnb or Vrbo route. The trust is also a key player in the construction of 52 gorgeous condos with restricted deeds that will sell for half their market value, with a hard 2 percent cap on annual appreciation.

That’s a big difference in a place where the average condo now goes for $1 million and a single-family home will set you back a cool $2.2 million. “A regular working Joe just can’t do that,” says Laura Seyfang, the trust’s director. “We’re trying to create a little balance here.”

The Other End of the Rockies

There’s so much in Colorado and Utah to be excited about this winter, with new lifts at Breckenridge, Keystone, and Snowbasin—to name a few—and a cat-skiing operation opening in Loveland Ski Area’s Dry Gulch. But if you have the time and means for only one trip, make it count by going to Taos Ski Valley. The New Mexico resort, perhaps the least corporate of the major resorts in the Rockies, averages 300 inches of snow per year and has a smattering of new offerings this season. For starters, you can sign up for an exclusive three-day learning session with Olympian Deb Armstrong (gold, giant slalom, Sarajevo ’84), who will personally coach you out of your poor angulation or whatever it is that ails you. She’s in high demand, though, so for the rest of us, there’s Taos’s new pro-guided experience, where a local ripper will show you secret stashes and the best way to get your tails into the fall line on the double blacks off West Basin Ridge. Back down in the village, you’ll find new attractions like an ice rink, dinner sleigh rides, and a skier-services building.

Power for the Powder

For all the fresh air, exercise, and soul resetting that sliding down snow-covered mountains offers, resort skiing can be pretty rough on Mother Nature. So it’s worth mentioning that Alterra, Boyne, Powdr, and Vail—some of the biggest resort conglomerates in the game—banded together over the summer to fight climate change by signing an agreement aimed at reducing impact while lobbying for policy changes that make renewable energy the norm in the resort industry. This winter, Park City will take a big step toward fulfilling that goal by tapping into the Elektron Solar Project, an 80-megawatt solar farm southwest of Salt Lake City that will provide every last drop of electricity to the resort by 2023.

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Not long ago, the notion of flying on a private plane meant earning a seven-figure income and chartering a Gulfstream V or an equally elite aircraft. But thanks to a growing number of players shaking up the noncommercial sector of the aviation industry over the past few years, travelers have more ways than ever to enjoy the perks of private flights without the historically prohibitive price tag.

Driven by crowdsourcing technology and the Uber-like on-demand model, operators offering semiprivate charters, membership-based services, and smaller carriers that utilize regional airports have helped democratize a mode of travel once reserved for the jet-setting crowd. Instead of having a connection to an individual or a business that owns a private plane, or shelling out for a broker to hook you up with one, these companies allow you to book your flight online just like you would for a commercial one—and trust you’re paying a fair price.

They are all catering to a common customer: passengers weary of endless commercial-airline fees, long security lines, packed airports, and overbooked planes. Indeed, it’s hard to understate the sweet glory of arriving at a small regional or private airport about 30 minutes before takeoff, breezing through a metal detector in seconds, being welcomed aboard with at most a few dozen—instead of a few hundred—others, with nary a single TSA pat-down or seat back slammed into your face. For the premium baked into ticket prices, most of these operators offer other perks, too, including seat assignments, refreshments, and free baggage transport (JSX, a Dallas-based operator with a network of short-haul routes across Texas and the West, charges nothing for guests’ surfboards, skis, snowboards, and golf clubs).

Another advantage of this type of air travel? Utilizing the vast network of regional airports across the U.S. that enable easier access to remote areas, which commercial routes are less likely to service or which may have been cut during the pandemic. “There are only a few hundred major airports in the country, whereas there are a few thousand public-use airports that are accessible via private charter,” says William Herp, CEO of , an on-demand operator based in Massachusetts. “We’ve had a lot of customers flying to places that are hours away from the nearest airline airport in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and all across the United States and Canada, to get to their vacation or activity sooner than if they flew to an airline airport and drove hours and hours.”

You can certainly expect to pay more for this kind of experience, yet how much more varies. For smaller operators with established routes, prices can be comparable to a premium-economy-class ticket (though sometimes significantly more). On-demand charter models might charge more than double that of commercial business class. However, passengers seem more amenable than ever to paying higher prices for a better (and potentially safer) experience. During the pandemic, many of these operators reported a sizable uptick in bookings from travelers seeking more socially distanced alternatives to commercial airlines, as well as easy access to outdoor destinations.

But knowing where to start can be overwhelming for the uninitiated. There are a wide range of options on the market, and they’re not all legit. (The now defunct JetSmarter, a membership-based player that touted itself as the Uber of private flying, was to members for failing to deliver promised services.)

We’ve broken down different options in the space that will likely appeal to outdoor-minded people. Though there are several other options, including operators that cater to high-net-worth clientele, with models based on memberships, prepaid jet cards, and fractional ownership, the following categories—on-demand charters and public charters—are best suited for recreational travelers for their price points and the adventure destinations they serve. A word of warning: once you get a taste for this kind of travel, you may never want to wheel that rollaboard suitcase onto a commercial airliner again.

On-Demand Charters

Traditionally, travelers looking to book a private charter had to go through charter brokers, who negotiate the price with aircraft owners or management companies. However, as Linear Air’s Herp notes, many customers don’t know how to assess the quotes they’re given. “That process has a lot of friction and potential confusion and hesitation built into it,” he says.

Companies like Linear Air and a host of other competitors, including , , , and , have changed the game with online “marketplaces” that allow users to search privately owned planes based on group size, destination, and travel dates (with flight options available for immediate booking), much in the same way that companies like Airbnb allow customers to rent owners’ properties. For private charters, generally the larger the group (15 to 16 passengers is the most common maximum-seating capacity), the more cost-efficient your trip, since you’re splitting the cost of the plane among more people. The total price can run from the low five digits all the way up to $50,000 or more, depending on the route, group size, dates, and aircraft type (generally, jets are pricier than single-engine turboprops).

However, there are pitfalls to watch out for. Some companies that market themselves as on demand still rely on a traditional brokerage model, meaning consumers remain at the mercy of any humans behind the scenes negotiating the transaction, which might result in hidden costs. Many require at least an email registration to search flights. In addition, cancellations aren’t uncommon, as operators will shift their aircraft to more profitable routes, or owners may decide they want their plane for the same dates you’ve booked.

You can still score deals, though, especially with empty-leg discounts (“empties” in industry parlance), which happen when an operator tries to fill an aircraft while repositioning it to its home base or elsewhere. Such deals can save you 50 percent or more and make for an enticing last-minute getaway splurge: A recent email from FlyJets advertised a $1,213 single-seat fare on a Gulfstream from Westhampton, New York, to Miami. And a recent search with Linear Air’s one-way deals turned up a nine-person charter from Three Forks, Montana, to San Jose, California, for $10,221.

Public Charters

Another broad category in this space are companies that own or lease a fleet of private planes and sell tickets directly to the public, operating much like a small, regional airline. Here are three of our favorites:

Aero

The startup was created in 2019 Uber cofounder Garrett Camp. Its CEO, Uma Subramanian, says the company has also experienced an unexpected tailwind as a result of the pandemic. Aero recently announced and provides limited jet service from Los Angeles to ritzy vacation spots including Napa, California; Aspen, Colorado; and Sun Valley, Idaho. Aero also operates European routes including those to and from London; Nice, France; Mykonos, Greece; and Ibiza, Spain.

Prices are steep, starting at $1,000 one-way from L.A. to Napa, and $1,600 for all other U.S. summer routes. But it’s hard to beat the first-class feel in private airports and on board, with concierges who serve cocktails and snacks; swanky, hand-stitched leather seats designed in a one-by-one configuration (no clambering over anyone to use the restroom); and a maximum of 16 passengers per Embraer jet. “We want the experience to feel like your vacation is starting right now, totally hassle-free,” says Subramanian.

In addition, Subramanian notes, ticket prices remain consistent for the season, and routes are set. In other words, your flight won’t be canceled if the aircraft is rerouted for a more profitable booking. “We surprisingly have had very little pushback on price,” Subramanian said. “Our customers are really experientially driven. They’re people that really value their time.”

JSX

(formerly JetSuiteX) initially catered to business travelers between the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles, when it began service in 2016. These days the Dallas-based operator, which brands itself as a “hop-on” air service, is hitting its stride with the leisure set, too: by August, JSX will service 24 U.S. markets, a figure that’s doubled since January 2020.

CEO Alex Wilcox told ���ϳԹ��� that most of its new routes were driven by “massive, massive demand” for recreation-centric destinations. Additions include Lajitas, Texas, near Big Bend National Park; Reno–Lake Tahoe, Nevada; San Diego and Monterey-Carmel, California; and Destin, a popular Florida Panhandle beach town. “We’re absolutely seeing a surge in outdoor travel,” he says. “Fresh air is the number one thing people are looking for after a year of lockdown and Zoom.”

One-way flights on JSX start at $99 but generally run a couple hundred dollars, comparable (and sometimes cheaper) in some markets to commercial fares, and passengers travel on spiffy, 30-seat Embraer 135’s and 145’s. In addition to its liberal baggage policies, pets up to 35 pounds fly free (provided they can comfortably fit in a carrier under the seat), and snacks and drinks (alcoholic ones, too) are also gratis.

Wilcox says that JSX is “hyper focused on transitioning to lower-emission or non-emissions technologies” as soon as possible. “We are talking confidentially to a number of all-electric and hybrid-electric aircraft manufacturers,” he says. “We want to be the launch customer for that technology.”

Taos Air

After suspending operations during the pandemic, this will resume twice-weekly direct flights on July 1 between Taos, New Mexico, and two cities each in Texas and California: Austin and Dallas, and Carlsbad/San Diego and Hawthorne (in the Los Angeles area). One-way flights start at $210, and the maximum number of passengers is 30 per plane.

Service out of a partnership between Taos Ski Valley and a group of area municipalities, and passenger perks include no baggage fees, shuttle service into town, and ski-gear rentals in the winter. “We’re hearing from a lot of people about how excited they are to travel again, and reservations are booking well,” a spokesperson told ���ϳԹ��� via email. Another draw for eco-conscious travelers? Taos Air offsets 100 percent of its carbon impact carbon-storage efforts.

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Last year��the American Hiking Society�� a 200 percent increase in trail usage in U.S. cities than in 2019. It seems Americans are letting off their pandemic stress by discovering local hikes. And new trails are being built that will help accommodate the increased demand. We’ve rounded up some of the latest-to-launch routes across the country��that have us excited to hike, run, and bike. Of course,�� during these times is key, so remember to read up on local regulations, pack out what you pack in, and give space to others en route.

Long Canyon Trail, California

Visitors to Joshua Tree National Park will now be able explore a new 12-mile hiking route, the Long Canyon Trail, through the Coachella Valley. It��starts in the city of Desert Hot Springs and winds through the park and , a designated wilderness zone that’s one of the most biodiverse regions in Southern California, before ending in the town of Yucca Valley on the western edge of the park. Though the trail is currently open, signage and trail markers are coming soon.

Redhead Mountain Bike Park, Minnesota

Abandoned iron-ore mine pits in Minnesota’s Iron Range have been converted into a new trail system for mountain bikers and hikers. Dubbed the��, some 25 miles of new trails opened in 2020 after a ten-year land-reclamation effort, with more on the way. The trailhead starts at the�� in the town of Chisholm and offers summertime biking for all levels, along with kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding in the park’s 400-foot-deep, water-filled mine pit.��

Palisade Plunge, Colorado

One of the more anticipated new mountain-bike trails of the year, the 32-mile�� is primed to be one of the longest such singletrack downhill trails in the country when it’s finished in the summer of 2021. From the top of western Colorado’s Grand Mesa (elevation 10,719 feet), the route��descends around 6,000 feet through lava fields and aspen forests to the town of Palisade.

Spruce Railroad Trail, Washington

In Olympic National Park, an upgraded ten-mile multipurpose trail along the north shore of Lake Crescent was��completed in December and is now open to the public. The��, formerly a historic railroad, connects to existing trails on the east and west sides of the lake and��is part of the 130-mile��, which, when it wraps up in a few years, will connect the Olympic Peninsula towns of Port Townsend, on Puget Sound, and La Push, on the Pacific Ocean.

Caliente Mountain Bike Trails, Nevada

Some 40 miles of new bike trails are expected to this year in southern Nevada near Caliente (about 150 miles north of��Las Vegas),��which is positioning itself as an up-and-coming mountain-cycling hub. Already open are 13 miles of singletrack in����and��13 more miles and a downhill-only trail in��, as well as��a kid-friendly skills park in town. A ten-mile trail linking the canyon and the park is slated to debut��this year, and a 21-mile downhill trail from the top of 7,479-foot Ella Mountain is in the works for��2022.��

Green Chile Flow Trail, New Mexico

If you’re a mountain biker, there’s so much to love about the new 3.5-mile��, which opened in July 2020 as Taos’s first purpose-built downhill trail. First, you can ride a lift there:��’s Lift 4 services this trail all summer long. Second, it’s an approachable flow trail (read: no mandatory 20-foot tabletops) that riders of most levels��can enjoy. The views of the Sangre de Cristos on your way down are pretty nice, too. Additional��local mountain-bike trails are being created by bike-park builders out of Whistler, British Columbia.

Crozet Tunnel Greenway, Virginia

Located about 30 minutes from Charlottesville in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the new�� opened in November 2020 after nearly two decades of construction. The 2.25-mile trail includes a nearly mile-long former rail tunnel that was first built in the 1850s and once lauded as the longest railroad tunnel in North America. Efforts to restore the historic tunnel as a path for hikers, bikers, and history buffs began in 2001. Bring a headlamp—the tunnel isn’t lit.

Babbitt Ranch��Singletrack, Arizona

If you’ve hiked the�� between Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon, you had to travel a large section on ranch roads while crossing private land between and National Forests. After many years of discussion, Babbitt Ranch��finally allowed the Arizona Trail Association to build singletrack across its property, and the new 14-mile��, completed in August 2020, cuts��through juniper forest and affords��views of the San Francisco Peaks. It’s a welcome��new option��for those thru-hiking the 800-mile Arizona Trail or anyone interested in just a day or overnight trip.

Lone Mountain Trail, Texas

If you’ve ever driven out to the Panther Junction Visitor Center in the northern corner of Texas’s��Big Bend National Park��in hopes of experiencing��the immediate surrounding landscape on a bike or by foot, there hasn’t been a way to—yet. The upcoming�� will change that. The��three-mile loop will pass through the Chihuahuan Desert and wend��around the base of volcanic Lone Mountain. The National Park Service began planning for the trail back in 2010 and construction is expected��to begin in 2022.

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If you’ve spent $500 on the fanciest avalanche transceiver in existence but you don’t know how to use it, it’s not going to do you much good. In the event of a slide, that little beeping box is your lifeline—the only form of communication between you and your potential rescuers when you’re separated by layers of snow. Also known as a beacon, , which should also include, at the minimum, a probe and shovel.

Another essential component of avalanche safety is education, which we will discuss in more detail below. A course taught by a qualified instructor is the best preparation��for trips into the backcountry’s variable snow conditions. This article is a basic primer on beacon use. It is not intended to replace formal avalanche training.

When and How to Wear a Beacon

If you’re venturing into the backcountry or sidecountry—anywhere not groomed or controlled by professionals, including beyond the gates at a resort—everyone in your group should wear a transceiver. Should you or your ski buddies become buried in an avalanche, the devices emit pulsing radio signals out to a certain radius () and communicate with one another to broadcast their locations.

, an apprentice ski guide with the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides and a former ski patroller at Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort, opts to wear her device in-bounds, too. Though it’s uncommon, in-bounds slides do happen. “Ski patrol works very hard after storms and snowfalls to perform extensive avalanche control, yet they can’t control every little piece of micro-terrain in a ski resort and predict every hazard. I wear the beacon for that extra bit of security,” Walker says. “There’s an inherent risk to just being in the mountains. If we have all these tools to be safe, why not use them?”

A transceiver��comes with a harness that typically straps around your waist and over one shoulder. It��should be worn underneath shell and insulation layers, so you don’t have to remove the device when you heat up—and to offer the device extra security in the event of a slide. “I put a base layer on, and then I put my transceiver on right after that,” Walker says. She uses the ($500), which also reads vital signs like heart rate and chest expansion and contraction—another reason she keeps it close to her body. Always wear your beacon facing your body to help protect the screen, Walker says.��

The only other acceptable place to wear or carry a beacon is in an internally sewn, beacon-specific pants pocket. Outdoor Research Skyward II AscentShell Pants ( and , $299) and ($200) are two pairs with these designated pockets, and both have loops inside to clip your device to. If you’re carrying your beacon in your jacket or in an externally sewn pocket sans harness, there’s a chance that pocket could rip in a slide and you could lose the beacon—which happened��. Still, , the director of recreational programs at the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE), wears hers in her harness��and advises her students to do the same.

Wear your beacon away from other devices that emit signals or are powered by batteries, such as phones, radios, GPS watches, and electric glove and boot heaters. If you need them with you, turn them off or switch them to airplane mode. Be mindful about the location of snacks with foil wrappers, magnets on pockets, and even season passes with RFID chips as well. Riggs Meder says to keep these items in your backpack or in pockets on the other side of your body, at least ten inches from the beacon, to reduce interference.

Choosing a Beacon

There are a few things to look for when you’re buying a transceiver. Make sure you get a three-antenna digital model; any device with only two is outdated. The third antenna, included in all models currently on the market, provides an extra data set to more accurately triangulate a buried person. “Having a modern beacon is the foundation of reducing search times as much as possible,” says Riggs Meder.��

As long as your device is a current make, is digital, and has three antennas, the rest is preference. A couple have����for software updates and setting tweaks. Some have a way to flag a found person before moving on to another burial��if multiple people were caught in the slide. Very few use lithium batteries because they tend to lose life suddenly. “You don’t have to buy the most expensive, top-of-the-line, professional device,” Riggs Meder says. “The best one is one you can afford to buy new and will practice with regularly.”

If something goes wrong—like the beacon unexpectedly turns off in your pocket—contact the manufacturer. When it comes to knowing when to retire your beacon, look to its manual. The suggested time frame is usually around five years. To help keep others safe, do not resell old transceivers—recycle instead. , and upcycles old transceivers to create training checkpoints.

The Basics

The power button will vary from model to model, but when you turn your transceiver on, it’s likely going to beep initially and then flash a small LED throughout the day to let you know it’s still transmitting. When you turn your device on at the base of the hill, start in send mode, regardless of which model you use. It’s good practice to check with your group before you set out to make sure everyone’s devices are on and functioning properly. A involves evaluating battery power and toggling between searching and sending modes.

Your device’s screen will display the remaining battery life. Both Riggs Meder and Walker replace batteries at home before they dip to 50 percent. REI recommends . This is important because you want to have enough battery life for the whole time you’re in uncontrolled terrain, especially if a search or recovery mission is long. But as always, check the manufacturer’s instructions for how often the batteries in your specific model should be changed.

Avoid mixing the type (lithium with alkaline, or old with new) or brand of batteries you use in your device, as their voltages can vary, which can cause . Carry a set of spares in your pack for backup. When the season is over and you’re stowing away your beacon, pop out the batteries to prevent corrosion. It’s worth letting the battery compartment dry out after a particularly wet tour, too.

Getting Educated

Developing your mountain sense is a lifelong pursuit, and there are many levels of learning. If you’re a complete beginner, start with some online resources and books. , , and all offer a free introduction to avy safety. The books , by Bruce Tremper, and are both full of helpful information.��

You’ll also need to work on the fundamentals of how to stay safe and comfortable while moving efficiently through mountainous terrain. If you don’t have a trusted mentor to show you the ropes, consider signing up for an introductory course in��ski touring,��a few days of guided skiing, or some other training that’s not limited to snow safety.

Then��sign up for an in-person course. A good place to start, Riggs Meder says, is AIARE’s avalanche rescue course—sort of like a CPR class for backcountry travelers. “It’s really all about getting familiar with the baseline stuff,” she says.��

Once you know the basics, put your new knowledge to use in a controlled setting. AIARE offers two levels of industry-standard avalanche preparedness courses—AIARE 1 and 2—that teach everything from hazard management to snow patterns to rescue techniques. AIARE 1 is a stand-alone course for beginner backcountry travelers looking to take up��touring, while AIARE 2 is for more experienced travelers wanting to deepen their competency.

If you have already taken a course and want to brush up on transmitting and probing on your own, several avalanche-safety groups, such as the Utah Avalanche Center, the Taos Avalanche Center in New Mexico, and the Summit County Rescue Group in Colorado, have buried beacons in public training sites for practicing in model rescue situations.

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This is a developing story. For the latest information on the status of resorts��and protocol, visit��individual resort websites.

Ski season is going to happen this year. But it won’t look like it used to. Resorts around the U.S. are��using input from state and local health guidelines��to operate as safely as possible. In place of crowded après-ski bars and packed gondolas, you’ll see extra-long, spaced-apart lift lines, skiers in full-face coverings, and take-out lunches eaten outside. Many��resorts will also require advance reservations, so be sure to��check for capacity updates before you go.

Beyond operating and safety protocols, we wanted to know��what some of our favorite ski areas��around the country have planned for this winter, so we called up places like Taos, Big Sky, and Breckenridge to see what’s on tap.��

Copper Mountain, Colorado

Opening day: November 30. Though the resort usually opens earlier in the month, a later opening date should allow for more snowmaking and natural snowfall to ensure��there’s enough��terrain for skiers and riders to spread out. ��

Passes and tickets: The (from $1,049)��gets you unlimited access to Copper, and pass holders won’t need a reservation to ski. You’ll buy��.��Any ticket purchased��more than 12 days ahead of time will be mailed to you; otherwise,��you’ll grab it from on-site pick-up boxes.

What’s new: The resort is implementing an for parking. Whether you’re skiing, tubing, or just coming to walk around the village, you’ll need to book a parking spot in advance. If you ride ��or get dropped off, you won’t need to make a reservation.

Lessons: Copper will kick off��the year by offering only for groups of up to six people who are related. Starting in 2021, additional youth ski and snowboard programs should be available.

Before you go: Check the�� for updates and the����for notifications.

Aspen Snowmass, Colorado

Opening day:��November 26 for Aspen Mountain and Snowmass; December 12 for Aspen Highlands, and December 18 for Buttermilk.

Passes and tickets: You can ski seven days at Aspen Snowmass on the Ikon Pass��or two days on the ($489)—with either, you’ll need to in advance. A limited number of lift tickets will be sold, so��book yours at least 72 hours ahead of time. Tickets can be delivered to your local lodging or collected from pick-up windows.��

What’s new: Aspen is expecting a 20 percent decrease in visitors this year, due in part to the lack of international tourists and corporate groups it often attracts, which means fewer��crowds this winter.

Uphill access: Known for its liberal uphill policies, the ski hills of Buttermilk, Snowmass, and Aspen Highlands��will continue to allow uphill ski access during lift-operating hours, but this year��you’ll need to stick to designated routes and check for closures due to capacity limits. The ski area’s fourth hill, Aspen Mountain, will only allow uphill access before or after the ski day.

Don’t miss: A $2.5 million renovation of , atop Snowmass, is now complete. A sit-down lunch includes slipper service, where you can swap ski boots for (freshly cleaned) slippers. Make a reservation, as capacity will be limited.

Before you go: Check the�� for updates, be sure to download the��, and stay abreast of what’s happening with��this��, launched this year.

Breckenridge, Colorado

Opening day: Breckenridge plans to open exclusively to those��who have any level of an ��(from $999) beginning November 13. Single-day tickets won’t be sold until December 8.

What’s new: All Vail Resorts, including Breck, will be starting the season with a�� for Epic pass holders. So��book your ski days in advance—you’re allotted up to seven priority days (which vary by resort)��that��can be made well ahead of time, while other days can��be reserved the week of. This��reservation system will open for the season on November 6. Skiers and riders will now be allowed to bring their own lunches into lodges. If you plan to rent ski or snowboard gear, book online ahead of time and get it delivered to wherever you’re staying.

Don’t miss: is installing a new clear dome, which can be reserved for property owners and guests in an existing group who want to après responsibly in a heated, private slopeside space��with beverage��service and mountain views.

What’s closed: Full-service bars will likely not open for indoor service, but beer and wine will be available to go at most lodges and markets.

Before you go: Check the��, and be sure you have the�� for updates.

Big Sky, Montana

Opening day: November 26.

Passes and tickets: Big Sky may limit the number of season passes sold this year, but as of press time, they’re on sale and won’t require reservations. The Ikon Pass grants you seven days at Big Sky, for which you’ll need to make a ��to ski. The Mountain Collective Pass��gets you two days here, and at this time, reservations for Mountain Collective pass holders aren’t required.

What’s new: The Lone Peak Tram will open this year, with face coverings required and limited capacity. The resort is also considering a new boot-pack route to offer��skiers and riders a way to climb Lone Peak from the top of Dakota lift,��bypassing the tram. Also, this winter��the public will be able to access the 8,000-square-foot Yellowstone Conference Center as a bigger indoor space for lunch and hot-chocolate breaks.

Early ups: New this year, an unguided first-tracks program called will let skiers and riders load the Ramcharger 8 lift at 8 a.m., an hour before everyone else. You’ll need to purchase an Early Access ticket online��(from $60), and only a��limited number of them��are being sold.

Before you go: Check the�� for updates, and be sure to��.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Opening day: November 26.��

Passes and tickets: Jackson Hole Mountain Resort pass holders��won’t need to make reservations to ski, but Ikon��pass holders—who get seven days here—will need to book a spot. Mountain Collective pass holders, who get two days at Jackson Hole, do not need to make reservations at this time. The resort will sell a limited number of daily tickets;��buy��them��online at least 14 days in advance for the biggest discount.��

What’s new: If you want to skip the tram, skiers and riders will be allowed to boot-pack up Rendezvous Bowl via the East Ridge Traverse. Those interested in trying out a pair of demo skis this season��can now rent gear from seven different locations at the base of Jackson Hole, as well as two hotels—��(from $480) and ��(from $370)—or request delivery to your lodging.

Early ups: Book a and you’ll have an option to upgrade for early tram and gondola access. This winter��the general public will be able to load Teewinot, the Sweetwater Gondola, and the Après Vous chair 30 minutes earlier than the resort’s��9 A.M. opening time, to help spread people out from the base area.

What’s happening: The invite-only��, an event which��features top skiers and riders launching into the famed Corbet’s Couloir,��will return for its fourth year this winter. It’s��scheduled to run��February 16 to 21, 2021, via��livestream.

Where to stay:��When you book a well-designed vacation rental with����(from $95), amenities include��a no-contact check-in,��bundled lift tickets, and a fridge stocked prior to your arrival.

Before you go: Check the��, and download the��, which now features��real-time updates on lift wait times, parking access, and other information.

Snowbird, Utah

Opening day: Snowbird plans to open, conditions permitting, on November 30. By kicking the season off a bit later than usual, the resort hopes to have expanded terrain, more snowmaking, and as many lifts open as possible starting from the first day.

Passes and tickets: Ikon��pass holders get seven days at Snowbird, and no reservations to ski will be required, but you will need to . If you’re buying a day ticket, get it online ahead of time, and plan to pick it up from self-service kiosks scattered around the base area.

What’s new:��All visitors to Snowbird arriving by car will need to make a reservation for parking. The will still operate but at reduced capacity and with a face-covering��requirement.

Lifts: The tram will operate at just 25 percent of its usual winter capacity; however,��anyone not skiing or riding won’t be allowed up to the top of the mountain this year.��

Before you go: Check the��, and get the soon-to-be-released Snowbird app, which will have wait times, parking information, and other critical updates.��

Park City, Utah

Opening day:��November 20.

Passes and tickets: If you have any version of the Epic Pass, you’ll need to make a�� to ski. For day tickets, rather than buy a regular lift ticket in advance (pricing to be announced), opt for the more affordable����(from $107 a day), a low-commitment version of the Epic Pass. The Epic Day Pass also gets you between one and seven days, and, yes, those still require��a reservation.

Lessons: Group lessons for the four-and-under age group won’t be available this year.

Eat: For dinner, is offering dine-in service, take-out meals for a family of four, and frozen entrées to cook at your lodging, like chef-prepared lasagna, plus free delivery. The restaurant will also sell an��array of boxed to-go lunches that you can��bring��to the ski hill.

Don’t miss:�� is hosting��virtual mixology classes and online whiskey-education courses. Pick up a bottle of bourbon, and learn how to make a proper old-fashioned at your condo.

Before you go: Check the��, and be sure you have the�� for updates.

Taos, New Mexico

Opening day:��November 26.

Passes and tickets: Taos Ski Valley will operate at 50 percent capacity this season, which means that both day ticket��(available on October 15; prices to be announced) and season pass (available on October 9; from $450) holders will need to reserve spots in advance.��If you buy an Ikon Pass, you’ll get seven days at Taos��and��will need to make a reservation before you show up. The Mountain Collective Pass gets you two days here, with no reservations needed.

Travel restrictions: As of press time, if you’re traveling to New Mexico from a state on the high-risk list for COVID cases, then you’re required to��.

Start your day: Get a green-chile-smothered breakfast burrito and a coffee to go from , located inside the , which is set to reopen��this winter. The resort is going cashless, so plan to pay for everything—from dining to rentals—by card.

Stay here:����(from $250)—the resort’s newest ski-in, ski-out hotel, was closed for the summer��but is expected��to��reopen for winter at 65 percent capacity. Its��restaurant, , is currently open for online ordering and takeout.

Before you go: Check the��.

Sugarloaf, Maine

Opening day:��To be announced.

Passes and tickets: The (from $649), on sale until October 12, gives you access to both Sugarloaf and Sunday River;��the Ikon Pass gets you up to seven days of skiing here; and the Mountain Collective Pass gets you two days. Currently, no reservations will be required for any of those passes. Lift tickets can be purchased online��and, unlike many resorts, at walk-up ticket windows the day of. You’ll also find ten��new automated kiosks around the base area to pick up lift tickets purchased ahead of time.

What’s new: Gone are the days of human ticket checkers. Sugarloaf has installed radio-frequency identification��gates that you’ll ski through to scan your passes before��loading the lifts.

Travel restrictions: coming from outside of a handful of nearby states are required to show a negative COVID test result or self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in the state.

Transportation: You can still ride the free shuttle around the area, but plan on wearing a face covering, and expect capacity to be cut in half.

Before you go: The�� has more details, and be sure to download the��. The�� will post updates on��operations and conditions.��

Stowe, Vermont

Opening day: November 20.

Passes and tickets: All guests using an Epic Pass will need to make a�� to ski at Stowe this winter. Lift tickets will only be sold online after December 8 for designated days.

Travel restrictions: Vermont currently has�� in place, so if you’re coming from outside its borders, be sure to read up on quarantine requirements before you pack your��bags.

Lifts: The gondola will be open. Face coverings will be required, and only related groups will be allowed to load��together.

For your convenience: You can now get take-out orders or groceries delivered to your door, thanks to��, the area’s first (and only) food-delivery service.

Before you go: Check the�� and the�� for the latest updates.

Mammoth Mountain, California

Opening day: Mammoth tends to be one of the first ski resorts in California to open. This year��the resort will start cranking the lifts��November 14.

Passes and tickets: Walk-up day tickets won’t be available, and those��purchased in advance will be sold on a limited basis, so expect to secure them at least seven days in advance. Skiers and riders with an Ikon Pass have unlimited access to Mammoth and won’t need to make reservations, as of press time.

Drink: has a socially distant beer garden that’s open for patio dining and beer tasting, or order online to pick up a growler to take back to your pad.

Soak: Squeezing into a natural hot springs with strangers isn’t a great idea this year, and many of the steaming pools around Mammoth can get crowded in a normal year. Instead, book a private tub and winter campsite or room at�� (from $60), 50 minutes northeast of town.

Before you go: Check the��, and download the free��.

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, California

Opening day: November 25, conditions permitting.

Passes and tickets: There’s no reservation system here for skiing and riding. Ikon pass holders get unlimited days at Squaw Alpine; Mountain Collective pass holders get two days. There will be no walk-up ticket sales, and advance tickets will be offered on a limited basis. If you buy a ticket more than ten��days ahead of time, it can be mailed to you.

What’s open: Ski and ride schools will be operational, with new regulations in place. The Funitel and aerial tram are slated to open with face coverings required and social-distancing efforts in place.

What’s closed: The popular sunset happy hours at High Camp, atop the tram, won’t be available this year, though restaurants there will be open. Favorite festivities,��such as��the holiday torchlight parade and moonlight snowshoe tours, aren’t currently scheduled, but the springtime is likely to go on, pending local ordinances.

Eat here:��, which opened last year in Squaw Valley Village, has online ordering and swift take-out service.

Before you go: Be sure to check the�� and�� or the�� for the latest on parking and mountain capacity.��

Sun Valley, Idaho

Opening day: Sun Valley’s Bald Mountain will open on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, with nearby Dollar Mountain to follow on December 12.

Passes and tickets: You won’t find a reservation system at Sun Valley this winter, though lift tickets may be restricted to minimize crowds, so be sure to get there early. Epic pass holders now get seven days of skiing or riding at Sun Valley, and even though the Epic Pass requires reservations at Vail-owned destinations, at this time you don’t need a reservation to use your Epic Pass here.

What’s new: This winter, a high-speed quad replaces what was the resort’s oldest chairlift, Cold Springs, and skiers and riders will be able to spread out on 380 acres of new skiable terrain, located on Bald Mountain’s south side.

For your convenience: If you need to leave items behind, there will be a bag-check station outside the lodge.

Before you go: Check the�� and�� for updates.

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I was sitting in a ski-area parking lot, watching an early-2000s rom-com on the 15-inch screen of a Tesla and eating trail mix, when I realized that, if only there were a couple feet of snow on the ground, I would be living my wildest ski-bum dreams.��

I usually drive Whatshername, a 2011 Ford Fusion named after a . I inherited the low-clearance, front-wheel-drive sedan from my grandpa when I graduated from college. It’s no adventuremobile, but it gets good mileage, and its all-season tires make it not completely unsafe in most on-road conditions. If I fold down the rear seats, I can just barely fit my five-foot-five��frame in the back to catch some z’s. Kelly Blue Book says parting with it would net me about $5,000. But this weekend, Whatshername was gathering dust, and I was behind the wheel of a car with a valuation more than ten times as high: a . When it showed up at my apartment in a giant trailer, three of my neighbors yelled some variant of “Nice car!” That certainly never happened with my Fusion.

The Model Y is Tesla’s fifth and latest iteration, which hit the road in March 2020 with a base price of $51,990. The version I tested, with the full self-driving package, sells for��$59,990. (The rep who hooked me up with a testing vehicle pointed out that the existing models together spell S3XY, which is apparently how Elon��Musk��wants us to think of his creations.) The Y is a midsize all-wheel-drive SUV with an exceptionally roomy interior. (Tesla has plans to launch a rear-wheel-drive version��in the near future.)��In size and general layout, it’s comparable to a Subaru Outback but��fully electric, and the inside looks like a spaceship. Compared to the slightly cheaper Model 3, on which the Y is based, the Y is a bit more versatile, thanks to that added space.��And its 350-mile range makes it, in theory, still well suited for longer trips—a tough frontier, historically, for electric vehicles to breach, despite an increase in��charging networks.

One of Tesla’s biggest selling points is its network of —nearly 1,000 fast-charging 250-kilowatt stations in North America��placed along well-traveled routes, which can fully recharge a Model Y in about an hour for roughly $20. (New Mexico, where I live, has ten of these stations.) The Supercharger network is supplemented by slower-charging destination chargers, which are typically found at places like hotels, restaurants, and office parks, where you’d expect to stay put��for more than an hour��at a time. They vary in voltage and are generally��free for use as��the business’s patrons. Finally, there are third-party electric-vehicle chargers, which tend to require payment through an app or a credit card. Most Tesla owners, however, will slow-charge at home while the car is not in use.

I put the Y to the test on a weekend trip through northern New Mexico in late July. During the two-hour drive from Santa Fe to Taos, I made full use of the car’s luxe features. Usually��my phone is jammed in a cup holder and tethered to Whatsername via a dense web of tangled auxiliary cables, chargers, and dongles, but in the Model Y, I simply placed it on a charging pad under the display and seamlessly connected it with Bluetooth. As “” streamed out of the crystal-clear, bass-heavy speakers, I put on my sunglasses and was filled with that open-road sense of endless possibility. I felt like I was in the middle of a sunny road-trip montage in a Hollywood blockbuster.

On the highway, I dabbled in Tesla’s self-driving mode—an $8,000 optional driver-assistance system which “sees” the road via eight external cameras, forward-facing radar, and 12 ultrasonic sensors to allow for traffic-aware cruise control, in-lane steering, parking assistance, automatic lane changes, and other features. (All Teslas come with basic adaptive cruise control.) This isn’t a fully autonomous system: the driver must remain engaged, with hands on the steering wheel and eyes on the road. It was unsettling at first to have the car steer itself under my hands, but also��surprising how quickly it began to feel normal. I tested the car’s smooth, electric acceleration, which felt like a high-speed train departing a station or a roller coaster taking off, with none of my sedan’s pained revving as it tries to get up to highway speeds.��

I arrived 70 miles later in Taos with a little more than half the battery left—not quite enough for a round-trip��to the dispersed camping on Forest Service land I was aiming for—and discovered that the small town’s two slow destination chargers were powered off or inaccessible. So I��headed 30 minutes north to the ski area to pick up some juice at a third-party slow-charging outlet in hopes of salvaging the next day of my trip.��

Not only have I never driven an electric vehicle before, where the time it takes to charge it is as much of a consideration��as the distance to a hookup spot, but��my Fusion can make it about 500 miles on a tank, so I rarely worry about fuel or distance. I drove to Taos countless times last winter, and while I may have been anxious about my tires spinning on the ice, I wasn’t ever concerned about my dashboard fuel indicator pointing at E.

At the Taos resort, I plugged in. “Three hours��40 minutes,”��the display read, letting me know how much time I had to kill until the battery recharged. This was definitely a change from a ten-minute gas-station pit stop. I used the time to explore the grassy ski slopes, but as the sun set and it started to rain, I had to do some electric-vehicle calculus. I could leave with the car partially charged, try to find a level spot along the road in the semidarkness, and limit my range for the next day’s activities, or I could call it a night, sleep in the parking lot with its resident��trailer-camping mountain bikers, and hang out with JLo and Matthew McConaughey for a while. It was not a difficult choice.��

One drive-in-esque cheesy movie experience and a full charge later, I was snuggled up in my sleeping bag in the back of the car, trying to make out the faint pinpricks of stars through the tinted glass roof. The rear seats laid flatter than the ones in my car, and I didn’t have to jam my feet into a claustrophobia-inducing closed trunk. And there was a view,��besides. Still, anyone much taller than me wouldn’t be able to sleep in the car—at just 68 inches long, I was maxing out the trunk space with three inches to spare.��

Several bouts of mysterious whirring and clunking sounds and��a few inexplicable display wake-ups led me to do��some systematic Bluetooth key and door-lock testing.��I determined that if I wanted the car to stay locked and powered off while I slept inside, I would need to disconnect��my phone after buttoning up for the night��to prevent its proximity to the car from turning on the climate control or automatically unlocking the doors if someone pulled on a handle. As I drifted off, I thought idly about how terrifying it would be to wait out a hailstorm in a $52,000 car with a full glass roof.

The next morning, I awoke early to sunlight streaming in through the near 360-degree glass bubble around me. The skies had cleared, and the view of the resort, even from the parking lot, was beautiful. Feeling well rested, I stretched, unzipped my sleeping bag, and pressed the door-open button. The car’s alarm pierced the morning calm, and I scrambled to reconnect to Bluetooth before I incurred the wrath of my fellow vehicular campers. I’m not even sure my own car still has a functioning alarm.��

When my heart rate returned to normal, I fired up my stove on the low, flat tailgate to make coffee and oatmeal. I pulled half-and-half from my cooler, stowed in the perfectly sized 24-by-15-by-15-inch��storage well beneath the trunk’s floor, where my Ford holds a spare tire, which is probably more practical��but—let’s face it—much less cool. Instead of including spares in its vehicles, Tesla provides a free roadside-assistance hotline, which works as long as you don’t break down out of cell-service range. The hatch, which opens to a clearance of 76 inches, allowed me to move freely beneath��it, and the enormous amount of storage space meant I didn’t have to dig around for anything while I went about my morning routine.

With both the Tesla’s and my batteries recharged, I resumed my plan, driving back to town and then east to find a campsite and some hiking for the day. My route took me off the highway and onto a classic New Mexico back road: rocky, rutted, and poorly maintained. With 6.6 inches of ground��clearance and all-wheel drive, the Tesla��was a slight improvement on the Fusion, which only features��5.3 inches of clearance and front-wheel drive. I nervously navigated��down a heavily rutted side road to a secluded site with a level parking spot and trees spaced just right for a hammock.��

Before I could settle in, it began to drizzle. I postponed my hiking and hammock plans��and hunkered down in the car as rain turned to hail. Being in any car during a hailstorm is an unpleasantly loud experience, but I’m never too worried about Whatsername getting a few dings. I figure they show character. In the Tesla, however, it was a nightmare. What if the rutted dirt road washed out completely and I couldn’t get back to the highway? What if the glass shattered? (A search of Tesla owner forums after the fact indicated that the latter was , and Tesla says its��internal tests have shown the glass to be more impact-resistant than aluminum.)��

The storm lasted through the afternoon and into the evening, but luckily the hail didn’t grow large enough to be a real threat. Finally far enough from civilization to have lost a cell signal, I put my phone on airplane mode. The car was silent, detached from its Bluetooth lifeline. With another movie night out of the question, and the Tesla’s techy features rendered inert, the forest around me came into focus. For the first time in days, I didn’t worry about where I’d charge next or how I’d get there. I crawled into my sleeping bag and watched the rain through the roof, soaking up the disconnected bliss of being out there and alone.��

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Closing weekend at a ski hill is always bittersweet, but costumes and free-flowing beer usually soften the blow. Over the��weekend, the party ended early across North America, after the vast majority of ski areas suspended operations to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.��

On Friday, Taos Ski Valley—my home hill in northern New Mexico—announced that it��would cut the season short, ending two weeks early, on Sunday, March 22, to help protect our community and the many travelers who come through it.

I learned about the news��when��I got in the car on Saturday morning to head up��the mountain and a friend filled me in. I had hoped the day would be a respite from a chaotic week, but instead it became another place to watch the pandemic play out in real time. Then, on Saturday afternoon, Colorado governor Jared Polis ordered all ski areas in the state to close down immediately. Taos, an hour south of the Colorado–New Mexico border, announced shortly after that it would wind down operations immediately. And just like that, it was closing weekend.��As a growing public-health crisis spreads across the globe, it was the right call.

On Sunday morning, I boot-packed to the top of Taos’s Kachina Peak with a pit in my stomach. Storms had deposited nearly a foot and a half of fresh snow throughout the week, and the steep terrain off the 12,481-foot summit had just opened. My lungs felt tight, which could have been a number of things: anxiety after a late night of scrolling through updates on Twitter, sadness about the sunny hot laps we’ll all miss out on this year, or maybe just my body fighting for air at high altitude. I can’t say I felt terribly excited about the thousand feet of��fresh snow beneath me. A friend joked that he felt like he was playing the violin as the Titanic sank. I told him I felt like through tears.

Skiing is a sport with a built-in sense of scarcity. Powder gets tracked out, smooth groomers get chopped up, and the season is only so long. We count days, vertical feet, and laps spun on our favorite chairlifts. We celebrate. Then��we count the months until we can do it again.��

When an injury ends your season early, the one small mercy is that it’s a surprise.��Sunday��it felt like we were all hanging out with someone we knew we were about to break up with: still trying to enjoy the ride��but doing a little preemptive grieving.��Instead of closing down the bar, we avoided going indoors entirely. A pall hung over the lift line: we read coronavirus updates out loud and avoided sharing chairs.

The great ski-area shutdown started on Thursday, when Berkshire East, in Massachusetts, and Catamount Ski Area, in upstate New York, announced they were closing for the season. “No ski turn is worth a life,” their general manager Jon Schaefer wrote . Taos announced its��initial projected closure date Friday evening. On Saturday afternoon, and , which run 52 resorts between them,��announced that they would suspend operations at all of their North American ski areas. Governor Polis’s announcement came shortly after. Meanwhile, on the East Coast, resorts were shuttering at a similar rate: Jay Peak, Sugarbush, Killington, Mad River Glen, and the all closed.

Few resorts remain open. , in Oregon, is currently operating��on a restricted schedule. Alaska’s is still running lifts��but has restricted indoor operations like food service. , in Vermont, is doing the same. Chances are low that they’ll remain open much longer.

The sudden closures created a hectic scene at some resorts. The reported chaos in Lake Tahoe, which just received��four feet of snow—critical highways were closed for avalanche mitigation, so many tourists couldn’t ski or leave the area. Taos was shockingly busy, with a mix of locals hoping to enjoy their last few turns of the season, Ikon Pass holders who turn up for weekend storms, and spring breakers who hadn’t yet decided to cancel their travel.��

Many skiers and mountain employees commended the resorts on social media for making a responsible, difficult decision. Other people, like former Lieutenant��Governor of Florida Jeff Kottkamp, had a hard time seeing beyond the end of their own skis. He responded to Vail’s announcement with a now deleted tweet: “Thank you for making this announcement as we are driving in to Vail. Came all the way from Florida only to have our family’s vacation destroyed.” Polis responded: “Thank you for your deep concerns regarding the health of our residents in the face of a global pandemic, as well as your heartfelt sympathy for the difficulties faced by those who work in the ski industry and hospitality.”

Spring break in small mountain communities creates a perfect storm for the proliferation of the virus. It’s spreading in faster than anywhere else in the state. But those communities also��depend heavily on travel for their economic survival. Losing out on nearly a month’s worth of tourism creates a precarious situation for ritzy lodges and lifties alike. Many mountains are taking steps to support their seasonal workers. My friends who work at Taos told me that��non-salaried workers are getting severance pay.��Steve Wright, Jay Peak’s president and general manager,��explained on the that the resort would continue to house its international employees free of charge until they could safely find their way home.

Skiing isn’t necessarily canceled just because the lifts stopped spinning. In some areas, outdoor recreation away from other people may still provide appropriate social distancing, though this could change soon. If you’re thinking about taking a tour, don’t carpool with other households, maintain six feet of distance from your friends, and make conservative decisions with your skiing and terrain. If your local health care system isn’t already overburdened, chances are��high it will be soon. Now is not the time to tear an ACL.��

There’s much more at stake in this moment than skiing, and shutting down early was the right decision, but we can still mourn the loss of these final weeks. Instead of a raucous send-off, our season went out with an anxious fizzle. And it’s all right to be bummed out about it. Everything is changing quickly, but I’m hopeful that, come April, I’ll be skinning up Kachina, sampling the finest spring snow New Mexico has to offer.��

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