Are you one of those people who go to your local ski area until the stones begin to show through the slush? You cannot get enough powder and skiing during these few months in winter. You are lucky. National Geographic Adventure magazine from December 2005 / January 2006 gives those who know how to ski, some options for ski areas for the year-round slope. If you have money and time, you can jump from the ski area to the area and visit several different continents to fix the snow. If you do not have a lot of money, you can choose a ski area that will relate to the summer drought of skiing.
From December to February, head to the Italian Alps and Sestriere, Italy, where the prices are very reasonable and the skis are great. You can recognize this as one of the places where events were held for the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin. This ski area has six resorts, all of which are associated with approximately 250 miles of trails.
From March to May, many of the ski areas in the Northern Hemisphere begin to close. The mountain resort of Heavenly Mountain is a smaller, less crowded area than its larger and busier neighbors on both sides: Kirkwood and Squaw Valley. The slopes are very steep and challenging, and you will find a slush bowl in May in a fun way to spend the day watching people.
In the summer months, when the snow has long gone to your favorite ski area, you can go to Canada or to Chile and find happiness on skis. Blackstone, an area of British Columbia, boasts the Whistler ski area, which is one of the most famous in the world. Not only do skiers find great powder, but miles and miles of trails, snowboarders, bikers, and bungee jumpers can find something that will appeal to them here.
In Portillo, Chile, you will find a village ski town that does not have much of the privileges of some of the citys that enjoy the ski resorts. But if you want ski bliss to be the best and easiest, it can be exactly what you are looking for. They have a mileage of 7,000 feet and miles of other tracks.
Finally, returning to the US for the first skiing of the new season, you can head to Wolf Creek Colorado. They have the highest annual snowfall in Colorado and 500 acres of pistes and 6 elevators.
So, go on a trip (or several) and feed your need for skiing all year round.
