Telluride, which boasts an impressive lift-served 3,845-foot vertical drop, 125 trails (the longest is 4.6 miles,) and three terrain parks, caters to experts and beginners alike. The timid can ride lifts to the highest peaks and score views generally left to the more intrepid—Telluride sits among the highest concentration of 14ers in North America—who will drop big vert with a little off-piste hiking to 13,320-foot Palmyra Peak. You’ll carve dry snow on the west-facing San Juan slopes and, when the light fails, a soulful après in Mountain Village.
DON’T MISS: Catch big laughs at the Telluride Comedy Festival. February 14 - 17.
GETTING THERE: Telluride is notoriously tough to get to. While it now has direct jet service from 9 cities, most will want to fly into Durango or Grand Junction and drive about 2.5 hours to the resort. (tellurideskiresort.com)
