American extreme skier Scott Schmidt takes things to new heights in the Chugach Mountains of Alaska (Photo by … [+]
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Famous national parks like Yellowstone and Yosemite are already known for their winter fun. But many state parks also offer a snowy escape. Here are some of the best.
The mighty Chugach Mountains provide Alaskans with a quick and easy winter playground for all types of snow sports. The state park, which covers most of the range, is the second largest in the state – yes, there is one that is even larger, but it is in remote western Alaska and is very difficult to access.
The many options include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, fat biking, glacier trekking, ice climbing, winter camping, ice skating on frozen lakes and dog sledding. In fact, the original Iditarod Trail ran right through the park's glacier-covered backcountry.
Located on the southern edge of the Chugach, Alyeska Resort in the town of Girdwood is the premier downhill and snowboarding location in the state. More than a third of the 73 trails are black runs, making Alyeska one of the most challenging places in the country to ski or ride.
Some of the slopes are lit after dark for night skiing, and Alyeska also offers the opportunity to heli-ski in the Chugach Range.
Canine competitors from Girdwood, Alaska at the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race … [+]
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There isn't much elevation for skiing and snowboarding in the Midwest. But one place bucking that trend is the Porcupine Mountains in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
The park offers 87 miles (140 km) of trails for snowshoeing, winter backpacking or cross-country skiing, as well as several snowmobile routes through terrain that averages more than 200 inches of snow per year.
Overlooking the often-frozen Lake Superior, the Porkies Winter Sports Complex offers 20 downhill and snowboard trails as well as three lifts, a nature park, cross-country skiing, fat-tire biking and new-fangled sno-go bikes.
View from the top of the Mt. Van Hoevenberg ski jump in Adirondack Park in New York State (photo … [+]
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Adirondack Park (New York State)
This vast green space in upstate New York has hosted the Winter Olympics twice – in 1932, when many snow and ice sports were still young, and again in 1980, when the “Miracle on Ice” took place. More than 40 years later, the town of Lake Placid is still a mecca for many American winter sports.
Herb Brooks Arena – named for the man who coached the U.S. team to its victory over the heavily favored Soviets in 1980 – hosts college, high school, peewee, and novice hockey games throughout the winter. The arena also hosts the Lake Placid Olympic Museum as well as figure skating, speed skating and curling events.
On the outskirts of town, Mt Van Hoevenberg offers recreational cross-country skiing and snowshoe trails, as well as world-class biathlon, bobsleigh and skeleton events. The alpine skiing competitions of the 1980 Games took place at the Whiteface Mountain ski area, which today offers seven terrain parks and 87 downhill slopes (including 20 for beginners).
The Vista House ski chalet in Mt. Spokane State Park is covered in deep snow. (Photo of … [+]
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Like the nearby city, Spokane is said to mean “children of the sun” in the language of the indigenous people who have long called the region home. And while the area certainly has plenty of blue skies and sunshine, there's also plenty of snow: an average of more than 300 inches per year.
Located less than an hour's drive from the city center, Mt. Spokane is the only Washington state park with downhill skiing and snowboarding, as well as 37 miles (60 km) of cross-country ski trails and 16 miles (26 km) of groomed snowmobile trails. Additional trails are available for snowshoeing and fat-tire biking.
Mt Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park also offers lighted night skiing and Club Shred for children ages 4 to 10, including beginner ski lessons, games, crafts, movies, snow fort building and dinner.
Cross-country skiing portion of the Nordic Combined at the 2002 Winter Games in Soldier Hollow in … [+]
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A half-hour drive south of Park City — on the cold but dry eastern slopes of the snow-capped mountains that stretch through the middle of Utah — Wasatch Mountain State Park offers a low-key and affordable alternative to the region's upscale ski resorts.
During the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, the cross-country skiing, biathlon and Nordic combined competitions were held at the park's Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, which continues to host World Cup competitions in these three disciplines.
There are around 31 km of trails available for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The center also features a tubing hill for the whole family and 145km of snowmobile trails – with two “warming stations” along the route. Visitors who do not have their own winter sports equipment can rent skis, tubes and snowmobiles from park concessionaires.
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