#stanley-idaho

#stanley-idaho

Not only do we have an amazing trail with 10 waterfalls (four of which you can walk behind), but it's a great place to see and learn about plants and wildlife. We also have several historic buildings that are open to the public-all built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s and 1940s.

The 2025-26 winter saw extreme weather, with the eastern half experiencing consistent cold and heavy snowfall, while the western half endured record warmth and a lack of snowfall.

Colorado's ski season is coming to a close much sooner than in years past, with several ski areas already shuttering their lifts for the summer.

Rendezvous Bowl was icy and windswept in its uppers but softer and more forgiving halfway down. I popped out of bounds, did a couple of hikes, and clicked my skis on in a face-gouging wind. When I got to my drop-in, there were a few inches of snow and a foot of wind.

Some travelers love vacations that involve doing absolutely nothing-trips where lounging by the beach or pool, napping, reading, or going for a light swim are the most rigorous activities on the agenda. Other travelers, however, crave trips that are a bit more ... active, whether that means hiking, biking, or parasailing. If you fall into the latter category, you should consider heading to Wyoming for your next trip, according to Wander.

Colorado National Monument in Grand Junction, Colo., is an awe-inspiring canyon boasting scenery any traveler would be lucky to soak in. It's also, bafflingly, crowd-free. "People tend to head straight for the Grand Canyon, or maybe Arches or Zion national parks," says Adam Kinsey, owner and founder of Grand Junction's Handlebar Tap House as well as the new WestCo Brewing. The canyon boasts a serenity you simply won't find at the Grand Canyon, with its steady flow of tourists.

Alexander is the grandson of longtime and recently retired snowsports director Barry Whiting, making the ownership shift feel less like a sale and more like a generational handoff, according to reporting by Local Freshies, which spoke with the Alexanders about their journey to ownership.

Mt. Baker is the PNW's snow vacuum. It's close enough to the Pacific to get storm after storm, and the North Cascades do what they do best: force moist air straight up, wring it out, and bury everything in sight. Maritime storms roll in wet and heavy, then pile up fast when they hit terrain.

Nestled in the Appalachian foothills near Mentone, Cloudmont Ski & Golf Resort is the southernmost ski area in the eastern United States. With a vertical drop of just 150 feet and two rope tows, Cloudmont runs on snowmaking and sheer stubbornness, opening for a few precious weeks or days each winter.

America's national parks are treasures worth exploring, and the best part? You don't always have to open your wallet. With 63 official national parks and more than 400 additional sites managed by the National Park Service, there's no shortage of stunning landscapes to discover. Some parks charge entry fees-typically $20-$35 per person or per vehicle-but there are plenty of ways to enjoy the beauty for free.

The Bridgeport Winter Trail System is a new winter recreation area in the region. Anyone hoping to explore scenic new routes and possibly take a dip underneath a natural thermal waterfall should add this groomed winter trail to their list.

Conditions ReportContinuing on my journey through Visit Idaho's Gem Line, I headed from Sandpoint, Idaho, to Kellogg, Idaho, for another powder day at Silver Mountain. I had skied at Silver last season and had a great time lapping pristine corduroy during a stint of high pressure. I was excited to return with plenty of recent fresh snow to explore some of the steeper, off-piste terrain at Silver.

For those unfamiliar with Your Responsibility Code, it lists 10 points skiers and snowboarders must follow when spending time on the mountain. Bright yellow signage posted throughout U.S. ski areas provides guests with reminders about the code, which has been in use since 1962 when it was developed by the National Ski Areas Association. Throughout the last 60 years, the code has undergone revision to stay in step with modern language and skiing behavior, covering 10 points:

This quaint little town, surrounded by green pastures and granite cliffs, is the northern gateway to the High Sierra. Bridgeport always evokes nostalgia and is one of my favorite views of the Eastern Sierra. In my younger years, it was all about the resorts, and Bridgeport was a place to stretch the legs on the way to Mammoth Mountain. Now, I look more to the backcountry trailheads, and Bridgeport has become an alluring area along the 395 corridor.

The Stardust Motel launched a shuttle program over the summer to various recreation spots in the area, including the Trail of the Hiawatha, and is continuing the service over the winter with regular trips up to Lookout Pass on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. I hopped on at the Stardust after a fabulous breakfast at The Tin Snug with some freshly baked pastries to go. The ride was easy and skipping parking was an added advantage with an influx of people brought by the recent snowfall.

OlympicsWith the start of the Milano-Cortina Olympics just a few weeks away, Tamarack, Idaho has been gearing up for a wide array of Olympics themed events during the games. Long before the start of the games, the resort will continue to offer excellent conditions for carving out some GS turns or ripping through the bumps. In between runs, the Seven Devils Taphouse will be streaming coverage from the games every day from their start on February 6 to their end on February 22.

After a lean start to this season, the Montana clouds finally opened up, dropping 11 inches of snow over the last 3 days at Big Sky Resort. This snowfall, mixed with some high alpine wind, left the slopes immaculate for the Bluebird day this past Sunday. While coverage on certain portions of the mountain remained spotty, if you know where to look, some fresh untracked snow was your reward.