PHOTO: NOAH CLAYTON/GETTY IMAGES
Nothing says "winter" quite like bundling up and hitting the slopes. Unfortunately, those slopes are often swarming with other powder seekers sharing the same objective. But it is possible to avoid the crowds on a skiing trip — you just need to discover more under-the-radar mountains.
Eschewing the major, high-traffic resorts for lesser-known alternatives doesn't even have to mean compromising on the quality of skiing. Did you know that a resort near Anchorage, Alaska, has the longest continuous double-black diamond run in North America? Or that another one in northern Colorado comes with a free snowcat ride to the top? (Take that, overpriced lift tickets!)
Some of the least crowded ski resorts also happen to be the coolest. Here are 10 North American ski destinations you've probably never heard of but should definitely consider for the upcoming season.
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1. Mad River Glen, Vermont
PHOTO: COURTESY OF MAD RIVER GLEN
Find it: 57 Schuss Pass Road, Waitsfield, Vermont
Top elevation: 3,637 feet
This East Coast gem is steeped in history. It opened its doors in 1948 with a single chairlift that still exists today. But, the charm doesn't stop there. The mountain is part of a co-op founded in 1995 — making it one of America's few cooperatively owned ski areas — and is one of the only mountains left in the U.S. that forbids snowboarding.
Mad River Glen has plenty of skiing for beginners, with 20 percent of trails set aside for novice skiers, and features 800 acres of tree skiing access. And the mountain is even unique when it comes to the snow itself. Its bylaws explicitly restrict snowmaking above 2,300 feet, resulting in some of the only natural snow skiing in New England.