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The Rockies Draw Groups Year Round

Yellowstone National Park

In the northwestern corner of Wyoming, Yellowstone National Park has more than 10,000 hydrothermal, water and heat features within its borders. Groups that visit will find abundant wildlife: eagles, grizzly bears, wolves and herds of bison and elk. And the legendary Old Faithful geyser erupts every 88 minutes, give or take a few.

Iconic Old Faithful Inn embodies the spirit of a classic park lodge. Outside its entrance, a boardwalk leads to the famous geyser. Additional boardwalks go to Upper, Mid and Lower Geyser Basins, which support an astounding number of thermal features. The new Old Faithful Visitor Education Center focuses on the park’s geysers, hot springs, and paint and mud pots.

The Canyon area also boasts a new visitors center and state-of-the-art exhibits covering geology. Canyon Village offers wonderful cabins set in trees. North Rim Drive leads to Inspiration Point and other lookouts around the canyon rim. Clear Lake Loop Trail accesses backcountry thermal features fairly easily and ends at Artist’s Point. The lookout has been reconstructed in the last several years. It remains one of the most photographed spots in Yellowstone.

“One mistake many visitors make is their failure to hike,” said Al Nash, Yellowstone National Park spokesperson. “Many easy trails simply require a water bottle and decent shoes. It’s a Yellowstone experience that few take advantage of; they never get off the boardwalks.”

During the early morning or at dusk, groups will want to visit Hayden and Lamar valleys for wildlife watching. Coyotes and herds of buffalo roam the area, bears make an appearance, and bald eagles fish in the rivers.

www.nps.gov/yell

 

Ogden Valley, Utah

Tucked into the Wasatch Mountains 55 miles north of Salt Lake City, Ogden Valley boasts three distinct skiing options. The simple Powder Mountain and the ultra-chic Snowbasin sit roughly 30 minutes apart. Sandwiched between, Nordic Valley Ski Resort makes a perfect beginner’s spot.

“The nearby city of Ogden isn’t merely a ski town,” said Rich Koski, director of sales for Visit Ogden. “It’s got Historic 25th Street and the Salomon Center, with indoor skydiving, climbing and surfing. Plus Utah Transit Authority runs a ski bus that goes to Powder Mountain and Snowbasin and picks up at the hotels.”

At Powder Mountain, skiing is a simple and pure experience: no hype, no bravado. The mountain features miles of powder and is surrounded by an almost surreal silence. A rustic lodge offers one simple cafeteria line and well-worn wooden furniture. The mountain boasts impressive stats by any standard: 113 runs of almost perfect white carved into 5,500 acres on three mountains, mostly intermediate to advanced. Powder Mountain’s 2,000 vertical feet make for good cruising and less daunting intermediate runs than at Snowbasin, which boasts another 1,000 vertical feet. The hardy can attack 1,200 acres of backcountry powder or 700 acres of Snowcat skiing.

State-of-the-art Snowbasin played host to the 2002 Winter Olympic downhill and super G slalom events. Snowbasin woos skiers with heated sidewalks and enclosed high-speed gondolas. The main stone lodge dazzles with six massive fireplaces, chandeliered dining rooms and miles of custom-weave English carpet. For those who prefer to combine skiing and lounging, seeing and being seen, this is the place. It’s easy to forget why you’ve come.

Up on the mountain, things turn a bit more serious with 2,960 vertical feet of ski slopes. Expert skiers can attempt the Olympic downhill courses and the Superpipe. There’s also room for beginners and intermediates on 53 runs. Five snow tubing lanes and 26 kilometers of groomed Nordic trails offer diversions from the slopes.

For one of the best learning hills around, Nordic Valley Ski Resort operates three chairlifts with a mere 1,000-foot vertical drop. Here, even beginners feel like pros. As skiers hop off the lift, Ogden Valley stretches out below. Hit the slopes at nightfall and, with luck, watch a full moon rise above the valley floor while you cruise down the mountain.

www.visitogden.com

Elizabeth Hey

Elizabeth Hey is a member of Midwest Travel Journalists Association and has received numerous awards for her writing and photography. Follow her on Instagram and Facebook @travelbyfork.