Huge snow - Mount Baker, Washington, United States(01 of10)
Open Image ModalExtreme descent - Valluga, St. Anton, Austria(02 of10)
Open Image ModalIt’s a toss up whether the views from the summit or the base of the Alps peak of Valluga are more dramatic. If you are preparing for an “off the back” descent, you will get an eyeful of the journey ahead from the observation platform as your guide briefs you on where to turn and how to navigate the cliffs and rocks leading into the abyss below. If there is good snow cover, however, and you can master your nerves and make sharp turns, you will soon have the joy of marveling at what you’ve accomplished as you look back up at twin mountain peaks before making a long and powdery run back to home base in Zürs.Photo credit: © Copyright TVB St. Anton am Arlbergand/Fotograf Josef Mallaun
Way off the map - Vallée Blanche, Chamonix, France(03 of10)
Open Image ModalHike-in skiing - Tuckerman’s Ravine, Mount Washington, New Hampshire, United States(04 of10)
Open Image ModalThere are a handful of places to test your mettle as a climber and a skier, but few turn into a spring skiing mecca like Tuckerman’s Ravine. While some particularly hearty souls tackle the headwall in the winter months, the deep snow pack keeps the bowl open for business well into May when better weather conditions and lower avalanche risks draw skiers and snowboarders by hundreds, if not thousands. Prepare for a three (or more) hour hike into the ravine, toting your boots, gear and clothes for the highly variable weather of Mount Washington. Then it’s 30 minutes or more up the ravine before you are ready to rocket down the 40 to 55 degree slope. And, on a sunny spring day, be prepared for the line of people hiking up behind you and a crowd below to let you know just how they think you did on your run. (credit:Flickr:MWV Chamber of Commerce)
Big air - Laax, Switzerland(05 of10)
Open Image ModalHeli-skiing - Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada(06 of10)
Open Image ModalAlthough Revelstoke Mountain Resort brought lifts and trails to this mountain in 2007, its heritage is all heli-skiing. For decades, skiers and snowboarders have enjoyed half a million acres of pristine and powdery terrain, accessible only by chopper. The way down is untouched snow and plenty of it. Revelstoke is renowned for its annual snowfall, which makes both the wide open bowls and treeline skiing consistently remarkable. Multiple heli-ski companies offer single, multi-day and guided packages. Cat skiing services also take you to the wide open slopes at lower price points and, of course, a slower pace. At the resort, the lifts do deliver plenty of mountain – the 5,260 feet of vertical drop is the biggest in North America — and a mix of terrains with options for less advanced skiers.Photo credit: Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing
Remote access - Las Leñas, Argentina(07 of10)
Open Image ModalMogul madness - Mary Jane, Winter Park, Colorado, United States(08 of10)
Open Image ModalNeed for speed - Whistler Blackcomb, Whistler, British Columbia, Canada(09 of10)
Open Image Modal2018 sneak peek - Yongpyong Resort, PyeongChang, South Korea(10 of10)
Open Image Modal(AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man)Hit the slopes before the Olympians at this growing resort two hours outside Seoul. Yongpyong is the venue for Alpine skiing and snowboarding at the XXIII Olympic Winter Games coming up in 2018. Already host to past World Cup Ski and Asia Winter Games competitions, this mountain is home to two halfpipes, 15 lifts and 31 trails, including six that have been approved for international competition. And, with its big moment in the spotlight looming, look for more and better things to come. It’s your chance to beat the champions down an Olympic course! (credit:AP)