Over the years, I’ve compiled a decent record of scoring powder on western ski vacations that were booked months in advance; but based purely on anecdotal evidence, Powderqueen has me beat.

Whenever she leaves Central New York for destination trips out west, fresh snow always seems to be along for the ride. Her March 2013 visit to the wilds of western Montana — split between the state’s two major resorts and a few lesser-known mountains — was no exception.

As she points out, Montana is a place that often gets overlooked by northeasterners as a ski vacation destination, yet the northern Rockies boast quality snow on spectacular, uncrowded terrain. Big Sky and Whitefish look like excellent full-service resorts for multi-day stays, but the many great off-the-beaten-path mountains appear to be Montana’s real secret sauce.

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NY Ski Magazine
Montana Means Mountains

Mention the Austrian ski resort of Lech and people immediately think of a snowbound Monaco, filled with celebrities, high-ranking diplomats, powerful CEOs, and the otherwise very well off, but that’s only part of the story.

The huge interconnected ski area that this picture-perfect alpine village shares with sister resort Zürs is not only the snowiest major ski destination in Europe — filled with more untracked powder than you can shake a ski pole at — it’s also considered, along with nearby St. Anton, to be the cradle of alpine skiing.

Equally important, two visits during consecutive winters proved that you don’t need the financial resources of the Top 1% to have a memorable vacation skiing Lech Austria.

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NY Ski Magazine
Lech Austria: Powder and Porches