Big Sky, MT

Fresh powder and no lift lines? It’s just another day at Big Sky. It may not share the glory of the glitzy resort towns in Colorado and Utah, but with more snow and open space, this undersung skiing nirvana can rest on its own laurels. Between the town's two ski resorts--Big Sky and Moonlight Basin--there are three mountains used by an average of only 2,500 skiers per day ... it works out to 2 acres per skier. Combine uncrowdedness and lots of fluffy powder with a laid-back cowboy culture, and you've got the perfect winter weekend.

More: Big Sky winter escape