1. The Powder Highway

11313075_10153926951369535_5329989572538962614_oImage Kicking Horse Mountain Resort

The Powder Highway is the ultimate ski-bum road trip. With Rogers Pass, multiple Heli and cat-operations, and more ski areas and resorts than you could ride in an entire lifetime; interior B.C. may have it all. The resorts are all low-key with Red Mountain leading the pack in great vibes. Kicking Horse dominates the rad terrain competition and Revelstoke wins the prize for best lift served access with the longest vertical drop in North America. Combine all that with a few buddies, a multitude of parking lots, some double-doubles (coffee with two creams and two sugars), and we have a winner Bobby.

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2. The Tahoe Round-trip

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When the Pacific turns on the shower and the getting is good around Lake Tahoe, a circumnavigation of California’s most iconic lake is a must do for any skier. From the Fingers of Squaw Valley to the Wall at Kirkwood, the greater Tahoe area offers some of the rowdiest yet most scenic skiing in the lower 48. Not to mention, accessing it all from an RV posted up close to the lake makes the trip that much better.

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3. Thompson Pass, Alaska

thomsonpassImage marvinskis.com

Many make the pilgrimage and none return the same. Especially after the harrowing 42-hour drive up the Alaska Highway, which possesses coastal views, Yukon desolation, and peaks upon peaks for the entire drive. However, the road also plays host to engine troubles, flat tires, and missed gas opportunities that’ll cost big. However, once the car crests the top of Thompson Pass, skiers eyes widen and throats clear. Set up camp in the parking lot and pull out that credit card—it’s time to start hitching Heli bumps to nearby mountain tops till all the money is spent and the car is sold.

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4. The Southwest

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Following the road south is an El Niño kind of move. During these rare occurrences of warm water rising to the surface in the Southern Pacific, storms favor resorts from the Sierra to New Mexico, while the PNW, Montana, and Wyoming get screwed (sometimes). During one of these dumps, grab some friends and head toward Wolf Creek, which receives 480 inches per year. From there, hit Silverton, Telluride, and eventually Taos Ski Valley, all of which contain some of the best steeps in the States.

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5. Colorado Fall Ski-Tour

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Every fall, stoke goes through the roof and skiers have to make a turn or two somewhere to satisfy their man-made addiction for early season turns. Enter Loveland Ski Area and Arapahoe Basin Ski, who begin making snow in early October and once mid-October rolls in, ski bums may descend on these two early bird chairlifts in order to get those awkward first turns out of the way. Turns out craft beers and concrete snow go well together.

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6. Santiago, Chile to Bariloche, Argentina

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Traveling down the Pan Americana is a true international road trip. The road, if detours are included, contains some of the best access to South America’s premier resorts. Start in Santiago where you can make the short drive up to Tres Valles ski resorts of El Colorado, La Parva and Valle Nevado. On this detour you can also hit up Portillo and Ski Arpa. You can then head down farther south to Nevados de Chillan and Ski Pucon where you can make turns on the active Villarrica Volcano! End the trip in Bariloche, Argentina, the “gate way to Patagonia”. Here you can link turns that the world famous Cerro Catedral.

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7. Ski The East

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The always-underrated “Ice Coast” has been anything but lately. That said, you never know what the conditions will be in the Northeast. However, history is enough to draw any hardcore skier on a trip to the famed hills of Vermont, New York, and New Hampshire and Maine. Start your trip at the home of the Joey, Hunter Mountain, NY. From There head upstate to Gore Mountain, which boasts 2,537’ drop, and Whiteface, home two winter Olympics. Cross over into The Green Mountains and head north to Jay Peak, the snowiest of the East Coast resorts with a reported 355’’ of average annual accumulation. From there, move south to the ungroomed and unspoiled gem of Mad River Glen. Continue south to Killington, VT before heading east to end your journey at Sunday River, Maine.

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