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While lurking past closing hours in the mountain resort parking lot has always been the domain of the dirtbag, more ski areas are bringing the practice of overnight stays out of the shadows—and some are downright embracing the car-bound camp movement. This focus on ski resort winter camping, which accommodates visitors of lesser means—as well as nomadic adventurers—is a refreshing step back from the luxury demographic. that the ski industry habitually targets.

The last ski resort still operating for the season in New England just wrapped up their winter season this week, but JetBlue's already looking toward the 2020 ski season, offering seasonal nonstop flights from Boston to one of the Rocky Mountains' world-renowned ski destinations next season.

If you’ve ever planned a ski vacation, you know that getting your ski gear to the mountain is not simple and not cheap, especially when planes are involved. We looked into whether it’s better to check your ski bags, ship them or just rent stuff when you get there, and we’ve discovered some definitive truths, and steps to take, when it comes to price and convenience.

Unless you’ve got a personal assistant, herding the kids and gear for a family ski vacation is no simple task, but the rewards for putting in some planning time are numerous. Once you’ve reached your mountain resort destination, there are often a slew of activities and amenities that will make slope time with the kids an adventure you’ll want to go on again and again.

Shadowed by the highest peak in Vermont - Mount Mansfield at 4,393 feet - Stowe Mountain Resort offers world-class skiing and riding, and a quintessential Vermont setting for this week’s SnoCountry/Pepsi Resort of the Week.

Love is on the slopes. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, but why not consider the whole month of February for a romantic getaway with a little skiing and riding mixed in. Here are some of the best choices around the Great Lakes.

“Going with the club is great because we ride on a luxury bus with Wifi. You can sleep, use a bathroom, snack or just relax the whole ride.  On the way home, we watch a movie, eat cookies and stop for dinner.  You get to ski a lot of different mountains, and we see people we know sometimes during the day of skiing,” 15-year old Ryan Dvorak, who typically skis with a parent on weekends through trips with the Norwich Ski Club (NSC), told SnoCountry.com.

Valentine’s Day is approaching, and luckily for us skiers and riders, it’s a holiday you can spend on the slopes. There’s no better way to enjoy quality time with your favorite person than a traditional double chair, the original love seat built for two. It’s probably too cold to keep your phone out, so enjoy some conversation, sitting close and dreaming of all the runs you’ll take together.

Since 1946, Colorado’s Arapahoe Basin - or as the locals call it A-Basin - has offered skiers and snowboarders some of the most challenging terrain found at any ski area in North America. But over the years, numerous expansions off the backside of the 13,050-foot summit have opened up additional terrain opportunities for intermediate skiers and riders.

Mother Nature has brought fresh snow to the mountains for Vermont, which means it's time to start planning your winter getaway. Check out  this sampling of deals that Vermont resorts have put together and book a trip that will make your family and your wallet smile. 

Pensylvania's Jack Frost/Big Boulder takes center stage this week at the first SnoCountry/Pepsi Resort of the Week. Founded in 1942 with the building of the Split Rock Club on the shores of Lake Harmony, Big Boulder was the first commercial ski resort in Pennsylvania.

A family trip to the mountains is an investment in time together, where many of us treasure memories of racing each other down the hill, hot chocolate breaks, and taking a dip in the pool at the end off the day. SnoCountry found some of the best destinations for the whole gang to rest their heads after a fun day on the slopes. 

There are no silver bullets. No car-sized teleporters, either — at least not yet. Sometimes, Interstate 70 through the Colorado mountains in the winter is just a painful, unending, unavoidable slog. But several tricks can minimize the pain.

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Kids instinctually love to play in the snow, and you can share with them the thrill and camaraderie of a day on the slopes, the anticipation of new fallen snow that blankets the world white, the exhilaration of turns on skis. All across the country, you can find programs that offer a chance for kids to try out skiing and riding, most with just a small fee to get started.

Buying a ski-snowboard ticket right at the ticket window has become the exception rather than the rule in the digital age, as individual resorts and a trio of online ticket services have become the virtual “walk-up ticket window” for most mountains.

Many ski and snowboard resorts in the West rely upon a nearby town that is base for food, lodging and off-slope fun, so SnoCountry took a look at three well-known towns that act as hubs for the mountains that surround them.

The number of ski and snowboard resorts in the West that haven’t hooked onto a mega-pass are dwindling, so SnoCountry.com got out its Utah road maps and headed to the mountains that still retain their independence.

New England boasts six resorts for Ikon Pass holders, all within five hours of each other. With an easy flight into Boston, you can hit them all in six days. Here’s an inside look at the Northeast’s Ikon adventures.

The Boston.com Ski & Snowboard Expo returns to the Boston Seaport World Trade Center Nov. 8-11, showcasing New England’s coolest winter scenes. The annual winter sports extravaganza is the best way to prepare to hit the slopes fully armed with the latest information and the best pre-season pricing and Expo-only savings on lift tickets and season passes, vacation specials ski and snowboard gear. 

Here’s a sample road trip for those who have purchased an Epic Pass, have a week or two on the loose, and are ready to ski and ride across the West without having to shell out for a day ticket.