Alta Chutes: Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Holding on for dear life at Jackson Hole (Photo Focus Productions, Inc./JHMR)

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Sure, we're back at trusty Jackson like a John Wayne-rerun on a wet Sunday afternoon. But there's no stopping the grand dame of gravity-stacked skiing from making our list once again. With in-bound double-diamond steeps that Europeans only dream about in their off-piste breakaways, Jackson's skiing is all about the Wild West.

While extreme wannabes crane their necks over the edge of Corbet's like lemmings, locals head for the Alta Chutes, where steeper sustained pitches lure true over-the-precipice devotees to a fate worse than Corbet's. This run slices left off the ridge that separates the Laramie and Cheyenne Bowls and barrels under the Sublette quad chair, guaranteeing you an audience.

If you do yearn to get off-piste, there's an additional 20,000 acres of out-of-bounds, expert-only stuff sprawling beyond the back of Rendezvous Mountain. Step through the access gates into an uncensored world of challenging slopes, in areas such as Cody Bowl, Rock Springs Bowl, Headwall, and Granite Canyon. Just be warned (and the resort does its fair share) that the backcountry is not to be messed with when the gates are closed—ever.

Resort Facts

Web: www.jacksonhole.com

Phone: 1-888-DEEP-SNO

2004-05 lift pass: $67