Wyoming, United States

Capital City: Cheyenne
Closest Airport: Natrona County International
Population: 493,782
Resort Areas Include: Big Horn Mountains - Teton Mountain Range - Jackson Hole
Snow Season: November/December - March/April
Main Language: English
Currency: United States Dollar

The Wild West state of Wyoming has some pretty impressive vitals when it comes to getting up high. The best part of a dozen different mountains ranges dot the state, the tallest of which - the Wind River range - boasts more than forty 4,000 metre (13,000 feet) peaks. Add to that, a not insignificant average yearly snowfall up here of 5 metres or around 200 inches (we're talking that nice, fine, light stuff) and you've got some rather good conditions for skiing or snowboarding in Wyoming.

With all this rock around, you can expect some decent vertical and challenging steep. There's plenty of beginner-friendly terrain (especially at resorts like Snowy Range and White Pine) here, but many of the ski resorts in Wyoming have a special appeal for more experienced skiers and riders.

Some 50 per cent of trails at Jackson Hole resort, for instance, are marked as black diamond. There's also a massive drop here of 1,261 metres (4,139 feet).

Cross country skiing in Wyoming is also big business, with state parks opening up a maze of backcountry trails to explore. Doglsledding, snowshoeing, iceskating and snowmobile touring are also popular ways of experiencing Wyoming's untamed side.