Whiteface

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Whiteface is located outside Lake Placid, home of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympic Games, and is still a winter wonderland today. There’s much to do here, from bobsled riding to ice skating to ski jumping. For skiing and snowboarding, Whiteface offers the East's greatest drop (3,430 vertical feet). There are 72 trails and 10 lifts, including the Cloudsplitter eight-passenger high-speed gondola. For experts, there are 24 black diamond runs and three double-blacks that are among the East's most challenging (check out The Slides). Best of all, there are no mob-scene crowds, and an adult weekend lift ticket still costs less than $60. New developments include a high-speed quad serving the lower valley area, a Magic Carpet in the beginner area, renovated kids' center, a new 1,100-foot-long intermediate trail and a renovated base lodge. The town itself is picturesque, with plenty of quaint bed-and-breakfast spots, luxury inns and fine eateries. Nearby the Verizon Sports complex offers 50 km of Olympic-caliber trails, and there's another secluded 50 km of wilderness in and around the Jackrabbit Trail. -- Iseult Devlin