Beaver Creek, Colorado
Park at the Beav between December 1 and 4 to see the world's top ski racers, including reigning overall champ Bode Miller, compete in the 2005 Visa Birds of Prey World Cup races. Admission is free; 800-404-3535, www.beavercreek.com. After a long day among the hoi polloi, ski over to Trappers Cabin, a private luxury lodge at 9,560 feet. The cabin keeper greets you at the door with fleece slippers, hors d'oeuvres, and a flute of champagne. While you soak in the outdoor Jacuzzi, a chef prepares your five-course dinner in the kitchen. From $850 per person per night (two-night minimum), including a day of skiing and lunch; 970-845-5788, www.trapperscabincolorado.com

Grand Targhee, Wyoming
Christmastime is always tricky for skiers: Is there anyplace where the snow is guaranteed but the crowds aren't? Head to Grand Targhee Resort, advises Tony Crocker, a California actuary who crunches snowfall data from major North American resorts. (Check out his site, www.bestsnow.net.) Only twice in the past 30 years has this 2,000-acre Tetons ski area seen fewer than 110 inches of snowfall before New Year's Day, Crocker says. Lift ticket, $55; 800-827-4433, www.grandtarghee.com

Silverton, Colorado
Don't forget Dad's 1975 one-piece ski suit when you pack for Chris Davenport's New Year's Retro Bonanza, December 30–January 1 at Silverton Mountain, in Colorado's San Juans. The throwback party is the crescendo of this hard-skiing camp, which includes three days of on-hill instruction, avalanche training, and freeskiing with stars Davenport and Brant Moles. And don't worry about jockeying for powder during the holidays: Silverton limits its lift-ticket sales to a scant 80 people per day. $750; 970-387-5706, www.silvertonmountain.com