CANADA

Get an Olympic preview in British Columbia

Many of the ski runs built for the 2010 Olympic Games in and around Whistler will be open to the public this winter.

The two faces of Tahoe

''I thought it must surely be the fairest picture the whole earth affords,'' Mark Twain wrote of Lake Tahoe in 1872. More than 136 years later, Twain's words still ring true, especially for skiers at the resorts that ring the lake like a crown.

Hard work but fine times in Yosemite's back country

It's an unproven yet widely acknowledged fact that Two Buck Chuck decanted from a Nalgene bottle while snowbound in a warm and cheery mountain hut far from the nearest road tastes significantly better than Chateau Margaux sipped from Riedel stemware in a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Cost-wise deals for family skiing

Forget the beach. Bridget Kerr, 10, would rather play in the snow. ''Winter is my favorite season,'' declares the fifth-grader from Shelburne, Vt.

10 things to love about Vail

A two-hour drive from Denver, this popular resort consistently hits the top of folks' lists for best ski area while at the same time taking hits for being too pricey and overhyped. But we can't help but be smitten with Vail's charms, and here are but a few of them.

Where to find some cool bargains

Following is a sampling of ski packages. Prices are starting rates per person, double occupancy, unless otherwise stated. They may or may not include taxes, service fees, gratuities and other charges. Packages are subject to availability, blackout dates, booking deadlines, validity dates, minimum stays, and their prices and terms are subject to change without notice.