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• Going down the tubes and other cool fun
• NASTAR courses turn everyone into a ski racer
• Whistler's got game -- and it's the big one
• Salt Lake City: There's much to do besides ski in this valley
• Ski.com names its 'most affordable' resorts

Utah's ski resorts spring into the sports spotlight

In addition to great powder snow and a long winter, Utah's ski industry is blessed by the lingering buzz of the 2002 Winter Olympics, plus a major nearby airport that makes getting to Salt Lake City easy from other parts of the country.

The Olympics brought international acclaim, dozens of new and faster lifts and thousands of more acres of skiable terrain. Traffic on the slopes was up by 37 percent in the six years after the Olympics, before the economy soured, making Utah skiing a $1 billion industry.

``That was our coming-out party,'' said Nathan Rafferty, president of the trade group Ski Utah. ``We were always in the shadows of other resorts, like Colorado's. But hosting the Olympics put us on the map.''

Helicopter skiing can be a heli of a good time

Helicopter skiing may be every skier or snowboarder's dream - a day of deep powder, untracked slopes and elevator-to-heaven rides after every run.

And you don't have to be a millionaire to do it. At $1,100 per person it's not cheap.

Sun Valley, Idaho's Heliski has been in business 44 years, which makes it the oldest heli-skiing operation in the Lower 48 states, according to Scott Desserault, the business manager for Sun Valley Heliski.

Going down the tubes and other cool fun

As you plan your winter snow vacation and are skiing with kids, consider small or midsize resorts. You're likely to find less glitz and a warm welcome for your family. Here are five options.

Angel Fire Resort, Angel Fire, N.M.: This family-friendly mountain resort is in the southern Rocky Mountains, not far from better-known Taos and Santa Fe. ``Bominable,'' a new half-mile children's progressive learning trail, features snowball throws and a ski-through tepee and fortress. Also enjoy two terrain parks, jumps, rails and fun boxes, as well as a timed NASTAR race course and the Polar Coaster tubing hill. 800-633-7463; www.angelfireresort.com.

Bretton Woods, Bretton Woods, N.H.: Choose from gently sloped beginner runs to more recently added tougher terrain in this scenic area not far from the Mount Washington Resort. Kids will love the terrain parks and the opportunity to test new skills during night skiing events. Ski school programs are available through the Hobbit Ski & Snowboard School

Telluride is why skiers love to ski

I have zigzagged and wedged across Colorado ski resorts, from Loveland to Steamboat and from Vail to Breckenridge in seasons past, but never this far west.

This former gold- and silver-mining town snuggled against the San Juan Mountains seemed remote at first. So remote some celebrities, such as Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan and Tom Cruise, have had vacation homes here far from the bright lights of the paparazzi. And it seems fitting American fashion designer Ralph Lauren owns a ranch nearby.

But until I boarded a flight bound for Montrose Regional Airport, the tiny strip 90 minutes from Telluride, I had no clue how accessible it is or how popular it is with those who supposedly who shun the elitism of other ski resorts.

Whistler's got game -- and it's the big one

The ski area that will be the focus of the world's attention this season is Whistler-Blackcomb in Vancouver, Canada, site of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Olympian or not, you'll be able to ski there before and after the Games -- and even during.

``We have 200 trails and only 10 percent will be used for the Olympics. Ninety percent of the ski areas will be open to the public during the Games,'' said Whistler's Amber Turnau.

Of course, the problem is that lodging will be scarce and expensive during the competitions. The Olympics take place Feb. 12-28, followed by the Paralytic Winter Games March 12-21.