* Vertical drop: 1,101 feet

* Number of runs: 14

* Difficulty rating: Beginner to advanced

* Why try it: Tree skiing in The Pines and The Aspens

Midmountain at The Canyons

The ride: The unloading station for the Flight of the Condors gondola takes riders to a midmountain base area, where the second lift on skier's right is Saddleback Express, a high-speed quad chair that rises to 9,100 feet. The first lift, High Meadow, is for beginners. Saddleback Ridge offers access to a couple of sweeping, wide, well-groomed runs ideal for emerging intermediates. But it also has plenty of terrain for more advanced skiers who enjoy tree skiing. The north-facing Pines ridge has decent pitch and holds snow well, but the runout can be long. Watch for the gully at the bottom.

Runs to try:

* Kokopelli: Easiest way down; it is important to maintain speed at the bottom to avoid a little walking or poling.

* Snow Dancer: A wide cruiser, it's more challenging than Kokopelli and gives kids short diversions through trailside trees.

* Elk Ridge: Like bumps? This ridgeline run has plenty.

* The Pines: Any number of places to pick your own route through clumps of fir trees on well-protected runs that often have light powder days after a storm. Only drawback: The runs are short, then it's a flat groomer back to the lift.

* The Aspens: The trees here are more tightly packed than The Pines and require quick little turns.

- Mike Gorrell