The ride: The fixed-grip, two-seat Howling Wolf chairlift provides access to every run at Wolf Mountain, formerly Nordic Valley. The owners emphasized their commitment to beginning skiers and boarders by adding the Wolf Lair triple chair this season. That expanded the amount of gentle terrain available from Wolfdeedoo chair and eased access to Wolf's Lair Terrain Park. Plenty of easy intermediate terrain can be found off Howling Wolf, along with a few tougher short runs. Wolf Mountain also offers reduced-price plans to encourage night skiing.

Runs to try:

* Bayot's Boulevard: A gentle cruiser ideal for people just getting past beginner stage, offering opportunities to make right and left turns without taking on too much speed.

* Wandering Wolf: Also a gentle cruiser, it's more of a straight shot than Bayot's Boulevard and leads to the flatter terrain served by Wolfdeedoo and Wolf Lair Triple.

* Barney's Way: The main top-to-bottom run under the lift, its three drop-offs have enough pitch to generate the kind of speed needed for comfortably carving sweeping giant slalom turns.

* Need work on making quick turns? Chainsaw Willy and Dyer Straits are good places to practice.

- Mike Gorrell