Weekend Ski Report: There's Snow in Idaho

Unless you can jet off to the Swiss Alps, which is seeing record snowfall this winter, skiing options are limited in North America as the snow drought continues. But the good news is that while conditions at big-name mountains may be less than ideal, fresh powder sits atop deep bases in several less obvious locales—from Idaho to Arizona.

While it's true that the snow pack in Idaho has hit a 20-year low, conditions there are better than in most places. Lookout Pass, in northern Idaho, had 6 inches fall earlier this week on top of its 5-foot base, while at Schweitzer, also in northern Idaho, there's 5 inches resting on a base that's 6-feet deep. And at Arizona's Sunrise Park, a couple of inches fell on about 4 feet of packed powder last night.

North American resorts that saw record-breaking snowfall last season have leaned heavily on snowmaking this year to drive in business. The only upside for customers is that the marketplace is being flooded with deals to draw people to the slopes. And because January is Learn to Ski and Snowboard month, there are freebies and discounts galore to snag at more than 300 resorts in 32 states.

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