I'm starting the planning process for a February trip to sightsee, snowshoe, XC ski. I may even plug my nose and hop on a snowmobile. I enjoy being outdoors in cold weather. I plan to stay in the area for 3-4 days at least, depending on activities available. Would a trip to Yellowstone or Yosemite be better? Any recommendations on places to stay? I haven't been to either spot in 30 years or more. Recommendations for other areas in the West are welcome too. Thanks!

We enjoyed a ski trip to Big Sky, Montana and then a day trip to Yellowstone, renting snowmobiles in West Yellowstone and driving to the Old Faithful Snow Lodge for a nice meal. There was some talk in the past of closing Yellowstone to snowmobile traffic. You get a truly close-up view of the bison, which are hungry and so come down from the outlying areas to walk on the more compacted road in search of food.

As for other areas in the West, the Deer Valley/Park City area in Utah is great, as are numerous ski resorts in Colorado (Vail, Beaver Creek, Steamboat, Keystone, etc.).
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I would vote for Yellowstone. Have been to both places in the summer, but neither in the winter. I'm not sure that 3-4 days would be long enough, depending on what you want to see and do. You have to take a half day snowcoach, just to get to Old Faithful.

Yosemite won't be as cold as Yellowstone; every time I've been there is early March, the temperatures were above freezing during the day. For winter activities you'll have to take the shuttle to the Badger Pass ski area. There is a small downhill area, but you can also rent skis and snowshoes, and there is a 7 mi. round trip that can be done to Dewey Point, overlooking the valley. The first mile is groomed and after that you either follow someone else's tracks or you break the trail yourself.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/4854881643/in/

When we were in Yellowstone (Feb. 2009) there were lots of people there to do XC skiing and/or snowshoeing. Since road access is so limited to vehicles, it opened up miles of trails only accessible by XC skiing or snow shoeing.

If you do decide to try snowmobiling (and if the Park Service has allowed it to continue) I recommend that you go from within the Park with their concessionaire. Those groups were always smaller (4-10 machines) than the ones we saw coming in from West Yellowstone (20 machines or so).

There were only 4 snowmobiles in our group and one of those was our guide. Although we were last in line (our choice, since as total novices we didn't want to hold up those with more experience) we didn't have to "plug our noses" except when we'd be stopped and one of the large groups would go by. I would have hated to be at the end of that line.

If you do choose Yellowstone, I don't think you'll regret it. It's wonderful anytime, but in winter it is truly a magical place.

If you have never been to Yellowstone in the Winter, it is a must! The Yellowstone experience is like no other. Rent your snowmobile and ride the figure eight road, taking two days. Start at the Mammonth Hot Springs hotel and rent snowmobile, they provide the warm outerwear with boots, gloves, helment. On first day stay at Old Faithful Lodge or Snow Lodge at Old Faithful. Next day finish the trip back to Mammoth Hot Springs. You can also stay just outside the park at Flagg Ranch, rent from them and take two days. It is best to go during the week because the snowmobile crowd are heavy on the weekends. Yosemite is wonderful in Winter but it is more of a look and see from inside than seeing the animals from a vantage point of mere feet at times. Do not miss Yellowstone in the winter! Have done it several times and you will never forget it!

Option: Tahoe