A dormant volcano in central Oregon that you can ski on every side of. From the summit lift you drop off in whichever direction the weather and the light suggest, which is unusual and takes a day to make the most of.

Open terrain sits above the treeline with glades below, and there is a great deal of comfortable intermediate skiing on the lower flanks. The season runs into late May. The summit lift is exposed and holds in wind, sometimes for days, so have a plan for those mornings.

There is no village at all. Bend, thirty minutes down the mountain, is a substantial town with a serious brewing and restaurant scene, and it does the job better than a purpose built base would. The Nordic centre on the mountain is one of the best in the country.