The biggest ski area in Arizona, owned and run by the White Mountain Apache Tribe on their own land in the eastern part of the state. Three mountains sit above 2850 metres, and the elevation is what makes skiing possible this far south. The terrain is broad and forgiving with a broad range of easy runs, and the tribe has invested steadily in snowmaking and lifts. Crowds are light outside holiday weekends.

The setting is high ponderosa pine country rather than dramatic alpine rock, and the drive in across the White Mountains is a large part of the experience. Phoenix is around four hours away, which makes this the winter escape for a city that spends the rest of the year avoiding the heat.