This mom-and-pop hill just outside McCall is a favorite among locals and families—kids wobbling in helmets and snowboard boots seem to outnumber the adults. There’s plenty of room for everybody, however. The mountain has about 1,800 vertical feet of skiing over 1,500 acres of terrain, yet it’s modest in every sense. There are no big condos here, no ski shops selling fur hats, no big fancy hotel with valet parking. A trio of eateries serves up hearty, no-nonsense fare. No one seems to mind the lack of froufrou. Maybe that's because everyone who comes here does so to ski.

Conditions are usually grand—a foot of fresh on the runs is common, and the tree runs here are exceptional, with perfectly spaced pines making for excellent glades.