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From Black Friday to New Year's Day, and the umpteen parties in between, the holiday season seems to get more overwhelming every year. Sometimes it's best, or maybe even necessary, to abandon the shopping malls, the supermarket lines, and the other trappings of the holiday season and go your own way. For those folks in dire need of an antidote to the all-consuming yuletide vortex, here are five great destinations to run and hide from the holiday season.

The Upper Peninsula, Michigan
In many ways the apex of the Northwoods, Michigan's Upper Peninsula fills the bill quite nicely as a hideout from the holiday hustle and bustle. You can spend your days here communing with Old Man Winter on the peaceful trails cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing, and then wile away your evenings in historic mining towns or fireside in a cabin outside the city limits. A number of small, friendly downhill ski resorts take advantage of some of the best and deepest snowfall in the Midwest, including Indianhead Mountain Resort. Holiday ski-and-stay packages start at just $83 per person per night. Dinky Mont Ripley, owned by Michigan Technological University, offers night skiing right in the middle of the towns of Houghton and Hancock.
 
Ogden Valley, Utah
In all of Rocky Mountain ski country, the people-to-powder ratio doesn't get much better than in Ogden Valley, making this a perfect pick for a low-key ski holiday. Skiers of all skill levels have three resorts to choose from: Snowbasin, home of the 2002 Olympic downhill event; beginner-friendly Wolf Mountain; and vast and varied Powder Mountain, which claims more than 7,000 acres of skiable terrain if you include the snowcat tracks. After the lifts shut down for the day in Ogden Valley, stay in historic Huntsville, or one of the other small towns around here, for some real peace and quiet. Accommodations include the ski-centric Atomic Chalet Bed and Breakfast in Huntsville and the slope-side Columbine Inn at Powder Mountain. For après-ski kicks, check out Utah's oldest bar, the Shooting Star Saloon in Huntsville, home to cheap beer, knockwurst-topped Star Burgers, and plenty of oddball décor to spare. The latter includes the stuffed head of Buck, a remarkably large St. Bernard, mounted on the wall, dollar bills on the ceiling, and all manner of oddities hanging from the rafters.