Who says business trips are all work and no play?

Sneak out to one of these conveniently located ski resorts, and you’ll be back in time to check your email.

A few years ago, I had a conference in Phoenix just before a long holiday weekend, but unlike the thankful golfers, I was itching to ski. So, as the business agenda came to a close early Saturday and everyone else headed to the first tee, I hopped a puddle-jumper to Albuquerque and drove up to Taos. That quickie ski getaway was one of the best of my downhill life, complete with state-of-the-art rentals and a moguls clinic to help me contend with the killer bumps.

Granted, skiing isn’t typically thought of as a sporting activity that combines well with business travel. Runners may bring their sneakers anywhere, and golf is famously melded with conferences and annual meetings for a sporty schmoozefest. But skiing—that’s about schlepping heavy gear to remote locations, or so the thinking goes.

Avid skiers, take heart. Depending on where your road-warrior lifestyle leads you, there may be a mountain within closer proximity than you’d think—less than a two-hour rental-car ride away. And now that low-fare airlines have brought down the cost of regional flights, it’s easier than ever to make a quick connection cheaply. As for the gear factor, shipping your skis ahead is less expensive than you might imagine. Conversely, if you’re looking for a reason not to bother bringing them, on-mountain rentals have soared in high-tech quality (see sidebar).

So, to hasten you from boardroom to backcountry, we’ve selected five ski areas that excel in accessibility—close proximity to major business travel hubs—without sacrificing powder, acreage or vertical.

The Canyons

Utah

Distance from Salt Lake City: 30 miles

Canyon Resort, Utah

The character: The Canyons is lesser known than its next-door neighbor, Park City, City,and the locals like it that way. Formerly an insider’s hangout known as Wolf Mountain, the resort was bought, updated and expanded eight years ago. Riding the chairlifts from peak to peak is a bit like driving on ribbon candy, as the expanse of mountain just keeps rolling forward and exposing ever further waves of fresh powder.

The stats: Eight peaks, 3,190 feet of vertical drop and 3,500 skiable acres. Beginner 14 percent; Intermediate 44 percent; Expert 42 percent.
Make a weekend of it: Stay at one of the resort’s two anchor hotels, the Sundial Lodge or the larger Grand Summit Hotel, and lift tickets are included in the price of your stay (866-604-4171). Eat at Chimayo, a paean to Southwestern cuisine from its mole-rubbed filet mignon to its soaring wood-beamed ceilings and dramatic chandeliers (368 Main Street, 435-649-6222).

Mount Baldy

California

Distance from Los Angeles: 45 miles

The character: Southern Californians love Mt. Baldy (officially named Mount San Antonio) not just because it’s nearby, but because it is old-school intimate (a rare find in the growing world of ski conglomerates) and surprisingly steep, with plenty of double-diamonds. When you get a good snowfall dump, the backcountry is a giant powder glade.

Caveat: Call first to see how many lifts are open and how much ground coverage there is.
The stats: 2,100 ft. vertical drop and 400 skiable acres. Beginner 20 percent; More Difficult 40 percent; Most Difficult 20 percent; Expert Only 20 percent.

Mt. Baldy, California

Make a weekend of it: Most drive in from Los Angeles, but if you want to steer clear of the city, you can stay at the Claremont Inn, 10 miles from the slopes in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains (909-626-2411). For burgers, sandwiches and steaks, check out the rustic Mt. Baldy Lodge in the center of the village (909-982-1115), where—for the adventurous—there are rustic cottages for rent as well.

Winter Park

Colorado

Distance from Denver: 67 miles

The character: This is where the locals turn their sights when they’ve stripped off their Halloween costumes, because it’s usually open before they dive into the Thanksgiving turkey. Winter Park is not only one of the closest ski areas to Denver, but it is also among the earliest to open, with the most consistent snow throughout the season. Its popularity with the drive-in crowd, however, means less tourism infrastructure (don’t expect Vail-esque hotels and restaurants here).

Tip: Forget the rental car and opt for the daily ski train from Denver’s Union Station (303-296-ISKI), or take the Home James shuttle van that departs Denver International Airport nearly hourly (800-359-7536).

The stats: 2,610 ft. vertical drop and 2,762 skiable acres. Beginner 9 percent; Intermediate 21 percent; Advanced 13 percent; Most Difficult 54 percent; Expert Only (double-diamond) 3 percent.

Make a weekend of it: The Vintage Hotel, a third of a mile from the lifts, has a sauna, fireplace studios and a microbrewery (800-472-7017). The one- and two-bedroom condos at Zephyr Mountain Lodge are ski-in/ski-out, and its restaurant, Doc’s Roadhouse, offers prime rib slopeside (970-726-8400).

Taos

New Mexico

Distance from Albuquerque: 130 miles.

Cost of Southwest Airlines flight from Phoenix is $44 one-way (Internet fare with 14-day advance purchase for travel on Monday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday). Come on, where’s your spirit of adventure? You can leave Phoenix after your last meeting and still be checking into your Taos hotel in time for a late dinner. If you’d rather make an early dinner, clip your trip to the closer, smaller Santa Fe Ski Basin instead.

The character: In a word, unforgettable. There’s a reason the logo is a high, skinny peak with a sunburst behind it. Taos gets 300-plus days of rays on its slopes, which are ultra-challenging. To wit: There’s a sign at the base that reads, “Don’t panic, this is only one-third of Taos. We have easy runs, too.”

Note: This mountain is one of the last remaining holdouts that doesn’t permit snowboarding.

The stats: 2,612 ft. vertical drop (3,244 if you include the famous hike up to Kachina Peak), 1,294 acres. Beginner 24 percent; Intermediate 25 percent; Expert 51 percent.

Make a weekend of it: The 84-room Fechin Inn (505-751-1000) is gorgeously Southwestern, with carved wood detailing and the paintings and sculpture of namesake artist Nicolai Fechin. Doc Martin’s restaurant at the Taos Inn (505-758-2233) is an institution, both for its chiles rellenos and its Cowboy Buddha margaritas at the Adobe Bar, where there’s live music every night.

Gunstock

New Hampshire

Distance from Boston: 90 miles

The character: Being a small, family-style mountain doesn’t necessarily mean throwback. Gunstock has a new high-speed detachable quad, 80 percent snowmaking coverage, night skiing on 17 trails (25 acres), and a Fischer Adventure Demo Center based in a yurt, where you can test-drive everything from skis and boots to helmets, goggles and handheld radios.

The stats:1,400 ft. vertical drop, 220 skiable acres. Beginner 5 percent; Intermediate 70 percent; Advanced 20 percent; Expert Only 5 percent.

Make a weekend of it: The 25-room Gunstock Inn is less than a mile away, with a 75-foot indoor pool, sauna and steam rooms, and views of Lake Winnipesaukee from its living room (800-654-0180). If you’re willing to drive 20 miles for a great meal, check out The Woodshed, a 19th-century farmhouse and barn in Moultonboro—think New England–style chops and seafood (603-476-2311).

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nicole bernier is a freelance writer based in the Washington, D.C. area. Email Nicole at editor@executivetravelmag.com.