Snowbuzz: Sleigh Rides

Deer Valley Resort offers lovely Fireside Dining, slopeside at the Empire Lodge throughout the winter season. After indulging on Swiss Raclette melted by the fiery logs, venison stew, roasted lamb, and white chocolate Grand Marnier fondue, grab your wine glass and head out for a sleigh ride under the stars or snowflakes. Real-deal cowboy Ladd Dick from the Boulder Mountain Ranch leads a pair of Percherons as you whip through the evergreens and breath in the views of magical valley below. It’s romantic, fun for the kids, and a good way to meet your fellow snow aficionados who appreciate the finer things in life. ($30 per sleigh, max six people.)

Just outside Mammoth at Smokey Bear Flat, DJ’s Snowmobile Adventures offers backcountry tours on their super Santa sleigh with a stop for hot chocolate and epic views of Mammoth Mountain. A snowcat pulls a 20-seat, red and green, enclosed sleigh that slides along on skies. Or try the dinner sleigh ride, a three-hour alpine experience that means a ride in the Santa sleigh and a hearty winter’s meal in a cozy tent tucked in the woods. A roaring campfire and telescopes for star gazing adds to the fun. (Dinner sleigh ride $88 per adult; $35 per kid.)

In Jackson Hole, an open-air, horse-drawn sleigh pulls you through the National Elk Refuge where you can watch the 10,000+ herd roam the dramatic landscape with those craggy Tetons as a backdrop. On this winter safari, you just might see wolves, bison, trumpeter swans, foxes or eagles as well. Your kids will go bonkers and it’s totally affordable at $18 per adult, $14 for little ones. Sleigh rides begin December 8^th.