Best old-fashioned ski hill

While many ski hills are experiencing a development boom, there exist a few whose goal it has been to keep things as they once were: uncrowded slopes, natural snow, and no snowboarders. The most classic and exciting of these ski hills is Mad River Glen, a superb ski area in the picturesque Mad River Valley of north-central Vermont. Operating under the slogan "where skiing is still a sport, not an industry," Mad River Glen, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, is quiet, pristine, and beautifully underdeveloped. Here you won't find any gondolas or high-speed quads. The classic single chair lift, circa 1948, is allegedly on the list to become a national historic landmark. Most of the snow here is natural and almost 50 percent of the mountain is expert terrain. This is the way skiing was in the '50s and '60s -- and Mad River Glen aims to keep it that way.

Mad River Glen, Route 17, Waitsfield, Vermont. (802) 496-3551.