COLORADO AND WYOMING, USA
The erupting geysers, bubbling mudpots and boiling pools of Wyoming form a scene so ethereal that people once refused to accept its existence. It wasn’t until John Jacob Astor and his fur-trappers came westward in 1811 that Colter’s Hell – named after the intrepid man who explored this part of the world and whose descriptions were dismissed as delirium – was thought of as real.
Now known as Yellowstone, this landscape remains as full of contrasts as ever. Away from the crowds queuing to watch the famous geyser Old Faithful, you’ll find Grand Teton National Park. These undulating mountains – the youngest of the Rockies – are majestic terrain for skiing, and in winter Jackson Hole is one of America’s premier ski resorts, with challenging runs that put even seasoned skiers through their paces. There are plenty of other activities to keep you busy, too, including snowmobiling, snowshoeing, hiking, photo opportunities at glassy, mountain-reflecting lakes, and guided trips in search of moose, coyote and bald eagles. Elevated at the edge of town, the Amangani resort looks out over the Tetons, best viewed through the enormous windows of its restaurant, which serves delicious dishes such as fish tacos and pork belly with mango salsa. There’s a perfectly positioned pool and hot tub, open around the clock for après-ski soaks and swims. Serenity permeates this retreat, but is most pronounced in its spa’s soothing rituals.
An equally thrilling combination of high-octane winter sports and restful rejuvenation can be found in Colorado. An 11-hour drive south (a mere hop in America), or a flight from Jackson Hole to Durango, Cortez or Montrose via Denver, is the former Victorian mining town of Telluride. In the heart of the Rockies, it is home to some of North America’s highest runs. After a day on the slopes, relax in the cosy environs of Dunton Town House – a homely property where you are encouraged to help yourself to nightcaps and nibbles in the communal lounge and kitchen, and enjoy fresh breakfast pastries from the neighbouring bakery. Alternatively, book a stay at Dunton Hot Springs, about an hour’s drive from Telluride, though it offers transfers by chopper – or, for more adventurous sorts, the option of heli-skiing.
It has a cross-country skiing trail designed by a former Olympian, and pine forests with spectacular hiking routes. The hotel will lend you a pair of snowshoes to explore the sugar-white San Juan Mountains, or arrange for you to travel up to the high meadows in a snowcat. An abandoned mining village, Dunton was once colonised by hippies passing through after its gold-rush heyday had ceased, and has since been converted into a charming hotel resort spread across various historic cabins. The General Store is now a bedroom, but the Saloon has been kept intact: you can still see inscriptions made by Butch Cassidy on the wooden bar. Here, guests convene for meals straight out of the old West. Another cabin houses the hot springs, and a bath tub in the Well House suite is fed directly from these mineral-rich waters. It’s even more of a winter wonderland up the road at the second sister property, Dunton River Camp, which is transformed each year with horse-drawn sleigh rides, ice-skating and hot chocolate by the fire.
These Wild West states form the perfect twin destinations for a frontier adventure with unforgettable landscapes, seclusion and all-american wildlife: thrilling for skiers and non-skiers alike.
TRIP NOTES AMANGANI from £650 a night plus tax. aman.com/amangani. DUNTON TOWN HOUSE from £275 a night; DUNTON HOT SPRINGS from £550 a night. duntondestinations.com
‘A FRONTIER ADVENTURE WITH UNFORGETTABLE LANDSCAPES’