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The holiday season is upon us and, despite the headwinds of Covid-19, thousands of skiers and snowboarders have been aiming toward the mountains for welcome relief.

The U.S. Forest Service has approved the expansion of a ski resort on a national forest between Reno and Lake Tahoe, including a skier bridge over a highway as part of a package that also bans commercial development in areas cherished by conservationists and back-country enthusiasts.

Taking a helicopter to find untouched powder isn't only for skiers and riders in Alaska or Canada: Plenty of runs can be had in the Lower 48, too.

As resorts in the West begin to open, the preseason ski show shifts into high gear to stoke the skiing and snowboarding public about the upcoming year.

The U.S. Forest Service has tentatively approved a plan for Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe to build two chairlifts and a snow bridge across Highway 431 to access 11 new trails proposed farther down the resort located between Incline Village and Reno.

Nearly every turn at Heavenly has lake vista. (Heavenly/Facebook)

Heavenly Valley rightfully boasts its best elements: Most skiable terrain (4,800 acres) in Lake Tahoe area. Most vertical feet (3,500) on West Coast. Among highest summit elevations (10,067 feet) in the region.

Looking for a landing spot. (Ruby Mountain Heli-Experience)

Whenever favorite stashes get carved up, or the maddening crowds threaten your first tracks, it may be time to shell out the bucks for a helicopter ride deep into Powder Country in the West.

Killington grooms out Superstar in preparation for the first World Cup in the East in 25 years. (Killington)

Vermont's Killington Resort received the official approval from the FIS (Internal Ski Federation) for the Thanksgiving weekend Audi FIS Ski World Cup women's giant slalom and slalom events. Meanwhile, resorts across the country struggle to open for the 2016-17 season due to warm temperatures and lack of natural snowfall.

After two decades as Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort, the closest winter resort to Las Vegas has returned to its original name, Lee Canyon, to both acknowledge the past and forge into the future.

Many skiers and snowboarders dream of hopping into a helicopter and heading into the deep backcountry for a day far outside the ropes. Alaska and western Canada remain the premier locales for heli-skiing, but the Lower 48 has its own quality selection.

A couple of weeks of serious storms brought 100 inches to Wolf Creek and a welcome three feet to the Tahoe area. But they are done with, and it appears that spring skiing will be the order of the day for the near future.