After closing for this season, a group of smaller ski and snowboard hills along the northern tier of the U.S. Rockies will work toward making improvements that range from new lifts to base area upgrades to snowmaking.

Though a "normal" future appears distant these days, three Western ski and snowboard resorts have gotten a clearer look down the road with U.S. Forest Service go-ahead for expansion projects.

As all but a handful of U.S. resorts either suspend operations or shut down for the season, a number of them still permit skiers and riders to climb their slopes and get a few turns.

In the state of Wyoming, the major resorts hang tight to the Tetons in the west, while a host of smaller, town hill-type mountains spread out across much of the western half of the state.

Several large storms will develop across the country in this week’s SnoCast. Great news as the ski season ramps up following the Thanksgiving holiday. Here are the latest details.

If you've been furloughed by the federal government and looking for a place to ski or ride on a suddenly tightened budget, try Angel Fire or Mt. Hood Meadows.

Wyoming, home to the Grand Teton Mountains and America's smallest population. Both these attributes bode well for skiers and snowboarders flocking to the state because after all who doesn’t love short lift lines, untouched powder and down-home service?

Snow King sits at edge of town. (Snow King/Facebook)

A three-year makeover at Snow King works to transform the struggling Jackson Hole town hill into a full-blown winter playground for locals and visitors alike.

Heavy rain and snow will hit places like Mad River in Ohio Friday. (Mad River Mountain/Facebook)

The East gets much warmer with a very heavy wintry mix, while the Midwest sees heavy snow, and the West stays in a favorable pattern too.

Gettin' to the ridge is top priority at Silverton. (Silverton/Facebook)

You’d expect the offseason around Silverton Mountain to be more about tourist trains, wilderness backpacking and RV touring than on-the-snow news. But the summer of 2017 has been busy time for the powder-only ski and snowboard area tucked into a crease of Colorado’s San Juan Mountains.

Hangin' on at Snowbird coaster. (Snowbird/Facebook)

As summer hits its full stride across the West, mountain resorts put their hot-weather activities front and center – including a plethora of mountain coasters that rush down trails and slopes.

Hit high speeds on alpine coaster at base of Snowbird (Snowbird/Facebook)

Since the mid-1990s, summertime alpine coasters have sprung at winter resorts all over the country. The wind-in-your-face speeds, high-speed turns and mountain vistas mimic the sights and sounds what skiers and snowboarders feel during the snowy times.