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If you're venturing up to resorts in the West this summer -- but don't want to fight the crowds -- you might want to check out some smaller resorts for some warm-weather fun.

Of course, this list could be another listing of “easy” resorts to name like Lake Tahoe, Park City, or Jackson Hole. Instead of showcasing the popular mountains in summer destinations, we decided to focus on some lesser known spots. Here are 10 mountain towns to visit in the summer and why.

Many of the usual summer activities -- mountain biking, ziplines, hiking, scenic lift rides -- will be in place in the West during the warm months. But the Covid-19 pandemic has forced resorts to tone down or fully eliminate offerings for the time being.

After hiking in the mountains, the chance to soak sore muscles in a warm or hot springs pool beckons us all -- especially as the weather cools.

As fall approaches, ski and snowboard resorts begin to close down summertime activities in order to get ready for winter. However, the mountain biking season just goes on and on, especially in Utah.

Both the Epic Pass and Ikon Pass streamline skiing and riding costs during the winter. Now that summer's here, they switch gears to make warm-weather times in the mountains more affordable, too.

Summer “adventure parks” can be found at ski and snowboard resorts all over the West, crammed full of rides, challenges and just plain fun. And the granddaddy of them all may well by the Utah Olympic Park just down the road from Park City Mountain Resort.

Summer in Idaho mountains has always been popular for folks who seek the remote and the cool of the western massif of the Rocky Mountains – and the 13 major ski and snowboard resorts that are up and running for the summer.

Once summer settles in, the winter resorts around Lake Tahoe become magnets for city-dwellers aiming to beat the heat – and to have a bunch of fun doing it.

The L.A. Basin warms up this time of year, and one of the best ways to beat that heat is to head to the mountains.

Making plans for a trip to Utah this summer? Be sure to set aside time to check out all the warm-weather offerings from the state's ski and snowboard resorts.