SnoWest

continued from page 6 11. Rabbit Ears Rabbit Ears is still a relative new- comer to the Top 15, this year falling out of the top 10 to No. 11. It's always been a popular riding area among Coloradoans but more and more out of staters are discovering what Colorado sledders already know: there is stellar riding here. Named for the distinc- tive Rabbit Ears Peak (10,654 feet), which is north of U.S. Highway 40, this riding area is on Rabbit Ears Pass, which straddles the Continental Divide between Steamboat Springs and where Colorado Highway 14 from Walden dumps into U.S. Highway 40. 12. Stanley Stanley moves up a couple of spots on this year's survey, from No. 14 to 12. Stanley is a personal favorite among the SnoWest Magazine staff, partly because of its light, dry snow and also because of the amazing mountain views we find there. It is a bit of a trek to get to Stanley as it's somewhat off the beaten path in central Idaho, but we think it's worth the drive. Located in the heart of central Idaho at the base of the rugged Sawtooth Mountains, Stanley offers picture postcard scenery and more than 200-plus inches of snow each winter. 13. Strawberry Strawberry is the only newcomer on this year's Top 15 Trails in the West survey. Some Utah locals sometimes refer to this same area as Daniel's Sum- mit, mostly because Daniel's Summit, located on U.S. Highway 40, is one of the major trailheads for the system. The Strawberry trail system is located in central Utah and stretches from Soldier Summit (located on U.S. Highway 6) in the south to Mill Hollow and Duchesne Ridge in the north. The area includes a lot of every kind of riding from gentle, rolling hills to hillclimbing to what we think is one of its biggest attractions, excellent boondocking. 40 WESTERN GUIDE TO SNOWMOBILING 2011 14. Black Hills While the Black Hills are famous for a lot of things from Mount Rush- more to Deadwood and Lead to Sturgis to Wild Bill Hickok, snowmobiling doesn't take a backseat to any of them. From impeccable groomed trails to great vistas offering views of the sur- rounding forest, the Black Hills are a popular winter destination, too, especially among sledders from the Midwest. Sledders who visit here get more than just great snowmobiling; they experience great history. 15. Baker/Union Counties This area of northeast Oregon is back in the Top 15 after dropping out a year ago. Baker County and neighbor- ing Union County actually have their own trail systems which are connected by a single trail which, combined, provides hundreds of miles of groomed trails and thousands of acres of riding in the Blue Mountains. Because of the size of the combined area, snowmobil- ing opportunities are nearly unlimited and it would easily take days to explore the entire area. d Western Guide To Snowmobiling

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