The author and avid skiier wonders if Washington's extended vicinity has mountain-taming experiences that are comparable to the West's towering Rocky Mountain runs.

With names like Happy Camper, Little Dipper, Possum and the simply silly Dipsy Doodle, the gentler ski slopes of the mid-Atlantic resorts ease the anxiety of new skiers.

• A Little Snow How: Travel's 2006 Guide to the Slopes Outside the Mid-Atlantic


• Winter Sports Destinations


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