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Greg Cygan will be the first to tell you that he’s far from an avid skier. Nevertheless, the 51-year-old from Orange County, Calif., still understands and appreciates how a ski-in/ski-out home can redefine a day on the slopes, especially for someone who dreams of fresh powder. Cygan might rarely strap on the skis himself when he and his family escape to the snow-covered Rocky Mountains, but on some days it seems as if his 12-year-old son spends more hours in ski boots than in sneakers. According to Cygan, when he and his family spend time in their mountainside home near Park City, Utah, the easy access to the trails of Deer Valley resort makes a world of difference. "Walking out your door and just snapping on your skis … you can’t get any more convenient than that," he says.

Of course, as Cygan explains, you need not be a ski-junkie to take advantage of the benefits that a ski-in/ski-out home can provide. For one thing, there’s the tranquillity.

The Cygans purchased a home in a section of Park City known as Empire Pass—a newly developed area with limited single-family residences. That, in combination with a secluded location away from the commotion of the ski resort down below, makes for a stay that is characterized repose. "Having a home there means you’re not on top of everybody, and there aren’t many homes on the street, so it’s very quiet and serene," he says.

Park City itself provides additional benefits, as Cygan explains, regardless of the time of year in which you’re there. "Park City is unbelievable in the wintertime. It always feels like the holidays when you’re there," he says. "The entire community seems to understand what the holidays are all about. But it’s great in the summer, too. You can’t ask for a better place when it’s 83 degrees with a cool breeze in the sun."

Still, the greatest advantage that a ski-in/ski-out home offers is its nearness to mountain trails. Cygan’s son may take advantage of that on a daily basis, walking outside, snapping on his skis, and meeting his instructor at the edge of the family’s driveway; but the rest of the family also enjoys the thrill of the ski season. "When you look out the window and see the lifts start to move and you see the seats filling up; there’s an energy that develops outside the home," Cygan says. "When people are starting to ski and you can see them coming down the hill, it’s neat to sit out there and watch it all happen."

TELLURIDE, COLORADO

Prospective homeowners looking for the best of both worlds—first-class skiing and unparalleled mountaintop views—will find them both with this 7,500-square-foot, six-bedroom home aptly named Skier’s Hideaway. The home is built on a south-facing knoll-top at the Telluride ski area and provides vistas of mountain peaks, groomed ski trails, and sunsets over Utah’s mountainous terrain to the west.

The log-and-stone residence is accented by intimate dining and entertaining areas, vaulted ceilings, and a rustic bunk room. Its proximity to Telluride’s lift 4 and the gondola provides easy access to the mountain’s 1,700 skiable acres spread out over more than 100 trails. And given that the mountain receives more than 300 inches of snowfall on average each season (with about 300 days of sunshine each year), you’d be hard-pressed to find a better place to ski on any winter day.

This five-bedroom, two-floor condominium overlooks the Beaver Creek Village and ski runs and is an ideal residence for those seeking ski-in/ski-out access with the added benefit of being close to the restaurants and shopping areas of the village. "The Chateau’s location is ideal," says Mike Watters, the home’s current owner. "Perched on the slopes at the western edge of Beaver Creek Village, it is an easy stroll down the ski-way to the ice rink, performing arts center, and village shops."

Spanning more than 6,000 square feet on the fifth and sixth floors of the residence club, the home, which is part of a gated community, is accessible via a private elevator that opens into the entry hall. In fact, of the 32 residences in the building, this condominium is the only one with private elevator access.

Not only can residents access the ski slopes right outside their door, but in the same building they can dine at Splendido, a well-regarded restaurant in the Vail Valley, and work out at a fully equipped fitness center. As Watters explains, the combination of that fitness center and the easy access to the slopes has transformed him as a skier. "Because of the efficiency and convenience of ski-in/ski-out, I have more time not only to ski, but to work out in the fitness center," he says. "The combination of more time devoted to skiing and exercising in the fitness center has worked well for me. I now ski more difficult terrain and ski for longer periods of time than when we purchased our Chateau unit 10 years ago."

ZERMATT, SWITZERLAND

By obtaining special permits—a task that real estate experts say is not incredibly difficult—foreigners now can buy property in Zermatt, a ski resort town set at the base of the Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps. At an altitude of 5,300 feet, Zermatt has established itself as one of the great ski centers of the world, thanks to more than three dozen 13,000-foot-high mountains in the vicinity. More than 240 miles of ski trails provide ample variety for skiers of all ability levels, and thanks to the everlasting glacial snow at the foot of the Matterhorn, the ski season extends through the entire summer.

If you’re looking for one of the most impressive ski chalets in the area, this 8,370-square-foot home, complete with more than 1,200 square feet of outdoor balcony and entertaining space, as well as five bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, stands out from the rest. Only minutes from the center of town, the chalet is positioned on a peak that provides views of the entire village and the Matterhorn beyond. All six floors incorporate floor-to-ceiling windows, with the entire ground floor dedicated to a wellness area accented by an indoor-outdoor Jacuzzi, a sauna, a steam room, a gym, and an outdoor entertainment area with alfresco dining and cooking facilities. But for those wishing to dine and entertain away from home, Zermatt can oblige, with more than 100 restaurants from which to choose.

DEER VALLEY, UTAH

There’s a reason so many skiers consistently rank Deer Valley as one of North America’s top ski resorts. With six local mountains ranging from almost 8,000 feet to more than 9,500 feet in altitude, including Bald Eagle Mountain and its Know You Don’t trail—the site of the alpine slalom during the 2002 Winter Olympics—the Utah resort offers skiers more than 130 days on the trails each season.

This 2,210-square-foot condominium looks out over Wide West run at the base of Bald Eagle Mountain and is adjacent to the Deer Valley ski school and the Snow Park Lodge. It takes advantage of its corner position within the building, offering extra windows with views uphill and downhill, a private hot tub that overlooks the slopes, and a kitchen equipped with Viking, Sub-Zero, and Bosch appliances.

MONT TREMBLANT, CANADA

We admit it; this property takes slight liberties when it comes to defining what is and is not a ski-in/ski-out home. The residence is located five minutes from the main village of Mont Tremblant and only 10 minutes from the Tremblant ski resort, an Eastern Canadian mountain carved by 95 runs and served by 14 lifts. While the home does not offer immediate access to those groomed ski trails, it does offer 34 acres of privacy and, based on its location on Montagne a Leonard, the second highest peak in the region (and with more than three miles of private snowshoeing and walking trails), the home offers a sense of privacy that very few—if any—other ski-in/ski-out homes can match.

Utilizing an open-space design, the three- to four-bedroom, 5,395-square-foot residence boasts a main living area accented by a grand room with 27-foot cathedral ceilings and wooden beams constructed from British Columbia fir trees more than 100 years old.