(Left: Snowboarder races the SnowCat to lunch. Right: View of the Tetons from Targhee's dedicated SnowCat terrain.)

As we enter the first day of September, I've been looking forward to next season while musing over all the great things that happened last winter. While we don't have room here for me to recount everything, I wanted to share at least one experience with you... for now anyway.

Back in March, after receiving 24 inches of snow in three days and 12 inches overnight, Wyoming's Grand Targhee Resort invited me to experience their famous SnowCat Adventure. This was just a few days after the clocks �sprang forward,� so because of the time change, I woke up before dawn and hit the road just as the sun was peeking its head above the mountains in the distance. After three days of clouds delivering the gift of snow, the sun was a welcomed sight. As I'm sure you all know, it doesn't get any better than a Bluebird powder day!

At 9:00 a.m. I jumped in the Cat with about eight other people, all of whom were strangers at the time, but who would soon be great skiing buddies. At Grand Targhee, the SnowCat delivers skiers and riders to a huge powder reserve of over 500 acres. It offers everything from gladed cruisers and open bowls to steep pitches in the trees. The best part: every single run offers the most breathtaking views of the Tetons I have ever seen. And they looked different with every run due to the sunlight changing, clouds rolling in and out, etc. I must have taken 50 pictures of just those peaks throughout the day. See some of them on our page on Facebook.

After an incredible catered lunch in a yurt, we took a few more laps before returning to Targhee's base area. There, we enjoyed après ski beers on an outdoor patio and soaked in the sunshine as a band played our favorite cover songs inside. In my opinion, this was the perfect day of skiing! Fresh snow, new friends, beautiful scenery, a SnowCat chauffeur and an al fresco après ski beer. It's good to be in the mountains.

Whether you'd like to book a Grand Targhee SnowCat adventure, a heli-ski trip to Revelstoke, British Columbia, or a vacation for beginners, Ski.com can customize the ski or snowboard experience that's perfect for you. Take a look below at our sample packages and be sure to check out the special deals page of Ski.com. If you have any questions or when you're ready to book, call one of our Mountain Vacation Specialists at 800-299-0656.