10 great places to feel like an Olympic champion

Tordrillo Mountains
Anchorage
Winter in Alaska, simply put, is majestic. Likewise, there is no more impressive sight on the continent than the massive and jagged Tordrillo Mountains, Kaese says. Here’s the chance to conquer remote terrain via a heli-ski session alongside Tommy Moe, 1994 Olympic gold medalist. The über-athlete guides trips from Tordrillo Mountain Lodge in April and the “Kings and Corns” program in June. Think: velvety snow and runs with an average vertical of 3,000 feet. 888-983-3742; epicquest.com

Germain Arena
Estero, Fla.
Lace up your skates and soak up some figure-skating know-how with three-time Olympian Todd Eldredge as your guide, or sign up for a rough-and-rugged pickup game of hockey. “But prepare to work those ankle muscles,” Kaese says. Once you’re worn out, warm up outsidein the Florida sunshine. 239-948-7825; skateeverblades.com

Whistler Blackcomb Resort
Whistler, B.C.
The resort is the site of the annual TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival April 16 — 25. “Whistler’s mountain runs are legendary, but the real hullabaloo is about the impressive live music concerts, winter fashion shows, film and photography displays, and quirky sideshows (e.g. dog parade). While Canadians are warm and friendly year round, the brisk outdoor temperatures finally start to abate in April, making the fourth month of the year perfect for a Whistler visit.” 866-218-9690; wssf.com

U.S. Olympic Education Center
Marquette, Mich.
Being in the seats for a speedskating event at the USOEC is like watching a NASCAR race on steroids, Kaese says. “Competitors whiz around the ice oval at amazing human speeds, and winners and losers are often separated by only tenths of seconds,” he adds. 906-227-2888; webb.nmu.edu/SportsUSOEC

Whiteface Mountain
Wilmington/Lake Placid, N.Y.
The U.S. Alpine Championships take place March 20-23, marking the 30th anniversary of the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics, when skiers carved their way down this mountain in a quest for medals, Kaese says. Watch 2010 Winter Olympic greats, like Lindsey Vonn and Steven Nyman, take on Whiteface Mountain’s most challenging slopes. 800-462-6236; whiteface.com