American Towns Tourists Ruined

Above, Key West, Florida was one of the towns named. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The term overtourism is something I first heard about in articles about Japan. Besides Japan, it now is applying to U.S. towns.

World Atlas has posted an article on American towns ruined by tourists. I have been to several of them over the years (Key West, Sedona, Moab, Jackson, Carmel-By-The-Sea, Estes Park) and I have to agree with their conclusions on them.

They begin with:

Ask people in a dozen American resort towns how they feel about tourism, and you will hear a version of the same story. Moab traded uranium mining for the crowds heading into Arches, and three million visitors a year now overload its water and sewer systems. Bar Harbor capped cruise disembarkations at 1,000 a day and has defended that limit in federal court since 2022. In Nantucket, the median home now runs about 3.5 million dollars, and the workers who keep the island running commute in by ferry. Each of these ten towns ahead bets on tourism, and each is now wrestling with what it won.

To read more, go here.

New Injection Could Help Reverse Damage

Above, yours truly in a Twin Falls, Idaho hospital after two stents were installed.

Eight years ago, when I had my heart attack (or something very close to it) in Wells, Nevada. It was due to fast action by a friend that got paramedics to me that prevented any heart muscle damage. All I needed were two stents to remedy a coronary artery blockage in Twin Falls, Idaho.

I recovered so well that I was able to go on a cruise to Cuba and do some river rafting in Jackson, Wyoming the following year. I also shed some weight as well.

Above, river rafting the Snake River near Jackson, Wyoming in 2019. Photo by Floatographs

My Lexiscan (and other exams) last summer showed no new blockages. Whew!

Meantime, Fox News posted a story on a new therapy that may repair cardiac muscle damage following a heart attack. I was sent the article by my "honorary sister" Diane.

The article starts with:

Scientists have developed a new therapy designed to repair cardiac damage after a heart attack.

The study, led by researchers at Columbia University and published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering, explored a two-step strategy that uses skeletal muscle to produce a healing molecule that activates when it reaches an injured heart.

Unlike many organs, the adult human heart has a limited ability to repair itself after a heart attack, the researchers noted.

 To read more, go here.

10 Hot Weather RV Tips To Stay Cool This Summer

Above, at camp near the Snake River near Jackson, Wyoming. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I am only weeks away from taking a vacation trip up to Wyoming and South Dakota. Currently, the temperatures in Jamestown, New Mexico have been in the 90s, sometimes touching on 100°.

Summer means RV travel and some travelers will going into places that are in warmer climates. RV Life has posted an article with 10 hot weather RV tips to stay cool in the summer.

They begin it with:

Summer’s warm temperatures are perfect for RV camping and a lot of other fun outdoor activities. After all, many RVers spent winter and spring eagerly anticipating the heat of summer. However, in the case of scorching summer temperatures, too much of a good thing can be no good at all. That said, sweltering temperatures aren’t just uncomfortable, they can be hazardous. Not to worry though, because I’ve gathered 10 hot-weather RV tips that experienced RVers use to keep things cool in the RV when temperatures soar.

One tip they didn't mention is to indulge in some sort of water sport while at camp. A few years ago, I did some river rafting near Jackson, Wyoming. Besides being a lot of fun, I also was kept cool.

Above, rafting on the Snake River near Jackson, Wyoming. 

To read more, go here. 

$15/Hour Minimum Wage Hurting Colorado Rafting Outfitters

Above, yours truly rafting the Snake River near Jackson, Wyoming in 2019.

Another factor of inflation these days (that doesn't get as much coverage as it should) is the raising of minimum wages in different states. 

Everyone is aware of the high prices at fast food restaurants due to higher minimum wages, but there are some businesses that are suffering which are not on anyone's radar.

One such business is the river rafting industry in Colorado. Colorado is a blue state dominated by radical Democrats.

A Colorado rafting company recently lost a court battle over the state's $15.00/hour minimum wage.

MSN.com reported:

GRANITE, Colo. (KKTV) -A recent federal court ruling could increase the cost of rafting on the Arkansas River. Colorado river outfitters, including Arkansas Valley Adventures, have lost their legal fight to avoid paying state-mandated minimum wages to their raft guides.

The decision, handed down on April 30 by the federal court, upheld a $15 per hour minimum wage, following an appeal to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last year.

The outfitters argued that the wage increase would escalate their operating costs, potentially leading to higher prices for customers and fewer available trips. The government contends that higher wages will boost worker productivity and improve service quality.

“You know, we’re going to pay you twice as much but guess what, we don’t have any work. It wouldn’t help us. We didn’t want that. We wanted an exemption. We wanted to understand our situation, and that just didn’t happen,” said Arkansas Valley Adventures owner Duke Bradford.

A $15.00/hour minimum wage sounds lovely, but that won't do anyone any good if companies have to cut back or even go out of business. The river rafting industry is especially hurt since it is seasonal.

To read more, go here. 

Travel + Leisure: Guide To Grand Teton National Park

Above, the Grand Tetons reflected on Jackson Lake. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those thinking on what to do and where to go this summer for a vacation trip, Travel + Leisure has posted a guide on Grand Teton National Park to help with the decision-making.

Grand Teton National Park is virtually next door (to the south) to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. I have been there several times, most recently in 2019.

The guide starts with:

There are few national parks as recognizable, or as photogenic, as Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park. The steep, craggy, and commonly snow-capped peaks of the northern portion of the Teton Range tower over the park’s glorious alpine lakes, rivers, and impressive wildlife population that includes moose, grizzly bears, bison, and wolves. 

The park didn’t take its current expanded form until 1950, following its official establishment in 1929, but this part of the country has been drawing visitors for thousands of years. If you spend even a couple of hours taking in the majestic scenery — whether you’re taking an ice-cold dip in Jenny Lake or experiencing an unforgettable sunrise at Schwabacher Landing — you’ll quickly understand why. 

Thanks to continued conversation efforts, Grand Teton National Park has maintained a natural, rugged beauty that captivates more than 3 million visitors every year. It’s also one of the top attractions for travelers coming to Jackson Hole (the town of Jackson is just a 10-minute drive from the Moose Entrance Station). Given the park’s popularity and proximity to hundreds of square miles of sheer wilderness, it’s critical for visitors to enter the park prepared. That means not only knowing where to go and how to keep themselves safe, but also understanding the importance of respecting both the ecosystem and fellow travelers. “Ultimately, we are all stewards of the natural world,” explains Cathy Shill, founder of The Hole Hiking Experience. “We need to be visitors to the landscape.”

To develop a comprehensive guide explaining what that entails, we tapped Shill, as well as Monica Robinson, a naturalist guide with Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris, to give us the lowdown on everything you need to know before visiting Grand Teton National Park.

To read more, go here.

Colorado River Rafting Looks Promising

Above, yours truly rafting the Snake River in 2019.

The last time I went river rafting was in 2019 in Jackson, Wyoming on the Snake River. It was an enjoyable rafting trip and remarkable as it was a year after my heart attack in Wells, Nevada.

I went with the Dave Hansen Whitewater Adventures.

This year, rafting may be on the agenda in neighboring Colorado. The Animas River near Durango is a possibility. I rafted on the Animas River out of Durango twice, but those trips were during the 1980s.

This year, Colorado river conditions look promising, especially in the northern part of the state.

According to VailDaily:

Early indications suggest Colorado could have a very good rafting season through spring and into the summer, especially in the northern half of the state.

Predicting seasonal rafting conditions is difficult because factors besides snowpack depths always come into play, such as temperature trends, which affect the rate of runoff, as well as the amount and timing of monsoon moisture in the summer. At the moment, though, things look promising.

To read more, go here. 

Pay To Play On Snake River?

Above, the raft trip I took on the Snake River in 2019.

Five years ago, while in the Jackson, Wyoming area, I took a raft trip down the Snake River south of Jackson. I had an excellent time and was pleased I was able to do so a year after a near-heart attack in Wells, Nevada. My cardiologist was also pleased when I told him about the trip.

Now, it seems that the Snake River is so popular that fees are being considered for people who partake in float trips. In other words, pay to play.

Above, another photo of our raft trip on the Snake River in 2019.

Jackson Hole Community Radio (KHOL) reported:

The Upper Snake River south of Jackson could become the first river in Wyoming to require a fee for access.

The Bridger-Teton National Forest held a meeting last week in Jackson for the proposed fees to give the public another chance to weigh in. If the program goes into place, floaters would need to pay to access the stretch between the mouth of the Hoback River to just upstream of the Alpine Junction.

David Cernicek, with the Bridger-Teton National Forest, said the fees are necessary to manage the river due to increased recreational use.

“Our funding is very limited on the river,” Cernicek said. “And we’re not really able to afford the river anymore. Our expenses exceed our costs in providing what we do down in Snake River Canyon.”

The national forest says the river can see over 200,000 people every season, and the fees are needed for maintaining and improving infrastructure like boat ramps, bathrooms and parking areas, among other needs.

The forest would charge $5 per vehicle per day and $3 per person for outfitters and larger groups over 15. Floaters could also choose to buy a season pass for $40, or get a discount for buying two season passes at the same time.

To read more, go here. 

Reader's Digest Yellowstone Itinerary

Above, Old Faithful Geyser in eruption. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It hardly seems possible that it has been five years since I was last in the Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks area. 

That trip was made possible as a friend and I went to Buhl, Idaho to visit an ailing friend. Since we were in the vicinity, we decided to go on to Jackson, Wyoming and the national parks.

Above, yours truly (white shirt) rafting the Snake River near Jackson, Wyoming.

Reader's Digest has posted one family's one-week itinerary which looks pretty interesting that one should consider.

It starts off with:

Every time I told anyone—friends, family, people I had just met—that my family’s summer vacation plan was to visit Wyoming and Montana, they inevitably asked about our Yellowstone itinerary. I get it. As a lifelong East Coaster, planning a trip to a national park out West is intimidating, even for an experienced traveler like me, who, as an editor at Reader’s Digest online, has the advantage of being able to consult with tourism boards and other travel experts.

After a year-plus of research and planning, here is the one-week Yellowstone itinerary I followed with my husband and two elementary-school-age kids—along with the one thing I wish we had done differently.

To read more, go here. 

Jackson and Jackson Hole: What's The Difference?

Above, a view of Jackson Hole and the Snake River from the Jackson Hole Tram. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Many people get confused over Jackson Hole and Jackson, Wyoming. They often wonder, "What's the difference?"

Well, to clear up the confusion, Brent Thomas posted at SnowBrains:

Last August I took my family to Jackson Hole for our summer vacation. It was my first time visiting the area and we had a fantastic time hiking, biking, and visiting national parks.

When I would tell others about the trip, they would often be confused about the difference between Jackson and Jackson Hole. So here is a post to get you in the know about one of the most beautiful spots in the country.

To put it simply, Jackson Hole is the entire valley that encompasses the area, while Jackson is the name of the only incorporated town in the area.

To read more and see a map at what Jackson Hole includes, go here. 

The No. 1 State For Camping: Wyoming

Above, at Jackson Hole/Snake River KOA. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Over the years, I have camped in several states. According to RV Life Campground Reviews, I have camped in 15 states.

Ever wondered what state ranks as the number one state for camping?

Well, Travel + Leisure has the answer.

They begin with:

Though it feels as though spring has just begun, summer vacation is around the corner. For many, that means it's time to start plotting out the perfect camping trip. And, according to Adventures on the Rock, a website dedicated to helping travelers find adventure vehicles, this year, it's all about camping in Wyoming. 

The company recently shared its rankings for the best states to go camping in the U.S., analyzing 10 factors to score each state using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, National Park Service, the CDC, AAA Gas prices, the National Climatic Data Center, and more. Those factors included the number of national parks and landmarks relative to the state area, a state's available hiking trails, campsites relative to the state population, and the diversity of plants and animals. The company also considered a state's average yearly rainfall and current fuel costs. 

To read more, go here. 

Best Jackson Hole Restaurants To Try On A Budget

Above, yours truly under an antler arch in Jackson. Photo by Mitch Germinsky.

The last time I visited Jackson, Wyoming was three years ago. 

During that trip, a friend and I camped at a KOA south of the town along the Snake River. While there we visited Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks and I did some river rafting on the Snake River. We also did some shopping and grabbed a meal in Jackson. The price wasn't bad, but I can't recall the name of it. It could be one listed in the following article.

TravelAwaits posted their 7 favorite restaurants to try while on a budget (Jackson can get pricey).

They begin with:

Jackson, Wyoming is a beautiful mountain town located on the doorstep of the majestic Grand Tetons Mountain range and Grand Teton National Park. This area is full of scenic vistas and offers plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors. So whether you want to tour the area by car or get out and hit the trails or lakes, you’re in for a treat. 

Jackson is also conveniently located near another national park, Yellowstone. In fact, Jackson is less than 60 miles from the southern entrance of the park. Known for its Old West flair and bustling downtown, its Western, rustic vibe will bring out the country in you. This is a town for all seasons, so pick your favorite time to visit and get busy making plans. 

In all seasons, there are plenty of outdoor activities. From hiking, biking, and fishing in summer to skiing at one of the world-renowned ski resorts during ski season, Jackson offers fun any time of year. But all this fun and beauty doesn’t come cheap. Jackson is an expensive place to live — and to visit, for that matter. Known as one of the most expensive places in the United States to live, money is a factor. Rumor has it that the billionaires are chasing the millionaires out of town!

We wanted to find good food that didn’t cost a fortune on our recent trip. While none of these spots are gourmet restaurants, in a town so pricey, I was pleasantly surprised at the variety of good food we found at relatively inexpensive prices. Here are our top picks, in no particular order.

To see what they are, go here. 

Snake River Cabins and RV Village

Above, the main office building when it was a KOA. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This morning, I received an email from Snake River Cabins & RV Village.

It was the first time I've heard of this place. But looking at their website photos, it did look awfully familiar.

It was the Snake River KOA. Mitch Geriminsky and I stayed there in 2019 while we were in the Jackson Hole/Grand Teton National Park area.

Above, the campsite in 2019. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Doing a little more digging, I found this June 2021 article in the Jackson Hole News and Guide (a snippet):

More than 20 RV parks used to be scattered around Jackson but in recent years the number has dwindled to a handful.

Blame the changing nature of the American vacation, and also the soaring value of land in the Hole, says Bud Chatham.

But Chatham is bucking the trend, opening a new RV park this week. It’s 30 miles from Jackson but it’s going to fill a need for people who can’t find a place to park their vacation rig any closer.

Chatham and his wife, Kelly, own the Snake River Cabins and RV Village south of town, a place commonly called Snake River KOA, though it’s ended its KOA association this year. They also own Dave Hansen Whitewater, one of the area’s oldest river ride companies. They’re opening Alpine Valley RV Resort on Highway 89 north of Alpine, next to the new Broulim’s supermarket.

So, they ended its association with KOA Kampgrounds last year. Same owners, though.  

Above, yours truly rafting the Snake River in 2019. Dave Hansen River Trips photo.

It was a nice place, but there were more cabins there than RV campsites, we noticed at the time of our stay. During our stay, I took a whitewater raft trip down the Snake River with Dave Hansen River Trips. According the the park's website and the above article, Dave Hansen River Trips is "under the Chatham family of businesses." I had a good time on the raft trip and would recommend them.

Their website can be accessed here.

Lonely Planet: Best Day Trips From Jackson Hole

Above, yours truly under an antler arch in Jackson, Wyoming. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

The northwest corner of Wyoming is a great and fun place to visit on vacation. There's plenty of things to see and do.

Near Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks is the valley known as Jackson Hole. It is an ideal base camp for exploring the region. There are plenty of hotels, motels and campgrounds in and near the town of Jackson.

Lonely Planet has posted an article on the best four day trips from Jackson Hole.

They begin it with:

There’s enough to do in Jackson Hole to keep you busy for weeks at a time – and most visitors use the valley as a home base to explore the wider area, too.

Two of America’s most famous national parks are within 60 miles of Jackson Hole, and the history of the American West feels omnipresent in the region. Here are the top four day trips for visitors to Jackson Hole.  

To see what they are, go here. 

Jackson: Stylish Western Ski Town Even Non-skiers Will Love

Above, a view of the Snake River flowing through Jackson Hole. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Whether or not one is a skier, there is one place in the U.S. that skiers and non-skiers would enjoy visiting. That is Jackson Hole and the town of Jackson, Wyoming.

Besides being near to Grand Teton National Park, Jackson is a great place to do some shopping and eating. 

Above, one of the shops in Jackson where I made some purchases. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is nestled in the valley of Jackson Hole. I was last there during the summer three years ago. I was able to do some shopping and partaking in cuisines in Jackson. We stayed at a KOA Kampground situated on the Snake River south of town. While there, I did some whitewater rafting.

Above, yours truly on a rafting trip on the Snake River near Jackson. 

Travel + Leisure has posted an article on Jackson Hole, calling it a "stylish Western ski town." (Just to avoid confusion, Jackson is the town, Jackson Hole is the valley.)

They begin it with:

Jackson Hole has always been a little rough-and-tumble, the kind of place that’s more about fresh powder than see-and-be-seen après-ski glitz. But even as it has held tight to that independent, cowboy-country spirit, the area has quietly become one of America’s most stylish wintertime retreats.

 To read the full article, go here.

Group Stuck Overnight In Aerial Tram Car

Above, a tram car of the Jackson Hole Aerial Tramway. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After having been on the Jackson Hole Aerial Tramway in Jackson, Wyoming in 2019, I can only imagine how miserable it must have been for 21 people stuck overnight in a similar tram car at Sandia Peak Tramway this weekend near Albuquerque.

According to KOAT:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Twenty-one Sandia Peak Tram and Ten 3 employees spent their New Year’s Eve and most of New Year’s Day trapped inside a Tram car.

Sandia Peak Tramway general manager Michael Donovan told KOAT the group was on the Tram’s last trip down Friday when operators had to stop the tram because of “severe icing due to the moisture and cold temperature that affected the emergency cable.”

“That cable actually dropped down within the system, and it was not safe to operate. So, we had to cease operations due to the high winds and the icing and unfortunately stranded,” he said.

Donovan said the group did have water, food and space blankets aboard the Tram.

Rescue crews were able to rescue most of the group Saturday afternoon, but had to cease operations around 1 p.m because of weather in the area. But by 4 p.m. everyone was off the Tram and safe on the base.

Nothing like starting the new year on a high note.

While it was good the stranded passengers had food, water and blankets, what about toilet needs? Wonder how that was dealt with?

To read more, go here. 

How To Charge An RV Battery While Driving

Above, The Beast in Jackson, Wyoming. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Keeping the RV house battery charged while driving is easy. I make sure that the house power system is on so that the chassis alternator charges it while driving to dry camp somewhere. Before I even leave home, I would have it plugged into the 30 amp outlet in the RV garage overnight (at least).

If, while dry camping, the battery gets low, I'll fire up the onboard generator to charge it up.

There are other ways to keeping the house battery charged while driving and Do It Yourself RV has an article telling what they are.

They begin with:

With more and more people dry camping, knowing how to charge an RV battery while driving is important, as arriving with a fully charged house battery is key for a successful campout.

For years, RVers have relied on a 12-volt charge line to keep their RV house battery(s) charged while driving. The charge line basically connects the electrical charge coming from the vehicle’s alternator (tow vehicle or motorhome) to the house battery(s). While it was not the optimum way to charge an RV battery while driving, it sufficed.

To read more, go here. 

Patagonia Pulls Products From Jackson Hole Mountain Resort

Above, the Jackson Hole Aerial Tram. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Patagonia, the left-wing sportswear company, is pulling products out of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort for the "crime" of holding a fundraiser for the conservative House Freedom Fund. 

Gasp! The horror! Oh, my!

From the Jackson Hole News & Guide:

Patagonia, the iconic sportswear company that has built a worldwide reputation on outdoor athleticism and environmental activism, will no longer supply Jackson Hole Mountain Resort with its products after a resort owner hosted a fundraiser for the right-wing House Freedom Fund.

Patagonia confirmed Tuesday that it would no longer sell to the resort, its largest single customer in the Jackson Hole area. The resort company operates retail stores in Teton Village at the base of the ski area, as well as Hoback Sports and the Jackson Hole Resort Store in Jackson.

The move came after Jay Kemmerer, one of the resort’s owners, co-hosted a fundraiser Aug. 5 at a posh Jackson hotel for the House Freedom Fund. U.S. Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.; former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows; and U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, headlined the event. Admission cost a minimum of $2,000 per couple.

It's okay for lefties to hold fundraisers and be politically active, but it's not okay for conservatives to do the same. 

This isn't the first time Patagonia got involved in politics.

Four years ago:

From Weasel Zippers via Breitbart: 

The CEO of outdoor clothing giant Patagonia is burnishing her anti-Republican bona fides again, this time saying she intends to pledge her entire company to the “resistance” of President Donald Trump. 

Patagonia CEO Rose Marcario recently attacked President Trump for his statements about rolling back President Obama’s unusually aggressive campaign of confiscating millions of acres of state lands and claiming them as “national monuments.”

Hopefully, the "go woke, go broke" mantra will apply to Patagonia.

To read more, go here. 

Jackson vs. Jackson Hole: What's The Difference?

Above, one of the famous antler arches in Jackson, Wyoming. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Visitors to the state of Wyoming often get Jackson and Jackson Hole confused. I have to confess, I have done so myself.

What's the difference between Jackson and Jackson Hole?

TravelAwaits has posted an article that explains the difference between the two.

They begin with:

I was guilty of calling the town of Jackson, Wyoming, “Jackson Hole.”  Imagine my surprise when I learned they were two different places — the town of Jackson and the valley of Jackson Hole. Luckily, I never wagered my entire potential winnings on this question in Final Jeopardy (R.I.P. Alex Trebek).

Just in case you are selected as a contestant on Jeopardy — or love a good trivia game — let me give you some background on Jackson vs. Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Above, a view of Jackson Hole from the Jackson Hole Aerial Tram. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

 The town of Jackson is the closest town to Grand Teton National Park. 

To read more, go here. 

Bill's Birthday

Above, Bill with his truck at the Flying J in April 2018. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today would have been Wellington "Bill" Wilson's 67th birthday. (Today would have been my mom's 88th birhday, too.)

Sadly, Bill passed away from complications of leukemia last summer. We had been friends since junior high school in Hawthorne, California.

Above, Mitch Geriminsky, Bill Wilson and yours truly in Wells, Nevada July 26, 2018.

We last got together two years ago at his home in Buhl, Idaho. He was a long-haul trucker and had stopped by the Flying J down the hill from me on several occasions. 

Above, in Buhl, Idaho in July 2019.

We were at the Wells (Nevada) Fun Run car rally in July 2018 when my "little" coronary issue struck. 

After leaving Bill's in July 2019, Mitch Geriminsky and I pulled a joke on him while we were in Jackson, Wyoming. 

Below, are two videos of the joke. The second one was his reaction.

 

 So, on the occasion of Bill's birthday, a toast to his memory is raised!

Travel + Leisure: 10 Best U.S. Mountain Towns

Above, yours truly in Jackson, Wyoming, one of the towns on the list. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

Before we know it, it will be springtime and that's when many people get their RVs out of mothballs and get back on the road.

Places to consider traveling to are America's scenic mountain towns.

Above, there's plenty to do in Jackson, Wyoming. I did some rafting there.

Travel + Leisure has listed ten of the best mountain towns in the United States. I visited one of them.

They begin with:

Whether you're looking for outdoor adventure or a luxurious retreat, America's best mountain towns have something for every type of traveler. During the winter months, these towns offer world-class skiing and snowboarding, and come summer, visitors can enjoy hiking, rafting, mountain biking, and more — they're truly year-round destinations. From Aspen's pristine slopes and luxury hotels to Asheville's vibrant art scene and Leavenworth's European feel, these mountain towns offer unique experiences and stunning scenery.

Here are 10 of the best mountain towns in the United States.

To see what they consider "the best", go here.