Covering over 950,000 acres on the border of Canada and the US, Lake of the Woods is one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world. In the dead of winter, conditions there are comparable to Antartica, making it an ideal training ground for Polar Explorer Eric Larsen and his students.

While the rugged San Juan Mountains of Southwest Colorado are home to some of the most exceptional backcountry skiing in the lower 48, they are also home to very few people, meaning the snow stays fresh just a little longer after the storm.