If you don't want to water-ski on Washington's slopes, where can you go?

Whistler/Blackcomb in British Columbia, a favorite of Washingtonians, probably isn't the answer. Most lifts were closed Wednesday and today because of high avalanche danger. And it faces a weekend wet-and-warm forecast of rain mixed with some snow — and a scantier snow base than usual. Another favorite, Mount Bachelor near Bend, Ore., was a balmy 41 degrees at its base midweek, and daytime above-freezing temperatures are forecast for the next few days, although without the heavy rains.

To find better conditions, skiers and boarders may need to head to resorts in the B.C. Interior, Montana, Idaho, Utah or California. Just be aware it's unusually warm in much of the West, not just the Cascades. And keep a close eye on the forecasts since, as past weeks have showed, the weather can change suddenly.

Information Ski conditions, packages: • To check on ski conditions, phone resort snow lines or see weather forecasts on their Web sites. For links to Northwest ski areas see the Seattle Times' snow sports Web page: www.seattletimes.com/snowsports • For true powder hounds, the Web site www.skimag.com lets you sign up for snow alerts around North America, by email or text messages delivered to cell phones. It also has vacation-package finder. • The Web site www.snowpak.com, a ski-package vendor's site, has useful links to North American resorts, Web cams and more.

The Big White ski area in British Columbia's Okanagan is about an 8-hour drive from Seattle, but it may have some of the best conditions through the weekend among the relatively nearby resorts, said Bryan Boice, president of Ski-Pak, a Seattle ski-tour company.

Big White has a 7,606-foot summit and daily snow is forecast this week, said Boice (although there's a possibility of ice pellets on Saturday). Those who don't want to drive could look for Alaska/Horizon vacation packages/cheap flights to Kelowna: the resort is about 35 miles from the city's airport and served by shuttle vans. ( Big White info: 250-765-3101 or www.bigwhite.com)

Mixed snow/rain is forecast this week at most other Okanagan resorts, including Silver Star, and at Sun Peaks farther north near Kamloops, but at least they have decent snow bases. In southeast B.C., Red Mountain, near Rossland, has had abundant snow although even it has been unusually warm for this time of year.

Montana

You'll escape the monsoon rains at Big Mountain ski resort near Whitefish, Mont., although it faces snow-mixed-with-rain this weekend. But at least it has a healthy 67-inch snow base. Get there on Amtrak from Seattle to nearby Whitefish. Put together your own train/ski trip ( 800-USA-RAIL or www.amtrak.com; for the ski area phone 800-858-3930 or see www.bigmtn.com ) Or Ski-Pak has three-night packages for about $400 per person including round-trip train from Seattle, hotel and two days of lift tickets (800-446-4688 or www.skipak.com).

Utah

It's been balmy in Utah — with temperatures above freezing in ski resorts near Salt Lake City this week — but the snow base is ample and the five-day forecast is for partial clouds — not rain.

Check out the big Utah resorts by phoning 800-SKI-UTAH or see www.skiutah.com where you'll find Web cams, weather forecasts and links to individual resorts, plus "hot deals" on ski/hotel packages. One of the big ski resorts, Park City, is a 45-minute drive from the Salt Lake City airport (rent a car or take a shuttle ) and has an enviable mid-mountain snow base of about 117 inches — plus the Sundance Film Festival.

Idaho:

In normally chilly Sun Valley, it was in the 40s midweek — but sunny with a decent snow base. Phone 800-786-8259 or see www.sunvalley.com It's about a 12-to-14-hour drive from Seattle — or fly to Boise and rent a car or take a shuttle from the airport.

In Idaho's Panhandle, the Schweitzer ski area faces periods of rain until the weekend, when it's supposed to clear. Mixed rain and snow is forecast for the new Tamarack resort, a two-hour drive north of Boise.

Nevada/California

The dozen-plus ski resorts that ring Lake Tahoe on the Nevada/California border have been almost buried in snow in recent weeks; Heavenly resort has a base of 168 inches.

Some resorts are an easy drive from Reno; stay there in a casino-hotel and drive to the slopes or stay up at one of the ski areas. Flights to Reno are low-priced; check Southwest Airlines or get an air/hotel package through travel agents or airlines. For resort information, contact the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority: 530-544-5050or www.bluelaketahoe.com

Colorado

Last, but not least, if you have the time and money to chase the powder, there's always Colorado. Aspen got five feet of snow in storms that ended last week. Phone 303-825-7669 (for snow conditions) or see www.coloradoski.comfor links to individual resorts, Web cams and more.

Kristin Jackson: 206-464-2271 or kjackson@seattletimes.com