Boasting some of the lightest, fluffiest snow in the world, Utah's Wasatch Mountains play host to the skiing world's main event, the Olympic alpine competition. The dry, powdery nature of the 500 inches of snow that sheets Utah's Rocky Mountain range each year is attributed to warm moisture that rises from the Great Salt Lake into the cold, winter air. The alpine events will be staged at three venues, all within 50 miles of Salt Lake City.

One to watch Less than a month after reaching the pinnacle of her sport with a gold medal in the super-G at the 1998 Nagano Games, American Picabo Street was seriously injured in a crash during a World Cup race. The mishap kept her out of competitive skiing for nearly three years, but Street recovered and now returns to the Olympics with her sights set on gold.

Sources: International Olympic Committee; U.S. Olympic Committee

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