You want instant cred for a new ski resort? How does the biggest vertical in North America sound? With its highest lift unloading skiers at 11,100 feet, Mt. Adams, a proposed resort in Washington, would boast a 5,700-foot vert, edging out Whistler, B.C., by 400 feet. Plans call for 10 lifts, a spa, a casino, three golf courses and 2,500 lodging units.

At 12,276 feet, Mt. Adams is the second highest peak in Washington. However, the mountain tends to be eclipsed by its sexier neighbors, grand Mt. Rainier to the north and cranky Mt. St. Helens to the east. Sporting the hemisphere's biggest vertical rise would instantly change that.

JANUARY 2005