Skiing

Where else but Hawaii can you surf, snorkel, and snow ski on the same day? In winter, the 13,796-foot Maunakea (Hawaiian for "white mountain") usually has snow at higher elevations—and along with that, skiing. No lifts, no manicured slopes, no faux-alpine lodges, no après-ski nightlife, but the chance to ski some of the most remote (and let's face it, unlikely) runs on the planet.

Ski Guides Hawaii. With the motto, "Pray for pineapple powder," Christopher Langan of Mauna Kea Ski Corporation is the only licensed outfitter providing transportation, guide services, and ski equipment on Mauna Kea. Snow can fall from Thanksgiving to June, but the most likely months are February and March. With "springlike" conditions, some runs can be 2 miles long and offer 2,500–4,500 feet of "vertical." You may be able to see Haleakala, Kilauea Crater, and Mauna Loa from this surreal place. Langan charges $450 per person for a daylong experience that includes lunch, equipment, guide service, transportation from Waimea, and a four-wheel-drive shuttle back up the mountain after each ski run. Ski or snowboard rentals are $50 per day. 808/885–4188; www.skihawaii.com. $450.