Rustic Lodge Amid the Canadian Rockies

The town of Dead Man's Flats is hemmed in by the craggy peaks of the Canadian Rockies. Some mountains jut nearly 10,000 feet (3,048 m) into the air, piercing the clouds with their snow-capped tips. Located within the town of Dead Man's Flats, the log-cabin-esque Copperstone Resort imitates the sharp angles and composition of the peaks that surround it, with an exterior fortified by rustic stone, wood trim, and gray clapboard siding that matches the granite hue of the mountains.

There's an understated rusticity in the earthy, but chocolate-hued wooden doors harmonize with olive green walls in contemporary one-bedroom suites. A set of glass sliding doors in the bedroom leads to a wooden balcony with mountain and forest views, and in the separate den, a sleeper sofa folds out into an extra bed before an electric fireplace. A full kitchen with stainless-steel appliances allows guests to test their favorite high-altitude cake recipes.

The lodge forms a square courtyard around a steaming outdoor hot tub, which grants a bit of extra privacy by a frosted-glass fence that encircles the tub. Not to worry—cars can also indulge in the vacation experience. They'll be taken care of in a heated, underground lot that comes free of charge with this package.

Dead Man's Flats, Alberta: World-Class Skiing in the Canadian Rockies

The origin of the name Dead Man's Flats is unknown, but as one might guess, the theories are excellently macabre. One legend claims a pair of fur trappers smeared beaver blood on themselves and played dead to avoid legal trouble with a park warden. Another tale points to a local man's murder of his brother and subsequent disposal of the body in the Bow River in 1901. Like Hell's Canyon or Boring, Maryland, the name Dead Man's Flats belies the extraordinary natural beauty of the place.

Copperstone Resort is within a short drive from five popular ski areas, including Nakiska Ski Resort, the site of the alpine events during the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympic Games. Skiers, snowboarders, and arctic hares can swoosh down 64 runs or grind their way across the signature Najibska rail park.

Just a few minutes down the road, Banff National Park, Canada's oldest national park, beckons visitors with its stunning glacial lakes, sweeping meadows, and a wildlife population that includes grizzly bears, wolves, and caribou. Year-round, the Banff Gondola whisks passengers up to the summit of Sulphur Mountain, which boasts stunning panoramas of six mountain ranges.