When winter buries Wyoming's mountains under many feet of snow, a whole recreational world opens up for those on snowmobiles. The state's high country becomes a playground of groomed trails and open bowls that draw sledders from across the region.

The Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail, running for hundreds of miles across the state, is a centerpiece, linking mountain towns and offering access to spectacular alpine terrain that is impossible to reach any other way in the depths of winter. Areas around Togwotee Pass and the Snowy Range are especially prized for their reliable snow and stunning scenery.

For gateway communities, the sport is an economic lifeline. Winter visitors fill motels and restaurants in towns that might otherwise go quiet after the fall hunting season, and outfitters do a brisk business renting sleds and guiding newcomers into the backcountry.

The activity carries real risks. Avalanches are a deadly hazard in steep terrain, and riders venturing into the backcountry must carry safety gear and know how to use it. Cold and remoteness compound the danger. But for those who respect the mountains, snowmobiling offers a thrilling way to experience Wyoming's winter wilderness, carving through untracked powder with the peaks glittering white in every direction.