Million Dollar Winter Wonderland Homes

These homes are in places that get blanketed in snow, and they all seem to be designed for maximum enjoyment of winter weather. Occupants can sit and watch snow fall while warming in front of the fire, from bed, or from the bathtub or hot tub.

While this collection is called Million-Dollar Winter Wonderland Homes, these houses only start at a million—actually about $1.5 million—and from there soar up to multi-multi-million dollar prices. Many of the following selections, provided by Trulia, are ski homes of recent vintage, but a few classic examples are over 150 years old.

They are mansions and lodges designed for residents who take advantage of the winter weather and those who are content to stick inside and let it snow. Here they are, beginning with a comparatively bargain-priced New England Victorian and going up from there.

By Colleen Kane
Posted 20 Dec. 2012

Price: $1,495,000
Location: Plymouth, Vt.
Bedrooms: N/A
Bathrooms: N/A
Square footage: 9,446

This 160-year-old Victorian mansion is now the Inn at Water's Edge, calling to mind the Vermont country inn of the 1954 film "White Christmas." It offers cross-country skiing during the long New England winters, and for skiing of the downhill kind, it's four miles from the Okemo mountain resort. Snowmobiling tours are available in nearby Killington. It has two wood-burning fireplaces and seven gas fireplaces, a pub and a commercial-grade kitchen. Adding to the beauty of the winter landscape are 900 feet of frontage on Echo Lake and the Black River.

Price: $7,500,000
Location: Aspen, Colo.
Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 5 full, 2 partial
Square footage: 3,870

Unlike so many isolated Aspen mountain hideaways, this updated Victorian in the West End is walkable to downtown. Even the worst blizzards can't shut residents off from their neighbors and supplies.The bones of the home date to 1890, but it was remodeled in 1989. It has glorious views of Aspen Mountain, Independence Pass, Red Mountain, Shadow Mountain, Willow Peak, and Buttermilk, and the spacious roof deck maximizes enjoyment of those views in warmer weather. The detached office can serve as a playhouse or guest house.

Price: $9,500,000
Location: Tahoe City, Calif.
Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 5 full, 1 partial
Square footage: 5,450

This ski-in, ski-out home cuts an angular glass and steel silhouette at Lake Tahoe's Squaw Valley. Since the house sits mountainside under the lifts, a stream of dangling skiers dots the panoramic view. It's impossible to not think of skiing here, and to ease the transition from home to the slopes and vice versa, the house has a ski room with bar and fireplace. To unwind after a day on the slopes or a day of watching the slopes, it has a sauna and outdoor hot tub.

Price: $9,950,000
Location: Stowe, Vt.
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 6 full, 3 partial
Square footage: 18,095

The Above the Clouds estate is perched on 15 acres in the mountain resort town of Stowe. Built in 2001, this massive mansion is a smart home, featuring a white interior incorporating European and Vermont marble with high ceilings and abundant windows that give an open and airy feeling. As for stormy weather entertainment, there's a large home theater and a stunning indoor pool. Another feature to fight the elements is its snow melt system.

Price: $10,875,000
Location: Aspen
Bedrooms: 6
Bathrooms: 6 full, 4 partial
Square footage: 6,815

This house on the east side of Aspen features vaulted ceilings affording extended views of the Ute and Aspen mountains, and snow-melting driveway and decks. (What use are snow-free decks in winter? Why, so residents can get to their hot tubs, of course.) There's also a game room, a wine cellar, three gas fireplaces, a bar with a view, a master bedroom with a view and a bathtub and walk-in shower with a view.

Price: $13,495,000
Location: Aspen
Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 5 full, 4 partial
Square footage: 7,896

While the stone-and-beam exterior of Chateau Elan looks similar to other luxury lodges in Aspen, the interior has an Old World European feel and is stocked with antique furniture. The chateau sits atop Red Mountain, allowing for all-day sunshine to fend off winter blahs and for further elan, the terrace has a hot tub. Adding to the built-in relaxation features, the master bathtub boasts mountain views and the master bedroom has a fireplace.

Price: $19,500,000
Location: Park City, Utah
Bedrooms: 7
Bathrooms: 7 full, 1 partial
Square footage: 18,000

This contemporary ski-in, ski-out lodge in the gated Colony community has heated outdoor decks and patios. Not that there's any need to go inside, given the year-round comfortable temperatures on the decks, but if you do, there are numerous diversions awaiting within: There's a lovely indoor pool with waterfall and a fireplace to warm up by after the swim. Continuing the extravagant trend, there is a 500-square-foot closet and dual cooking ranges in the kitchen, which has its own fireplace.

Price: $19,900,000
Location: Telluride, Colo.
Bedrooms: 8
Bathrooms: 8 full, 5 partial
Square footage: 23,124

This massive lodge nestled in the ski resort destination of Telluride has lots of indoor diversions for when the weather outside is frightful. There's an AMF bowling alley, a two-lane commercial-grade gun range, and a serene 75-foot lap pool. Outdoors are amazing mountain views in winter, and when the snow melts, there's a golf fairway and putting green with bunker. Plus, its lush landscaping has one feature that won't be found at those other Telluride lodges: a full-scale reproduction of the labyrinth at the Chartres Cathedral in France.

Price: $37,000,000
Location: Jackson, Wyo.
Bedrooms: 6
Bathrooms: 9 full, 1 partial
Square footage: 13,721

This luxurious rustic estate on 119 acres, which is near numerous ski resorts, has a stunning dual-staircase entry hall, a two-story library and office and a log-walled bathroom with fireplace and walk-in shower. It's packed with amenities for post-skiing relaxation, like a recording studio, a billiards room with a bar, an indoor pool room with a bar that opens to the outdoors, a theater, a steam room, sauna, gym, wine cellar and tasting area and a guest house that's nearly 4,000 square feet.