NEED TO KNOW

Local resorts gearing up

With a series of winter storms dumping snow on elevations as low as 2,000 feet, Southern California skiers and snowboarders don’t have to travel far to make fresh tracks.

* Snow Summit and Bear Mountain, the sister resorts near Big Bear Lake, are open, with six lifts and 20 runs open at Snow Summit, and five lifts and 18 runs open at Bear Mountain. For lift ticket prices and hours of operations: (909) 866-5766, www.snowsummit.com or www.bearmountain.com.

* Mountain High, the resort on the outskirts of Wrightwood, opened the East resort on Thursday and was to open the family-oriented North resort on Saturday. The West resort, a hip, youthful area with challenging runs, has been open for days. Info: (888) 754-7878, www.mthigh.com.

* Mt. Waterman, in the Angeles National Forest, is to open Friday. Info: (818) 790-2002, www.skiwaterman.com.

* Mt. Baldy, an old-school resort north of Rancho Cucamonga, has three of four chair lifts operating and 28 runs open. Info: (909) 982-0800, www.mtbaldy.com.

* Rim Nordic, the cross-country and snowshoeing resort east of Running Springs, was to open this weekend). Info: (909) 867-2600, www.rimnordic.com.

* Snow Valley is open with five lifts running and 15 runs open. Info: (909) 867-2751, www.snow-valley.com.

-- Hugo Martin

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Italy, in a blur

The newest in Italy’s growing family of high-speed trains started recently between Rome and Milan.

Once the Alta Velocita pulls out of Rome’s Termini or Milan’s Central stations, the 300-mile trip takes just 3 1/2 hours -- 30 minutes less than Trenitalia’s regular intercity service. The Rome-Milan AV service costs about $90 one way for a second-class ticket.

-- Susan Spano

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Gift of reading

If you’re still scrambling for last-minute gifts, think books. Among them:

* Caves always strike me as a little creepy. But Tony Waltham’s “Great Caves of the World” brings them into the light, so to speak.

* If you want something more in tune with the season, think “Sacred Places of a Lifetime.” Its subtitle, “500 of the World’s Most Peaceful and Powerful Destinations,” tells you it’s a big ride, but it’s really the organizing principle that is fascinating. Though its top 10 lists may seem as though they’re pandering to our fascination with numbered lists, I dare you not to read them.

For a complete list of the “12 Books of Christmas,” go to latimes.com/12books.

-- Catharine Hamm

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Best places

With 2009 right around the corner, it’s time to plan your next big getaway. Where are you looking forward to traveling next year? Whether it’s a quintessential vacation spot you’ve never been to or a diamond in the rough, we want to know. The Times Travel staff is cooking up its own list of hot destinations for the new year. We want to compare what’s on our radar with the places you are eager to visit. Go to latimes.com/travel2009 to tell us about your spot. The best responses will be posted online, along with our staff picks. For more Travel news, go to latimes.com/travelblog.