It was a gorgeous, cloudless February day and the skiing at Wolf Creek Ski Area, in southwestern Colorado, was superb. The snow was the soft, squeaky kind as I darted in the glades and lapped run after run on sparsely populated groomers. It all felt great. But somehow my lingering memory of that day is of another moment.

After my last run, happily drained, I headed over to Prospector Grill at the mountain’s base for a recovery coffee. When I started fishing for money, the employee behind the counter waved me off. He was starting to put things away and it was only a few dollars, but it felt … nice.

When asked what draws them to Wolf Creek, where the average annual snowfall is 430 inches, the most in Colorado, many people have a quick answer: “The snow.”

And that’s exactly what Sherry Miller brought up. Ms. Miller, 70, drives to the area when snow at the resorts near her home in northern New Mexico is lacking, and she has experienced the benefits of Wolf Creek’s microclimate. “We’ve been in some storms where you couldn't see your hand in front of your face,” she said appreciatively.

But if you probe deeper as to what makes Wolf Creek feel truly special, the answer for me — and many other visitors — is that good vibe.