 Poster: A snowHead
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Grateful for any advice on where to ski in Utah.
I've been thinking Alta or Solitude but would love opinions from people who live there or have been there.
We hope to do two days in two resorts or 3/4 days in a single resort sometime between 20th & 26th Feb but really want somewhere with lots of variety for the intermediate skier. We'd also like to avoid anywhere busy.
If anyone knows of any resort with cheap but cute cabins (for two people), that would probably sway us.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Solitude.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Durham Red, We're out there then - again -  No resort with cheap, or cute cabins. If skiing the Cottonwoods most folks stay down the valley and drive up either.
You can stay at a couple of places up either canyon, but that restricts you then. If you stay in the Valley ( think SLC area ) you have choices to pick depending on where it snows the most. Any of the four Cottonwood areas would suit your needs really and they are all different. Alta obviously busy if they have fresh snow, along with Snowbird. Solitude is mostly quiet and better on a clear day or when snowing - not good really with flat light and cloud. Brighton is a fun place, plenty of trees, often quiet mid week. It does get plenty of boarders, who mostly stay in the park 
Daily lift tickets available at a discount in many places down in SLC area, rather than window rate.
For real quiet head up to Ogden and ski Snowbasin and Powder, both totally different to each other and offer some good skiing with the right conditions. Last year we had 2 ft of fresh powder over night, kept snowing all day and 300 folks on the mountain. Some nice B+B's in Eden and down towards Ogden too, if that's what you want.
To get the best you really need a 4x4 - a must if driving up the Cottonwoods as they stop you if snowing without, and often needed elsewhere.
Its an area where you can have choice and variety, so would be rude not to take advantage of this
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That's a fantastically rich response Bones. Thank you very much.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Durham Red, no problem. Been skiing there a number of years, always DIY, its so easy once there and you can tailor your trip to suit your needs.
Hoping for good snow for you 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
To get the best you really need a 4x4 - a must if driving up the Cottonwoods as they stop you if snowing without, and often needed elsewhere.
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That's only if you're going to Snow Basin or Powder mountain.
For the Cottonwoods, you can take the ski bus to avoid the treacherous drive during a snow storm. (and when there's no snow on the road, driving a standard sedan works perfectly fine).
Although I've always stay down in the valley, it's not for the convenience nor the best fresh powder potential. For that, you need to stay up by the resorts. Sandy (the neighborhood closest to the resort) is nothing but a sprawling suburb
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| Quote: |
For the Cottonwoods, you can take the ski bus to avoid the treacherous drive during a snow storm. (and when there's no snow on the road, driving a standard sedan works perfectly fine).
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@abc, true, but so much easier driving yourself, rather than waiting around for buses and hefting your gear. A big plus for us UK residents is we get fantastic rates for 4x4 as the difference between the car groups isn't much so makes sense to have one, if staying down the valley. Driving up even in a snow storm isn't really that bad so long as you practice sensible winter driving.
Yes you can do Utah without a vehicle and access most ski areas but half the fun of the trip is getting around and having freedom. There's plenty to see and do as well as skiing.
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Listen to bones. We stayed in sandy and drive to resorts each morning, Illness meant a curtailed trip but I did ski all four of the cottonwood resorts. Conditions meant that my day at solitude was possibly the best day I've ever had on skis (7" fresh at 5am, snow falling all day -we spent the entire day skiing fresh tracks on one ridge), but I also enjoyed Alta. Snowbird was good and the food there was great. I enjoyed Brighton but it didn't grab me the way the other resorts did
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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It sounds like we'll be absolutely spoiled for choice!
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| Durham Red wrote: |
| It sounds like we'll be absolutely spoiled for choice! |
quite possibly
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Alta and Snowbird
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Durham Red, ummm, are you planning on skiing off piste or powder?
If not, why go all that way?
If you are, Solitude has excellent trees, I have intimate knowledge of one. Well, pretty intimate given how wrapped around it I was when I crashed into it  it also has a nice restaurant, serving wine at lunch time. Very civilised.
We have stayed in Park City and SLC and either made for easy access to anywhere else. Deer Valley has excellent bumps and a rather good restaurant on the mountain.
If you want powder and are reasonably lucky (I'm at 1 for 2) it's really rather excellent. If you don't want to ski off piste or powder, it's a long way to go for what you can find in Europe.
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| Quote: |
A big plus for us UK residents is we get fantastic rates for 4x4 as the difference between the car groups isn't much
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Driving up and down the canyons during a storm (or even right after one) is not for the faint of heart, nor for drivers who only get to drive on snow once or twice a year.
Just because one's got a vehicle that's legal to drive up doesn't mean it's a good idea.
When the road is clear, there's no difference between a 4x4 and a front-drive car.
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You know it makes sense.
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abc, totally agree, if folks don't feel competent or safe on those roads the sensible option is to take the bus.
As most hotels in the valley will provide a free shuttle bus to the park and ride area and airport collection/drop off I suppose these not much point in many folks hiring a vehicle.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Speaking of hiring 4x4's, I had a rather surprising and somewhat unpleasant experience recently. So something for folks to keep in mind.
I arrived at Denver airport and collected my skis around 8pm. (hint, after dark) I picked up my reserved 4x4 and drove to Georgetown which is half way to Frisco, my final destination. (the reason for driving up to Georgetown was to get a head start on the traffic the next morning, which happened to be a holiday). I had reserved only a mid-size 4x4 but they were out of those. They "upgraded" me to a monster full size 4x4 truck that I needed a ladder to get into the driver's seat. (hint, high center of gravity)
I was asked to check the vehicle over for damages. There were none. I even checked the tires to be sure they have reasonable thread. But as I started driving up the mountain, the car felt very unstable on the slightly slushy road surfaces. Fortunately, I was only driving half way up the mountain, and the last 20 miles, although a bit unsettling, I managed to cover without incidence.
The next morning, it didn't take long for me to figure outwhy. The truck had the option to be in 2 wheel drive or 4 wheel drive. The numty who drove this car before me must have been driving in the city and decided to switched it to the 2-wheel drive mode! The little symbol indicating the vehicle was in 2WD mode wasn't obvious to someone who doesn't own a "real" 4WD truck! So I drove half way up the mountain in slushy conditions with the truck on rear wheel drive mode!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Get a Utah passport,(cheap lift passes),stay in Sandy,drive each day. We did 9 resorts in 13 days skiing.Snowbasin,Snowbird,Alta,Park City,Deer Valley,Canyons,Solitude,Brighton and Sundance. Kept meeting the "over-eightys ski club" Great holiday.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@mountainaddict, Remember you mentioning it IIRC - we were there in the Feb/March same year. January is often a lean month there for snow has been again this year. Here hoping it starts to fall for Feb 
@Pralognan, Nice trip, you couldn't make the tenth ?
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Really depends on budgets and personal values. Staying in Sandy or Midvale is generally the least expensive, but you're staying in a suburban American city. It's not bad, but it has lots of chain restaurants, strip malls, car dealerships, etc. Certainly lots of options for dining but nothing like a ski resort town. Often little or no snow and it can be raining (though it almost certainly will be snowing at the Cottonwoods Canyons resorts. Inversions can also cause SLC to get kind of smoggy. Sandy is right at the mouth of the roads leading up to the four Cottonwoods Canyons resorts (CCR). Park City, especially downtown, has much more charm. Lots of dining and drinking options. I much prefer staying in PC than in SLC, but it's not as convenient to CCR. It's approximately an hour drive (perhaps a little less if the roads or clear) from PC to those resorts. Traffic is usually not too bad, at least not when we've done the drive. If it's snowing the roads up might be closed for avalanche control and I'd say you'd be well served by AWD or chains. As noted, there are buses from SLC up so you could take those if needed. The base elevation at the CCR resorts is about 1000 feet higher than in Park City; the snow is generally better and, IMO the scenery is better. I think anyone going to UT should spend at least a little time at the CCR resorts. My wife and I have loved Alta and have loved it since we were relatively weak intermediates. Alta grooms at least one run from every lift but it is not a groomer paradise. So, if you're looking for high mileage on piste skiing it won't keep you busy (at least not on different trails) for too long. But lots of easy off-piste opportunities. I'd say Snowbird is better for advanced or at least adventurous intermediates than for true intermediates. It's just overall steeper. I like Solitude about as well as Alta; generally not very busy, just a fun, fun, place. Never tried Brighton. None of the base areas at the CCR resorts have much going on in terms of activities. My wife and I have really liked The Canyons, though that is by no means universal. By USA standards it's very large and very spread out. It can be hard to navigate (they do have a free intermediate tour). And it's sort of a pain to get up to the skiing. But, there is tons of skiing and lots of intermediate terrain. I'd like to spend more time exploring The Canyons cause we've only scratched the surface. We've never skied Park City Mountain Resort. No reason, just haven't skied there. It's right next to The Canyons and next they will be one big resort. I'd assume the terrain is similar to what is found at the Canyons. Deer Valley would also have great intermediate terrain and generally has very good, though pricey, on mountain food (at least as far as food at American resorts goes).
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I've been to Salt Lake for the last two years. Both years we went for the UK February break (although I now live in Boston, we were meeting friends who had kids in the UK) We always base ourselves in downtown SLC. That way you are centrally located for every resort. Nothing is more than an hours drive. We've skied most places, in most conditions. These are my thoughts:
Deer Valley: Lovely place. Probably gets the least snow out of the resorts (which is still a LOT) Great grooming - no snowboarders you see - and great for all levels of skier. There is lovely demo center there where you can demo Rossi skis. Great on a powder day when you want some big planks on your feet It also has great facilities.
Canyons: I'm not a fan. Too spread out and lots of "road ways" We did find some amazing powder fields in the furthest location from the base area - really quiet and we lapped kneed deep powder for an hour or two, making fresh tracks time after time. Nice base area.
Solitude: We love solitude, but only for the day. Its smaller but its very quiet. A busy day is like a very quiet day in the Alps. If you can, and you are at least a strong intermediate, try to get into Honeycomb Canyon. Its great off piste stuff but its high altitude and take some effort. Lovely wide tree skiing.
Alta: I think its way overated. I really want to love it but I just cant. Its "OK"
Snowbasin: I love Snowbasin. Its just got the greatest facilities and some of the best piste skiing in Utah. It also has some great backcountry/Off piste stuff that doesnt get too cut up. You can generally find powder stashes. We love Ogden so much we are considering basing ourselves out this way if we go to Utah again.
Powder Mountain: This is my heaven. Maybe because I've been lucky enough to ski it 4 times and every time in deep (3ft) powder. Think about a place where its 90% off piste served by a few immaculatey groomed pistes. There is just so much space and whenever you happen upon a little roadway, it takes you back to a lift or to a bus stop where you get picked up and delivered back to a lift. TRees, fields, rock faces to jump off, just heaven. I wish I lived there
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There is cheap and cheerful around Snowbasin, in terms of accommodations. I've also happened on a website, and although I've never booked with them, they have interesting deals on time shares, it's called vacation candy, and they properties in Snowbird and Park City. i grew up skiing Park City, and I could keep myself entertained there for 2 weeks, easily. And Park City has a lot of charm to offer, and certainly isn't the dreary and drab inverted Sandy Utah.
They are really good about keeping the roads plowed, but what you run into is, traffic, as everyone has been sat waiting to get up the Canyon. Also, from Park City, Snowbasin and Powder Mountain are accessible by freeway, that does not route you through SLC and her morning and evening traffic, therefore, Park City probably delivers the most value for money in terms of accommodations, unless you'll be gutted to miss Solitude, Brighton, Snowbird or Alta, or take the drive down one Canyon and up the other.
Back in the day, Solitude lift passes were $5 a day for students on Tuesdays, and $5 a day for ladies on Thursdays. I made sure during winter term that I only took Mon-Wed-Fri classes. Good times. Good times.
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I used to do the sandy drive the canyons everyday. Was much cheaper and a
PITA. Now I just stay up in little cottonwood someplace. Would like to ski alta everyday, but have some boader friends so do both alta/SB. Completely different vibe of the 2 IMHO, so depends on what u like. But like others said, lots of good mountains, I just know alta really well and am comfortable there. Take an group lesson to learn how to get into and out of stuff, that's the key to alta, getting into the stashes requires some local knowledge
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thanks so much for the responses. Solitude & Deer Valley are the stand out areas, having read your comments.
We like well groomed beginner & intermediate slopes for effortless bimbling. Quiet & snowboard-less slopes are ideal.
Under a new name: we're skiing Utah because we explore a different state each year and Utah's next on the list (A feb holiday and great slopes might have had some influence too  )
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| Quote: |
We like well groomed beginner & intermediate slopes for effortless bimbling. Quiet & snowboard-less slopes are ideal.
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You forgot Snowbasin.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Durham Red, well, fair enough, just seems like a long way to go... I'd agree, having not made it to Snowbasin that Solitude and Deer Valley are right up your strasse.
My inclination would be to stay in Park City, just cos there's more going on. I found a very excellent room (suite, really) in a Condo on the main street with underground parking for not a lot of money. We also stayed in a house as a larger group slightly out of town. I have no doubt that these are easy to find online.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Thanks Under a New Name. I'll do some digging.
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FAQ
