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Advice in Salt Lake City

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I'm an intermediate skiier from Indianapolis on a budget. I am thinking of staying in downtown Salt Lake City for five nights, and taking the city ski bus or lightrail to the four nearby ski resorts: Alta, Brighton, Snowbird, and Solitude.

These four resorts and Utah Transporation Authority offer 3- and 4-day (and more) passes which covers lifts and round-trip public transporation. The 3-day pass costs $178 USD and the 4-day pass costs $235.

From Indianapolis, my roundtrip airfare will be less than $250. Single accomodations will be around $70 per night in S.L.C, and airport transfers $50.

So without meals, a 3-day package with single accomodations comes to around $775 and a 4-day package around $885. Most 5-night ski packages I've seen exceeded $1,200.

I was just wondering if others have taken this route, how it worked out for you, if you know better deals, etc. Thanks for your input.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Hi witworth, welcome to snowHeads!

You may get better answers on www.EpicSki.com , as we are based in the UK, and they are in the US.
I've been to SLC before, and if you want cheap accomodation, then check out Extended Stay - you can get low prices with them.
When are you thinking of going?
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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?
Thanks for your reply. I'm hoping to go sooner than later, maybe the week of December 11-17. My other option is spending a late-October week in Prague (Czech Republic) for fun, but I doubt that would involve skiing (unless anyone has suggestions).

I am most concerned with altitude sickness in Utah. Two years ago in Colorado, I felt like I had a faint but persistent flu for three of the five days my girlfriend and I were there. Maybe I need to go to the Rockies for an extended stay and not let altitude problems affect my ski schedule. Chances are I'll go to Prague, and when I get back, decide the Utah issue. It's not like I have a lot of money, but I owe myself some pleasure.

Nonetheless, it's Utah or bust this year. Otherwise, I'm staying in Indiana to ski. What I posted (above) is about the best, most versatile deal I could put together for myself outside of this state. I invite other suggestions.
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You may also get advice on the TGR forums: http://tetongravity.com/forums/. HOWEVER, you may want to read those forums for a bit before submitting your question, and then phrase it accordingly. Those guys can be funny, helpful, but also pretty unforgiving.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Oh, THAT splash and scream? That's just witworth striding manfully into the deep end of the shark pool. Pay no mind, it'll be over in a sec. wink
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You'll need to Register first of course.
WTFH's suggestion to visit epicski.com is right on. Search on SLC and then individual resorts will turn up lots of info. Altitude sickness shouldn't be as much a problem. Especially if you stay down in one of the suburbs of SLC like Sandy or Midvale--don't recall the elevation but quite a bit lower than many of the Colorado resorts. I think the base at Breckinridge is 9000+ feet, if i'm not mistaken.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
It's 27 years since I pitched up at a motel in Salt Lake City and skied Snowbird and Alta, so I'll pass on this one!
However ... one of the most memorable things I did there had nothing to do with skiing ... visiting the local copper mine, which must be about the greatest manmade crater in the world. I think it was 2.5 miles wide when I had a look at it, so maybe it's even bigger now! A phenomenal sight.

Edit: checking this out on Google, it seems to have two names: Bingham Canyon Mine or Kennecott Copper Mine. Here's a UNESCO photo.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Thank you all for your advice (Wear the Fox Hat, Cedric, David Goldsmith) and counsel (comprex, RISkier) about skiing around Salt Lake City. I'll definitely do a lot reading and try not to look too stupid during my inquiries at the aforementioned forums. I'll also check back and participate here.
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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.
witworth wrote:
I'm an intermediate skiier from Indianapolis on a budget. I am thinking of staying in downtown Salt Lake City for five nights, and taking the city ski bus or lightrail to the four nearby ski resorts: Alta, Brighton, Snowbird, and Solitude.

These four resorts and Utah Transporation Authority offer 3- and 4-day (and more) passes which covers lifts and round-trip public transporation. The 3-day pass costs $178 USD and the 4-day pass costs $235.

From Indianapolis, my roundtrip airfare will be less than $250. Single accomodations will be around $70 per night in S.L.C, and airport transfers $50.

So without meals, a 3-day package with single accomodations comes to around $775 and a 4-day package around $885. Most 5-night ski packages I've seen exceeded $1,200.

I was just wondering if others have taken this route, how it worked out for you, if you know better deals, etc. Thanks for your input.


I have done Salt Lake City. I stayed 'downtown', as they call it, at the Ramada which was fine and also the Super 8 across the road, which had poor service.

If I was going again, I would stay in Midvale. That way you save the TRAX rail journey and just hop on the bus to the Cottonwood Canyons which starts out from Midvale. You can get motels adjacent to the TRAX station if you want to go to the city centre in the evening. The trains run fairly late. Midvale is a big strip mall suburb with restaurants and shops etc.

To be honest, the attractions of SLC 'downtown' are not that great in my opinion.

Motel room is about $50. Check roomsaver.com for the special offers. You can get cheap lift tickets at some of the ski shops.

Of the resorts you mention, I liked Alta and Brighton. I did not care for Snowbird particularly.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
On altitude sickness, I'll echo what RISkier said, if you sleep low there should be no issues. When I stayed in Snowbird in Jan 04, I was surprised to find that I had a slight altitude sickness problem - mainly not being able to sleep and waking up often.

As for the skiing, I skied for a day in the Canyons, and then four days in Snowbird (mainly) and Alta. Loved the powder.
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Thank you Lachigo for your very relevant information. Staying in Midvale sounds like a smart idea. I just need to make sure I can catch both the 94 and 98 buses, one I believe to Snowbird/Alta, the other toward Cottonwood Canyons and Brighton. I'll check the map at the UTA website for this information, check out roomsaver.com, and call a few hotels for more info. Thanks a lot.

You too, Cedric. Midvale sounds like the way to go to get good hotel rates, have handy transporation, and avoid altitude sickness.
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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.
witworth, Snowbird/Alta is in Little Cottonwood Canyon (LCC), Brighton and Solitude are in Big Cottonwood Canyon (BCC).
The motels in Sandy and Midvale are good, certainly compared to European standards!
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
As to lift passes, some of the motels have a lift pass arrangement that is as good as if not better than ski shop deals. It was called SuperPass

http://www.visitsaltlake.com/ski/superpass.shtml

One convenient ski shop for passes:

http://www.canyonsports.com/tickets.html

Map:

http://www.utabus.com/schedulesAndMaps/routeSchedules/?routeGroupID=8

There was also a Quick Start program that let you fly and ski on the same day, but that was restricted to I-70 resorts Park City, Deer Valley.

HTH.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I've started looking early at SLC for next New Year and done quite a bit of research. Midvale area looks good to me and La Quinta Inn, Crystal Inn and some of the Best Western's look to be very good value. Main downside seems to me to be that the canyons leading to Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, etc are very prone to closure due to avalanche danger. However I believe that the highway to Park City is all weather.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Colin B, if the highway closes due to avalanche danger, the slopes themselves tend to look a little like this, so, in fact, the highway is the least of your troubles.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Colin B, the road from the SLC area to Park City is an all weather express route. Easy drive. At least, when I've been on it the traffic has seemed light compared with the mess I commute in everyday. Around 30 minutes from Park City to the Midvale area.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Thanks comprex and RISkier. So if you chose Midvale and relied on public transport would it be possible to get to Park City without a car? By the way witworth many of the hotels seem to offer complimentary airport transfers also.
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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?
Colin B, I'm not sure but I don't think there is convenient or inexpensive public transportation from the Midvale area to Park City. Hopefully someone can give a more definitive answer. We stayed in Park City and there was transport from Park City to the big and little Cottonwood Canyons, but it was pricey and I think private. We had good weather and simply drove.
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Wear the Fox Hat, thanks for the clarification on LCC and BCC. I sorta' knew that but got the names mixed up.

comprex, I've had my eyes on the superpass because it offers lift and public transportation in an easy package. I first read about it at the Utah Transit Authority website at: http://www.vacationsmadeeasy.com/SaltLakeCityAreaUT/activity/SkiSaltLakeSuperPass.cfm#moreInfo

It says: "This super pass is an interchangeable lift voucher redeemable for 1 all-day lift ticket to four different skiing properties in the Salt Lake area and includes round-trip travel on UTA ski buses, city buses, and light-rail." Its directions how to obtain a Super Saver Pass were slightly ambiguous, but your information indicates I can purchase one at participating hotels. When I narrow down my hotel list in Midvale or Sandy, I'll make sure the hotels are on the bus route and sell Super Saver Passes.

ColinB, Thanks for the hotel tips in Midvale and possible free airport transfers. That will save me $50!

I haven't found any reasonably priced transportation to Park City.



ll be looking in the Super Pass
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
witworth,

If you want cheap accomodation in Park City, and don't mind sharing, then check out http://www.chateauapres.com/. This is a budget ski lodge near the Park City base area. I stayed there a couple of years ago: they have a dormitory style bunk-house priced at $30.00 ppn.

It's pretty basic, but convenient for the town and the free shuttle bus to DV and the Canyons.
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Acacia, Chateau apres sounds like a great place for me. I've youth hosteled all over Europe, but not at the base of a world-class ski resort. I hadn't thought of going to Park City, but will consider it now. Thanks.
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