6 days Jan 16-23 from Salt Lake - SUGGESTIONS PLEASE

I just booked Jan.16-23 (Sat.- Sat.) staying in SLC (7200 south). I'm an advanced skier who'll try anything but am not an 'expert' (ie: Great Scott is beyond my ability). My trip partner is an advanced snowboarder who carves (no air). We will likely stay on groomers 60-75% of the time assuming no new snow. We have a rental car and were planning the following 6 day itinerary with flexibility on which resort every day:

- 2 days @ Snowbasin
- 2 days @ The Canyons
- 1 days @ Snowbird
- 1 day @ Park City

Thoughts, suggestions?

Thanks

No need to decide now. Let conditions dictate.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

Actually I should've been clearer. I meant to ask for suggestions re: the appropriate amount of time @ each of the 4 resorts we plan on hitting based on our terrain preferences (mostly groomed, solid fall line, limited off piste unless we get fresh snow), moguls ar OK for me but not by partner who 'boards.

Thanks

Based on that I'd prioritize your selections in this order:

1. Snowbasin
2. PCMR
3. Snowbird
4. The Canyons

Admin's priority list makes sense in view of stated preferences. The reason Snowbasin is marked up and the Canyons down is the consistent fall lines at the former and the long canyon runouts (the area is aptly named) at the latter. Given your stated abilities I'd lean away from Snowbird on powder days unless it has way more new snow than the other places. Snowbasin and The Canyons should have the least competition.

No need to decide now. Let conditions dictate.

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Always key on new snow days.

Solitude should be in this discussion also, particularly for the new snow days when the lion's share is in the Cottonwood Canyons.

Tony Crocker":3f4y8qdj said:

The reason Snowbasin is marked up and the Canyons down is the consistent fall lines at the former and the long canyon runouts (the area is aptly named) at the latter.

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I've gone on record as a big Snowbasin fan, but I still disagree about the consistent-fall-lines rap. Off the John Paul chair and the beer can up top, no question, it's definitely consistent, but from the Porky chair all the way across to Strawberry, there's a long, flat mid-mountain saddle. The flats don't really matter if you're hauling down the groomers, but if there's a foot of powder, you have to connect the dots in places. Maybe Mr. Pericoloso can tell me that I don't know what I'm talking about, but that's my experience.

Given the OP's preferences, Snowbasin -- with low crowds, high-speed lifts, almost 3,000 verts, and lots of groomers -- should be the call for at least two days.

jamesdeluxe":1g4jbqjj said:

Maybe Mr. Pericoloso can tell me that I don't know what I'm talking about, but that's my experience.

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You don't know what you're talking about.

Snowbasin has the best long, sustained cruising in the state. Anything off either the Needles or Strawberry gondis is a full 2,400 verts of it without any interruption. Your sense of the fall line needs some refining. 8)

Also note that the Sundance Film Festival is up in Park City, it starts on the 21st or 22nd. May be very few skiers in Park City once festival gets started, you probably have the whole place to yourself. Just don't planning on east or partying out in park city because that town goes notes.

mbaydala":22ltm1a2 said:

Just don't planning on east or partying out in park city because that town goes notes.

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Translation: "Just don't plan on eating out or partying in Park City because that town goes nuts."

:lol:

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

Don't allow me to post when takeing ambien sleep medication.

I'll end with pray for snow

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

Thanks for the useful feedback everyone! (esp.about Sundance film festival timing)

Wow, don't even remember making those posts last night. That's rather embarrassing, I certainly apologize. Anyway, about Sundance though, apparently the skiing at Park City Mountain Resort is great with regards to the lack of crowds. I have no first hand experience, because I'm always working 18 hour days up on Main Street at the Restaurant where we often hear, "Does anyone ski in this town", and "It was like our own private mountain". The Sundance crew are movie buffs and that's it, they can't ski worth a dime and every local in Park City either hunkers down and wont drive during that time or they working their asses off to make enough money to live their ski bum lifestyle. The true wildcard is Sundance Powder Day's... Not bad having a 3000 acre resort to yourself.

Admin":2oksh8nc said:

Based on that I'd prioritize your selections in this order:

1. Snowbasin
2. PCMR
3. Snowbird
4. The Canyons

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I would have to add Deer Valley into the mix above - maybe #2.

No, I do not like the ethos of the place. However, the he terrain is just honest fall-line blasts at varying levels of steepness. Personally, I think the best steep cruising in Utah is at Deer Valley - the runs under the Wasatch and Sultan lifts fit this bill.

I am a big fan of Snowbasin. Alta and Snowbird too.

I hate Solitude - and management continues to destroy a great place with some of the worst lift arrangement in ski area management. I think Brighton might be a better bet.

ChrisC":hl2wnqse said:

Admin":hl2wnqse said:

Based on that I'd prioritize your selections in this order:

1. Snowbasin
2. PCMR
3. Snowbird
4. The Canyons

Click to expand...

I would have to add Deer Valley into the mix above - maybe #2.

No, I do not like the ethos of the place. However, the he terrain is just honest fall-line blasts at varying levels of steepness. Personally, I think the best steep cruising in Utah is at Deer Valley - the runs under the Wasatch and Sultan lifts fit this bill.

I am a big fan of Snowbasin. Alta and Snowbird too.

I hate Solitude - and management continues to destroy a great place with some of the worst lift arrangement in ski area management. I think Brighton might be a better bet.

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The OP said he would be with a snowboarder, so that rules out Deer Valley & Alta.

stupid ski only resorts...

snowboard247":3rpf9pru said:

ChrisC":3rpf9pru said:

Admin":3rpf9pru said:

Based on that I'd prioritize your selections in this order:

1. Snowbasin
2. PCMR
3. Snowbird
4. The Canyons

Click to expand...

I would have to add Deer Valley into the mix above - maybe #2.

No, I do not like the ethos of the place. However, the he terrain is just honest fall-line blasts at varying levels of steepness. Personally, I think the best steep cruising in Utah is at Deer Valley - the runs under the Wasatch and Sultan lifts fit this bill.

I am a big fan of Snowbasin. Alta and Snowbird too.

I hate Solitude - and management continues to destroy a great place with some of the worst lift arrangement in ski area management. I think Brighton might be a better bet.

Click to expand...

The OP said he would be with a snowboarder, so that rules out Deer Valley & Alta.

stupid ski only resorts...

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Good call and consideration.

ChrisC":16xk86lr said:

I hate Solitude - and management continues to destroy a great place with some of the worst lift arrangement in ski area management.

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I hear this a lot, then I look at a topo map of Solitude and scratch my head. If money were not a constraint, where would you put lifts at Solitude? What would your ideal lift network look like for that chunk of Wasatch?

Constraints:
no terrain expansion beyond the current resort boundaries.
Remember, you don't need to rely on or include any or all of the existing lifts - this is your ideal lift arrangement.
Marketing considerations demand that there be at least one blue square or below groomer down from every lift.
Competitive pressures basically require at least one more or less segregated beginner's area with predominantly green circle terrain.
Assume Save Our Canyons would fight tooth and nail against a tram or funicular and possibly a gondola.
If you want to make the thought experiment a little more realistic, take lift costs into account. Assume a 5000' long HSDQ will cost $3.5M.

BTW, the Powderhorn double no longer exists as of this summer. A new HSDQ is being constructed that will run from just below and west of the top of the Apex lift up to just below the Powderhorn patrol shack.

management continues to destroy a great place with some of the worst lift arrangement in ski area management.

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Did your regular visits to Telluride start when there were only 6 lifts? You only had to look at a trail map to see that lift setup had to be the worst. Even now I find Heavenly's lifts more annoying than Solitude's. At least Telluride has improved greatly from its abysmal start. Heavenly regressed by removing Wells Fargo and East Peak, and has yet to put in/extend a new lift to bypass the tedious Crossover catwalk.

Marc_C":3h14fe9q said:

ChrisC":3h14fe9q said:

I hate Solitude - and management continues to destroy a great place with some of the worst lift arrangement in ski area management.

Click to expand...

I hear this a lot, then I look at a topo map of Solitude and scratch my head. If money were not a constraint, where would you put lifts at Solitude? What would your ideal lift network look like for that chunk of Wasatch?

Constraints:
no terrain expansion beyond the current resort boundaries.
Remember, you don't need to rely on or include any or all of the existing lifts - this is your ideal lift arrangement.
Marketing considerations demand that there be at least one blue square or below groomer down from every lift.
Competitive pressures basically require at least one more or less segregated beginner's area with predominantly green circle terrain.
Assume Save Our Canyons would fight tooth and nail against a tram or funicular and possibly a gondola.
If you want to make the thought experiment a little more realistic, take lift costs into account. Assume a 5000' long HSDQ will cost $3.5M.

BTW, the Powderhorn double no longer exists as of this summer. A new HSDQ is being constructed that will run from just below and west of the top of the Apex lift up to just below the Powderhorn patrol shack.

Click to expand...

I don't believe Powderhorn will be a HSDQ, but rather a fixed-grip quad...

As for better ways to align lifts at Solitude - I don't think it could be done. The skiable area is small, disjointed by geography and doesn't have many sustained fall lines. There is simply no ideal lift arrangement since the mountain itself is less than ideal (though I love it for the ability to get untouched snow long after LCC is thrashed). I would have done just what management there is doing - provide high speed access to their beginner and intermediate cruising terrain and keep the advanced lifts slow (as there are never lines on summit/honeycomb/powderhorn). Moving Powderhorn makes sense to me - giving dedicated access to the higher, steeper terrain and keeping advanced skiers out of the way of beginners/intermediates. For powder skiers the fun Cirque/Middle Slope area will retain it's untracked even longer since it's more effort to do the circuit. I think many powder skiers make a mistake thinking they would prefer direct lift access to their favorite spots over traverses or long circuits. Following that logic Alta should put lifts straight up High Rustler and the backside...

The only things left for Solitude to do lift-wise is to put in a slow quad at Summit and a slow or fast quad at Sunrise. Plus a lift behind Summit giving access to Solitude from Brighton skiers... Plus a lift from Summit into Grizzly Gulch to give access to Alta...

rsmith":1p0gg4c1 said:

I don't believe Powderhorn will be a HSDQ, but rather a fixed-grip quad...

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You're correct - I just checked. They're calling it Powderhorn II:



Solitude says:

Last winter’s new Apex and Moonbeam Express lifts introduced high speed lift access from both base areas to mid-mountain, allowing Powderhorn II to begin higher on the mountain. Accessible from all three detachable lifts, including Eagle Express, a greater on-mountain flow is achieved throughout the resort. Solitude’s goal with terrain and lift improvements, now and into the future, is to efficiently utilize pockets of terrain which are naturally separated by the layout and slope of the mountain.

Beginner and intermediate visitors will appreciate the new lift, as well, even though they may not ride it until their skills improve, as advanced and expert visitors will remain higher on the mountain, easing traffic in prime learning areas lower on the mountain. Crafting this natural segregation put visitors of like abilities in terrain conducive to their ability, creating an improved experience for all.

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