Depending on whether you're toting along the kids, if not, I would recommend shopping airfare to SLC and stay at the Comport Inn Suites in Midvale, UT (at the entrance to the canyon roads) and ski in the little and big cottonwood canyons. I can usually find airfare for $280-325 and a room at the Comfort Inn for $85 per night including breakfast and a big discount on lift tickets. You can take a shuttle bus to Alta / Snowbird (they usually go up even when the canyon road is closed to cars) and I would recommend demoing skis and rent poles, just bring your boots. Book the red-eye home so you can ski the last day and then head for the airport. No need for a rental car, you can get a shuttle from the airport to the hotal and lots of resturants within walking distance in Midvale/Fort Union/Sandy area. SLC always has vacant hotel space since the big build-up for the olympics and rooms are always cheap.
Bolton Valley
- Thread starter jasoncapecod
- Start date
Lifty@50":1xfri1ys said:
So as not to spread misinformation, this is simply not true. When the road is closed, it's closed...to all vehicles. A bus won't survive a direct hit from an avalanche any better than a car.
There are three possibilites of canyon road status: open to all vehicles, chain/4x4 chain restrictions, or closed. Any vehicle can travel the road under any status other than "closed", but need to be a 4x4 or have chains mounted during chain/4x4 restrictions. UTA buses deploy chains when necessary, so they are able to drive the road when 4x4/chain restrictions are in place.
Agreed. I was not clear in my description of a "car";being one without four-wheel-drive or chains. However, I hope that you agree with the rest of my promotion of SLC as a great alternative to overpriced and, at times, less than satisfying East Coast skiing. Even during a dry period, a powderless day on groomers out West is a great East Coast day.
Sharon
New member
I just had a similar discussion with my best ski sister about skiing during the holidays. She gets the week between Xmas and New Years off and she wants to go on an eastern ski trip for New Years. I was not too thrilled with this prospect. I am trying to convince her to go another time, but that will be unlikely.
I am much more in favor of a trip Dec 22-25...it is before the crowds, before the holiday rates, and you don't have to book in advance. Most places have great deals if you go before the holiday. While snow conditions may be marginal, I don't expect too much that time of year and over the last few years it has been hit or miss. Last year didn't happen due to lack of snow and warm temps, but the previous year we had some decent snow at Sugarbush (Dec 23rd they have a $5.50 lift tic) and also at Jay. We got to ski Castle Rock one year during that date (a bit rocky, but still skiable). While Jay often does not have any glades open that early, they usually have some pretty good skiing on The Jet and a few other places they pile man-made snow.
and as for Bolton...one year I went just before the holidays. My friend and I posed as a "married couple" (we are just friends) and we did the time share deal. We stayed slopeside for cheap and got $100 of Bolton bucks to splurge on dinner for sitting through the time-share sales presentation. I had to kick my friend under the table when he asked too many questions. Bolton typically has $79/night slopeside rooms during the early season. I was not impressed with the terrain there. It was still early though.
I am much more in favor of a trip Dec 22-25...it is before the crowds, before the holiday rates, and you don't have to book in advance. Most places have great deals if you go before the holiday. While snow conditions may be marginal, I don't expect too much that time of year and over the last few years it has been hit or miss. Last year didn't happen due to lack of snow and warm temps, but the previous year we had some decent snow at Sugarbush (Dec 23rd they have a $5.50 lift tic) and also at Jay. We got to ski Castle Rock one year during that date (a bit rocky, but still skiable). While Jay often does not have any glades open that early, they usually have some pretty good skiing on The Jet and a few other places they pile man-made snow.
and as for Bolton...one year I went just before the holidays. My friend and I posed as a "married couple" (we are just friends) and we did the time share deal. We stayed slopeside for cheap and got $100 of Bolton bucks to splurge on dinner for sitting through the time-share sales presentation. I had to kick my friend under the table when he asked too many questions. Bolton typically has $79/night slopeside rooms during the early season. I was not impressed with the terrain there. It was still early though.