As a former inhabitant of SLC (1999-2007) and current inhabitant of Seattle (2007-present) I would like to weigh in.
Salt Lake is the best ski city in the country. I think Seattle may be number two. Alpental (steeps) is 1 hour, Crystal (terrain) is 2, Baker (snow quantity) is 3, and Whistler is 4 (all of the above) if the border crossing is light. True, you have to pick your days/ weekend warriorhood will pit you against the masses if conditions are good. But what vaults Seattle over the top of the competition (Denver, Burlington, Albuquerque; Reno is not a real city) is the extended season. I skied a 4000' shot on perfect corn last August 9. And if you need a Utah fix take the light rail to the airport after work and hop the 7:20 flight to SLC. It takes 1:20 and if the high is locked in as it has been for most of this season, simply don't go. Southwest Airlines has no cancellation fee (or fee for your two bags for that matter).
As for the traffic snarls, I live downtown and walk to work at UW or to lectures (Krugman, Stiglitz, Kahneman, Petraeus, O'Connor, Hitchens, Ban Ki-Moon, Franzen, Gawande, Yergin, Sachs, etc) or concerts (just got my Radiohead tickets, have seen Arcade Fire, Wilco, Decemberists, Aimee Mann, Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, PJ Harvey, etc). True, SLC has limited traffic. But most of the time there is no reason to get out and go anywhere.
I am not a foodie but the balance of power lies on the Seattle side here as well. I am not a Republican, so there are people to talk to here. I am not a water person, but the boating is great. I am not a windsurfer, but the Gorge is an easy weekend (4 hours). The hiking is much prettier, with lush forests and waterfalls and glaciers and jagged ridgelines (Mt. Rainier, Olympic, and North Cascades National Parks all 2-3 hours).
The last criticism you might make is the weather. Seattle is drizzly a lot during the winter. I would contend that this is preferable to the inversion, when people with lungs should stay inside for days on end. What is more, the summers are much better. It rarely gets above 85. SLC is 95 for weeks on end. It used to hurt to touch the steering wheel after the car was sitting in the sun for 15 minutes.
I had to leave SLC and was sorry to go. Sorry enough to hold on to my house. But I am glad to lived in Seattle these past years. I have learned so much and seen so much that I never would have if I had stayed on planet Utah.
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