Favorite Runs in Utah

[Twisted]

I'm trying to decide where to spend my time this winter, I've been living in Salt Lake for six years and I've become increasingly obsessed with skiing over the last three years and finally last year I felt like I became good enough to actually be able to enjoy most of the runs at a resort without being fearful of killng myself.

So, my dilema is where to spend my time this winter? I know I can get good deals on ticket packs before the resorts open but I'm not sure where to go yet, regardless of what ticket pack I choose i'm sure i'll visit them all at some point but where should I call home?

I love Brighton but it's small.

I like PCMR because it's big but it doesn't have any good tree runs (that I have found) and I want to ski NOW not just in January when they have the best snow.

I love Alta but my wife is a snowboarder.

I haven't been to Solitude or Snowbird since I graduated from skiing Greens so I don't know them very well.

I haven't been to the Canyons, Snowbasin or Powder Mountain yet.

What are people's favourite runs/areas?


Thanks.

 

[Admin]

Welcome, Twisted! I've been fortunate to have skied the whole state, save for Beaver and Wolf, so I'll offer some thoughts.

• Alta: Where my heart is, but your wife boards.
• Snowbird: A close second. Good steeps, the second-best snow in the state. The state's longest season, too.
• Solitude: Great terrain and nobody there. The lift system, a necessary evil given the topography, can be annoying...but that keeps the snow good in hidden treasures.
• Brighton: An eastern ski area on steroids. The exception to that generalization, Millicent, has a short steep but a long runout.
• PCMR: lots of terrain, less snowfall than the Wasatch front, and can be crowded sometimes. Trees are fabulous on a powder day, which can be a godsend when the Cottonwoods are socked in with zero vis.
• The Canyons: Low snowfall, lots of traveling between terrain pods, but excellent aspen stands when the snow is good.
• Deer Valley: Likewise out because your wife snowboards. Short sections of sustained vertical, but excellent powder in the trees because their typical clientele never leaves the groomers.
• Snowbasin: Excellent terrain, especially in John Paul, but low elevation and faces east, so things bake quickly.
• Powder Mountain: The best skier per acre average in the state, so powder skiing is execellent, but steeps are few.
• Sundance: Great low-key hill when the snow is good, but it's shadowed for snowfall by Timp, gets less lake effect, and is low elevation.
• Brian Head: Popular with Las Vegas folks, lots of groomers but few steeps.

If you live in SLC getting a pass to Powder Mountain or Snowbasin is silly. Why commute? That basically leaves the 4 Cottonwood resorts and the 3 in Park City.

 

[mbaydala]

Since admin pretty much nailed describing each of the resorts, I'll just throw out my favorites. Last year I skied Park City 72 days and skied the canyons 6 times, deer valley 4 times, Solitude 3, Snowbird 18, Alta 12, Pow Mow 2, Snowbasin 1, Sundance 1. I'm an east coast skier who moved out to Utah for the snow and ended up buying a Park City Pass and a 5 day cherry picker pass at the canyons.

This year I smartened up and purchased a ski Utah silver pass. This pass is $2300 but I get to ski each resort 30 times. I think this has to be the best deal on the planet when you consider all money I must have spent at all these other resorts. Granted I did purchase a late season Snowbird Pass once April 1st rolled around and that may have been the best move of all considering all the late season snow we had last year.

Considering your dilemma with the snowboards. I'd have to say Snowbird and Brighton would be the way to go, especially since Snowbird stays open the longest. Obviously since I live in PC I enjoy Park City Mountain as well but lets be honest that place has nothing on the cottonwood resorts. During the snow blitz late last Feb I actually enjoyed skiing The Canyons more so on powder days then I did Park City. I really enjoyed getting lost in the trees and I found endless acres of untracked as apposed to all the heavily tracked runs at PC.

Good luck and I say you get the most for your money with a Snowbird Pass. Just think on those days your wife doesn’t want to ski you can always upgrade to an Alta ticket for what $27 bucks. Not a bad deal.

 

[johnnash]

My family has only skied SLC between Christmas and New Year's (the last 2 years), so we don't have nearly the experience of Admin and other residents. But since that period is the real acid test with respect to crowd avoidance, I feel qualified to offer a couple of words of advice from that perspective.

In our opinion, Solitude is the BOMB. Even in that busiest week of the year, there are seldom lift lines. Agree with Admin that their lift situation isn't very good, though. But still, you've gotta try it sometime. All in all, I think we've spent more time at Solitude than any other SLC resort.

If you hit Snowbird at a busy time, when there are lift lines on the "front side", head for Mineral Basin. Wide open slopes and no lines.


Here's my report on Canyons last year: After waiting forever to get up on the gondola, we found some pretty lousy (for SLC area) conditions off the Tombstone Express, crowded and icy in spots, with some chocolate chips protruding in a few places, and long lines at the lift. Then some wise soul advised us at lunch to head for the Dreamcatcher/Daybreak area. We spent the rest of the day skiing on packed powder and right onto the lifts. All blues in that area, but a nice mix of groomers, ungroomed runs, and some runs that were more like open bowls or glades. We had a nice time that afternoon, but given the time spent getting up the gondola in the morning and down in the afternoon, and the other options in the SLC area, I don't think I would return during a busy period.

Have fun. I envy you for having so many great options.

 

[ChrisC]

Here's my report on Canyons last year: After waiting forever to get up on the gondola, we found some pretty lousy (for SLC area) conditions off the Tombstone Express, crowded and icy in spots, with some chocolate chips protruding in a few places, and long lines at the lift.

How long did you have to wait for the gondola? I am curious because it seems like such an obvious bottleneck that needs another HS lift for busy times -- and just any other time to reach a different part of the long strung-out mountain.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

What about sneaking over to the Eagle double chair when the gondola is jammed?

 

[ChrisC]

So, my dilema is where to spend my time this winter? I know I can get good deals on ticket packs before the resorts open but I'm not sure where to go yet, regardless of what ticket pack I choose i'm sure i'll visit them all at some point but where should I call home?

I don't know all the discounts available to SLC skiers.

Just by process of elimination - Alta/Deer Valley are out for snowboard ban. Snowbird - intermediates are really forces onto cat tracks/high skier-density runs and....that it just is not fun for most. (Bassackwards is awful past noon most days). That's out.

I think both Park City and Canyons are pretty equal. If you think Brighton is small, I do not think Solitude is much bigger. Just more poorly/slowly lift-served with smaller shots preserved.

Maybe an early/late season Big Cottonwood fix followed by Park City/Canyons in the center of the season?

 

[Tony Crocker]

We probably need to know a bit more about Twisted's ability (and his wife's), but if "he loves Alta" and was comfortable off-trail there, he shouldn't be all that intimidated at Snowbird. Snowbird sells 10-pack tickets at a discounted rate, so I'd be inclined to go for one of those.

I'm inclined to agree with those who are much more impressed with Solitude than Brighton. And with respect to crowds, here's my powder filled report from President's Day last year

If I lived in SLC, I think I'd live with the modest Canyon Sports discounts at the Park City areas for the number of days I'd be skiing there.

 

[Twisted]

I didn't realize PCMR had good tree lines but from what Admin says I haven't looked hard enough. Most of my days there were family ski days with everything from an 8-year old to a 65 year old in our party so we stuck to the groomers for the most part. What parts of park city have the best tree lines?

Last year I did use the local Ski 'n' See for the discount passes and that saved me a lot of money so I'll efinately be using that again for a lot of trips.

As for my ability, well - I'm pretty confident on groomers and tree lines where I have someone to follow but I haven't had very many days in deep powder yet. That being said I was hoping to work on that aspect this season

I'm hoping to get 25 ski days in this season (pesky full time job getting in my way) so I'm starting to think I might start the season jumping around between Solitude and Snowbird and once the snow gets better get myself a PCMR ten pack (from what I read they are available at a good rate all season long).

 

[Admin]

What parts of park city have the best tree lines?

There are fabulous steep tree lines off Jupiter, and mellower stands in the Silverlode/Motherlode area between the runs.

 

[johnnash]

How long did you have to wait for the gondola? I am curious because it seems like such an obvious bottleneck that needs another HS lift for busy times -- and just any other time to reach a different part of the long strung-out mountain.

As I recall, the wait wasn't outrageous, but enough to be irritating -- maybe 20- 25 minutes. I think we could have gone to another small chair nearby, but there was some problem with that strategy -- maybe it didn't get you as far up the mountain. Of course, we were there at one of the biggest days of the year, so I suspect this wait isn't typical, which I suppose is why they haven't put in another lift.

 

[johnnash]

Snowbird - intermediates are really forces onto cat tracks/high skier-density runs and....that it just is not fun for most.

That's consistent with my one experience there UNTIL we got back to Mineral Basin. They label the runs in the MB bowl as blacks, but I'm only an in-between blue and black skier, and enjoyed sking there. They're pretty steep, but wide open, so you can make big traverses if you don't feel comfortable screaming down the slope. Only trick in Mineral Basin is to avoid that damned Lupin Loop, which they call a blue (or green) because it's not steep. But it's narrow, icy, and filled with inexperienced skiers. Downright terrifying -- reduced my poor wife -- who's really a good skier -- to tears.

 

[Tony Crocker]

I think johnnash was in Mineral Basin midwinter. By February you need to be able to handle transitional snow conditions to enjoy yourself back there most of the time. My Iron Blosam group (second week of March) are snow snobs. They hardly ever set foot back there for more than one run out toward the Bookends, ecept on powder days.

From Twisted's last post, I think Solitude is a very good fit for him. I was still finding intermediate-pitched untracked glades in the afternoon last President's Day.

 

[ChrisC]

I'm inclined to agree with those who are much more impressed with Solitude than Brighton. And with respect to crowds, here's my powder filled report from President's Day last year

I'm a little less than impressed with both Brighton and Solitude.

Of small areas that can rock, I like Mt. Baker, Stevens Pass, Alpental, ABasin, Loveland, Sugar Bowl, Mt. Rose...more...

Brighton is a pretty solid experience with all HS lifts now. Solitude has some really nice places, but fragmented big-time. And without some HS lifts, it frustrates me. But probably the best preserved powder near SLC.

 

[ChrisC]

Snowbird - intermediates are really forces onto cat tracks/high skier-density runs and....that it just is not fun for most.

That's consistent with my one experience there UNTIL we got back to Mineral Basin. They label the runs in the MB bowl as blacks, but I'm only an in-between blue and black skier, and enjoyed skiing there. They're pretty steep, but wide open, so you can make big traverses if you don't feel comfortable screaming down the slope.

I agree with this. And this has been my experience. I think the front-side of Snowbird is really bad for intermediate skiers. Chip's Run is not very good. Road-to-Provo...no. Bassackwards or Big Emma...can be quite narrow at choke points. Gad 2...not-so-great.

Mineral Basin is a different experience since it is more open. Given the right conditions, it's probably one of the better places on the mountain for mid-range skiers.

 

[Admin]

Mineral Basin is a different experience since it is more open. Given the right conditions, it's probably one of the better places on the mountain for mid-range skiers.

Which is precisely the primary reason that the new Peruvian Chair and tunnel were built.

 

[Sharon]

If I lived in Utah I would have to own an Alta/Bird combo pass.

The Bird is my favorite and Alta is also awesome and that is where most of my friends ski (Admin and Marc_C included).

When I am with snowboarders we go to The Bird.

I love the steeps at Snowbird, though I do hate the crowds, but that's just the way it is in LCC on a weekend. I would definitely not have a pass at any resort in Park City, but if I had to, (like if I lived there) it would be at The Canyons. There is so much terrain and fabulous tree skiing there, but it lacks the steepness of Snowbird and the deep snow of LCC. The Canyons is nice for a visit, especially 2 days after a storm. There is so much terrain there it is easy to find fresh snow.

Solitude is nice to get away from the crowds, but I imagine it would get old fast and the lift system is indeed annoying.

If you aren't into very steep skiing, Snowbird may not be right for you. I think with a snowboarding wife, you may do better at The Canyons, especially if you prefer groomed trails and some trees. I think the tree skiing at The Canyons is some of the best in Utah.

 

[Twisted]

I never realized the Canyons had such good tree runs. I have never actually been there because eveyone tells me that the lift lines can get pretty bad.

I definately plan on visiting at least once this year though - maybe i'll go after a good storm rolls past.

 

[mbaydala]

Here is another shot from the Canyons. I took this after that week we had about 60 inches in Park City during that late Feb snowblitz. It was either the last week in Feb or the first week of March. The snow was probably about 35 inches deep back in the trees.

 

[mikesathome]

Snowbird - anywhere in Mineral Basin
Brighton - Milly Express Lift to lone pine or scree slope areas
Solitude - Honeycomb Canyon
PowMow- I felt lost the whole time, but it was fun
Snowbasin - Mens start (downhill course) to grizzly down hill & sisters bowl from strawberry express.

Short side story: I recall this snowmobiler guy telling me I could never hang on to a rope with him towing me around this field, he had a fast sled, blah, blah, blah. After a $100 bet, it was on! The ride lasted all of about 5mins.
After he took out a small tree trying to shake me off, he stopped, paid me my money and said i was nuts, and he had me going (75mph) at one point.

Ahh to be 19 years old and fearless again :lol: