SLC Advice needed for 3/1-3/5/2012 trip

[baldyskier]

It was delayed about a month, but I'm finally getting back to SLC from Thurs. thru Monday. I'm flying in around noon on Thursday, and I'm going to try to get up to Alta for the 2:30-4:30 session. Given that I'll be driving a 2wd rental car, am I likely to have to take UTA up, if it's still storming as forecasted?

I'll be skiing with a friend at Snowbird on Sat. and Alta on Monday. He and a couple of his friends will be at Park City on Sunday. They like Jupiter Bowl a couple days after storms, plus the one local guy amongst them has a season pass to PC (in addition to Snowbird).
I've never been to PC, but I haven't committed to going there yet (I've noticed that PC doesn't get much love around here outside of Evren's posts). Any suggestions from those in the know for skiing on Friday and Sunday? The friend I'm staying with may be able to get discounted tickets from his job to some areas, so I'm trying to nail down my plans.

Snowbasin and Powder are on my radar, although they've nearly been shut out the past couple days relative to LCC. Is that likely to continue for the next couple of days' storms? I'll be staying in Fruit Heights, so these areas are an easier drive, but need more fresh snow.

Thanks, all, and once again it would be nice to ski with some Liftlines people while I'm in the SLC area.

 

[Admin]

Given that I'll be driving a 2wd rental car, am I likely to have to take UTA up, if it's still storming as forecasted?

yes.

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[baldyskier]

Given that I'll be driving a 2wd rental car, am I likely to have to take UTA up, if it's still storming as forecasted?

yes.

Sent from my Android device using Tapatalk

After looking at the UTA schedule, looks like that may foil my Alta late Thurs "half day" plan, as my flight is due in at 11:45 AM. I doubt if I would have a chance to make the bus that arrives at Alta at 12:30, and the next one after that arrives at 3:24 PM.

Any other suggestions for a half day option for Thursday, if it is storming? I haven't been on the snow all year, so it would be nice to put in a few runs.

 

[Admin]

Hitching a ride at the canyon mouth is a common practice. People usually get picked up quickly.

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[baldyskier]

Hitching a ride at the canyon mouth is a common practice. People usually get picked up quickly.

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Thanks for the tip. Are you talking about near the park and ride lot where Wasatch Blvd. meets Little Cottonwood Road?

 

[Admin]

No, right at the canyon mouth.

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[Evren]

I've noticed that PC doesn't get much love around here outside of Evren's posts

Just to be clear, there is no love lost between me and PCMR (and it seems you are talking about PCMR, specifically). But 2-3 feet of fresh will cover up a lot of faults. Purely on a terrain basis, both Canyons and DV are much better. Canyons can get very interesting on big days as its primary drawback is amount of snow. And DV really shines on the operational side. That may sound abstract but you appreciate it when everything is open and running at DV on a stormy day like today or when your ski snags on a stump at Canyons because they don't do adequate glade maintenance.

Snowbasin? The upper bracket of the forecast for the next two days is 43 inches*. So, no, Ogden area won't be spared.

* Their website links to the NWS forecast for 6000 feet, which would significantly underestimate what the mountain gets. This is at 8600 feet.

If you end up going to PCMR, I'd love to hear your impressions, though. Obviously, a lot of people do choose it and some of them very good skiers.

 

[Tony Crocker]

I have to disagree with a the above comparison of the Park City group. Jupiter Bowl is a cut above anything else in snowfall (documented and easily observed) and IMHO terrain quality also among those 3 areas. Assuming comparable snow I vastly prefer Snowbasin to any of the Park City group though.

 

[Evren]

Jupiter is very different from the rest of PCMR, both in snowfall and terrain. And I may be discounting it because I end up going to PCMR mostly to accompany people or to use early season cheap tickets. So chances are, Jupiter is not yet open, or I am not heading there. When I did catch it once just a few hours after it opened, it had been worked over thoroughly, especially the aspects that were obvious.

And agree that Snowbasin has better terrain. I can get to Canyons in 20min vs SnowBasin in 60min and I still had a pass to Snowbasin last year.

 

[Evren]

Never mind my 43 inch quote from earlier. Just checked the preliminary reports from last night and Alta Collins has a whopping 1 inch. Snowbird's snowcam has maybe 4. I think my yard did better than that. Sandy is reporting 6 inches so your average Snowbird skier is in for quite an emotional roller coaster: wake up to 6 inches, think it will be a monster day, then face the truth.

EDIT: I think I read the reports wrong. The 1-2 inch numbers are from 4pm and the 11pm updates have no snow amounts -- just water equivalents. But those are large enough for a decent storm.

 

[Marc_C]

Never mind my 43 inch quote from earlier. Just checked the preliminary reports from last night and Alta Collins has a whopping 1 inch. Snowbird's snowcam has maybe 4. I think my yard did better than that. Sandy is reporting 6 inches so your average Snowbird skier is in for quite an emotional roller coaster: wake up to 6 inches, think it will be a monster day, then face the truth.

EDIT: I think I read the reports wrong. The 1-2 inch numbers are from 4pm and the 11pm updates have no snow amounts -- just water equivalents. But those are large enough for a decent storm.

Alta this morning (6am-ish) is reporting 11" in the previous 12 hrs and 12" in the previous 24 hrs.

My usual recommendation is to ignore the reports from the resorts and pay attention to what the Utah Avalanche Center says in the current conditions section of the daily advisory:

The upper Cottonwoods have picked up about a foot of snow and the mid portion of Big Cottonwood as well as the Park City Ridgeline received 8 inches which contains .4 to .8 inches of water weight. It’s quite low density snow and has already settled significantly down to about 8 inches in the upper Cottonwoods and around 5 along the Park City Ridgeline and mid Big Cottonwood.

 

[TeleMac]

Amen. Be safe out there folks.