So many options... Alta, Solitude, the 'bird, Pow Mow

[ono]

heading to SLC for mid-march ski week. have 6 possible days to ski. probably gonna get the super pass for 5 days, and head to pow mow for one day...

talked to my buddy who'd bummed up at alta. said its amazing, and gets skied out fast by locals after a dump. also said that there's controlled BC and uncontrolled stuff that's great- but alas, we have a.) no beacons/avi experience and b.) no AT gear at the moment. so we figure for a powder day- we hit alta. then solitude the next day. then maybe pow mow the following day depending on the weather.

is hitting alta after a dump, then solitude the next day the best chance to maxamize powder vertical? i hear pow mow is huge, empty and deep- but gets pretty boring after a few runs (a la grand targhee). does pow mow offer up some sustained steeps without requisite BC gear? we like a challenge and some fun/steeper terrain...

and lastly, is it even worth going to snowbird for a day, given all the other options?

and, hey admin- you gonna be around?!?!

 

[mbaydala]

This is just my opinion but the day to ski Alta is during the storm because even by the time the last flakes have flown the mountain has already been ravaged, that is if ski patrol has opened everything.

Pow Mow is fun if you stick to the Paradise lift and then you can probably ski that place 3 maybe even 4 days after a storm and still be looking at fresh tracks.

If your looking for the most fresh I would say ski Solitude because the lack of people, the terrain isn't as awesome as Alta but its still fun and you have less competition.

 

[Admin]

Your plan is well reasoned, and mbaydala's advice is spot on. It's difficult to say with absolute certainty this far out but I should be around - give me a shout as the date approaches.

 

[Tony Crocker]

I've been in LCC in March for the past 20 years. You need to be aware that Utah in March is warm if it hasn't been snowing, and that Snowbird will have the highest percentage of dry winter snow, especially on steep terrain.

If you get a storm on top of that, Snowbird is still preferred if it's modest in size to have more options with a packed powder subsurface rather than something variable and refrozen underfoot.

Once you get up to a couple of feet, it's all good and you'll be delighted at either Alta or Snowbird. Since Alta now has high speed lifts and Snowbird is bigger, I think powder gets tracked out at a fairly equal rate between the two. Both have more obscure sectors where local knowledge will still get you some late-in-the-day powder.

Solitude is a good bet for less competition. I was skiing fresh all day there on President's Day last year, and I didn't get up there until past 10AM as I had to ride the bus.

Powder Mountain's fresh snow doesn't get tracked out for days, but in March sun you might not want to ski it. It has lower elevation and a wide range of exposures: lots of east and west, and the steep Powder Country lines down to the bus pickup face south. If a storm hits on a weekend, I'd recommend going there during or immediately after it.

 

[kingslug]

I've been coming to Utah for about 5 years and have hit almost all the resorts at different times. Powder Mountain is very under rated and is not boring if you know where to go. the area called Powder Country is good and holds snow many days after a storm..you just have to get to the shuttle stop to get back. You can also get dragged up the cat skiing area for a few bucks a run. And how about this deal. $150.00 for a lift ticket and 1 heli run. Only place I know that will do that. Yes the lifts are slow buts its empty, the food is cheap and it's a big place. Worth a trip for sure.

 

[Marc_C]

You can also get dragged up the cat skiing area for a few bucks a run.

No more dragging - they bought a new cat; you sit inside now. It's still $7/trip

 

[Admin]

$8

 

[kingslug]

You can also get dragged up the cat skiing area for a few bucks a run.

No more dragging - they bought a new cat; you sit inside now. It's still $7/trip

Even better. Hopefully I can get up there this year.
Wonder if they still have the multi run discount. Think it came out to 5 per run.