Skiing in Utah

[awf170]

I'm going skiing in the Park City area for february vacation and i wondering if anyone has been out there before and just stuff like which ski areas and trails you like, pretty much anything you know about that area. The places i was thinking about skiing were brighton snowbird alta and solitude.

 

[Talisman]

I like your choices of ski areas and rate them higher than the Canyons, Park City and Deer Valet fwhen considering price, snow, challenge and vibe.

 

[St. Jerry]

I have heard that the best skiing is at The Canyons Resort. If you go to the top of 9990 Mountain and then go ski on the backside of that, you'll find a lot of deep powder.

 

[beswift]

Alta is the highest and consequently has the lightest and freshest powder. However, your list is a tall bill of fare if you are going to stay in Park City. First of all, Park City offers superb skiing itself. Second, Deer Valley and Park West (the Canyons now) have some of the best tree skiing in the U.S. Everyone should ski Deer valley once, just to see the best grooming the ski industry has to offer. They used to let people ski the first hour for free to see if you liked it enough to buy a ticket. Thirdly, the other areas lie a serious drive from Park City. Shuttles are available, but unless you are going to be there for a month or more, don't do it. The skiable acreage local to Park City is vast and interesting.

 

[awf170]

thanks for the opinions, also does anyway know how snowbasin and powder mountain are. I would like to try the park city ski areas (deer valley, park city, and canyons) but they are just so expensive, but i think if im going to try one it would be the canyons. Park City looks pretty cool but i heard it gets really crowded, and i dont really like grooming anyway so i probably wouldnt go to deer valley anyway, but anyway thanks for the info.

 

[beswift]

Are you going to have a car?

 

[awf170]

So anyway the canyons has the best tree skiing? I ll have to check that out because i love trees, how is it compared to east tree skiing, it isnt nearly as tight right?

 

[beswift]

No where near as tight.

 

[tirolerpeter]

Skiing Utah

Awf170 I have skied Utah 5 times in the last four years. Each time I have found it to be fantastic. I don't know how long you plan to be out there, but my advice is to fly out on a Sunday evening and return the following Saturday. That way you will avoid the week-end crowds (which admitedly are not as bad as what we experience here in the east. Snowbasin is an absolutely gorgeous place both in terms of terrain, and the facilities. It is just off I-84 and about a 40 minute drive from Salt Lake City. The one down side is that it has the lowest base and top altitude of the areas around the region. If the snow is good, you will have a blast there. You can ski groomed, ungroomed, trees, bowls, and any combination of them on virtually any run. It is my personal favorite when conditions are right. You can't beat either Little Cottonwood Canyon where Alta and Snowbird are, or Big Cottonwood Canyon where Brighton and Solitude are located. If you stay in a motel along I-15 near SLC such as the Best Western Cottontree Inn in Sandy you will have fast access to either canyon. If you ask for a skier's special you can get a fantastic room (the hotel has an indoor pool, and hot tub, and breakfast is included) for around $65/night, a free shuttle to and from the airport, and discounts on lift tickets. You will be able to buy a Ski Utah Superpass at the hotels for $42/day that is good for all four of the areas in the Canyons. The pass also comes with an all day UTA bus pass that will take you up and down the mountain (about 15 miles total distance from the hotel) for no charge! Or, if you get a rental car (the best deals are available through your airline when you book your tickets). We had a one week car in Dec for $162 including all tax and fees! Tip... book an economy class car, and you invariably get upgraded for free; especially if your flight comes in later in the evening. I don't care for Park City myself. Too many people who are there for "show" not "go." While the Canyons are beautiful (especially right after a snow dump) and there is great tree skiing, I also found there to be an excessive amount of rather flat traversing to get to all the various parts of this large area. Deer Valley is beautiful too with lots of groomers, but very pricey. If you have any additional questions, PM me because I have lots of info and comments if you are interested. BTW, Brighton has fantastic terrain for night skiing if you still have the energy!

 

[Talisman]

I don't think the drive from Park City to either Little Cottonwood or Big Cottonwood canyon to be a big deal on dry roads. If it is dumping snow in Park City hit the local areas, if it is raining head for Brighton or Alta where it should be snowing. My beef with the Canyons is much of the resort is at low elevation and the snow isn't as good as higher elevation resorts.

 

[pepperdawg]

So anyway the canyons has the best tree skiing? I ll have to check that out because i love trees, how is it compared to east tree skiing, it isnt nearly as tight right?

Canyons has the goods you maybe looking for - be it thru aspen glades of thunder ridge (may not be exact name, dont have a map in front of me) or the mystic pines you will find what you are looking for. No underbrush to worry about - note of caution though, watch out for tree wells.....

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Park City is a great ski town, but you gotta ski Alta/Snowbird, they’re only a half hour away. When I was standing in line for the tram at Snowbird I got into a conversation with a former upstate NYer who moved to Salt Lake 20 years ago. I told him we were planning on skiing Park City Resort the next day and his remark was, “You guys came all the way out here to ski Stratton?”

If you ski Park City and have good skills you’ll love Jupiter Bowl otherwise it is Stratton. I liked the Canyons, as other posters have said it has good tree skiing. Did an afternoon at Deer Valley the day we arrived that was enough of that place for us.

 

[dmc]

Park City - to me at least - is like Killington with a bowl... The Canyons are pretty good... Park City is a pretty cool town - lots to do...

I love Solitude... Place rocks... Honeycomb Canyon is great!!!

Haven't been to Alta or Snowbird in over 15 years... But you can't go wrong there either...

If you want some goooood intermediate/expert powder - check out Powder Mountain... Fresh tracks!!!

 

[SKI-3PO]

You definitely should hit something in LCC/BCC, but I'd say its longer than the half hour drive from PC that some have suggested. I also highly recommend Snowbasin which has great terrain for all ability levels.

 

[tirolerpeter]

Utah

The trip from PC to Alta/Snowbird or Brighton/solitude is about 45 minutes to 1 hour. I was suggesting that if you want to concentrate on skiing LCC or BCC you would do better to stay down in SLC (around Sandy) along I-15. From there, it is less than 30 minutes up to the ski areas. It is also MUCH cheaper to do that with a better choice of and access to restaurants of all price levels.

 

[Treefingers]

A buddy and I are heading out to Utah in a few weeks as well. We have 4 days out there and neither of us have been skiing in Utah before. We're staying in the Park City area and were thinking of hitting The Canyons, Park City, Snowbird, and Solitude, but from what I'm reading we should skip Park City. The last thing we want is to be hitting groomers all day out west! We're snowboarders so Alta/Deer Valley are no good, what's the drive like from PC to snowbasin? In our situation what would anyone recommend we opt for from the PC area to go to instead of park city?

 

[tirolerpeter]

Utah

Treefingers the drive to Snowbasin is the easiest one of all. It is about 2 to 3 miles from downtown PC to I-80 then, get on I-80 Eastbound until you hit the I-80/I-84 divide. Take I-84 Westbound (toward Ogden) and get off at the Mountain Green Exit. It is very clearly marked by signs along the highway. Follow the signs that direct you to Snowbasin. It is a gorgeous drive and will take no longer than about 40 minutes total from Park City. You will be stunned at the beauty of the area and facilities. I know it is too late for those of you with reservations in the Park City area, but check out my "Utah Ski Trip" posting that I did back around the third week of Dec in "Trip Reports." I find no reason whatsoever to hang out in Park City since I care little for the (expensive) "resort experience" (seaweed wraps/massages/overpriced-underwhelming food/etc), and I don't go out there for apres ski partying. I go to SKI!

 

[awf170]

thanks for all the info, ya and im staying from saterday to saterday and i do have a car.

 

[rotorite86]

I've skied at Alta (and Snowbird) for a total of two week during my life, and it is the best skiing I have ever done, no doubt. There is a huge variety like other posters said, and I especially like Alta because it isn't crowded at all and there are no snowboarders allowed (no offense to the snowboarders). Snowbird is muc more crowded than Alta, and costs a bit more for a lift ticket as well (not including the Tram). I believe the peak elevation at Alta (accessible by lift) is like 10,500'. The bowls are the best part. And if you get up the nerve, trying skiing High Rustler - I am a decent skier and I haven't skied it yet (skid lower Ruster). Whether it was because of the trek to get there, or how steep it looks from Goldminers Daughter (one of the hotels, upper end), I don't know. Enjoy your trip!

 

[the1426]

Park City Lift tickets

Does anyone know where I can get a deal on lift tickets for Park City or The Canyons?