Trip Planned to Utah

[ccskier]

Bought my tickets for a 4 ski day trip to Utah, March 3-7. I have been looking at the weather on accuweather.com, the 15 day forecast is not good, but it is for Sandy, can't get anymore accurate. I was hoping that someone could give me some insight. The forecast is in the mid 50's, potential rain the first day. Should I expect this up in the hills also? DMC, Andyzee, I know you guys could supply some good intel. Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[dmc]

Your booked... So go... 15 day forecasts and people who think the are native Utah(ians) after 10 months but are actually Jersey trash are not to be trusted...

BUT - check around to see where the best snow is and go... if you have a car and are staying in Sandy.. Thats a good thing...

 

[snoseek]

http://www.utahskiweather.com
http://www.alta.com/pages/weather.php


These are both better resources than accuweather. Either way the base is over 100 in so the skiing will probably be good. Weather in sandy is totally different than lcc/bcc. An accuweather search on park city would be a little closer but still 2000 ft. below lcc/bcc.


Spent three winters out there and only saw rain once in winter in lcc. Rain in sandy can mean big snows up high.

 

[andyzee]

Yep, never rely on the forcasts, especially when it comes to the forcast in Sandy. The mountains will be different.

 

[ccskier]

I hope so, planning on Alta, Brighton, Solitude and maybe Snowbird before we fly back on the red eye Friday night. Would you suggest Powder? DMC the pics from your report have me leaning towards powder.

 

[snoseek]

If its warm I would expect the cottonwoods snow to hold up better because of higher elevation- snow at powder mt. seems to sun bake a little more. Any kind of fresh snow you should highly consider going to powder mt, minimal competion and big acreage.

 

[MichaelJ]

We had clear sunny days last week at Alta and Snowbird, temps at the base lodge were reading almost up to 50° and the snow was still mighty fine. It doesn't get wet (the air at high elevation is so dessicated it just takes up the moisture), it just gets a little soft. It still gets cold at night, even colder the higher up the mountain you go (see snoseek's weather link), and it only takes a snow shower or two to put a silken blanket on everything.

In other words, don't worry. Salt Lake City and the flats may be bare, but there will still be over 7' of base up in the mountains.

 

[andyzee]

We had clear sunny days last week at Alta and Snowbird, temps at the base lodge were reading almost up to 50° and the snow was still mighty fine. It doesn't get wet (the air at high elevation is so dessicated it just takes up the moisture), it just gets a little soft. It still gets cold at night, even colder the higher up the mountain you go (see snoseek's weather link), and it only takes a snow shower or two to put a silken blanket on everything.

In other words, don't worry. Salt Lake City and the flats may be bare, but there will still be over 7' of base up in the mountains.

Good point, I forgot all about that. We were up two years ago and it was sunny and about 60 at Solitude, no slush what so ever.

 

[Razor]

Once you get out there, use this site. It's probably the most specific and accurate.

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/slc/snow/mtnwx/mtnForecast.php?forecast=cottonwood

 

[gmcunni]

... snow at powder mt. seems to sun bake a little more.

i was just there, and agree with this. Any ungroomed snow in the sun got crusty quickly.

 

[drjeff]

I've been essentially going to Utah the 1st week of March for the last 9 years. I've been about 50/50 with powder weeks vs. Spring skiing weeks over those years. I can honestly say that the spring weeks can be almost as fun as a powder week. The base depths in the mountains are good there right now, even if it doesn't snow at all in the next 2 weeks, you'll still have a phenomenal amount of terrain available to you, and because of the elevation and typically low humidity out there, the quality of the snow surface out there on a 50 degree day is WAY different than on just about any 50 degree day back East.

Also, when the plane lands in Salt Lake City and there's NO SNOW on the ground don't worry at all. Because while SLC is atmost 30 to 35 miles from the ski areas, it's much lower and I've never had a ski week out there where there's been snow on the ground both when I arrived and left the airport in SLC, but theres PLENTY of snow up in the Canyons.

If you do get a "spring week" make sure that you've got thew sunblock on!

 

[RISkier]

I agree weather in Sandy and down in the valley is completely different than on the mountains. FWIW, the Alta web site has a bunch of weather links.

 

[ajl50]

dude you'll be fine. Don't sweat the weather. like Dr. jeff said- spring v. powder is really like deciding between awesome and awesome. I was there these dates last year. Some of the days were powder and some of the days were warm and sunny-- regardless both were stellar.

 

[kingslug]

Catskills mountains year to date snow: around 60 to 85 inches.
LLC year to date snow: almost 500 inches.
Easy math in my book.

 

[Puck it]

With this discussion, I am going 2/28 thru 3/2. What skis should I bring with me?

I am bring the Icelantic Nomads, but should I bring my recons or supershapes if it is going to be warm

 

[drjeff]

Out there, wider is better! Even the Utah version of "hardpack" on the morning after a warm day is soft packed powder for us eastern folks

 

[Puck it]

So you think the recons as the second ski?

 

[dmc]

Being a skier must be confusing with all the specialty skis people own...

I have essentially one snowboard for everything... I just change my stance for conditions...

 

[ccskier]

Being a skier must be confusing with all the specialty skis people own...

I have essentially one snowboard for everything... I just change my stance for conditions...

Personally I think skis are skis unless you are racing or b/c. I have one pair, Atomic Snoop Daddy's can handle most things I throw at them. I think that taking too many skis can be cumbersome when traveling.

We will have a car while we are out there so everything should be all set. Thanks for all of the advice.

 

[drjeff]

So you think the recons as the second ski?

Don't over think it. The bottomline is you'll still be sliding down the hill out there just as you do back here, on a microscopic layer of water between your bases and the frozen product below

Bring whatever pair you feel the best with, you'll be fine.