• Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!

    You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!

Utah?

mikec142

Active member
Joined
Jan 27, 2014
Messages
738
Points
43
I got a last minute invite to tag along on a trip to Utah next week with a friend and his daughter. He made all the plans so I didn't have a lot of say, but curious to hear how people feel about the various resorts/mountains. We are staying in Park City and have lift tickets to ski there for two out of our four ski days. So I have two days open. My plan is Alta for sure...not sure about the open day. How do people feel about Snowbird, Solitude, Snow Basin, Brighton, etc.? Or is a second day at Alta the way to go?

Also, looking for fun, but reasonably priced dinner suggestions in Park City.

TIA.
 

Zand

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 30, 2003
Messages
4,108
Points
113
Location
Spencer, MA
If you like steeps and crazy terrain, 100% go to Snowbird. If there's intermediates in the group Deer Valley might be a good backup option.
 

thetrailboss

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
32,336
Points
113
Location
NEK by Birth
I got a last minute invite to tag along on a trip to Utah next week with a friend and his daughter. He made all the plans so I didn't have a lot of say, but curious to hear how people feel about the various resorts/mountains. We are staying in Park City and have lift tickets to ski there for two out of our four ski days. So I have two days open. My plan is Alta for sure...not sure about the open day. How do people feel about Snowbird, Solitude, Snow Basin, Brighton, etc.? Or is a second day at Alta the way to go?

Also, looking for fun, but reasonably priced dinner suggestions in Park City.

TIA.

What do you like to ski? We are set to get even more snow this week.
 

mikec142

Active member
Joined
Jan 27, 2014
Messages
738
Points
43
What do you like to ski? We are set to get even more snow this week.

I love it all. But if pressed I love the glades.

My weather app is confusing me...makes it seem like PC isn't looking too good for next week but Alta is looking very good. My buddy keeps showing me positive stuff about the PC weather so I'm wondering if the reading I'm seeing is from the town, not the mountain.
 

thetrailboss

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
32,336
Points
113
Location
NEK by Birth
I love it all. But if pressed I love the glades.

My weather app is confusing me...makes it seem like PC isn't looking too good for next week but Alta is looking very good. My buddy keeps showing me positive stuff about the PC weather so I'm wondering if the reading I'm seeing is from the town, not the mountain.

This time of year things get warmer, so the lower you are, the softer the snow is. FWIW Big Cottonwood and Little Cottonwood will be still cold.

If you like glades, Brighton is pretty good.

Go to Alta if you haven't been. Snowbird if it is a good day with little or no wind and if visibility is not an issue. Mineral Basin is amazing. Snowbird has a lot more above treeline skiing than the other options.

Deer Valley is an experience. Better than PCMR IMHO.
 

ThinkSnow

Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2005
Messages
735
Points
16
Location
Bad Liver Valley
If you like Alta, and don't mind a bit of a longer drive, I'd recommend making the trek up to Powder mountain. My experience is that it lives up to its name. Otherwise any of the Cottonwood ski areas are a good bet.
 

skiNEwhere

Active member
Joined
Oct 29, 2006
Messages
4,141
Points
38
Location
Dubai
Mineral Basin would be good if ski patrol ever opened it within 2 days of a storm ending. By the time they get to it, it's turned to typical southern aspect suncrusted snow. It's for the birds IMO. Speaking of which....if you are pow chasing, Snowbird has been very slow to open up anything in a timely fashion. Consider yourself lucky if the Cirque is opened the day after a big storm. Alta usually seems to be a lot better about opening terrain quickly.


Traffic in LCC has gotten absolutely crazy. If there's supposed to be a big weekend storm.....you're gonna be stuck in traffic for a few hours. Might not hurt to make reservations to stay the night.
 

boston_e

Active member
Joined
Jul 25, 2007
Messages
709
Points
43
Cant go wrong with any of the choices, but I particularly love Brighton and Solitude.

For dinner, check out Shabu for off the charts good Asian Fusion.
 

FBGM

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 19, 2016
Messages
794
Points
63
Location
Your Moms House
Drink PBR at shucks.

Vail City blows. Good luck with that place.

LCC/BCC you will wait in traffic same amount as you ski when you hit it with all the other Jongs
 

machski

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
3,702
Points
113
Location
Northwood, NH (Sunday River, ME)
When you ski Park City, make a plan where you are hitting and stick to it. With the Canyons now ties in, you can get stuck trying to move horizontally all day. So choose the Canyons side or PC side to hit each day and don't cross over much.

I would say your second free day hit Snowbird. The cautions about the Cottonwoods on weekends and powder definitely apply. We found Solitude to be less crowded on the Sunday we skied than Brighton.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using AlpineZone mobile app
 

mikec142

Active member
Joined
Jan 27, 2014
Messages
738
Points
43
When you ski Park City, make a plan where you are hitting and stick to it. With the Canyons now ties in, you can get stuck trying to move horizontally all day. So choose the Canyons side or PC side to hit each day and don't cross over much.

I would say your second free day hit Snowbird. The cautions about the Cottonwoods on weekends and powder definitely apply. We found Solitude to be less crowded on the Sunday we skied than Brighton.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using AlpineZone mobile app

This sounds like good advice. As an FYI, we are skiing Monday thru Thursday so I wonder if traffic will be manageable.
 

snoseek

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 7, 2006
Messages
6,260
Points
113
Location
NH
LCC traffic can be bad but get up the canyon early and have a leisurely breakfast and its all avoided. Go down before 3 or stay and have a leisurely beer or 5 to avoid afternoon shitshow.

Also I've got to imagine its kinda wet on the park city side right now. This latest system isn't really very nice at all. Supposed to get some cold snow Friday so hopefully that helps out. The base is fantastic right now.
 

snoseek

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 7, 2006
Messages
6,260
Points
113
Location
NH
This sounds like good advice. As an FYI, we are skiing Monday thru Thursday so I wonder if traffic will be manageable.
It looks pretty quiet for weather so traffic should be no big deal.
 

AdironRider

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 27, 2005
Messages
3,485
Points
63
If you like Alta, and don't mind a bit of a longer drive, I'd recommend making the trek up to Powder mountain. My experience is that it lives up to its name. Otherwise any of the Cottonwood ski areas are a good bet.

It is also flat and in no way like Alta.

Stick to Cottonwood, Snowbird is my personal fav. Park City gets crap snow.
 

jimk

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 1, 2012
Messages
1,790
Points
113
Location
Wash DC area
I got a last minute invite to tag along on a trip to Utah next week with a friend and his daughter. He made all the plans so I didn't have a lot of say, but curious to hear how people feel about the various resorts/mountains. We are staying in Park City and have lift tickets to ski there for two out of our four ski days. So I have two days open. My plan is Alta for sure...not sure about the open day. How do people feel about Snowbird, Solitude, Snow Basin, Brighton, etc.? Or is a second day at Alta the way to go?

Also, looking for fun, but reasonably priced dinner suggestions in Park City.

TIA.
I skied PC yesterday and Snowbird a couple days ago. PC lower mtn has quite a bit of hard pack compared to Bird, but still fine conditions. All Wasatch to get 1.5 to 3 feet of snow over next 2-3 days which should help all areas. It's a spring snow storm with daytime temps just below freezing. Town of PC might get some rain. SLC proper all rain. I'd enjoy your PC days and then take two days among the four of Alta, Bird, Soli, or Brighton. Here is forecast for 9000' in PC area:
https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-111.53861045837404&lat=40.61626975430542#.XIAVRrhOnIU
LCC and BCC will get quite a bit more snow than PC
 

thetrailboss

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
32,336
Points
113
Location
NEK by Birth
Agree that Snowbird has been slow opening up stuff this season. The real reason has to do with a shortage of staff.

Agree that traffic in LCC and even BCC has been terrible this season. Though typically it quiets down considerably after President's Week. The key term is "typically."
 
Top