Alta, Snowbird, or Canyons?

[snoseek]

LCC no doubt. There's also Solitude/Brighton, those are fun areas.

Powmow is the place to go if there's recent snow, When the sun bakes it or there's any kind of inversion avoid it.

 

[abc]

I skied Snowbird and canyons a few weeks ago (as well as PCMR and Powder Mtn).

I personally hated Snowbird, and have no real desire to go back. We skied tons of soft, DEEP snow the day before at Powder Mtn(and 2 days before at Canyons) but The Bird was hard pack and crappy snow.
...
The day at Canyons was one of the best ski days of my life, and I love that place. Powder Mtn is also AWESOME, and much cheaper than most places out there.

That's totally illogical conclusion. You skied 3 mountains on 3 different days. Clearly, the snow deteriorated since the last storm! Had you ski Snorbird first, and Canyons the last, you quite likely would have reached the opposite conclusion!

Could not see anything from the flat light and openness. I personally do not love open skiing, as I like having depth perception and objects around me.

That's exactly what makes Snowbird GREAT when the sun comes out!!! You can see far far away, not just the next tree! (if visibility is an issue, do Alta!)

I have been told that I am crzy for not liking Snowbird, but on of the guys I was with has been there a few times, and every time he has experienced the crappy conditions we had, as well as other friends who have been there.

"A few times" isn't so unusual to have the bad luck to hit bad condition every time.

You don't have to like Snowbird. But you don't seem to have any understand of what makes good snow condition nor what terrain is more enjoyable in a given weather condition. So you may like or dislike a place entirely random: based only on whether you got lucky the last time you were there. But the next time you go, you may not get the same luck.

I skied the Canyons the most because my buddy is a passholder there. Even my buddy admitted Snowbird is glorious when the condition is right! Granted, there's a lot more competition at Snowbird so if you're not on the first chair, you lose. Waiting for 3 days after a storm? Forget about it! If I arrive the day after a storm, I would do Snowbird first, Canyon second and PowMow on day 3. Have the cake and eat it too!

 

[Scruffy]

If you're a skier you gotta go to Alta, it's our church There's some seriously good stuff there if you know where to go, and the hikes are not bad.

 

[Hawkshot99]

That's totally illogical conclusion. You skied 3 mountains on 3 different days. Clearly, the snow deteriorated since the last storm! Had you ski Snorbird first, and Canyons the last, you quite likely would have reached the opposite conclusion!

Is it? skiing deep untracked snow for 2 days, then going to a firm packed mtn on day 3, but then magically on day 4 we are able to find good snow again when it still hadn't snowed? There is so many more people at Snowbird that what they have gets beaten much more than the other mtns, you said it yourself that you need to be on first chair there to "get the goods".

That's exactly what makes Snowbird GREAT when the sun comes out!!! You can see far far away, not just the next tree! (if visibility is an issue, do Alta!)

This is entirely personal preference. I said that "I do not like open area skiing".

"A few times" isn't so unusual to have the bad luck to hit bad condition every time.

So how many bad days must a person endure there to finally get a good day? I have only been once, one of the guys I was with, that was his 3rd day there, and a friend back home has been there twice. Every day that each of us has been there, were super flat light, cant see anything, firm cat track days. I can see the potential that the mtn has as I ride around there, but was not able to safely access any of it, or see others doing so because of poor conditions.

You don't have to like Snowbird. But you don't seem to have any understand of what makes good snow condition nor what terrain is more enjoyable in a given weather condition. So you may like or dislike a place entirely random: based only on whether you got lucky the last time you were there. But the next time you go, you may not get the same luck.

Your right I have no idea of what makes good snow conditions....I have barely ever skied in my life, and have no idea of what fun I have had at other mtns when they were great...
I dont really care where skiNEwhere goes, Im sure he can have a great day anywhere. I was giving my thoughts on his trip based on MY experience. If I only have 1 day to ski, I want it to be the best day possible. Not wasted thinking how awesome it could be if conditions were better, when I could have had a better time elsewhere.

Have a good time skiNEwhere.

 

[abc]

Is it? skiing deep untracked snow for 2 days, then going to a firm packed mtn on day 3, but then magically on day 4 we are able to find good snow again when it still hadn't snowed?

And what was that "magic" mountain you found good snow 4 day after the storm? Some mountains in the Salt Lake area are welll known to have low skier traffic and fresh snow days after storm. Powder Mountain being one of such. Snowbasin another. Canyon? Not so much (unless someone shows you around to the less traveled area).

There is so many more people at Snowbird that what they have gets beaten much more than the other mtns, you said it yourself that you need to be on first chair there to "get the goods".

That is different than saying Snowbird always has bad condition, as you implied.

When I said "you need to be on first chair there to get the goods", I'm talking about western POWDER, which is WHY we spend the extra to fly out west. The "bad" condition you described are still way better condition than what people typically get in the northeast.

This is entirely personal preference. I said that "I do not like open area skiing".

So how many bad days must a person endure there to finally get a good day? I have only been once, one of the guys I was with, that was his 3rd day there, and a friend back home has been there twice. Every day that each of us has been there, were super flat light, cant see anything, firm cat track days. I can see the potential that the mtn has as I ride around there, but was not able to safely access any of it, or see others doing so because of poor conditions.

Of the many times I've been to Snowbird (probably 8-10 days), I've NEVER had to suffer a day of whiteout!

I've been to other western mountain and witness whiteout conditions. So I can understand how it would be like in Snowbird IF you hit it on the wrong day.

There're many mountain in the Salt Lake area that has lower skier traffic and hence better condition IF there's no new snow. But you know what? The reason Snowbird has much higher skier traffic is BECAUSE IT HAS TERRIFIC TERRAIN!!! And excellent snow record too! Even if YOU or your buddy had such bad luck.

I was giving my thoughts on his trip based on MY experience. If I only have 1 day to ski, I want it to be the best day possible. Not wasted thinking how awesome it could be if conditions were better, when I could have had a better time elsewhere.

But that's exactly my point, Snowbird more often has GREAT condition than not!

Canyons don't have nearly as good a snow record. And given his time frame of mid-to-late April, Snowbird has a much better potential than Canyons.

More over, the open bowl, which you find so difficult in flat light, is in fact the advantage of snowbird in a more typical good lighting day: it's pretty obvious where to go! For the OP, who plan to only ski one single day, that's a big plus not wasting his time wandering aimlessly all over the place (like in the Canyons)

While I totally disagree with you characterization of Snowbird based on your (and your buddies) limited experience, you're right to inject some reality into western skiing. That it's not always sunshine and fresh powder everyday. It can have poor condition some of the time too. So the OP need to watch the weather just as he does skiing anywhere.

I personally don't think one day of skiing is worth a long detour, especially to an area one is not familiar with. And I said as much in my first reply. But depending on the weather, he may luck out with a fantastic late season dump!

 

[crank]

Alta > snowbird.

 

[skiNEwhere]

I think any destination resort can still get bad reviews. Just go to yelp and even if it averages 4 stars like snowbird, there are always people that had a bad experience. http://m.yelp.com/biz/snowbird-ski-and-summer-resort-salt-lake-city-3

Case and point beaver creek. I went there last season and the "snow" was straight up ice. Not the kind of ice you expect on the birds of prey GS course that you actually need race skis with sharp edges for, but the blue ice that can be infamous on the EC. The trail report way way off, the staff was rude as well, and it sucked so much that I called Vail resorts and complained (which coincidentally is the reason I got the free voucher I'm giving abc) I went back again this season and had an amazing time. I haven't been to snowbird but im saying give it another chance and if you don't like it and tell the management they may even try to remedy the situation.

Anyways, I digress. I didn't think folks would recommend the canyons first but I threw it out there in case I was wrong. I'm a little surprised with the answers though. Going strictly off of hype I thought alta was actually the tougher Mtn. But it seems like the stuff that is tougher has to be found and earned (ie lots of boot packing), maybe that yields a better return? I don't know.

Without the detour the trip is 10.5 hr's. With it the trip is 14. I don't think that's too bad considering I've been told I'm obsessed with skiing (like that's a bad thing or something).

I may try to get two days out of this return trip (so April 8-9), but that depends if I can get Wednesday off of work as well. If I do I will do one day at alta, and one at snowbird.

Thank you to everyone for your input, your suggestions have been very helpful!