Best Utah Ski Area in Windy Weather

[cannonist]

Hey guys,

I am out in Utah this week and we are supposed to get 6-10in for monday. The only problem is that the forecast calls for a steady 25 mph wind. Should I be worried about lift closures? Is there a certain resort that has less exposure to wind/is less likely to close their lifts. I don't want anything holding me back from getting to the new snow!

Any input would be great!


Thanks

 

[Cannonball]

Try asking the locals all around you. Just a thought.

 

[NHDad]

Ask locals, good advice. Park City posts a lot of wind holds following their Twitter. Had it happen 2 years ago when I was out there.

 

[thetrailboss]

Avalanche may be more of an issue for you.

Good bets are Brighton or Alta. The latter might have a road closure due to avalanche control work though. Feel free to PM me for more information.

 

[BenedictGomez]

the forecast calls for a steady 25 mph wind. Should I be worried about lift closures?

Are they still saying that?

Here's 10am on the GFS, definitely breezy, but it doesnt really seem all that bad.

 

[4aprice]

See this:

Snake Creek Chair at Brighton. This pod has several eastern style trails, thin in width, and protected by trees. As you look at the picture, look at the trees to the left of the lift up by the summit, it's an area called Hard Coin and it skis just great. Visabilty and wind can be brutal out in the open areas. Great Western is prone to wind closures but depending on the direction the wind is coming from Millicent lift can be protected and there are great tree runs over in the Evergreen area. JMO.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[Zermatt]

Lived there for four years and I never remember wind holds being an issue. Seems like Park City would be very sheltered and even exposed places like Alta and Snowbird would just have issue on the highest lifts, still plenty of other terrain.

I would never ski at Brighton, sorry.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I would never ski at Brighton, sorry.

Why's that?

 

[Zermatt]

Why's that?

you know what they say about first impressions.

I had a college mid-week pass there many years ago. First day skiing there I came out of the base lodge bathroom to some commotion and some punk running across the parking lot with another person's snowboard. I think he got tackled by a cop in the parking lot, but even so.

Tried skiing there a few more days and never really latched on. Spent the rest of my college career at Snowbird, chairs only pass. I'm a big fan of Park City as well, and never really fell in love with Alta either. Never liked the layout and slow lifts.

 

[The Sneak]

See this:

Snake Creek Chair at Brighton. This pod has several eastern style trails, thin in width, and protected by trees. As you look at the picture, look at the trees to the left of the lift up by the summit, it's an area called Hard Coin and it skis just great. Visabilty and wind can be brutal out in the open areas. Great Western is prone to wind closures but depending on the direction the wind is coming from Millicent lift can be protected and there are great tree runs over in the Evergreen area. JMO.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

This is excellent advice and I love the Snake Creek chair / terrain.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BenedictGomez]

you know what they say about first impressions.

I had a college mid-week pass there many years ago. First day skiing there I came out of the base lodge bathroom to some commotion and some punk running across the parking lot with another person's snowboard. I think he got tackled by a cop in the parking lot, but even so.

So you saw someone get caught by police trying to steal a snowboard, and because of that you'd never ski there ever again.

Seems odd.

Following that logic I'd never be able to ski Jay Peak or Shawnee.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

See this:

Snake Creek Chair at Brighton. This pod has several eastern style trails, thin in width, and protected by trees. As you look at the picture, look at the trees to the left of the lift up by the summit, it's an area called Hard Coin and it skis just great. Visabilty and wind can be brutal out in the open areas. Great Western is prone to wind closures but depending on the direction the wind is coming from Millicent lift can be protected and there are great tree runs over in the Evergreen area. JMO.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

caveat of those trees at brighton - hellishly flat/uphill runout section that totally sucks.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

you know what they say about first impressions.

I had a college mid-week pass there many years ago. First day skiing there I came out of the base lodge bathroom to some commotion and some punk running across the parking lot with another person's snowboard. I think he got tackled by a cop in the parking lot, but even so.

Tried skiing there a few more days and never really latched on. Spent the rest of my college career at Snowbird, chairs only pass. I'm a big fan of Park City as well, and never really fell in love with Alta either. Never liked the layout and slow lifts.

you've pretty much just proven that no one should take your advice. loves park city, hates alta, refuses to ski at brighton. lolok.

 

[da pimp]

Solitude had high winds up to 55mph last Sunday, we only felt it on one ridgeline because it was exposed a bit. All chairs ran WITHOUT EVER STOPPING, something which Killington for example will never experience. K chair reliabilities simply stink no matter what weather.

Also try somewhere like Snowbird, which has a lot of chairs that face different directions. Only the top exposed chairs like Mineral, Little Cloud, Baldy might get whipped. But on a powder day there will be some lines for whatever chairs do run.

Powder Mtn. has the best conditions during or after a storm because not enough people go there, but their two bext access chairs have a decent open exposure at the top, plus some mid-line open areas that will wind-cut any warmth right out of you.

 

[thetrailboss]

you know what they say about first impressions.

I had a college mid-week pass there many years ago. First day skiing there I came out of the base lodge bathroom to some commotion and some punk running across the parking lot with another person's snowboard. I think he got tackled by a cop in the parking lot, but even so.

Tried skiing there a few more days and never really latched on. Spent the rest of my college career at Snowbird, chairs only pass. I'm a big fan of Park City as well, and never really fell in love with Alta either. Never liked the layout and slow lifts.

Sounds like it might have been a while since you have been to Alta. They have several high speed lifts--Collins and Sugarloaf are HSQs. Supreme is a carpet-load triple. Sunnyside is a high speed triple. I would not say that they have slow lifts.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Continuing my SOTC wizardry, just scored 2 tix to Alta for $60 each. Not as good as I'd like, but as a non-local you do what you can.

 

[thetrailboss]

Continuing my SOTC wizardry, just scored 2 tix to Alta for $60 each. Not as good as I'd like, but as a non-local you do what you can.

Not bad.

 

[4aprice]

Continuing my SOTC wizardry, just scored 2 tix to Alta for $60 each. Not as good as I'd like, but as a non-local you do what you can.

Not bad.

Alta certainly is not the bargin it used to be. For the longest time it was $25 dollars/day and you could ski Sunnyside for free the last hour of the day. Not anymore.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[thetrailboss]

Alta certainly is not the bargin it used to be. For the longest time it was $25 dollars/day and you could ski Sunnyside for free the last hour of the day. Not anymore.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

Sunnyside is like $10 IIRC now after 3pm. It is free if you buy the Alta Card. So it is still a good price. Regular day tickets are $89 I think, which I call average considering that Snowbird is $98 and the PC resorts are over $100.

 

[jaybird]

So you saw someone get caught by police trying to steal a snowboard, and because of that you'd never ski there ever again.

Seems odd.

Following that logic I'd never be able to ski Jay Peak or Shawnee.

Even if they had snow, Gomes can't ski Jay.
Canadians would thrash her into submission.

No history on Shawnee, must be flat with green dots.