TR - Snowbird, Alta, Snowbasin 6-8-07 - 6-9-07

[DJC]

What an amazing year. To ski/ride in June at all is incredible, to find powder, albeit wet powder, is ridiculous.

I headed to Utah for the weekend. Plan was to hit up Snowbird on Saturday and then hike at Snowbasin on Sunday. I ended up only having a couple runs at Snowbird but they were all amazing. I did have to work for them though. The only lifts running are the tram, mineral basin, and little cloud. It snowed quite a bit last week (about 10 inches total) and all other areas of the resort were open but considered backcountry. I came prepared with avi gear and was ready to earn some June powder.

My first stop was the skier's left traverse off of Little Cloud:

Then I hiked up to the top of Mid Gad:

The top 1/3 of the Mid Gad area was terrific. The area has been closed for weeks so the base was smooth. There was about six inches of wet powder on top - it was really nice. As I got lower the snow turned very heavy.

Next I decided to hike Baldy with no real idea of what I'd do when I got to the top. View from the top of Baldy.

The ride back into Snowbird looked good but I had the itch to drop into Alta...so I did.

And it was good.

Another view, down lower.

The entire ride down to the base was great. Super smooth cream cheese, not too wet. It rode pretty fast actually. There were TONS of hikers at Alta...the parking lot had more cars then Snowbird!

Alta base.

Snowbasin up next...

 

[deadheadskier]

Man, that isn't fair

 

[Moe Ghoul]

Wow, good for you, makin turns in June, you rule. Are there any sherpas out there that'll carry me and the equipment to the top? I'd be there in a heartbeat.

 

[DJC]

Wow, good for you, makin turns in June, you rule. Are there any sherpas out there that'll carry me and the equipment to the top? I'd be there in a heartbeat.

You could probably find enough broke ski bums at this point in the season to carry you...:smile:

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Serious Stoke!!!!...JEA!!!!! You must be in great shape to do all that high elevation hiking with flatlander lungs.

 

[DJC]

Yesterday I decided to get an early start and attempt to hike to the top of Mount Ogden, which is the peak at the top of Snowbasin. I figured it would be about a four hour climb and because it was so unseasonably cold this weekend (below freezing at night, about 50 during the day) I figured a 7AM start would be okay. I ended up being wrong about that, more on that later.

The base at Snowbasin (about 2000 feet lower then Alta):

The goal was to reach the top of the couloir to looker's right of the Mt. Ogden peak:

I hiked on foot for about 1000 feet and then strapped into the splitboard. Covered about another 1000 feet via skinning. Mid-mountain:

The elevation difference between Snowbasin and Snowbird was very apparent. Even though it had been cold the night before, the June sun and relative low elevation was quickly taking it's toll. The snow was very wet and it was difficult to gain purchase. I switched to crampons and continued climbing. Getting closer:

Eventually I made it to the apron. The rock wall was imposing:

At this point I was tired and the snow was pretty bad. I was nervous about trying to climb to the top and admittedly having second thoughts. I was alone and not feeling very strong. I'm not very experienced climbing with crampons and this was the wrong snow to mess around with. I called it quits at the top of the apron. View from the top (well, my top anyway):

I strapped on and made my descent. Turning thru the rocks was fun:

The snow quality down lower was pretty bad, I basically just straightlined it thru the mank to the end of the snow line and then hiked on foot back to the base. All in all a great workout with a few good turns (what turns in June aren't good?). Very dissapointed that I could not make it to the top but I will try again next year!

 

[DJC]

Serious Stoke!!!!...JEA!!!!! You must be in great shape to do all that high elevation hiking with flatlander lungs.

Its weird...I lived out there for a month or so and acclimated after about 10 days. I've been fortunate to return about twice a month all spring and haven't really lost my lungs. I expect that a summer off will change that though...

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Its weird...I lived out there for a month or so and acclimated after about 10 days. I've been fortunate to return about twice a month all spring and haven't really lost my lungs. I expect that a summer off will change that though...

Sweet..I wish I could afford a ski trip to Utah twice a month...

 

[DJC]

Sweet..I wish I could afford a ski trip to Utah twice a month...

I never could before, I'm just very fortunate at this point in my life. I don't take it for granted.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I never could before, I'm just very fortunate at this point in my life. I don't take it for granted.

Awesome...what airport and what airline do you use for weekend Utah trips..

 

[DJC]

Awesome...what airport and what airline do you use for weekend Utah trips..

Delta has direct flights from both JFK and Newark leaving around 5PM and 7PM on Friday and returning at 5PM MST on Sunday. So basically, if I get on a 5PM flight I am in Utah a little after 8PM MST, hour drive to the condo, asleep by 11. Ski all day Saturday and Sunday till about 2, home and in bed by a little after midnight sunday night. Not entirely different then driving 5+ hours to vermont from NYC for weekend ski trips. Admittedly it is more expensive to fly but living in NYC I don't own a car...so it starts to even out...

 

[MichaelJ]

*drool*

Alta and Snowbird were my first "big mountain out west" experience this past winter. Sigh. I don't miss hiking in the snow but I wouldn't mind still making turns!

 

[Trekchick]

*drool*

Alta and Snowbird were my first "big mountain out west" experience this past winter. Sigh. I don't miss hiking in the snow but I wouldn't mind still making turns!

is right!
I haven't been to Utah to ski YET, but I'm definitely puting it in my plans!

 

[drjeff]

is right!
I haven't been to Utah to ski YET, but I'm definitely puting it in my plans!

Trek, if Colorado was pretty good for your snowgasms, Utah might render you unable to walk for a week or too after Yes, Utah is that good!

 

[Trekchick]

Trek, if Colorado was pretty good for your snowgasms, Utah might render you unable to walk for a week or too after Yes, Utah is that good!

What you're saying is that Colorado is just foreplay?

 

[drjeff]

What you're saying is that Colorado is just foreplay?

Most definately! Think of it this way, mother nature drops the good stuff on Utah before she gives Colorado the "sloppy seconds"

 

[tirolerpeter]

Utah Snow?

What you're saying is that Colorado is just foreplay?

Hey Trekchick,

Go here: http://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards/viewforum.php?f=3&topicdays=0&start=0

Read your way down to at least page 7 or 8. Save time and read the postings by "Admin." He posts great TR's and often includes videos of the "crew" from most weekend trips. This should give you a pretty good idea of the kind of skiing we experienced in UT this past winter. I moved out here in March of 07 and managed to get in 65 days this past season despite several week-long trips to NY, CA, NC, and TX. I now live 16 miles from Alta and Snowbird, and look forward to skiing again in less than 4 months. There is no doubt that CO has great skiing and I have enjoyed skiing there several times. However, for snow quality, terrain variety, trip costs, and just plain convenient access, UT is hard to beat.