Utah Trip, looking for advise.

[andyzee]

Seems like its a no-brainer. Staying in Sandy will save a sh!tload of money!

Have a good trip. I'll try to leave a few stashes for you :lol:

Please do, leave stashes. Yeah, that is a big saving, the only concern is if the roads close due to heavy snow. But with these savings, I think I'll take my chances. Money saved could be used for another trip Hope you have a great time!!

 

[catskills]

Even cheaper

Days Inn at Midvale is $140 per night for two people including 2 lift tickets each day and bus transportation to Alta and Snowbird (including TRAM). For example, five nights and five days of skiing would be total $700 for two people. No indoor swimming pool but the price is right and the location to TRAX for downtown Salt Lake city is great for night life. The TRAX public transportation trains are extremely clean. The bus station to Alta and Snowbird is a five minute walk on the other side of the tracks. The bus route starts here so your the first on the bus and guarantee to get a bus seat on the way to Alta and Snowbird.

 

[schifty]

i'm going next week and again in Feb. use canyon transportation forget car rental. try the Peruvian lodge dorm rooms avaible 3 great meals outdoor pool and hot tub.

 

[andyzee]

Hey everyone, Thanks for all the great tips!!!!!

 

[Powdr]

....Personally, I wouldn't bother with The Canyons--just stick to Alta and the Bird, maybe Solitude if you even want to bother leaving LCC...

Yeah, don't go anywhere else in Utah. Totally sucks and not worth your time:

Oh, yeah....while you're waiting in the car line at the base of LCC/BCC, I'll be making turns in untracked. Then, when you get to the LCC/BCC resorts to get your one run before it's completely tracked out, I'll have made multiple runs, figure eighting my own tracks. But that's your choice.

Powdr

 

[andyzee]

....Personally, I wouldn't bother with The Canyons--just stick to Alta and the Bird, maybe Solitude if you even want to bother leaving LCC...

Yeah, don't go anywhere else in Utah. Totally sucks and not worth your time:


Oh, yeah....while you're waiting in the car line at the base of LCC/BCC, I'll be making turns in untracked. Then, when you get to the LCC/BCC resorts to get your one run before it's completely tracked out, I'll have made multiple runs, figure eighting my own tracks. But that's your choice.

Powdr

OK, so where are those shots from?

 

[Powdr]

...OK, so where are those shots from?

1st one from PCMR, second one from Pinecone Ridge (Hike-to In Bounds terrain between PCMR & The Canyons)

Powdr

 

[andyzee]

...OK, so where are those shots from?

1st one from PCMR, second one from Pinecone Ridge (Hike-to In Bounds terrain between PCMR & The Canyons)

Powdr

Looks sweet!

 

[kingslug]

if you can afford it, don't stay in SLC. you'll be glad you're sleeping in the canyon when its dumping outside, interlodge is lifted and the road is still closed. but seriously, even if that doesn't happen the schlep from SLC everyday gets tiring.

The only area worth visiting aside from big and little cottonwood canyons is snowbasin. but its a good trip from almost anywhere.

edit- forgot about powder mt. i've never been, but i'm intrigued.

Powder Mountain is great. The name says it all. 3000 acres, NO crowds. The lifts are slow but worth it. The paradise chair leads to some steep long runs. Cheapest lift tickets and food too. They even have lift served back country, shuttle bus back up though. Plus heli skiing and for seven bucks a run they will drag you up to some incredible powder areas. Don't pass this place up.

 

[ski the trees]

just got back from a few days at snowbird and would have to agree that staying slopeside is your best option if you can afford it. snowed 2ft the second day we were there and they close the road while getting all the avi prevent stuff done. I gotta believe getting trapped off the mountain when it's dumping is a bad feeling...

 

[ckofer]

Re: Utah

Would agree with BnB on staying away from The Canyons. We were out there last week and stayed at The Canyons but did not ski there even though we had a ski in ski out place. A few skied there, not me, and I did not hear any feedback that would make me go. The rest of us traveled to Alta/Snowbird and Solitude and were very glad we did. Liked Solitude lots....found fresh pow all day

Here is some footage from trip

http://www.cnybs.com/Utah

The Canyons are like the west's version of Sunday River.

Last year we found a few good deals:

a) We got into SLC early enough to get on the mountains. All we had to do was show our boarding pass at Park City and the pass for that same day was free. I think that The Canyons and Deer Valley honor this too.

b) For some reason, when I bought my ticket for Snowbird, the kids skied free or very cheap. I didn't bother with tram pass which also saved quite a bit.

c) You can stay in Park City reasonably and still go over to the other canyons; it's a little driving but not too bad. If it's snowing really hard, be sure you rented the right car to get into them.

d) You can stay in the city but I have found that to be not he greatest choice. It is, after all, a city.

 

[kingslug]

just got back from a few days at snowbird and would have to agree that staying slopeside is your best option if you can afford it. snowed 2ft the second day we were there and they close the road while getting all the avi prevent stuff done. I gotta believe getting trapped off the mountain when it's dumping is a bad feeling...

Almost everytime I've been to Alta the road has closed due to some kind of avy event. But that was after a great day. We got stuck for 3 hours waiting for a bus that never came. Hopped in the back of a pickup for an hour, then got on a bus. Too bad they didn't tell us they had switched the numbers. Ended up on the wrong side of town. The driver got permission to bring us back to our place. He had been driving for 14 hours. Imagine having that happen in NY. Never had a bad day in Utah yet.
P.S. What's wrong with the Canyons. Never had a bad time there. Lots of terrain to cover.

 

[tirolerpeter]

Utah

just got back from a few days at snowbird and would have to agree that staying slopeside is your best option if you can afford it. snowed 2ft the second day we were there and they close the road while getting all the avi prevent stuff done. I gotta believe getting trapped off the mountain when it's dumping is a bad feeling...

Almost everytime I've been to Alta the road has closed due to some kind of avy event. But that was after a great day. We got stuck for 3 hours waiting for a bus that never came. Hopped in the back of a pickup for an hour, then got on a bus. Too bad they didn't tell us they had switched the numbers. Ended up on the wrong side of town. The driver got permission to bring us back to our place. He had been driving for 14 hours. Imagine having that happen in NY. Never had a bad day in Utah yet.
P.S. What's wrong with the Canyons. Never had a bad time there. Lots of terrain to cover.

Sounds like you have had some bad luck. I have been out there skiing 5 times. The last time was two weeks ago and you couldn't tell from the roads that they had had 11" overnight. The year before, we were there the second week of December. It started snowing as we began our first day at Alta. Despite continuous snow for 36 hours that totaled 49" we had no trouble driving back down the mountain, and back up again the next morning to ski Snowbird.

As for The Canyons, we had a nice day there the day after an 8" snowfall. They had not groomed, and it was a lot of fun. Lots of people were bitching about the lack of grooming. On another occasion we found it a bit of a hassle to get from one area of the mountain to another. The trail layout creates some excessive traversing to get around in my opinion. The area is also not really "day-tripper" friendly, and getting back to your car is a major undertaking. As pretty as the Aspens are, I'm done with The Canyons.

 

[kingslug]

Did you take that bucket that the Canyons has to get you back to the parking lot. It is a weird setup. Putting you're stuff on in a parking lot is a pain. But when I'm in Utah all is good, even the road closings to little cot can. Last year April 20, 3 feet of pow over night. Face shots in April, sick.

 

[tirolerpeter]

Utah

Did you take that bucket that the Canyons has to get you back to the parking lot. It is a weird setup. Putting you're stuff on in a parking lot is a pain. But when I'm in Utah all is good, even the road closings to little cot can. Last year April 20, 3 feet of pow over night. Face shots in April, sick.

The "bucket" is called the "Cabriolet." They have the same set-up coming up from the parking lot at Mt. Tremblant up in Canada. They also have one in NJ at (I'm drawing a blank here, it used to be called Great Gorge). It doesn't cost anything, but after you get off, you still have a long walk and stairs before you get to the lifts. Sucks.

 

[ssusca]

Wow. that sounds like a pain in the a$$. Looks like it'll be the Bird and Alta for me.

Is there any reason why I would want to but the Alta/Snowbird pass. Or should I just ski Alta one day nad Snowbird the next?

Tirolerpeter, Thanks for the info. Just booked the Best Western in Sandy. Got the Slalom package. $100 pp/pd including lift tickets and car really can't be beat!

 

[woostahDave]

other than for the novelty, there is no reason to ski alta and snowbird on the same day.

 

[kingslug]

Re: Utah

Did you take that bucket that the Canyons has to get you back to the parking lot. It is a weird setup. Putting you're stuff on in a parking lot is a pain. But when I'm in Utah all is good, even the road closings to little cot can. Last year April 20, 3 feet of pow over night. Face shots in April, sick.

The "bucket" is called the "Cabriolet." They have the same set-up coming up from the parking lot at Mt. Tremblant up in Canada. They also have one in NJ at (I'm drawing a blank here, it used to be called Great Gorge). It doesn't cost anything, but after you get off, you still have a long walk and stairs before you get to the lifts. Sucks.

That would be Mountain Creek. The one in Tremblant was interesting. Too bad the first day there was pure sheet ice. It did soften up the next few days. Hope Hunter is good tommorrow.

 

[tirolerpeter]

Utah Trip

Wow. that sounds like a pain in the a$$. Looks like it'll be the Bird and Alta for me.

Is there any reason why I would want to but the Alta/Snowbird pass. Or should I just ski Alta one day nad Snowbird the next?

Tirolerpeter, Thanks for the info. Just booked the Best Western in Sandy. Got the Slalom package. $100 pp/pd including lift tickets and car really can't be beat!

Glad I could be of assistance. How many days will you be there? There is no reason to ski Alta and Snowbird on the same day if you are there for a few days. Since you have a car, I hope you take the time to get up to Snowbasin. Write me and I will give you the directions (not that it is complicated). It is a one hour drive from the BW Sandy. You will be in northbound morning commuter traffic for about 12-15 miles but you can use the HOV lane which moves very well. After the center of SLC, you will have clear sailing. Also, I recommend "Buca Di Beppo" (Italian) and "The Blue Iguana" (Mexican) for a couple of good dinners. Google the restaurants, and Mapquest the route from the hotel. I am sure you will enjoy them.

 

[ssusca]

I'll have to try those restaurants. I love Mexican and Italian. Are they in SLC or in Sandy?

We'll try to get to Snowbasin, but I don't know how possible that will as we will only be there for three days, and Alta and Snowbird are tops on the list. However now that I know how inexpensive it can be to ski Utah, I'm sure I'll be back. Maybe even this year!