If "the greatest snow on earth" isn't enough to get you to Utah then here are the top reasons why you need to ski there now.
1. Tons of Powder
Utah has the snow! Ski resorts Snowbird and Alta typically get over 500 in of snow annually, and this year - they are getting dumped on, storm after storm - 27 ft by February! Their patented “greatest snow on earth” couldn’t be truer this season – it's copious, light and dry, no heavy wet stuff here, and as a bonus – it's often bluebird when the sun shines on these high-elevation Rocky Mountains.
2. Convenience
Utah’s big ski resorts are easy to reach. From Salt Lake City, you are a just 40-minutes to Park City, Deer Valley, Snowbird and Alta, under an hour to Powder Mountain and Snowbasin. You can easily be skiing fresh snow by noon of your arrival day. In a week, you can ski eight major resorts, all with their unique character, an easy drive to each other.
3. Ski Little Cottonwood Canyon
Little Cottonwood Canyon is a must, skiing at the legendary 1938 Alta - first and foremost. Alta is loaded with snow, and with alpine accolades - a venerable skier’s only mountain, with a hearty wholesome ski crowd (no snowboarders ever), and a lot of steep and deep terrain. Heading out High Traverse, you can drop in No Name Chutes, the legendary High Rustler, dozens of precipitous powdery chutes, and big snowy bowls. Only thing Alta doesn’t have is many long intermediate groomers. Don’t miss lunch at mid-mountain Collins Grill, grab scenic table on the top floor. The Snowpine Lodge, a beautiful boutique hotel, offers a room with a view, steamy outdoor Jacuzzi and pool, and aprés ski fireside at Gulch’s Pub. Your boots will be toasty dry in your private locker – boot up in the lovely living room by the fire. Maybe you’ll get snowed-in at Snowpine if Little Cottonwood Canyon closes for too much snow!
4. Enjoy Steeps at Snowbird
Alta’s neighbor, is interconnected encompassing 4,700 ac. Ride the 'Bird’s amazing base to summit Tram, (2,900 in pure vert) to 11,000 in Hidden Peak and you have bounteous ski options in all directions. Snowbird is a snow cone for skiers and boarders. Charge out to The Cirque for a dramatic drop in under the Tram, or make Mineral Basin your first powder tracks when patrol drops rope to this vast snowy back bowl. Snowbird has so many steep gems and wide open powder fields. Sure there’s white carpet groomed runs too- like Chip’s 2.5 mile trail that winds its way to Snowbird Village. Have lunch at the spectacular glass Summit Lodge, enjoying the panoramic views as far as the Great Salt Lake. Stay at Cliff Lodge – all the rooms have views in this grand 10-story concrete and glass tower hotel originally built in 1971 to withstand avalanches. The rooftop Cliff Spa is a must for a scenic soak, maybe a massage. Après ski at Aerie on the top floor - the place to be for cocktails and dinner, often live entertainment, before you sleep, and repeat! Odds are good it will be another powder day tomorrow!
You can also lodge very affordable in Salt Lake City, we stayed at the Residence Inn by Marriott in suite lodging at the base of Big Cottonwood Canyon, 20-minutes to Solitude, Brighton, Snowbird and Alta.
5. Home to the Largest Ski Resort in the US
Utah’s largest lift-served ski resort – 7,300 ac spread across 17 peaks, since Vail Resorts merged Park City with Canyons. It’s huge, and it’s on the Epic Pass. You’ve got all this ski terrain, and a stylish western miners’ town below the slopes. You need a plan to conquer Park City’s 330 trails, but with 41 swift lifts- six packs, quads and gondis – there’s no wrong or right way. If you love wide open cruisers- Park City’s Motherlode, Silverlode and King Con lifts serve beautiful long Blues. Want it steep and deep? Head all the way out to McConkey’s and Jupiter! Lost? Take the Silver to Slopes two-hour ski tour, learn the PC mining history while getting a lay of the land. Take the Quicksilver gondola to Canyons side for great glades, steeps off 9990, long groomed cruisers and powder fields off Super Condor. Lunch at Lookout Cabin atop the Orange Bubble Express for views and yummy victuals, or The Farm at the base for local-inspired cuisine overlooking the slopes. Après ski, explore downtown Park City – Main Street has lively pubs, distilleries, local shops and people watching galore – many don’t ski which is totally PC with me.
6. Experience Luxury at Deer Valley
Deer Valley is another skiers’ only resort that sets a high standard for white carpet grooming, stellar lodges, smooth service, with some very worthy ski terrain amid its 2,026 ac. Bald, Flagtsaff and Empire all peak out over 9,000 ft with beautiful long groomers, some gorgeous aspen-tree stashes, and venerable steep cornices and chutes in Daly Bowl. Everything is posh at Deer Valley, especially the day lodges and the 4 and 5-star hotels like Stein Eriksen’s, Goldener Hirsch, Montage and St Regis – where aprés ski is Champagne Sabering by outdoor fire pits! Deer Valley limits ticket sales, so buy ahead, and don’t bring your snowboard – not allowed at this “ski” resort!
7. Explore Hidden Gems like Snowbasin
Utah treat, this stunning ski resort is just under an hour from Salt Lake and Park City, but it’s not on most skiers’ radar. With its impressive vertical, almost 3,000 ft on many runs like the 2002 OlympicWildflower and Grizzly downhill courses, Snowbasin is a fun playful mountain. Speedy gondolas flank Snowbasin’s east and western bowls – with well-pitched groomed runs and exciting double black diamond steeps peppered around the 9,000 ft peaks. Ride the summit Allen Peak Tram to the Downhill start huts, and ski non-stop to the base to gain serious respect for ski racers. Don’t miss the spectacular view of four states and the Great Salt Lake from atop Strawberry Gondi. Snowbasin’s day lodges are jaw-dropping too- Needles and Jean Paul Lodge up on mountain, and Earl’s at the base are all gorgeous with giant chandeliers, leather seating, huge stone fireplaces – you’ll be glad you stopped for lunch. Cinnabar at Earl’s is our fave for table service and a view in alpine elegance.
8. Stay at Chic Boutique Ski Hotels
Stay at Compass Rose Lodge while skiing Snowbasin and nearby Powder Mountain. This chic boutique ski hotel is new, beautifully decorated in vintage ski swag, with an alpine sophistication in each of 15 guest rooms, thanks to the friendly passionate owners – yes they ski. You can walk to aprés ski at Shooting Star Bar – the oldest continually operating bar in Utah. Have a burger and beer – that’s all they serve in this veritable 1879 ski museum.
9. Cat ski at Powder Mountain
Powder Mountain is just plain cool – this private ski area has tons of terrain – reached by lifts, snowcats, buses, backcountry guides – you name it. Powder’s 8,464 ac is unlike any other ski area, you’ve got lifts and trails, plus in-bounds cat skiing at $25 a ride, and unlimited opportunities to hike to wild untracked “powder”. The other unique aspect to Powder is it’s a playground for tech execs and start up successes who are building their ski utopia at the Summit Village of Powder. Modular alpine homes are popping across the peak slopes, but the ski area remains open to the public despite this private club community evolving. Powder caps its ski tickets at 1,500 a day, so it doesn’t see crowds. Powder is humble and happy from the rustic base and summit lodges to the pleasant peaceful terrain. You can park and ski from the top -Hidden Lake Lodge, or Timberline near the base. Check out the Powder Keg for lunch and order the noodle bowl. Boom - you’ll love skiing Powder!
10. Cat and Heli Ski with Whisper Ridge
Still have ski legs and a longing for more powder? Cat ski with Whisper Ridge – the newest cat and heli ski operation in Utah! Whisper Ridge operates daily cat and heli ski trips near Powder Mountain, an exhilarating add-on to your Utah ski itinerary. With a 70,000 acres tenure of private land for their cat and heli-skiing, you’re going to be skiing some fresh powder, snowfields, trees, and having a totally unique remote experience playing in Utah’s snowy mountain far from lifts and lodges with your guides and a posse of strangers who end up friends.
Go ski Utah now, there’s tons of snow, you can fly and ski the same day, and you have so many choice world-class ski resorts, lesser known snow havens, and convenient lodging within striking distance of the next great ski place to discover.