Utah Advice on Wed - Fri in Salt Lake City (Early March)

[Lofcaudio]

Red Iguana for lunch in SLC.

Squatters for a Polygamy Porter -you can’t have just one.

Absolutely LOVE both of these places! I have yet to have a Squatters beer that I didn't like...

 

[Crank]

I must have hit the road early? I remember a couple of minutes traffic right near the access road but nothing like what MD & co. hit?

Either way it looks like I had a good time! Thanks Jim for the memories!

Yeah @mdf , the drive up from SLC on first day of 2018 Gathering at Snowbasin was pretty intense.

@Crank has selective memory. He forgets the bad and only remembers the good:

 

[ADKmel]

Red Iguana for lunch in SLC.

Squatters for a Polygamy Porter -you can’t have just one.

2 of my most favorite things

 

[Ken in LA]

My initial plan was maybe Snowbasin on Wednesday to avoid epic crowds, Alta on Thursday, and Solitude on Friday. But I wasn't sure if Solitude would feel like a downgrade after Alta the day before?

This is an excellent selection of resorts, however, to mitigate the feeling of “downgrade,“ you might consider visiting Solitude your first day and the larger resorts on subsequent days.

Solitude: The comments in the steep groomer thread have my interest. I've also read that it skis like a private mountain mid-week. Is that still the case with Solitude being unlimited on the Ikon pass?

I visited Solitude for the first time last year on my Ikon pass and can attest to the lack mid-week crowds (attached photos).

 

[Pdub]

Solitude Day 1
Alta day 2
Repeat your favorite day 3

Snowbasin is not worth the long drive.
Deer Valley is definitely not worth the drive
Solitude has a funky, chopped up lift system but the terrain sounds perfect for your group. And it will be empty on a weekday.
Brighton skis awfully short and always leaves me wanting more vertical. The terrain is very benchy rather than consistently pitched.
Snowbird has less blue terrain for your group, lacks the charm of Alta, and will likely have more crowds.

 

[Lofcaudio]

Snowbasin is not worth the long drive.

I've seen a number of people say this, but I absolutely disagree...unless you are staying right in the canyons. On a powder day, the drive to Snowbasin will be much easier than what you might experience driving up to Alta and Snowbird. If you are staying in downtown SLC, the drives to the BCC and LCC are only a tiny bit shorter than the drive to Snowbasin.

Snowbasin has some very special terrain that is not going to be replicated at Alta/Bird, and is always less crowded. For someone wanting to sample what Utah has to offer, Snowbasin should be visited. Yes, the drive will take an hour from the southern suburbs (less from downtown) but is definitely worth it in my opinion. I absolutely LOVE Alta and Snowbird, but consider Snowbasin to be the second best ski area in North America (only behind Whistler/Blackcomb).

 

[TonyPlush]

I've seen a number of people say this, but I absolutely disagree...unless you are staying right in the canyons. On a powder day, the drive to Snowbasin will be much easier than what you might experience driving up to Alta and Snowbird. If you are staying in downtown SLC, the drives to the BCC and LCC are only a tiny bit shorter than the drive to Snowbasin.

Interesting point about the drive times. From where we're staying, the ski bus to Alta is 40 minutes, and the drive to Snowbasin is 1 hour. So, pretty close overall.

Alta gets a big advantage if we drive, but after experiencing a LCC shuttle last year during a snow... I'm not sure I even want to bother with driving up the Canyon myself.

 

[TonyPlush]

Bit of an update...

What's everyone's thoughts on this schedule?

• Wednesday: SolBright combined ticket
• Thursday: Snowbasin
• Friday: Alta

We've got some in our group flying in late Tuesday night, and they'll need to pickup their rentals Wednesday morning. From our condo in Cottonwood Heights, it looks like their best rental option may be The Lifthouse, which is located at the base of BCC right next to the BCC Park and Ride. They could pick up their rentals when the shop opens at 8:00 AM, and we could hopefully still make first tracks at Brighton or Solitude, either with the shuttle or in the car (assuming conditions are okay).

Other thoughts:

• We're really interested in Solitude's steep groomers and Brighton's famous trees, and we're having a tough time deciding between the two. So the SolBright combined ticket seems to make sense.
• Snowbasin on Thursday hopefully avoids the Epic crowds.
• Then Friday when we're tired of shuffling around, we just take the short shuttle to Alta. (Shuttle is walking distance from our condo)

Does this sound like an okay plan for a group who likes exploring new terrain until we find something we love to lap?

My main concern is whether the SolBright ticket is overkill. We've been known to cover 30-40k vertical in a day, so we can usually cover quite a bit of terrain, assuming there's no lift lines.

EDIT - Ended up getting the Ski City Super Pass, so Snowbasin is out. See full update on Post #31.

 

[Lofcaudio]

Sounds like a great plan to me...Solitude's steep groomers can be done in a few hours, leaving you plenty of time to explore the trees of Brighton. I think for a group that likes to explore new terrain, SolBright is a great option. However, no guarantee that the connecting run will be open (meaning you will have to ride a bus from one base to the other). Snowbasin on a Thursday should be fantastic. I am eager to hear how it goes.

 

[tch]

I agree with Lofcaudio, though if SolBright ticket is a LOT more, I'd choose Brighton. As others have said, Solitude is nice, but skis very choppily. I don't think any lift is more than, say, 900-1,000 vertical. If I'm skiing groomers there, I always end up doing lots of short runs. I go there b/c it is quiet, but I never really fall in love with the place.

OTOH, I've come to really like Brighton: there are groomers and trees and you can alternate easily from the same lifts. Some steeps off Great Western lift if you feel it's too laidback. Lots of boarders go there, but the good news is 50+% of them want to stay in the park, so it's pretty quiet out on the runs.

I also love Snowbasin and feel it is worth going. But an hour from Cottonwood Heights does sound a bit ambitious to me. Do it...but leave some more time for the drive.

 

[TonyPlush]

Update #2:

After much discussion and considering the comments in this thread, we ended up buying the Ski City Super Pass.

3 days for $330 and valid for Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, and Brighton. (Pass works at Solitude and Brighton on the same day, so we could use the SolBright connection and even use the pass to ski nights at Brighton until 9 PM.)

Tentative plan is Solitude/Brighton on Wednesday with an emphasis on Solitude, Snowbird on Thursday, and Alta on Friday. But we'll stay flexible with conditions and road closures. We'll use the UTA Ski Bus each day, since I don't want to deal with driving and the pass includes free bus rides. Hopefully no problems fitting on the bus, since our Cottonwoods pickup is one of the last stops before the Canyon.

Cutting Snowbasin was a tough choice, but in the end 2+ hours roundtrip with six guys plus gear in one Suburban just sounded too miserable. SLC is easy to get to, so me or the group will come back another year for a dedicated Snowbasin/Pow Mow trip.

 

[Slim]

Bit of an update...

What's everyone's thoughts on this schedule?

• Wednesday: SolBright combined ticket
• Thursday: Snowbasin
• Friday: Alta

We've got some in our group flying in late Tuesday night, and they'll need to pickup their rentals Wednesday morning. From our condo in Cottonwood Heights, it looks like their best rental option may be The Lifthouse, which is located at the base of BCC right next to the BCC Park and Ride. They could pick up their rentals when the shop opens at 8:00 AM, and we could hopefully still make first tracks at Brighton or Solitude, either with the shuttle or in the car (assuming conditions are okay).

Other thoughts:

• We're really interested in Solitude's steep groomers and Brighton's famous trees, and we're having a tough time deciding between the two. So the SolBright combined ticket seems to make sense.
• Snowbasin on Thursday hopefully avoids the Epic crowds.
• Then Friday when we're tired of shuffling around, we just take the short shuttle to Alta. (Shuttle is walking distance from our condo)

Does this sound like an okay plan for a group who likes exploring new terrain until we find something we love to lap?

My main concern is whether the SolBright ticket is overkill. We've been known to cover 30-40k vertical in a day, so we can usually cover quite a bit of terrain, assuming there's no lift lines.

I have not checked prices, but barring that, I would be more likely to combine Alta-Snowbird (altabird ticket) in one day of skiing than Solitude and Brighton.
granted, I have never skied the Solvright connector, but from the looks of it, it really is more of a connector.

Alta-Snowbird on the other hand really does ski like one big resort: multiple connectinos and the vast majority of them are actual, fun ski runs
(keyhole is still one my best memories ever skiing).

So, I would more likely ski just Solitude or Brighton one day, and the day at Snowbird, and then for your day in Little Cottonwood Canyon, just spring for the Alta-bird ticket. That way you have your options open and also, combined, it really does start to feel like a bigger, European style, resort.

I love Solitude: good skiing, gorgeous, often not to busy. But, the lift system is disjointed, hard to rack up lots of vert and move across the mountain quickly. Trying to ski to Brighton on the same day wastes even more time.
Solitude has great trees to. Brighton has some nice groomers, not super steep, but some nice roll overs. pick one, and remember that ‘short runs’ at Brighton will still leave you with way more vert and leg burn than anything in Minnesota!

Brigton is short, but sweet, and lifts are fast, so easy to lap stuff quickly and easy to reach every part of the mountain, since it’s not to big.
best mountain I’ve ever seen for for dads like me to get 6” of air all over the place.
it might be my choice for your first day, since you won’t waste time figuring out where to go.

 

[skinavy]

Early busses will be fine from the 6200 Park n Ride unless it's a powder day, and then the drivers seem to call back to the mothership to tell how many are left behind, they seem to send more busses if the demand is high?
Solitude- Headwall forest!! One of the few runs you can easily lap without multiple lifts. A smidge more dense than the morningside runs at Steamboat you mentioned. Just watch for the traverse around the pond.
AltaAltaAlta

 

[TonyPlush]

I have not checked prices, but barring that, I would be more likely to combine Alta-Snowbird (altabird ticket) in one day of skiing than Solitude and Brighton.
granted, I have never skied the Solvright connector, but from the looks of it, it really is more of a connector.

Alta-Snowbird on the other hand really does ski like one big resort: multiple connectinos and the vast majority of them are actual, fun ski runs
(keyhole is still one my best memories ever skiing).

So, I would more likely ski just Solitude or Brighton one day, and the day at Snowbird, and the for your day in Little Cottonwood Canyon, just spring for the Alta-bird ticket. That way you have your options open and also, combnied, it really does start to feel like a bigger, European style, resort.

I love Solitude: good skiing, gorgeous, often not to busy. But, the lift system is disjointed, hard to rack up lots of vert and move across the mountain quickly. Trying to ski to Brighton on the same day wastes even more time.
Solitude has great trees to. Brighton has some nice groomers, not super steep, but some nice roll overs. pick one, and remember that ‘short runs’ at Brighton will still leave you with way more vert and leg burn than anything in Minnesota!

Brigton is short, but sweet, and lifts are fast, so easy to lap stuff quickly and easy to reach every part of the mountain, since it’s not to big.
best mountain I’ve ever seen for for dad’s like me to get 6” of air all over the place.
it might be my choice for your first day, since you won’t waste time figuring out where to go.

Great info, thanks! You're making a good case for Brighton, so I'm glad we got the Ski City pass. If we're really ambitious and/or frustrated with Solitude's lifts, we could dip out around lunch and ski Brighton from noon to close.

Any advice on where to find Solitude's great trees?

 

[TonyPlush]

Solitude- Headwall forest!! One of the few runs you can easily lap without multiple lifts. A smidge more dense than the morningside runs at Steamboat you mentioned. Just watch for the traverse around the pond.

Very nice, sounds fun! I originally wrote this off as being too steep, but I'll have to check it out.

 

[Slim]

Very nice, sounds fun! I originally wrote this off as being too steep, but I'll have to check it out.

It is steep on average, but that’s because there are little cliffs and rollovers in there. As long as you watch where you go, you don’t actually have to ski anything crazy steep.
Also the stuff dropping into Honeycomb canyon: Buckeye, Black Forest, Memorial chutes, has nice tree skiing. For even easier trees, just look lower on the mountain, next to the groomers.
I really, really, love Honeycomb, not because the skiing is great(it gets tracked heavily and you can’t lap it, but it is one of the few inbounds places that feel almost backcountry like, since you don’t see any lifts or other development once you are in there.

At Brighton, I really like Wren Hollow. (Not a tree run). Super fun, super varied.

 

[blackke17]

dont get scared off by the rocks through the gate to the black forest. if you cut skiers left through the gate the traverse is skiable once u get to the top of the small hill and will lead you to some really good areas . the best snow right now is definitely in Honeycomb

 

[TonyPlush]

It is steep on average, but that’s because there are little cliffs and rollovers in there. As long as you watch where you go, you don’t actually have to ski anything crazy steep.
Also the stuff dropping into Honeycomb canyon: Buckeye, Black Forest, Memorial chutes, has nice tree skiing. For even easier trees, just look lower on the mountain, next to the groomers.
I really, really, love Honeycomb, not because the skiing is great(it gets tracked heavily and you can’t lap it, but it is one of the few inbounds places that feel almost backcountry like, since you don’t see any lifts or other development once you are in there.

At Brighton, I really like Wren Hollow. (Not a tree run). Super fun, super varied.

Great info!

Any thoughts on Corner Chute? It's right next to Headwall forest. I'm not normally a chute skier but that looks interesting.

 

[skinavy]

I dont think it's actually a chute, jus the inside corner of the 2 ridge faces? Not sure I've ever gone that far over- Headwall is so much fun we don't need to go any further.
As for Honeycomb- superfun but as mentioned you can't lap it. You can, however, lap Navarone pretty easily- and the return chair never has a line. Bias to the left away from liftline and it thins out nicely. Nice, consistent pitch but not crazy, especially if its soft or thick. And not too long. Very lap-able. Take a look on Google Earth to see.

 

[ADKmel]

I would definitely take a few runs from Alta to Mineral Basin the Back side of Snowbird. MB is AWESOME..

Unfortunately, I've never had a good day on the front of SB. too many weak skiers/boarders on the steep terrain out of control :-( I'll always be an Altaholic.