Utah No cheap lodging in Alta/Snowbird

[Wilhelmson]

Stay in town and get a 4x4 and blast up there. You can get a set of 4 tire chains at wallmart for $40.

 

[hollyberry]

The SUV we rented in SLC last time had the same aggressive snow rated AT tires that I put on my own truck but YMMV.

Speaking of rentals and 4WD, has anyone ever had a good experience trying to rent an SUV with 4WD and snow tires at either Bozeman MT airport or Jackson Hole airport? I’m thinking of doing a March trip out there but am getting a little freaked out because all of the rental car company reps I speak with tell me ‘they can’t guarantee 100%’ that the SUV I reserve will have 4WD. Why??!!

 

[dbostedo]

I've not rented there, but rented quite a few times out west. They never guarantee it, but I've always gotten AWD/4WD.

What you won't find is snow tires. It's expensive, and they aren't required to have them. The rental will likely have M+S rated tires, but check the tread. If you show up and you're given a non-4WD or poor tires, you can usually trade it out for another vehicle unless they're really low on stock.

There are also AirBnB type rentals, where you can rent a car someone owns - Turo.com. Or in Utah there's also AWDRentals.com - though that doesn't help with Bozeman or Jackson.

 

[eggraid101]

I did Turo for the first time for our trip to SLC last Feb, it was great. Got a Subaru outback with snowtires, and chains in the back if we needed them (we didn't).

 

[hollyberry]

It is nice. I've stayed there. But it isnt cheap. Compared to other base area options it is cheap, but not in absolute terms.

The four motels in the town square group are reasonable and have their own excellent free bus. There is also a public transit bus, so maybe Airbnb near a stop?

I actually tried calling the Motel 6 in Jackson and hey told me I can’t book this far ahead!!

Has anyone ever stayed at the Jackson Hole Motel 6 in March? What was the room rate? They wouldn’t even tell me what the rates will be in March 2019, but said that they ‘fluctuate wildly.’ !!

 

[DanoT]

I paid $56/night senior rate in late Feb. 2018 at the Jackson Motel 6. That same room is close to $200/night in summer as Jackson is the Gateway to Yellowstone. Rooms are small but recently renovated. Other motels and lodges are also discounted in winter or they are closed.

Some lodges offer free shuttle bus to Jackson Hole or if you drive half way from Jackson and park for free at the Stilson Lot you can get a free shuttle bus the rest of the way to the skiing. The Stilson lot also has a heated waiting room, free coffee and free granola bars.

 

[Lofcaudio]

Utah is a great place to ski, especially if you are on a budget. However, a budget-based trip is going to mean staying in the valley (SLC, Sandy, Midvale, etc.). If you have to stay slopeside, Goldminer's Daughter is probably going to be the least expensive place (but it's still expensive). I've made three trips to Utah in the last four years.

1. For my first trip, I stayed in downtown Salt Lake City in January. Not bad, but it was at least a 30-minute drive to any of the good locations. We hit up Alta, Snowbird, Snowbasin, Brighton, Solitude, and Deer Valley. (I determined on this initial trip that Alta, Snowbird, and Snowbasin were the types of mountains I liked.)
2. I stayed at the Goldminer's Daughter Lodge in Alta for my second trip which consisted of just skiing at Alta and Snowbird. I loved the location and the food was outstanding. I would definitely do this again when the circumstances allow. Definitely more expensive to stay there in Alta, but it was nice not having to worry about meals as breakfast and dinner were included with the lodging...and let me tell you, they were great meals!
3. This March, we stayed with friends at their house in Cottonwood Heights (which is a great location in the suburb of Sandy). The drive up the LCC road was easy and we hit up Snowbasin as well. Hard to beat this location, especially when you consider our friends let us stay for free. But even if paying $100/night, pretty convenient especially if you compare it to staying at someplace like Dillon, Colorado.

In those three trips, there was only one day when the Little Cottonwood Canyon was closed for an hour or so. We just went up to Snowbasin and had a fabulous time there!

 

[Tony]

The last time I stayed at Motel 6 in Jackson, WY, I booked through hotels.com where you get a free night for every 10 nights you book and stay through them. It was my last time skiing Jackson Hole during the 2015 Gathering and the rate was $53/night. It will probably be $10-20 more in 2019.

The least expensive rooms available now through hotels.com for March 2019 are $84 at Flat Creek Inn and $98 at Super 8 - and both will add $6-8/night fees/taxes. Make sure you understand and follow cancellation policies if booking through them.

You don't need a car to ski Jackson and Targhee, but unless your motel is downtown and includes free shuttle, it would nice to have one.

And why is all this in Alta-Snowbird thread?

 

[hollyberry]

Just my experience, so take from it whatever you like, BUT - in talking with rental car folks at SLC - even when I have just rented an "SUV" - they say that they are all either AWD or have 4WD and understand why people rent them in the Winter - so never had a problem with the tires even up BCC which is steeper at the start than LCC. Again, that's my experience and yours may vary widely. I am totally comfortable driving either of those canyons in a 4WD - its not like they are 12+ inches of snow and virgin - people go up and down them all night.

But again, each person has their own comfort and "pucker factor" range

The last time I stayed at Motel 6 in Jackson, WY, I booked through hotels.com where you get a free night for every 10 nights you book and stay through them. It was my last time skiing Jackson Hole during the 2015 Gathering and the rate was $53/night. It will probably be $10-20 more in 2019.

The least expensive rooms available now through hotels.com for March 2019 are $84 at Flat Creek Inn and $98 at Super 8 - and both will add $6-8/night fees/taxes. Make sure you understand and follow cancellation policies if booking through them.

You don't need a car to ski Jackson and Targhee, but unless your motel is downtown and includes free shuttle, it would nice to have one.

And why is all this in Alta-Snowbird thread?

Haha it’s my fault! Sorry! I was askng about Alta/Snowbird/Snowbasin and then sidetracked by planning a separate trip to JH/ Big Sky because those are on the MCP, too.

Hopefully I can get a good deal at Motel 6!

I will stick to the JH forum for more questions.

 

[Christy]

Speaking of rentals and 4WD, has anyone ever had a good experience trying to rent an SUV with 4WD and snow tires at either Bozeman MT airport or Jackson Hole airport? I’m thinking of doing a March trip out there but am getting a little freaked out because all of the rental car company reps I speak with tell me ‘they can’t guarantee 100%’ that the SUV I reserve will have 4WD. Why??!!

Rental car companies never guarantee any type of car. If I had to guess I'd say it's because they don't make you pay in advance and so people end up cancelling and modifying or not showing up and they never really know what they need to have available. I'm not even sure I usually get the type of car I've reserved, no matter what it is. Which is generally fine; what's not fine is when there are no cars, which happens sometimes too.

The only time I've ever been given the option of snow tires is in Calgary. Those are very rare in most places in the US. Which is too bad, since they are a lot more useful to skiers renting cars than 4WD. Again if I had to guess I'd say it has something to do with the fact that they have to store all those tires in the summer.

 

[hollyberry]

Rental car companies never guarantee any type of car. If I had to guess I'd say it's because they don't make you pay in advance and so people end up cancelling and modifying or not showing up and they never really know what they need to have available. I'm not even sure I usually get the type of car I've reserved, no matter what it is. Which is generally fine; what's not fine is when there are no cars, which happens sometimes too.

The only time I've ever been given the option of snow tires is in Calgary. Those are very rare in most places in the US. Which is too bad, since they are a lot more useful to skiers renting cars than 4WD. Again if I had to guess I'd say it has something to do with the fact that they have to store all those tires in the summer.

I know the rental companies never want you to put chains on, but my husband and I are thinking of buying some chains at Walmart if the weather turns foul. I agree that snow tires are more important than 4WD. I have driven our Chrysler 200 (Fwd, 4 cylinder only,) on many ski trips from NYC to VT. Driving w/ snow tires on vs regular tires is like night and day.

 

[TQA]

I know the rental companies never want you to put chains on, but my husband and I are thinking of buying some chains at Walmart if the weather turns foul. I agree that snow tires are more important than 4WD. I have driven our Chrysler 200 (Fwd, 4 cylinder only,) on many ski trips from NYC to VT. Driving w/ snow tires on vs regular tires is like night and day.

I usually rent with Alamo and they specifically forbid the use of chains. Check the small print before using chains.

NB A loose tire chain can do a huge amount of damage.

 

[cantunamunch]

I know the rental companies never want you to put chains on, but my husband and I are thinking of buying some chains at Walmart if the weather turns foul. .

Buying chains for rental cars is a PITA - and actually using them is worse. When you're stuck out there, wet through, trying to cam the chain tight with frozen fingers instead of specialty pliers...garh. Chains take commitment and practice on a specific setup. You're better off with a Snowsock or something.

 

[hollyberry]

Buying chains for rental cars is a PITA - and actually using them is worse. When you're stuck out there, wet through, trying to cam the chain tight with frozen fingers instead of specialty pliers...garh. Chains take commitment and practice on a specific setup. You're better off with a Snowsock or something.

Thanks for the advice. I’ve never used a Snowsock. I’ll check it out.

 

[Christy]

Also, you can't use chains on every car because of the small amount of clearance between the tire and wheel well on some cars. My neighbors damaged their new car when they put on chains on their car that couldn't accommodate them (they didn't think to check the owner's manual to see if this was okay).

 

[Gentry]

Anyone have any specific hotel recommendations in Sandy that are walking distance to the UTA ski bus going to Snowbird/Alta? If it has a hot tub that's a plus.

 

[dbostedo]

@Gentry - you might want to read through last years Gathering lodging thread... a bunch of recommendations in there I think...

https://www.pugski.com/threads/2018-utah-gathering-lodging.5447/

 

[Scruffy]

Anyone have any specific hotel recommendations in Sandy that are walking distance to the UTA ski bus going to Snowbird/Alta? If it has a hot tub that's a plus.

Years ago when I use to ski Alta every year, a group of us would stay at the Best Western Inn in Sandy. We had a rental car so we would drive up, but we'd see guests walk across the street and down a block or so to a UTA buss stop. Call them and see what the deal is with the bus. The rates are good and I just checked their website and it looks like they've remodeled recently. They stay and ski packages too.

 

[Tytlynz64]

Anyone have any specific hotel recommendations in Sandy that are walking distance to the UTA ski bus going to Snowbird/Alta? If it has a hot tub that's a plus.

I like the Crystal Inn in Midvale. Bus picks you up right out in front of the hotel. Hot tub, free breakfast and soup salad dinner. Reasonable and they have an airport shuttle as well.

 

[MarkP]

^^^

Stayed at the Crystal Inn for 3 nights last season during the Alta/Snowbird leg of the Gathering. Very nice mid-level lodging. We had a car, but there were quite a few folk using the shuttle.

Right off the I-215 exit there is a Studio 6 Extended Stay, which has kitchenettes in the rooms. Not having stayed there, I can't give it a review, but I have it on my list to consider the next time I'm out that way. Looks like there's a canyon shuttle stop not far from it.