Utah Utah Not Bad, Jan 27 to Feb 5 2018

[Jim Kenney]

View attachment 38931 Utah Not Bad

Trip report from ten day visit, skiing from Jan 27 to Feb 5, 2018. I will try to build out this report today as I fly back East in between plane changes.

Contrary to reports of its demise the Wasatch is not in disastrous shape. I skied three days each at Alta and Park City and two days at Snowbird in late Jan and early Feb. I always have a good time skiing and this trip was no exception. Alta is skiing the best of those three. Off trail is definitely thin or closed in spots in Utah, but there are many off trail areas that are good and fun, and groomers are fine. Groomers at Snowbird are a little firmer than the other two, but I got some good off trail skiing there too

I’ll let my photos do most of the talking.

Alta, Jan 27, believe the area got 8-10" new snow on Jan 26:

VinceK





Piss Pass could use a little more matting than usual

JohnL, we have lift off



JohnL again



Snowbird, Jan 28:

Michael R under Mineral Basin chair

In the Bookends area of Mineral Basin

Posing near the saddle in Mineral Basin

Cirque traverse at Bird is super rocky making it hard to get to Cirque slopes.

Teaser from yesterday 2/5/18 at Alta, Catherine's area. Lot's of good skiing on the days in between. I'll post more later.

 

[eggraid101]

We are heading out to SLC this Thursday, I'm looking forward to hearing and seeing more about your trip.

 

[Jim Kenney]

I skied Park City Jan 30, 31 and Feb 2. It was about 45 degs everyday, but it felt like about 55. Most of the designated trails are open and skiing decently, if a little thin. Some trees are in play, but a lot of the offpiste is off limits. Here are a few photos from Park City.

One morning my wife and I went hiking on some XC trails near Deer Valley. Kind of wild to see skiing among sagebrush.



Then I went skiing from noon to 4pm



McConkey Chair



View of some of The Canyons terrain from the Super Condor Express Chair.



McConkey's Bowl features one of the biggest mogul fields at Park City.





Ate dinner one night at the High West Distillery in Park City. $18 burger, $25 chicken schnitzel, $9 manhattan. These prices actually aren't too outrageous for downtown PC.



Bad news is the snow is a little thin, good news is the crowds are thin too

9990 lift line, fright gully to right was good, but had some thin/rocky coverage at points.



Top of 9990 chair (highest lift served elevation on the Canyons side of the resort) looking north towards Red Pine Bowl



rope tow nostalgia, connector lift out of Super Condor area



Michael R high up in Red Pine Bowl, best snow in Park City last week.



again



they call this Red Pine Chutes



again



view from a groomer off the Super Condor lift.



snowshoeing near Deer Valley at about elev 6K. Minimal natural snow base down here, but they pack/groom snow over here for free snowshoeing/XC, etc.

 

[fmcl]

appreciate this great post - thank you

 

[Jim Kenney]

A word for those planning to attend The Utah Gathering in early March 2018:

I would not describe the current ski conditions in the Wasatch as dire. They are far from optimal, but I am a glass half-full person and just had a ball out there skiing eight out of ten days. The groomed runs are fine just about everywhere. Utah needs 1-2 feet of snow to spruce up the premier and steep offpiste terrain and realistically the ten day forecast isn't super promising. But there are decent offpiste/trees/moguls and advanced runs available now and we have 3.5 weeks until The Gathering for some more help from Ullr. For attendees of The Gathering in early March - keep the faith. If you are an aggressive offpiste skier, then follow the forecasts and maybe also consider packing an extra pair of rock skis. Let me put it another way, coming from the mid-Atlantic, I skied terrain and snow at Alta on Feb 5 that is far better than anything I will see in my home region all season. Don't forget, Gatherees often enjoy the great benefit from guiding by local friends/experts to find the best available snow at ski areas on any given day.

Sunnyside lift at Alta:

 

[johnnyvw]

Well now, that doesn't look too bad!

 

[Shawn C.]

Thanks for the great trip report, Jim! Glad you had a good time!

 

[Jim Kenney]

A few more photos of VinceK from 2/5/18 at Alta. It snowed a couple inches up on the mtn in the predawn hours that morning.



Vince knows Alta/Bird pretty well and kept finding me soft snow on every run all day long.

 

[dbostedo]

Vince knows Alta/Bird pretty well...

I suspect that's quite an understatement.