SLC ski recommendations

[Anonymous]

We have 5 days near Salt Lake City for skiing early this Spring. We don't have epic passes so won't go to Park City (regardless of their patrol situation, though I'm sure it will be handled by then). Everyone skis and ranges between advanced-intermediate to very competent (I hate the word expert and feel like using it is asking for trouble).

We could stay someplace sort of central and drive to Alta, Solitude, etc. and would love recommendations for any specific air bnbs or condos.
But I'd really like to stay someplace ski in/ski out even if we venture further. (Tho, I'm not sure how common this is in Utah...I haven't been since I was a kid). Also, we have to buy adult tickets so someplace somewhat less outrageous would be great.

Any suggestions?

[Anonymous]

No to way to buy cheaper tickets.

You don’t have enough t money for this trip if you asking that

[Anonymous]

It depends what you mean by ski-in, ski-out. At Solitude, everyone at the ability level you describe can walk to a lift in a couple minutes. Some buildings are closer than others, but other than one rental house, none are the ski to your door type places. Bear in mind that Solitude Village is *very* small, with next to nothing to do (a couple restaurants, one "bar" of sorts, a hot tub, and that's about it). It worked great when we had little kids, and all we wanted to do is chill after skiing. But as the kids got older, it was a little too restrictive - although my 18 yo still wants to go back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It depends what you mean by ski-in, ski-out. At Solitude, everyone at the ability level you describe can walk to a lift in a couple minutes. Some buildings are closer than others, but other than one rental house, none are the ski to your door type places. Bear in mind that Solitude Village is *very* small, with next to nothing to do (a couple restaurants, one "bar" of sorts, a hot tub, and that's about it). It worked great when we had little kids, and all we wanted to do is chill after skiing. But as the kids got older, it was a little too restrictive - although my 18 yo still wants to go back.

Thanks! Last year my kids did pretty well with a very liberal ski in/ski out (like we had to drag our stuff across bridges and walkways for at least 15min BUT didn't have to drive, which is all I'm really trying to avoid, especially since I've converted to skiing with a small backpack). A pool would be nice but we tend to ski until the last lift closes so would probably do just fine with no night life. Maybe Solitude is the right choice?

[Anonymous]

Do your kids use poles? We went to Solitude before our kids had poles and the two main lifts at the bottom are kinda far apart if you don't have poles. It was a really pain to pull two 5 year olds across the base... Also when we went one of the main lifts to the top did not have a safety bar and had huge drops below it -- we were just there for a day but I still remember how hard I was hanging on to my kids on that lift. It is a great mountain in many ways,

You could also try Sundance (I have not skied there though and it is small)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends what you mean by ski-in, ski-out. At Solitude, everyone at the ability level you describe can walk to a lift in a couple minutes. Some buildings are closer than others, but other than one rental house, none are the ski to your door type places. Bear in mind that Solitude Village is *very* small, with next to nothing to do (a couple restaurants, one "bar" of sorts, a hot tub, and that's about it). It worked great when we had little kids, and all we wanted to do is chill after skiing. But as the kids got older, it was a little too restrictive - although my 18 yo still wants to go back.

Thanks! Last year my kids did pretty well with a very liberal ski in/ski out (like we had to drag our stuff across bridges and walkways for at least 15min BUT didn't have to drive, which is all I'm really trying to avoid, especially since I've converted to skiing with a small backpack). A pool would be nice but we tend to ski until the last lift closes so would probably do just fine with no night life. Maybe Solitude is the right choice?

A 15 minute walk is not ski and ski out!

[Anonymous]

We have skied solitude and brighton and liked staying in the cottonwood heights area - but that is not ski in / ski out.

solitude / brighton and alta / snowbird (as I understand it - I haven't been to alta / snowbird) are not cute ski towns like park city. they have great snow but there's not much else to do on the mountain - that's why we preferred to stay in cottonwood heights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do your kids use poles? We went to Solitude before our kids had poles and the two main lifts at the bottom are kinda far apart if you don't have poles. It was a really pain to pull two 5 year olds across the base... Also when we went one of the main lifts to the top did not have a safety bar and had huge drops below it -- we were just there for a day but I still remember how hard I was hanging on to my kids on that lift. It is a great mountain in many ways,

You could also try Sundance (I have not skied there though and it is small)

Thanks! They do have poles and are pretty good skaters since we cross country too so that's okay. I will still likely require they hold on for dear life if they're on lifts without bars tho!

And I understand a 15min walk isn't ideal ski in ski out but what I'm saying is that what I don't want is to load up the car and I will consider a schlep if it's a fun mountain otherwise and we can just avoid the parking and putting boots on in a parking lot situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have skied solitude and brighton and liked staying in the cottonwood heights area - but that is not ski in / ski out.

solitude / brighton and alta / snowbird (as I understand it - I haven't been to alta / snowbird) are not cute ski towns like park city. they have great snow but there's not much else to do on the mountain - that's why we preferred to stay in cottonwood heights.

Thanks! I'll also look around and see if Brighton or Alta have any housing near the base. I sometimes feel guilty when we're in a cute town and what I want is to eat tacos and be in bed by 8:30 so this part is a-okay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends what you mean by ski-in, ski-out. At Solitude, everyone at the ability level you describe can walk to a lift in a couple minutes. Some buildings are closer than others, but other than one rental house, none are the ski to your door type places. Bear in mind that Solitude Village is *very* small, with next to nothing to do (a couple restaurants, one "bar" of sorts, a hot tub, and that's about it). It worked great when we had little kids, and all we wanted to do is chill after skiing. But as the kids got older, it was a little too restrictive - although my 18 yo still wants to go back.

Thanks! Last year my kids did pretty well with a very liberal ski in/ski out (like we had to drag our stuff across bridges and walkways for at least 15min BUT didn't have to drive, which is all I'm really trying to avoid, especially since I've converted to skiing with a small backpack). A pool would be nice but we tend to ski until the last lift closes so would probably do just fine with no night life. Maybe Solitude is the right choice?

I don’t understand how skiing with a small backpack is related to not wanting to drive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do your kids use poles? We went to Solitude before our kids had poles and the two main lifts at the bottom are kinda far apart if you don't have poles. It was a really pain to pull two 5 year olds across the base... Also when we went one of the main lifts to the top did not have a safety bar and had huge drops below it -- we were just there for a day but I still remember how hard I was hanging on to my kids on that lift. It is a great mountain in many ways,

You could also try Sundance (I have not skied there though and it is small)

Thanks! They do have poles and are pretty good skaters since we cross country too so that's okay. I will still likely require they hold on for dear life if they're on lifts without bars tho!

And I understand a 15min walk isn't ideal ski in ski out but what I'm saying is that what I don't want is to load up the car and I will consider a schlep if it's a fun mountain otherwise and we can just avoid the parking and putting boots on in a parking lot situation.

You'd enjoy Solitude as it's a cute base area with nice on-mountain housing. They also have a great Nordic center, so you could get out on cross-country skis there.

[Anonymous]

Snowbird has 4 hotels at the base, all of which have condo units in them, and most have pools or pool access. I like the Cliff and the Lodge at Snowbird. Cliff is real ski in ski out, the other 3 are a short walk to the base. The Iron Blosam is usually the most reasonable.

Alta has several ski in ski out hotels but once you are there you are there. No village. I've stayed at Snowpine which is lovely but is expensive.

Deer Valley has lots of ski in ski out options at a price. I've stayed at a couple of places mid mountain, as well as at a DV property along the drive that had an frequent shuttle service to the base. At DV you can also leave your skis at the free storage place at the base so it makes the shuttle ride very easy.

I don't love Solitude/Brighton so can't speak to those. Park City/Canyons has lots of options and PC is a great town. Not sure why you are ruling it out if you don't have a pass to the other areas either.

Snowbasin is fun but there is no lodging there at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends what you mean by ski-in, ski-out. At Solitude, everyone at the ability level you describe can walk to a lift in a couple minutes. Some buildings are closer than others, but other than one rental house, none are the ski to your door type places. Bear in mind that Solitude Village is *very* small, with next to nothing to do (a couple restaurants, one "bar" of sorts, a hot tub, and that's about it). It worked great when we had little kids, and all we wanted to do is chill after skiing. But as the kids got older, it was a little too restrictive - although my 18 yo still wants to go back.

Thanks! Last year my kids did pretty well with a very liberal ski in/ski out (like we had to drag our stuff across bridges and walkways for at least 15min BUT didn't have to drive, which is all I'm really trying to avoid, especially since I've converted to skiing with a small backpack). A pool would be nice but we tend to ski until the last lift closes so would probably do just fine with no night life. Maybe Solitude is the right choice?

I don’t understand how skiing with a small backpack is related to not wanting to drive.

Ha! Skiing with a small backpack is why very easy ski in/ski out is less important. We don't need to return to a condo for lunch, if I can make my kids eat the semi-frozen sandwiches from my backpack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Snowbird has 4 hotels at the base, all of which have condo units in them, and most have pools or pool access. I like the Cliff and the Lodge at Snowbird. Cliff is real ski in ski out, the other 3 are a short walk to the base. The Iron Blosam is usually the most reasonable.

Alta has several ski in ski out hotels but once you are there you are there. No village. I've stayed at Snowpine which is lovely but is expensive.

Deer Valley has lots of ski in ski out options at a price. I've stayed at a couple of places mid mountain, as well as at a DV property along the drive that had an frequent shuttle service to the base. At DV you can also leave your skis at the free storage place at the base so it makes the shuttle ride very easy.

I don't love Solitude/Brighton so can't speak to those. Park City/Canyons has lots of options and PC is a great town. Not sure why you are ruling it out if you don't have a pass to the other areas either.

Snowbasin is fun but there is no lodging there at all.

Thanks! We ruled out park city just because the adult passes are about $100 more a day than solitude. (Deer Valley I'm sure would be more like PC but I do remember it being very nice from when I was a kid.) The kids will have 3 days at each utah resort on their passes so we very well might take a day trip. It's probably dumb to penny pinch this way when all of it is insanely expensive and it's our fault for misisng the epic pass sale but I probably will do the math anyway.

[Anonymous]

I am not quite sure now whether you want to try different places or do ski in/ski out.

If you are on IKON and want to try different places and are renting a car, I would stay in Cottonwood Heights and either plan to take the shuttle up to Alta/Snowbird or you can try to reserve parking. Snowbird has more charm than Alta, but neither is a place I'd be sad not to stay the night in. You can drive over to DV (probably 45-1hr) for the day and park at the Jordanelle Express. There might be parking over at the new east village, but I haven't been.

The other thing to be aware of is that Little Cottonwood Canyon Road does close for snow. That can mean you might not be able to get in or out. Being flexible with resorts was a good thing for us a few years ago.