Ski conditions in Utah - rethinking our trip

[Anonymous]

We are suppose to go to Park City on Jan 12. The conditions in UT and just about everyone out West are not looking good. ..18" base(!!!) and 23/347 slopes open..yikes. There does not look like any big storms looming and it seems like it would take a lot to substantially improve the conditions. Should we rethink out plans? I have to cancel hotel by Jan 5th. Airline tickets I would have to swallow the change fee..looks like $800 in total.

[Anonymous]

I would also consider switching to Alta or Snowbird if you think you would like skiing there (they are very different mountains/scenes than PC). Conditions are better there I think (though still not great). but I'd wait to the 5th to decide. If you decide to ski at Alta/Snowbird you can always stay in SLC and drive or take a ski bus to the slopes each day if you can't get lodging near the mountain.

I've changed ski vacations in the past based on conditions - it is just too expensive of a sport for me to ski when conditions are bad.

[Anonymous]

https://www.grandtarghee.com/the-mountain/snow-report/

[Anonymous]

I would consider going to ski at Snowbird/Alta/Brighton/Solitude. Super easy and cheap to stay in Salt Lake and drive up. Just rent a 4WD vehicle. It only takes a few storms out there to have amazing conditions. I will say Snowbird in crappy snow is just awful. Rocks everywhere. Just beware - may want to try the other mountains.
Also, I have been out there in crappy conditions in the spring. There is a ton of non-skiing stuff to do as well. Great hiking, Antelope Island is cool, mines are supposed to be cool. Anyway, maybe if you can reduce the cost of lodging, it could be worth it.

[Anonymous]

go to Alta you will not be disappointed!

[Anonymous]

Another vote for Snowbird. Lots to do, even if the conditions aren’t great. I’ve even been in the summer and loved it!

[Anonymous]

The Cottonwoods are supposed to get ~10" or so this week. Hopefully that will improve things - we leave Saturday for Solitude. 20 runs open, which means it'll be crowded, but (hopefully) the locals won't bother because of conditions.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, we’re en route to BC, only two lifts open. Bummer. Good luck

[Anonymous]

Looks like they are expecting a big snow storm today!

[Anonymous]

I live in SLC and a friend showed me this, and I figure y'all need a little better guidance than the shitty job you're giving each other.

a) Definitely, definitely, reschedule your trip now. For god sakes, it's 3.5 weeks until your trip, how will Utah ever get good enough for YOU to ski there!!

b) Utah averages 500" of snow, and yes, we're off to the worse start in history, but that only means we'll get more later.

c) Because we get 500" average, we are likely to get more snow right before or during your trip, than anywhere else in the rockies. Things turn around quickly here.

d) If you think Snowbird has more to do besides skiing in the winter than PC because you were here during the summer, you're an idiot and should not be allowed to participate in this discussion anymore. PC is a town, with food, and grocery stores, and a mall, and bowling alley, and a movie theater, and an ice rink, or 3. Snowbird has 1 bar, that's it. All that shit you saw in the summer, like hiking trails, they are under 15 feet of snow by January and only backcountry touring skiers go there. Please don't go boot packing in the skin track, it's extremely rude.

e) Stay and ski in PC, most people from the east can't handle Alta/Snowbird and get pissy when it's not groomed over. Yes, there are rocks everywhere, because it's a mountain, not Disneyland.

f) And whatever you do, do not go ski up BCC at Brighton or Solitude. Brighton is full of snowboarders who love nothing more than to knock east coast skiers into the hospital. And Solitude is tiny and rinky-dink and no self-respecting east coast person would ever ski there.

g) In conclusion, you should really consider switching your trip and going to ski Vail. They man-make more snow than the entire east coast and have enough groomers that you'll never ski the same one twice. Plus, I bet you've heard from millions, literally, millions of others how amazing Vail is. It is, it really is, you should definitely reschedule there and tell everyone else you know to do so as well.

Sincerely,

Every local skier who won't bother to ski because the conditions are so bad here, so bad here, so bad here, why would anyone ski here ever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in SLC and a friend showed me this, and I figure y'all need a little better guidance than the shitty job you're giving each other.

a) Definitely, definitely, reschedule your trip now. For god sakes, it's 3.5 weeks until your trip, how will Utah ever get good enough for YOU to ski there!!

b) Utah averages 500" of snow, and yes, we're off to the worse start in history, but that only means we'll get more later.

c) Because we get 500" average, we are likely to get more snow right before or during your trip, than anywhere else in the rockies. Things turn around quickly here.

d) If you think Snowbird has more to do besides skiing in the winter than PC because you were here during the summer, you're an idiot and should not be allowed to participate in this discussion anymore. PC is a town, with food, and grocery stores, and a mall, and bowling alley, and a movie theater, and an ice rink, or 3. Snowbird has 1 bar, that's it. All that shit you saw in the summer, like hiking trails, they are under 15 feet of snow by January and only backcountry touring skiers go there. Please don't go boot packing in the skin track, it's extremely rude.

e) Stay and ski in PC, most people from the east can't handle Alta/Snowbird and get pissy when it's not groomed over. Yes, there are rocks everywhere, because it's a mountain, not Disneyland.

f) And whatever you do, do not go ski up BCC at Brighton or Solitude. Brighton is full of snowboarders who love nothing more than to knock east coast skiers into the hospital. And Solitude is tiny and rinky-dink and no self-respecting east coast person would ever ski there.

g) In conclusion, you should really consider switching your trip and going to ski Vail. They man-make more snow than the entire east coast and have enough groomers that you'll never ski the same one twice. Plus, I bet you've heard from millions, literally, millions of others how amazing Vail is. It is, it really is, you should definitely reschedule there and tell everyone else you know to do so as well.

Sincerely,

Every local skier who won't bother to ski because the conditions are so bad here, so bad here, so bad here, why would anyone ski here ever.

Well, the advice is appreciated. But now I know it's not just DC people who are snarky and annoying for no reason.

[Anonymous]

I live in DC but my husband and I are devotees of Utah skiing and in particular, Alta/Snowbird. The PP is spot on. There is way more to do in PC than in Alta/Snowbird. The only quibble I have is that there is more than 1 bar in Snowbird/Alta, but there isn't much more there. Snowbird has more than Alta, but the whole area is skiing and not much else. The Cliff Lodge has a spa and the base has a couple of restaurants, bars and stores but that is about it. Snowbird doesn't really have any green runs so keep that in mind. Alta is better for that and doesn't allow snowboarders, so that might also be an issue.

Deer Valley is where you want to go if there is little snow. Whatever snow they have will be groomed, smooth and soft. I have no clue what they do to it but it is magical. We aren't big fans of DV, but that is because the terrain is too easy compared to the other mountains.

For whatever weather pattern reasons, Alta/Snowbird gets more snow than PC. Both Cottonwood Canyons get more snow than PC, Big Cottonwood Canyon is Brighton and Solitude and Little Cottonwood is Alta/Snowbird. However, Park City is a cute ski town. You will find things to do in PC if there is no snow.

Conditions change on a dime and they could have a ton of snow by the time you get there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in SLC and a friend showed me this, and I figure y'all need a little better guidance than the shitty job you're giving each other.

a) Definitely, definitely, reschedule your trip now. For god sakes, it's 3.5 weeks until your trip, how will Utah ever get good enough for YOU to ski there!!

b) Utah averages 500" of snow, and yes, we're off to the worse start in history, but that only means we'll get more later.

c) Because we get 500" average, we are likely to get more snow right before or during your trip, than anywhere else in the rockies. Things turn around quickly here.

d) If you think Snowbird has more to do besides skiing in the winter than PC because you were here during the summer, you're an idiot and should not be allowed to participate in this discussion anymore. PC is a town, with food, and grocery stores, and a mall, and bowling alley, and a movie theater, and an ice rink, or 3. Snowbird has 1 bar, that's it. All that shit you saw in the summer, like hiking trails, they are under 15 feet of snow by January and only backcountry touring skiers go there. Please don't go boot packing in the skin track, it's extremely rude.

e) Stay and ski in PC, most people from the east can't handle Alta/Snowbird and get pissy when it's not groomed over. Yes, there are rocks everywhere, because it's a mountain, not Disneyland.

f) And whatever you do, do not go ski up BCC at Brighton or Solitude. Brighton is full of snowboarders who love nothing more than to knock east coast skiers into the hospital. And Solitude is tiny and rinky-dink and no self-respecting east coast person would ever ski there.

g) In conclusion, you should really consider switching your trip and going to ski Vail. They man-make more snow than the entire east coast and have enough groomers that you'll never ski the same one twice. Plus, I bet you've heard from millions, literally, millions of others how amazing Vail is. It is, it really is, you should definitely reschedule there and tell everyone else you know to do so as well.

Sincerely,

Every local skier who won't bother to ski because the conditions are so bad here, so bad here, so bad here, why would anyone ski here ever.

I can't tell if this was snark or not, but we LOVE Solitude because it's a lot less crowded and low key. Often, you ski down a trail, wait for 6 people in front of you, and get right on a lift. On Christmas Week!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in SLC and a friend showed me this, and I figure y'all need a little better guidance than the shitty job you're giving each other.

a) Definitely, definitely, reschedule your trip now. For god sakes, it's 3.5 weeks until your trip, how will Utah ever get good enough for YOU to ski there!!

b) Utah averages 500" of snow, and yes, we're off to the worse start in history, but that only means we'll get more later.

c) Because we get 500" average, we are likely to get more snow right before or during your trip, than anywhere else in the rockies. Things turn around quickly here.

d) If you think Snowbird has more to do besides skiing in the winter than PC because you were here during the summer, you're an idiot and should not be allowed to participate in this discussion anymore. PC is a town, with food, and grocery stores, and a mall, and bowling alley, and a movie theater, and an ice rink, or 3. Snowbird has 1 bar, that's it. All that shit you saw in the summer, like hiking trails, they are under 15 feet of snow by January and only backcountry touring skiers go there. Please don't go boot packing in the skin track, it's extremely rude.

e) Stay and ski in PC, most people from the east can't handle Alta/Snowbird and get pissy when it's not groomed over. Yes, there are rocks everywhere, because it's a mountain, not Disneyland.

f) And whatever you do, do not go ski up BCC at Brighton or Solitude. Brighton is full of snowboarders who love nothing more than to knock east coast skiers into the hospital. And Solitude is tiny and rinky-dink and no self-respecting east coast person would ever ski there.

g) In conclusion, you should really consider switching your trip and going to ski Vail. They man-make more snow than the entire east coast and have enough groomers that you'll never ski the same one twice. Plus, I bet you've heard from millions, literally, millions of others how amazing Vail is. It is, it really is, you should definitely reschedule there and tell everyone else you know to do so as well.

Sincerely,

Every local skier who won't bother to ski because the conditions are so bad here, so bad here, so bad here, why would anyone ski here ever.

My favorite part of your advice is you ripping on east coast skiers. They are the worst. I'm married to one, so I should know. You should've seen him the first time he skied in Colorado. It was comical! Because of this I'll let your dig at Vail go. Though, it is fair since it is really just full of tourists anyway.

[Anonymous]

A lot can change in 3 weeks. I expect there to be heavy snows there over the next 2 weeks.