Snowboarding in Utah – Why I Go Every Year

Deciding to invest in a ski/snowboard trip out West?

If you enjoy skiing or snowboarding, you know that the Western United States has incredible mountains.  Living on the east coast for the last 12 years led me to get used to snowboarding on smaller mountains, where you wait in line at the lift for about ten minutes, ride on the lift for another ten minutes, and ski down in five minutes.  The season is much shorter, mostly operating only in January and February, with some exceptions in December and March.  The weekends that you do go, you pray for weather that’s cold enough to at least keep the fake snow on the ground.  I realize it’s probably different in Vermont and more northern parts of the coast, but in PA/VA/WV, that’s the struggle.

In places like Denver & Utah, the runs can take 20-30 minutes, the lines are generally shorter, and there are usually high-speed lifts that take you to the top of the mountain much quicker.  I’ve only been snowboarding in Denver once, and it was to Breckenridge, so most of my experience is in Utah.  In Denver, Utah, Tahoe, etc., there are so many mountains to choose from – and I haven’t been to a bad one yet.

The first two years that we went to Utah, we liked Park City so much that we never left! I know most people say it’s overrated, but I always really enjoy it there.  The town of Park City has such a cool, older, mining town vibe to it.  Conditions here have been great every time I’ve gone – whether it was 55 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny in February, or 20 degrees Fahrenheit and snowing in March. As with most great things, there’s a slight downside.  The trip can get pretty expensive, with one day lift tickets costing about $100 on weekends. 

So many resorts, so little time

This past year that we went, we tried some other resorts.  The first resort we tried after Park City was Snowbasin.  I go with my dad every year, and he’s retired military – so we were able to get really affordable lift tickets (around $75 on a weekend) at Snowbasin.  This was my favorite resort of all the ones we’ve tried so far.  Confession – I’m definitely bias because it had snowed about 30 inches the night before.  If you’ve never snowboarded on fresh powder before…there’s just no way to describe it.  It was an absolute blast, I felt like I was flying.  Thee trail runs get a ton of fresh snow, which makes them even more fun to feel more connected to the slopes.

After Snowbasin, we tried Brighton.  I particularly liked this one because it’s geared a little more towards snowboarders.  There’s still a slight stigma associated with snowboarders – a lot of old school skiers don’t appreciate snowboarders and think that they’re constantly cutting people off.  This is so prevalent in Utah that there are two “ski-only” resorts – Alta & Deer Valley.  I definitely can confirm that Deer Valley is ski only.  We went there, bought tickets, were on the way to the lift when I looked around, tapped my dad on the shoulder, and pointed out that I was in fact the only person with a snowboard there.  Oops!

The last resort we tried is Solitude.  This was the day after Brighton and 2 days after Snowbasin, we were exhausted and the ~8,000 ft elevation was getting to us – but we powered through it and really enjoyed it.  The resort is smaller than Park City (Park City combined with Canyon and is now the largest resort in America), as is Brighton, which made it easier to navigate and didn’t make us feel like we needed a second day there.  We skied Brighton & Solitude on weekdays so the lift tickets were super cheap, even cheaper than the east coast ($50-$60/person).

Appreciate the beauty of Salt Lake City as an added bonus

Flying into Salt Lake City and venturing over to the mountains is such a breeze.  Park City is only about a 35-minute drive from the airport, and it’s a beautiful journey driving through the snow covered mountains.  The resorts are extremely close to each other, but it takes anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours to get from one resort to another because they can be on opposite sides of the mountains. That being said, I love the ease of getting around in the winter there since the city is prepared for snow.  We’ve never had any issues with road closures or really hazardous driving conditions.  It’s a trip I look forward to every year, and never disappoints!

Tips:

• If you own your own gear (skis/snowboard, boots, helmet, etc.), bring it.  In my opinion, it outweighs the cost of baggage.  You can put all of your clothes for skiing/snowboarding inside your ski/snowboard bag.  This way, you only have to check one piece of luggage.  I generally just carry my snowboard bag that has almost everything I need it in.  Sometimes I’ll carry a large handbag or small backpack as well.
• Google the ski resorts you want to go to a few weeks in advance and see what the ticket prices are online.  You can save a good amount of money if you buy tickets in advance, and sometimes they have deals (especially on weekdays).
  • Park City
  • Snow Basin
  • Solitude
  • Brighton
    
• Wear a face mask! I know, it looks silly, but it’s one thing I must have when I snowboard.  The wind, sun, and mountain air can be cruel, even if you’re going relatively slow. I’m always glad that I have my face mask with me, it’s just a half one that covers my nose and mouth.
• Wear sunscreen! Getting sunburnt is another tricky skin issue that you don’t really think about when it’s cold outside.  The sun can reflect off the snow and can really leave your ears, underside of your nose, and your neck bright red.
• Layer up! It can go from nippy at 9am to underboob sweat at noon.  You’ll be glad you can throw your extra sweater in your hotel room or car.
• Wear a helmet – plain and simple.  You’ll also be out of place if you don’t wear one.