Oct 16, 2013
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Utah is a ski junkie’s goldmine. I use that term endearingly being a ski junkie myself. Every October “the bug” bites a skiers heart and he begins to dream of the slopes. The bug bit me back in June. I have been doing research on various ski resorts and would like to share my research with you. If you are looking for a season pass this year, or even just a day trip, this is the post for you. I will list some resorts I enjoy and why I enjoy them.
Brianhead – Brianhead is the closest ski resort to Saint George. It is a decent little resort. It has nothing on the resorts surrounding the Salt Lake area, but it has the market cornered for Southern Utah. Click here to see lift pass prices. The best thing about Brianhead is its location. The first rule of ski resorts is location, location, location. Or was that real estate?
Sundance – This is perhaps the smallest resort I’ve ever enjoyed. Despite the small runs and long lift lines, I do enjoy it. I live in Provo. I can get to the mountain in 25 minutes. That being said, a 3 hour break is just enough time to hit the slopes. This mountain is small. Let me say that again before you make a trip out to Sundance. The mountain is small and the runs are small. Like Saint George the best feature of Sundance is its proximity to Provo. The prices are higher than they should be. In the end you’re paying for the location, not the slopes. Click here to see the pricing.
Canyons – Canyons resort is everything Sundance is not. This is the biggest resort in Utah. This is the most open and diverse mountain I have ever skied. Is that a big claim? Yes, but Canyons holds its ground against Utah’s tough competitors. Canyons is located in Park City giving patrons access to Park City’s charming shops and restaurants. This is the backcountry (backcountry is riding off the trail) riders playground. The selling point for me is that with a season pass you get a free mug of hot chocolate every day you ski.
Park City – Though it goes without saying, Park City Resort is in Park City. The surrounding town is absolutely delightful. If you leave the town for a minute and hit the slopes you’ll be able to tell why this resort is world famous. Everything is set up perfectly. The slopes are well groomed and there are plenty of runs. This mountain has a world famous all terrain park. If you enjoy jumps, rails, and kickers, look no further. Even though I prefer backcountry riding over all terrain parks (I can’t afford to fall on those jumps), I still enjoyed my season pass to Park City. When a professional skier makes it to Utah they almost always ski Park City. A pass here costs a pretty penny.
Snow Basin – A personal favorite. This resort located near Ogden. The men’s and women’s downhill courses from the 2002 Winter Olympics are at Snow Basin. Honestly, you deserve a medal just for going down those runs at a high speed. Snow Basin has the nicest amenities of all the resorts listed here. The restaurants and lodges are top of their class. Snow Basin also features a gondola system. Instead of sitting on a ski lift in the cold wind you can take off your skis and sit inside a gondola. The gondola moves faster than a ski lift giving you more time on the mountain and less time sitting on miserable ski lifts.
All these resorts will bring you joy. As with all major life decisions (I take my season pass very seriously) you need to pick your priorities. No matter what resort you pick to ski this year remember to have fun and take pictures!