Where to Carve in Utah?

[ExcelsiorTheFathead]

I'm staying in Colorado for this winter but need to make a move next summer for wherever the next place is. Jumping over to the SLC area is easy enough, I think. If you had your choice of a single resort to carve at, which would it be? I primarily enjoy easygoing carving on long, wide, uncrowded cruisers, with a steep pitch thrown in occasionally. "Steep and deep" resorts don't necessarily appeal to me. I'm not (yet) a powderhound. Snowmaking is important so that I can rely on having at least a couple of decent groomers no matter what happens with the weather.

I'll ride primarily on weekdays, with a few weekends when it isn't stupid crowded. I don't need to live in the core of the city. While I'm not Mormon by any means, I don't drink so the quality of the public library is more important to me than the bar scene. I just need a reasonable 1BR, studio or MIL to rent at an economical rate.

At this point I think that the front-side Cottonwood resorts are less attractive to me than the Park City side and the north. I'm thinking about PCMR, The Canyons, or Snowbasin? How does resort ownership and pass sharing work in the area? Are there any multi-resort passes at all?

Thanks Much...

[Skully]

I'm staying in Colorado for this winter but need to make a move next summer for wherever the next place is. Jumping over to the SLC area is easy enough, I think. If you had your choice of a single resort to carve at, which would it be? I primarily enjoy easygoing carving on long, wide, uncrowded cruisers, with a steep pitch thrown in occasionally. "Steep and deep" resorts don't necessarily appeal to me. I'm not (yet) a powderhound. Snowmaking is important so that I can rely on having at least a couple of decent groomers no matter what happens with the weather.

I'll ride primarily on weekdays, with a few weekends when it isn't stupid crowded. I don't need to live in the core of the city. While I'm not Mormon by any means, I don't drink so the quality of the public library is more important to me than the bar scene. I just need a reasonable 1BR, studio or MIL to rent at an economical rate.

At this point I think that the front-side Cottonwood resorts are less attractive to me than the Park City side and the north. I'm thinking about PCMR, The Canyons, or Snowbasin? How does resort ownership and pass sharing work in the area? Are there any multi-resort passes at all?

Thanks Much...

From your description , PCMR would probably be the best fit. PCMR probably has the largest bunch of dedicated Alpine geeks in Utah also, with Snowbasin and Solitude after that.

As far as ownership and pass sharing, all of the resorts in UT have different owners. The only "shared" passes I know of are offered by Ski Utah, and can be a bit pricey, but they are available:

Ski Utah Gold and Silver Passes

[boardguru]

Snowbasin is a really fun resort, I've been riding there the last two years. Not too crowded during the week but that could change this season because of the insanely lowered season pass rates. I bought a weekday pass for $449 and plan on buying a pass at Powder Mountain for the weekends.

Weekends at Snowbasin tend to become crowded after about 11:00 and I'm betting with the lowers pass rates it will be even more so.

Not a whole lot of carvers there even with the great terrain.

It seems that there are more hardbooters at Powder Mountain and the runs are a bit wider.

The biggest downside is the goat trail that is called a road, it can be a bit white knuckle driving back down if it's snow packed.

Also they do not have any snowmaking it's all natural snowfall so it always depends on if it's a good or bad snow year.

[Buell]

Snowbasin is a really fun resort, I've been riding there the last two years. Not too crowded during the week but that could change this season because of the insanely lowered season pass rates. I bought a weekday pass for $449 and plan on buying a pass at Powder Mountain for the weekends.

Weekends at Snowbasin tend to become crowded after about 11:00 and I'm betting with the lowers pass rates it will be even more so.

Not a whole lot of carvers there even with the great terrain.

It seems that there are more hardbooters at Powder Mountain and the runs are a bit wider.

The biggest downside is the goat trail that is called a road, it can be a bit white knuckle driving back down if it's snow packed.

Also they do not have any snowmaking it's all natural snowfall so it always depends on if it's a good or bad snow year.

Goat Trail? It is a really sketchy road a few times a year. Those are really good powder days though, if they do not close the resort.

Powder is a mellow carving spot with only a few short steeper pitches. Crowds are almost non existent on carving days. The snow is almost always on the soft side of hero and there is a decent sized crew of cruising carvers.

Basin is quite a bit more intense with narrower trails and much shorter views uphill due to twists or rolls in the trail. It also has a lot more very fast skiers which requires lots of checks over the shoulder. Some are super good and some think they are super good. If you seek steeper, more challenging terrain, and longer runs,Basin has it.

Like boardguru, Rebecca and I have a weekday pass at Basin and a full pass at PM. Some days we carve the first couple of hours at Basin, then go to PM.

[RRrider]

I haven't been to utah in years, as I was living in Europe, but I'm back now, and I just made my holiday plans to Utah. We're going to try the Canyons, as I've never been there. But I digress, to OP's question: IMO, Snowbird is one of my favorite resorts, period. For more mellow, and also family friendly, I have had great experience across the canyon at Solitude and Brighton - I remember brighton being more board friendly, but that could be rather old data. Park City was fun, but it stands out in my memory more for the restaurants and apres ski activity, and less for the "on mountain" time. I'm hoping the Canyons are good...! I've never heard of Powder Mountain...is that the same as PMCR referred to above?

[ExcelsiorTheFathead]

Thanks much, that is all interesting stuff.

At least in this thread, "PM"="Powder Mountain", and "PCMR"="Park City Mountain Resort".

I've been reading some books on Utah ski areas and have had a few more thoughts. I didn't realize the Powder Mountain is the largest ski area in the whole nation in terms of acreage. It really seems attractive because of the small crowds, but the lack of snowmaking makes it more difficult to choose as a home mountain. Also, $765 for a season pass seems pretty high compared to my $500 A-Basin/Keystone/Breck pass, but PCMR's rates are similar to PM's.

When you get right down to it, Vail-Resorts' passes here in Colorado are a pretty good value.

One book I looked at said that while PCMR has over 3k of vertical, it is hard to find a single run longer than a 1,400' drop. Is there any feeling that the runs are shorter compared to other places?

No love for Canyons, even with the new bubble lift?

Hey Buell, I thought you were at Bachelor? Did you guys make a permanent move into Utah?

- I'll be visiting the Park City area from 9/1 to 9/8 just to bum around and check things out. If anyone wants to let me pick their brain in person, I'll have a wide open schedule. Are there any flattish paved rec trails in the area? I'd like to pump my longboard somewhere, but flat is better than steep...

[Buell]

We have spent the last 6 mid winters in Eden, UT. The weather and snow are so much better there than in Oregon.

The pass price wars are only now making it to UT. Basin dropped their prices a bunch this season. PM released their pass prices well before Baisn and did not get the memo. I expect they will lower it for next season.

[ExcelsiorTheFathead]

I think that the weather issue is my main reason for deciding to stay out of the North for now. I had been considering Whitefish, etc, but my impression is that most of those places get those Northwest weather flows that can keep things foggy and cloudy. When I rode at Stevens Pass the average day had flat light, and the top of the hill was foggy or otherwise unreadable. After a season in Colorado I have been spoiled by sunshine and don't want to give it up.

I'm in PC this week just hanging out and looking around. In the process of searching for resources for locating apartments and rentals, I saw this article regarding a lawsuit between PCMR and Talisker, the owner of Canyons. It has something to do with the proposed SkiLink connection between Canyons and Solitude. PCMR says that Talisker is trying to drive PCMR into a weak position so that it can be acquired.

I don't know anything about anything, but I figure that SkiLink will be forever litigated, regardless of whether or not it is a good idea. As a rider, I perhaps wouldn't mind if Talisker got control of PCMR. A combined PCMR/Canyons pass would be powerful. If it was priced aggressively, it could enhance competition in the greater SLC/Ogden area from the perspective of end-user costs... ?

[ExcelsiorTheFathead]

... I'll try to be a good correspondent.

The Town Lift to PCMR, loading on Main Street.

5000 golf balls racing down Main Street. I don't know why.

Everybody loves a parade.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Well I tried to make it Sunday, but I got so damn depressed

That I set my sights on Monday and I got myself undressed

I ain't ready for the altar but I do agree there's times

When a woman sure can be a friend of mine

Well, I keep on thinkin' 'bout you, Sister Golden Hair surprise

And I just can't live without you; can't you see it in my eyes?

I been one poor correspondent, and I been too, too hard to find

But it doesn't mean you ain't been on my mind

Will you meet me in the middle, will you meet me in the air?

Will you love me just a little, just enough to show you care?

Well I tried to fake it, I don't mind sayin', I just can't make it

Well, I keep on thinkin' 'bout you, Sister Golden Hair surprise

And I just can't live without you; can't you see it in my eyes?

Now I been one poor correspondent, and I been too, too hard to find

But it doesn't mean you ain't been on my mind

Will you meet me in the middle, will you meet me in the air?

Will you love me just a little, just enough to show you care?

Well I tried to fake it, I don't mind sayin', I just can't make it

Doo wop doo wop ...

Read more at http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/7220/#8ASmh8K6pWeQyzxc.99

[ExcelsiorTheFathead]

Today was spent driving around aimlessly. I wandered over to the town of Eden then continued on the road up to Powder Mountain, which brought to mind the following impressions:

Dude!

Are you totally serious about this road right here?

What the hell?

There are few roads that have sections so steep that I have to shift my 117HP econobox down to first gear, but this is one of them. PM may be the largest resort in the country, and may be the finest "locals' secret" anywhere, but I can't get there from here. I only have front wheel drive, and even with good snow traction tires I think that this road could be a problem in all but the best conditions. I'm too lazy to chain up. How many cars slide off the road every winter?

Wolf Mountain might be more my speed. A super tiny, family learning resort that is easy to access. Next I visited Snowbasin briefly then headed back to Park City.

[boardguru]

Years ago Powder magazine wrote an article about the ten steepest roads to a ski resort in North America. Powder Mountain was #1 which they called "a goat trail". Little Cottonwood canyon to Alta and Snowbird was #2 or 3 I believe.

[Buell]

Today was spent driving around aimlessly. I wandered over to the town of Eden then continued on the road up to Powder Mountain, which brought to mind the following impressions:

Dude! Are you totally serious about this road right here? What the hell?

There are few roads that have sections so steep that I have to shift my 117HP econobox down to first gear, but this is one of them. PM may be the largest resort in the country, and may be the finest "locals' secret" anywhere, but I can't get there from here. I only have front wheel drive, and even with good snow traction tires I think that this road could be a problem in all but the best conditions. I'm too lazy to chain up. How many cars slide off the road every winter?Wolf Mountain might be more my speed. A super tiny, family learning resort that is easy to access. Next I visited Snowbasin briefly then headed back to Park City.

I have to gear my automatic 5.7 Tundra down to second gear to get up that road. Lots of smelly belts at the top. Not to mention that you have to drive an extra 2000 or so feet up to get to the parking lots, which are at the top of the mountain. Yes, you ride down from the car and take the lift back up. Downhill in the snow is the bad part though.The good thing about the road is that if you are up top before 9 AM on a snowy morning, they often have to close the road for a while because too many cars are stuck in the middle of it and no one else can get up or down.And they keep talking like they are going to really develop it. There is no way.

[ExcelsiorTheFathead]

Hey, what is the effect of the Film Festival on the town, PCMR and Canyons? Can a person reasonably expect to be able to ride during this period, or do film-goers go ski and clog everything up? Is it better to just run away and hide until it is over?

[Skully]

Hey, what is the effect of the Film Festival on the town, PCMR and Canyons? Can a person reasonably expect to be able to ride during this period, or do film-goers go ski and clog everything up? Is it better to just run away and hide until it is over?

The slopes are generally less crowded during the Film Festival. All of the Film Festival people are in town to watch movies, not ski / ride...

[Unicorn Poop]

Dude! Are you totally serious about this road right here? What the hell?

I've been up and down it on a bike in the summer; it has a really nice rhythm at around 75 MPH. ;)