“For a wonderful time, ski Utah”!
Every winter I try to make a trip out west to the big mountains and my favorite place to go is to Utah. Utah is known as having the greatest snow on earth, and after skiing many times in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Montana I would agree. Traditionally the snow in Utah is light, fluffy and dry with tons of powder. Unfortunately the last few years have not been as good of snow as usual but this winter has seen some of the best Utah powder in years. And skiers near and far were ready.
We woke up Friday morning to a fresh 13-inch coat of snow in the mountains and could not have been luckier. The skies had cleared and were a brilliant blue. The sun was beaming down and it felt like everyone in Salt Lake City was headed to the mountains. I could tell that we were in for the time of our life!
It was the third year in a row that we were doing a three-generational ski trip. Me, my dad and my nine-year-old daughter Sophia. The first year we went to Taos, New Mexico which is an amazing ski area but harder to reach. Last year we went to ski Snowbird for two-days in a row in Utah, and this year we were doing Utah again but mixing it up. We spent the first day skiing at Snowbird, arguably one of the most difficult terrain in Utah, and the second day skiing at family oriented Brighton. Both days were stunning and perfect conditions.
Snowbird boasts its “legendary terrain, spectacular scenery and ‘oh, the snow'” on their trail maps. Indeed everything they say about Snowbird is correct. Averaging 500 inches of fresh snow annually, Snowbird offers over 3,240 vertical feet of world-famous terrain and stunning mountain views. It also has 10 quads and an Aerial tram that brings you all the way to the top in no time.
Gearing up at Snowbird.
The trees were laden with thick, white snow.
Located only 25 miles from downtown Salt Lake City and 29 miles (about a 40 minute drive from the airport), Snowbird is extremely convenient to reach, especially compared to Colorado which can take at least three hours to reach the ski resorts from Denver on a busy day. When we go to Utah, we usually stay in Midvale which is right at the base of the canyon and only about a 15-20 minute drive up to Snowbird. It isn’t the most luxurious area (as it is a hodgepodge of dollar stores, fast food chains and a few nicer places) yet it is very convenient and easy. Plus the lodging is reasonable.
Snowbird has some of the most difficult terrain I’ve ever skied. Out of 159 runs, only 19 are green and 25 blue. The remainder is for advanced and expert skiers (73 black and 42 double black diamonds) plus of course the back country for those who want to go extreme. With names such as “Thanks for the memories“, “Old Ladies” and “Knucklehead Traverse” for the cliff-dropping double black diamonds, I laughed but didn’t try any because I didn’t want to come home with a broken leg.
Shot of Snowbird Trail Map (2014)
Instead, with my daughter we stuck mostly with the blue runs which were still like blacks in some cases given the 13 inches of fresh powder on top. Our favorite run is “Chips Run”, a nice long, cruiser blue that runs all the way from the top of the Aerial Tram at Hidden Peak (11,000 feet) down to the base.
Sophia looking outside the window of the high-speed tram that would bring us to the top.
Behind Hidden Peak lies Mineral Basin, another whole open area of skiing. Given the high amount of fresh snow, none of the runs had been groomed so it was too hard for Sophia. Furthermore, we were a little spooked by all the blasts for avalanches. It made me rather jumpy. We only skied two runs and then went back over to the other side. It was a fantastic day of skiing and I could not have been prouder of my little girl who was skiing beautifully alongside me and my dad.
Sophia looks up at Mineral Basin and is stunned at what she just skied down.
We skied until 3:30 that day and had to call it quits. We were too tired out and had to save energy for the next day skiing at Brighton. We were hoping it would be an easier day of skiing but equally as fun.
Thick Utah powder and a steep trail down the backside at Mineral Basin.
I loved the name of the run “Think Young” and had to give it a whirl. My body doesn’t feel the same as it did 20 years ago but I am a better skier now than before.
Brighton Ski Area is located on the other side of Big Cottonwood Canyon from Snowbird, and is about 35 minutes southeast of downtown Salt Lake City. It is very different from Snowbird as it is smaller, more low-key, has less expert terrain and is way more family oriented. At Snowbird, there are not many children skiing probably due to difficulty of the terrain whereas at Brighton it is perfect for kids with its multiple blue cruiser runs and greens. Brighton covers 1,050 acres with 66 trails, 5 terrain parks and five high-speed quads. The majority of the runs are blue, black and green however for the more adventurous, expert skiers there are plenty of double blacks and back-country skiing available (as long as you have your avalanche gear!).
Brighton Trail Map
What is so wonderful about Brighton is that kids under 10 ski free! It is also cheaper than Snowbird (the adult lift price at Brighton is $75 and it is $98 at Snowbird/Children 7-12 are $46). Although it was relatively crowded with families on a Saturday, we rarely had to wait long in the lift lines and skied our hearts out, flying at breakneck speed down the amazingly groomed trails. It was the perfect place to bring Sophia and experience skiing like the locals.
Brighton is beautiful!
We started skiing on the far righthand side down “Backbone” a nice, long cruiser blue run. Then we worked our way left hitting the Crest Express lift (where most of the kids are and there are lots of ski lessons going on), and continuing onto our favorite area at the edge of the ski boundary along the Great Western Express lift. “Golden Needle” was our favorite run, a steeper blue that few kids were on and there were no lift lines. The views were perhaps even more stunning than at Snowbird as you could see Park City on one side and Snowbird high above on the other. What a place!
Me and my girl
The top of the Great Western Express lift
We could not have asked for better weather. It was amazing out there! I was so warm I even got rid of my top layer and wore only a thin base shirt. The sky was as blue as can be, the sun was hot and warm and the snow was out of this world. We were in heaven!
It was even warm enough to eat lunch outside!
With views like this, how could we stop skiing? We skied our legs off and closed the place down at 4. I haven’t been so tired after a day of skiing in years. And best part of all, Sophia was right beside me the entire time. Even my dad couldn’t believe it. By next year she may very well be passing us both by! 
We left Brighton exhausted and pleased with what an incredible day we had skiing together. It is days like this that make me want to come back for more. But sadly, we had to get back home and would have to wait until next year to do it again. We sure had a wonderful time!
If you go:
Snowbird is an amazing place but it is perhaps better for more advanced skiers. Children can enroll in lessons at both Brighton and Snowbird. Night skiing is also offered at Brighton. To learn more, visit their websites, Snowbird and Brighton.
Awesome photos.
Thank you!
RUT!
It was great, wasn’t it!
Amazing! I haven’t skiied in years and would love to start again with my kids. How old was yours when she first started?
I love to ski! I started before I can even remember (probably 4 or 5) and I started both kids around 3-4 as well. We got more serious four years ago when we joined a three-month long ski and snowboard club that goes every Saturday to a different place. It is a great thing to do as a family!
I’m in the Cities too, which club is that? Sounds great! My oldest is 6 and a bit hesitant so we haven’t gone yet but I’d love to start.
Wonderful! There are many options and I can leave you a few here and feel free to email me with any questions (nmmelancon@yahoo.com).
We do the Blizzard Ski and Snowboard club. You can start as young as Kindergarten and it runs from late November to the end of February. It is amazing. This is our fourth year, and my husband is a chaperone meaning he goes for free and we get discounts on the kids (it gets expensive). I go every weekend too. You can do Saturday or Sundays. They have 8 buses picking up at a variety of locations throughout the city and St. Paul. http://blizzardmn.com. There is also Skijammers which runs January-February (8 weeks). I grew up doing that club. Similar deal but shorter program. Finally, when the kids were very young we did a few packages at Three Rivers Parks. Very cost effective and you can do lessons at a lot of different places. WE did Hyland Park. The year before we joined Blizzard, we did a few Saturday lessons at Buck hill. They are excellent there too for teaching. But the kids learned the best and LOVE Blizzard. We take good care of the little ones but I understand it can be scary to ride a bus and be gone from mom and dad all day. The instructors are fantastic though and the bus chaperones (like us!) are great so the little ones really end up enjoying themselves. I love it and parents can go too!
It looks great! I would love to try skiing here one day 🙂
It was wonderful! 🙂
Terrific fun for all…and what gorgeous sweeping landscapes.
Thanks Sally! It was quite wonderful!
Super interesting for a non-skier like me to read. I learned a lot and it was easy to follow! 🙂
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed. 🙂
Nice to share this time with your dad and daughter both. I skied at Deer Valley last winter and have to agree the Utah snow was pretty amazing!
I’ve never been to Deer Valley or Park City. This was probably my fifth or sixth time to Snowbird. I would love to check out other areas. Maybe next time?!
I’m just hoping we have enough snow for our Valentine’s Day Nordic race on the conservation foundation’s trail! (My part-time job is as the admin. assistant for the foundation.) Would you believe it got up to 45 degrees this week and melted most of the southeastern Wisconsin snow?
Oh that is too bad about the snow. We have plenty here and just had our big Minneapolis Loppet race. Hope you get some snow!!!
I haven’t been skiing for many too many years. But I loved seeing the mountains and remembering the fun.
janet
I love to ski and it is so great met Dad can ski with us! 🙂
Stunning! I love to ski, but I think my days on the slopes are over. I started too late and didn’t do it often enough and I have lost my nerve.
Thanks Debra! My dad is still skiing at 73 and is pretty darn fast still. We all started young but my mom quit about 10 or 15 years ago after a bad fall. She hasn’t been comfortable or willing to get back on.
Beautiful !
Thanks! 🙂
Absolutely breath taking photos. What an amazing place. It sounds like you have a little champion skier on your hands there. 🙂
Thanks Miriam! Despite getting really run down with winter here in Minnesota, if we didn’t have it and didn’t have snow, I would never have learned or been able to do my favorite sport. So it is a good thing despite my wish I could live somewhere nice like Australia! 🙂
It sounds wonderful, sounds like you’re just where you’re meant to be. 🙂
Winters get very long here though! Not too much longer and spring will arrive, followed by summer which is short but amazing! Payback!
Lots to look forward to.
Fun to read about your experience, as I was staying a week in the end of January in Park City, Utah. As you write the last couple of years the snow hasn’t really been great. But this time we had more powder than in a long time. On day we got seven inched dumped over us. Did we enjoy! Great photos as always. 🙂
Wonderful! I bet you had a ton of fun! I haven’t skied Park City although I’ve skied Snowbird now at least a half dozen times. I have to check it out
I one the other hand have only ski Park City and Alta. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your glorious day Nicole 🙂
Glad you enjoyed Andrew!
my family used to run brian head ski area in the day for many years they started the mountain with some friemds when i was young, an yep utah intermountain connect up there by snowbird is awesome where ya can loop all the ski areas together for fun also..beautiful pics….i especially liked half way house skiiing at snowbird,,,an the cannons wakin ya up in the morning blasting tha avalanches offa the hill before they opened….very kewl place 🙂 .
That sounds fantastic! 🙂
I think it is fantastic that this is an amazing trip for three generations! Looks like you had perfect weather. Gorgeous!
Yes it was so special Sue. Yes we truly had amazing weather —my absolute favorite weather for skiing. The sky was so blue and the sun so warm. It felt so wonderful after escaping the cold here.
My downhill days are over, but your pictures are amazing. I love hiking southern Utah, and will get there again sometime soon. Thx. I love your blog!
Thanks so much for all the comments. Yes skiing is hard in the body. I still ski with my dad and he is 73 and amazing shape but I’m lasting longer on the hill now than him and it drives him
Crazy!
Yes, as is usual, I always pushed myself to the limit and beyond a bit… tough not to. Better safe than sorry. I switched to cross-country for a few years, now I snowshoe everywhere, no need for trails… liberating!
I love to snowshoe too! My entire family has a pair.