As you may have guessed by now, the point of this trip is to check out as many different places as practical. Headed to Snow Basin Sunday, then showing Dave why Alta is my favorite on Monday. Headed home after that.
Today, we were at Solitude. Getting a lot warmer. No need for facemasks or gaiters, but definitely need sunscreen. Only got a couple runs in Honeycomb because a power failure took down the relevant lifts for a couple hours in the afternoon. But now we know what all the fuss is about. Plus had time to explore all over the rest of the frontside. Still possible to find powder in the trees.
Solitude is definitely not that crowded even on weekends. Never even had much of a line during lunch at the base. The swedish meatballs with ligonberry sauce and plenty of mashed potatoes was the best lunch I've had all week.
Ready for adventure
Dave waiting for EC to finish somewhere on the high traverse (look closely)
EC on the way down
Honeycomb Canyon view
Having fun, even with slow lifts (slow by Utah standards, pretty fast by NC standards)
Skiing done at 4pm, no lights here
Done
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The messageboard is now in read-only mode and no new posts or topics can be created. We will leave the messageboard up for historical purposes, but you will not be able to make new posts or comment on existing ones.
We have started a Discord server and hope that you all will join us on there. Technology has changed over the years and maintaining the messageboard has become somewhat of a pain in the butt and Discord offers many features for users, the main one being a very polished mobile app.
We really hope you all will join us on Discord and think you will like the platform. Use the invite link below to join.
https://discord.gg/skisoutheast
Utah Adventures Feb. 8-15
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marzski
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@MrMinor 239999 wrote:Are you a tall dude? Did you eat lunch by the Milly chair?
I saw a guy with a ski beech sticker on his helmet there.
I also found all kinds of sweet pow in trees at Brighton on Friday.
Yes, we had lunch by the Milly chair on Friday. The tall dude is pagamony (Dave). The white helmet with the Ski Beech sticker is mine . . . petite lady skier. My ski buddy, JC, has the mustache.
Ran into apxskr at Alta on Thu and again today at Solitude.
I really liked Brighton.
I saw a guy with a ski beech sticker on his helmet there.
I also found all kinds of sweet pow in trees at Brighton on Friday.
Yes, we had lunch by the Milly chair on Friday. The tall dude is pagamony (Dave). The white helmet with the Ski Beech sticker is mine . . . petite lady skier. My ski buddy, JC, has the mustache.
Ran into apxskr at Alta on Thu and again today at Solitude.
I really liked Brighton.
2023-24: Wolf Creek in Dec, Massanutten in Jan, Feb; GT, Big Sky; Crested Butte; Alta/Snowbird in April.
All good, but my pbj rocked all over that ligonberry mess. What got me is that Solitude is only 2 miles from Brighton but feels completely different. Either place you could live with for many years, but I might pick soli. No need for night skiing, I was beat out.
And dude, if you see a skinc sticker in Utah, go introduce yourself and buy hat someone a beer.
And dude, if you see a skinc sticker in Utah, go introduce yourself and buy hat someone a beer.
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marzski
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Another blue bird day. Great for exploring Snowbasin because it's huge. There are six peaks all strung together, 2 gondolas, several long chair lifts, plus a short steep tram to the top of Mt. Allen. That's where the Men's and Women's GS started in the 2002 Olympics. 3000 acres, 3000 ft vertical. Compared to 2200 acres and 2000 ft vertical at Alta.
There hasn't been much new snow lately and temps were in the 40's, so pretty much spring conditions. Took until 10am or so before things started softening up, starting with Strawberry Peak. We worked our way around following the sun. Had lunch at the John Paul Lodge, just under the Mt. Ogden Bowl. Fun to watch the few hardy types dropping into the steeps at the top of the cliffs.
There were lots of upgrades put in for the 2002 Olympics. The lodges are upscale, but the food prices are quite reasonable. There are elevators. The restrooms are fancy, but also practical since they are big. Even the one at the top of Strawberry Express that is next to the Ski Patrol office and not part of a lodge.
Talked to several folks on gondola rides (seat 8) who love Snowbasin. Both locals and Utah visitors. Would love to come back when there is powder now that I have some idea of how things are laid out. Pretty much never crowded since it's so big and a 45-min drive from SLC. Really fun to ride up out of the wind in a gondola, then be able to spend the next 10-15 min skiing non-stop on groomers.
Very hard to get a sense of how big Snowbasin is in pictures. Especially when no trees or people around.
Base from Needles gondola
Strawberry Peak, all accessible
John Paul Lodge neat the top of Mt. Ogden
Mt. Allen tram, 4 sec between the pics
Men's GS start (see the two skiers on it?)
Restroom
For the rest of the pics:
http://s453.photobucket.com/albums/qq25 ... eb%202011/
Done
There hasn't been much new snow lately and temps were in the 40's, so pretty much spring conditions. Took until 10am or so before things started softening up, starting with Strawberry Peak. We worked our way around following the sun. Had lunch at the John Paul Lodge, just under the Mt. Ogden Bowl. Fun to watch the few hardy types dropping into the steeps at the top of the cliffs.
There were lots of upgrades put in for the 2002 Olympics. The lodges are upscale, but the food prices are quite reasonable. There are elevators. The restrooms are fancy, but also practical since they are big. Even the one at the top of Strawberry Express that is next to the Ski Patrol office and not part of a lodge.
Talked to several folks on gondola rides (seat 8) who love Snowbasin. Both locals and Utah visitors. Would love to come back when there is powder now that I have some idea of how things are laid out. Pretty much never crowded since it's so big and a 45-min drive from SLC. Really fun to ride up out of the wind in a gondola, then be able to spend the next 10-15 min skiing non-stop on groomers.
Very hard to get a sense of how big Snowbasin is in pictures. Especially when no trees or people around.
Base from Needles gondola
Strawberry Peak, all accessible
John Paul Lodge neat the top of Mt. Ogden
Mt. Allen tram, 4 sec between the pics
Men's GS start (see the two skiers on it?)
Restroom
For the rest of the pics:
http://s453.photobucket.com/albums/qq25 ... eb%202011/
Done
2023-24: Wolf Creek in Dec, Massanutten in Jan, Feb; GT, Big Sky; Crested Butte; Alta/Snowbird in April.
I rocked pbj in the John Paul lodge. The namesake was an Ogden resident who died in the 10th Mountain Division's assault on Mt. Belvedere in Italy, one of the more famous battles of WWII. (My dad was in the battle as well.)
Boilerplate snow early until the sun softened it up. Somewhere along the hillsides along the John Paul trail, we found the best of Snowbasin today. Also found a Grouse defending it's tree. Signage is minimal and often difficult to distinguish real and found trails.
top of Mt Allen tram, where the Olympic mens and womens downhill started. Seeing the length of the run and the steeper patches give you a good appreciation for the strength and skill of someone doing it nonstop full out.
Some nice low angle chutes atop a moon scape of frozen crust....
Northern Wasatch drops off directly to the plain containing the Salt Lake areas...
Pretty much most of the terrain looks like this. Just ski anywhere that looks like usable snow, it seems to be pretty easy to stay out of real trouble.
oh yeah, they had this Dew Tour event, looks its 22' a half pipe...
Boilerplate snow early until the sun softened it up. Somewhere along the hillsides along the John Paul trail, we found the best of Snowbasin today. Also found a Grouse defending it's tree. Signage is minimal and often difficult to distinguish real and found trails.
top of Mt Allen tram, where the Olympic mens and womens downhill started. Seeing the length of the run and the steeper patches give you a good appreciation for the strength and skill of someone doing it nonstop full out.
Some nice low angle chutes atop a moon scape of frozen crust....
Northern Wasatch drops off directly to the plain containing the Salt Lake areas...
Pretty much most of the terrain looks like this. Just ski anywhere that looks like usable snow, it seems to be pretty easy to stay out of real trouble.
oh yeah, they had this Dew Tour event, looks its 22' a half pipe...
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teledave
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@marzski 240071 wrote:Another blue bird day. Great for exploring Snowbasin because it's huge.
I've been to Snowbasin 4 times and never really "seen" any of it. And yes, it has the plushest crappers in town.
I've been to Snowbasin 4 times and never really "seen" any of it. And yes, it has the plushest crappers in town.
Plans for 2015: To ski more than you
A little bit west of Carolina is a little place called Alta, you may have heard about it. They get some snow and have some terrain. It was my first time here but I may come back. Alta rocks.
Today started out bluebird but then switched over to a weather front about 11:30. Wind became an obstacle, but not a deterrent. Snow was somewhere in-between good and evil. Went thru some low gates in some places called castle, east castle, cecret, and ballroom. Some fun in low angle trees and random roller coaster ravines. Best runs, imHo, were off wildcat starting at top of punchbowl and ending on low rustler and some nearby steep unnamed bump area. I love the wildcat lift and terrain. Also, yes I rocked PBJ and PBR in the parking lot for lunch, so it doesn't get any better than that.
It's pretty easy to be intimidated by the Alta aura, but actually it is very friendly and plenty of terrain is pretty easy to ski. 2 tips up.
Some pics.
Has this nice retro look.
some good scenery
really super easy to get back into the canyon away from the base areas
interesting shacks hidden in the pines - see the new happy homeowners...
overall, a very good day. Thanks to Meimei for setting all this up and showing us around. And thanks to Jason, my last run bump skiing partner.
Today started out bluebird but then switched over to a weather front about 11:30. Wind became an obstacle, but not a deterrent. Snow was somewhere in-between good and evil. Went thru some low gates in some places called castle, east castle, cecret, and ballroom. Some fun in low angle trees and random roller coaster ravines. Best runs, imHo, were off wildcat starting at top of punchbowl and ending on low rustler and some nearby steep unnamed bump area. I love the wildcat lift and terrain. Also, yes I rocked PBJ and PBR in the parking lot for lunch, so it doesn't get any better than that.
It's pretty easy to be intimidated by the Alta aura, but actually it is very friendly and plenty of terrain is pretty easy to ski. 2 tips up.
Some pics.
Has this nice retro look.
some good scenery
really super easy to get back into the canyon away from the base areas
interesting shacks hidden in the pines - see the new happy homeowners...
overall, a very good day. Thanks to Meimei for setting all this up and showing us around. And thanks to Jason, my last run bump skiing partner.
Exit day and we have to be at the airport for my 3pm flight. hmmm. EC and I go visit rvrscum at Deer Valley. Groomer schred party. Everywhere else was hard ice bumps or sticky concrete, which I perversely enjoyed. We own the crud. PBR and java in the car park.
proof of purchase: EC showing enthusiasm for the conditions.
me sort of happy
PS. Looks like Alta got 11" and more on the way. I saw a post by a long time regular that compared the day we were there to the 'worst day ever'. I am so glad to be a part of that.
proof of purchase: EC showing enthusiasm for the conditions.
me sort of happy
PS. Looks like Alta got 11" and more on the way. I saw a post by a long time regular that compared the day we were there to the 'worst day ever'. I am so glad to be a part of that.
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marzski
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@pagamony 240636 wrote:
PS. Looks like Alta got 11" and more on the way. I saw a post by a long time regular that compared the day we were there to the 'worst day ever'. I am so glad to be a part of that.
It was still a lot better at Alta that Mon instead of Snowbasin. Nothing at the opt of Snowbasin was open because of the high winds. Nice to be able to play around the Supreme lift even if there wasn't much powder left to be found. You'll just have to go back on a pow day!
PS. Looks like Alta got 11" and more on the way. I saw a post by a long time regular that compared the day we were there to the 'worst day ever'. I am so glad to be a part of that.
It was still a lot better at Alta that Mon instead of Snowbasin. Nothing at the opt of Snowbasin was open because of the high winds. Nice to be able to play around the Supreme lift even if there wasn't much powder left to be found. You'll just have to go back on a pow day!
2023-24: Wolf Creek in Dec, Massanutten in Jan, Feb; GT, Big Sky; Crested Butte; Alta/Snowbird in April.