Skiing/boarding near Salt Lake City

I am going to Salt Lake City for work in February. I have never been there before, and never done any research concerning good resorts there.

 

We will be there for 4 days.

 

Looking for a decent place for me to board and my wife to ski. I love powder, I also love a decent deal.

 

Anybody have any ideas of places to stay, good hills?

 

Is Brighton a good hill?

 

 

 

Thanks guys.

Snowbird and Snow Basin are my favorites there.

 

If you're just skiing, eg no snowboards, then hit up Alta

^ I agree with the above, totally.

 

Don't like Brighton.

 

If you are looking to stay at/ near the resort, Snowbird is the best/most expensive by far for ski/snowboard. Best snow, closest to the hill, etc. Look for lodging in Little Cottonwood Canyon area for Snowbird deals. Lodging also at Alta is no fuss compared to the bigness of Snowbird, but again, no boarders at Alta. They will transport you to Snowbird about 5 mins away if you want.

 

Snowbasin has zero lodging but you can find a cool little Bed and Breakfast in the area. You'll need a rental car because there is no resort transport from anything within 30 minutes of Snowbasin.

 

My family skis at Snowbasin, great variety. If you're hard core/ no frills ski/boarders, go to Snowbird. You want ski town amenities, go to Park City. you want Olympic venues and amenities, go to Snowbasin.

 

Good luck.

Thanks for the info guys.

 

I love powder, have been boarding for 22 years, but am not really hard-core, only go 3-5 days a year.

 

My wife is just an average skier.

 

We will have a rental car.

 

We just don't want to spend $200 per night for accommodations, but my wife loves staying on the hill and having a hot-tub to go in at the end of the day.

My wife works at Alta... Best snow in Utah. But, skiers only. Snowbird is cool, I prefer Solitude. Solitude is probably the best priced of them all (other than Brighton, which I would avoid). I even like Park City, but they're probably the most expensive.

I am looking at a deal at Snowbird on the hill for $250 a night which includes a really small unit w/ kitchen (fold-up wall bed, queen-sized) and two lift-tickets per day.

 

Seem not too bad to me.

Brighton is more of a boarders place not to many skiers. There are lots of beginners there since it is the cheapest.

That's not a bad deal at all. And it's nice to stay at the resort. If you decide to come up the street to Alta, you can ski free after three. Or if you want to ski for the day, I can hook you up.

I am looking at a deal at Snowbird on the hill for $250 a night which includes a really small unit w/ kitchen (fold-up wall bed, queen-sized) and two lift-tickets per day.

 

Seem not too bad to me.

 

You'll like that unit if you guys aren't high maintenance. Used to keep those baby's clean back in my ski-bumming days when I worked in housekeeping!

 

There is a general store in the basement of the Snowbird plaza which will have a basic selection of goodies to cook, plus a couple of restaurants to choose from and a little bit of nightlife. If you're looking for lots of options for nightlife, you'll need to go to Park City, or if she wants to go shopping, again, Park City is your option. (Chad likelly will know of other nightlife options at Snowbird or right next door at Alta)

 

You won't find better terrain variety than Snowbird to go with the best snow if you guys are boarders.

Yeah I agree with everything said, I don't like Brighton very much it seems like there is no terrain to me. I grew up in Park City so PCMR is my first choice, but the resorts in the Cottonwoods deff get the most snow if your after powder. On a side note, Chad, Andrea works at Alta now? What happened to Amex?

She works at both! She works at Alta for the ski season.

Oh snap! I wouldn't be able to handle that, Amex drains the life out of you

Yeah it does. This is her second year at Alta. Best job ever!

That's not a bad deal at all. And it's nice to stay at the resort. If you decide to come up the street to Alta, you can ski free after three. Or if you want to ski for the day, I can hook you up.

 

Umm ... I might be hitting you up in a couple weeks. I'm in Layton right now (with my gear!) but will be back in 3 weeks. Might be worth taking Friday off to play. Or maybe just a few hours in the morning.

Bad ass... I'm going up tomorrow

I guess you need tire chains or AWD to go to snowbird.

 

What do you guys think of a rental FWD and then buying chains at an autoparts store?

Doable. Actually a good option. Have the chains and you'll likely not need them. Return them unused at the end of your trip.

 

It is rare that you need the chains, but when the sherriff is at the bottom of the canyon checking cars, it is a very good time to be at Snowbird!

 

I'd also ask for the complimentary upgrade to AWD when you pick up your car. This time of year, 90% of rentals are for skiers anyway.

On a related note, make sure your rental company doesn't find out about the chains. I used to work for Advantage Rent-A-Car and if we found out someone put chains on one of our cars it was $$$ for that person.

Just put a Subaru emblem or an AWD emblem on the rental. They won't know any better.

On a related note, make sure your rental company doesn't find out about the chains. I used to work for Advantage Rent-A-Car and if we found out someone put chains on one of our cars it was $$$ for that person.

 

I would imagine the only reason you'd find out they put chains on the car is if they did it wrong and incurred some sort of damage though.

 

AmIwrong???

For the most part yes, but I occasionally found the boxes they came in or the chains themselves in the trunk, and at that point I had to be the dick who ruined the end of their vacation.