NeedhamSkier
New member
Just heading back from SLC to Boston with my wife, after 3 days in Utah. While it wasn’t the powder-fest we always hope for, this was a good trip for all the other things that make skiing vacations so much fun – sunshine, mountains, and way too much food…
Got to SLC late on Sunday night, so since we had to drive on Monday morning anyway, we decided to give Snowbasin and then head back to Park City that afternoon, to ski the Park City area for the rest of the trip. The forecast for that day (and the rest of the week) was sunny and warm, so we were all set for a few days of groomers and long lunches.
Since it was a Monday with no new snow in the last few days, I was expecting Snowbasin to be a ghost town, but the parking lot was easily half-full by the time we got there and we actually waited longer in lines (5 minutes + sometimes) than at either Park City or Deer Valley on following days. All the same, this was no Verrmont weekend crowd.
Spent the morning cruising off the Strawberry Express gondola, enjoying the feel of letting them rip on long,wide, smooth trails. Snow at the top was good and firm, but slushy and grippy at the bottom, which made the bottom third of any run not so enjoyable. One strike against Snowbasin is the lack of lifts serving just the top of the mountain – apart from the Tram (too short to do laps) and the Porcupine triple, all the other lifts run top-to-bottom, which is good for long runs, but cuts back on the enjoyment when it was hitting 50 degrees at the bottom.
As many have commented, the lodges at Snowbasin are really something special. The woodwork, carpets, and over-the-top décor, as well as the lack of crowds, made them seem even more classy than Deer Valley for me. The food, however, is incredibly good value - $6 for a really good chili, all served on china and silverware that the restaurant actually re-uses (what a concept!) We sat out on the deck taking a long lunch in the warm sun, enjoying good food – it was all very European (until you looked out at the brown hills stretching into the distance)
That afternoon we did a couple of 10 minute laps on the Mini-Tram, which is just the cutest little lift you ever did see – climb in, just time to adjust your goggles before you get out again. We hit the top of the Men’s Downhill, which was okay and a good pitch, but over before you knew it and softening noticeably between runs. We finished the afternoon by riding the Porcupine triple and trying to find the remaining un-Slushyesque snow on the trails there.
Thoughts on Snowbasin – terrain is very interesting, not too confusing and would definitely reward exploration in better snow conditions. Also very good value - $63 walk-up lift ticket ($52 if you buy in advance in PC) in addition to the cheap food. The drive from Park City also lets you see another side of Utah, which is so different from the impression you get if you stay in Sandy and ski the Cottonwoods. In average conditions, well worth the drive to sample a new area, and definitely worth an excursion from PC or SLC if there has been new snow recently.
Got to SLC late on Sunday night, so since we had to drive on Monday morning anyway, we decided to give Snowbasin and then head back to Park City that afternoon, to ski the Park City area for the rest of the trip. The forecast for that day (and the rest of the week) was sunny and warm, so we were all set for a few days of groomers and long lunches.
Since it was a Monday with no new snow in the last few days, I was expecting Snowbasin to be a ghost town, but the parking lot was easily half-full by the time we got there and we actually waited longer in lines (5 minutes + sometimes) than at either Park City or Deer Valley on following days. All the same, this was no Verrmont weekend crowd.
Spent the morning cruising off the Strawberry Express gondola, enjoying the feel of letting them rip on long,wide, smooth trails. Snow at the top was good and firm, but slushy and grippy at the bottom, which made the bottom third of any run not so enjoyable. One strike against Snowbasin is the lack of lifts serving just the top of the mountain – apart from the Tram (too short to do laps) and the Porcupine triple, all the other lifts run top-to-bottom, which is good for long runs, but cuts back on the enjoyment when it was hitting 50 degrees at the bottom.
As many have commented, the lodges at Snowbasin are really something special. The woodwork, carpets, and over-the-top décor, as well as the lack of crowds, made them seem even more classy than Deer Valley for me. The food, however, is incredibly good value - $6 for a really good chili, all served on china and silverware that the restaurant actually re-uses (what a concept!) We sat out on the deck taking a long lunch in the warm sun, enjoying good food – it was all very European (until you looked out at the brown hills stretching into the distance)
That afternoon we did a couple of 10 minute laps on the Mini-Tram, which is just the cutest little lift you ever did see – climb in, just time to adjust your goggles before you get out again. We hit the top of the Men’s Downhill, which was okay and a good pitch, but over before you knew it and softening noticeably between runs. We finished the afternoon by riding the Porcupine triple and trying to find the remaining un-Slushyesque snow on the trails there.
Thoughts on Snowbasin – terrain is very interesting, not too confusing and would definitely reward exploration in better snow conditions. Also very good value - $63 walk-up lift ticket ($52 if you buy in advance in PC) in addition to the cheap food. The drive from Park City also lets you see another side of Utah, which is so different from the impression you get if you stay in Sandy and ski the Cottonwoods. In average conditions, well worth the drive to sample a new area, and definitely worth an excursion from PC or SLC if there has been new snow recently.
