HITTIN’ THE POWDER

For Utah Valley residents, nothing feels quite like winter. There is excitement in the air, and schedules are immediately rearranged to hit the slopes.

Here is a list of 11 winter resorts within a two-hour drive. Some include restaurants, some have board parks. Two don’t allow snowboarding.

But they all have one thing in common: amazing Utah powder.

Grab your gloves and enjoy.

SUNDANCE
www.sundanceresort.com
Miles from Provo: 15.9
Est. travel time from Provo: 28 min.
Sundance is more than a film festival. Our own backyard ski resort — located just minutes up Provo Canyon — boasts 41 runs over 500 acres of Mt. Timpanogos snow. From beginning snowboarder to experienced skier, there’s winter fun for all skill levels.

Ladies, consider signing up for the Ladies Day Specialty Clinics, taught by the finest instructors at the resort. The clinics include four half-day lessons with a buffet lunch at the end of the fourth day. It’s a fun way to connect with friends and improve your skills.

PARK CITY MOUNTAIN
www.parkcitymountain.com
Miles from Provo: 44.9
Est. travel time from Provo: 1 hr. 3 min.
Located in the heart of Park City, the Park City Mountain Resort has been a destination for snow buffs around the world for years. And that isn’t about to change.
The resort just completed $10.5 million in improvements to the terrain and facilities, including a new high-speed quad lift from the base area, and a new trail. It’s part of what has led the resort to be considered a top five resort by SKI magazine readers.

But it’s not just advanced skiers and snowboarders who enjoy this Park City gem. The Kids Signature 5 Program guarantees a class size of five or less. It’s the perfect way for children 6 to 14 to learn.

DEERVALLEY
www.deervalley.com
Miles from Provo: 46.1
Est. travel time from Provo: 1 hr. 6 min.
Having the Best Snow on Earth is one thing. Combining that snow with the top ski resort in the country … well that’s just not fair to everyone else.
Deer Valley was named the No. 1 ski resort in North America by readers of SKI magazine in both 2008 and 2009.

Deer Valley has 99 runs on six mountains and has 2,026 skiable acres to make any day a winter wonderland.

Make sure you eat at one of the 10 on-mountain restaurants. The Mariposa, Deer Valley’s premier dining establishment, offers a blend of classic and current cuisine. The Seafood Buffet is another favorite.

SNOWBIRD
www.snowbird.com
Miles from Provo: 46.2
Est. travel time from Provo: 1 hr. 6 min.
If you head up Little Cottonwood Canyon, you will find a pair of the finest ski resorts in the country. Snowbird is the first one you’ll come across. Go a little further, you will hit Alta.
Snowbird has one of the longest ski and snowboard seasons around, usually starting in mid-November and running through mid-May. It’s the perfect spot to meet out-of-town visitors coming from the airport (it’s only 29 miles from the baggage claim where you’ll snag your ski bag).

If snowboarding is your game, make sure you hit the Superpipe. It’s 329 feet long and 60 feet wide with 18.5 foot walls.

ALTA
www.alta.com
Miles from Provo: 50.3
Est. travel time from Provo: 1 hr. 19 min.
Go up the canyon a little from Snowbird and you’ll hit Alta Ski Area.

Alta is a skier’s mountain and is one of only two area resorts where snowboarding isn’t allowed.

Alta has played an important part in the history of Utah’s ski industry and continues to have its share of famous Utah powder. Alta gets about 500 inches of snow a year and boasts 116 ski runs. While the resort is world-renowned, don’t overlook what Alta offers the beginner and intermediate skier. Sixty-five percent of the skiable terrain is designated for beginners or intermediates, so bring your “snowplowers.”

THE CANYONS
www.thecanyons.com
Miles from Provo: 50.9
Est. travel time from Provo: 1 hr. 9 min.
If you’re looking for a place for the whole family to go skiing, The Canyons Resort in Park City is a great place to look.

The vastness of the resort (3,700 skiable acres) means not only is there something for everyone, but there’s plenty of it. Throw in programs designed to teach local kids how to ski (ask about the preschoolers and kids lessons available specifically for Utah and Wyoming residents) and the place gets even better.

For snowboarders, there are six natural halfpipes and two terrain parks to complement the 163 runs.

SOLITUDE
www.skisolitude.com
Miles from Provo: 55.4
Est. travel time from Provo: 1 hr. 4 min.
Perhaps no ski resort in the world is more appropriately named than Solitude Mountain Resort. Gathering with family and making the drive to Solitude gives you a break from the craziness of everyday life. It gives you, well, solitude.

Solitude is located 12 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon and enjoys over 500 inches of yearly snowfall covering 1,200 acres of skiable terrain.

Solitude, like other local resorts, has a terrain park where boarders can hone their freestyle skills. It also houses Solitude’s Nordic Center, which offers snowshoeing. If skiing isn’t your thing, spend time at the Spa @ Solitude.

BRIGHTON
www.brightonresort.com
Miles from Provo: 57.3
Est. travel time from Provo: 1 hr. 7 min.
Located at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon, Brighton Resort gets the finest snow on earth — and lots of it.

It is the only resort in Utah that can boast that 100 percent of its skiable terrain is accessible by high-speed quads. Skiable terrain is where Brighton sets itself apart. Family members can ride the same lift, go their separate ways (beginner, intermediate or expert) and then meet at the bottom, ready to start the uphill journey again.

If you don’t want your skiing to end when the sunshine does, Brighton boasts the most night skiing terrain in Utah, with 22 runs and 200 lighted acres.

SNOWBASIN
www.snowbasin.com
Miles from Provo: 96.2
Est. travel time from Provo: 1 hr. 51 min.
If you want an experience that is out of the normal SLC-Park City-Sundance mold, consider going a little farther up I-15. A trio of ski resorts — all located near Ogden — will give you a new look at Utah’s snow.

Snowbasin is located near Huntsville and gets about 400 inches of snow a year. Snowbasin was a featured player in the 2002 Winter Olympics, as it hosted the men’s and women’s downhill, Super G and combined events. It has a rustic feel and many European visitors say it reminds them of home.

WOLF CREEK UTAH
www.wolfcreekutah.com
Miles from Provo: 98.3
Est. travel time from Provo: 2 hr. 0 min.
Not far from Snowbasin lies Wolf Creek Utah. It is the perfect place to learn to ski or get back into skiing. In fact, approximately 70 percent of the mountain is dedicated to beginners and intermediate skiers. Wolf Creek Utah features the Magic Carpet, a conveyer belt lift ideal for those learning to ski.

Wolf Creek Utah Ski Resort also features a state-of-the-art snowboard park. The Wolf’s Lair is perfect for freestylers of all abilities and includes more than 40 rail and snow features. It’s easily accessible from the Wolf’s Lair Triple.

POWDER MOUNTAIN
www.powdermountain.com
Miles from Provo: 99.2
Est. travel time from Provo: 2 hr. 2 min.
While you may have to speed to get to Powder Mountain within two hours, it’s definitely worth a day ski trip. (And if you live in Orem, you’ll make it under two hours without risking a ticket.)

Powder Mountain is located near Eden, about 19 miles northeast of Ogden. It’s the only resort in Utah that can claim 100 percent natural snow.

Powder Mountain offers two snowcat adventures, two terrain parks (including the Hidden Lake terrain park, designated for advanced riders) and night skiing from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

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