# Utah trip review



## Karpediem (Aug 29, 2007)

Went out to Utah for the first time last week and thought I would write a quick review of my trip. Only other "real" place I have been to is Colorado...Copper and Keystone.

Stayed in Midvale, about 15-20mins from airport, at the National 9 Inn...aka Discovery Inn. Pretty dumpy place, but cheap and a decent breakfast (Waffels, cereal, oatmeal, toast, bagels, english muffins). The location was great for heading to the resorts for us.

First Day - Snowbird (Never waited for lifts): Crap is steep, which is normally fine, but when you haven't had any fresh snow and it's warm and rainy = FOG....we couldn't see past 2ft in front of us at the top. It was like riding in a cloud, not on one like I was hoping for my trip. Towards the bottom there was no fog, but it was a very flat light and just poor poor visibility. We thought Snowbird was the worst place we went, but that was mainly because of the conditions.

Second Day - Solitude (Never waited for lifts): Bluebird day! My face got fried, but didn't care. It was a perfect groomer day. Still no fresh snow, moguls down all the non-groomed runs. Solitude is pretty open, not too steep, just basically halled balls all day.

Third and Fourth Day - Brighton (Never waited again): Partly sunny first day, semi-overcast second day. Bright was probably our favorite. Runs were pretty decent, all kinds of terrain so it felt like we could vary up our runs quite a bit. Still no new snow though.

Overall: Disappointed with the terrain parks. I wasn't expecting much from Snowbird and Solitude...which is basically none...but Brighton is basically all rails. I thought they would have some big ass jumps. Would have really liked to drop of some mellow cliffs, but we had no new snow the whole time we were there. What was untracked was just chunky ice...due to the warmup then cooling back down. Without snow it basically ruled out and double black runs, and any ungroomed black runs the whole time we were there. I would go back to Utah though, probably over Colorado just because of the price, how easy the access is from the airport, and the potential for a huge snowfall....which I missed out on. Might try up in northern Utah next time.

P.S. - UTAH - Your drinking laws SUCK!!! Memberships??!!! WTF!!!


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Yep their drinking laws do suck. That is what happens when a religion runs the state. Those membership dollars are great funding for the state. 

You weren't riding weekends were you? Snowbird definitely gets lines, but then again not of the Colorado (Summit County) magnitude either. Northern Utah is nice, though they do not get nearly as much snow as the Brighton, Solitude, Snowbird Cotton Wood canyon area. Powder Mountain and Snobasin are also a lot less crowded because of it.


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## Karpediem (Aug 29, 2007)

No weekends....Mon-Thurs. Wasn't expecting lines, so that was nice. Took a while to find a liquor store too. Lots of Pabst out there though.....decently priced for a tall boy at all the resorts.


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## Music Moves (Jan 23, 2009)

It dumped about 8 feet in Utah when I went in 98/99. It was the 'deepest' time I've ever had that I can remember. 

My friend moved out there for the season and sent me a pic of him doing flips off the roof of the house. Obviously I had to go, lol!


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## Guest (Mar 4, 2009)

I was there last week as well, we went to park city and canyons, both are located in Park City, UT. Longest wait time was about 5 minutes, and most of the real lifts were 6 passenger expresses and the rest were all high speed quads.

As for the drinking laws you need to know the tricks. When they ask if you are a member you need to say yes. They don't check any passes or anything, they just need to ask (well I've never been asked for any proof). Usually, when you go to order drinks, imports are higher than 3.2% and domestics are 3.2% (except for Sam Adams). Every time we've been to a "members only" bar/restaurant, the waitress will ask "You guys are members right?". To which you need to respond yes. 

Also any place that is a members only bar, usually you have to order alcohol with food. You can't have a liquid only diet. At a bar we like to frequent, it's usually 5 of us, with a table full of drinks and an appetizer. 

Overall a pretty fun place to ride, but you should really try and stay in park city. More resorts and more bars/clubs.


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## Karpediem (Aug 29, 2007)

I guess there can always be a next time. We were just caught off guard when they asked us if we were memebers. I knew the beer was weaker, but had no idea about the membership thing.

Also, 99% sure Justin Bennee was checking in behind me at the airport when we left.


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## burritosandsnow (Nov 22, 2008)

yep Brighton doesnt have many jumps in fact Bertha our biggest isnt even built right now. We have a 35 footer and thats it and then in the top park we have two 20 footers. Park City resorts are more known for huge man made jumps. Brighton as you said is just lots of rails but the main reason for that is our terrain. We have naturals all over that boot you 30 40 and 50 feet lol so theres no need to build. Of course you may need a local to help you find them but they are there ( mostly on the Millicent lift mountain not the main mountain ). Next time you are out ( and there should ALWAYS be a next time when you are talking about Utah) hit me up and ill be happy to show you the goods. 

Yes our laws do suck and theres a constant fight in our legislature to fix the damn membership thing ( although im from alabama originally and theres a similar law for buying alcohol in clubs on sunday ). I dont even drink beer anymore unless im out of state lol


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## mOnky (Feb 8, 2009)

what is this membership fee you talk about when ordering drinks?
member of what? the state/religion?


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## burritosandsnow (Nov 22, 2008)

to sell drinks you have to be a " private club" ..meaning you have to pay a membership fee to join the club...

btw guys next time you are in town just ask someone outside thats a member to "sponser" you .. if you are sponsered you get to be inside as a guest of the member w/o paying a fee


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Ah the Social Club. Getting sponsored is the best way to go. Seems like plenty of people are willing to do it. Drinks at the "club" are the full strength variety. I don't remember people having to order food either. There were plenty of people that seemed to just be drinking at the ones I have visited. We were also getting food ourselves so it wasn't a bridge I had to cross.

If you go to a place where they do not ask you about a membership than the only sell beer and it's the 3.2 variety. 

Utah just makes it a little more of a pita to get a drink than other places.


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## Guest (Mar 4, 2009)

Come back and go to SnowBasin or Powder, that where its at. Northern Utah has the best snow fall. You got to catch the after math of the storms and you'll be swimming in powder.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Actually, the Cottonwood Canyons average almost double the snow fall than Powder Mountain-Snobasin areas. A storm that puts down a foot at those resorts is almost always double in the Cottonwoods. On the flipside, PM and SB are a lot less crowded so the snow sticks around longer.


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## burritosandsnow (Nov 22, 2008)

killclimbz said:


> Actually, the Cottonwood Canyons average almost double the snow fall than Powder Mountain-Snobasin areas. A storm that puts down a foot at those resorts is almost always double in the Cottonwoods. On the flipside, PM and SB are a lot less crowded so the snow sticks around longer.


this is correct ... occasionally (like two or three times a season ) there will be a storm that hits the northern resorts harder but even then it like a 3 to 2 ratio meaning for every foot up north there will be 8in in the cottonwoods. The norm is like kill says 2 to 1 cottonwoods.


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## Guest (Mar 5, 2009)

the food is at a restaurant bar and grill. They can't sell only alcohol to a table. 

Well that's what our waitress told us...


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