# 3 Day Trip on 17th.....Resort Drivable from LA that Doesn't Suck?



## stonedzombie (Jan 8, 2012)

Hey guys,

Japan resider here with awesome snow conditions all around who's unfortunately moving back to the states and has a trip set from 17th of January to 20th in South Lake Tahoe. 

However, due to the crap conditions being reported, thinking of changing plans and going somewhere else.

This is the only weekend I can do the drive for a trip, so can anyone recommend anywhere within a 10 hour drive radius from LA that has some decent conditions for 3 intermediate boarders?

Thanks!!


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Central or western Colorado is 12 hours from LA. Straight shot on I15/I70.....


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## stonedzombie (Jan 8, 2012)

Argo said:


> Central or western Colorado is 12 hours from LA. Straight shot on I15/I70.....


Whew.....12 hours behind the wheel. If that's the only option, than so be it. Any sure bet mountains you recommend for the weekend with some decent night life in the area?


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## Karpediem (Aug 29, 2007)

stonedzombie said:


> Whew.....12 hours behind the wheel. If that's the only option, than so be it. Any sure bet mountains you recommend for the weekend with some decent night life in the area?


Salt Lake City is a 9hr drive from LA according to google. It looks like you go through Las Vegas though so that may distract your focus on your destination a bit.


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## neednsnow (Nov 30, 2007)

Salt Lake City for sure. They're due to get a nice hit over the next week, though it'll dry-out leading up to when you get there. But, yeah, passing through Vegas and the lunar landscape of southern Utah......that's your best bet. Brian Head is a little resort that is on the way to SLC. The drive to CO would be pretty rough. You can adjust your trip based on conditions as it becomes closer.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

So SLC gets one storm on a shit base or no base and you recommend that. Fuck that. I'd rather drive an extra 2-3 hours for way better open terrain and conditions. We have a solid base all over CO and continue to get snow. We got "2"" over night but I was still slamming through knee deep shit at 845 this morning and 4-6" on some of the groomers. I wish I didn't have to work right now or I'd still be hitting fresh snow. There is no crowd around until march either.....


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

You have an advantage though, your driving either way and can make a last minute decision.... Unless SLC gets 2' of snow this weekend and then another 12" or more before You get there I'd stay clear. Tahoe and Utah are hurting right now.


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## neednsnow (Nov 30, 2007)

Argo said:


> So SLC gets one storm on a shit base or no base and you recommend that. Fuck that. I'd rather drive an extra 2-3 hours for way better open terrain and conditions. We have a solid base all over CO and continue to get snow. We got "2"" over night but I was still slamming through knee deep shit at 845 this morning and 4-6" on some of the groomers. I wish I didn't have to work right now or I'd still be hitting fresh snow. There is no crowd around until march either.....


Rabble Rabble Rabble. First of all.....SLC and Tahoe are two different worlds right now. While Tahoe is brown town, SLC does have a base, just nothing new in quite a while. The extra 25% drive time, IMHO, will not be worth the wonders of CO. The Cottonwood resorts are touting the same conditions as CB, Tell, and Aspen. Sure, Summit has (finally) gotten a decent series of snow, but I wouldn't send someone there, an extra 3+ hours when they can get essentially the same thing as SLC. 

SLC will get 2-3 feet this weekend. Lift tickets are a ton cheaper in SLC (especially if you stop at the Lifthouse in Cottonwood Heights, just at the entrance of the access roads to Brighton, Solitude, and Snowbird.)

Maybe going to work is what made you all sorts of grumpy. No worries, I get it.

OP.....as I said before, make a game-time decision.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

I have been to both places in the last month and neither have gotten much snow since I have been. It's a 6 hour drive for me to get to the canyons(not the resort of that name)and we just had an event cancel from snowbird for this weekend because they do not have a good enough off groomer base. I travel and ride these places throughout the season, the past 2 seasons, but feel free to take that advice and go to SLC.... I'll keep riding our pow as much as I can for the next couple months with no lines and personal gondolas....


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Also, I live in the middle of vail and it is almost exactly 12 hours from my place to my brothers place in LA, he is about 3 miles from the beach in LA. That is in good traffic and decent driving conditions. Add 45 minutes for breck. Subtract an hour for aspen.


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## stonedzombie (Jan 8, 2012)

Thanks for all the replies guys.

Really seems like the snow gods are against me this trip.

Need to really get the last minute prep under way but all mountains are looking bare throughout the weekend. 

As mentioned, it looks like Utah got slammed pretty hard earlier this week, so I'm thinking Alta, Utah maybe? Options seem scarce, but considering the snow base they have, it seems like the best option given the circumstances...

Thanks!


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Alta doesn't allow snowboards, snowbird does. I have a group of friends that were out there until yesterday and said coverage was ok except for the lower elevations Of The mtn getting Some rain.... Waist deep powder here today....


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## stonedzombie (Jan 8, 2012)

Argo said:


> Alta doesn't allow snowboards, snowbird does. I have a group of friends that were out there until yesterday and said coverage was ok except for the lower elevations Of The mtn getting Some rain.... Waist deep powder here today....


Snowbird seems good.....except for the rain and sun in forecast. 

Colorado isnt forecasting much snow either though. You think it's worth the extra 3+ hours for the drive to Vail?


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## DiggerXJ (Apr 4, 2013)

Yes. Cause even after a week of no snow our conditions will still be the best in the country.


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## DiggerXJ (Apr 4, 2013)

Plus, coming from someone who's done the LA-colo and LA-SLC drives a dozen times, after you hit the junction to decide to either go to SLC or CO, you won't care about the extra drive time. Your brain at that point is numb and you should be in the driving zone.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

3 hours isn't shit. I agree with digger, at that 15/70 junction it's not too big a commitment. I have made that drive 6-7 times and it's easy cruising... 

It's snowing today still.


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