Utah

The profile of skiing resorts in Utah, USA, has certainly increased since the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. Many ski areas in Utah are now considered world class resorts as they continue to develop their infrastructure.

Utah claims they have the “Greatest Snow on Earth”. With characteristically light dry powder, and at least four resorts renowned for an average of 12.7 metres (500 inches) of annual snowfall, Utah is certainly up there as a great powderhound ski destination.

Many of the resorts are within close vicinity of each other so it’s possible to get a taste of multiple ski areas during your holiday. Ease of access is also a feature of many of the resorts considering that Salt Lake International airport is not far away.

Distances from Salt Lake City:
- Beaver Mountain – 178km
- Alta – 43km (next to Snowbird)
- Snowbird – 40km (next to Alta)
- Brighton – 48km – southeast of SLC
- Wolf Mountain – 51km
- Park City – 51km
- The Canyons – 45km (near Park City)
- Deer Valley – 54km (near Park City)
- Powder Mountain – 86km - Ogden Valley
- Snowbasin – 83km – Ogden Valley
- Solitude – 45km
- Sundance – 82km
- Brian Head – 418km – down south

Some of the resorts are grouped together. There are three resorts in the Park City area which are Park City Mountain Resort, Deer Valley (snowboard free) & The Canyons. The Eastern slope of the Wasatch range receives less snowfall than the Cottonwood canyons. In Little Cottonwood Canyon which is the southeast corner of the Salt Lake Valley are Alta (snowboard free) and the interconnected Snowbird, which has some very challenging terrain. Big Cottonwood Canyon is also in the southeast corner of the Salt Lake Valley to the north of Little Cottonwood Canyon, and has the resorts of Solitude and Brighton. There are also resorts in the Ogden Valley including Powder Mountain and Snowbasin, and the Provo area features the Sundance resort. Furthest north in Utah is Beaver Mountain, and Brian Head is in southern Utah just 2.5 hours from Las Vegas.

The resorts all vary significantly. Some resorts such as those around Park City have a high profile and subsequently have crowds that flock there. Conversely some resorts fly under the radar with fewer visitors. Some of these lower profile resorts also have undeveloped infrastructure, but with fewer people on the slopes the chances of skiing or boarding untracked powder is much greater. Another plus is that the lesser known resorts have much cheaper lift tickets. Our USA resort comparison document outlines the difference in lift ticket prices and other mountain statistics such as vertical, hectares of terrain, and annual average snowfall.

A great way for experienced skiers (only) to sample multiple resorts and the backcountry of the Wasatch Mountains is to take a one day Utah Interconnect Tour.

So why is it that many of the resorts have an average annual snowfall of 12.7 metres? Is that coincidence, or is it that 500 inches of snow is a convenient measure of rounding up? Regardless, Utah is definitely the powder skiing capital of USA.

How to Get There and Travel Information Salt Lake City international airport is the gateway city for most Utah ski resorts. Delta Airlines have over 300 daily flights in and out of Salt Lake City servicing many cities in the US, Canada and Mexico.

From Australia most flights will go via Los Angeles, but they may also stop off at San Francisco or even Las Vegas on the way to Salt Lake City. Carriers include Qantas and United Airlines. Alternatively you can use any carrier to get to Los Angeles, and then get a Delta flight to SLC.

Flight times from the east coast of Australia will be about 20 hours depending upon your flight route.

As for most flights to North America, the cost will be greater around the Christmas period and during early January, get a little cheaper from mid-January onwards, and become cheaper again after February. As a general rule, the cost of accommodation will follow the same pattern, although accommodations during the Sundance Festival in Park City will be at a premium. If you are not visiting Utah specifically for the Sundance Festival, it’s probably wise to avoid travelling during this time due to the cost and the crowds. The festival is in mid-January for two weeks.

It may be worthwhile to use a travel agent to assist with the booking of flights and the planning of your vacation. They can help you negotiate the best route, but they also have access to cheaper flights when booked as a ski package with accommodations and lift tickets.