Snowbasin
Snowbasin is one of the oldest ski resorts in the United States, but there are no remnants left of a bygone era. That’s not exactly true as the abundance of powder that falls each season certainly remains. Significant investment has been made into the lift infrastructure including a tram and two gondolas – you don’t ever need to get cold on the lifts at Snowbasin. The resort has also added day lodges and snowmaking facilities, although Mother Nature does most of the work.
Like other Utah resorts, the profile of Snowbasin has been heightened as a result of the 2002 Winter Olympics, although the resort hasn’t become too popular and there are no issues of over-crowding. At the Olympics the resort hosted the Downhill and Super G which says a lot about the terrain at Snowbasin – plenty of vertical and fantastic wide runs with plenty of pitch.
Snowbasin is a large resort with 1,141 hectares of terrain and 104 designated runs. There is a bias towards the black run skier with 30% expert and 34% advanced terrain, but don’t expect a huge range of steeps or chutes that you might find at resorts such as
Snowbird. Intermediates can choose from a range of wide cruisers, and there is adequate terrain for skiing novices. Three terrain parks and a superpipe keep the tricksters entertained.
Snowbasin is located in the Ogden area of Utah, 53 kilometres (33 miles) north of Salt Lake City, and not far from
Powder Mountain ski area. On-mountain accommodation is not available at Snowbasin, with lodging options in nearby Huntsville or Ogden Valley, or greater choice availabe in Ogden (45 minutes away) or Salt Lake City (1+hours away). The other option is to stay on-mountain at Powder Mountain.
The Powderhounds are visiting Snowbasin in early 2009 and will then provide the skinny on the sleepy giant of Snowbasin, including more information on the skiing terrain and resort facilities.