Snowboarding at PC with my Brother + the Lowdown
Trip Start
Jan 08, 2007
1
99
158
Trip End
Dec 29, 2009
Park City,
Utah,
United States
Friday, December 19, 2008
What do I mean by the lowdown? The lowdown on Utah ski resorts! From me, Utah native, snow skier since 6 years old and snowboard since 10.
Park City is considered more of a "tourist" resort than most of the others by Utah locals. The locals enjoy what they call their so-called local resorts of Snowbird and Brighton, among others. I don't know if anyone as actually taken a poll to see how many tourists go to which resorts so can that claim be backed up? Some are more known than others as skier or snowboarder resorts
Siblings
. Alta and Deer Valley are skier-only resorts, two of few in the entire world. For good snow and great powder days, the resorts of Snowbird and Alta up Big Cottonwood Canyon just can't be beat. The problem with this canyon though, is when these heavy snowfalls happen the canyon is often closed for a while, or at least a few hours in the morning, and traffic up the canyon is real bad. Also cars need to have four-wheel drive or at least snow-chains on the tires. Sundance has some beautiful scenery, but it's much lower than the other resorts, which means the snow quality isn't as good, and it's much smaller. So far I think it has the best summer mountain biking though.
Since I have a season pass to Park City this year I don't plan on visiting any other resorts except maybe Snowbird, but next year I plan to check out some of the smaller, less-known resorts here. They might be the way to go to escape the crowds.
I've never been to Alta but from family and friends I've heard it gets the best snow. The problems with Alta though can be long lines and slow lifts.
Logan
Park City area has three resorts. Park City Mountain Resort, The Canyons, and Deer Valley. I once had a season pass at The Canyons but it's such a pain because to actually get up on the mountain a person much take a tram from the parking lot and then another tram up to the mountain. It's a huge resort but I never liked as much as other resorts.
I spent time working at Snowbird as a photographer before I was fired for "not yelling loud enough at people." Yes, not yelling loud enough. Who want to be pointed and yelled out when enjoying a ride down the mountain. I wouldn't like it so why do I want to do it to people? Anyway, watch out for those Powdershots people if you don't want to get pointed and yelled at for your photo to be taken.
The main reason I choose Park City Mountain Resort is simplicity. It's 30 minutes from where I live in Salt Lake City and I've never had to deal with bad traffic. Parking can be an issue though on holidays or even typical days if I don't arrive early. It's much easier than most the others for me because my car doesn't have four-wheel drive, which you need to get most the other resorts but don't need for Park City because it's right in town. Sometimes I go alone and always end up riding with people on the chairlift
Me
. I like the tourists because I like talking to them and learning about where they are from, what they think of Utah, etc, they are fun to talk to. It's not crowded if you know where to go, and there are some incredible secret spots and backcountry options. It's a good snowboard resort, it has four award winning terrain parks and andone world class superpipe that have been three times been named "Terrain Park of the Year" by Transworld Snowboarding. Well, ok, I don't ride the superpipe but I guess if anyone else does...they'd like it!
An amazing snowboard video focusing on Park City was made recently, this is just the intro:
Shaun White, who took gold in halfpipe in the last Olympics (2006), often cites Park City as one of his favorite places to ride.
For the best powder, as a snowboarder, Snowbird is the place to be though. I don't know though, the real secret may be the smaller resorts I haven't been to like Powder Mountain, Beaver Mountain, Solitude, and Snowbasin. I'll have to wait until next year to see. I have been to Wolf Mountain, which used to be Nordic Valley. It has only one or two lifts at that time. Brianhead is the only resort not in the Salt Lake City area.
Well, there you go. The lowdown from my perspective. Intertwined with fun pointless photos of my brother and me.
