We might be cooking right now during the warmest stretch of the calendar, but just beneath a persistently hot summer rests an invincible winter. A winter in which you will lay down tracks in the softest powder, take in some of the best views around, and celebrate afterward with friends over some of the finest dining possible.
Salt Lake City Serves Up the Greatest Snow on Earth
While the options for creating that kind of setting are vast, few can equal the snow-white carpet that Utah’s Wasatch Mountain Range provides at its ski and snowboard resorts. Located nowhere near an ocean, just under 900 miles or so east of the Pacific, these jagged peaks rise sharply about two miles upward as an enigma for those that study physical geography and geology.
One of the best byproducts of this backdrop is that snowfall occurs often, is on the drier side for several weeks, and is prone to burying everything with massive dumps. It is not uncommon for this region to be near the 300” mark for annual snowfall totals. For decades the residents have had the option to select a state-issued license plate for their vehicles that says it all—“Ski Utah! The Greatest Snow on Earth.”
So, if you are looking for pow-pow this coming season, why not make a snow quest to scope out some of the spectacular offerings of the recently awarded host for the 2034 Winter Olympics, Salt Lake City, Utah?
Get to Know Your Options for Accessing the Wasatch Range Resorts
Salt Lake City, nicknamed the “Crossroads of the West,” is the jumping-off point for incredible resorts, with a total of eleven within reach. As with all things, too many choices can be overwhelming, so a bit of homework helps before you plan your trip.
Ikon vs Epic
First off, it pays to know which resorts accept each of the two major players in lift passes, Ikon and Epic.
Whether you ski Deer Valley or ski/ride Park City Resort, there is plenty of elbow room among an abundance of trees, groomers, open bowls, terrain parks, and moguls—You can trust that the varied terrain will give your body a total workout. The aspen groves in particular are famous for providing that photo-worthy explosion of light powder all around your head as you zoom down the hillside while transforming into a snow globe centerpiece.
They say that the time between January and March is the snowiest, and at that point almost all of the trails will be open
Where to Lay Your Weary Head When Hitting Utah’s Top Resorts
Planning a visit to this mecca of powder and steeps involves more than just lift access, as you need to factor in proximity to your selected resorts and how to access said resorts. This includes possibly contending with winding canyons in the less than hour-long drive from Salt Lake City Airport, which can be congested on the weekends and during heavy snow storms, plus choosing the proper spot to lodge so that you have close enough access to the resorts you want to carve into, as well as to the epic towns surrounding Salt Lake City.
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Do you stay in Salt Lake City proper and hit all the canyons and miscellaneous resorts day by day, dependent on snowfall, traffic, avalanche road closures, and pass type?
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Do you base in the city—e.g. the Sandy area, which is near to Little Cottonwood Canyon—for easy access to Snowbird and Alta (pending heavy snowfall road closures)?
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Do you opt for R&R in the town of Park City for easy access to Deer Valley and Park City Resort?
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Or do you opt for on-slope lodging at Deer Valley, Snowbird, or Park City? Think steep pricing and somewhat limited access to the variety of resorts that you can access from Park City.
Why Park City Takes the Cake
Those who decide to room right in the town of Park City—the largest town of Summit County—will be greeted with over 9,300 combined lift-served skiable acres of adventure across two gigantic resorts, Deer Valley and Park City Resort. These places come with a wide variety of terrain for all levels of expertise: either is accessible by a short shuttle ride from town (and Park City Resort is within walking distance of some of the Park City hotels).
The mystique of the mountains, sugar-coated with deep and dry powder, is beautifully complimented by the charm of the town of Park City. One moment you may be skiing or riding your way down to Main Street, and the next moment you are out of the bindings and inside Butcher's Chop House & Bar. They offer a “Niman Ranch Flat Iron 10 oz.,” which sounds intriguing, but please know that even if you do not select that menu item, the town has more than one hundred and fifty locations to choose from with an abundant diversity of food types.
Beyond that, the entire township is chock-full of shops, bars, and other fine establishments. Former Utah resident Lynda Jensen gave some insight about where some of the best dining can be found, recommending The Spur Bar & Grill, The Pig Pen Saloon, and the Silver Star Cafe. She also said that the downtown part of Park City has everything to offer and is a lot of fun to walk at night.
Within just a few blocks of the Park City Peaks Hotel, you can stumble into top-rated bakeries, bagelries, and juice shops. Why not try Auntie Em's Baked Goods if you are literally looking for cake (or pie)?
Cool Buildings, Saloons and So Much More—Why Wait?
Park City is a super cool little town, one that is known for hosting the annual Sundance Film Festival. Movies from a wide variety of genres have premiered at this event including Four Weddings and a Funeral, Reservoir Dogs, and Napoleon Dynamite, just to name a few. The architecture throughout Park City has an inviting western mining town feel, and there are several saloons to choose from. Don’t miss the aforementioned Pig Pen Saloon or the No Name Saloon—Utah is not the dry state it once was (although you may find there are some limitations when you ask for that extra shot of tequila in your margarita).
Brian was born and raised in Colorado, but now resides in the Carolinas where he is a Contributing Writer for skisoutheast.com. His goal is to ski at as many places as possible while collecting memories, pictures, and trail maps.
