Thread: Alta or Snowbird for Family?

PS thanks for the contrary opinion Smarty, trip will be early January so no risk of slushy conditions but have taken it on board for future spring trips.

Alta> upper parkinglot.

BCC, Brighton and Soli. Supreme lift=stand there forever in line, sucks.
Stay at Brighton, bus down to Soli on those days. No lift lines.

But I am not superradfantasticneedtosprayhowgoodIam, so BCC works better for the family with a 7 yo.
You get lots of goods at Brighton and Soli, without the attitude and the higher altitude.

If kids want a heated pool, stay at Solitude. Small (tiny) rec center there too.

Originally Posted by Buzzworthy

But I am not superradfantasticneedtosprayhowgoodIam, so BCC works better for the family with a 7 yo.
You get lots of goods at Brighton and Soli, without the attitude and the higher altitude.

.

I honestly don't understand why so many BCC skiers suffer from such an inferiority complex. If you prefer skiing up BCC, more power to you. Like you said, both Alta and Snowbird could use fewer people.

Alta is a great place for kids to learn to ski.

Originally Posted by CarveMan

trip will be early January so no risk of slushy conditions but have taken it on board for future spring trips.

jan, especially early jan can be quite thin as far as cover goes. can often be under big high pressure as well. i've had MUCH better pow skiing in april than jan out there. plus april provides the best coverage/base depths.

bcc, big fan here. no inferiority complex. lived in both canyons. honest opinion.

rog

Originally Posted by Buzzworthy

BCC, Brighton and Soli. Supreme lift=stand there forever in line, sucks.
Stay at Brighton, bus down to Soli on those days. No lift lines.

But I am not superradfantasticneedtosprayhowgoodIam, so BCC works better for the family with a 7 yo.
You get lots of goods at Brighton and Soli, without the attitude and the higher altitude.

If kids want a heated pool, stay at Solitude. Small (tiny) rec center there too.

If you are going after New Years you will not have crowds anywhere, early January is about the slowest time of the year. Granted a big pow day brings out the locals but tourists are few. When I used to travel to Utah we would go early January for this very reason. The down side of this time of year is that the freaking daylight hours are so short that by 1:30 or so on a clear day the sun is down behind the peaks and most of the ski area is in the shadows.

Originally Posted by bigdude2468

If you are going after New Years you will not have crowds anywhere, early January is about the slowest time of the year. Granted a big pow day brings out the locals but tourists are few. When I used to travel to Utah we would go early January for this very reason. The down side of this time of year is that the freaking daylight hours are so short that by 1:30 or so on a clear day the sun is down behind the peaks and most of the ski area is in the shadows.

resort. The exception to that is certain lifts at Alta and Snow Bird tram. The point about a 7 yr old and lines is well made. At that age the typical kid is only good for a half day +- window as a true beginer. You don't want to burn it sitting in lines.

Originally Posted by schindlerpiste

Sleariously, just consider that Alta/Bird base is at 8500' and the summit is 11,000'. (as opposed to Park City 6500/10,000). If your kids are not used to altitude, they may experience major discomfort. This would not only ruin their time, but yours as well. Having said that, Alta offers much more kid friendly terrain than Snowbird. Other than skiing, there is not much for kids at either area.

I wouldn't worry about that. I've gotten deathly ill from altitude too many times to count on backpacking and climbing trips and never had a problem at Alta or any other ski resort. (I did take my diamox for the Aiguille du Midi though.) I think kids do better because they take it easy when they start to feel it, as opposed to young adults who don't know any better.

Late to this discussion, but if you are dead-set on LCC, Alta is the better area for kids and beginners. BCC is the tits and way underrated, but I kind of like to keep it that way. Brighton is a lot of fun for skiers of all skill levels. Solitude is as well, and keeps the rad gnarly bros out of the way of the beginners and vice-versa.

My opinion is that Park City, Canyons, and Deer Valley are the most out of towner friendly areas in UT.

PC area for family. LCC is a little heavy on more advanced terrain. If they're anything less than expert def PC.

Originally Posted by KarlStall

PC area for family. LCC is a little heavy on more advanced terrain. If they're anything less than expert def PC.

I have to call BS on this one. Snowbird may be short of easy terrain but Alta certainly is not. For beginners / novice skiers anything off the Sunnyside chair is green or easy blue and it must be a couple of miles long. There is an easy way down from every chair. Wildcat to the top of Aggie's Alley using the cat track, Sugarloaf taking the easy way to Devils Elbow, Supreme down the cat track to the top of Big Dipper and Collins to the top of Main Street. I know of no other ski area that skiers of very different abilities can ski the same lift and both ski the type of terrain they like. Supreme down Challenger or #9 Express, Sugarloaf down Extrovert, Running Dog or the Keyhole / Glory Hole, Wildcat anything to skiers left and Collins you have the High T that gets you back to where you started. PC is fine but you will not ski the same lifts if the skiers are much different in ability.

I defer on Alta - probably shouldn't have lumped it in w/ snowbird. From what I've seen hiking preseason it doesn't seem much different from the Bird (which is not a great place for beginners) but don't have much experience in Albion or the lifts mentioned. (shutting up now).

Originally Posted by Finstah

I honestly don't understand why so many BCC skiers suffer from such an inferiority complex. If you prefer skiing up BCC, more power to you. Like you said, both Alta and Snowbird could use fewer people.

Alta is a great place for kids to learn to ski.

In my case it is true. I'm more of a snowboarder who is loving to learn to ski again, as I did as a kid.

I love LCC, but prefer to be on a board where I am more comfortable so that leaves the Bird.

I like Alta, the few times I have been there and the best run I ever had was Altagirl giving me the confidence to ski foot deep powder in Fred's Trees. I will always remember that run and the fact that I skied it with Altagirl and a hell of a grin! Thank you AG!!!

Sister-in-law blew her ACL on Sunday. No trip for them this year

Thanks all for the tips.

Originally Posted by icelanticskier

jan, especially early jan can be quite thin as far as cover goes. can often be under big high pressure as well. i've had MUCH better pow skiing in april than jan out there. plus april provides the best coverage/base depths.

bcc, big fan here. no inferiority complex. lived in both canyons. honest opinion.

rog

Big BCC fan here too - until I went to Japan this year the deepest pow I ever skied was at Soli.

Also I hear you about the Jan high pressure - lived in PC for 6 winters so know the deal, I'd never book a trip all the way from Australia at that time of year but they are constrained by school holidays etc.

I'm only posting here to note the first swing-and-a-miss strikeout that I've seen from AZ Greg.

Alta is better, because the kids have to learn to fight off douchebags in the liftline SOMEWHERE.

Originally Posted by HobieTony

I'm only posting here to note the first swing-and-a-miss strikeout that I've seen from AZ Greg.

Funny part is we ski in Australia. Makes the EC look good. But fucked if I'm going to fly half way around the world to ski there.

Originally Posted by CarveMan

Funny part is we ski in Australia. Makes the EC look good. But fucked if I'm going to fly half way around the world to ski there.

well, when it's dumping here and high/dry in utah, who will be laughing? that's right

rog

Originally Posted by icelanticskier

well, when it's dumping here and high/dry in utah, who will be laughing? that's right

rog

Not sure where the myth came from about high pressure in January but it happens to have the second highest average monthly snowfall, only March is higher. Feb is short three days but the average snowfall for January, February and March is 95", 91" and 100"; to me that is statistically insignificant. Not sure where in the East these numbers can be topped?

Yep that's a good point bigdude and something I've struggled with.

I lived in the West (UT/CO) for 10 winters and would anecdotally say that there's a good chance of a 2-3 week stint of high pressure in January, but I've also gone through the snow stats pretty comprehensively when I wrote my book and the numbers don't say that January is any less snowy than any other month.

Originally Posted by CarveMan

Yep that's a good point bigdude and something I've struggled with.

I lived in the West (UT/CO) for 10 winters and would anecdotally say that there's a good chance of a 2-3 week stint of high pressure in January, but I've also gone through the snow stats pretty comprehensively when I wrote my book and the numbers don't say that January is any less snowy than any other month.

I think in general people have short term / selective memories and yes last year was grim in Jan. I know even in the big snow years of two / three years ago we had a stretch of HP in early January. People are bitching but when it comes they forget about the snow but remember when there wasn't any.

Originally Posted by icelanticskier

well, when it's dumping here and high/dry in utah, who will be laughing? that's right

rog

rog: worst tiny dick syndrome evah.

Originally Posted by bigdude2468

I think in general people have short term / selective memories and yes last year was grim in Jan. I know even in the big snow years of two / three years ago we had a stretch of HP in early January. People are bitching but when it comes they forget about the snow but remember when there wasn't any.

I think what colours my memory is at least 3-4 occasions when friends came out from Australia for 2-3 weeks and got totally skunked. Australians tend to come in January as they have the month off - there is one friend in particular who had spent about 5 weeks in Utah total before he saw a single flake fall from the sky.

But then one year it went totally berserk for him and we shared the deepest pow day ever until we went to Japan

What makes you want to kick Greg is the face more- the blog he posts every time, or the dick-eating grin he has in his profile pic????

I can't decide for myself...