WASATCH STOKE, CONDITIONS, OBSERVATIONS, AND ASSORTED DRIVAL 18-19

[claymond]

Weather window and no wind, got some nice chute snowboarding.

[dump]

Watching this thread as I will be driving down next weekend with my 16 year old son for a week of skiing on the Ikon pass before heading to Jackson for a week and then Big Sky -- in between jobs so taking full advantage. Never skied Utah (or Montana) before not because I didn't want to, but for the past 15 years or so have bought Crystal Passes for a family of four. Paying for lift tickets at a different resort for a family for an already expensive sport along with the other costs of traveling made no financial sense other than some Whistler trips where we had some connections/discounts. With the Ikon, gas to get there, and a house for $80 a night on Airbnb in Cottonwood Heights with a local who works at Snowbird, hell yes, this is the year. We will have to look at some trail maps, but we will not do so in the middle of any traverse. So I feel for you locals who are lamenting the Ikon crowd, but I am stoked that it has given me this opportunity (incentive) to finally ski Snowbird, Alta, Solitude. I have Crystal Mountain and Alpental stickers on the back of my helmet, if you see me on the mountain and ask whether I got change for a nickel, I will buy you some beer.

[zion zig zag]

You don’t think the increase in skiers has anything to do with the first decent winter in almost a decade?
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Oh how soon we forget. 2017/18 was a great year.

[altacoup]

Watching this thread as I will be driving down next weekend with my 16 year old son for a week of skiing on the Ikon pass before heading to Jackson for a week and then Big Sky -- in between jobs so taking full advantage. Never skied Utah (or Montana) before not because I didn't want to, but for the past 15 years or so have bought Crystal Passes for a family of four. Paying for lift tickets at a different resort for a family for an already expensive sport along with the other costs of traveling made no financial sense other than some Whistler trips where we had some connections/discounts. With the Ikon, gas to get there, and a house for $80 a night on Airbnb in Cottonwood Heights with a local who works at Snowbird, hell yes, this is the year. We will have to look at some trail maps, but we will not do so in the middle of any traverse. So I feel for you locals who are lamenting the Ikon crowd, but I am stoked that it has given me this opportunity (incentive) to finally ski Snowbird, Alta, Solitude. I have Crystal Mountain and Alpental stickers on the back of my helmet, if you see me on the mountain and ask whether I got change for a nickel, I will buy you some beer.

Good for you. But this is exactly why ikon makes no sense for Alta. Alta might make $15 per day off each of your family members. Just doesn't add up to profitability. People who own Airbnb are loving it. Some local busineses are doing good. I've never seen so many out of towners at my local grocery and liquor store. Very easy to spot as they're all still in ski gear. But I have no idea how it makes financial sense for Alta to fill their parking lot (which is the limiting factor on ticket sales) with as car that's going to be paying a ridiculously discounted rate on lift tickets and probably spending very little money at the hill.


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[jtran10]

Lines today were all time

[Tnerb]

But I have no idea how it makes financial sense for Alta to fill their parking lot (which is the limiting factor on ticket sales) with as car that's going to be paying a ridiculously discounted rate on lift tickets and probably spending very little money at the hill.

Same for snowbasin going epic next year. It’ll be mostly people driving from Park City for a day or two during their trip, and not spending any money in Weber or Morgan counties except maybe lunch on the mountain. Basin will make a little money on them, parking will be worse than it already is, and Ogden or Huntsville/Eden businesses won’t see much.

[new yabyum]

Same for snowbasin going epic next year. It’ll be mostly people driving from Park City for a day or two during their trip, and not spending any money in Weber or Morgan counties except maybe lunch on the mountain. Basin will make a little money on them, parking will be worse than it already is, and Ogden or Huntsville/Eden businesses won’t see much.

The shooting star is a mandatory stop.

[Dshack89]

Nevermind...


@AltaCentral: 02/10 4:01 PM SR-210 open- false call avalanche, 4WD or chains required. Morning closure still in effect.

[alias_rice]

Lines today were all time

The wildcat and Collins lines were longer than I’d ever seen them this morning. Collins single line basically stretched up to the wildcat bullwheel by 10. I was with my kid and we finally bailed to make some Vail Ridge laps. For what it’s worth though, supreme had no lines from 1-3 and Supreme Bowl was skiing fantastic.

Oh and since when is it okay to slap down your skis at the front of the line and go into GMD for 45 minutes?

[BobMc]

Oh and since when is it okay to slap down your skis at the front of the line and go into GMD for 45 minutes?

Always found that puzzling but yeah since about forever.

[jtran10]

If someone stays with the skis your group's chair is good to go. Cant all leave at once though...poor form.

I bailed for supreme at 11 and had my best run of the day out Catherine's

[bigdude2468]

Lines today were all time

Confirm the singles line was the longest I have ever seen. Then people have no idea it's a singles line and clog it up with groups. Alta saw the problem and put a skiers services guy over there to help sort it out and reduce tension. No, your buddy can't cut in the line to be with you. If you want to ride together don't get in the singles line.

[BobMc]

Had to rescue a bro from FOMO today, worked out well, the struggle is real.

[snowaddict91]

If someone stays with the skis your group's chair is good to go. Cant all leave at once though...poor form.

Agreed. If no one is there I'll cut in front of your shit.

Tomorrow should be good, hopefully the road opens on time!

[Duffman]

I'm sure Ikon has added a bunch of traffic , but don't you think a weekend after an epic 70" in peak season would have brought out the masses anyway? I'm sure it's a factor just not sure how much of one overall. I do agree I don't see how Alta in particular , but also Bird and Solitude to a lesser extent, really benefit all that much from it. But maybe they felt it's a necessity with so much of the skiing public being locked into a multimountain pass bought in springtime

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[dump]

I'm sure Ikon has added a bunch of traffic , but don't you think a weekend after an epic 70" in peak season would have brought out the masses anyway? I'm sure it's a factor just not sure how much of one overall. I do agree I don't see how Alta in particular , but also Bird and Solitude to a lesser extent, really benefit all that much from it. But maybe they felt it's a necessity with so much of the skiing public being locked into a multimountain pass bought in springtime


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In Seattle this would result in parking lots full and latecomers turned away at all of the resorts -- you learn to get up early. And no matter who is paying for the tickets the lines would be the same based on parking capacity. I typically find on such days it is a shit storm in the morning, but after an early lunch the crowds are gone for the rest of the day.

[detrusor]

Best sneaky good powder day I’ve ever had was today. Lines at the bird were ridiculous.


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[happytimefunbox]

Had to rescue a bro from FOMO today, worked out well, the struggle is real.

Thanks Bob... I was starting to wander

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[BobMc]

Pepper cures the saltiness.

[skiATL]

UAC used to have a good page with links but I haven't been able to find it since they re-did their site this fall.

https://ccweather.com/index.php is a good place to start as well as mesowest for weather geekery.

https://utahavalanchecenter.org/48hr-weather-charts

A lot of stuff on the UAC site is missing, which is really frustrating. The 48 hour weather charts are still at the same address but there is no navigation or link to it on the website.

[getoutside]

[mall walker]

[Dantheman]

Had commitments in the morning but made it up to Brighton around 1:45 and damn did it ski well still and only got better the later it got. Got last chair on Milly.

While sitting in the red snake somewhere between SF and Spruces, with post-frontal full nukeage in effect, a full stretch limo went driving by going up. The guy must have driven by half a dozen UPD vehicles before that point. I bet he had fun getting back down.

[ncskier]

Oh how soon we forget. 2017/18 was a great year.

Seriously? Last season was a great year? I was in utah every month December- April it was sunbaked and high pressure nearly all season.I had fun, I ticked things off my list, but with 60" in the past week, I would guess January of 18 didn't have 30" for the month. I could be wrong, but it was rough.

[zion zig zag]

Seriously? Last season was a great year? I was in utah every month December- April it was sunbaked and high pressure nearly all season.I had fun, I ticked things off my list, but with 60" in the past week, I would guess January of 18 didn't have 30" for the month. I could be wrong, but it was rough.

Sorry, 2016/17. Last year sucked, but you said a decade.