Sandi M. wrote:
Me and some friends are going to SLC around 20. December for 2-3 weeks
for skiing/snowboarding.

As we wanna do some off-piste/backcountry skiing (is there a difference
btw? Is offpiste patrolled and backcountry not?

You possibly need to do some more research if this is a serious
question. Or, putting it another way, it really sounds like what you are
looking for is in bounds un-groomed skiing which is NOT backcountry in
spite of how some idiot resorts are flogging it. If that's what you're
after, just about any western mountain and probably most bigger eastern
mountains offer un-groomed on the off-piste (piste=trail loosely, so
off-piste=off the groomed trail.) Just go looking for it.

If you are really intent on real backcountry a few resorts offer lifts
that let you access backcountry, although the purist would say one
should hike up anyway. Solitude is one such. BUT if you are doing real
backcountry you need at the least beacon, shovel, probe, pack with
emergency gear, first aid kit, some food, water, AND an avalanche class
with on-slope practice and beacon practice, AND preferably an several
experienced skiers in your party.

FYI several outfits offer classes in the whole show often over a long
weekend culminating in a back country trip with overnight. Look into
those to gain basic experience and then head on out - welcome to freedom.

Hint: Honeycomb Canyon is NOT backcountry - there's a dam lift, even.