Solitude - good deal when backcountry skiing?

Alan Baker wrote:
In article .com,
"Yabahoobs" wrote:

Two Buddha wrote:
Solitude is perhaps the best backcountry access of any lift served area in
Utah. Wonderful and marvelous. Make sure to lay tracks below any telemark
skiers, they are all assholes.

Naaa, most I encounter are very laid back. Scott you just have a way of
bringing out the worst in people. Probably cuz you're even more
annoying in person then you are on here.
The people you wanna "lay tracks below" are the idiot boarders.

There's a saying that I find very helpful:

Any day you think you've met three or more assholes, just look in the
mirror and you'll see the only one that was involved...
"Two to Tango"...and so forth...

Walt,

thanks for all the hints!
Just one last thing: can you recommend some lodging in the Ogden area in
case we'll go skiing (hope we will!) in Powder Mountain?

Alex

Walt wrote:
Sandi M. wrote:
Walt wrote:

Sandi M. wrote:

Try this place: http://www.utahvacationhomes.com/default.aspx

We rented one of their units last December - quite affordable,
convienently located.

looks nice, but as everywhere they're rising the prices during the
holidays.

Yeah, Xmas week + skiing == high prices for accomodations.

Think we stay in SLC downtown.

Well, there's definitely better food to be had in SLC proper.

Haven't checked it out, but
there's supposed to be a good bus system to the resorts as well,
right? If
not- we got a car

I'd plan on using the car. There is a bus that goes up the LCC & BCC
canyons, which is handy for when the road is closed to non-4WD vehicles,
but other than that I would plan on renting a car and driving. You
don't want to spend 3 hours on the bus everyday.


The "easy" was related to Brighton only. Yeah, I heard that it's kind of
crowded on weekend. We'll avoid going there on weekends!

It's the only SLC resort where kids ski free. Throngs of Mormon
families show up by the busload on Saturday. Sunday, they're in church,
so that day's not too bad. Especially if you're planning on spending
the day off the beaten path. HINT: check out the Sol-bright trail.

Damned LRZ (right, it's easy to figure out my location).
But thanks for the help. BTW:

4) Many backcountry skiers which sometimes can be helpful,
especially if you buy them beer at the bar and ask
knowledgable questions.

So, that does work with you as well? ;-)

Sandi


klaus wrote:
In rec.skiing.backcountry Sandi M. wrote:
See my other post.

So what do you think are the main dangers for the Wasatch (to be that
specific)? I took classes, but what are the main differences between the
Alps and here in your opinion?



Warning: Extreme generalizations.

Most prominent Wasatch Hazards:
1) Wind loading on east aspects.
2) Sometimes heavy snowfall.
3) Buried surface hoar.
4) Very terrain and history dependent hazard due to skier
compaction/previous slides.
5) Explosives from helicopters.

Mitigating factors:
1) Predictable hazard (for the most part). Read this daily:
http://www.avalanche.org/%7Euac/newa...y/advisory.php
2) Safe terrain can usually be found.
3) Some "frontcountry" offers quick and experienced body recovery
from the adjacent resorts.
4) Many backcountry skiers which sometimes can be helpful,
especially if you buy them beer at the bar and ask
knowledgable questions.
5) Usual storm pattern involves heavy warm snow turning to light
snow as the storm progresses. leading to right side up new snow.
South wind at start, NW as it continues.

Again, these are gross generalizations and are often wrong.

As for the Solitude angle to out of bounds, go with 10 packs of single rides if you are planning on mainly OOB.

And one more thing, judging from your posting handle and location, you
may qualify for a free local tour guide that speaks german. ;
Disclaimer: I am not a ski guide and all risks will be your own.

-klaus

Thanks for your help! Got the Solitude pass for 6 days now to get used to
the conditions there and then.. well... let's see (but the hint with the
bar and the beer seems to be good...). BTW: If anybody fells like showing
us around (3 Germans, one Austrian guy) for a couple of beers- let me know!

And: I hope that this was a good teaching for everybody who thought about
going out there without the proper equipment and the knowledge as well.

Thanks,
Sandi

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? Sorry, might be
different in Europe) and on a shoestring as well, we we're thinking
about getting the Deal at Solitude: 6 days for $36/each

So do you think it's worth it? I mean will we get an easy access to the
lifts when we ski down? Honeycomb? Or is it better to get single ride
tickets (I know they got those at Brighton)?
What about the other resorts around (even in the north like Powder
Mountain)? Does somebody have a better suggestion than Solitude?

Thanks, Sandi

Hint: Honeycomb Canyon is NOT backcountry - there's a dam lift, even.
Whatever you want to call it, it's good skiing. However, you are going
to find lighter powder in the higher altitudes.

Sandi M. wrote:
Thanks for your help! Got the Solitude pass for 6 days now to get used to
the conditions there and then.. well... let's see (but the hint with the
bar and the beer seems to be good...). BTW: If anybody fells like showing
us around (3 Germans, one Austrian guy) for a couple of beers- let me know!

And: I hope that this was a good teaching for everybody who thought about
going out there without the proper equipment and the knowledge as well.

Thanks,
Sandi

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? Sorry, might be
different in Europe) and on a shoestring as well, we we're thinking
about getting the Deal at Solitude: 6 days for $36/each

So do you think it's worth it? I mean will we get an easy access to the
lifts when we ski down? Honeycomb? Or is it better to get single ride
tickets (I know they got those at Brighton)?
What about the other resorts around (even in the north like Powder
Mountain)? Does somebody have a better suggestion than Solitude?

Thanks, Sandi

Sandi M. wrote:

Walt,

thanks for all the hints!
Just one last thing: can you recommend some lodging in the Ogden area in
case we'll go skiing (hope we will!) in Powder Mountain?

Sorry, but I've never even been to Ogden or Powder Mt. The scuttlebutt
among the locals is that it's a good place, but I haven't made it there
myself yet. From what I understand, it's only an hour and change away
from SLC (modulo traffic and weather), so you should be able to do it as
a day trip from wherever you're staying in the city.

//Walt

In rec.skiing.backcountry Sandi M. wrote:
Damned LRZ (right, it's easy to figure out my location).
But thanks for the help. BTW:

4) Many backcountry skiers which sometimes can be helpful,
especially if you buy them beer at the bar and ask
knowledgable questions.

So, that does work with you as well? ;-)

My friends think so.

-klaus

In article ,
klaus wrote:
In rec.skiing.backcountry Sandi M. wrote:
Damned LRZ (right, it's easy to figure out my location).
But thanks for the help. BTW:
4) Many backcountry skiers which sometimes can be helpful,
especially if you buy them beer at the bar and ask
Utah? Beer? Beware trap (honeypot, see Munich?).
knowledgable questions.
So, that does work with you as well? ;-)
My friends think so.

Oh?

Follow-ups reduced.

No mind it's just a bicycle pump.

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