SLC resorts logistics

My son, my brother-in-law, and I will be in Salt Lake City over the
Presidents Day holiday in February 2007. We will have three full days
on the slopes -- Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We'll be staying at the
Embassy Suites hotel in downtown SLC. Everything's booked and the
multiday lift tickets have been purchased.

My son and I are snowboarders. We've been riding for only a few years
in the eastern U.S. Freeride only; no interest in pipes or parks. We
wouldn't be attempting anything above a blue in Utah. (Our past
experience in the west -- Lake Louise/Banff -- revealed that greens out
there are often the equivalent of blues back here.) My brother-in-law
is a skier with a lot more experience. He skis blacks in the east; I'm
not sure how his abilities will translate to western powder, but he
typically likes long, fast runs. Not a bumps fan.

Our general plan is to make Snowbird the priority; my brother-in-law is
keen to visit that resort. We'll probably go there for two days. I
would like to go to another resort for one day (but no more than that)
-- almost certainly Brighton since it offers night sessions and seems
to generate more enthusiasm among Internet snowsport types than
Solitude. Maybe my brother-in-law will go to Alta for a day if we go to
Brighton; that'll be up to him.

Questions:
1. I've read that Brighton should be avoided on Saturdays because it
gets quite crowded from turnout by the locals, but that Sundays are
better because people attend church. True? I realize that the entire
weekend is going to be very busy because it's a holiday; I'm just
looking for whatever edge remains.
2. How long does it take the free ski bus to get from downtown SLC to
the four Cottonwood Canyon resorts? Is there a direct bus to each
resort, or is transferring necessary? What time do the buses stop
running the return trips from the resorts to SLC? We would like to
avoid renting a car since there's already a free shuttle from the
airport to the hotel. If the ski bus is adequate, that would seem the
way to go.
3. Comments/suggestions on anything else would be welcomed.

Thanks a lot,

Joe Ramirez

1. During that weekend, EVERYTHING is crowded, not just Brighton. And
VERY crowded. Snowbird too. I've brought a few easterners who lived
on blacks out there, who nearly **** their pants when they step out the
Tram on top of Snowbird. I would consider going elsewhere for your
first time. Sometimes The Bird's blues get bumped up too, turning them
from east coast black into a "Holy Crap".

2. The bus from the valley floor up to the four resorts takes A WHILE.
And again...during that time will be absolutely JAM PACKED.

Yabahoobs wrote:
1. During that weekend, EVERYTHING is crowded, not just Brighton. And
VERY crowded. Snowbird too. I've brought a few easterners who lived
on blacks out there, who nearly **** their pants when they step out the
Tram on top of Snowbird. I would consider going elsewhere for your
first time. Sometimes The Bird's blues get bumped up too, turning them
from east coast black into a "Holy Crap".

Well, if the blues are "holy crap" and the blacks are "time to clean
the lift chair," I guess there are always the greens. Seriously, in
an extremely large resort, the average difficulty level doesn't concern
me that much, since one can almost always find suitable terrain
somewhere. That was our experience at Lake Louise and Sunshine. I have
no illusions about "conquering the mountain" or anything like that --
just want to find some good snow. Last year, my workplace organized a
ski/ride day at the local resort. It was the same weekend as the X
Games. Great idea, right? Yes, except it *rained* that day. That's one
of the reasons we're going to Utah.

2. The bus from the valley floor up to the four resorts takes A WHILE.

If it's 1 to 1.25 hours, we could live with that, since I figure it
would take at least 45 min. to drive there ourselves. If it's 2 to 3
hours, that's a real problem.

And again...during that time will be absolutely JAM PACKED.

The Monday holiday in the middle of Feb. makes that weekend an
extremely convenient time for ski/snowboard trips. Unfortunately, that
applies to us too.

Joe Ramirez

If you dont mind a bus trip in the hour range, you're in good shape.
Definatly won't be two to three.

You should find good snow, just hit the hill early. It seems like half
the state is in the two Cottonwood canyons during that weekend. Along
with half the east coast, and LA Valley.

wrote:

Well, if the blues are "holy crap" and the blacks are "time to clean
the lift chair," I guess there are always the greens. Seriously, in
an extremely large resort, the average difficulty level doesn't concern
me that much, since one can almost always find suitable terrain
somewhere. That was our experience at Lake Louise and Sunshine.

Are the blues at Louise and Sunshine seriously "holy crap" compared to
those in the east? Never been to the east, don't have any idea how the
ratings compare.

Lots of Americans in Canada that weekend, too. It's a crowded time to
go skiing.

Neil

Neil Gendzwill wrote:
wrote:

Well, if the blues are "holy crap" and the blacks are "time to clean
the lift chair," I guess there are always the greens. Seriously, in
an extremely large resort, the average difficulty level doesn't concern
me that much, since one can almost always find suitable terrain
somewhere. That was our experience at Lake Louise and Sunshine.

Are the blues at Louise and Sunshine seriously "holy crap" compared to
those in the east? Never been to the east, don't have any idea how the
ratings compare.

Well, eastern terrain is pretty varied. I'm in Pennsylvania, which I
believe is less challenging than many places in New England. Some New
England ratings are probably comparable to those out west.

We visited Banff at the end of our first season of snowboarding, so we
stuck to the greens. The greens at Lake Louise definitely would have
been blues back home -- very steep in spots. The greens at Sunshine
Village were not as tough, just extremely long, which was fun (except
for the snowboard-unfriendly flat areas). More experienced skiers and
riders on our trip also commented that many of the slopes they
encountered seemed to be a level above the ones with the same rating
that they were used to.

Lots of Americans in Canada that weekend, too. It's a crowded time to
go skiing.

We went to Banff in early April. The conditions were still quite good,
but this time I wanted to experience peak season snow instead of spring
skiing conditions. Feb. is crowded for a good reason, I imagine.

Joe Ramirez

wrote:
Neil Gendzwill wrote:

Are the blues at Louise and Sunshine seriously "holy crap" compared to
those in the east? Never been to the east, don't have any idea how the
ratings compare.

Well, eastern terrain is pretty varied. I'm in Pennsylvania, which I
believe is less challenging than many places in New England. Some New
England ratings are probably comparable to those out west.

They vary in the west, too. Louise and Sunshine use a comparable scale,
but what's black at Kicking Horse would often rate a double-black in the
Banff area.

We visited Banff at the end of our first season of snowboarding, so we
stuck to the greens. The greens at Lake Louise definitely would have
been blues back home -- very steep in spots.

There's not a lot of green at the Lake. The main beginner's run
"Wiwaxi" definitely has some pitches that make beginners nervous.

The greens at Sunshine
Village were not as tough, just extremely long, which was fun (except
for the snowboard-unfriendly flat areas).

You've got to know when to point it at Sunshine, otherwise you're
walking a lot.

We went to Banff in early April. The conditions were still quite good,
but this time I wanted to experience peak season snow instead of spring
skiing conditions. Feb. is crowded for a good reason, I imagine.

Yeah, but if you avoid that one weekend it's still doable. The Canadian
resorts aren't near as crowded that weekend as the US ones, so maybe
consider switching your trip or doing it different next time.

Sunshine, for example, is perfectly rideable even on the ugliest
weekends. I was there Easter weekend - once you've done the gondola
thing, you're good to go. The hill is big enough to suck up a whole
pile of people. Parking is a royal pain on the crowded days, so taking
the hotel shuttle is a good idea.

Neil

wrote:

Neil Gendzwill wrote:

wrote:

Are the blues at Louise and Sunshine seriously "holy crap" compared to
those in the east? Never been to the east, don't have any idea how the
ratings compare.

Well, eastern terrain is pretty varied. I'm in Pennsylvania,

Ok. Here's the deal: The hills in PA are down at least a rating from
New England and the west; a blue in PA would rate green elsewhere. A
black in PA might be blue out west, although I've seen green runs out
west with spots that are steeper for longer than black runs in PA.
Anything blue in the west would be black in PA.

Moreover, Snowbird is one of the tougher resorts that the west has to
offer. If you find anything in PA daunting (including the "double
blacks" at Blue Mountain) you should probably not go to Snowbird.

BTW, lest I come off like some kind of vert snob, realize that I live &
ski in Michigan, which is on par with PA for the ratings. I ski PA every
Christmas and I've been to SLC half a dozen times, so I'm familiar with
the resorts in question. I mostly ski blues out west. I'm just trying
to present an objective assessment on the relative steepness, not stroke
myself about what a rad extreme dude I am.

//Walt


which I
believe is less challenging than many places in New England. Some New
England ratings are probably comparable to those out west.

We visited Banff at the end of our first season of snowboarding, so we
stuck to the greens. The greens at Lake Louise definitely would have
been blues back home -- very steep in spots. The greens at Sunshine
Village were not as tough, just extremely long, which was fun (except
for the snowboard-unfriendly flat areas). More experienced skiers and
riders on our trip also commented that many of the slopes they
encountered seemed to be a level above the ones with the same rating
that they were used to.


Lots of Americans in Canada that weekend, too. It's a crowded time to
go skiing.


We went to Banff in early April. The conditions were still quite good,
but this time I wanted to experience peak season snow instead of spring
skiing conditions. Feb. is crowded for a good reason, I imagine.

Joe Ramirez

Neil Gendzwill wrote:
wrote:

Well, if the blues are "holy crap" and the blacks are "time to clean
the lift chair," I guess there are always the greens. Seriously, in
an extremely large resort, the average difficulty level doesn't concern
me that much, since one can almost always find suitable terrain
somewhere. That was our experience at Lake Louise and Sunshine.

Are the blues at Louise and Sunshine seriously "holy crap" compared to
those in the east?

No. I'd say only in terms of extent, not in challenge.

Dave

wrote:

Yabahoobs wrote:

1. During that weekend, EVERYTHING is crowded, not just Brighton. And
VERY crowded. Snowbird too. I've brought a few easterners who lived
on blacks out there, who nearly **** their pants when they step out the
Tram on top of Snowbird. I would consider going elsewhere for your
first time. Sometimes The Bird's blues get bumped up too, turning them
from east coast black into a "Holy Crap".

If I found myself going to SLC over dead preznits weekend, I'd probably
hide out at Solitude for the three days.

My $.02.