Alta / Snowbird advice

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I'm headed there this weekend.  I'll let you know how it is.

I've skied both and even though they are next to each other they ski and feel very different.  Alta us more relaxed with lots of traversing and some walking to get to the good stuff.  Snowbird is more in your face from the tram.  Both are excellent.

Supposed to snow 2 feet later this week

if it's snowing and the line aint too long, I'd spend a lot of time in the Gad Valley.

off the cirque you gots to ski great scott but dont miss barry barry steep and the wilbere bowl/chute zone.

baldy hike from Alta is worth it too.

Coach Z wrote

I'm headed there this weekend.

Good Timing.

Adk Jeff wrote

3 days is a pretty short visit, how would you make the most of it?

A day at the Bird, A day at Alta, and the third wherever you liked more.

Shoot me an e-mail when you get here. I have the AltaBird pass, but hardly ever ski at the bird.
From the bypass road, you'll be ski-in and maybe ski out to the Bird and ski-out from Alta.

Coach pretty much has it covered with the Bird being more in-your-face terrain and Alta having to traverse into everything.

Areas to check out at Alta -
Westward Ho trees off of Wildcat
Eagle's Nest trees off of the High T
High T to Thirds and/or Gunsight
Catherine's Area
High Boy because everyone who skis Alta needs to experience it.
Keyhole, Out the Westward Ho gate, or the Rope line back to the Condos, depending on what's open.

Alta rewards the hiker. Lap the tram at Snowbird.

Tbatt

Do you think there is the risk of inter lodge or road closure Friday?

Staying in sandy and wondering if we are going to be able to there.  If that happens what is my best plan b?  Solitude?

12-24 of dense snow forcasted!  Oh, you are so gonna get interlodged!  

Thanks for the tips TBatt, Coach, SJ and Benny. I've got Hourglass Chute, Keyhole, Highboy and a few others on my hit list from that "World's 100 Best Ski Runs" article that was posted here a week or two ago.  Tbatt, I'll pm you when it gets closer.  Coach, looking forward to seeing some pics from your trip.

We thought Gad Woods was a relaxing playground of goodness.

RU staying in the Sugar Plum townhouses? If so, we were able to ski in and ski out from there.  Found awesome lines through the woods from blackjack traverse through westward ho.  

ScottyJack wrote

RU staying in the Sugar Plum townhouses? If so, we were able to ski in and ski out from there.  Found awesome lines through the woods from blackjack traverse through westward ho.

Yup, Sugar Plum.  Thanks for the heads-up on the Westward Ho tree lines.

Adk Jeff wrote

ScottyJack wrote

RU staying in the Sugar Plum townhouses? If so, we were able to ski in and ski out from there.  Found awesome lines through the woods from blackjack traverse through westward ho.

Yup, Sugar Plum.  Thanks for the heads-up on the Westward Ho tree lines.

if you have no sense of direction like me you'll get lost each time!

Pants wrote

if you have no sense of direction like me you'll get lost each time!

As long as it's only temporary...

ScottyJack wrote

12-24 of dense snow forcasted!  Oh, you are so gonna get interlodged!

what should my plan b be?  will we be able to get to Solitude without chains?  Should we be thinking Snowbasin or Park City instead?

the road up to solitude isn't as avi prone.Snowbasin and PC have a relatively low base elevation. The snow will be heavier there..According to Evan at opensnow , snow levels will be at 7k..

I can't imagine there will be a interlodge..It's not a real blockbuster..
I guess Tbatt would know more..

Coach Z wrote

ScottyJack wrote

12-24 of dense snow forcasted!  Oh, you are so gonna get interlodged!

what should my plan b be?  will we be able to get to Solitude without chains?  Should we be thinking Snowbasin or Park City instead?

I always catch it for this, but, do not discount Deer Valley on a pow day if you are forced out of the two canyons. Much better mountain than Park City, and those rich people can't ski powder and stay inside and eat when the weather gets all nasty.

I've never seen or heard of BCW closing but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen.  I'd be surprised if it did this year given the winter they're having.  Solitude is a solid plan B - we did it one year when they closed LCW and we were staying down in SLC.  Since then I stay up in LCW.  Sugar Plum Townhouses are pretty nice.  I've never skied those areas up in Parleys but, based on what I've heard, I never want to.  I prefer the Bird over Alta but YMMV.  Apres is better at Alta IMO.  Head to the Peruvian.

Thanks Noah.  Our plan is now Solitude on Friday and Alta Saturday.

Just out here for a biz trip and will get two days of skiing on the back end.

Coach Z wrote

Thanks Noah.  Our plan is now Solitude on Friday and Alta Saturday.

Just out here for a biz trip and will get two days of skiing on the back end.

Hey Noah!  You should always have your firm meetings in UT so you can have fun like that on the back end!

That's disturbing