Utah Interconnect?

Any one here ever do it?  I'm interested in some feedback if you have.  I've been wanting to do this for a long time.  Thanks!

i heard it was not that much skiing and lots of schleping sideways

ausable skier wrote

i heard it was not that much skiing and lots of schleping sideways

I disagree. I've done the Snowbird->Alta->Brighton->Solitude->Alta-Snowbird loop both as an Interconnect guest, and numerous times on my own. Dropping from Point Supreme at Alta to Brighton starts with a fabulous run on the north facing aspect of Sunset Peak down to Lake Catherine, after which you have a relatively short schlep to reach the top of the 45-degree Dog Lake Chutes which end right at Brighton's trail network. There are numerous ways to get from Brighton to Solitude, one of which is actually a marked run. From the top of Solitude's Summit chair, it's only a 500-yard traverse across the Highway to Heaven to reach Twin Lakes Pass, which is near the top of Grizzly Gulch, where Alta runs its snowcat operation.

I haven't personally done the loop that starts at Deer Valley and ends at Snowbird, however I'm familiar with the route. Deer Valley and Park City Mountain Resort are separated only by a ropeline between Empire Canyon at Deer Valley and McConkey's at PCMR. From the top of Jupiter at PCMR you leave a gate and it's downhill all the way to Solitude via some pretty wonderful terrain. From there the route is the same as what I've described above.

If the snow conditions make it worthwhile I heartily recommend the Interconnect tour to visitors. It surprises many who realize for the first time just how close the seven central Wasatch areas are to one another, and when the in-bounds snow is tracked out it provides a great introduction to the backcountry at a very reasonable cost. The amount of schlepping is such that it's easily accomplished with alpine clamps, which is what most participants are using.

First Tracks wrote

 I've done the Snowbird->Alta->Brighton->Solitude->Alta-Snowbird loop both as an Interconnect guest, and numerous times on my own.

Didn't you post an article on it a while back?

Jamesdeluxe wrote

Didn't you post an article on it a while back?

Actually, no, I never did. The closest I've come was to produce a video on the trip back in 2004, before I moved to Utah:
http://www.firsttracksonline.com/skitube-video-utah-interconnect/

The skiers in that video were the paying Interconnect guests that day and the guides. Alas, it was a cloudy day so it looks fairly monochrome. The camera's autofocus also at times had difficulty finding enough contrast to lock on focus.

I also filmed Skidog and Telejon a couple of seasons ago when we did the trip ourselves in some fairly sub-par conditions of a few inches of new atop a really slippery crust. It's now part of the "Winter of Wonder" video and the segment begins at 39:47 in the timeline:
http://www.firsttracksonline.com/skitube-video-winter-of-wonder/

I should add to my post above that given a choice, I'd opt for the loop rather than the one-way route that starts at Deer Valley. Otherwise you miss out on the Lake Catherine/Dog Lake segment, which in my opinion would be a better ski than Jupiter down to Solitude.

is there a better direction to do it?  as i recall one way is much better then going the other way

ausable skier wrote

is there a better direction to do it?  as i recall one way is much better then going the other way

Unless you like to do a lot of skinning the only way to do it is counter-clockwise, i.e. Alta->Brighton->Solitude->Alta.

Here, I've drawn you a map to illustrate:



To see the image full-size right-click on it and choose "View image" in your browser, then if necessary click on the resulting image to magnify it. The red lines are the lifts involved, the blue lines are the most common descent routes. The routes from the top of Supreme at Alta to Brighton, and from the top of Summit at Solitude to Alta are both entirely backcountry. Every other blue line segment is in-bounds, for example the blue line I've drawn from the top of Millicent at Brighton to Solitude approximates the Sol-Bright Connector trail.

DISCLAIMER: This route travels through significant uncontrolled avalanche terrain. If you lack the requisite gear and the skills with which to use it, you have absolutely no business being back there unguided. I bear no responsibility if you get shipped home in a body bag. Spring for the guided Utah Interconnect Tour instead. It's not worth your life to save $295.

(1) Alta has a snowcat operation? (haven't been there in a while)

(2) Does the interconnect require skins?

First Tracks wrote

ausable skier wrote

is there a better direction to do it?  as i recall one way is much better then going the other way

Unless you like to do a lot of skinning the only way to do it is counter-clockwise, i.e. Alta->Brighton->Solitude->Alta.

according to the interconnect web site link you provided there is two different routes and starting places

Departures:
Deer Valley Tour Departure Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Includes Deer Valley Resort, Park City Mountain Resort, Solitude Mountain Resort, Brighton Ski Resort, Alta Ski Area and Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort. This tour covers an average of 25 miles per tour.

Snowbird Tour Departure:
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Includes Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort, Alta Ski Area, Brighton Ski Resort and Solitude Mountain Resort. This tour covers 21 miles per tour.

I'm with you I would only do this guided - its not worth getting killed over

Benny Profane wrote

(1) Alta has a snowcat operation? (haven't been there in a while)

Yep, they have for many years in Grizzly Gulch, although they do very little to publicize it. As luck would have it, my wife and I drove up LCC this afternoon to have a look around. Here's a picture of Grizzly Gulch today:



The rest of the photos from today are here

Benny Profane wrote

(2) Does the interconnect require skins?

Nope.

ausable skier wrote

according to the interconnect web site link you provided there is two different routes and starting places

Sorry, I apparently misunderstood your original question. Yes, as I mentioned above there are indeed two options - one is the loop beginning and ending at Snowbird, and the other is a one-way route from Deer Valley through to Snowbird, then they shuttle you back to Park City in a van. I'm partial to the first option as it includes the Lake Catherine/Dog Lake run, which I believe would be a better ski than the drop from Jupe to Solitude.