Ski Utah Blog - All Articles
Showing 10 articles out of 827.
2010 Utah Resort Closing Dates
Posted by The Ski Utah Yeti on March 20, 2010
Alta: April 18 with possible additional weekends
Beaver Mountain: March 28
Brian Head: April 18th
Brighton: April 18 weather pending
The Canyons: April 11
Deer Valley: April 11
Park City Mountain Resort: April 11
Powder Mountain: April 11
Snowbasin: April 8 weather pending
Snowbird: Memorial Day Weekend
Solitude: April 18
Sundance: April 4
Wolf Creek Utah: Closed
Tubing at Gorgoza Park in Park City
Posted by Jodi Saeland on March 20, 2010
If you're looking for something to do with the kiddos for a few hours, tubing is a great activity. It doesn't take a ton of energy and the kids love it. We decided to check out Gorgoza tubing hill. It is located just off the Jeremy Ranch exit off I-80 so quick access from Salt Lake or from Park City.
We chose an extremely warm day. Advice...dress kids appropriately. I did not and ended up carrying a bunch of jackets around since it was so warm and sunny. The day we went it was about 50 degrees. All you need is boots, snowpants, a long sleeved shirt and mittens. I decided to put their helmets on as well. I was surprised at how few little kids had helmets on. Tubing isn't dangerous, however; if they fell off their tube on the tube track...better to be prepared.
There are 2 sizes of tubes; small and big. Em wanted to try the big one...don't do that. You will end of lugging it because it's too heavy and they actually go faster in a smaller one. It is for ages 3 and up. Everyone has to ride alone, but if you're worried about your little ones; just hold their tubes. I held onto Brens handle and we went down together. Emily was "big" so she could go alone. There is a little walking involved from getting off the hill back to the tow rope. If you have a "slow walker", just pull him in the tube...you'll get their faster.
We select our tubes and up we go. An attendant hooks the handle of your tube on a tow rope and it pulls you to the top of the hill. It's a little walk to the top of the hill and down you go. The hills are treated, so even when it is a bit warm...you can get some speed. After several trips down, the kids want to take a break at Fort Frosty. It is a play area for the 3-6 year olds. There is a little "merry go round" where the tubes are attatched and kids sit in them and go round and round. We spent a lot of time doing this. There is also a very small hill to tube on and snowbanks to slide down.
You can bring your own snacks, or there is snacks for purchase. After our 2 hours, we had tired out kids and little red noses. Don't forget the sunsreen!
A great winter activity to check out after a day on the slopes!
40 years teaching skiing
Posted by Ray Grass on March 18, 2010
Imagine, 40 years of teaching students weighting, balance and body position . . . in fair weather, bad snowstorms, sunny days and waist-deep powder -- morning and afternoon.
Who knows how many thousands of people ski and ski better because of the instructions given by John Bartlett over the years. Ski instruction is something that is passed on for generations . . . fathers and mothers taught by John teach sons and daughters, grandmoms and pops teach grandkids, and so on and on and on.
It was the official 40-year retirement luncheon at Alta this week for John.
Before dining on lamb pot pie and French onion soup in the new, mid-elevation Watson Shelter, I took a half-dozen morning runs in spring-like conditions.
First turns were a little crusty. The freeze-thaw was just beginning. Below the first face, the snow had thawed enough to give under ski. It was perfect.
Although there are no bad times on skis, spring is one of my favorite. It’s warmer, less crowded and, skied corrected, the snow is a real pleasure.
The secret, as they say, is to follow the sun . . . ski those slopes that get first light and then move as the sun moves.
John was a part-time instructor. He taught every Saturday and Sunday through the winter for 40 years. Not for the money, he once said, but because he loved teaching . . . and he was good at it. He taught them all -- young and old, short and tall, male and female and loved every minute.
For his daytime job, he started a ski rental shop -- Canyon Sports. There are, today, four rental outlets.
During lunch, which included David (Hoopa) Robinson, Alta ski school director, it was interesting to find out that John was not the only one with longevity in the teaching business. He is going on 30 years and counting. There are others with 40-plus.
Hoopa also noted that there are instructors at other resorts with decades of teaching experience. Some have been with Snowbird since it opened in 1971 and many have remained with Deer Valley since it opened in 1981.
My hat is off to instructors. It’s not easy. Been there, done that. You start teaching the very young . . . five in a class and odds are you’re going to get a crier or two looking for parents. After years of paying your dues, and getting your name out, you can start building a clientele, repeat customers and recommendations looking for private instruction or groups looking for a good instructor.
Mixed in with the student classes, there are teachers teaching teachers. Supervisors make certain the staff is kept abreast of the latest teaching skills so they can best communicate the latest to students.
Just because a person can ski doesn’t mean he or she can teach. And, only the very best make it out of the first year and stay for, well, 40 years.
Subaru Freeskiing World Tour Kicks Off at Snowbird
Posted by The Ski Utah Yeti on March 17, 2010
It's that time. The Freeskiing World Tour Kicks Off at Snowbird today and continues through the weekend. If you want to see some sick skiers throwing down on Snowbird's world class mountain, head on up and catch some of the action. Or follow the tour at http://www.freeskiingworldtour.com/
Check out some of the action from last season's event:
FWT SNOWBIRD UTAH, 2010 from Snowbird on Vimeo.
Ski your way to bargains: Finding affordable vacations across the country.
Posted by The Ski Utah Yeti on March 17, 2010
Good article on saving money on the slopes.
If you’re one of those skiers who pledged to give up the sport once lift tickets topped $40 a day, you probably haven’t skied in many years.
Yet there are some money-saving deals to be had that can make a ski vacation surprisingly affordable.
While Colorado offers some of the best skiing in the U.S., it’s also typically the most costly. Instead, consider Utah or Lake Tahoe, which offer incredible skiing and snowboarding at dozens of different resorts. Not only are the conditions equivalent to Colorado, but the prices are lower and the crowds are much smaller.
Show us your best (goggle) tan line!
Posted by The Ski Utah Yeti on March 16, 2010
It’s spring time, and we know that goggle tan lines are ripe and ready. If your office is a ski resort, chances are, you have one ridiculous goggle tan. Send us your face shot, we will post them on facebook and the goggle tan with the most votes wins a pair of Smith IO Goggles. Submissions must be received by March 22 and voting ends March 24. Email your entries to goggletans@gmail.com.
Can you beat the Pro?
Posted by The Ski Utah Yeti on March 13, 2010
SLUG Magazine teamed up with Park City Mountain Resort to host a Beat the Pro event, and the tricks were coming down hard. Check out this video courtesy of Park City Television.
A sleigh ride and dinner...family fun at The Canyons
Posted by Jodi Saeland on March 12, 2010
After a big day of skiing, now what do you do with the kids? Going out to dinner can be challenging with little guys if they're anything like mine...sitting still for 5 minutes at a time and then wanting to "get down" and hoping they don't break something. If you're vacationing, you always have your eye out for somewhere that is family friendly and has a louder atmosphere so it will drown out the noise coming from your own table.
I would definitely suggest the Sleigh ride and dinner at the Cabin Restaurant at The Canyons. The Canyons is the largest resort in Utah and is constantly expanding it's wonderful facilities. I have to admit I've not done a lot of skiing at The Canyons, but can tell you it has top notch facilities. Once you pull off the main road into Park City, you can park in a parking lot and take a Gondola right up to the resort. No lugging your skis and kids all over through parking lots...up you go!
Since we arrived after ski hours, we parked very close to the base of the resort and were told to meet just outside of Docs. We knew we were going on a sleigh ride, so we were dressed like we were heading to Mt Everest for a hike. There are several different times you can choose from; from before sunset to after sunset. Since there was a full moon, I was hoping to get a glimpse on our ride. The high clouds kind of did away with that wish. As we're waiting for our escort, we can see the horses and sleigh up the hill a bit. Yea!! Here comes our "cowboy" to get us; chaps and all. We walk a little ways up the hill and load the wagon. There are 2 other families with us. Blankets are provided, so we can sit back and watch our 2 Belgians pull us up the mountain. If you've never been to a ski resort after hours, it is so peaceful! Everyone has gone home and it's just you. The sound of the horses pulling us in the sleigh and wait...we spot a moose having his dinner up the mountain! Our driver was very friendly and of course it was a wonderful 30 minute ride through the resort with the kids. A great activity and not too long for the kids.
We're dropped back off where we started, kids give horses a hug and now it's time for dinner. Now, I am not an eater. Meaning, I eat to survive, not to "dine". Pizza and french fries are fine with me. Heading to the Cabin Restaurant, I can tell we're not having pizza :) A very warm atmosphere with a rustic feel and it is comfortable and kid friendly. Since we have the sleigh ride/dinner package, dinner is already decided for us. Good with me, I don't have to think. A beautiful 4 course meal; Butternut squash bisque I would highly recommend, cheese fondue, a roasted meat platter with 4 different types of meat served with potatoes, veggies and mushrooms (my favorite). Now that I'm stuffed, the desert is a pastry from the Chef. The kids have their own menu to choose from; of course the platters have more than enough for all of us. Now we need to just get our tired, stuffed bodies back to Salt Lake :) If you don't have the kids, there is a bar area where there was live music playing and a very festive atmosphere.
A great family friendly night! Great food, enjoyable sleigh ride and you could do it as a family vs trying to find a babysitter. After all, if you're on vacation as a family you need those places that welcome that. Well worth the price for an enjoyable evening! If you have other family friendly restaurants, activities you'd like to share, let me know.
Winter Stargazer Event at Snowbird Saturday, March 13
Posted by The Ski Utah Yeti on March 10, 2010
Snowbird will be hosting a winter Stargazer event this Saturday, March 13. The evening includes a Tram ride with local astronomers for an informative presentation before unloading on Hidden Peak where participants will view the night sky at 11,000 feet through high-powdered telescopes.
Tickets will be sold through the Snowbird Activity Center on March 13 from 6:30-6:55 p.m. The Snowbird Aerial Tram is scheduled to depart at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for children 12 and under as well as seniors, and $10 for employees. Season passes are not valid for this event, and participants are urged to dress appropriately for winter temperatures.
Winter Stargazer is a weather-dependent activity; for updates the day of the event, please contact the Activity Center at (801) 933-2147. For a complete list of Snowbird spring events, please visit snowbird.com/events.
What: Winter Stargazer event with local astronomers.
Where: Snowbird Activity Center and Hidden Peak (park at Entry 2)
When: Saturday, March 13; Tickets sold at 6:30 p.m., Tram departs at 7 p.m.
Cat Skiing at Alta is Purr...fect!
Posted by The Ski Utah Yeti on March 9, 2010
What could possibly be better than powder skiing at legendary Alta and Snowbird? How about cat skiing at Alta? Now your talking!
Check out the snowcat skiing operation up
Little Cottonwood Canyon for a fun and unique adventure of guided
off-trail skiing in Grizzly Gulch's 375 acres of incredible bowl skiing.
