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Be An Olympian
Posted by Ray Grass on March 4, 2010
Okay, you watched the Games from the sidelines. Now be an Olympian. Or, at least, try your hand at an Olympic sport.
Consider this: Get in a few days of skiing and when looking for something to do take a run down a bobsled track, a turn or two on the speed-skating oval, test a downhill course, surf a super halfpipe or ski and shoot on a biathlon course.
That’s the legacy left from the 2002 Olympics that Utah now offers.
I’ve sampled many and, believe me, I hold a lot more admiration for Olympians.
Here’s what’s available:
Ski the slalom and freestyle mogul courses at Deer Valley. Over the years a lot of people have come, asked about and headed in those directions.
Or, visit Snowbasin and take a breathtaking run on the men’s and women’s downhill and super-G courses. Believe me, it takes a lot of nerve not to check speed, even for the very best skiers, on those courses.
Four Utah resorts -- Brian Head, Deer Valley, Park City Mountain Resort and Snowbasin -- offer NASTAR racing where skiers and snowboarders can test their gate-running skills.
Slide into the Super Halfpipe at Park City Mountain Resort where the U.S. won all three snowboard medals in the men’s competition. Oh, and don’t expect big air and 180-degree spins on first or even 20th try.
Jump into a four-man bobsled, with professional driver, and enjoy the fast-track -- 80-plus miles per hour and 5-Gs in the turns -- on the sliding course at the Utah Olympic Park. Skeleton runs are available, but prior planning is necessary.
Take a spin on the short-track speed skating oval where Apolo Ohno trains on the ice at the Utah Olympic Oval.
Ski the northern resorts -- Snowbasin, Wolf Creek or Powder Mountain -- and then stop by the Ogden Ice Sheet and slide a stone on the Olympic curling ice. There are also other locations offering curling lanes in Utah.
There are three options for the biathlon at Soldier Hollow -- the introductory program with air rifle, the longer session, again with air rifle, or the full Olympic experience with a longer cross country test and shooting on the Olympic range with .22-caliber rifle.
Of course, the Olympic nordic tracks at Soldier Hollow, which drew positive mention from athletes in Vancouver, are open and a real eye opener.
So, of the 15 Winter Olympic categories held in Vancouver in February, it is possible to sample 11 of them between now and then in Utah.
Two of my most memorable experiences came on the downhill run at Snowbasin and the bobsled track at the Olympic Park.
The start house at Snowbasin sits on a cliff. There is no gradual acceleration. It’s zero to 80 in three seconds . . . if you didn’t check the speed, which I did.
As downhill courses go, this one is two miles long. The winning time was slightly more than a minute and a half, which meant Olympic speeds averaged more than 60 miles a hour — top to bottom, over jumps and through gullies and in turns that compressed skiers to half his standing height, all on snow as hard as a rock.
Come anywhere close to that time and you’ve got Olympic potential.
The bobsled run takes less than a minute, but you can feel every turn, every chatter in the ice and every bump on the sled. All passengers have to do is lean and try to catch their breath.
I recommend any of the Olympic opportunities, especially for those who lived the Olympics in Vancouver as I did.
To BCM
Posted by Ray Grass on March 2, 2010
In response, BCM asked about skiing Snowbird, then The Canyons and Deer Valley this week.
And, it sounds like a good plan to me. Deer Valley, Snowbird and The Canyons all have good snow. Over the past nine days I skied Deer Valley and Snowbird and snow conditions were excellent. When I checked Monday, Deer Valley and The Canyons are holding bases over 70 inches.
Supposed to snow Wednesday and Thursday and brighten up on Friday and Saturday. Nothing better than new snow over a groomed surface unless it’s two feet of fresh snow.
As for total snow ,a recent report said Snowbird is at 87 percent of normal. And, as Nathan Rafferty, president of Ski Utah, pointed out, “I’d rather have 87 percent of 500 than 110 percent of 300.’’ Point well taken.
If Utah has a normal March and April, resorts will likely hit their averages. Remember, last year Utah received something like 14 feet in 14 days in early April. Season total was around 700.
Talk About Snow
Posted by Ray Grass on February 28, 2010
Snow we got. Not in record inches, yet, but Utah has snow.
I decided to do some checking after talking with out-of-town visitors on the lifts at Snowbird over the weekend.
More than once the subject of snow came up and in most cases it was followed by “That’s why we came to Utah.’’
Over the years, skiers and snowboarders have come to know that Utah has good snow.
At last count, Alta has received 325 inches of total snowfall this winter. Last year, on the same date, Alta had 407 inches of total snowfall. The long-term season average is 500.
Before the 2008-09 season ended, Alta would get nearly 300 more inches. If Alta gets even average depths for March and April, it will hit its average.
What stirred my interest was on one particular ride a couple from New York said they brought the family to Snowbird to “get out of mess back East and enjoy good snow.’’ The mess referred to, of course, is very cold and stormy weather, and heavy snow.
A man from California was in Utah for the good snow “and accessibility.’’ He was skiing Alta on Sunday, then heading for the Park City resorts. He like variety.
Another man from Florida said he came to Snowbird every winter, “because I know it has snow.’’
A woman from California asked questions about different resorts, best skiing, best dining, Salt Lake City, then said, “isn’t this snow wonderful?’’
And so it went. Snow was the common thread of conversation. And it was, this day, excellent . . . just enough soft snow over a packed base to hold a perfect edge.
At last count, Snowbird is holding a 91-inch base mid-mountain. Up the canyon a couple of miles Alta is holding a 93-inch base. Over on the Park City side, Deer Valley is at 74 inches, The Canyons at 71 and Park City Mountain Resort 75 inches.
So how does this compare with other resorts around the country?
To the East in Colorado, on the same day, Aspen reported 54 to 81 inches, Beaver 50, Copper Mountain 50 to 62 and Vail 48 inches.
In New York, Hunter Mountain showed bases of 60 to 110 inches and Whiteface Mountain, site of the 1980 Olympics, 30 to 43 inches. 26 of the state’s 34 resorts, however, are showing bases under 30 inches.
In New Hampshire, Attitash shows 24 to 36 and the highest number is Bretton Woods with 20 to 51 inches.
In Vermont, Stowe has a base of 36 to 60, Killington 42 to 54 and Sugarbush 38 to 66.
High marks this year are held in California. Alpine Meadows has a base of 94 to 152, Heavenly 53 to 82 and Mammoth 133 to 175 inches.
It should be noted here that along with the snow (inches) those visitors I talked with liked Utah’s snow (light and fluffy).
That’s another thing Utah is known for -- having the driest, lightest snow anywhere.
It has been a rather unusual year, however. Utah has had its knee-high powder days, but most of the storms have come frequently and left anywhere from 3 to 6 inches.
Which was the condition over the weekend at Snowbird . . . several inches of new snow over a groomed base.
It makes for a fun ski day. And that it was.
Ski Utah Lead Guide De Lovci Profiled in Salt Lake Tribune
Posted by The Ski Utah Yeti on February 25, 2010
Every morning, seven days a week, Deb Lovci's alarm clock goes off.
There's lots to do. She runs her own bed and breakfast in Park City. She teaches mountain biking, does winter triathlons and is a distance runner.
She's also the only female guide for the Salt Lake Interconnect, which she has done for 20 seasons.
"It's a great lifestyle," Lovci said. "My alarm goes off and I can't wait to go to work today."
Click here to read the whole profile.
Utah's 'Family' Resort
Posted by Ray Grass on February 22, 2010
It had been several years since I skied Beaver Mountain. First question I asked myself after spending a day on the slopes was, “Why the wait?”
Down Memory Runs
Posted by Ray Grass on February 10, 2010
I made some runs at Brighton Resort over the weekend and a lot of old memories surfaced. My second attempt at skiing was at Brighton . . . and I spent many a day after waiting in lines for the Majestic and Mary (now the much longer and faster Crest Express) lifts, and catching a burger and fries in the very crowded old lodge.
Things were so difficult in the beginning, and I look back now and wonder why. A little weight on the right ski and it turns. Simple. But not back then. Skis had a mind of their own and went were they wanted and not where I wanted.
As I see it now, the old run I skied most often was off what was the Mary lift. It starts out as Mary Back and is a perfect beginner’s run -- gentle slope, in the trees for protection and just wide enough for slow, controlled turns. Back then it was more like a triple-black-diamond run.
On this latest trip, there was a woman midway down the run having a difficult time. She’d make a couple of forced turns -- hard steps instead of sliding -- then do the reverse wedge with tails touching and tips wide apart. She’d fall back and struggle to get up. I could never understand the urge to lean back as a method to slow down, but I did it. It’s the old digging in the heels to stop, I guess.
I stopped and asked if I could help and got a terse “no thanks.’’ She was determined. Had she asked I would have suggested a lesson. Lessons do make life on the slopes a whole lot easier in the beginning.
All in all it was a perfect day. There was a firm base, groomed flat, with a few inches of new fluffy powder on top. Ego skiing, I call it. You glide into a turn and there’s enough new snow to help, but not so much that it doesn’t easily give.
Over on Millicent there was a junior race being held. More memories. I’ve been to a lot of junior races over the years and they’re fun to watch. Kids as young as five and six playing the role of a Ted Ligety, the Utah-based Olympic skier, walking around in their skin-tight race suits, encouraging teammates and cloaking nervousness.
There’s more determination and drive in this one area than you could ever find elsewhere. Standing on the sidelines are parents and grandparents cringing and hoping with every turn for a good run.
The one run I had to make that day was on, according to the map, the “Face.’’ It’s right below the off-load area on the Majestic lift. It’s fairly steep, maybe 75 yards long and drops maybe 100 feet.
That was a run in the early days that proved your grit. Runs for our group were never pretty. We’d make more falls than turns. Course we didn’t have to tell anyone that part, only that we skied the “Face.’’
This time, for me, it was another of those good runs and one that at the end left me wondering what it was about the run that was so difficult.
Of course, the resort has changed a lot over the years. Back when, and I’m dating myself, Majestic and Mary were standard doubles and Millicent was a historic single. Now there’s not a double on the mountain -- four high-speed quads, one regular quad and a triple.
Now there are specially sculptured terrain parks for skiers and boarders. Our big challenge was ungroomed bumps and moguls, and pockets of snow that stopped turning skis.
It was fun, though, looking back in time and skiing on runs that were once so intimidating, but now, I realize, are perfect learning runs at all levels.
Good day, good snow, good memories.
Skier's Menu
Posted by Ray Grass on February 3, 2010
A hamburger bun, thin slab of meat and you add the condiments -- mustard, mayo and, maybe, pickle relish. Fries were extra. That’s the way I remember ski-lodge lunches back when.
Now it’s Fresh Dungeness Crab Towers with avocado, tomato concasse, pea sprouts, cucumber, crispy spiced won tons, sauces of wasabi, ginger-soy and sweet chili -- for starters.
Then came the Vermont Cheddar Cheeseburger with Niman Ranch natural beef, accented with sauteed crimini mushrooms and onions, cracked wheat bun, RSC garlic-herb parmesan and shoestring fries. And if you’re not into beef, substitute a turkey or garden burger.
Any wonder why I look forward to lunch on the slopes these days.
Course, I’m talking lunch at Deer Valley. There are reasons the resort has been voted No. 1 for three consecutive years by readers and skiers of SKI Magazine.
And why it’s food service is voted No. 1, hands down, for both on the mountain and after hours year after year.
The skiing isn’t half bad either.
Between the skiing and lunch you couldn’t wish for a better ski day.
Two chair companions from Florida admitted as much. Gourmet dining at the ski area they hadn’t expect their first visit. This being their fifth, they’d come to “expect great dining” in their vacation ski package.
It’s fun being spoiled.
Waiting for lunch I made a dozen early runs. One skier from Chicago, who admitted to being publicity shy, in his 15th season back in Utah, said every year he comes to Utah he tunes up at Alta and Snowbird, then moves over the Park City resorts. Deer Valley he listed as a favorite. Solitude was on his schedule. Variety, he likes, and he gets it in Utah.
Funny how nowadays it’s so easy to make quick runs. With high-speed lift and groomed-smooth runs, there’s nothing to stop a skier but tired legs.
I started at 10 a.m. and by noon had the dozen runs in. It helps when the runs are groomed. I could never have done it before grooming and fast lifts.
Trouble with the menu at Royal Street in the Silver Lake Lodge at Deer Valley is choices. How do you choose from what “sounds delicious’’ to what “sounds just as delicious.’’
I had to choose between the Towers, Grilled Chicken Quesadilla with cilantro lime sour cream and avocado salsa and Roast Duck Spring Rolls with napa slaw, glazed cashews, coriander leaves, coconut-curry and mustard sauce.
For a main course, besides the burger, there was Tuna Tacos of grilled fresh ahi, mango-avocado salsa, southwest salad, chip of le mayonnaise and crisp corn tortilla shells.
Or, Asian Chicken Salad, Heirloom Tomato Fresh Mozzarella and Basil Panini or Maple Bacon BBQ Bison Burger.
And, for dessert, Dulce de Leche Cheesecake, Chocolate Paraline or individual Ice Cream Sandwiches with chocolate chip cookies and hot fudge sauce.
From the bar, there is the RSC Blueberry Mojite, the 2007 Park City cocktail contest winner. It starts with muddled blueberries and mint, Bacardi Silver rum, fresh squeezed lemonade, a splash of soda and a float of Myers rum. Or, the ski area favorite, Hot Buttered Rum. And, of course, a full list of wines and beers.
Oh, how things have changed -- for the better -- especially in the way of dining on the slopes. And the skiing isn’t half bad either.
Favorite Runs
Posted by Ray Grass on January 26, 2010
I rode up the lift last week at Park City Mountain Resort with a gentleman from California who is planning a move to Park City. Jeremy Ranch was, at that point, his area of choice -- convenient, mountain setting, quiet and no traffic problems, “nothing like California.’’
He asked the question: Which of the Utah resorts is my favorite?
Having skied all 13, I had to honestly tell him I liked them all and for varying reasons . . . the larger resorts for variety and long runs, smaller resorts for atmosphere and well established runs.
I told him I’ve had great skiing at all. Oh, I’ve had bad days when temperatures were below zero, high winds and blinding snow. But, even on those days I’ve enjoyed the skiing.
Personally, I like to ski different areas. Each has a look and feel of its own. It’s also fun to sample their signature meals.
He then asked if I had a favorite run. Tougher question. All total there are nearly 1,200 runs at the 13 Utah areas.
One thing I’ve done, and repeat on occasion, is make sure I ski a resort’s signature run. They all have one.
Five years back a group of five of us, led by Nathan Rafferty, now president of Ski Utah, skied 11 of Utah’s 13 resorts in a single day. We tried as best we could to hit the signature runs.
That, I would say, was one of my more incredible ski days.
Looking at some of the signature runs I’ve skied, I’d place Alf’s High Rustler at Alta at the top. Ski magazines have listed it as one of the country’s best with a “perfect fall line.’’ It’s steep and not easy to reach, but it is truly an exciting run.
Good skiers will like the Great Scott run at Snowbird. This wide open bowl has a 45-degree slope, making it one of the steepest runs in North America. Personally, though, I like Chip’s Run. It offers open bowls, tree-lined trails, moguls, groomed meadows and hairpin turns -- all within one run.
Jupiter Bowl is considered the signature run at Park City and I love the bowls and chutes in the area, but for absolute splendor I love Hidden Splendor. It is really a fantastically beautiful run.
The signature run at Solitude is Challenger and up the canyon at Brighton Sunshine. Challenger is, as the name suggests, a steep, challenging run. Sunshine is more of an intermediate run with incredible views.
If you want to get a greater appreciation for Olympic downhillers, test your nerves on Snowbasin’s signature run, the Grizzly Downhill, better known as the men’s downhill run for the 2002 Games. I can’t imagine skiing the run without a speed check.
One of my most memorable powder runs was in Powder Mountain’s Weber Bowl. It’s a wide open bowl with a 30-degree pitch, which makes it perfect for flowing turns on good powder days.
One of the runs at Deer Valley I enjoy most, and it’s considered its signature run, is Stein’s Way, named after the legendary Olympian Stein Eriksen. Why? Because it’s long, 4,500 feet, and has a slope perfectly suited for his classy, giant-slalom-style turns and my not-so-classy GS turns.
And, talking about GS turn, the signature run at The Canyons is 94 Turns. It got its name from the fact a good skier can make 94 GS turns from top to bottom. I made a few more.
Favorite runs? Impossible to say. There are simply too many really good runs and for one reason or another I’ve enjoyed them all.
Have you got a favorite? I’d love to know. Maybe there are great runs out there I haven’t skied.
Utah sets Winter Dew Tour attendance mark!
Posted by The Ski Utah Yeti on January 21, 2010
Thanks to the 30,000 fans who represented a record crowd this past weekend at Snowbasin resort. Did you miss out on the action? Don’t worry, Ski Utah did the Dew Tour, check out the video.
TV for Deer Valley
Posted by Ray Grass on January 20, 2010
For those who missed the World Cup freestyle event at Deer Valley last weekend, all is not lost.
The TV production will air three times this month -- on NBC Jan. 23 at 1:30 p.m. EST, and on Versus Jan. 24th at 5 p.m. EST and Jan. 31 at 4 and 5 p.m. EST.
Having covered so many skiing events over the years, I’ve found none have been better than those at Deer Valley, due in part, no doubt, to the fact that the resort held these same events in the 2002 Games. Practice makes perfect.
The athletes I talked with said, when asked, that the Deer Valley events were among their favorite, suggesting everything from food to organization to course preparation, all of which will no doubt be covered in the TV production.
Remember, now, those who competed in this event will very likely be the same skiers you can expect to see in the Vancouver Olympics starting in February.
It’s one thing to see mogul and aerial competition in person and another to see on TV. My choice has always been to stand at the base and watch in person. You get to see all the competitors, from the very best to those trying to break into the sport.
The TV production, though, will be fun to watch because it will give a pretty good preview of what can be expect in the Olympic competition.
Based on that, the United States should do well in women’s moguls. U.S. skier Heather McPhie tied with Canada’s Jennifer Heil on the first day. Shannon Bahrke of the U.S. was third. American skiers also took 6th, 7th and 8th.
In the men’s, the U.S. placed 4th, 6th, 8th and 9th.
On the second day of mogul skiing, McPhie set herself up as a definite gold contender with a 2nd. Heil won. Along with McPhie, the U.S. took 3rd through 5th.
The best the men could do was a 7th.
Aerials are a different picture. China dominated the women’s event winning 2nd through 6th. Lydia Lassila of Australia won the free-flying event. America’s best was 9th. The best the U.S. men could do was 6th and 12th.
For me, anyway, seeing events like this, either in person or on the screen, or both, puts a more familiar face on the Olympics. And, it good to see how TV covers Deer Valley.
