Family Ski Resort Guide | Solitude Mountain Resort

Like many Utah resorts, the slopes of what would become Solitude Mountain Resort first caught the eyes of silver miners in the late 1800s. Nowadays, Solitude is famous for fall line tree skiing, deep snow, sweeping groomers, approachable beginner terrain and unbeatable powder stashes in Honeycomb Canyon. 

Within its two distinct villages Solitude has great dining options, cozy nooks for relaxing and ample slopeside lodging. Solitude has the feel of a local’s mountain. Friendly faces abound and you’ll often hear gleeful cackles in the lift line from the regulars stacking laps. Even though powder hounds congregate here to worship the "Greatest Snow on Earth," Solitude is often praised for its unpretentious vibe.

Solitude's Location 
Solitude Mountain is located just 29 miles from downtown Salt Lake City and it is possible to ski between Solitude and Brighton. Approximate driving times (in favorable driving conditions) and distances are listed below: 

Salt Lake City: 29 miles – 40 minutes
Ogden: 65 miles – 1 hour, 10 minutes
Provo: 54 miles – 1 hour, 10 minutes
Logan: 110 miles – 2 hours
St. George: 311 miles – 4.5 hours

In a 5th Grader’s Words: 
“You can get candy and go on the chair rides, then do some jumps and there’s hot chocolate too.” - Ridge, age 10

Solitude's Terrain & Mountain Stats

Skiable Acres: 1,200 Acres
Vertical Drop: 2,494 Feet
Number of Runs: 82, 20km of Nordic Trails, 6 Snowshoe Trails, 1 Terrain Park
Average Snowfall: 500"
Terrain: 10% Beginner, 40% Intermediate, 50% Advanced
Chairlifts: 8 and 1 Conveyor Lift
Night Skiing: No

Deals at Solitude

Children 4 and younger ski for free at Solitude.

Season passholders may share a 25% discount on a full-priced lift ticket for friends or family (must be purchased 24 hours in advance).

Solitude's Terrain
Solitude Mountain Resort is the first resort you’ll encounter when heading up Big Cottonwood Canyon. It’s the western neighbor to Brighton Resort and the two resorts connect via the SolBright ski run. Begin your day at Solitude's Moonbeam base area by turning right into the first parking lot along Highway 190.

Newbies can head for the Link Chairlift near the Moonbeam Lodge. This lift has the gentlest terrain for learning the basics on the Easy Street run. Nearby, the Moonbeam Express chairlift is ideal for more confident riders and there are countless runs in and around the trees that young children will love. Try Same Street, a winding green for good fun, before leveling up to the steeper blues of Home Run and Last Run.

 
Intermediates will find ample blue terrain to explore off the Eagle Express chairlift. Wanderer offers excellent views and a winding path back to the base area. If your child is ready to tackle a black diamond run, Rhapsody is a short and steep pitch (often mogul covered) accessible from the top of Eagle. The terrain off Eagle Express is great to hit in the morning when the sun is climbing over the eastern peaks.

You can use the Link chairlift to head over and explore more terrain surrounding Solitude Village. Apex Chairlift harbors slightly longer blue runs and it is a bit steeper in spots than Moonbeam. The wide open Main Street features the NASTAR Race Course and Solitude's terrain park.

For more challenging terrain check out the Sunrise chairlift and wind down North Star to Sensation or explore the trees alongside Polaris. Kids who are strong skiers or snowboarders will absolutely love the undulating terrain of black-rated Roller Coaster beneath the Sunrise chair for it's bumps, whoops and jumps.

Advanced and expert skiers will find more challenging runs off the Powderhorn and Summit chairlifts, with Honeycomb Canyon being the perennial favorite of powder fiends. The Summit Express chairlift accesses incredible tree skiing—much of it steep—and challenging blue terrain. Dynamite is your easiest way down and the Headwall Forest guards excellent powder stashes. Use Summit Express to head out into the expert terrain of Honeycomb which is entirely rated black or double black. 

The Powderhorn II chair whisks you to Solitude's groomer with the best views, Diamond Lane. The Eagle Ridge cat track is appropriate for intermediate skiers but the remainder of terrain off Powderhorn is steep, technical and often covered in moguls. 

Parking & Public Transportation

Big Cottonwood Canyon can experience road delays during big storms or avalanche mitigation. You should always check the road conditions in inclement weather and never attempt a drive up either of the Cottonwood Canyons without proper tires or chains and an AWD or 4WD vehicle. Consider traveling during off-peak periods and use public transit or carpool. It is not permitted to park overnight in a vehicle at Solitude or anywhere in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

THE UDOT TRACTION LAW
In times of heavy snowfall, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) will implement a mandatory Traction Law. It is required by law to ensure you have appropriate traction devices or tires for winter driving. For current road status, you can check the UDOT Twitter Account. Tickets are issued for drivers who defy the requirments. For this reason, it's a great choice to ride the UTA Ski Bus! 

Pro Tip: If driving down a 13% grade in a howling blizzard during a whiteout isn't your jam, consider public transport or one of the many shuttle services. It can snow more than an inch per hour in the Cottonwood Canyons and unprepared visitors often cause hours-long traffic jams by sliding off the road or causing dangerous accidents. 

The UTA Ski Bus
The UTA Ski Bus service allows skiers to avoid driving and helps reduce canyon and parking congestion. In the winter months, the Utah Transit Authority (UTA), runs daily service from November or December through April. Route 972 services Big Cottonwood Canyon at 30-minute intervals during peak hours from the Fort Union Station. Check the UTA website for a current schedule and read our Guide to Ride the Ski Bus.

Solitude and Ikon Pass holders can ride the UTA Ski Bus for free. For UTA transit users who have and IKON Pass, Solitude offers gear check for 1 pair of skis or 1 snowboard per guest for up to 7 consecutive days. The Ski & Board Check is located the Guest Services desk, on the lower level of the Moonbeam Lodge.

Parking at Solitude
Paid Parking will be in effect until 1PM daily throughout the winter season. Monday through Thursday, those that carpool with 3 or more individuals can park for free. For vehicles with fewer than 3 people the midweek rate is $10. Friday-Sunday the cost to park is $35, if you have 4 or more occupants in your vehicle, parking on weekends is free. Solitude does offer a Season Parking Pass or a Midweek Parking Pass. After 1PM there is no cost to park.

Reservations to park on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday Holidays for arrivals before 11AM are implemented to manage traffic and crowds. Payment for parking can be submitted via the TAP N SKI mobile payent system or you can use one of the payment kiosks located throughout the parking lot. From 11AM to 1PM you may park without a reservation at the daily rate. After 1PM parking is free and reservations are not required.For more info or to make a parking reservation, click here.

ADA Parking is offered at Solitude, free of cost though reservations are required. When making an ADA reservation, choose the Carpool/ADA option. Upon arrival, you must display an ADA tag or placard to use to your reserved ADA parking. ADA parking spots are located in the Moonbeam parking lot near Guest Services in the Moonbeam Lodge.

Solitude's Base Areas & Lodges

Solitude has two main base areas, the Moonbeam Base Area (Entry 1) and the Solitude Village (Entry 2). There is a complementary shuttle between the two and the trip takes approx 5 minues.The Solitude Ski and Ride School and rental shops have locations at both base areas.

Note that the upper Solitude Village from Entry 2 only offers covered parking designated for lodging guests so most guests will arrive and begin their day at Moonbeam. The best beginner terrain is also accessed via the Moonbeam Base Area. The Moonbeam Lodge is a fantastic place to get ready for lessons, warm-up, grab a snack or post up to wait for kiddos to finish shredding. The greatest diversity of dining options and the Thirsty Squirrel pub will be found at Solitude Village.

The Solitude Nordic Center

The Solitude Nordic Center is located 1.5 miles past the Entry 2 to Solitude Village, just before you encounter Brighton resort. The Nordic Center provides snowshoeing and cross country skiing trails in addition to equipment rentals, lessons, clinics and tours. There are 20 kilometers of trails that encompass terrain from easy to moderately difficult. The Nordic Center abuts six miles of snowshoeing trails for those who want to take it slow and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Click here for more information.

The Solitude Ski & Ride School

The Solitude Ski and Ride School is headquartered in the Moonbeam Lodge. They offer high-quality lessons with small class sizes in a variety of formats. Solitude is well-known for its wonderful programming, clinics and children's camps. Parking reservations are guaranteed with lesson purchase and all lessons include priority lift access. Participants should arrive 15 minutes prior to leasson start with equipment on hand. Click here to visit Solitude's Ski & Ride School homepage. 

Private Lessons
Customize your lesson to meet your goals and needs. Solitude's experienced instructors provide undivided attetion to students as they learn new skills and refine their foundational techniques. Private lessons can accomodate up to 5 individuals for groups or families ages 3+. Private lessons can be booked for 3-hour or full-day increments online or you can book a 2-hour lesson in person. 

Group Lessons
Sharpen your skills in a supportive environment with a group lessons. Lessons are tailored to preferences and ability level and your instructor will emphasize goal setting while providing personalized feedback. Group lessons are structured around ages 14+ to adult while children 13 and younger are assigned to age categories with their peers. Group lessons are provided in 3-hour sessions in the morning or afternoon. 

First-Timer Lesson
Become familiar with your gear, learn how to properly load lifts and successfully make your first turns on snow with Solitude's First-Timer program. Half-day, 3-hour lessons are provided with friendly instruction alongside fellow beginners. Lessons are designed for ages 14 and up or children's lessons for those 13 and younger.

Women on Wednesdays
Adult Women who wish to learn in a stress-free environment can join Solitude’s Women on Wednesdays clinic series. Professional female instructors lead clinics for women of all skill levels. (No snowboarding clinics are available at this time.) Call to reserve a spot.

Adaptive Lessons
Solitude partners with the National Ability Center to provide fun, meaningful, and educational adaptive skiing lessons. Adaptive equipment for rent and any special requests can be arranged with Solitude. Call the resort to make a reservation. Adaptive lessons are structured as a private lesson format. 

Cruisers & Team Solitude
Multi-week programs for children ensure steady progression alongside loads of fun. Cruisers for ages 4-13 places children in the same group every Saturday or Sunday from 9:30AM to 3:30 PM and serves as a great pathway to Team Solitude. Enrollment fills early and you can save money by booking prior to early October. Visit Solitude's website for details.

The Solitude Nordic Center offers rentals for both skate and classic styles of Nordic skiing. Half and full-day rental packages are available and performance gear upgrades are offered. The Nordic Center rents the following equipment:

-Skate Skis
-Classic Skis
-Poles
-Ski Boots
-Chariots (tow-behind sleds for children)
-Snowshoes, Poles and Overshoes

Solitude Lodging & Dining Options

LODGING
If you’re keen on first tracks, Solitude has a plethora of lodging options from condominiums to townhomes, lodges and private homes. Visit Solitude’s website to view lodging specials and package deals.

Pro Tip: IKON Passholders can score up to 25% in savings on lodging during select times.

The Inn at Solitude
Soak up the feel of old Bavaria in this comfortable lodge that offers the amenities of a nice hotel. Enjoy ski-in-ski-out access from the center of Solitude’s village. Guests can enjoy exclusive activities such as early lift access and wine tastings. Lockers are provided to all lodging guests as well as access to hot tubs, heated outdoor pools and the fitness center, game room and movie theatre at Club Solitude.

Creekside Condominiums
Enjoy slopeside lodging with stunning vistas complete with ski-in and ski-out access. Units are available in one, two, and three-bedroom floor plans and include amenities such as rooftop hot tubs, gourmet kitchens, balconies and wood-burning fireplaces. 

Crossings Townhomes
For groups or families looking for a bit more space, the multi-level townhomes at the Crossings provide stunning views and privacy. Fully stocked kitchens, fireplaces, hot tubs, balconies, a heated garage and laundry are just some of the amenities at the Crossings Townhomes. 

Eagle Springs Lodges
Inspired by the beauty of Tuscany, the one, two and three-bedroom accommodations at Eagle Springs incorporate stone and timber construction to create a cozy and rustic atmosphere. These condominiums feature private balconies, gourmet kitchens, gas fireplaces and underground parking. 

Powderhorn Lodge
The natural elegance of Solitude is captured in the spirit of the Powderhorn Lodge. One, two and three-bedroom condominiums include kitchens, fireplaces and access to an outdoor hot tub.

Private Homes
A select number of private, luxury homes set the scene for an unforgettable stay at Solitude. The homes, located steps from Solitude Village, offer proximity to the chairlifts, privacy and upscale amenities.



DINING
To match its ample lodging, Solitude boasts diverse dining options for resort guests. The wide variety of food and drink will be sure to please the pickiest of children. There are several eateries spread across the mountain and throughout the Solitude Village. 

For a convenient option, the Moonbeam Lodge has a full-service cafeteria offering breakfast, lunch and après food selections. This is likely the quickest and easiest option for families. Parents can score major points with a treat stop at Little Dollie's Waffles window on the exterior of the Moonbeam Lodge. Here you can snarf grab-and-go sandwiches, salads and drinks in addition to the wildly popular Liège-style waffles. The 21+ Argenta Pub is located upstairs and features a patio with fine slopeside views.

Via the Moonboom base area there is mountainside dining at Roundhouse near the base of the Powderhorn chairlift. Their unique menu offers amazing Indian food as well as Wasatch-inspired mountain bistro fare and a large, sunny patio to savor the flavor. 

Over on the other side of the mountain near the Solitude Village you'll find the Last Chance Southwest Grill serving chili, tacos, soups and nachos out of the Last Chance Lodge near the base of the Apex Express Chairlift.

The following eateries can be found in Solitude Village...

St. Bernard's
Located in the The Inn at Solitude, St. Bernard's features a buffet of European fare for dinner and a continental breakfast.

Stone Haus Pizzeria and Creamery
The Stone Haus serves breakfast, lunch and dinner from a diverse menu featuring burritos, pizzas, panini sandwiches and more. This is an easy option for kids with a casual dining atmosphere and quick service with indoor and outdoor seating.

Honeycomb Grill
For a more leisurely meal in an upscape atmosphere, lunch and dinner is served in style at the Honeycomb Grill. Enjoy mountain views and a dynamic menu of contemporary American cuisine, craft cocktails and a tempting wine list.

Thirsty Squirrel
Located at the heart of the Solitude Village the Thirsty Squirrel offers hearty appetizers, good times, a pool table and live music for ages 21+.

Childcare

Solitude does not offer childcare. However, children as young as three can be enrolled in private lessons. Kids aged 3 and up may join a kid's group lesson. Youngsters must be fully potty trained in order to participate in lessons.

Medical Facilities

Solitudes medical clinic is staffed by a Physican's Assistant and a Radiology Tech to conduct X-rays. The staff can handle minor injuries or arrange rapid transit to a nearby regional hospital.