- This story was
Published in the Maine
Sunday Telegram
- Published: January 11, 2004
-
By Heather Burke
Maine
has been blessed with a few early season powder storms this year.
Powder skiing in the East is indisputably a treat – in Utah however it
is more of a routine occurrence.
Every eastern skier deserves a trip out west now and then. You have
heard tales of copious light, fluffy powder and big blue western sky.
You might consider booking a trip, and putting yourself in the picture
at Snowbird/Alta this winter.
This Rocky Mountain resort in Little Cottonwood Canyon receives over
40 feet of powder each winter. With one of the longest seasons in
North America, Snowbird is prime from December well into April, (they
closed after Memorial Day last season).
Snowbird’s self-contained resort is just 29 miles from the Salt Lake
City airport. So you can get there from Maine in half a day. With a
direct flight from Boston in the morning, a shuttle to the mountain
(no expense or hassle of a rental car – you came
to
ski, not drive) you can be boarding the aerial tram by noon, and
floating through Snowbird’s silky powder by 12:08p.m. No kidding…I did
last April and still wear the grin.
The “Bird,” as its known to the vertically obsessed, consists of
several extreme bowls and numerous steep chutes, along the captivating
Cirque reached by the aerial Tram.
To double your fun, two years ago The Bird installed the second of two
high-speed lifts on the backside to expand the vast Mineral Basin, and
interface with neighboring Alta.
The management teams then launched a reciprocal ticket allowing skiers
to ski both Snowbird and Alta, nearly 5,000 combined acres.
Even
with all this acreage, there is limited tame terrain so this may not
be the destination of choice for the average intermediate skier.
Here is a day’s itinerary at the Bird: Wake to the sun beaming into
your slopeside room at Snowbird’s Cliff Lodge. Grab your gear from the
mezzanine level ski lockers, complete with glove and boot dryers.
Click into the boards and ski to breakfast at the Plaza. That’s a
fancy name for an outdoor concrete courtyard, which encompasses three
stories of shops and restaurants.
At the Forklift café, you can enjoy a filling, though not fanciful,
skier’s breakfast. Snowbird is not noted for its culinary delights –
you come here to ski. The café’s location is prime; you are perfectly
positioned to catch the Tram at opening bell.
To be part of the Tram Club, you have to cram in with the first on -
first up locals at 9am. If only for a day, it is an ego-blast riding
with the Bird’s inner circle. These folks clearly view skiing as a
lifestyle not a hobby. Sure enough, I bumped into World
Freeskiing
champ Jeremy Nobis – quite literally – tramcars are generally packed
sardine tight.
I should mention the tram ride is a head rush; the 125-passenger
cattle car in the sky whisks you up 2,900’ vertical feet in six
minutes. This lift ride is a panic for anyone who fears heights. As
you follow the crush off the Tramcar, you are at the 11,000-foot
summit of Hidden Peak where the air is thin, the view is fantastic,
and the downhill options are bounteous.
You can ski in all directions off the top of Snowbird. Chip’s Run is a
pleasant 2.5-mile warm up run tradition. Beating your tram to the
bottom is another rite of passage, then ride back up to the summit to
taste another side of the Snowbird snow cone.
The sun hits Mineral Basin first, so this 500-acre backside bowl is a
good choice for early morn turns. This pocket of Snowbird, added four
seasons ago, comprises just a section of the ski resort – yet it
equals Sugarloaf’s trail acreage.
Next, head over to “Regulator,” a classic pitch at the Bird. Midway
down the mountain, make a water stop at the post and beam Mid-Gad
lodge (you must stay hydrated at 11,000-feet to avoid altitude
sickness).
From here take a few on the speedy Gadzoom quad. At least take a peak
at STH (that’s “Steeper Than you know what”) as you ride up the
venerable Gad 2 chair.
If you want a terrain park, slide over to the Baby Thunder chair –
this western most part of the ski area is brimming with hits, jumps
and rolls.
Up the Little Cloud lift, in the sun by late morning, you can drop
over the backside again, this time bound for the Baldy Express and yet
another ski area on the same ticket – Alta.
Crossing
over the ski area border is reminiscent of skiing from Zermatt,
Switzerland (Snowbird’s sister resort) to Cervinia, Italy. You are
surrounded by incredible alpine peaks, but thankfully no language
barriers or snooty Europeans. The high altitude ticket checker gives
you a nod (and a trail map if you ask), as you enter all new territory
– the classic “skiers only” Alta. Snowboarders are turned away at this
border, Alta remains one of four areas that prohibits them.
Alta has the flavor of a traditional skiers-only mountain from the
1960’s – it is retro from the chalet architecture to the earthy staff.
Take a few traditional cruisers on the Sugarloaf quad (yes, there is
an 11,051’ Sugarloaf in Utah), ski into Germania Bowl to Watson’s
Shelter. Score a linen-covered lunch table with views of Alta’s High
Traverse and the legendary Baldy Chutes. If you want to call yourself
a true Altan, these are must-ski adventures to consider.
After lunch, drop down the “Corkscrew” to Alta’s base and hop on the
Wildcat Lift. This classic double chair delivers you to the Keyhole or
Westward Ho Gates, either return you to Snowbird in a backcountry
blaze. Or you can go the more beaten path from the top of Sugarloaf,
which is recommended for less-advanced skiers.
Back at the Bird, you have yet to charge down Snowbird’s most notable
steeps under the Tram, Great Scott chute and Mach Schnell. As you
descend into Peruvian Gulch, the basin opens up with a dramatic view
of the resort. The Cliff Lodge and Spa, where your 5pm massage is
confirmed, is calling out to your quivering quads.
As you ski toward the Plaza mid-afternoon, you must choose between
another Tram ride or the Tram Bar. Locals are way ahead of you -
partaking in their earned beverages.
Snowbird’s après ski is ultra laidback, like most Utahans you will
encounter. The focus here is on skiing, not glitz, glamour, matching
outfits or haute cuisine. After a brew with ski cohorts, your feet are
ready to escape the confines of your ski boots.
Splurge
on the Cliff Spa. A refreshing splash in the rooftop pool is the
perfect prelude to your therapy of hot stones, salt scrub or
traditional Swedish massage. All of the Spa’s treatment rooms have
superb views of the slopes, a rewarding reminder of your big Bird day.
Once your muscles have been kneaded, it is time to dine. The resort’s
eateries include Mexican, Italian or a steakhouse. The best food, in
my opinion, is at the Cliff Lodge Sushi bar (sushi in Utah? that’s
what I thought too). The sashimi was fabulously fresh. The views from
this top floor are even more outstanding.
For evening amusement, there is usually live music, a lecture series
on topics like wolves or avalanche rescue, and sports on the big
screen at the Tram Bar.
The other option is to conclude your Snowbird day with a fluffy
pillow, and rest up for another one tomorrow. After all, you come to
The Bird to ski.
If You Go: You can reserve Snowbird lodging, lifts, and even
flights by calling: 1-800- 453-3000 or go to
www.snowbird.com
