The 2010 EpicSki Gathering

                  You are hereby invited to partake in the merriment at the

 

                    2010 EpicSki Gathering in Salt Lake City,

                  Utah                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

                 January 31st – Feb 4th, 2010

Sunday         Solitude (www.Skisolitude.com)

Monday        Snowbird (www.Snowbird.com)

Tuesday        Snowbird

Wednesday   Alta (www.Alta.com)

Thursday       Snowbasin (www.snowbasin.com)

The meeting spots.

Solitude

The meeting spot is Moonbeam Lodge and Base Area.  There is ample parking here and it is the first entrance to Solitude on the way up Big Cottonwood Canyon Rd.  Boot-up time is 8:30 on the main floor of the Moonbeam Lodge.  On the hill meeting time is 8:45 between the lodge’s mtn. side door and the Moonbeam Express lift.

 

Snowbird

Parking is a bit remote at Snowbird.  There is a drop zone at the base of the Snowbird Center for those who may be carpooling.  There is a shuttle to the center that runs almost constantly from all sections of the parking area.  You may find it a bit easier to boot-up right at the car at Snowbird. We will meet on the Tram Deck at 8:45.

 

Alta

Boot-up time is 8:30 inside the Gold Miner's Daughter. On the hill meet up is 8:45 near the base of the Collins Lift. For those who are visiting Alta for the first time the GMD is located at the first Alta entrance coming up Little Cottonwood Canyon Road. There is ample parking if you get there on time right next to the GMD building. There is a bank of lockers on the main level of the GMD building.

 

Snowbasin

Snowbasin is a small but impressive ski area.  Boot-up time is 8:45 inside the main plaza building.  Meeting time is 8:45 in the center of the square just outside the building.  Look for the Elk.  There is a drop zone though parking is walking distance and there is a shuttle (most times).  There is a small locker room on the lower level.  You need to get tokens for these lockers on the main level at the desk by the elevators.

Lift tickets

If you need tickets, the easiest and best deal is to get them in one of the Canyon Sports locations in Salt Lake City.  There is a location with easy access right on the road that leads to Big Cottonwood Canyon.  www.Canyonsports.com

Info on Little Cottonwood Canyon (LCC) road – (Alta and Snowbird)

The road can be a serene mountain drive or can be living hell depending on how you approach it, and what the weather is like. On clear sunny days before 8:00am expect your travel time from bottom to top to be about 15 minutes. If you wait to the last minute and don’t start up the road till about 8:20 expect bumper to bumper and a 30 minute drive time.

If the weather is bad and the road is open, expect much slower drive times due the increase of people on the road trying to get up for great skiing. Also if it’s snowing road closures can happen.

Road closures -

If the road close due to avy blasting it is normally announced either here;
http://www.alta.com/pages/report.php
or here;
http://www.snowbird.com/ski_board/snowreport.php
or you can call the LCC road condition line
1-801-933-2100

They will say when it’s scheduled to reopen but if blasting cause an avy if could be hours if not all day. Translation, if the road is expected to shut down, try to get up there before it shuts down because you never know when it will reopen. If you do this you will get an epic day on the slopes.

 

 

Lodging

 

There are countless lodging options in Salt Lake City.  Most Bears stay in Sandy.  Sandy is close to both Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons where 4 of the 5 areas we are heading to are located.

 

Notes

 

All are welcome at the Epicski Gathering.  While most that attend are upper level skiers, we always have at least one group of intermediate skiers. 

 

There are plenty of folks that post here that know these areas quite well, so there will be no official guides this year. There are plenty of Bears that call these areas home and hopefully they will come out to show us the hidden stashes.

 

The last time The Gathering was in Utah, they received close to 2 FEET of snow EVERY DAY during the whole event.

 

Please keep all the questions, comments, information and suggestions on this thread. This thread is for discussion (the stoke) for The Gathering.

 

Please keep the Gathering Roll Call thread strictly for letting us know you’ll be there. 

 

Have a great early season and let’s all meet in Utah in February.

Wasn't the last gathering neck deep in powder?

Glad to see this thread, woooohoooo!!  Thank you Gathermeister for taking the reigns.

So Sandy looks like a good option.  Searching for budget accommodations I see a place called ESA.  One each in Sandy and Midvale.  Does this sound like a good bet for Bears?

I understand some of the problems we've had finding guides but in my opinion having a knowlegable Bear or two to show us the good stuff is right up there on the list of reasons to attend.  I sure hope some of the locals see this as an opportunity to once again make this a great community on the slopes as well as on the 'net.

At any rate I'm mosdef looking forward to seeing faces both familiar and un.  Hopefully we will see SLC at it's skiing best!

The last gathering in Utah (2008) was neck deep in powder.  The most recent gathering (2009) in JH was a great time too!

The ESA in Midvale is a good bet...I stayed there for the gathering in 2008 and would do so again.  There are many affordable places to stay in that area, making it a great for us cheap bears.

Just a heads up for any that may stay beyond the official Gathering dates:  I am arriving at Alta on Thursday, 2/4 and am staying at the GMD until the following Wednesday (unfortunately, we booked our annual trip before the Gathering dates were set).  My group of friends (the Alta Kackers) will be skiing at Alta the whole week, with perhaps a day trip to Snowbird.  We know Alta fairly well, and would welcome any Bears who are staying longer and would like to join us.

Bob

Edited by bbinder - 10/5/09 at 7:06pm

Everybody may want to include their dates in the roll call thread. That way people can try to hook up on their extra days before or after the offical Gathering.

Looking foward to meeting everyone. This will be my first gathering... so go easy on me. I will be traveling solo so will be looking for a spare bed and a spot in a vehicle. YES I will pay my share of both, not looking to mooch. So PM me if you will have either. I can't wait to get there! Hope we have an EPIC gathering this year.

I just booked my flights and reserved a room at the ESA in Sandy from 1/30 - 2-7.  My flight arrives in SLC on 1/30 at 10:30 AM.   I plan on skiing at one of the Park City resorts Saturday afternoon for free with my boarding pass.  Does anyone want to ski with me on Saturday?   

Based on prior experience, I know Bumpfreaq will bring us epic snowfall (I think it's the beads).  I am really looking forward to the trip and skiing with you all.

Documentary evidence from the last Utah Gathering: http://www.epicski.com/forum/thread/66127/utah-gathering-pics-and-stuff

It was definitely a good time.

Edited by spindrift - 10/6/09 at 8:06am

Link to roll call thread for everyone's convenience - http://www.epicski.com/forum/thread/86411/the-2010-epicski-gathering-roll-call

Neck deep for me....waist deep for you. Advantage of being short??

I think the deepest I got was by those towers (can't remember the name) at Snowbird. That was sick!

That schedule sounds great! I'll try to make it to at least the first three days, depending on work. But too early for me to sign my name on the roll call thread.

Good point - see avatar photo for proof.

If we even get only ONE day in 2010 like any of the days in 08, it will be worth the trip

Not being able to make a trip out west in 6+ years, I think just being able to go is already worth it! UL glad to see you have been able to make time to fit this trip into your schedule.

Thanks.....and me too.  I've had it with these 60 hour work weeks.

The Gathering and other events like this are a real trip. I'll always try to fit this into the "big plan".

I reserved a room at the ESA in Sandy (which I can cancel at any time up to 1/30) but would much rather stay in a luxury house.  I did a quick review of the houses available in Sandy on vrbo.com and see that 6 bedroom houses are available.  I found one 6 bedroom house that is $285 per night and is available from 1/30 - 2/7.  That works out to about $55 per night per person for six people with tax. 

See: http://www.vrbo.com/214901

The rental information says it can sleep 10-14, but that assumes couples are sleeping together and people will be on sofabeds.   We could work something out so that folks pay more for the master bedroom vs. the rooms with twin beds.  Folks that don't mind sleeping on sofabeds could pay less (assuming we get more than 6 people).

The other big benefit of a house like this is that it is large enough to serve as an apres ski party spot for bears.  I spoke to the owner and she said there is parking for about 8 vehicles and there is additional parking on the street for visitors.

If at least five other people (or 4 if you don't mind spending more than $55 per night) are interested in this house, I will reserve it.

Looks better than ESA for around the same price if you can get enough people. I am looking for a place, so this works for me.

2 down, 4 or more to go!

I'm in!

3 down, 3 to go.

I'm in too. 

PM me if any of you want to ski Beaver Mt Saturday before or after the gathering. Its about 2.5 hours N from SLC. 

Edited by tromano - 10/13/09 at 6:30pm

What I mean is, I'm in and I'm in on the house live4ski has lined up.  Thought I should be more specific.  Now, what about skis.  Scott Mission in a 178 is ok for an east coast dump but what about Utah's open spaces and neck deep (not to place any expectations here).?   I'd be happy with the 90 under foot, but 178 seems short.

Yeah, I've been thinking of asking this question too.  I'm pretty sure I'll be driving so I'll have most of my quiver with me. 118 x 189 rockered, 106 x 187 trad. camber, 88 x 180 as well as some skinny boards.

Anyone else?

Not sure what boards I will be on. Probabbly 191 Scott P4 or  185 Praxis Powders. Maybe 179 PEs.

I'm in because of Buzz.  Thanks for forcing my hand.  I'm also in on the ski house with liv4ski.  I think that makes 5 so if you want to jump in, jump fast.

As for skis, I'll be on 191 cm Scott Punishers. Only 90mm underfoot, but I skied waist deep at Alta in 1978 on Rossi ST Comps...I'm guessing those were about 60mm underfoot and maybe 70mm at the tips...

Dynastar Contact 4X4 & Praxis Protest for sure. 75mm and 130mm at-the-waist is a big spread, but the 4X4 is good in skied out powder & crud. I hope the Praxis is too. I'll consider bring the Watea 101 if I can get everything in one ski bag.

Michael

My wife Lia and I are interested in coming and skiing with the Bears.  We would also be interested in pitcheing in on this house if there is still room.  We are very easy, and could deal with almost any sleeping arrangement.

Paul,

I skied my Scott Missions 168's in SLC in '08 and '09 without any major problems.  They are only 86 under foot and alittle short but they worked OK.  Of course, they are the only ski in my quiver.  One of my trips to Alta last year we got about 2' each day, sweet!  

Perhaps another casa is needed.  Me and one of my ski buddies are in.  I usually get discounts on cars (wife is a flight attendant) so we are also getting a 4x4 and can transport others.  I guess I don't that week.

Edited by aggielucas - 10/14/09 at 5:36pm