First ski trip to Utah (Questions about it ... ) - Page 2

When I stayed in PC, there was a guy in our B&B that drove up to Snowbasin and told us it was no big deal to get there, he had a blast. We found it a little hard to justify though, but we aren't good on steeps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hokie07 

I doubt we are going to rent a car as my wife doesn't want to ride in the snow even if it's 4WD (don't ask, ha!).  

 

Let's review here:  you want a town to roam around in apres ski, you don't want to rent a car, and you'll be there for a week. That means Park City.  Yes, the accommodations tend to be expensive there, but that's what you'll pay in a pedestrian-friendly ski town.  Want to go cheaper?  Rent a car and stay somewhere else.

I wouldn't worry about having to drive in the snow in April.  SLC itself rarely gets snow, it's doubtful that the roads to Snowbasin or Park City will have snow, and you can always park at the bottom of LCC or BCC and take the bus up to the lifts.

From what I'm sensing about your wife, stay in Park city. That's getting late in the season. You should be able to find some deals on condo. Do more research on VRBO and Home Away. And yes, get a car. It's April, not the middle of winter. And if you stay in PC, the driving is not a problem even in the middle of winter. Now, driving up LCC or BCC in a snowstorm is another matter.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by snofun3 

But if you're staying in PC as the advice was, then Snowbasin is in the middle of nowhere compared to elsewhere.

 

Yeah, maybe for someone from Florida.

The drive from PC to Snowbasin is no longer than the drive from PC to Alta, for example.

According to Mapquest it's 63 miles from PC to Snowbasin, and 42 miles from PC to Alta. Duh (for example).

I do both trips many times a year and for some reason it always seems to take longer to Snowbasin from the PC area - wonder why.

Utards.

I stay in PC for my Wife too. If driving in snow is an issue, when you wake up and there is too much snow, just ski in PC that day. I really don't think you will have a bad day skiing powder at PCMR, Deer Valley or the Canyons.  By the next day the roads will be clear and you can drive to some of the best skiing in the world.

I have to drive 150 miles to ski in the Catskills.  Driving 42 or 63 miles is really no big deal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RatherPlayThanWork 

 ....when you wake up and there is too much snow, just ski in PC that day. I really don't think you will have a bad day skiing powder at PCMR, Deer Valley or the Canyons.  By the next day the roads will be clear and you can drive to some of the best skiing in the world.

This pretty much sums it up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by snofun3 

But if you're staying in PC as the advice was, then Snowbasin is in the middle of nowhere compared to elsewhere.

 

An hour compared to 45 minutes to the Cottonwoods hardly qualifies as "middle of nowhere".

That's OK ... nofun is the non-resident expert for all things Utah.

Quote:

Originally Posted by snofun3 

According to Mapquest it's 63 miles from PC to Snowbasin, and 42 miles from PC to Alta. Duh (for example).

I do both trips many times a year and for some reason it always seems to take longer to Snowbasin from the PC area - wonder why.

 

Utards.

 

 

Yeah, and it takes longer to drive up a narrow, twisty canyon road than a wide, straight county highway. Fancy that.

Farther, certainly. Middle of nowhere, not at all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by snofun3 

According to Mapquest it's 63 miles from PC to Snowbasin, and 42 miles from PC to Alta. Duh (for example).

I do both trips many times a year and for some reason it always seems to take longer to Snowbasin from the PC area - wonder why.

 

Utards.

 

 

When you "mapquested" it did you notice the time it gave to each place?  1hr 12 minutes to Snowbasin, 1hr 3 minutes to Alta, whew, a lot longer.  Snowbasin rarely has any slow traffic headed up to the resort, Alta usually has a bunch of Floridians clogging up the drive.  Most of the time you'll actually get to Snowbasin quicker.

But I'm sure with all your local knowledge you get there a lot quicker, duh.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeedToSki 

That's OK ... nofun is the non-resident expert for all things Utah.

Seems to be a lot of those around

Before this goes astray into more name-calling, let me re-state to the OP:

STAY IN PARK CITY!!

RENT A CAR!!

I quickly googled Park City Crash Pads (I'm staying at Copper Bottom Inn through them in March) and there's a number of condos for $110 - $129/night.  That's not much more than a decent room at the local Best Western.  Whatever you spend will be more than amply compensated for by the availability of "a place that has shops, stores, restaurants, bars, etc.".  If you want to stay at a nice, quiet place, then Lakeside sounds nice....but that's not what you asked for originally. 

A car will definitely improve your life and typical driving experience in April will be as easy as driving anywhere w/o snow.  I was there last March during on/off snow periods: I never drove in anything other than wet pavement. 

You're trying to have it all w/o spending anything, and no ski vacation matches that description.

Quote:

Originally Posted by snofun3 

According to Mapquest it's 63 miles from PC to Snowbasin, and 42 miles from PC to Alta. Duh (for example).

I do both trips many times a year and for some reason it always seems to take longer to Snowbasin from the PC area - wonder why.

 

Utards.

 

 

You're just not driving fast enough!  You can easily get away with 80mph for 9/10ths of the drive there.

JF
 

I have made the drive from Kimball Junction in PC to snowbasin many times. If weather isn't bad, it is 1 hour even. Granted that involves going a tad over the speed limit, but the interstate which never has much traffic invites that. Also, a beautiful drive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hokie07 

The driving is out of the question as my wife just doesn't want to drive if it snows any in Utah, so we are probably stuck wherever we choose.  

 

 

Where are you from that gives your wife such an irrational fear???!  Its not going to snow down to the roads in Utah in April (except in the high elevations of the Cottonwood Canyons).  That's why its season end for all other resorts besides the ones in the Cottonwoods... even the snow in the mountains is melting.  Without a car, there's a very good chance you won't have very good skiing... especially with the low snowpack so far this year.  You'll need to be able to drive to the LCC/BCC park and ride stations.

And in the 2% chance it does snow down to road level, park the car that day and ski outside your door in Park City (the only area that meets your needs).

GET A CAR!

Raleigh, NC shut down one winter afternoon a few years ago because everyone was in a panic over 2 inches of snow that started around 2:00pm.  People were stuck on the major interstate highway for hours and hours because they hadn't been de-iced beforehand and the salt trucks couldn't do anything because there were wall-to-wall cars.  Folks in the south can be very stupid about driving in even a little bit of snow and ice.  Was a real culture shock when I moved down from New York decades ago.  8 inches of snow on a Sunday closed the public schools for a week when I was in high school.  Just not worth having too much snow removal equipment for a couple snowstorms, so usually more or less just waiting for the stuff to melt.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeSchmoe 

Where are you from that gives your wife such an irrational fear???!  Its not going to snow down to the roads in Utah in April (except in the high elevations of the Cottonwood Canyons).  That's why its season end for all other resorts besides the ones in the Cottonwoods... even the snow in the mountains is melting.  Without a car, there's a very good chance you won't have very good skiing... especially with the low snowpack so far this year.  You'll need to be able to drive to the LCC/BCC park and ride stations.

 

And in the 2% chance it does snow down to road level, park the car that day and ski outside your door in Park City (the only area that meets your needs).

 

GET A CAR!

He's being very smart man.  Remember, their first trip out west.  If she has a good time, then more likely she'll go again.

Which is why he should stay in park city.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maui Steve 

Which is why he should stay in park city.

Agreed, especially since Ogden and Snowbasin is the alternative.  Possible to get a shuttle from Park City to LCC for a day trip to Alta.  Not likely to happen from Ogden.

Yes!  Who is the man around that house?
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeSchmoe 

Where are you from that gives your wife such an irrational fear???!  Its not going to snow down to the roads in Utah in April (except in the high elevations of the Cottonwood Canyons).  That's why its season end for all other resorts besides the ones in the Cottonwoods... even the snow in the mountains is melting.  Without a car, there's a very good chance you won't have very good skiing... especially with the low snowpack so far this year.  You'll need to be able to drive to the LCC/BCC park and ride stations.

 

And in the 2% chance it does snow down to road level, park the car that day and ski outside your door in Park City (the only area that meets your needs).

 

GET A CAR!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt 

As others have said, this late in the season, the snow will be poor at lower elevations (unless you like skiing slush).  Alta, Brighton, Solitude, Snowbird are at the highest elevations, so you'll probably want to go there rather than Park City or Snowbasin.  

As an addendum,  I'd note that you can ski the top half of Deer Valley and never have to ski below 8000'.  I think you can do the same at PCMR.  Given everything else I've read thus far in the thread, I think your should ignore the "it'll be slushy at PC" argument - Park City is your place, just go higher up on the hill for better snow.  Hunt around for discount digs - there should be many this late in the season.

PC without a car is completely doable.  I guess you could do Snowbasin/Powmow without one, but who'd want too?  They may not be in the middle of nowhere, but I'm pretty sure you can see it from there. 

Don't over think this. Go to PC, stay there, it's a lovely little town, if the snow happens to be a disaster, get a car and go to BCC and LCC, it'll be worth it. But my guess is you'll be fine. We went to PC two years ago at the end of March, snow was OK, but nothing special. Guess what, the week after we were there it dumped like 2 feet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Govnor 

We went to PC two years ago at the end of March, snow was OK, but nothing special. Guess what, the week after we were there it dumped like 2 feet.

Ah yes, the old "you should have been here last week" effect, albeit backwards.

I have a feeling the OP's wife may have been in or witnessed a truly nasty car accident in the snow.  But as someone else observed, OP is acting shrewdly, indulging her fear so as to show her it is unfounded as she has one helluva great time in Park City (in deeply discounted digs at the end of the season) and wants to return, saying "oh, we could drive in this!"

Smart man, indeed.

With this year's snowpack, maybe they should bring their golf clubs... 

First, this is father of the father/son pair who skied Snowbasin, and we skied with 4ster above. And we skied hard in absolute rock hard conditions, total whiteout, and then soft utah powder and enjoyed every minute of it. We have skied Alta, Solitude, Deer Valley and Snowbasin of the Utah Resorts. I personally like Snowbasin the best of the lot, Alta is nice but let me tell you, to get to a lot of really good Longer runs, one has to traverse a lot, its just that little cottonwood canyon has the history of greater volume of utah powder than Snowbasin. Personally, while Solitude is nice, if there is no serious snow, it can be quite limiting. My son finds Alta and Snowbasin - a toss-up. Longest continuous runs are in Snowbasin, and doing the men's, women's downhill runs is just a lot of fun. Hook up with 4ster for Snowbasin. Alta is nice but be prepared for hikes and if its a powder be prepared for waiting not on liftlines but traverse lines. There is a beautiful bowl in Alta called Ballroom, but when they drop the rope, you have a blast but that is the one main bowl. Sure if you are a genuine expert, Alta and Snowbird have plenty to offer as does Snowbasin.

And to second many folks' opinions above, you should stay in Park City or Deer Valley, and this place is the most charming and least expensive place to stay:

http://www.chateauapres.com/

We did'nt stay there because with a young kid, schlepping with gear at the end of the day or post breakfast is a pain in the neck. But check it out, the reviews are great and lots of people swear by it. And in Alta, the Peruvian Lodge is famous for father-kids going skiing and its the least expensive. Snowbird also has very good deals. But once again given your spouse's desires, I think Park City is ideal. 

Skiing Deer Valley is very good too, grooming, lots of steep terrain but a lot of it is groomed, so you can let it rip. And Empire Canyon there is interesting. They also have the hardest mogul run in UTah if it is open, not sure given paucity of snow this year.

Getting to Snowbasin, there are shuttles but its not the cheapest but its worth it. We stayed at Lakeside Resorts, check the TR its on this site, search under my username, I even I think named the limo/shuttle company which took us there and back, from DV to Eden, and then every evening for dinner (The dinner ride round-trip is $5 additional) to Ogden and other areas. Some very fine restaurants in that area.

Have fun.