Utah Overview

Utah, located in the USA Rocky Mountains, prides itself on having the "greatest snow on earth" and boasts the most resorts within close proximity to an international airport. Most of the snowboarding resorts in this state are located around Salt Lake City which is home to about one million people. Within a 30 to 60 minute drive from the Salt Lake City International Airport are located nine snowboarding resorts and some of the best backcountry terrain in mainland USA.

Given that over half of the population of Utah is Mormon, the state has very strict laws and ethics. However, you would struggle to find a more hospitable community in the USA and a better environment for snowboarders to visit. Mormons are extremely friendly and courteous. Contrary to what you may think, the Mormon religion is not some strange and secret religious sect. The Mormons are very open and helpful. You will be blown away by the hospitality you will receive in Salt Lake City.

Snowboarding in Utah

Utah and Salt Lake City for that matter is arguably the home of pro-snowboarding in the USA. The huge proportion of today's pro-riders are either from Utah or have migrated to Utah to take advantage of the best snow and terrain that USA has to offer.

Although Utah is the breeding ground for the USA's best riders, many Utah resorts only opened their doors to snowboarding in the last few years with Alta and Deer Valley Ski resorts still not allowing snowboarders on their terrain.

The Salt Lake City resorts are located in two big canyons that run east-west beside the city. The closest canyon to downtown Salt Lake City is Big Cottonwood Canyon. In this canyon you will find the resorts of Brighton and Solitude. Next to Big Cottonwood Canyon is Little Cottonwood Canyon where you will find Snowbird and Alta and an amazing backcountry region called Grizzly Gulch.

Behind Big Cottonwood Canyon, about 40 minutes drive from downtown Salt Lake City is the town of Park City, the location of the 2002 Winter Olympics. Located within the town of park city are a number of other resorts, namely Park City Mountain Resort, The Canyons and Deer Valley (which still doesn't allow snowboarding).

About 45 minutes drive north of Salt Lake City is the town of Ogden which is the gateway to two other cool resorts, Snowbasin and Powder Mountain.

Snow and Weather in Utah

The snow that falls in Utah, especially around Salt Lake City, is regarded as being the lightest in the world. In fact the number-plates on Utah motor vehicles say "The Greatest Snow on Earth" - not an exaggeration. Utah powder is as dry and light as it gets as storms roll off the Pacific Ocean, shoot across the deserts of Navada via Jet Streams and hit the Wasatch Mountain Range dumping in massive quantities. Evaporation off the Great Salt Lake assist this process and create super dry "lake effect" snow. Utah resorts such as Brighton and Alta receive over 40 feet of snow per year, more than nearly every other resort in the world.

Accommodation

Accommodation in Salt Lake City is different to most other snowboard destinations. For a start, Salt Lake City is a big city (over 1 million people), and it is joined by the towns of Ogden, Bountiful and Farmington to the north and Sandy and Provo to the South which include over another million people together. Unlike your normal ski town which usually just has the standard collection of hotels/motels and a few condos, Salt Lake City has these as well as heaps of houses which are rented out for short and long term.

The main problem with accommodation in Salt Lake City is the cost to proximity trade off. It is possible to stay downtown in cheap motels for as low as $10 U.S. per night if you are sharing, however, then you are at least a 30-40 minute drive from the slopes. It is also possible to stay 15 minutes from the slopes in Sandy or Park City, however, you have to expect to pay a few more dollars. If there is a group of you, the best option is to rent a house/condo in the Salt Lake City suburbs of Sandy or Murray (which are the closest to all the canyon roads), and split the costs. Generally the standard of accommodation will be excellent and roomy as well as close to the slopes and equipped with kitchens so you can cook dinners and therefore save cash.

The best way to find house/condo accommodation is by either checking the local papers which can be picked up at any supermarket, or calling an agent.

Mountain West Properties are agents who can organise the best options for you in accommodation. They have accommodation ranging from 2 bedroom condos to 7 bedroom houses. They all come with kitchens, lounges, TV's, cable, great beds and bathrooms and close proximity to the slopes. Many come with bonuses like Hot-tubs, gas fireplaces, garages, and VCR's. For groups, these places are the best option. Prices vary according to the time of year and availability, but they are NOT unfordable and can offer some great luxuries.

Transport

Getting around Salt Lake City: Unlike many Big cities in the west of USA, Salt Lake City has a pretty good bus system which will take you up to the resorts and back each day. Whilst the bus system is reliable and relatively extensive, a car is definitely the best way to get around Salt Lake City because the city is so big and there are so many places to go.

Getting around USA: America is a big place, and there are a lot of resorts to visit. Once you have established what sort of a trip you are going to do (ie, stay put or move around) then you can decide what sort of transport you need. Let us say that the car is a part of the American way of life, you need one to get everywhere - but the pay off is that they are cheap.

In our transport section, we look at how to get the best deal on a car, be it hiring or buying. We also look at using trains, buses and airplanes to get yourself around.

Check out our Transport page for more details on getting around USA.

Hints & Tips

Salt Lake City is a big city, unlike most American ski towns, therefore there is an abundance of accommodation, jobs and off-snow activities

A car is very handy as not much budget accommodation exists near the slopes. Although snow buses run up and down Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, if you are staying far from the pick-up locations, getting to the hills may be a little tricky. Therefore, if you are in town for a short stay with a few friends, look into hiring a car and staying somewhere further from the resort. What you will spend on a car, you will save on accommodation.

Having a car to get around means that you can easily access the nine resorts in the Salt Lake area. Don't limit yourself to one resort if you can help it because all resorts in the Salt Lake area are well worth visiting.

Utah gets some of the lightest and deepest powder on earth so bring a long board and a snorkel!

Getting There

Utah is located in the central western region of USA. Salt Lake City has an International airport not many airlines will take you from another country directly into Salt Lake without stopping in LA, New York or somewhere else first.

Last updated on 01 November 2004.