Rating out of 5
Flight time
8 hours to Chicago (approx), plus 2 hours to Salt Lake City.
Transfer time
1 hour (depending on the traffic).
Lift queues
Queues for the Aerial Tram, the main route up from the town to the slopes, can be more than half an hour.
Once you’re on the mountain, however, it’s not so bad.
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APH Resort Guides at a Glance:
Snowbird, Utah
Overview
Combined with Alta resort, right next door, this is one of the biggest and best ski areas for powder in the States.
Located in the Little Cottonwood Canyon, about 40-minutes from Salt Lake City, and 30-minutes from Park City,
the nightlife is a bit on the quiet side. But the skiing is fabulous.
Terrain
Advanced skiers and boarders will be in their element. The piste map is awash with black lines, but there’s still plenty
of runs available for intermediates too. In Gad Valley, to the west, you’ll find a good range of runs and once you’ve had your fill here, you can nip next door to (skiers only) Alta.
Recommended run
Experts should head up to the Cirque Ridge and have a go at Silver Fox and Great Scott - two gullies where it’s not unusual to have powder up to your armpits.
For a gentle run to the bottom, try Chip’s Run, which also starts on Cirque Ridge.
Ski-in, ski-out?
The architecture here is not particularly inspiring, but it does provide instant access to the slopes.
Cliff Lodge is the place to stay - head up to the rooftop pool on sunny afternoons and watch skiers making their way down the
surrounding peaks, like little ants.
Cost of living
Eating out in Utah is pretty reasonable - as it is in most Stateside resorts. Expect to pay around $8 (£4.50)
for a good lunchtime feed; the choice at night is pretty limited - try the Steak Pit at the Snowbird Center, or Aerie in the Cliff Lodge, if you’re after fine dining.
Nightlife
On the quiet side. For apres drinks, head to The Tram Club or the Keyhole Cantina.
Alternative activities
The spa at the Cliff Lodge is a great place to spend an afternoon getting pampered.
If you’re after something more strenuous, there’s always ice skating or a trip into Salt Lake city to look at the Mormon temples.
Family friendly
There’s a ’kids ski free’ programme, which allows two children under 12-years old to ski for free, with each adult
holding an all l0day lift ticket. Day care is available from Camp Snowbird and there’s a tube park here, which is great fun.
Findout more about Snowbird at Ultimate-Ski.com.
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