7 Best Utah Ski Resorts
The Pass Situation: One-day passes start at $129—however, what’s known as an S-Card can be purchased from the ski resort directly, pre-season, for $99.
Where to Après, Eat, and Drink: The Tree Room is a perennial favorite. Not only is the classic, modern American food reliable, but you’re surrounded by Native American art from Robert Redford’s private collection. Don’t miss a sip or two at the Owl Bar, housed in a restored 1890s space that was shipped in from Wyoming and once home to Butch Cassidy’s Hole-in-the-Wall Gang.
Where to Stay: Right at Sundance Mountain Resort, which offers a wide selection of accommodations from standard lodge rooms to large vacation homes.
Solitude
A quintessential locals’ mountain in Big Cottonwood Canyon where you used to see fewer tourists (and the ones you did see couldn’t believe their luck in finding the place). These days more out-of-towners are discovering what Utah folk have known for years: at Solitude, you never wait in a lift line, and as you get to know the mountain it rewards by being much bigger than it appears from the base. There are 1,200 skiable acres, 82 runs, and a whopping 500 inches of annual snow.
The Pass Situation: Smart pricing starts at $89, but sometimes discounted passes can be purchased ahead of time on their website.
Where to Après, Eat, and Drink: Two bars you’ll want to hit after your legs can’t take any more: The Thirsty Squirrel and the Argenta pub. Both have that all-wood, cozy vibe you’ll be jonesing for by the end of the day, and terrific Utah beers on tap, like Unitas Baba Black ale.
Where to Stay: Rent a house in Big Cottonwood Canyon (VRBO has good options), a condo unit in Solitude Village, or think about staying in Park City or Deer Valley and experiencing Solitude through the interconnect. For $475, a guide will take experienced skiers through Deer Valley, Park City Mountain Resort, Solitude, Brighton, Alta, Snowbird, and the backcountry terrain between these resorts.
Powder Mountain
Located just east of Ogden, a small metro area about a 30-minute drive north of Salt Lake City, lies the United State’s largest ski area with over 8,000 acres of skiable terrain, more than half of which is groomed, leaving ample space for powder-lovers. Even though this resort is quickly gaining popularity, its easy to feel like you have the whole mountain to yourself—even on a busy day, you may only find one skier per two acres of terrain. Since the resort is so large, the resort has created a free orientation for first-timers to help them get a lay of the land. But once skiing these runs, it’s hard to imagine wanting to choose busier slopes.
The Pass Situation: Day passes at the window are $140 and $115 if you purchase online.
Where to Après, Eat, and Drink: The mountain eats still have a way to go to catch up with others above, but the Powder Keg calls to skiers for a relaxed après with dive bar-style grub and local taps. If you’d like something a bit nicer, the dining scene in Ogden is coming into its own and the tasting menu at Hearth 25 shouldn’t be missed.
Where to Stay: Ski-in and ski-out of the horizon cabins located near the summit of Powder Mountain. The minimal, Scandinavian-style lodgings were designed by award-winning architect Brian Mackay-Lyons and offer incredible views from the top of it all. You will need a four-wheel drive vehicle, and experience driving in the snow, to access the cozy, fully-stocked homes.