Snowbird
Overview
Snowbird; a true gem of a mountain located in Utah’s rugged Wasatch range. We’ve been lucky enough to ride here several times over the past few seasons and every time we were treated to truly exceptional conditions.
Where to Ski
Snowbird; a true gem of a mountain located in Utah’s rugged Wasatch range. We’ve been lucky enough to ride here several times over the past few seasons and every time we were treated to truly exceptional conditions.
1. THE CIRQUE TRAVERSE
Take a run down The Cirque Traverse and pick your poison. The heavier options lie towards the beginning of the traverse and descend from there. Beware of rocks if the coverage isn’t great. I had to fix 4 core shots in my baby after we were done.
- Great Scott
- Middle Cirque (pucker up and enjoy the ride)
- Tower three (catch a sweet view of the tram and snap a photo)
- Upper Mach Schnell (awesome trees)
- Wilbere Bowl
2. LITTLE CLOUD LIFT
Little Cloud is for sure a lift worth taking a few spins on. Head right off of the top of the lift and take a few runs down some fun chutes and head over the open expanse to some small but fun tree skiing. This spot is also perfect if you have “less advanced” skiers who need a solid blue run to meet up with you at the bottom.
- Rasta Chutes (great warm-up run to get the blood flowing)
- Knucklehead Traverse
3. THE PERUVIAN LIFT
Peruvian offers great options for mixed blue/black riding. The trees just to the left of the lift are a ton of fun and usually have untouched snow thanks to most skiers heading straight for Mineral Basin and bigger lines. This spot also accesses one of the coolest parts of Snowbird, the tunnel to Mineral Basin.
- West Baldy (insane views)
- Upper Silver Fox
- Mineral Basin Tunnel (take a walk back in time)
- Willows (flowy bumps)
4. HIGH BALDY TRAVERSE
Take a quick and worthwhile hike off of the High Baldy Traverse and you’ll have access to insane riding back down to the Peruvian lift and also into Mineral Basin.
–Front Side–
- Venus Line
- West Baldy
–Mineral Basin Side–
- Chamonix Chutes
5 & 6. MINERAL BASIN
- This area is really a wide-open playground and has something for everyone.
- The obvious move is to traverse far skiers right and pick your pleasure whenever the time feels right.
There’s also a fantastic mix of trees and small steeps around Fossil Chutes and Limber Pines
HONORABLE MENTION
- Mozza Bowl (just past the Gad 2 lift)
- Chute 44 and Sneaky Pete (Just off of the top of Mid-Gad Lift)
- Stick to the left in the trees and brush for some surfy turns.
- Organ Donor and Black Forest just off the top of the Gadzoom lifT
- Gadzooks off of the Gad 2 lift
Things to do
FOOD
- Stop by the Tram Club after a long day of buttery powder turns and feast at one of the most iconic spots at Snowbird. Great drink specials and cheesy fries go down perfectly in this darkly lit watering hole. If you’re staying local, grab a PBR and Jamo combo to start the night off right.
- For some mid-day snackies check out The Summit Restaraunt (location self-explanatory – take the tram) grab a quick slice of pizza or a salad for the more carb-conscious ski bum.
WIFI/CELL SERVICE
- Unfortunately, you can’t spend every day shredding Mineral Basin and repping out tram laps. While we were visiting, Jamie had to clock into her job to keep on funding the good times. The upper lot at Snowbird, just past the Cliff Lodge, as well as the Cliff Lodge itself, had excellent service for everything from Zoom meetings to updating her shared Google Docs. Boring, but necessary.
ACTIVITIES
- If you’re completely spent at the end of the day, take a ride up to the Cliff Lodge Spa and enjoy a soak in the hot tub or relax with a spa treatment of your choice. Granted, this is a completely boujiee option post-skiing, but sometimes you just have to give it a shot.
- Not ready for the ride to be over? Head over to Brighton Ski Resort, just up Big Cottonwood Canyon for some night skiing. They light up the slopes every weekend and can help you add in the extra hours you need to really feel your legs fall off the next day.
Tips for the day
- The parking lots at the resort are pretty accessible for the most part. If you’re ballin on a budget, pack some sandys and a PBR and head to the car for lunch.
- Almost every trip we’ve taken here there has been some kind of fog at least one of the days. Grab some low visibility lenses so you’re not skiing by braille the whole day.
- Check the road conditions before you go. Little Cottonwood is prone to avalanches and has even been known to shut down for Interlodge events which keeps skiers and riders waiting in the resort buildings for road crews to clear Highway 210.
Transportation
TIMING
- Timing is everything with the Cottonwood Canyons. Weekend crowds can really put a damper on your ski/riding plans. Make sure to get up early (6-7 am) and head up before the masses descend on the fresh snow.
DRIVING OPTIONS
- Snowbird has plenty of parking options as long as you make it up early. If you’re lucky enough to be driving a Subaru, there’s even special VIP parking right in front of the lot.
Where to stay
If you’re interested in where we stayed for our Snowbird vanlife adventure send us a message on Instagram and we’ll give you specific details and coordinates, plus any extra details you may be interested in.
- Our last stay at Snowbird, we were able to find a low-key spot on the banks of Utah Lake. Campfires and hot toddys were a great way to relax after 10 hours of skiing. Be forewarned, there is a gun range a few miles from the site. Nothing to worry about but if you hear some crackling in the background, don’t freak out. However, if you’re feeling the burn from yesterday’s skiing adventure and you enjoy getting some target practice in, it’s a great way to break up the ski trip. DM us on the Gram for details and the exact location of the campsite we stayed at.
- The Cliff Lodge has awesome accommodations if you’re looking for a hotel to relax at and get an early start to the next day. The pool and spa on top of the hotel gives you amazing views of the resort and it’s a perfect way to wind down the day.
Did We Forget anything?
Let us know if you have any questions or are longing to find out more about the Snowbird. We’re happy to add to our posts and answer any questions you have as you get ready for your epic Snowbird ski/snowboard trip.