Powder and Transportation Woes in SLC

Time to use those IKON passes again!

After a great trip to Steamboat, Kim and I planned to revisit another of our favorite places to ski - Salt Lake City, Utah.  We'd traveled there 11 years ago and had lots of fun at Alta and Solitude resorts.  It was high time for a return trip.  So we chose some days in early February and booked hotel and airline tickets.  Our IKON base passes granted us 5 days each at Brighton and Snowbird resorts, and unlimited days at Solitude.  (If we'd paid the extra bucks we could've skied Alta too, but there was already plenty of skiing to be had with those three.)

Ready to ski at Brighton!

A quick week and half after arriving home from Steamboat, Kim and I were on a plane again, this time a non-stop flight to Salt Lake City.  From the air, we were excited to see lots of snow coating the nearby Wasatch Mountains.  And more was forecast for the coming week.  Perfect!

The lodge and scenery at Brighton

Four popular ski areas are sited just east of the Salt Lake City Metro area.  Solitude and Brighton resorts are located down Big Cottonwood Canyon and Alta and Snowbird at the end of Little Cottonwood Canyon.  From our past visit, we knew that Salt Lake City's transit authority ran buses down each canyon to reach these resorts.  We'd had a good experience accessing the slopes via the bus system and planned to do the same on this trip.

Kim enjoys the new snow

Kim and I picked a hotel that was near the entrance to Big Cottonwood Canyon.  It was a half mile away from the Big Cottonwood park and ride and about 5 miles to the Little Cottonwood Canyon bus stop.  Our chosen lodging offered a shuttle service to take skiers to the nearest bus stop - which sealed the deal for us. 

A few views between snow showers

So our first day dawned - chilly and a bit rainy.  But we'd heard snow was falling higher up at the resorts.  Kim and I planned to check out Brighton that day, and had dutifully made the required shuttle reservation with the hotel's front desk to ensure transportation to the bus stop.  We stood outside our hotel, waiting for the shuttle.  Our reservation time came and went.  The front desk woman said the shuttle was overbooked but would be "right back soon."  Kim and I waited a bit longer, but still no shuttle.  We'd already missed the first bus.  Finally, a van pulled up to the front door, and an apologetic driver quickly ushered us over to the park and ride.  Now to wait for a bus......

About noon it began dumping snow!

A bus pulled up, but it was so full the driver wasn't taking any more passengers.  So Kim and I were forced to wait longer.  Finally a second bus stopped, and although it too was full, the driver crammed us in anyway.  Kim and I had to stand, holding on to our skis with one hand, and the overhead handrail with the other.  Not fun!  To top things off, Big Cottonwood Canyon was a winding road, and each time the driver took a curve, we held on for dear life!  (The combination of a wet floor and slippery ski boots didn't help matters.)  Traffic was heavy in the canyon, and it took nearly an hour before our bus finally pulled up to Brighton's lodge.  I was never so glad to be off that cramped, stuffy bus.

Cute little log cabin beside one of the ski runs

Once outside all was nearly forgotten as we gaped at the swirling snow coming down.  After taking care of business (bathroom, water, trail map, etc.) Kim and I located a nearby lift that whisked us up the slopes.  

Long bus line - ugh!

It's always a bit of a challenge to find your way around a new ski area.  So it was with Brighton.  The overcast, foggy, snowy weather didn't help visibility, and we found trail signs few and far between.  But Kim and I wandered around until finally connecting with the "Snake Creek Express" lift.  The terrain off this area was nice, and the continually falling snow made for some great skiing.

Super-crowded bus to Solitude

Some overall impressions of Brighton - it was sprawled over several peaks, and getting around required long glides (and some skating) on flattish cat tracks to access everything.  As I mentioned before, it wasn't very well signed, so navigation was a bit challenging.  Also, there were tons of snowboarders!  Because snowboarding isn't allowed at Alta or nearby Deer Valley, they appeared to converge at this resort.  We also encountered a lot of beginner snow-riders - one young lady on a snowboard almost knocked me over as we got off a lift.  So overall it was okay, but not outstanding, and I don't think I'll be back anytime soon.

Solitude lodge

Finished for the day, Kim and I were a bit apprehensive about our bus ride home.  The huge line at the bus stop did nothing to allay our fears.  But lucky for us, we managed to score seats, and the trip back to our hotel went much more smoothly.

Smiles for a most excellent powder day

Day two - it had to get better, right?  Kim and I planned to visit Solitude, also down Big Cottonwood Canyon.  This time, our hotel shuttle was on time, and deposited us at the park and ride earlier than the previous day.  We hoped that would help our bus chances.  

Ski lift scenery

Sad to say, it did not.  One bus came by, packed to the gills, and couldn't take any more passengers.  Another bus arrived, and although already nearly full, let Kim and I and about six other folks board.  Then, although the driver said he was full, three more men shoved on, one nearly knocking Kim over.  This rude guy grabbed the handrail, his elbow almost in Kim's face.  We were mashed as tight as sardines.  When the bus took a corner, an adjacent guy pushed into me so hard, I had to hold on for dear life.  Heavy snowfall from the night before snarled traffic and our bus crept up the canyon.  It took a extremely long, hot, cramped hour to reach Solitude.  Our arms and hands ached from hanging on so tightly.  Today's ride was truly the bus from hell!

View down a ski run

Finally, we tumbled out of the overstuffed bus to a snowy Solitude resort.  Nearly 10 inches of snow had fallen and it looked wonderful.  After taking care of business, Kim and I boarded the closest chairlift and headed for the powder.  Thankfully, we'd skied here 11 years ago, and sort of remembered the resort layout.

Huge icicles on this building 

Due to all the bus and traffic delays, it was nearly 10:30 by the time we hit the slopes.  By this late morning hour, the nice, thick snowfall had been tracked up by skiers.  Although the slopes were rough and bumpy, the snow was soft and easy to cut through.  I loved bombing through the light powder.  But Kim, who preferred groomed runs, was having a hard time.

More snowy scenery

We took a break around noon for water and a granola bar.  Then Kim and I explored terrain off the Apex Express chairlift.  The runs over here were lined with beautiful aspen trees, their creamy tan trunks offering a bit of contrast to the white, swirling snow globe.

Photobomb!

I really enjoyed skiing over here.  The snow was soft and the slopes a good angle for zipping through it.  Most of the crowds had gone in for lunch, so there were no lift lines.  But this constant up and down wore us out too, and after about an hour we took another break at a nearby lodge.

Loved the aspen-lined ski runs

With most of the lunch crowd now leaving, Kim and I snagged a large table.  With more seats than we needed, a man limped over and sat down.  We struck up a conversation and learned the poor guy had wiped out in the trees and broken his ankle.  After ski patrol patched him up, his buddies had left him here with food and water, with promises to meet up at day's end.

Kim shreds the pow!

Talking to that unfortunate man made Kim and I ski much more cautiously when we went back out.  After a few more runs, it was nearing 2:30 and after this morning's awful bus trip we were both having anxiety about the ride home.  So we decided to quit early in hopes of snagging a less-crowded bus.  There was still quite a line at the stop, but again we were both lucky enough to get seats.  The ride home was 100% better than the morning's trip.

Loved all the beautiful aspen trees

Day three - and we'd plan to ride over to the other canyon and explore Snowbird.  However, Kim woke up sore and needed a day of rest.  I'd be skiing solo today.  

Another tree photo

Due to the steep slopes and the light, powder snow that falls in Utah, both Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons are susceptible to avalanches.  Little Cottonwood Canyon has much more unstable snow activity than it's neighboring canyon, and state highway crews often close this road overnight to do avalanche control.  That morning Snowbird's website reported that the canyon road would be closed until 8:30 am for this very purpose.

Yup, the snow was deep!

Undaunted, I had the hotel shuttle driver deposit me at the park and ride for Little Cottonwood Canyon's bus.  Already a sizeable crowd here, I learned some folks had been waiting quite awhile.  Luckily, the weather was dry and there were interesting people to chat with.  I sent Kim a selfie of myself in line.  But after an hour of waiting, I was just about ready to call our shuttle driver and ask him to take me back to the other canyon, when a bus pulled up.  I got a seat, but the bus filled up quickly behind me.  

Third morning bus line - trying to get to Snowbird

With the road finally open, traffic was horrendous.  Cars had lined up outside the closure area, and these vehicles clogged the roadway.  It took another hour to reach Snowbird.  I was thankful to be seated for the ride this time.

Everyone on the bus was excited to ski Snowbird.  Apparently the resort had received 19 inches of snow the previous day and skiing had been fantastic.  More snow had fallen overnight and people were chomping at the bit to swoosh through it.  When my bus finally arrived at the Snowbird Tram building, people rushed out.  But first I needed a restroom and water break before going anywhere near a lift.

Two hours later, I finally arrived at Snowbird

It had taken me two hours to get to this point.  It would take another 30 minutes standing in the Tram line before I actually began skiing.  Apparently Snowbird staff were still digging out some of the lower chairlifts from the previous night's heavy snowfall, so the Tram was the only option here.  So I got in a huge line and shuffled through a Disneyland-like maze until finally arriving at the loading area.  When it was my turn to board the tram car, I ended up nearly first in line.

Foggy views while standing in the tram line

A good thing about being near the head of the line - first in the huge tram car.  I followed another man as he staked a spot in the very front, facing the Tram's spacious windows.  Now I'd have a front-row view as the tram climbed to the upper terminal.  Snowbird had two tram cabins, that alternated between the top and bottom.  Each cabin held 125 people.  

After loading all those skiers, we were off!  Although the weather was very foggy, I still enjoyed some views as the tram glided uphill.  I'd reviewed Snowbird's trail map the night before, and noticed a lot of single and double black diamond runs, but seeing them in person as I traveled up the mountain was a bit unnerving.  Those slopes were steep!  The higher we rose, the foggier the skies became.  Arriving at the very top, visibility wasn't good at all.  

Finally - in the tram!

Shuffling off the tram with the rest of the skiers, I emerged into a foggy, white world.  Although I'd planned to ski into Mineral Basin, a bit mellower area, I discovered that lift was closed.  Where to go now?  Nearly everything else was single- or double-black diamond slopes.  Although I'm a good skier, being in a new ski area by myself with low visibility was a bit intimidating.

Views from the tram ride

After dawdling at the tram landing for several minutes, I finally decided to pick a direction and go for it.  How bad could it be?  I slid downhill to the top of a steep, mogul-filled slope.  The previous days snowfall had been transformed into huge, car-sized bumps.  Hesitating at the top, I bolstered my confidence by telling myself "You're a good skier - you can do this!"  And I did.

There goes the other tram car!

Although the moguls made for some tiring skiing, I was able to slide through them.  Visibility was bad, but I just went slow and took lots of breaks.  Eventually, another chairlift came into view.  Shuffling over to the singles line, a lady behind me struck up a conversation, and by the time we loaded on the chairlift, asked if she could ski with me.  This woman had skied here many times and knew exactly where to go, so I was glad for her company.  She led me to another steep, mogully slope (they were all like that!) and I followed behind.  Visibility was really bad here, causing me to hit a hidden bump.  I went down hard.  Luckily I didn't lose any equipment, but rising to my feet, my right ankle began to protest.  Uh-oh!

The very top of the mountain

I told my companion that my ankle was bothering me, but I'd try another trail.  I didn't want to abandon such a good ski buddy after the first run!  We went down two more very bumpy trails.  My ankle did not like all the motion necessary for navigating these moguls.  I thought of the man I'd met yesterday with the broken ankle.  Not knowing what I'd done to myself, I reasoned it probably wasn't a good idea to continue skiing.  So I bid my new friend farewell and reluctantly made my way down to the base area.

Sigh - it had taken me 2 1/2 hours to get on the slopes and I'd only skied for about an hour and a half.  But I didn't want to really hurt myself and mess up the rest of my ski season.  So I found the bus stop and rode back into town.

This was the best view I had all day

Back at the hotel, Kim supplied me with ibuprofen and ice.  After removing my boot, my foot felt much better, and there didn't appear to be any swelling.  We both sat in our room the rest of the afternoon, icing our aching body parts.  Oh boy, did I feel old!

Icing our aching body parts

Luckily, my ankle seemed okay the next day.  I was a little concerned about shoving it into a ski boot, but although a tiny bit sore, it wasn't uncomfortable.  

Our fourth and final day happened to be a Friday.  Kim and I planned to go back to Solitude, in Big Cottonwood Canyon.  Because it was Friday, and the resorts had received even more new snow, traffic was predicted to be heavy - both vehicles and bus riders.  We set out to the park and ride with our fingers crossed.  

Celebrating our last night 

But....all the buses that came by were packed to the gills.  Us waiting skiers were having no luck.  People started jumping into their cars and driving to bus stops closer to the beginning of the line.  But Kim and I didn't have a car.  Then two guys said they were going to another bus stop and asked us if we wanted to ride with them.  Normally Kim and I wouldn't ride with strangers.  But these men were from Austria and seemed okay, so jumped into their rental car.  They were fun to chat with.  The one man said their rental car didn't have snow tires, so he couldn't take it to the resorts.  He was a little taken aback that in a place that receives regular snowfall, they didn't outfit their rental cars with proper tires (I was surprised too!)

The Austrian men drove to the very first bus stop.  There was a huge line of waiting skiers, but an empty bus pulled up and everyone fit inside.  We still had to stand, but by now Kim and I were used to that.  It was another extremely long ride.  Someone said the buses used to come more frequently, but the transit authority had a hard time finding drivers so they'd cut back service to the ski resorts.  Whatever - we certainly weren't impressed with the ski buses this time around.

Mountain views at SLC airport

Finally, our bus arrived at Solitude.  The resort had received more fresh snow and there were hordes of people ready to ski it.  Although we had to navigate lift lines, that was okay because after several days of skiing, I had tired legs and was happy for the rest.  It was another great day of swishing through newly-fallen powder snow.

The mountains are right outside of town

Due to fatigue and another round of bus anxiety, Kim and I again quit early and were in line at the bus stop by 2:30.  This time we had to stand at the very front of another super-crowded bus.  Kim stood right next to the driver and had a great conversation with the man.  Apparently he was supposed to have clocked out an hour ago, but made an extra trip for the skiers.

Back at the hotel, Kim and I decided to have dinner at the next door whiskey distillery.  Because we didn't have transportation, our dining choices had been limited to a nearby brew pub called "The Porcupine."  Although its food was okay, after four days we were tired of their fare.  At the distillery we splurged, enjoying a couple of delicious Manhattans each, a shared appetizer, and entrees.  Tipsy and full of good food, we made our way back to the hotel to pack up for our early morning flight.

The Columbia River Gorge

The next morning, we took off from the Salt Lake City International Airport as the sun began cresting over the Wasatch Mountains.  It was such a pretty sight, I took copious photos from the airplane window, until the deicing truck sprayed the plane, streaking my portal.  We had super clear weather the entire flight, which was perfect for another photographic session as our plane flew over the Columbia River Gorge.  It was wonderful to see the Cascade peaks of Rainier, Adams, and St. Helens all lined up across the horizon.  Welcome home!

Three mountain view - welcome home!

It had been great to visit the ski areas directly outside of Salt Lake City.  I added two new resorts - Snowbird and Brighton - to my "I've skied there" list.  The timing of fresh snow every day couldn't  have been better.  But the bad part of our visit had been enduring terrible rides on overcrowded city buses.  Kim and I agreed that riding SLC's public transportation had been such an awful experience, it soured our whole trip.  As a matter of fact, we aren't planning to return anytime soon.  (And once home, I sent an email to the Utah Transit Authority telling them just that.)

But I was glad for another opportunity to use our IKON passes.  The following week, we planned to visit another local resort for one final ski trip.  The next post I'll write about our experiences skiing Washington's Crystal Mountain Resort.