Thursday, February 26, 2009

Trip To Snowbird

It was an unusually warm morning at the base of the mountain and the sun was beaming. Upon inspection, there were few, if any, signs of wind, ice or long lift lines to be found. The sprawling mountains were set majestically against the blue hue of the sky, and the skiers seemed to bustle with urgency to take advantage of such a utopian day.

It was mid-morning, about 10:30 a.m., and after picking my dad up from the Salt Lake City airport, we headed out for our coveted, annual ski excursion. Our destination, Snowbird Ski Resort, is nestled in the Little Cottonwood Canyon, roughly 11 miles east of Sandy, UT. Finally, we arrived at our destination and began a memorable day that any avid skier would be envious of.

“You guys got lucky,” Carly, a Snowbird lift supervisor, said. “The lift lines are usually much longer, almost as far back as the lodge.”

Snowbird is a challenging resort and this difficulty derives from its large number of black diamond ski runs, attempted primarily by experts. I was most impressed by the variety of terrain and expansive views the mountain had to offer, however.

The favorite section of the mountain for most of the patrons seemed to be Hidden Peak, which fed into some of our favorite runs, “Regulator Johnson” and “Election.” The peak, which is the highest point at Snowbird and measured at 11,000 ft. according to the trail map, offers a wide view of the Gad Valley as well as the Salt Lake valley in the distance.

On one of rides back up the mountain on the “Mid-Gad” lift, we spoke to some fellow skiers who had a distinctly laid-back, western feel about them. We talked about the resort, wallyball, and life in general. Their demeanor seemed to perfectly capture the feeling of being on the mountain that day.

According to the ski resort’s website, Snowbird opened in December of 1971 with three lifts, the Tram, the Lodge at Snowbird and the Snowbird Center. Snowbird is considered prestigious as far as ski resorts go. It has been consistently ranked as the second best resort in North America, being runner-up to the famed Whistler Blackcomb resort in Canada, according to SKI Magazine.

“This was pretty much a perfect day for skiing,” my dad concluded.

I couldn’t help but agree.

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