A last day at PowMow

For our last day, we went back to Powder Mtn, to see how it would feel on a cloudy, but non stormy day. Again, it was fantastic, and they had groomed more of the trails so were able to try more of the mountain than before. We also took the surface drag lifts over to their Sunrise area, which are low angle wide open powder fields. Fantastic, although there were a few more people at the mountain, getting an early head start on the weekend. We blasted through all the Hidden Lake runs, and then went back to the lodge, to eat our smuggled in sack lunch.

In the afternoon we rode the Timberline lift and tried the runs off that. The light started getting flat (sky and snow same color) so it began getting hard to judge distance/depth, which was a good signal to end the day and change back into our regular shoes. We felt guilty about brown bagging lunch the last few days there, so we bought a few knick knacks at the tiny gift shop, and grabbed our shuttle -- more like a personal limo since we were the only ones on it -- back to the condo complex.

It was a great trip, and I recommend both mountains since the drive is tolerable from Northern California. It's about ~700 miles, which is 12 hours (assuming cooperative weather) with plenty of stops for feeding/changing rug rats. I don't think staying in Ogden makes sense for visiting these mountains, since the connecting Rt 39 through the Wasatch mountains is a narrow undivided road, and adds significantly to the daily travel time to the mountain. The Lakeside condo complex in Hunstville is 10min to Snowbasin and 20-30 min to PowMow, AND runs a fairly frequent shuttle service. The complex has a concierge service which took good care of us, arranging for things like grocery delivery, discounted lift tickets, in condo masseuses, etc. I endorse them as well, if one is staying up valley. The one down side of staying up high, is the choices of restaurants, is limited, and quality (at least from our experience) is mediocre.

Strawberry area at Snowbasin

On Thursday, we woke to a calm, sunny day for the first time during our week. We piled everyone into the truck and headed off to Snowbasin to enjoy the Strawberry area, which had eluded me by being closed due to wind/visibility for my prior days. The kids would play in front of the roaring fire, while the adults rotated (and rested!) around them.

Our first run in the area was the beautiful Bear Springs run (see the picture above, and click for the full slide show) which was long, freshly groomed soft corduroy, where we were the only people on it. It looks a steeper in the picture than it is; the area is manageable for mid level ability, and it's so quiet traffic wise that you have the ability to make big turns if you would like. We enjoyed more of the major signature runs there, and then went back to meet everyone else for lunch.

In the slide show, you can see the girls enjoying their first day at the lodge, sunning themselves on the deck and cooing at the all the inquisitors who wanted to know if they were twins. (No, just purchased on a Two for Tuesday sale as we cheerfully respond). Most of the other pictures are from the broad expanses of the Strawberry, which has a big mountain ski feel, especially from the top when the wind kicks in. In one of the pictures you can see the clouds rolling in to the mountain top. You can see for a long way from up there, but don't fall over the roped off side. Later in the mid-afternoon, the visibility started getting poor again, and we really needed the day glow trail markers to get down. At lower altitudes it was easier to see, so we tacked back to the main mountain and finished day on the runs over there.

Afterwards we made a pilgrimage to the giftshop, for the de rigeur T-shirt. Snowbasin is a great mountain, despite the lack on lodging on mountain. It has great snow, lots of vertical, a good lift system, and minimal crowds.

Wednesday - a powder day at Powder Mountain

On Wednesday, we woke up to a powder day, and grabbed the shuttle to aptly named Powder Mountain (click on the picture above for a slideshow). This is little known ski area in the northern Wasatch, but its very large (7000 acres) and has superb snow conditions. It gets the typical, light dry Utah type of snow (5% moisture content) that is so fun to ski in. However the mountain is accessed by an old road, which can be tricky to drive, so we were happy to have a shuttle (which we were the only ones on).

Upon arrival, we booted up in the small, primitive lodge and went outside. It's a mountain with an unusual layout -- the base is near the top -- and a mountain host offered to guide us around for the morning for free. Normally I think they are $175. Because this mountain has so much backcountry and off trail skiing, either bus or caterpillar served, one needs a service like this if you are new to the area. Visibility was terrible, and our plan was to stick to lift served inbounds terrain anyways, but the guide was very helpful.

We have skied all over North America and Europe, and I'm not sure we've experienced better snow anywhere. We were scratching our heads, trying to think of better times. But the 9" of fresh snow was fantastic, and light to float through. None of us have powder skiing skills, so we ended up falling a lot, but when the snow is that soft, you just laugh and get up. The hardest part is making sure you don't lose a ski/pole etc, as finding them in the snow, and visibility would be hard.

Our little group was some of the very few people out in a storm, midweek. There were probably less than a 100 people on the entire hill, so we had the whole place to ourselves, which can be a little spooky if you get lost, confused, hurt etc. We had a great time, and came home exhausted, but exhilarated. This is a special place, that is just starting to be developed, but its very much worth the trip from Salt Lake City if one is staying there and sampling all the bigger, better known areas. There are even some beds at the base area, and on the access road, which is not true for Snowbasin -- a bigger and better known area.

More Snowbasin pix

On Tuesday, I took the day to mind the girls while the rest of the group went to Snowbasin, where you can see the pictures if you click the link above. In particular, Y. tried snowboarding. Most of the group stayed on the lower mountain, but apparently the Strawberry area was finally opened after two days of being closed. It is an area on the edge of the mountain with extensive vertical, and wide open skiing. I was quite looking forward to enjoying its long (sometimes steep) groomed runs. For lunch, the group stopped for another fancy lunch at the beautiful base lodges.

For dinner, I made a ketchup glazed meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and a beet/green salad.

Top of needles lodge

Here's where we had the great schnitzel and sauerkraut, at the top of the main mountain area.

First Day at Snowbasin

On Sunday we skied Snowbasin for the first time. Conditions were terrible--Windy foggy rainy with wet slushy heavy snow. We skied a couple of exhausting runs off the needles gondola and then came inside for a spectacular lunch at the lodge. They had full tablecloth service so we rested and relaxed over a range of good food. We skied a more afterwards but we were tired and decided to call it a day at 3ish. If you click on the picture above (of Yuji's lunch) you can see an album of what the day was like.

The next day was better since it was no longer rainy and foggy, but the wind was strong and shut down a number of lifts. We skied the Middle bowl and Porcupine areas where the runs are long and challenging. The winds were so strong that it blew off my lift pass but fortunately they issued me a replacement, after quizzing me on what lifts I had ridden first. They can do that by electronic scanning! We had another great lunch, this time at the peak lodge, where we had schnitzel and sauerkraut. Because of the recent freeze thaw cycles the top of the mountain was firm and scratchy while the bottom was mushy. It was tolerable but only relative to yesterday. Definitely not the fine Utah snow and powder the web sites and brochures promise.

Bonneville salt flats

In elko

we are in Nevada right now

it is cold and dry

Dinner at the kitchen

In a word ... wow!

Unf end for the lobster tho...

At Colorado Public School, Students Learn Winter Sports - NYTimes.com

At Colorado Public School, Students Learn Winter Sports - NYTimes.com

Wow. Okemo Mountain School was near our house in Vermont, and tuition was quite expensive.

Astounding to see that this is a public school.

Visiting Nonny

We took the girls to see their grandmother this weekend where they played all over the floor and were licked by the dog. Afterwards we went out for Japanese food which the little people handled very well. They even tried some edamame and rice. If you click on the picture above, you can see the slide show.

Multi colored nest

They also had a children's reading/play area at the library, where the kids crawled around in while one of us picked out books for them.

The downstairs children's area is pretty quiet on the weekends.

Big chair

We took the girls to the library, and got them a dozen children's books.

They have an oversize chair there, which we could not resist.