Thinking about a move to Utah, ski area comparison (Ogden: condos, hotels)

[phil54]

Hi Folks,

My wife and I are thinking about a move to Utah as so cal is getting too
expensive. Am big into skiing. Would like to know how the skiing outside of Ogden compares with with that of resorts outside of SLC. Thanks for your replies. Phil54

[yellowsnow]

Much better in the SLC/Park City corridor. Cheaper with not so much terrain in Ogden.

[Bayzing]

Snowbasin located just outside of Ogden is a PREMIER resort... it was the location of the 2002 Olympic Downhill event. Has a Vertical drop of 3,000 feet and could easily be one of the top 5 resorts in Utah (which is saying a lot!).... Snowbasin is located only about 25 minutes East of Ogden. Besides Snowbasin, you have a smaller resort called Powder Mountain nearby. But remember...your really only about 60 - 75 minutes away from the big resorts just outside of Salt Lake... think Snowbird, Alta, Park City, Deer Valley. You have plenty of options living in Ogden.

[john2timex]

I have noticed a difference in the quality of the snow between Snowbasin and what they get in the Cottonwoods.
I will give kudos to Snowbasin for all of the improvements they installed before the Olympics though, lines are shorter and there is a lot of mountain available. IMHO Snowbasin has the best mountain top view in the west if you look west off the top of Strawberry. I think you can see all the way to Wendover on a good day.
I am still an Alta loyalist though. If great sking is what you are after it has it all.

[easternerDC]

The resorts in BCC and LCC are definitely more well known - Alta/Snowbird, and Solitude/Brighton. And they are definitely bigger resorts in terms of full service offering lodging, dining, etc. Same for the Park City resorts. These places are definitely more tourist destinations.

The Ogdon area resorts, Powder Mountain and Snow Basin are often overlooked because they are a little farther out from the airport, and they don't offer the same lodging and dining experience.. lets face it, a lot of people want the "resort" experience on their ski vacations.

That being said, it is not a far drive from Ogdon to SLC for a day of skiing, I would get a season pass to Snowbasin, and then head down to SLC for some day trips.

[J.T.]

I moved here from Alaska 8 years ago and have found the skiing here to be great. My family and I are preparing to make a move to Heber City (near Park City) and are anxious to be near some great world class mountains.

[maximaderna]

i guys my name is maxi and i'm looking for housing in park city. i'm from argentina and i will go there with a couple friends for the next winter season. if you guys know something about i would appriciate it.
MAXI

[hrojo]

as much as i love the cottonwoods, i am appalled by the crowds and the instant thrashing the entire resorts take after a good snow. there can be a 5 mile bumper to bumper line getting up there if it snows a foot. you have about an hour from the time the lifts start to find untracked lines. the mountains and the lifts are awesome, and the snow is the best.

but i love snowbasin and powder mountain. i'm approaching 60, have skied for over 50 years, and can still ski anything i want. snowbasin has it all, including two gondolas and a quad that access huge, variable acreage, the best snowmaking runs anywhere when it's not snowing (yes, that happens even in utah), and the full spectrum from black to green. did i mention the nicest on hill day lodges in america?

to me, the BEST thing about snowbasin is that there are no hotels or condos, so you have to drive 20 minutes from eden or ogden or 45 from slc. that means 10,000 skiers DO NOT hit the slopes at opening bell, when i do. i hate park city for that, because the mountains are both uninspiring and incredibly crowded. powder and snowbasin are massive and varied with secret stashes everywhere, i find great lines in the powder for days.

want a thrill? take the 15 passenger tram to the top of the olympic downhill at snowbasin. the attendant will say "there are no green or blue runs from the top of this tram, but you may ride it back down".

the best powder skiing is often when it's snowing and blowing, and those gondolas allow you to dress about 20 degrees warmer, so you're not dripping when you get to the base from the clothes you wore to survive the ride up.

powder has a huge backcountry where you end up on the road and a shuttle brings you back to the parking lot.

i'm from alaska too, and i bought a house in northeast ogden above ben lomond high school. i like the town, it has everything i need in a compact package. it's still cheap there compared to 20 minutes from any other ski areas of that caliber. my neighbors brought me chocolate when i first arrived.

the only ones who still poo poo ogden are the lifetime utah folks who haven't noticed, or can't believe the changes. sure it's still ugly by the freeway, but that's many miles to the west, in the old industrial zones. the mountain benches from south to north ogden are the place to be. still the lowest cost ski town living in america.

it's 18.4 miles from my house to the best ski areas in america when all things are considered, like the 400-500 inches of snow and no crowds, and i hope it stays that way for a while. in january, i get on the gondola by all myself, over and over. when there's company, it's often retirees who just bought in ogden and are gleeful about the deal, the place, the lifestyle. one guy from hawaii bought 2 houses because of the value.

it takes a real naysayer to not like living on the mountainside benches of ogden and those fabulous ski areas.

if i could afford park city or sandy (at the base of the cottonwoods), i would choose eden/huntsville instead. a truly beautiful place, priced accordingly.

[phil54]

I thank you guys for all the replies to my question! Based on your recommendations we will most likely be heading to Ogden. It sounds like its more affordable than SLC anyway and I'm just a working stiff, but I sure do love to ski. I lived in Park City in the early 70s and we drove through there
this last June. Could not believe how big it is now, wow! I don't really care about all the resort amenities, just like to be out in nature. Like to climb in the summertime, done quite a few 14ers in the sierra's. Is there some good
climbing in The Wasatch? Thanks again, phil54

[Moving2UtahfromNJ]

My husband and I moved here from the East Coast just for the skiing. We ski at Alta. We feel it's the best for skiers. No boarders allowed. Sorry no offense to the boards but that's one of the reason why we like it so much.