How to Ski & Ride Snowbird Ski Resort
Brief 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 really has it all when it comes to terrain. Everything from advanced hiking terrain to gnarly cliff jumps and mellow groomers for skiers and riders looking to improve their skills. As riders who tend to like to get a little spicy without going full send, this is where we typically like to hit (conditions dependant).
Trail map
Trails
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
Little Cloud Lift 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
Peruvian Lift 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)
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.
Venus Line
West Baldy
Mineral Basin Side
Chamonix Chutes
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
No matter what you choose, you really can’t go wrong skiing and riding this legend of a mountain. Book your ticket, plan your road trip and get there as soon as the snow starts flying.
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. Pack 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.
If you’re not worried about forgetting a baselayer or mid-day refreshments in the parking lot, head up on one of the shuttles that leave frequently from the base of the canyon. It can save you a lot of heartache if you’re heading up late and worried about finding a spot to park.
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.
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.
Links
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.
Where to stay
We’re firm believers in not blowing up camping spots and ruining them by bringing in the masses. 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.
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.
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.
Did we miss anything?
Let us know if we missed something that you have a question about. We’re happy to update posts as questions come in and answer all your longing questions about skiing and riding at Snowbird.
