By way of the calendar, winter has officially arrived.  But you wouldn’t need a calendar to know that here in Utah the skiing is off the charts good and winter is in full swing.  Today at Solitude the first wave of the storm laid down 9″ by 3pm!

Nick and Jay from Solitude Mountain Resort sent us some photos showing just how good it was today.

If you like sunny warm spring type skiing, this is not the time for you to be in Utah.  But if you’re into that ultra light and dry powder that Utah is so famous for, it’s time to pack your bags and get out here!

Solitude Mountain Resort Snow Stats:

New Snow – 9” (as of 3 PM – more on the way)
48 Hour: 11”
24 Hour: 9”
Mid-Mtn. Base: 44”
Season Total: 115”

If you’re coming to ski in Utah this January, specifically January 8th, you should consider spending that day at Sundance.  Even more so if you’re planning on renting your skis or snowboards from our friends at Canyon Sports. Here’s why:

On Saturday, August 16, 2008, Christian and Stephanie Nielsen were in a small plane crash along with their flight instructor, Doug Kinnear, near St. Johns, Arizona.

Sadly, Doug Kinnear passed away soon after arriving at the Maricopa County Hospital. Christian is now recovering from home while Stephanie still remains in the hospital. (Christian has sustained burns on over 30% of his body, his wife Stephanie’s body was burned over 80%. )

Stephanie was a ski instructor at Sundance and so it is that skiers are rallying to help out.

Additionally, over the past four years Stephanie has maintained a blog, the NieNie Dialogues about her life at home as a wife and mom. It has become very popular, and since this accident it is now receiving 30,000 hits per day. Their story was featured on a local television newscast, MSNBC ran a story and People Magazine published an article, so there has been a lot of interest both locally and nationally about this family’s plight.

In the end, and despite how rough and insensitive the world can often be, skiers and bloggers are a tight knit bunch and support one another, especially in tough times.

The Deal:

Canyon Sports and Sundance Resort are hoping to do something substantial with this event to raise enough money that will alleviate some of the financial concern and hardship on the family. They have organized a ski day at Sundance Ski Resort to be held on January 8th with all proceeds will be donated to the Nielsens’ recovery fund.

With a donation of $100 you can enjoy a day on the slopes at Sundance with complimentary lunch from the Pizza Factory and ski/snowboard rentals from Canyon Sports.

Aside from the opportunity being limited, it’s more than a good cause so please help spread the word and if you’re able to, go today to the SKI FOR NIE website to donate and reserve your spot on the 8th.

It’s no surprise that most of the action and attention for skiing and snowboarding here in Utah happens in either Park City or in one of the two Cottonwood Canyons. For local skiers and snowboarers, especially those in the Ogden area, that’s just fine.

Over the past few years Snowbasin Resort to the north of Salt Lake has quietly been developing what I belive is Utah’s best kept secret in skiing.  Those that visit Snowbasin for a day of skiing often come away wondering why they haven’t gone there sooner.

Located about 1 hour from Park City and 45 minutes from Salt Lake, I’ve skied there at about 10 times over the past few years and each time I go I ask myself the same question - Why didn’t I come here last week?

As I’ve gotten to know Snowbasin, I wanted to share a few tips in case it’s your first time headed there.

1. Ski the Olympic Downhill course (from the 2002 Winter Olympics) especially if it’s been freshly groomed.  What a blast!
2. Eats - the food at Snowbasin rivals anything I’ve eaten at any resort, Deer Valley included.  Hit the John Paul lodge for a view that you’ll not soon forget, along with the food.
3. Main Street off of the Strawberry Express Gondola is a great run that I never tire of skiing
4. Want a challenge?  Don’t miss Easter Bowl off of the John Paul Express
5. Dan’s run often hides stashes of powder late into the day.  Skiers right is the better of this wandering trail

Check out Snowbasin’s trail maps - including a Garmin trail map download.

Solitude Mountain Resort opened for the 2008-09 season today under bluebird skies and not a bit of wind. While most dream of a knee to waist deep opener, I think the bluebird day is a great way to open.

I shared the 5 tips for Solitude from my post earlier this week with Nick Como (pictured below) who works in Marketing up there and he replied back with 5 tips of his own. Hey, we go to the source for our Utah Vacation Homes guests!

Here they are:

• Parking close to Eagle Express, instead of Moonbeam get more vertical on the first run.
• Hit the cafeteria at 11:30 to beat the lunch lines
• Buying tickets down in the valley,[or from Utah Vacation Homes] saves you about $8 a person
• Want to ski some of Solitude’s powder? Sign up for a Backtracks tour with the ski patrol.
• Looking to ski pow on your own? Hit Honeycomb Canyon.

There you go, straight from the source!

Thanks Nick.

Deer Valley once again ranked #1 in Ski Magazine for the second year in a row.  This is no fluke.  Whether you like long mellow runs, challenging groomers or trees that hold powder for days, Deer Valley has something for every skier.

I don’t let a season go by without skiing at least a couple of days at Deer Valley, and when I’m there I take advantage of what could be the best food any ski resort has to offer.  Turkey Chili is all the rage, mark my words.

Here are my top 5 tips for making a day at Deer Valley Resort one to remember.

1. Tycoon could be one of the most enjoyable blue runs in the country, especially if it’s freshly groomed which it is nearly every night
2. If the snow it plentiful, don’t forget about Mayflower lift.  It’s out there but you’ll have the place to yourself
3. Lady Morgan has some of the best tree skiing (skiers left of the lift) to be found in all of Utah
4. Speaking of trees, the Triangle Trees hold powder for weeks, literally!
5. Northside Express is an intermediate’s paradise.  You can have fun for hours on this lift!

Checkout Deer Valley Resorts’ trail map.

Long the icon of resort towns and resort mountains, Park City Mountain Resort is as good as all the magazines have said over the years.  Rich with history reaching back into it’s mining past and as recent as the Winter Olympic Games, Park City should be on every skiers and snowboarders top 10 list.

While not as “in your face” as perhaps Snowbird or Alta, there is room to turn at Park City and more runs that you can cram into a week of skiing.

I’ll do my best but here is a top 5 list of things you should not miss when skiing Park City.

1. From the base try out the new Crescent High Speed Quad because, well, it’s new!
2. Are you a blue skier?  King Con is you’re sugar daddy.  Don’t miss this lift
3. Blue Slip Bowl is hard to beat first thing in the morning on a powder day.
4. Terrain Parks - Regardless of how you like to flip, slide, spin or jib, the terrain Parks at Park City are fun even if you’re a spectator.
5. The hike to Jupiter is better from the McConkey Lift than from Jupiter Lift and the view is worth every step

Check out the interactive trail map at Park City Mountain Resort’s website.

The Canyons Resort in Park City is the largest single ski resort (measured by lift accessed acres) in Utah. If you’re planning on visiting this resort you should plan two days in order to ski most of it.

Be sure to get a trail map and pay close attention to my tips below as The Canyons is likely one of the most unique set ups for a resort that you’ll find.

But enjoy the challenge of skiing this mountain as the unique layout provides a wide variety of slopes and vistas to take in.

1. On a busy day when the gondola line can get unruly, skip it and ride the two person Golden Eagle chair. It’s slow and you’ll feel like you’re in the 1970’s but you’ll also get first tracks when others are still in line
2. Don’t miss Aplande off of Condor, especially if they have groomed it. This LONG fall line run is hard to beat
3. If you like trees, the Mystic Pines on the Peak 5 lift are, well, Mystical.  Hard to beat on a powder day.
4. If it’s a big snow year and you catch The Canyons on a powder day, keep to the low lands and spin laps on Golden Eagle.  Be sure to ski Lookout Ridge to Badlands!
5. Want long groomers with no crowds?  Find Upper Crowning Glory at the top of Peak 5 and follow it past Middle and Lower Crowing Glories to the bottom of Tombstone for a real leg burner.

Check out the trail map for The Canyons Resort.

With just over 1000 skiable acres (1050 to be exact) Brighton Resort may be the biggest little resort you ever ski or snowboard.  I’ve never seen 1000 acres ski like this.  Add to that the variety of terrain and the home style feel that is friendly and it’s hard to beat a day at Brighton.

Here are my top 5 tips if you’re headed to Brighton for the first time.

1. If it’s a powder day, escape to the Milly Express and don’t leave until it’s tracked up.
2. Want a good long cruiser?  Try Thor from the top of Snake Creek to the bottom of the Great Western Express
3. Speaking of Great Western, Elk Park Ridge is worth the ride alone, not to mention the rest of the runs around it
4. On busy days, steer clear of the Crest Express as it can back up with lines
5. The trees skiers left of Hawkeye hold some stashes so dive in if the trees are what you crave

Check out Brighton’s trail map to scope out your plan of attack. (link is to a pdf)

Long live the TRAM!  Snowbird Resort’s icon lift, the tram, lives up the the hype.  For advanced and intermediate skiers alike, the Tram at Snowbird delivers the goods.  But don’t be fooled, there are a lot of hidden gems to find when skiing Snowbird.

It’s a big mountain and getting on the wrong run could result in some tricky skiing.  Here are my top 5 tips for skiing the Bird.

1. The mid cirque traverse can be painful to endure, but endure to the end and enjoy Dalton’s Draw.  Trust me
2. If you’re riding the tram and they don’t list Tigers Tail as a closure, forget all previous made plans and get there, fast
3. Want to test your legs?  Ski Chips Run from the top of the tram to the bottom non stop.  This blue run is a load of fun.
4. If the tram is packed, take the Peruvian Quad and while you’re on your way up, scope out powder stashes for the decent.
5. Buy your lift ticket in Salt Lake from Utah Vacation Homes and park at the Gad lot to start your day.  You’ll avoid crowds this way.

Check out one of Snowbird Resorts’ trail maps.

Alta.  It’s a word known throughout all the ski world and for good reason.  Alta Ski Resort is home to an annual 500″ of snow that is light and dry like no other.  But skiing this legend of a resort isn’t as easy as one might think when standing at either of the base areas.

Here are a few tips that might make the skiing experience all the better if you’re headed to Alta for the first time.

1. Don’t be fooled by the old Wildcat lift - this 2 person lift hides many powder stashes not otherwise reachable from another lift
2. While High Rustler is a real treat, it gets tracked pretty fast.  Set your sights for West Rustler and you’ll be glad you did
3. Don’t, I repeat, DON’T stop on the High Traverse.
4. When you get off of the Supreme lift, turn left and up the short hike to Catherine’s Pass.  But be sure to do this in the morning as the late afternoon sun can put a damper on this slope.
5. Glory Hole - it’s worth the trip but keep your speed at the bottom of you may regret reading this tip

For the Alta Ski Resort trail map click here.