Travelocity’s Roaming Gnome visited Utah last week.  By looks of his photos and posts on Facebook he had a great time and even discovered that while Utah has the “Greatest Snow on Earth” thats not all there is to do here.  

Travelocity’s Roaming Gnome rode Park City Mountain Resort’s half-pipe with an Olympian, bobsledded at Utah Olympic Park, zipped along the Alpine Coaster (yes it’s open in the winter), took in a Utah Jazz game, listened to the world renowed Mormon Tabernacle Choir, curled at the Olympic Oval, suntanned at McHenry’s Beach in Deer Valley, enjoyed Utah’s famous snow at Snowbird, had a beer at Squatters, and more. 

Check out the photos and videos of his adventures on Facebook.  Or better yet, comment or send us a note of what the Roaming Gnome should have done.

Evenings in the mountains are as unique as they is magical. Feeling like you’re so far away with barely a light to distract from the stars illumination.  Or in a swirling storm it can feel like you’re as far away as the moon but in reality here in Utah you’re only 15 minutes away from the city. A sense of romance exists that isn’t easily duplicated.

If you enjoy the mountains how could you not want to delight in the serenity and beauty of the mountains this Valentines Day!

Snowbird is offering Valentine’s Day dinners in the Wildflower Restaurant, the Aerie Restaurant and the Lodge Bistro. All three locations recommend you make a reservation and prices will vary.

I’d likely head straight for the Wildflower since my wife lived in Italy and they serve up Italian with a Mediterranean focus but if you’re looking to make memories the Aerie will be serving a 5 course meal from the 10th floor of the Cliff Lodge.

At Solitude, Creekside will be offering up it’s standard weekend brunch which is anything but standard.  This option is especially attractive for Utah Vacation Homes customers who happen to be staying with us at the Solitude Village.

For a truly unique experience and a sense of adventure, the Cross-Country ski-in to the Yurt is a memory worthy of Valentines.  Work up an appetite as you ski in to a 5 course meal you’ll not soon forget.

Escape the usual dinners of the valley this Valentines with a 15-minute drive up either Little Cottonwood Canyon of Big Cottonwood Canyon and celebrate the evening with delicious food and romance that can’t be beat.

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.

The anticipation was palpable among the 125 lucky skiers willing to brave early morning lines.  At 8:15 I was somewhat near the back of the line.  I condemned myself to the fearful fate of missing first tram. 

Tram line 40 minutes before Snowbird Ski Resort opened on Novemeber 7, 2008

 But it was not to be!!!!  I made it in the golden carriage, otherwise known as “blue tram”.  Me and 124 other lucky skiers and snowboarders won the right to enjoy nearly five feet of the greatest snow on earth.

After uloading, I turn to see the blue tram at Snowbird Ski Resort traveling back down to get skiers 252 to 376 waiting below.

It’s difficult at this point to believe how beautiful the mountains look.  My last tram departure was on June 14th, 2008.  Yep, Snowbird was still open with fantastic coverage even in summer! 

Little Cloud Bowl - every true skier or boarder has been tested here.

I didn’t come to sight see, so I turned my eyes down to Regulator Johnson below.  Was it worth it? 

Regulator Johnson waits below with armfuls of Utah powder.

After the kids were fast in bed following a night of tricks and treats, mother nature laid a nice treat on Utah the next day with 10″ of snow reported at Snowbird’s Hidden Peak summit.

As I type this another storm is rolling in and is estimated to lay another 1-2 FEET of Utah’s World famous snow on the Wasatch Mountains.

How good is Utah’s snow?  Well, not every snowflake is Utah worthy. Watch this little video and decide for yourself.

iPhone Users

Want to get the latest snow report to your iPhonesn this winter?  Check out the Ski Utah iPhone Snow Report app. I found it while at the Utah Life Elevated microsite where you can also download the widget for your desktop which is certain to decrease productivity even more.

Just doing what we can to help ease the pain, or increase the anticipation that is if you’ve already landed a sweet deal on a vacation package.