2021-22 Ski/Snowboard Season

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Does anyone have any experience or leads on how to get lodging in Little Cottonwood Canyon at a price that isn't going to cause me to have to sell my house?

I have been strongly considering taking the trip and doing 2 days at Alta and 2 at Snowbird, and I'd really like to stay up there to save having to do the drive (if there's fresh snow you either leave at 4am or you don't get there until the afternoon, is my understanding). The problem is that while lodging up here has gone through the roof since Covid, apparently down there it's totally bonkers. Like, 500 USD per night at minimum. Am I missing some other way of doing things or is it just totally unattainable for those of us not related to Jeff Bezos?

My research a few years ago (pre-Covid) probably went about as deep as yours, but I basically concluded even then that it was hopeless.

OTOH there is a pretty decent hostel slopeside at Jackson Hole (presuming you're exploiting Mountain Collective). It's incredibly dated and feels like a tinderbox that could burn down [again] at any time, but a private room there is passable.

I spent 4 nights to do Big Sky + 2 days at Jackson + (skipped Big Sky on the way back b/c conditions sucked) and I probably spent less than $500USD on the whole trip...lots of driving though.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

This place right?

https://thehostel.us/?utm_source=goo...website+button

Hilariously it's like $250 per night now but still better than a lot of alternatives... I'd consider Jackson but like you say, it's a lot of driving. SLC has the benefit of a direct flight from Calgary which Jackson doesn't have, you have to fly to Denver and then back. As you suspected, I'm exploiting mountain collective... I think there's just no way to do it without renting a car and driving up the hill.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

This place right?

https://thehostel.us/?utm_source=goo...website+button

Hilariously it's like $250 per night now but still better than a lot of alternatives... I'd consider Jackson but like you say, it's a lot of driving. SLC has the benefit of a direct flight from Calgary which Jackson doesn't have, you have to fly to Denver and then back. As you suspected, I'm exploiting mountain collective... I think there's just no way to do it without renting a car and driving up the hill.

Yup, I just checked and it was $79 USD per night in 2019 - though I went first week of April (last week of the season - hence the ####ty conditions) - those same dates now are $169 - a little more than double! Parking was included, which is another $20 per day there.

Driving was at least decent by that time of year with later sunsets. The logistics are annoying either way. At least we're spoiled with so many great options within 4 hours.


I thought there were some decent shuttle options for Utah if you stayed in the city? I never got to deep into it, but I think it was cheaper than parking at the hills.

[cmyden]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Does anyone have any experience or leads on how to get lodging in Little Cottonwood Canyon at a price that isn't going to cause me to have to sell my house?

I have been strongly considering taking the trip and doing 2 days at Alta and 2 at Snowbird, and I'd really like to stay up there to save having to do the drive (if there's fresh snow you either leave at 4am or you don't get there until the afternoon, is my understanding). The problem is that while lodging up here has gone through the roof since Covid, apparently down there it's totally bonkers. Like, 500 USD per night at minimum. Am I missing some other way of doing things or is it just totally unattainable for those of us not related to Jeff Bezos?

Took a trip down to Utah to make use of the Mountain Collective pass when they were getting a nice dump of snow over the U.S. long weekend

2 days at Snowbird, 2 at Snowbasin.

Salt Lake City itself has reasonable accommodations.

There are public buses (full of skiiers) that go from the city to Snowbird and Alta...

https://www.rideuta.com/Rider-Tools/...-Snowbird-Alta

But this private shuttle is the way to go:

https://www.visitsaltlake.com/cottonwoodconnect/

$10 each way. Picks up from 3 hotels in the city.

Unfortunately though it only operates on Fri/Sat/Sun.

And the weekends can be madness.

It doesn't take much for the Little Cottonwood Canyon road to get shut down for avalanche control work.

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday were awesome. Saturday was a gong show with the crowds over a U.S. holiday weekend. It seems like >95% of people skiing down there have one of the passes. I've never seen so many New Yorkers outside of New York. Okay, maybe Florida.

Sun Valley, Idaho (also on the Mountain Collective) was an interesting hill to stop at on the way back. The town itself has a Banff like feel on a smaller scale. All of the gondolas and chairs seemed new, and felt like some of the fastest I've ever been on. Beautiful views from everywhere on the mountain. And very easy access to the hill (no driving through a steep mountain pass required, the base of the mountain is just a parking lot on the edge of town) Sadly, they did not have any of the great snow that Utah had!

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

I was going to stay in the Canyon but now leaning towards staying in town 5 minutes away. Seems like I wouldn't be giving up much although there's a risk of avalanche closure.

Now looking at it as a road trip - Big Sky to Jackson / Targhee to Snowbasin to Little Cottonwood. See how the legs hold up...

[Weitz]

Is the snow any better down south this year?

[cam_wmh]

Cmon you nerds, VanLife is the answer.

[Sliver]

I have a trip to Panorama with some friends booked for this weekend. I'm assuming the conditions are abysmal...anybody been in the past week or so?

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I have a trip to Panorama with some friends booked for this weekend. I'm assuming the conditions are abysmal...anybody been in the past week or so?

I heard grey wolf is opening soon.

[Torture]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I have a trip to Panorama with some friends booked for this weekend. I'm assuming the conditions are abysmal...anybody been in the past week or so?

I am at Panorama right now. Is icy. Bit of snow over the past couple days but basically dust on crust.

[kevman]

Originally Posted by Torture

I am at Panorama right now. Is icy. Bit of snow over the past couple days but basically dust on crust.

So you're saying it's normal mid winter conditions at Pano?

[RoadGame]

Going to Panorama this weekend too. Sounds like I'll bring the skinny skis. Race ya to the bottom Sliver!

[cam_wmh]

Pano is a villaged, giant Nakiska.

Rain at Fernie again, surely another massive dump is on the way then....

[Dion]

nm

[bigrangy]

Finally had a good day at Whistler and even then there was still some icy patches and the day ended with a whiteout. Should lead to some good conditions later this week.

[BowRiverBruinsRule]

Nakiska was amazing today. The entire mountain could be skied. It stopped snowing at 10p tonight. Snow and more snow.

[Sliver]

Louise was pure magic today. 11/10

[calgarygeologist]

What should have been a pretty solid day at Nakiska today was ruined by a bad back. The snow was excellent although surprisingly slow and sticky getting off the lifts and on the flats. It was surprisingly calm at the top but the base was really windy. I don't know what happened to my back but it crapped out after a few runs. I tried to push through but I could only do two hours. Getting old sucks.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

It's puking down here in Salt Lake for whatever that's worth. Alta tomorrow.

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

It's puking down here in Salt Lake for whatever that's worth. Alta tomorrow.

Is that from the same storm that was projected to dump up to 12 feet of snow on the Sierra Nevadas? A quick look seems to show that isn't the same so does Utah get an even bigger dump in a day or two?