Utah 2020-2021 Utah Resorts, Weather, Conditions and Stoke

[tnerb]

Made it to basin for the afternoon. Parked in wildcat lot, skied right on to becker. Did a lap there, and then rode middle bowl the rest of the afternoon. Was glad to see gates to RockyJ/Pineview/etc. open. Rocky J actually skied really well for this early in the year.

Never rode the gondy or went to the base, so I don't know how things were there. But the middle bowl lifties were on it! I heard them call out at least 3 people for missing masks. I thanked them each time I heard them say something to another group.

The best conversation went:
Lifty: "Hey, do you like skiing?"
Teenage skier: "Yeah."
Lifty: "THEN PUT YOUR MASK ON!!!"

Anyway, a nice first day considering everything. Bear hollow is still as scary as ever. Groomers were icy in spots. But got some good turns in and didn't hurt anything.

 

[4ster]

Made it to basin for the afternoon. Parked in wildcat lot, skied right on to becker. Did a lap there, and then rode middle bowl the rest of the afternoon. Was glad to see gates to RockyJ/Pineview/etc. open. Rocky J actually skied really well for this early in the year.

Never rode the gondy or went to the base, so I don't know how things were there. But the middle bowl lifties were on it! I heard them call out at least 3 people for missing masks. I thanked them each time I heard them say something to another group.

The best conversation went:
Lifty: "Hey, do you like skiing?"
Teenage skier: "Yeah."
Lifty: "THEN PUT YOUR MASK ON!!!"

Anyway, a nice first day considering everything. Bear hollow is still as scary as ever. Groomers were icy in spots. But got some good turns in and didn't hurt anything.

Glad they got middle bowl chair back running. It did seem better with masks today but I also think that as a result of no crowds. I was able to ski right onto Becker chair most of the time. Another beautiful day weatherwise,. Too bad we don’t have a deep snowpack.
I went up for a few hours this morning but middle bowl chair was down so I just made a bunch of laps on Becker & human slalom on scare hollow but had it to myself for a couple of laps...

 

[tnerb]

A lot less people there today. I went up for a few hours this morning but middle bowl chair was down so I just made a bunch of laps on Becker & human slalom on scare hollow
View attachment 116282

I'm so glad I'm capable enough to avoid that run once more stuff is open. That thing scares me so much more than any steep rocky or tree terrain on that mountain.

 

[HardDaysNight]

I did ask a few people to please put their masks on this morning but I gave up and decided to mind my own business after the first bit.
OK, maybe I did not say please

Yowza, the first one bit you?! That’s even tougher than the crowd at PCMR

 

[AmyPJ]

The forecast looks grim for the next 10 days... Even Targhee is not forecast to get any snow.
I'm not sure how badly I want to hit Snowbasin midweek with the low tide up there. That first pitch on Sweet Revenge can be a mess with pebbles and rocks until there is a significant snowpack. I wish they'd widen that section.

 

[4ster]

The forecast looks grim for the next 10 days... Even Targhee is not forecast to get any snow.
I'm not sure how badly I want to hit Snowbasin midweek with the low tide up there. That first pitch on Sweet Revenge can be a mess with pebbles and rocks until there is a significant snowpack. I wish they'd widen that section.

l never skied that pitch, I usually hit skiers right then skiers left on Sweet Revenge but from what I can tell coverage is good. Yesterday skied Pineview, Rocky J & Bullwinkle. Haven’t hit a rock yet, not to say that I didn’t see some. I almost always ski on old beat up skis though. You know you only hit rocks on new or freshly tuned boards .
Skiing is skiing but gotta admit manmade groomers get old pretty fast.

 

[Vcize]

So unless I'm just missing them it looks like Snowbasin has severely reduced the number of webcams they have available on their website this year. Namely it looks like they've gotten rid of all of the ones that show you how crowded the runs/lift lines/base area are.

 

[AmyPJ]

l never skied that pitch, I usually hit skiers right then skiers left on Sweet Revenge but from what I can tell coverage is good. Yesterday skied Pineview, Rocky J & Bullwinkle. Haven’t hit a rock yet, not to say that I didn’t see some. I almost always ski on old beat up skis though. You know you only hit rocks on new or freshly tuned boards .
Skiing is skiing but gotta admit manmade groomers get old pretty fast.

I also hit skier's right at the top, MOST of the time. Not sure I trust coverage over there right now?? I will probably drag out the old Kastle's until we get a significant bit more snow.

So unless I'm just missing them it looks like Snowbasin has severely reduced the number of webcams they have available on their website this year. Namely it looks like they've gotten rid of all of the ones that show you how crowded the runs/lift lines/base area are.

I noticed the same. Grand Targhee has also taken two of their webcams that show the base of their main chair offline. I find it all to be a bit on the "shady" side of things.

The forecast has me REALLY depressed.

 

[4ster]

So unless I'm just missing them it looks like Snowbasin has severely reduced the number of webcams they have available on their website this year. Namely it looks like they've gotten rid of all of the ones that show you how crowded the runs/lift lines/base area are.

Yes I miss those cameras. The more, the better. hopefully they bring them back.

 

[blackke17]

folks seem to be following mask guidelines pretty well at Alta. 4 days of skiing I have only had to yell at 2 groups of teenagers to "MASK UP"

It helps that my buddy is like 6'5 standing next to me .

 

[msr2009]

folks seem to be following mask guidelines pretty well at Alta. 4 days of skiing I have only had to yell at 2 groups of teenagers to "MASK UP"

It helps that my buddy is like 6'5 standing next to me .

I agree — was there on Friday and everyone I saw (except a loud Virginian booting up at his car) were masked. Every so often a liftie had to remind someone to pull their mask up (I assume because they brought it down to ski and forgot to pull it back up in line).

I’m surprised how bad compliance sounds at Snowbasin...

 

[AlpsSkidad]

I have only had to yell at 2 groups of teenagers to "MASK UP"
It helps that my buddy is like 6'5 standing next to me .

Just out of curiosity, what are you implying you or your 6'5" buddy going to do when one of those groups tells you to mind you own business? I'm not trying to start a debate on masking up or not, but the implication of your tactics might not go over too well or end well for you and your friend.

 

[Mothertucker]

^^^Security and the Sheriff.

 

[AlpsSkidad]

^^^Security and the Sheriff.

That's probably the most appropriate group to deal with it.
While I'd love for everyone to just get along, I don't think personal confrontation towards most in this environment is going to end well, and why I was curious what the 6'5" bouncer friend was adding to the encounter.

 

[Wasatchman]

That's probably the most appropriate group to deal with it.
While I'd love for everyone to just get along, I don't think personal confrontation towards most in this environment is going to end well, and why I was curious what the 6'5" bouncer friend was adding to the encounter.

I personally know @blackke17 and my experience is he is not a confrontational guy by nature.

While nobody i know is advocating violence, there are certain jerks who will respond differently if a large person kindly asks to obey the law versus someone more diminutive in nature. Then there is the fact that just by having a large physical presence emboldens one to kindly ask to obey the rules. Not because they expect to physically enforce the rules but because the chances of an aggressive response back is greatly reduced. And knowing blacke, that's what I think he was getting at.

Size does still matter in some situations even when one does not expect nor is looking to get in a physical confrontation. That's life unfortunately as much as I wish it wasn't.

 

[jmsjms]

Does anyone know if this bus for Powder Mountain normally gets packed?
This info is from the Powder Mountain website:
"UTA Ski Bus service schedule for Powder Mountain begin December 12th for the 2020/21 winter season. UTA is currently operating in their "Orange: Moderate" restrictions, which only allows 20 guests per bus.... UTA Ski Bus 674 provides service to Powder Mountain 7 days a week. If parking at Rainbow Gardens, please make sure to park in the designated UTA parking areas.

The Eden Park-n-Ride lot is located just north of the Valley Market. If you are coming across the Pineview Dam, turn left at the four-way stop between the Valley Market and Maverick in Eden. The Park-n-Ride lot is approximately 1/8 mile North on your right across the street from Iverson Dental.

Pricing
Adults/Youth: $4.50/one way
Seniors: $2.50/one way
Season Pass: $35

Departures
Eden Park N’ Ride Departures to Powder Mountain's Timberline Lodge:

7:26 AM
8:04 AM
9:04 AM
12:34 PM
2:34 PM
4:35 PM
Powder Mountain's Timberline Lodge Departures to Eden Park N' Ride:

1:30 PM
3:35 PM
5:15 PM
9:30 PM *Departs from Sundown Lodge

 

[AlpsSkidad]

I personally know @blackke17 and my experience is he is not a confrontational guy by nature.

While nobody i know is advocating violence, there are certain jerks who will respond differently if a large person kindly asks to obey the law versus someone more diminutive in nature. Then there is the fact that just by having a large physical presence emboldens one to kindly ask to obey the rules. Not because they expect to physically enforce the rules but because the chances of an aggressive response back is greatly reduced. And knowing blacke, that's what I think he was getting at.

Size does still matter in some situations even when one does not expect nor is looking to get in a physical confrontation. That's life unfortunately as much as I wish it wasn't.

Thanks @Wasatchman, I definitely was not trying to say @blackke17 might have been trying to start a physical confrontation, but as you state, a large person can get a different response, and that's what I am more worried about.
These are not normal times, and the response by those that you confront might be even less rational.
Utah no longer espouses the “duty to retreat” that was once common, a person is justified in using deadly force in response as long as that person is in a place where they are lawfully allowed to be. So, a group of rowdy guys doesn't take kindly to a mask warning by a guy and his large friend can escalate quickly. That's why I mentioned security and sheriffs being a better avenue.

 

[Scott Bojangles]

Anyone know what runs are open at Brighton? The website shows the lifts but for some reason its not loading the runs that are open.

Park City area needs some snow bad!

 

[blackke17]

never looking for a confrontation all i said was "mask up " , which they did.

Don't want our ski resorts closed again due to a few knuckleheads.

my buddy did waive down an Alta employee the other day for them to enforce the mask laws

all in all folks are doing great a complying

Snow guns at Alta have been cranking!! felt like 2-3 inches of fresh yesterday

 

[AmyPJ]

Went to Snowbasin today. I was shocked at how busy it was. Groups of lessons all over the place. I took one run off of Wildcat with the idea to run over to Middle Bowl--ran into @4ster who had the same plan, but our plans were scuttled because Middle Bowl was not running. It's honestly a shit show of dangerousness up there right now. Every single person going up the hill has no choice but to come down via Bear Hollow and School Hill. The easy route down to Penny Lane is closed. There were mass casualties of the ice all over on School Hill (not injured, just falling left and right, in over their heads.)
I typically will stay high up and avoid Bear Hollow and School Hill until I need to come down for the day. With Middle Bowl out, this was not an option. School Hill was a madhouse even without people sliding and falling on the ice. I did several laps on Little Cat doing some stork turns, which quickly turned into a zoo with lessons, so I went home. It's depressing seeing how that majestic place has been turned into Disney Land. With no new snow forecast for the next week, it's not going to get any better. That mountain is just not laid out to handle hoards of people.

I think it's time to sacrifice to Ullr. We have several pair of old skis out in the garage...