‘Tis the most wonderful time of the year. The snow is falling, and those white mountains
are calling your name. The hardest part is figuring out which resort to go to.

There are so many options when you want to go skiing or snowboarding here in Utah, and
many of them are no more than 45 minutes away. There is a resort to fit every person’s needs:
cheap, dangerous, easy, powdery, exclusive, or close; there is something for everyone.

Utah is second only to Colorado in the quality of skiing that is offered. Since Park City
and Canyons merged into one, it is now the largest resort in the United States. Utah also boasts
the second, third, and eighth place spot in Forbes 2018 top 10 ski resorts with Alta, Snowbird,
and Park City respectively. In every other top ski resort list there will be several Utah ski resorts,
and these exclusive mountains are only about an hour away from us.

One of the most popular resorts is Brighton. It is one of the cheaper resorts close to South
Jordan, and it is family friendly. Brighton lets kids 10 and under ski or snowboard for free, so
large families with kids don’t need to worry about buying all of the little kids passes. It is the
perfect resort to go to if you want to learn how to ski or snowboard, and it offers more
challenging runs for when you have a little more experience.

After a little while, most people outgrow Brighton and go searching for bigger slopes and
more sketchy terrain. Sterling Ward, a senior a Bingham who has been skiing for 12 years, said,
“I used to ski at Brighton a lot, but it came to the point where I had to ski out of bounds to find
fun stuff to do.” Ward has since found more fun skiing at Alta and Snowbird. He likes Snowbird
because of how big it is—the mountain never feels crowded. Senior Jackson Coats said that
Snowbird always has the best snow and the nicest people. Coats said that he has been to every major resort in Utah, besides Alta, since he started snowboarding in third grade, and he likes
Snowbird the most. Snowbird and Alta have the best snow in Utah according to Powderhounds:
a trusted source for skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts.

In Utah there are two resorts that only allow skiers: Alta and Deer Valley. Many skiers prefer
these resorts because the way that snowboarders turn is different from skiers, and beginner
snowboarders push all of the powder off of the steep slopes.

Deer Valley is one of the more expensive resorts in Utah, with an adult’s day pass costing
about $170 on a normal day. It is also one of the nicest resorts in Utah. Derek Rindlisbacher, a
Bingham senior who has been skiing for about six years, said Deer Valley is his favorite resort
because of how nice it is. Rindlisbacher said that Deer Valley is also a more challenging
mountain so most beginners avoid going there. If you want the best experience that Utah can
offer, Deer Valley will satisfy experienced skiers who don’t mind the big price tag.

We live in the best place for all level of skiers and snowboarders to go shred some
powder, or rock it on some groomed slopes. Get out there and experience the amazing snow that
Utah has to offer this winter.