Did you know that Utah is home to 10 world-class ski resorts all located within an hour from Salt Lake City?
Speaking of skiing, I haven’t skied in a very long time. Emphasis on very.
When in Rome, am I right?
After speaking with some friends that spend a considerable amount of time on the slopes of Utah, it was decided which resorts would be best for me to add to my list of must visits while in the area. A good starting place would be the Brighton Ski Resort as it has a reputation of being a great resort for beginners to navigate. The second resort to visit while in Utah was Park City Mountain. It would be almost sacrilegious to be in Utah and not ski in Park City.
Getting back on the slopes after many years off, and being in a much different climate than the familiar Crystal Mountain in Michigan, I realized I was very out of touch with the world of skiing.
The outfits. The reservations. The gear. The lift ticket prices. The effort required.
Now that I didn’t have my mom along to help me buckle my PITA ski boots, I was in for a rude awakening. Just kidding. But seriously I could have still used my mom’s help. LOL.
I arrived at the Brighton Ski Resort only a few days after their opening day of the season both anxious and excited. The resort area was absolutely beautiful. Located at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon, this mountain averages 500 inches of snow a year. This snow is typically dry, fluffy and light making it the perfect consistency for skiers and snowboarders to enjoy the 66 trails here.
This resort requires a $20 parking reservation to be booked prior to 1 pm but does offer free parking after 1 pm if you are unable to secure a reservation. You also have the ability to utilize the ski bus if your vehicle does not meet the traction requirements or you want to hit the slopes prior to the free parking time frame.
I purchased four hours of ski rentals and a lift ticket that in total ran me about $140. NOW, yes, this is expensive, but wait, this was arguably the cheapest price that I saw out of all of the resorts in the area. Again, this is not an inexpensive hobby.
I got my winter gear on and headed into the resort to get fitted for my equipment. As someone that enjoys skiing but might only go a few times a year, renting equipment has been a lifesaver. First up was a helmet. This is an absolute must and is worth the added $12, I can promise you that protecting your head is worth every penny you might spend.
Next were the dreaded ski boots. If you have ever skied before you know just how uncomfortable ski boots can be. Your legs are at an unusual angle, they are difficult to get on and are generally pretty uncomfortable. The 20 something year old man helping me find the right equipment was seemingly frustrated with having to help yet another customer and made an off handed comment about the size of my calves and completely walked away from me leaving me stranded with boots that clearly didn’t fit.
You can only imagine the level of anxiety I was feeling at this point.
As a plus sized woman, unfortunately comments about my body are nothing new, I just wasn’t expecting to have to deal with that on top of the anxiety that came along with trying a new activity. Pretty annoying and disheartening that entering into 2024 people still have the time to be worried about the bodies others live in, but I digress.
Another staff member was able to help me find another pair of boots and I was on my way to the ski lift! After a few runs down the bunny hill, I was ready to head to another lift and give it a go! Much like riding a bike, I think that your muscles have stored memories because getting back out there and getting into the groove of skiing wasn’t nearly as hard as I was expecting.
I will continue to stick to the green trails though, I don’t need to be pushing my luck!
I ended up having a really great time at the end of my half day and was anxiously looking forward to getting back out on the slopes again before it was time to leave Utah.
It was time to make my way to Park City and ski the infamous Park City Mountains.
This ski resort is oozing luxury and has some of the most insane ski slopes I have ever seen. It isn’t any surprise that this is one of the most well-known ski resorts in the world.
Park City Mountain is the largest ski resort in the US and offers over 7,300 acres of terrain, over 346 trails, 41 lifts and 6 terrain parks. It is expansive and impressive. The average snowfall in Park City is 320 inches making it the perfect place for snow lovers to come and enjoy all that winter has to offer!
I was able to score an Epic day pass to make my trip to this resort a little more affordable. This pass allows you access to many ski resorts and at a discounted price, even better! The pass ran about $113 and the price of a day pass while I was on the mountain was $250 so I would say that is a pretty good deal!
If you were looking to ski at numerous resorts or go on a week-long family vacation, I would highly suggest looking into either an Epic or Ikon Pass to make your trip a little more cost effective. It is a lot of money upfront but ends up saving you a ton of money in the long run! You can also get discounts on other amenities including rentals and food while at the resorts.
After my equipment experience at Brighton, I do have to say there was some nervousness and apprehension to go through the rental experience again but I was blown away with the customer service displayed by the staff at Legacy Sport Rentals. I was paired up with a worker that was actually interested in hearing me out and making sure I had the best experience possible.
I did let her know about the issues that I had with the ski boots at the previous resort and she said “Girl, we don’t play about that here.” And didn’t. I did not experience one issue with comments or ill-fitting equipment. We were already off to such a great start!
Once I was fitted up and ready to hit the slopes I made my way over to a lift called First Timer. Honestly, it wasn’t that far off. It is safe to say that all slopes in the West are at least one step up in difficulty from those that are in the Midwest, not surprisingly so.
I got my ski legs under me and enjoyed a few runs off of this lift before heading up Payday Express to try out the Home Run trail. I am continuously amazed by the sheer size of the mountains here and every time I get to experience them up close I truly realize just how big they actually are.
The ski lift took us to about 9,400 feet of elevation before dropping us off. While I had mastered the step up from the bunny hill, this one was altogether a different beast for a beginner like me. The vertical drop was just under 2,500 feet and the trail was 3.7 miles long.
It is not a wonder as to why my legs were shaking and my heart was racing with adrenaline when I got to the bottom! I might not be the fastest or most eloquent on the slopes but I am able to do it and did not fall or get hurt while doing so.
A win in my book!
After taking a quick break in the lodge I spent the last few hours enjoying my time back on First Timer. All in all it was another successful day on the slopes of Utah.
Park City Mountain Village is beautiful and has a little bit of everything for everyone. Lodging, bars, restaurants, ski shops and ice skating to name a few.
It has been fun to be in one of the best ski areas in the world and have the opportunity to get back into skiing. This is your gentle reminder that you are never too old to get back to a hobby that you used to once love. Everyone starts somewhere and you might just end up enjoying yourself!
Lastly, don’t ever forget the two main skiing food groups. Pizza pie and french fries!
