Plenty of Off-Slope Snow Opportunities in Utah

I have a confession to make that has been weighing on me for awhile now: I live in Utah, but I don’t ski or snowboard.

Whew, I feel much better now that I got that off my chest. Now, I know what you all are thinking; I must be crazy to live in Utah and not ski or snowboard. While my mental soundness is up for debate, let me just say that I still enjoy “The Greatest Snow on Earth®” and there’s a certain level of excitement that rises up in me when my boots start to crunch on top of a fresh layer of snow.

Utah’s powder is world-famous for skiing and boarding opportunities, but it also yields several other chances to get outside and enjoy the state’s great outdoors. From snowshoeing through national forests, to drinking hot cocoa in a yurt at the bottom of a tubing hill, Utah’s winters offer something for everyone.

Even though I said that I don’t ski – at least not in the traditional sense of downhill skiing – I do love cross-country skiing. When I tell ski enthusiasts this, I am usually met with looks of confusion and comments of, “Are you crazy? Cross-country skiing is so much more work.” While this may be true, cross-country skiing is easier on my knees and I welcome the unique exercise. I also welcome the solitude and scenery that cross-country skiing offers. To me, there’s no better way to spend a Saturday than by enjoying a blue-bird day at the Solitude Nordic Center, surrounded by mountains and observing a moose off in the distance.

When I feel like mixing-up the terrain, I’ll head over to Soldier Hollow. The tracks here are long and plentiful and were home to many 2002 Winter Olympic events. Last, but not least, I also enjoy Mountain Dell. Here the groomed trails vary from short and flat to long and gently rolling with several chances to enjoy the surroundings and its abundant wildlife watching opportunities. After a good workout at Mountain Dell, I’ll take a scenic drive back to the city through Emigration Canyon and refuel at Ruth’s Diner – a favorite dining spot for locals.

When I need a break from cross-country skiing, I grab a pair of snowshoes and head out to some nearby trails for a quick getaway from the city. A short drive up Millcreek Canyon offers numerous trails and terrain. I always remember to bring a camera as there have been moose and elk sightings on more than one occasion. If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, take a full-moon snowshoe hike around the Spruces Campground in Big Cottonwood Canyon. During a full moon, the snow reflects enough to illuminate the surroundings while calls of the wild bounce off the mountainsides.

For kids and those young at heart, tubing can offer lots of fun. Let gravity do the work for you when tubing down the foothills at Utah’s tubing areas. Tow-ropes will pull you and your tube up various hills before you, your friends and family race back down the slopes. Tubing locations can be found at Soldier Hollow and at Gorgoza Park in Jeremy Ranch. After spending some time tubing, I enjoy warming up inside Gorgoza Park’s Yurt with some hot cocoa.

So, whether you’re a ski bum or not, Utah offers plenty of ways to enjoy “The Greatest Snow on Earth®”

Utah Offers Accessible Powder for All

Visitors from across the nation and around the world come to Utah every winter to enjoy some of the World’s greatest skiing and snowboarding adventures. Powder enthusiasts vary from families on vacation to “ski bums” to athletes in training. But did you know that the state that lays claim to “The Greatest Snow on Earth®” is also home to numerous adaptive sport programs?

Every ski and snowboard season, people with disabilities also converge on Utah’s mountain tops to enjoy some of the finest winter adventures that Mother Nature has to offer. For people with a hearing/vision loss, a spinal cord injury or intellectual disability, Utah has an array of adaptive winter programs that have been helping people of all ability levels carve their own turns in the white mountainsides. A one-hour drive from the Salt Lake International Airport will get you to three distinct, exciting, affordable and adaptive organizations. All of these organizations have decades of experience in helping people with disabilities enjoy their winter vacations to the slopes.

How do these programs get thousands of people with physical and intellectual disabilities on ski runs every year? With the help of highly-trained staff and community volunteers that have a passion for getting people onto Utah’s famous powder. Each program also has top-of-the-line adaptive equipment that includes mono-skis, bi-skis and Nordic sit-skis. The programs have also formed a special partnership with local ski resorts that go the extra mile to help people and their adaptive equipment on and off the lifts as well as set aside extra space so the adaptive programs and their participants can have their own area to practice runs and techniques.

Headquartered at Snowbird, Wasatch Adaptive Sports (WAS) offers several adaptive skiing opportunities including downhill and cross-country skiing. Let their staff set you up with the appropriate training and adaptive equipment before hitting the beginner run, Chickadee. If you plan on doing more than one day of skiing, book an on-site stay at The Cliff Lodge & Spa where they have fully accessible rooms. Be sure to book your ski lessons and rooms early as spaces fill up fast! Contact them through their website or call (801) 933-2188.

Started in 1985, the National Ability Center (NAC) takes their skiing and snowboarding programs to the Park City Mountain Resort where participants learn techniques and gain skills to ski independently and/or with their family and friends. Be sure to also ask about their equipment rental, sled hockey programs and new shuttle service from Salt Lake to Park City. Lessons fill-up fast, so book early and plan on staying at the NAC’s private lodge and ranch that is located five minutes from down-town Park City, filled with good shopping, entertainment and dining. Call (435) 200-0987 or visit their website for more information.

Last, but not least, is Common Ground Outdoor Adventures. Located in Logan, Common Ground enjoys the mountain life without the crowds of the city. Have the whole family come and check out Common Ground’s newest program: the Beaver Adaptive Ski Evolution (B.A.S.E.) program at Beaver Mountain. When you’re not taking an adaptive ski lesson, ask the staff about guided nature tours at nearby migratory bird pathways and nature centers. For more information call (435) 713-0288 or visit their website.

Whatever you choose, you and your family will be sure to have a fun time surrounded by gorgeous snow-covered mountains while creating memories for a lifetime.