Let’s see- we had super early snowfall in October that amped everybody up for the ski season. That was the fluffer. But then, just like the partner who gets a headache, the winter potential rolled over and took a snooze until mid December (now). Guess what all this adds up to? A sketchy avalanche situation for the rest of ski season. There have been 30+ skier-triggered avis in the Salt Lake area since October 14 according to The Utah Avalanche Center.
But luckily at inbound resorts, this isn’t something the average rider needs to worry about. First, it takes highly skilled, highly caffeinated ski patrol to get out on the hill before daylight to assess conditions, evaluate the dangers and start mitigating them. Then those patrol throw explosives into potentially unsafe areas to see if they can get the snow to “release”; better to do it before you open the area of skiing, when no humans could be swept away and buried. Once, things settle, they will ski cut the terrain to make sure it’s safe for the public.
This cut wasn’t made by a patroller but you get the idea-
As you can imagine, ski patrollers are first in line if something goes wrong so any sort of device that can create distance between them and a slide is a game changer. This year, Alta and Snowbird ski resorts installed 13 new avalanche towers.
The towers made by Wyssen Avalanche Control, use a remote control to trigger a blast. “The deployment box contains 12 prepared explosive charges, which can be individually deployed by remote control. When the explosive charge is dropped, two igniters are pulled and the explosion is set off after a time delay. The charge remains hanging from a cord at a pre-set height above the snow cover, which is completely dropped after blasting. To reload explosive charges the complete deployment box is lifted from the mitigation tower by helicopter and brought to a station building or warehouse respectively.”
These avalanche towers may be new to The Bird and Alta but Alta, often considered to be the birthplace of North American avalanche research, was an early adopter of remote-controlled systems. The resort uses Remote Avalanche Control Systems (RACS) along with Avalaunchers, two-pound hand charges and an M101-A1 105 Howitzer to control avalanche-prone slopes around the ski area.
The next time you are scooting across the East Baldy Traverse, look up and check out the alien-spaceship-looking things above you. These O’Bellx’, use a mix of oxygen and hydrogen to create an explosion that generates controlled avalanches.
Courtesy Alta Ski Area
Pretty cool, huh? So that’s what’s going to keep you safer in Little Cottonwood Canyon this winter.
I’m coming out this season! My best friend in Washington texted. It had been nearly 10 years since we had skied together as instructors at Deer Valley Resort. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take all the credit for this spontaneous announcement. She bought a Ski Utah Passport.
Since 1998, Ski Utah has been inviting 5th graders to its slopes for next-to-nothing and Jada was finally in 5th grade. Krista wanted to show her daughter what Utah skiing was all about and what better way than with FREE skiing? Well, practically free.
For $45* and the five minutes it takes to fill out the online form, Jada could ski three times at all 15 resorts including on weekends with her little SKi Utah Passport.* That’s basically $1/ticket. And for one week, we took advantage of every day starting with Deer Valley, moving to Solitude, Canyons, Snowbird, Alta, Brighton and Snowbasin.
Her mom, a high school teacher, does her best to groom her kids to be skiers but resources are finite. With the Ski Utah Passport, it was cheaper to make the drive to Utah, stay with me and ski, than go anywhere else. Plus, let’s be honest. Where else would she have this kind of fun in March? The snow was deep, the sun high and the après in full swing. When they packed up the car for home, plans were already growing for the next year because Ski Utah also has a Sixth Grade Passport.
Sixth Graders Get In On The Ski Utah Passport Too
Whether you missed participating in the Fifth Grade Passport, Ski Utah invites Sixth Graders back to keep skiing on the cheap. This time around, however, they’ll get one day (instead of three) at 15 Utah resorts for $45*.
* (price increases December 1, 2021)
The kicker is that both Ski Utah Passports are available to any child in the world, throughout the ski season. Home schoolers can also register. Unfortunately there aren't a ton of perks offered for parents (ie Chauffeurs) this year but there are a few:
-Eagle Point: $4 discount on adult all-day rental packages
-Brighton: One Day or Twilight $60.00 buddy pass to be used in conjunction with the Passport
-Powder Mountain: 1 additional day for the passport holder
With the prices of everything involved with a ski vacation reaching maximum velocity, the Ski Utah Passport is a golden ring for ski families. I can’t tell you how often I hear that people quit skiing because it costs too much. But then I mention the Passport and their eyes light up. My kids can ski and I don’t have to forgo next month’s groceries? The Snowsports Industries of America actually report that more kids ski and keep skiing because of the Pass.
The Theory Behind The Ski Passport
The idea is simple. Winter is long, especially in Utah. One of the best ways to keep children engaged is to get them outside and moving. Studies show that kids between the ages of 10 and 12 begin to find their passion for skiing because they are ready for more complex sports. They have the motor skills and cognitive ability to explore movements and mountains.
In addition, children this age are also at a crossroads for mental and physical health. Do they sit inside playing video games and smartphone apps or do they embrace something healthier and active? Get them active now and they will be active as adults.
You Don’t Need To Live in Utah
Let’s say it again. If you are considering a winter trip and you have fifth and sixth graders in your midst, a Utah visit is a no brainer. The Fifth and Sixth Grade Ski Utah Passport pays for itself in a single day. You apply online, upload a current photo of the fifth or sixth grader and use your credit card to complete your transaction. You’ll get confirmation within 24-48 hours and can use it immediately after.
How You Know What You’ve Skied
This year’s Passport is completely digital from registration to tracking. See where you’ve gone and what resorts remain to be ridden through your online portal. Chances are you’ll have enough days left for a second vacation.
I’ll probably need to find another reason to get Krista and her family out to Utah now that Jada’s in high school but soon she’ll be in college and Krista can come by herself again.
This kind of makes me sad. You know how you look at your kids and wish they stayed little forever? College. Wow. Ski Utah gives you one more reason to wish they never grow up.
Find more information and to get your kid registered for the Ski Utah Fifth and Sixth Grade Passport go to www.skiutah.com/passes/passports.
*Deer Valley, Solitude, Park City, Alta, Snowbird, Cherry Peak, Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, Sundance, Brighton, Nordic Valley, Eagle Mountain, Beaver, Brian Head, Woodward Park City
Blackout dates for the Ski Utah Passport exist for some holidays and weekends during the 2020/21 season due to Covid restrictions. But you can still use the pass during spring break!
It’s no surprise that skiers and riders are predominantly white. Your surmise is as good as mine; but regardless, there are people and organizations out there trying to change things up.
Rossignol
Rossignol kicks off the 2021/2022 winter season with the continued support of Women of Winter (WoW). In 20/21, WoW partnered with PSIA-AASI to expand their instructor program which is focused on encouraging participation amongst black and Indigenous women of color (BIWOC). For 2021/22, WoW and PSIA-AASI will provide 30 (up from 6 scholarships in 20/21) scholarships for women of color to receive PSIA-AASI Level 1 certifications.
A grassroots organization that provides women with scholarships for PSIA-AASI Level 1 certifications, avalanche education, and more, Women of Winter aims to become the change they want to see by creating a community of visible role models, building community, providing education and eliminating barriers to entry. Women of Winter’s mission is to inspire and empower women and girls to get outside, to be courageous, and to boldly embrace and pursue their dreams by carving their own paths in the mountains and in life.
“Rossignol is incredibly proud to stand alongside Women of Winter and PSIA-AASI to help foster greater diversity and representation in snow sports,” said Nick Castagnoli, Brand Marketing Director, Rossignol Group North America. “As we all work to create a sustainable future for our industry, one of the most crucial things we can do is to work to create an environment where all feel welcome. Supporting and uplifting underrepresented voices is a critical cause that our Group is committed to addressing through meaningful and sustainable actions.”
For the 2021-22 season, Women of Winter and PSIA-AASI will host Level 1 certification events for BIWOC scholarship recipients at the following dates and locations: Big Sky Resort, MT March 5-8; Hyland Hills Ski Area, MN February 1-4; Windham Mountain, NY February 7-10; and Eldora Mountain, CO February 7-10.
The deadline to submit is Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021. Scholarship recipients will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021. For more information on applying, visit: https://www.womenofwinter.net/psia-aasi-2022-scholarship
SheJumps
SheJumps’ mission is to support diversity, equity, and inclusion among women and girls in the outdoors. Their Snowpack Avalanche and Ikon scholarships address the inequity by generating opportunities for education, community-building, connection, and leadership development through skiing and backcountry avalanche certifications.
In 2019, SheJumps and the Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC) launched the Snowpack Avalanche Scholarship Program in an effort to bring affordable avalanche education opportunities to women in the Pacific Northwest. They also started another scholarship specifically for women of color. The Snowpack Ikon Pass Scholarship Program will donate 15 Ikon passes to provide lift-accessed adventures to iconic ski destinations to Women of Color looking to get into the sports of snowboarding and skiing nationwide.
In addition to the Ikon passes, scholarship recipients will receive a full-day ski or snowboard lesson voucher and one-day rental ski or snowboard gear (offered by Alterra Mountain Resorts), skis, bindings, and boots from Nordica, and boot warming product from Sidas and Thermic. The application is open to adults (18+) self-identified Women of Color with little to no skiing or snowboarding experience.
The deadline to apply is Sunday, October 31, 2021 at 11:59PM PST. Applicants will be notified by email of scholarship standing by November 29, 2021.
There’s surfing and and rock climbing for the summer games so why not young up the Winter Games with some ski mountaineering (Skimo)? The International Olympic Committee (IOC) unanimously approved to add Ski Mountaineering to the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
From the President of the US Ski Mountaineering Association (USSMA), Ram Mikulas, “This is fantastic news! We are very excited to hear about the announcement to include ski mountaineering in the Milano Cortina 2026 winter Olympics. We are very thankful to the IOC, International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF), Italy and everyone that helped make this possible.”
Alrighty Then, What the Heck is Ski Mountaineering?
Ski Mountaineering is a competitive winter sport where skiers race up and back down challenging mountain terrain while passing through a series of checkpoints. The events include multiple race formats of individual, vertical, teams, sprint, and relay races.
The inclusion of ski mountaineering on the 2026 program will consist of:
Five new medal events: two men’s events (sprint/individual), two women’s events (sprint/individual) and one mixed-gender relay event.
An athlete quota of 48 (24 men/24 women) falling within the overall quota framework of 2,900 athletes.
The races ascend between 4,300 to 6,200 vertical feet, depending on the category, and typically lasts around 1.5 – 2 hours in duration.
Let’s just say you won’t catch me participating. Uphillers are nuts and in crazy good shape.
The Sprint race is a short fast-paced fixed course format consisting of an uphill ski section, a booting (on foot hiking) section, and a descent around race gates. The races ascend up to 262 vertical feet and typically last around 3 minutes in duration. The format consists of a time trial to establish seeding into a bracket in which 6 racers compete against each other in rounds to keep advancing and racing to the final 6, to determine the podium.
The Relay race is a format based on the Sprint, which consists of a team of 3-4 athletes taking turns to complete the course in a continuous circuit.
Skimo Worldwide
While ski mountaineering took off in Europe years ago, its recent rise in popularity in the U.S. and other countries, nabbed Olympic attention.
“The USSMA has already been working with the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and we look forward to further engagement as we prepare for the Milano Cortina 2026 winter Olympics. This will begin a new chapter for the sport of Skimo and we look forward to preparing and propelling US athletes to the top ranks. We are currently working on organizational and high performance development plans and will be stepping up funding efforts soon” says Mikulas.
Nope, nothing to see here, Folks. Move along. I’m sorry to report that any significant storm events that any website hinted would come our way have evaporated like Aladdin’s genie. It’s been dry as a bone overall since the Utah ski season began in December. Remember that year it didn’t snow until February? Yeah, it’s like that. Now add in a global pandemic.
This all begs the question, “Should you take a Utah ski vacation this year?” Well, let’s see: no “Greatest Snow on Earth”, the Beehive State Covid-19 spiking big time, you risk your life if you travel by plane, stay in a hotel, dine in at a restaurant, stand in a lift line, and then there’s the whitty bitty task of making a reservation to ski. Will you risk your health traveling to a ski resort if you can’t even ski?
The planning of a ski vacation during the continuation of Covid-19 protocols is enough to make you jump into your bed and hide under your sheets. But do you scrap everything and wait until the world calms down and it’s “safe”?
“Safe” is relative.
If you are a skier like me, waiting out the summer is tough, but can we imagine not skiing for a whole year? Hell, no. Luckily, as a local ski area employee, I get a free pass so if the mountain closes I’m not out $1200. Destination skiers must plan everything- and fork out thousands. I can just hop in my car avoiding the local shuttle filled with tourists who wear masks like chin diapers, I ride the lifts alone, take a few runs and head home. Whether to leave your home resort to venture to Utah comes down to your own personal choice for your family, health and bank account. Here are some pros and cons that can help you with your decision.
REASONS TO NOT SKI UTAH IN 2021
Not everything is open. Park City skiers are riding on a 42-inch base of manmade snow during a month that typically hits 100+ inches, which means your favorite blue and black runs, tree shots and steep chutes are closed. There is indoor dining on the hill, and off, but it’s difficult to get reservations because seating is limited. If you wait until the hour before you want to eat you may be SOL. Many guests are brown bagging it, grabbing takeout from Five Guys or cooking for themselves.
Crowds over the holidays and reduced loading capacity on the lifts are causing ridiculous wait times. The longest so far being 48 minutes. I would hate to find out what it will be like on a powder day.
There is no consistency. Every Utah resort has its own Covid-safety protocols that could change at any minute. The toughest restrictions at the moment come from Park City Resort which requires you to make advance ski reservations whether you have a day pass or Epic pass. Even if you have a week booked at your favorite hotel, you might not be able to book the ski days you want. If you’re not the kind of person that likes to plan everything down to the minute of every day, it could be a stressful time to travel.
Lift riding procedures vary at each resort as well. Snowbird’s tram ops will make you wear a mask with ear loops, Park City and Deer Valley are cool with neck gaiters so long as they are over your nose. Yes, there are hosts and lifties empowered to make you pull up your mask or leave if you don’t comply and the Resort has requested that other guests and employees help in the policing of this.
You have to be flexible. The ski areas are still learning to navigate this pandemic. Despite best efforts you might wake up to find your favorite resort closed like they did at Hunter Mountain, New York. Some areas, like Snowbird which typically stays open through Memorial Day, are considering a shortened season. You will need to be able to go with the flow and have a few “alternative plans” at the ready until things normalize.
Not everyone is behaving responsibly. Every day there’s a post on the Park City Facebook page asking about the best places to party. Groups are gathering indoors for dinner and drinks, taking shuttles without their masks and hanging out in clusters both on the hill and in the lodges. If that sketches you out, you may want to wait to travel to Utah. On the other hand, there are social distancing and mask mandates everywhere. There’s no party scene this winter, the energy on the hill is subdued and we have no idea when and if things will feel “normal” again. This pandemic is unprecedented and it will definitely take a long period of time before things begin to feel pre 2020.
Lift ticket prices have gone through the roof! If you didn’t purchase a season pass you are looking at $179-$229 depending on the day. A 6.5-hour private lesson will set you back $1000-1100.
REASONS TO SKI UTAH IN 2021
You don’t want to miss out on a ski season. The champagne powder is bound to arrive sooner or later and you want to be here when it does. Some people have skied one week every year since they began or they count the days every season that they ski. Missing a whole season is just not an option.
Come visit if you’ve been here before and want something different. Your trip will not be a normal or usual experience. It’ll be unlike anything you’ve ever done (and hopefully unlike anything you will ever do again). You won’t get that same awesome ski vacation vibe you might if this was your first time visiting but if you’ve been here before, you might appreciate the low crowds on the slopes and the tales you’ll tell of skiing during a pandemic.
So should you go skiing in Utah in 2021? There’s no blanket statement that we can give like, “Yes go skiing,” or “No, 2021 just isn’t the year for it.” We don’t know how vaccines will change the experience as the season wanes or whether the lifts and lodging and restaurants will decide the worst is over and can allow more people. We can’t even say, “If I were you….” Because we’re not you. We don’t know how you feel about the world right now.
The one thing we can recommend is if you are planning to travel, make sure that there are cancellation flexibilities in everything you choose. Flights, hotels, lift tickets, adventure activity reservations. With spikes or county mandates things could close in a heartbeat so you need to be ready to change your plans as well. Make sure you can cancel without fees or you’re okay losing your deposits.
Last year, I was skiing one day and told the season was over the next. If you had 2020 lift tickets it was a fight to get them refunded; same with AirBnB reservations. Make sure you understand the individual cancellation policies for each aspect of your trip. If your hotel shuts down are you okay with changing your reservations? Restaurants in Utah are open for indoor dining but if they have to close like in Aspen are you okay with takeout? Bars closing at 10:00 p.m.? Making reservations to eat lunch on the mountain? Cooking in your hotel room?
For me, I travel because it’s another story to tell. I was in my apartment when the Pasadena earthquake struck and all the reports said to stay inside, stay off the roads. I grabbed my camera and drove to the epicenter to get my video for a story for school. The adrenaline was pumping. This year, the story is “skiing during a pandemic” but if you aren’t into that kind of narrative this might not be the year for you to ski Utah. Only you can make that call.
