Category Archives: Family

Snowbasin’s Pots of Gold

Get thee to Snowbasin this Saturday. The resort is calling all leprechauns in celebration of Saint Patty’s Day. They’re placing three pots of gold somewhere on the mountain. They could be in the lodges, on the hill, and anywhere in between. Don’t look for the rainbows though, no one’s giving away the location of these babies easily. There are three valuable prizes up for grabs including a 2014/2015 Adult Premier Pass. The Pots O’s Gold Search begins at 9 a.m. and ends when the last one is found or 4 p.m.; whichever comes first. If none of the pots are found by noon look to Facebook and Twitter for clues every half hour.
When you’ve worked up an appetite, scoot over to Earls, Needles or John Paul Lodge for traditional corned beef and cabbage, Shepard’s Pie, and Guinness Beef Stew. Bag Pipers will also be in Earl’s Lodge during the afternoon spreading some Irish cheer. At 3:30 p.m. Earl’s goes off with ‘This Must Be the Band’- Talking Heads tribute band- on stage for a free concert.

Alta hosts recreational racing on Fridays and Saturdays at the top of Sunnyside from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m., conditions permitting. The races are open to anyone who wants to try for a gold, silver or bronze Alta pin but you’ll need to register at any ticket office or at the top of the race course. A single run is $3, while Unlimited Runs is $10. Awards are based on a handicap system similar to NASTAR- by age and gender, determined by a pace setter’s time. If your time does not qualify for a medal, you still get a white Alta pin for participating.

Brighton shares the Bonanza with you every Friday night: Roast marshmallows with the kids or a romantic date at the bonfire on Fridays. The yumminess begins at 6 p.m. on the deck of the Alpine Rose.

Snowbird brings on the spring party at Creekside Day Lodge in Gad Valley. Local reggae-rockers, Uniphi, play live while the giveaways fly. $8.50 gets you a burger and brew. The bash moves over to the Tram Club where all 21+ can clink green beers and Irish car bombs.

The Canyons wants to see St. Patrick’s weekend as a spring-long event. They kick it off with the 2014 Operation Smile Celebrity Ski Challenge at noon. The annual fun race raises money for the more than 200,000 surgeries performed around the world to give children born with cleft palates and lips a brand new smile. Most of the celebs hanging out today are from TV shows like Barrett Foa (“NCIS: Los Angeles”), Missy Peregrym (“Rookie Blue”), Jason Ritter (“Parenthood”), Nicole Sullivan (“Cougar Town”), Michael Trevino (“Vampire Diaries”), Alan Tudyk (“Suburgatory”), Aisha Tyler (“The Talk”), and Jenna Ushkowitz (“Glee”). Stick around the resort all week for concerts, magicians, jugglers, s’mores at the Umbrella Bar firepit (3-4 p.m.). Folk Hogan will perform at the Resort Village stage today from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Park City Mountain Resort is hosting a Ski Beach in the meadow at the PayDay Lift midstation from noon-3 p.m. today. Families can picnic with games, burgers and drinks for all ages. Look for the fenced in area between PayDay and Heckler Runs. The Ugly Valley Boys open the Miller Lite Après Concert Series at 3 p.m.

Hotel Monte Vista in Flagstaff, Arizona

Drinks at 6:30. Boy, does that sound awesome. I checked into the Freddie Mercury Room at the Hotel Monte Vista in Flagstaff, Arizona, after a crazy ass day just trying to get here.

The place is a hoot. Very historic, old school charm. I love it. Despite it’s history, there are no weird smells or bugs; a few paint chips are fine and I hear the place is haunted.

It was one of those weeks where I couldn’t tell what day it was, what I had to do and when I had to do it. Monday? When was that? I think I ran errands and hung out on my computer; studying for my mediation trial and prepping for Julie-Anne’s short film to come on Tuesday. I had so much to do before my trip to Flagstaff today. Including finding someone to get Sage to school tomorrow and – because she has no school on Friday- someone to watch her all day. Everything was lined up and good to go. I zipped to SLC for a Discovery Channel audition and then straight to the airport. Screw Diamond Parking. I’m recommending to anyone and everyone to avoid this operation. They used to be on top of things; they used to make sense. Not anymore. I self-parked and instead of the shuttle arriving at my car for my lift to the airport, I had to haul my bags all the way up to the entrance- a much greater distance than the shuttle stands at the airport long-term parking. Oh, and I save a whopping .80 a day using Diamond. Wahoo.

Next week I’m going on a mission to discover all of the more economical means available for my next trip. Other lots? Hotels? Personal rides? TRAX?

I can’t wait to go exploring. The last time I was in Flagstaff was right before I moved to Park City. I was thinking of moving here after a TV station offered me a news job. Oh how different my path could have been!

Jackson Hole Trip Report

Jackson Hole delivered. It took a couple of days but it delivered. As a major swell rocked the Rockies and Utah began to go from hardpack to divinely soft, we popped into my Honda for our annual pilgrimage to one of my favorite resorts in the world. The snow is usually better than in Utah and we hoped that the new storm cycle could finally bring on a Jackson powder experience. Even the milk toast cop who pulled us over in Evanston, Wyo., to write us up for speeding couldn’t dampen our excitement. “Where ya headed?” he asked. “Jackson Hole,” we answered as I handed him my insurance and registration. “I love Jackson Hole. It’s one of my favorite places. Drive safe now,” he said as he handed back a speeding ticket. Niiice. It was Sunday night and no one was on the road. He could have written us a warning in his zeal to bond over our mutual Jackson love, right?

We motored on. Even with the light snow and slick roads we made it to Fireside Resort in about 4.5 hours. The stable of reclaimed wood portable cabins is located just 4 miles from Teton Village. The individual one-bedroom units offered a touch of rustic luxury amid the gently falling snow. I was in a Jackson Hole portrait!

We had everything we needed from a medium-firm king bed to the s’mores kit left for us in the kitchenette.

In the summertime, there’s an RV campground in back and the entire place is booked solid. Fireside was an ideal spot to set up ‘glamp’ so to speak. We crashed hard in anticipation of our first Jackson ski day, We woke to 1″ of new. What?!

Lucky for us that one inch was on top of two inches, three inches, an inch, etc. It’s been snowing consistently in Wyoming for the past month and you can tell the difference. The wind, too, has smoothed out potential mogul fields. Needless to say it was a fluffy playground that starts with the long but fast-moving tram line and ends with beers at the Alpenhof. It snowed for three days straight. Although our clothes were drenched it never felt heavy and wet under foot. Just creamy. ‘Like butta’ my guide Karin would say. Ryan took off and hiked Headwall for three laps into the Casper Bowl area while we danced in the trees off Cheyenne Woods and South Colter Ridge. Why hike when everything was sweet inbounds? Even the Hobacks were more inspired than grueling. I almost made it top to bottom without stopping but the burn kicked in. Maybe next year.

We planned to do Headwall the next day but the winds kicked up shutting down Sublette Chair and forcing us to ski between the Bridger Gondola and Thunder Chair. No matter. The day went swiftly from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ever ski Tower 3 without ski poles in a blizzard? Try it sometime, just to mix things up. The steeps lesson for the day was moving your hips and torso down the fallline without worrying about timing a pole plant. I was nervous at first but not only was it challenging, but fun. We did it again before grabbing the poles for the third round. Jackson Hole is a huge mountain filled with everything an expert skier could demand. And when you want more, ditch the poles.

Though there is a sizeable amount of intermediate groomers, the staggering canyons and cliffs will intimidate newbies.

If you were ever considering a ski lesson (and even if you weren’t), this is the place. There are an unprecedented 16 PSIA DECLs (Division Education Clinic Leaders/ski examiners) on staff. Ski programs don’t get any better than at Jackson Hole.

One apres pitcher later and it was back to the cabin for s’mores, Olympics and showers. The dog was missing us too. By Day Three we were packed and planning to head home at 1 p.m. Four o’clock rolled around and we had just kicked off the ski boots. How could you cut out early when there was more than a foot of new snow on the ground? OMG it was seriously one of the best Jackson ski days in PCSkiGal memory. Rumors swirled of another 10-18″ on the way and Ryan begged to stay another night. If only. Utah awaited. And as we drove through the storm, bodying buzzing and sticky from hard charging all day, we day-dreamed about buying one of those Fireside Wheelhaus units and leaving it right where it was just so we could have a place to come back to every year. I’ve said it (more than) once and I’ll say it again. There’s no place like Jackson Hole.

Alta Spreads Jackson Hole Love

I’m so very psyched. The panic had set in yesterday as I realized that our little three-day hookyfest to Jackson Hole, Wyo., came with a hefty lift ticket price tag. My ticket is included with my PSIA instructor’s clinic but because Sage is over 5 she no longer skis free. It would cost us a whopping $63 a day. I immediately began Googling “Jackson Hole Lift Ticket” but all I found were forums on how Jackson never offers a deal. Occasionally, you can get $5 off from your hotel front desk but that’s it. Adults are $108; kids, $63 (or $170 for 3 days).

Just as I contemplated leaving Sage home, I remembered. She has an Alta Season Pass! So what you may ask? Alta’s Pass comes with 50 percent off tickets to Jackson Hole, among other resorts. You ski all season at one resort and you forget that now you don’t have to. It’s called the Mountain Collective and if you ever doubted its usefulness as a bonus for full-price pass purchases at Snowbird and Alta let me tell you, “don’t.” Alta’s adult season pass even comes with three FREE tickets to Jackson before the 50 percent off kicks in.

The Mountain Collective beats Vail Resorts’ Epic Pass in this neighborhood when you consider Jackson is a lot closer to Utah than Vail or Kirkwood. Ryan’s kicking himself for not getting an Alta pass this summer. Now, the Collective portion is sold out and unavailable. I’m guessing next year he won’t make the same mistake twice.

Jackson Hole, here we come!

Take Flying Leap at Brian Head Resort

By PCSkiGal

Utah’s first “Bag Jump” at Brian Head Resort is now open. The 50×50 foot bag inflates to 12 feet high and is placed behind a new kicker that sends skiers and riders into the air but offers them a soft place to land. Not only is the BAGJUMP the first in Utah, it’s one of only a handful in the western United States.


Photo courtesy Brian Head Resort

 

Use BAGJUMP for play or to train and progress as a freestyler. Use it for anything from competitive training, recreational fun, to advancing your technique. 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGqtZ8UNPLw&w=560&h=315]

Practice your tricks with 25 foot and 35 foot jumps that can be accessed with a newly installed surface lift.

The BagJump runs on weekends and every day during holiday periods from 11:00am to 3:00pm. Tickets can be purchased separately for $10 for one jump (includes a practice jump) or $20 for an all day pass. BagJump season passes are also available for $99.

Brian Head Resort is Utah’s southernmost ski area offering riding at a fraction of the crowds and costs.

 

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