Snowbird is as good as it gets. Ski magazine gave Alta/Snowbird the #1 ranking among all other ski resorts in the U.S. Snowbird is for skiers and riders -make no bones about it. Get on the tram after a storm and feel your spine tingle as the Tram Operator reads out current conditions and advisories: “Alright, listen up. Current closed runs include…. All runs currently open are for expert skiers and riders. The easiest way down is Chips run…” You get the idea. No kidding around.

But if you are not an expert don’t worry. There is still plenty of terrain to explore. Mineral Basin is the backside of the mountain and is great for intermediate skiers. Gadzoom and Wilbere lifts are good places for beginners to start. Keep your eye out for the new tunnel. This thing will be a conveyor belt that goes under the mountain. The learning curve is low because it works just like the walkways at the airport. There is nothing else out there like this tunnel in the U.S. It will allow you to get to Mineral Basin much quicker. And keep in mind that Mineral Basin is the main connector between Alta and Snowbird. COOL! Mark

Skiing at Snowbird was perfect - beter than more than 10 European ski areas we know.

Skiing at Snowbird - It is arguable that when everything is mixed together, Snowbird comes out as the finest resort on earth. There is no mountain that has better snow with terrain as steep and high speed lifts so accessible to the airport. Also, if it hasn't snowed in weeks, I pretty much don't want to go ski off the groomers in Jackson, Whistler, or most definitely Squaw Valley. I'll still be hucking rocks at the bird. The aprons below the cirque and Baldy and Silverfox all stay perfectly buffed and are safe for travelling at high speeds indefinitely. But you don't have to worry about that, because Snowbird gets more snow than Jackson or Whistler and way way better snow than Squaw. This coming summer I will have skied Verbier and Chamonix, so I'll get back to you all on how they compare with Europe, but I can tell you right now from the sheer statistics snowbird definitely wins on the snow quantity/ quality index... I'm pretty sure Europe wins for terrain, though. That was off the subject... I'm not gonna disclose the secret jewels at the bird but I recommend racing the tram down the 3,000 vertical foot mountainside while staying entirely on single and double black diamond runs (if you can). The best I've done is caught three in a row. Then it's usually off to the hot tub and bar. Joey Smallwood

Skiing at Alta/Snowbird - I lumped these two together because they are. The advantage in being able to cross over from Alta to Snowbird on the same lift pass makes for a week or more of skiing and boredom won’t be an issue. I don’t know if it’s a curse or a blessing, but there’s no snowboarding at Alta. Take that how you will. (I wish one of Utah’s prime resorts would go all snowboarding: think of the massive terrain for jibbers only!) Fair is fair, eh?

I like Alta/Bird, but I get lost there. For some reason, it’s so massive that I can never tell where I am, but I really don’t care. The views are fantastic, and there is nothing NOT to like about it except if you’re going from Bird to Alta bases, you can take a shuttle bus or just ski over. That’s not even a negative, so I give this resort A++++ and make it a MUST for anyone who skis. I didn’t lodge on the mountain, but took my chances with a rental car and a $240 a week room at Extended Stay in Sandy (room comes with stove, microwave and refrigerator, full size). So far, I haven’t been shut out by a storm or avalanche danger, so I consider myself lucky. It Does Happen, and frequently, so keep that in mind when you visit and make your arrangements. You can be ‘stuck’ either on mountain or off, so the decision is a big one: stuck where you can ski, but spend more, or stuck where you can’t, but spend waaay less. I’m a risk taker, so I sleep in town. It’s one of our favorite play areas in North America. Bonni

Skiing at Snowbird - Snowbird is an awesome resort. With over 3800’ of vertical there is plenty of skiing for everyone. The gondola is the best way to get to the top. Once off the top there is plenty of off-piste skiing. Very few runs are groomed. I love to explore and find great lines as I work my way down the mountain. I always end my day with a couple of mountain runs, top to bottom bombers, which wipes me out. Cocktails in the hot tub afterward soothe the mind and body. Victor Taugher