Winter Inspiration
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5 Reasons Utah's Weather Guy Loves Spring Skiing
Here’s some of the scientific evidence to support the assertion that spring could be the best time to ski or snowboard in Utah.
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A Cauldron of Continuing Olympic Fervor
Since hosting the 2002 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, in many ways the Olympic spirit and world-class athletes that seized Utah have never left.
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A Mom’s Take On Sharing Skiing With the Next Generation
For many families in Utah, skiing is a way of life that is passed down from generation to generation. A woman expecting her first child reflects on her family’s multi-generational skiing connection to Utah’s mountains and how she will pass down the tradition while living out of state.
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A Utah Ski Vacation (or Two) for Less
Shop for ski gear like a local. Get discounts on lift tickets. Learn everything you need to know for a cheap luxury ski trip.
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A Winter Retreat
Although it is located only a few miles from the urban hustle and bustle of Salt Lake City, the Big Water Yurt feels light years away. Located at the top of Millcreek Canyon, the yurt is open only in winter and the only way to get to it is by ski, snowshoe or fat bike.
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Best Après Ski Bars in Park City and Beyond
Want to master the art of après? Here’s your guide to the best après-ski bars in Park City and the Wasatch Front.
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Best Spots to Get Olympic Spirit
Just because the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games are in the past doesn’t mean that the Utah Olympic spirit is has been snuffed out. Athletes still train here, and ski schools in Utah resorts might be the start of a future Olympian’s career.
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Family and Budget Guide to the One and Only Ski City: Salt Lake
With 11 family-friendly resorts nearby, Salt Lake City skiing, dining and entertainment options make Utah one of the best ski destinations in the western U.S.
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In the Key of Ski
A video tribute to the Utah Symphony musicians finding inspiration and rich notes in the mountains.
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Powder Pups to the Rescue
Four furry friends help the Solitude Ski Patrol do their duties.
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Salt Lake City: A Place to Play
Symphony musicians say Utah's one-two punch of arts and recreation is hard to beat.
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Sundance, Full Circle
When visiting the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, movies are only part of the experience.
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Top Ski Towns in Utah
The best ski towns in Utah tout easy access to The Greatest Snow on Earth®, along with lively culture, fine dining and off-mountain activities.
Things To Do in Salt Lake in Winter
Ice Skating
Ice skating is a favorite winter activity among Salt Lakers. Channel your inner figure skater as you race and twirl around the rink. The Gallivan Center, an outdoor skating rink, falls within the free-fare zone of Salt Lake's public transportation. This means on chilly nights families can opt for a short ride on the TRAX light rail from this popular rink to Salt Lake City's top tourist attractions: Temple Square, Vivint Smart Home Arena (home of the Utah Jazz) and the Gateway Mall, which houses the Discovery Gateway children's museum, the Clark Planetarium/IMAX and Megaplex Theater.
You know Utah is home to The Greatest Snow on Earth®, but you may not have realized Utah is also home to "The Fastest Ice on Earth" thanks to the Utah Olympic Oval. More than 100 world records in speed skating have been claimed at the Olympic Oval. While you may not set out to beat those records, your family will love spreading out across its massive ice rink during public skating hours, available most evenings and Saturdays.
If you are staying south of the Salt Lake Valley, Provo's Peaks Ice Arena is a great choice. Near the Ogden-area resorts (Powder Mountain, Snowbasin and Nordic Valley), The Ice Sheet at Ogden (also known as the Weber County Ice Sheet) typically has open skate hours midday and evenings most days of the week (closed Sundays).
Temple Square
Après Ski & Spa
Snowshoeing
Nearby Winter Resorts
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Alta Ski Area
Nestled near the top of one of Utah's best canyons, Alta is a storied paradise for skiers. Even riders leave their boards at home for a chance at the 2,600+ acres of Alta's renowned slopes featuring 118 runs.
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Brighton Ski Resort
Located at the very top of Big Cottonwood Canyon, Brighton averages over 500 inches of snow a winter. The resorts well-balanced 1,000+ acres features 66 runs, three terrain parks and 1,875 feet of vert, all accessible from four high-speed quads.
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Deer Valley Resort
As one of Utah’s most popular luxury mountain resorts, Deer Valley goes out of its way to ensure the best skiing experience possible. The ski-only area limits the number of lift tickets sold in a day, grooms like a champion and keeps their season nice and tight to ensure premium ski conditions.
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Park City Mountain
Park City Mountain is one of Utah’s world-class ski resorts, with more than 7,300 acres of winter fun and countless things to do off the slopes. Check it out!
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Powder Mountain
Powder Mountain superlatives include "terrain for days," "massive," "super fun" and "more than 500 annual inches of snow." Powder Mountain is accessible in about an hour's drive from Salt Lake City International Airport.
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Snowbasin
Snowbasin Resort is a perennial top ten for SKI magazine in categories like dining, service, lifts and weather. Here's how that translates: Snowbasin takes care of everything it can control, and Mother Nature does the rest. Snowbasin Resort is under an hour from Salt Lake City International Airport, but is also about 30 minutes from the vibrant Ogden metropolitan area.
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Snowbird Ski Resort
Snowbird boasts the longest ski season in Utah, often opening before Thanksgiving and staying open through Memorial Day. The resort's generous season means more time on its award-winning terrain, which includes 140 runs spread across 2,500 acres and 3,240 vertical feet.
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Solitude Mountain Resort
They say Solitude isn't just a name, it's a promise. It's crazy to think that peaceful seclusion is possible, with 1,200+ skiable acres, 82 runs, 2,494 feet of vert and the canyon's average 500 annual inches of snow. Nevertheless, solitude is very much a reality.
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Sundance Mountain Resort
Rustic, elegant and handmade are some of the words that capture the feeling of Sundance Mountain Resort. This log cabin-esque skiing resort that Robert Redford built is only an hour from Salt Lake International Airport.
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Woodward Park City
Woodward Park City is the nation’s first all-in-one action sports and ski resort, located just 30 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City.
Sundance Film Festival
Ski City Hot Chocolate
Here are two fairly universal truths: Kids love hot chocolate and Utahns love hot chocolate. There is nothing like a frothy cup to warm the family up after a day in the snow. Almost anywhere you go in Utah, you'll find hot chocolate prominently featured on the menu. Even the widely distributed Stephen's Gourmet brand calls Utah home.
If you're ready to elevate your drinking chocolate experience, here are four Capital City cups that raise the bar:
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Hatch Family Chocolates — Thanks to national exposure on TLC's "Little Chocolatiers," the secret is out. Located in Salt Lake's historic Avenues, solid milk or dark chocolates form the base of their decadent drink, which can be prepared vegan or with dairy, or with espresso.
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Les Madeleines — Their buttery kouing aman (or kouign amann) made Food Network's "Best Thing I Ever Ate." Pair that with the cafe's Valrhona Hot Chocolate and you're in for a special treat.
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Chocolate Conspiracy's Chocolate House — Their location next to RubySnap will make for a one-two punch in your search for a Salt Lake City vacation treat. You can expect an education in raw chocolate's nutritional value and exceptional delicacies, including a thick, not-too-sweet mug of hot chocolate. The Chocolate Conspiracy's products are sweetened with raw honey and enlivened with other raw ingredients to preserve their peak nutritional value. Additionally, make a point to savor the premium, natural ingredients in the recipes of RubySnap's beautifully frosted cookies whose flavors and quality are as unforgettable as their branding.
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Make your own — Drawing on Mayan culinary traditions and chocolate's own heritage, Mezzo is single-origin drinking chocolate with pure ingredients and unique Mayan-influenced flavors. Bags of Mezzo can be found at local grocery stores like Harmons and Tony Caputo's Market and Deli, or by the cup at Frida Bistro. (Read: "Where To Taste, Tour and Take Home Utah's World-Renowned Chocolate")
Behind Utah's love for hot chocolate you'll find a passion for the raw material of hot chocolate: cacao. As the Deseret News reported last year, Utah chocolate makers have not only put Utah on the map, they're establishing the state as the nation's epicenter for artisan chocolate production. In addition to the companies mentioned above, Solstice and Millcreek Cacao Roasters and the highly decorated Amano Chocolates are just a few of the Utah entrepreneurs leading the way. Each has a unique product worth exploring. You can even "try before you buy" at Tony Caputo's Gourmet Food Market. (Read: "Craft Chocolate Capital of America: Utah's Culture of Cacao")
World-Class Art and Culture
When the sun goes down, head downtown and soak up the metropolitan culture and nightlife of this world-class city. Arts lovers will enjoy catching a performance at the Utah Symphony or watching an opera singer belt out the tunes at the Utah Opera. For a theatrical show, catch a family-friendly performance at the Hale Center Theatre or the Pioneer Theatre Company, the professional theatre in residence at University of Utah. Salt Lake Acting Company is another local favorite for their irreverence and parody.
Dance aficionados can watch ballerinas perform at Ballet West or take in a contemporary dance performance by the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company. Art lovers will also enjoy taking in the variety of galleries in the city as well as its many history and culture museums.
Winter Activities
Winters in Utah may be known for having The Greatest Snow on Earth®, but there is so much more to explore off the slopes.
Traveling Fandom
It's no secret Salt Lake City is a basketball town, but the game is just the beginning. Ski like a local at renowned ski areas Alta, Snowbird, Brighton and Solitude by day, and make the easy game night run back down the mountain for award-winning dining, gold medal breweries and world-class arts, culture and nightlife.
Highlights
- Game Day in Ski City
- Fine Dining at 11,000 Feet
- Après-ski at Utah's Vintage Bars
- Musical Tour of SLC
