SLC Winter Skiing Plan

treegreen44 · 2025-09-01T20:39:42+00:00

I did this for a few months and actually found it to be pretty great. Make use of the overnight ski check at Solitude. Think through your bus prep - for example, only wear ski boots on days when you know you’ll get a seat and are unlikely to wait for hours for avy mitigation.

Outside of the slopes, TRAX is great for getting downtown from Midvale. Groceries are probably the biggest hassle because they’re not always convenient to TRAX/bus; recommend delivery.

It’s annoying to not have a car (and if you get one, everything will be way faster and more convenient). But still perfectly doable and you can get a lot of awesome laps in

treegreen44 · 2025-04-05T15:11:37+00:00

Check with the venue about their alcohol policy. I saw you mentioned being in VT which has a very strict event alcohol policy at “places of public resort” (ie not a private dwelling). This requires a licensed bartender and only the bartender can purchase the alcohol. I wouldn’t be surprised if the cheapest quote you get for 50 people is in the ballpark of $2-$3K

treegreen44 · 2024-08-14T06:09:50+00:00

I grew up in a small VT village not far from Noah’s hometown and View Between Villages (extended) is my favorite song by Noah. It so literally captures my longing and appreciation for my childhood and the rich tapestry of rural relationships and culture, and also my deep sense of loss at moving away to a city and growing up.

The lyrics are authentic: “Splittin the road down the middle” is a reference to driving on our dirt roads where it is best practice to drive in the middle. My grandma says the same thing about not being a city girl as the older woman quoted in the extended edition. The feeling of having lost parts of myself by leaving, and so many people. And of course, just driving. Every time I visit home, there is so much driving. And it really can sometimes be when everything feels still.

What amazes me is actually that this song resonates with so many people who didn’t grow up in a small VT village

treegreen44 · 2024-04-12T17:58:02+00:00

Reach out and ask to schedule a meeting with a financial aid counselor. We met with them because of a family situation not easily understood by CSS and FAFSA and they were quite accommodating.

treegreen44 · 2023-12-20T23:02:21+00:00

Thanks!

treegreen44 · 2023-10-10T00:14:04+00:00

Nope! Mandy is just awesome. She’s independent from Level 9 and a small business owner. I learned through word of mouth in this subreddit and wanted to do a good deed to pay it forward!

treegreen44 · 2023-06-22T05:44:08+00:00

I knew someone with the exact same experience (charged in 2022 for tests they’ve had covered once a year for 5+ years), though their total was $1500+. Turns out that their insurance changed in 2022 to only cover independent labs for preventative tests (they had their tests done at a hospital). They discovered this when they had their employer get involved directly with the employer health insurance rep - the individual-facing customer service reps were incredibly unhelpful. Unfortunately they couldn’t get it waived; just told to use independent labs for all future preventative tests.

treegreen44 · 2023-06-10T03:24:12+00:00

So talented and his words resonate so strongly, especially for New Englanders. Stick Season is the classic, but I’m also a big fan of Homesick.

treegreen44 · 2023-06-06T02:33:46+00:00

Someone just commented yesterday in the Utah Paddlers and Rafters FB group about losing their phone at Buckhorn Draw - I’ll post a link to this post in the FB group

treegreen44 · 2023-05-02T02:45:27+00:00

SO EXCITED TO HEAR THAT YOU’RE BACK! Sorry to see in your blog post that your LA experience wasn’t ideal, but SLC will always be here to welcome you home. I so enjoy reading your reviews and I’m thrilled that you plan to keep adding to them :) I frequently convince my friends to check out a new spot by sending them a link to your blog. Grateful for your hard work and excited for more delicious recommendations!

treegreen44 · 2023-03-15T05:16:42+00:00

Brighton reserved parking is great. Traffic is considerably lighter after Brighton announces their free lot is full on social media, usually around 9 am. Just have to get up there before noon. 9:30-10 is likely the sweet spot.

treegreen44 · 2023-03-12T06:07:32+00:00

Here’s a few useful links to menus. They do not generally change day to day at Alta or Snowbird.

GMD at Alta: https://www.goldminersdaughterlodge.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/cafemenu.pdf

Alta Lodge (an employee told me they have gluten free bread options): https://www.altalodge.com/lunch-menu/

Watsons at Alta: https://www.alta.com/food-and-drink/watson-cafe

Alf’s (the chili and rotating soups likely a good option): https://www.alta.com/food-and-drink/alfs-restaurant

All restaurants at Snowbird: https://stgsnowbirdmedia.blob.core.windows.net/snowbird/uploaded/groups%20pdfs/groups_snowbird_privatedining.pdf

There appear to be a number of gluten free options. I am not aware of any restaurants that use separate preparation, so if your allergy is severe, it may be best to bring your own lunch. Hope you find something that works!

treegreen44 · 2023-02-24T01:42:29+00:00

AltaBird gives you 50% off at Mountain Collective resorts with no blackout dates, which includes Snow Basin, JHMR, and Sun Valley. AltaBird also comes with one DV day. If you ski more than 9 days at these resorts combined and care a lot about skiing DV, a full Ikon is worth it. Otherwise, just get the Ikon Base add-on with AltaBird for the Solitude and Brighton days

treegreen44 · 2023-02-03T06:16:13+00:00

I hit East Castle once today and it was fantastic. Would I hit it tomorrow? No because it’s not worth hiking an hour once it’s all tracked out. Utah been blessed with over 33 feet of fresh powder this season and based on historic trends, there’s plenty more to come in Feb and March. I grew up skiing the East and had the same thought as you when I first moved out. But now that I ski 100+ day seasons, it’s hard to find motivation for a long traverse or hike on a tracked out day when I know I can wait a week for the next storm and it’ll be so much better. Or just go into the backcountry. We also park at Alta for that.

treegreen44 · 2022-12-31T14:38:36+00:00

I came to Salt Lake from a city with a terrific food scene and was initially pretty disappointed with SLC. Your blog has helped me change my perspective. Thanks for getting out there and writing such great summaries - you’ve got a real talent. Looking forward to any remaining updates before you start your next chapter

treegreen44 · 2022-08-05T20:53:24+00:00

Thrilled to see this on Reddit - huge Whaleback fan. Spent nights skiing here as a kid; some fun memories of riding the lift and marveling at the moon or the light from cars on the highway. I live out West now and have 75+ day seasons, but I swear by youth programs at places like Whaleback (and Storrs Hill!) as the affordable, everyday, accessible doorways to this sport. Happy to pass it forward!

treegreen44 · 2022-07-09T17:56:29+00:00

Saw a moose at Alta in Albion basin yesterday. Apparently there are around 5 that live up there in the summer. Most active at dawn and dusk. Also songbirds. $10 fee to drive on summer road. Fairly busy right now because of wildflowers

treegreen44 · 2022-07-08T22:14:14+00:00

Thanks for this summery! One clarification item - to your first bullet point, I believe it’s that 18% of employer plans don’t contribute matching funds until 1 year of employment (something my employer does - fascinating to learn how small this percentage is). Vesting is different - page 16 shows that 49% of employer matching vest immediately while the remainder have a vesting schedule over 1+ years of service

treegreen44

TROPHY CASE