ALTA/SNOWBIRD
UTAH
These twin ski areas have always been known for two things: great skiing (500-plus inches of snow per year) and the fact that there’s very little else to do. Recently, though, both resorts have made improvements to make downtime more enjoyable. At Snowbird, that includes Seventyone, a new restaurant with a 1970s diner vibe, which serves amazing steaks and heaping sundaes to celebrate a powder day.
GET SNOWED IN: One of the quirks of Alta and Snowbird is that they’re located at the end of Little Cottonwood Canyon, and the road to them is occasionally closed for avalanche control during snowstorms. But stay at the resorts and come morning, you’ll have the powder all to yourself, as commuters from Salt Lake City wait for the road to open. Even just the possibility of winning this powder lottery is reason enough book a room at Rustler Lodge, right at the base of Alta, with a heated outdoor pool and the best food in the canyon.
EXPLORE DOWN VALLEY:
Chances are you’ll eat dinner at the Rustler. “But if you do feel like venturing out,” says Andrew Pollard, a pro skier from Salt Lake City, “the Cotton Bottom Inn, at the base of the canyon, serves amazing garlic burgers and beers.”
EARN YOUR TURNS: Mount Superior, a backcountry area just across the canyon, is always loaded with snow. If you’re up for it, it’s worth the three-hour climb. Hire a guide from Utah Mountain Adventures.