Utah First Trip To Altabird - Looking For Some Advice

[Tony S]

Question for you guys. I was planning to bring out my FX94's with me. Given how much snow Alta/Bird has received do you think I might be better off renting some wider demo skis instead? Keeping in mind that I've never skied powder so I'll likely need all the help I can get.

Bring the 94s. If you're lucky enough to get a lot of fresh while you're there - far from a given - rent some fatties. Otherwise 94 is perfect.

 

[toddmanley]

I'm making my first trip out there next month as well and I called around to a few shops (Alta, Snowbird, Powderhouse - open to know if there are other place I should ring up). For the most part many of the rentals seemed to be in the ~100mm range (I'm already bringing my Enforcer 100's) - but the Powderhouse did have some Armada JJ's which sounded fun to try.

 

[Tony S]

I'm making my first trip out there next month as well and I called around to a few shops (Alta, Snowbird, Powderhouse - open to know if there are other place I should ring up). For the most part many of the rentals seemed to be in the ~100mm range (I'm already bringing my Enforcer 100's) - but the Powderhouse did have some Armada JJ's which sounded fun to try.

My two cents: Don't risk irritating Ullr by worrying you'll have too much snow for a 100mm ski. You get that much, count your blessings and party on.

 

[givethepigeye]

^ what he said. Those 100 Enforcers will be perfect travel ski.

 

[TheArchitect]

Bring the 94s. If you're lucky enough to get a lot of fresh while you're there - far from a given - rent some fatties. Otherwise 94 is perfect.

Thanks for the reply. 94's it is.

 

[TheArchitect]

I just got back from my trip. It's hard to put into words how incredible it was. I arrived late on Sunday afternoon so my first day on the slopes was Monday, with 18" of powder predicted to fall during the day. My very first day on my very first trip out west and I got dumped on! The first run was a bit of a challenge getting used to how the skis reacted to being buried but I managed to get big chunks of untracked powder off of Collins. I get it now. Powder is a drug.

The rest of the day was mostly cut-up powder but I did find short sections of uncut powder off of Wildcat. With the snowfall from Sunday night and the windblown 17" we got during the day the powder over in the Wildcat area was up to my knees in some places. Just cut right through it with big puffy moguls exploding in my face. What a fool I've been waiting this long to go out west.

Tuesday was more snow and terrible visibility but still a great time. I skied a couple runs off of Sugarloaf and then went to Supreme in the hopes the trees would help with visibility. Wednesday was Snowbird, which kicked my ass. Part of it was stamina from not being used to the altitude but mostly my legs were feeling it from the previous two days. I skied a lot of the terrain I wanted to except for the Cirque. I knew my legs weren't going to get me down that in any fun way.

Last day was back at Alta with blue skies and Ballroom opened up for the first time all week. The line was huge at the rope drop so I didn't get untracked powder but I did get some cut-up.

Highlights:
Alf's High Rustler on Monday with 17" of powder
Wildcat trees in knee deep powder
STH at Snowbird
Western moguls

Lowlights:
Missing out on the Cirque
Taking so long getting acclimated to altitude (lots of stops during runs)

This was my first trip out to Alta but will absolutely not be the last. I'm hooked and am seriously considering real estate or maybe a timeshare (if there are any around there).

 

[mdf]

Sounds like a great trip. I've noticed that Alta Bird is big enough that it can seem like a completely different resort depending on who you are skiing with.

 

[TheArchitect]

Sounds like a great trip. I've noticed that Alta Bird is big enough that it can seem like a completely different resort depending on who you are skiing with.

It did feel different between the two. I preferred Alta but I was pretty sore and didn't ski well at Snowbird so I'm trying to keep that in mind when judging the two. In any case, I think it's the perfect combination of ski resorts for me and other than Jackson Hole I can't imagine wanting to go somewhere else more than Alta-Bird. It was exactly what I've always imagined skiing out west would be like. Having skied cut trails in the east all of my life I just love that you just get to the top and point your skis in whatever direction you want.

 

[ADKmel]

Glad you had fun and sounds like you too are now an "Alta-Holic"

 

[TheArchitect]

Glad you had fun and sounds like you too are now an "Alta-Holic"

Thanks, and yes I'm an Alta-Holic now. I'm also ruined for eastern skiing. I went to Sunday River this weekend and was bored. Everything groomed flat and very few trails with any decent pitch to it.

 

[Ken_R]

Thanks, and yes I'm an Alta-Holic now. I'm also ruined for eastern skiing. I went to Sunday River this weekend and was bored. Everything groomed flat and very few trails with any decent pitch to it.

Yep, I first skied in Killington circa 1984... in 1989 went to Colorado... have not skied in the East since...except a few times when I was in College in upstate NY and a place close by got dumped on (lake effect).

 

[Tony S]

I went to Sunday River this weekend and was bored. Everything groomed flat

Well, the River is known for that.

 

[TheArchitect]

Well, the River is known for that.

I should have read a little. I haven't been there in 20 years and thought I'd go back and show it to my son. I used to love the place but then I discovered northern Vermont and spend as much time there as I can.