Utah Views from the Top

[mtruman]

OK, this is probably not technically a trip report since it didn't involve hiking. It did however involve a trip (to Utah) and some incredible Views from the Top (of Hidden Peak at Snowbird). Was out there for a few days for a business trip last week and had a day to see the area. Not enough time to hike so rode the tram to the top of Snowbird to get some photos from the highest point in the area. It was a pretty spectacular day. Can't wait to get back out there in summer to do some hiking!

My blog has all the images from the day: http://theramblingsblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/utah-winter-ramblings.html

Looking down Little Cottonwood Canyon from Hidden Peak

 

[MichaelJ]

LOVE Snowbird (and Alta). The scenery is amazing. The canyon is scarily narrow in winter when the snows come in. How'd you like all the enormous gates on the road? And the concrete bunker buildings? Seriously, when it snows hard enough for avalanche danger they close down the roads and invoke "interlodge" when it is illegal to be outside. Yup. Be where you want to be and have the supplies you need because you're not going anywhere until the snow is stabilized. And the skiing ... magnificent!

 

[mtruman]

You're so right Michael (on all counts). I paid less attention at the canyon entrance since we took the ski bus so I didn't notice the gates. I can see why the canyon gets closed though with the crazy amounts of snow. They say that the average annual snowfall is around 500 inches!! They are way behind this year (barely over 100 so far). 100" seems like a lot but the skiers are complaining that the rocks aren't even covered. I'm not a skier (bad knees) but a powder day at Snowbird could make me want to become one!

 

[MichaelJ]

They get a LOT of snow in a normal year. We arrived shortly after a major storm; something like 7 feet over the course of the week, maybe? It looked like this - and yes, that snow bank towers over the stop sign. They were digging out fire hydrants with backhoes:

 

[skiguy]

LOVE Snowbird (and Alta). The scenery is amazing. The canyon is scarily narrow in winter when the snows come in. How'd you like all the enormous gates on the road? And the concrete bunker buildings? Seriously, when it snows hard enough for avalanche danger they close down the roads and invoke "interlodge" when it is illegal to be outside. Yup. Be where you want to be and have the supplies you need because you're not going anywhere until the snow is stabilized. And the skiing ... magnificent!

I've been on interlodge several times. The best part is when you are let out......periscope up!