Every year, Rowland Hall students eagerly wait for winter for one huge reason: skiing. Skiing brings lots of people to Utah each year. According to Ski Utah, last year there was “a total of 6,746,008 skier visits across Utah’s 15 ski resorts,” which is almost double the population of Utah. Rowland Hall shares this love of skiing, and we can take advantage of the opportunity we have living so close to the mountain instead of having travel to another state.
Alta
“Alta definitely has the best snow,” said student Evan Owens along with a handful of other students I interviewed. Another factor for people enjoying Alta is the no snowboarding policy. “One ran me over,” said teacher Anne Wolfer. Alta is just over 2,500 acres, allowing for lots of different runs and places to experience. Although its size might not compare to resorts like Park City, Alta has limited reservations, making for an open mountain!
Brighton
“My daughter is a snowboarder,” said teacher Samantha Hill on why she skis at Brighton. Brighton is among the least popular on this list but is still an amazing spot. It is about 1000 acres and 66 total trails. Brighton is very inclusive, allowing both skiers and snowboarders.
Deer Valley
Deer Valley is known for its smooth terrain along with amazing services like restaurants and hotels. Deer Valley is just over 2,000 acres but is also in the process of making a new mountain of runs, which will make Deer Valley approximately 3,700 acres.
Park City
The majority of people I interviewed said Park City was their favorite. The nature and wildlife help create a beautiful atmosphere for a wonderful ski day. Junior Madsen Varner said, “I like the openness and largeness,” which helps people feel more comfortable while skiing. Park City is about 7,300 acres and is the largest resort in Utah.
Salt Lake is one of the ski capitals of the world and has many lovely resorts. Rowland Hall students are fortunate to be able to visit all of these nearby resorts. After looking at all my interviews, Park City and Alta were the fan favorites because of the mountains and the snow quality. There are many other factors that I didn't mention, including price, passes, food, weather, crowds, and friends, which all contribute to the perfect ski day. Even with all of these factors, all of the resorts are great, so make sure you get out this year!