Conditions Report
Report from Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Today was my first taste of Powder Mountain and it re-ordered my top ski resorts list. Having spent significant time in Oregon, British Columbia, Idaho, and Utah during the past few seasons, this hit different. PowMow is special; it is absolutely singular.
I first heard about PowMow from my partner’s dad, who came here decades ago and has never forgotten about it. He planted a seed that came to fruition in a big way.
We knew it snowed yesterday and into last night, but when we arrived the parking lot was mostly empty. Did we misread the forecast? No. PowMow is the magical blend of local resort and world-class destination that does not fill a parking lot before nine on a Wednesday.
Not every lift is aptly named; Paradise is. The combination of terrain, ranging from Aspen glades to chutes and significant cliffs offers riders of every disposition a glorious path down.
In the afternoon, we hopped on a snowcat to find some lines on Lightning Ridge. A very unique feature of PowMow is its snowcat services; for $40, you are entitled to a snowcat ride. Or you can hike for ~20 minutes to take the same turns. The whole Ridge is inbounds, patrolled, and riders return to Paradise after a luxurious lap down.
Changes are coming to PowMow in 2024-25. The Lightning Ridge cat skiing experience will be obviated by a new, fixed-grip lift. The cat skiing will move to another inbounds location, giving riders access to even more pristine terrain. The Timberline lift will also receive an upgrade from a 50-year-old double (it’s a triple but permits only two riders) to a fixed-grip quad. Finally, the Paradise fixed-grip quad will be replaced by a new high-speed quad.
Originally, I was heading back to Salt Lake City tonight to ride Snowbird tomorrow. My riding buddy, Jacob, has spent 50+ days at the Bird this season. But after a one-day sojourn at Powder Mountain, he has changed his allegiance and is begging for us to return tomorrow. If that isn’t a compelling case for this amazing mountain, I don’t know what is. We can’t wait to return.
Snow Report / Weather Forecast
