Snowbird, UT, Report: A Different Breed - The Greatest Powder Day of My Life

Report from Thursday, January 11, 2024

A Different Breed.

Quite the marketing campaign and the absolute truth. I found myself at Snowbird, Utah, on a chilly morning after nine inches of freshness the night before and two feet within 48 hours of lifts spinning on January 11th. As a first-timer at Snowbird, I was excited about what the day had in store for me and also quite nervous as the mountains rang with the sound of charges blasting to mitigate avalanche danger. Explosions don’t sound off like this on a pow day back home.

Lifts were delayed until around 9:30 am due to avalanche mitigation (thank you, ski patrol!), and the Gadzoom lift line was buzzing with excitement as we waited for the first chair to be sent up into the cloudy abyss. Lifts were loaded, game faces put on, and I was off for what I would consider the greatest powder day of my life.

Off of Gadzoom Quad, straight to Little Cloud Quad. Regulator Johnson, as the first full lap of the day, made sure to let me know that I was in for it. Blinding snow and ripping winds on the cat track kept it interesting, and the turns were fantastic. Snow was deep and light, and the turns were silent. Cold? Too bad. There’s fresh snow to find in the trees. Gad2 had the goods; the trees were full of untouched lines and good times. I took a few laps over there, digging around what I could find and pestering locals on the lift to throw me something fun to explore.

Blue Skies and Sunshine Gave Their Best Effort. No Match For The Storm Clouds.

I was lucky enough to meet up with old friends turned Salt Lake locals late in the morning. They knew exactly where to go and also knew that the Cirque Traverse was opening soon. We left Gad2 and ripped our way back over to Little Cloud, where we found a crowd that also heard the news. A thin traverse kept the adrenaline pumping, but the snow was incredible. I dropped into Lower Cirque and had the single-best powder run I have ever had. Face shots, cold smoke, all the things you dream about. Lower Cirque was magical.

From here, I got lost. Not the bad kind of lost, the kind where your buddy says, “Follow me,” and you end up at the top of an untouched line off of some sketchy traverse in the middle of the resort. The snow? Unfathomably deep and plentiful. Lap after lap of face shots and steep turns kept a smile on my face, the good company of old friends made it all the better. Snowbird is the vehicle for deep snow and steep terrain, and I couldn’t have timed my day trip up Little Cottonwood Canyon any better.

The bottom line? Snowbird is all that and more. “A Different Breed” is a phenomenal way to describe every aspect of this mountain. From the skiers and riders to the employees, the terrain, weather, lifts, and all-around vibe. Snowbird is all that and more, especially in the middle of a storm cycle. If you can make it happen, take the trip. You too will find stashes of snow, steep lines, and plentiful stoke.