Backcountry
Conditions Report
Report from Sunday, January 21, 2024
With the avalanche danger at a deadly level throughout most of Northern Utah, it was a lovely day for a snowmobile ride.
To make it interesting, we decided we’d scope out a different mountain range than what we were used to in search of some white waves to powdersurf—the Uinta Mountains east of Park City, Utah.
Our buddy Gage is a professional snowmobile guide with Backcountry Snowmobiling near Park City and had just the spot in mind…
We showed up to the ranch around 11, signed waivers, got a rundown on how to operate the sleds, and were off on snowmobiles towards the hills.
The expert crew at Backcountry Snowmobiling was extremely professional and efficient, setting us up quickly.
Backcountry Snowmobiling runs day tours through one of the most picturesque settings of the Uintas starting at $219 a day, taking groups to a vast expanse of terrain through snow-capped peaks and powder fields, where anyone can have the opportunity to see wildlife, majestic vistas and the stunning mountain ranges surrounding the Park City area. They also do private, group, and corporate snowmobiling tours.
They were super gracious for allowing us to use their sleds to take on our powdersurfing mission.
As we departed the lodge, soon big, coffee-colored monoliths of stone and towering hoodoos started popping up along the snowmobile track.
It felt like we had entered another realm, stepping through a portal to an older time.
The hoodoos reminded me of the ones you’d see in Bryce Canyon or Escalante in Southern Utah except that they were slightly darker in color and had icicles on them.
We even saw a herd of moose within the first 10 minutes of the ride!
Then it was down to business.
We got to the wave; far from the snowmobile track, near where we wanted to surf, signs of recent avalanche activity were apparent with huge crowns visible from the storm last week.
Caution was a must.
We delegated a safe route up a mellow ridgeline to a series of low-angle powder fields and took it.
30 minutes later we were at the top, with absolutely nothing or no one around us except for mountains, forest, and tons of snow.
The Uintas are so desolate and remote feeling for how near a populated area they are.
They seem to just go on forever…
After a moment relishing the solitude, we put our powsurfers on and surfed.
The snow was dense but smooth and creamy, easy to surf fast on.
The girls we were with arced lovely, lanky turns down the powder fields.
All of us got a completely fresh run to ourselves.
By the time we got to the bottom it started to get dark so we loaded up on the sleds and set sail for home base.
A cloud descended on the track on the return trip, making for a fun, eerie ride through the winter mist.
The mix of aspen and evergreens in the foggy twilight combined with us being the only souls around for miles added a mysterious appeal you often only read about in novels or see in movies.
Somehow, cruising along at speed in the dark on a snowmobile, I felt a tremendous sense of relaxation.
There’s something peaceful about riding a snowmobile through the woods.
Especially after a day of powsurfing.
Thanks, Backcountry Snowmobiling, for the hospitality—we’ll be back to ride some sleds and explore more of your amazing, seldom-traveled terrain.
It’s a whole new world out there, after all.
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To learn more or book a trip with expert guides at Backcountry Snowmobiling, visit their website.
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