Ski Tour of Snowbasin

Snowbasin offers a variety of terrain for skiers of all ability levels. The resort has fantastic Nordic ski trails, a ripping terrain park, and tubing hill open on the weekends and on Holidays. Snowbasin Resort is set just on the Eastern slopes of the Wasatch Range. This offers some breath-taking scenery. You ski at the base of jagged peaks on the upper part of the mountain, then gently roll into the pines and scrub oaks lower down the hill.

When you look at the Trail Map, you'll see very few green runs. There are a few runs for beginners, but you'll have more fun on this mountain if you're an intermediate skier and above. The Middle Bowl lift is a great area to ski if you're group has skiers with different tastes in terrain and/or ability levels. Your group can go separate ways at the top of the lift, and then meet up at the bottom to swap stories and ride the lift.

Blue Grouse Run

You'll find Snowbasin has some of the longest ski runs in Utah. On a powder day, try and get to the runs off the Strawberry Express Gondola for first tracks. Warm up on the thigh burning Main Street Run, then look for fresh tracks on White Lightning and Moonshine Bowl. Accessed from the Needles Express Gondola, the Blue Grouse is another fine cruiser run with varying intermediate pitches. This run will take you back to the base at the end of the day.

As you can see from the photo, the John Paul Lodge offers great views of the surrounding valley and of Mount Ogden. Click here to view the lunch menu. A short walk from the lodge, you'll find the Allen Peak Tram which will take you up to the starting gates of the Mens 2002 Olympic Downhill. Ski the Grizzly Downhill run to follow the route of the Olympic Downhill. I don't recommend getting into a tuck, it's pretty steep. The John Paul lift offers a number of challenging tree runs, and powder stashes days after it snows.

John Paul Lodge

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