Escaping the Everyday

Jake and I have been traveling for time now, so it be an excellent opportunity to reflect on our top three destinations.

You might be surprised by the three choices we selected!

Big Sky Resort

Believe it or not, we would rather go to Big Sky than Bridger Bowl which may come as a surprise to many out there. Bridger Bowl is a great place to ski but I believe it’s a little overrated in my opinion. It’s known for their windy conditions and skiing near the ridge. If you’re a very advanced skier you might enjoy this mountain more than most but for a skier that’s more of an intermediate level, I can’t go skiing near the ridge or the back country part. You also can’t take on this terrain unless you’re with someone that’s familiar with the area.

Minimal Lines

We were pleasantly surprised to find that there were hardly any lines, and the trails themselves were not as crowded as what we’ve encountered at other resorts. After researching the resort, it turns out that Big Sky is famous for its minimal lines and uncrowded trails. With 5,850 acres of skiable terrain and a 4,350-foot vertical drop, lift lines are virtually non-existent. Locals and regular visitors even joke that a wait longer than two minutes indicates an exceptionally busy day.

The resort is incredibly large, it has five terrain parks, thirty-nine lifts, and three hundred twenty trails. Jake and I likely covered less than 5% of the terrain, yet it seemed like we explored so much!

Lone Peak Tram

The tram that ascends to Lone Peak is known for offering incredible views on a clear day. Visitors have the option to either ride the tram back down or ski down. The descent consists of black diamond runs, which are not suitable for all skiers. By the end of the season, my aim is to develop the skills necessary to ski a black diamond run and make my way down from Lone Peak.

On the day we visited, it was extremely cloudy and foggy, making the tram ride pointless since we’d only see clouds. It was surreal; as we ascended, the fog thickened, and I initially thought my vision was impaired or the altitude was affecting me because I could see the ground but couldn’t tell whether it was powdery or groomed snow, or even spot any bumps or divots.

Hearing a group of guys who had just descended the same trail commenting on this, I asked jake about it too and he experienced the same thing. The blend of white fog and snow can indeed cause significant visibility issues.

Trails for all levels

What I really appreciate about Big Sky is that they offer trails for all skill levels, and there’s a good variety of them. One thing I’ve noticed is the there’s a decent amount of double blue trails, which cater to advanced intermediates. I attempted one of the trails, and it was quite steep! I managed to get down, but I’ll definitely need more practice before tackling a black diamond.

Throughout the day, I had the opportunity to enhance my technical skiing skills by tackling moguls and weaving through trees. I’m very pleased with my progress. Skiing out west offers expansive terrain, particularly within the forests. Here, trails are evident, yet there’s no single route through the trees; skiers carve their own paths as they traverse the woods. I made sure to stick to areas that were clearly frequented by other skiers to avoid getting lost.

Brighton Resort

We fell in love with Brighton as soon as we got there!

Impressively, it offers 30 trails for night skiing, which is quite unique. With a total of 77 trails and 8 lifts, Brighton spans nearly 1000 acres of skiable terrain, making it one of the more intimate ski mountains in the Rockies.

During my research on the mountain to share with everyone, I discovered that on some days, it’s necessary to reserve a parking spot or use the shuttle service. It’s just wild the difference out here compared to the east coast, but it also understandable why skiing is so much more popular out here.

This resort is probably one of the smaller ones near SLC. Brighton has 1,875 vertical feet of amazing Utah skiing, whereas Loon Mountain in Lincoln, NH offers a vertical drop of 2,190 feet. Thus, if you’re use to skiing in the east, you’ll notice the heights are nearly comparable.

Brighton exudes a homey, local ski resort vibe. It features a base lodge with multiple lifts that take you to various parts of the mountain. This mountain is a favorite for both Jake and me, out of all the places we’ve skied. The conditions are outstanding, and the runs are impressively long.

We took an ungroomed trail covered entirely in powder. To our surprise, there was about two feet of fresh powder. Many people were falling down this trail, yet it was incredibly fun! At one point, I fell and as I tried to stand and reattach my ski, my leg plunged through the snow, well past my knee. It was quite the experience, absolutely incredible.

What made this mountain truly unique was the sheer number of snowboarders; it was wild, as I’ve never encountered so many while skiing. On several occasions, as we were on the lift, I noticed I was the only skier around them. Such an experience is quite uncommon.

Brighton is an enjoyable mountain due to the fantastic conditions, and it’s generally considered an easier mountain for skiing compared to Snowbird. Having a good time can be tough when even the beginner trails are more challenging.

All in all, I would give this mountain a 10/10!

Sunday River

I believe Sunday River will always hold a special place in my heart, as it was where I spent most of my first year learning to ski. I was reading some reviews on Sunday River and was quite surprised. Jake and I always arrive right when the lifts start running to beat the lines and get the best conditions early in the morning. No matter where you go, there will be areas on the mountain that get skied off, so it is best to go early!

Great snow making

Sunday River has 144 trails and 19 lifts across approximately 884 acres of skiable terrain. Although the ski resorts on the East Coast may not receive as much snowfall as those in the West, they have mastered the art of snowmaking. Skiing in powder is an experience, but well-groomed slopes on the East Coast can also provide an enjoyable experience.

Not only do they have excellent snowmaking capabilities, but the amount of skiable terrain is amazing. It also offers a variety of different levels of terrain.

I also experienced my first fall at Sunday River. When I initially began skiing, I attempted a green trail that I assumed would be easy, but it proved to be much more challenging than I had anticipated. It was a busy day, resulting in more moguls than I was accustomed to. Consequently, I took a tumble and hit my head. Fortunately, I was unharmed, but one of the medics had to me down on their sled.

And that is why everyone should wear helmets!

Jordan Bowl

Jordan Bowl is one of the most popular areas of the resort, featuring the 8-passenger D-line chairlift. Blind Ambition is one of my favorite trails winding through the woods and consisting of low-angle glades.

Jordan Bowl also offers an igloo where you can sit down to enjoy a drink or two. However, since Jordan Bowl is quite popular, lines can become rather long, which is one of the drawbacks of skiing in that area.

It’ll be fun to go back and ski Sunday River one day, especially since I’ve gotten a lot better being out west!

That this week! Next week, I may need get a bit creative with my posts as we ski the same locations on the weekends. Stay tuned!