How to Plan a Ski Trip to Powder Mountain

"I pulled into the main parking lot and immediately noticed the old-school, unpretentious vibe: free weekday parking, families lounging in snowbanks, and people stashing PB&J sandwiches for lunch. The mountain pairs that homey feel with genuinely big-resort terrain — 8,000 skiable acres (more than any U.S. resort and 700 more than nearby Park City), an average of 500 inches of entirely natural snow so there’s no snowmaking, and pockets of leftover powder days after storms. Lift lines are essentially nonexistent thanks to the mountain’s size; there are five public lifts serving 141 named runs (about 15% green, 29% blue, 56% black), plus snowcat-accessed sidecountry. Ski season usually runs early December to mid-April but is very snowfall-dependent, with mid-January to late March offering the best coverage; the resort runs dynamic pricing (daily adult tickets start around $109) and is not on Epic or Ikon, while night skiing is a flat $19. Programming includes group and private lessons (ages 3+), a five-week women’s program taught by female coaches, events like Grom Fest and Turn N Burn, and guided Ski N’ Skin trips into rarely touched terrain (about $500 for a half day for up to five people). On-mountain lodging is available through partners (Mountain Luxury Lodging and Wolf Creek Rentals) with full kitchens and ski-in/ski-out options, and rental shops and lodges on the mountain make it easy to avoid the tricky drive up Highway 158." - Evie Carrick Evie Carrick Evie Carrick is a writer and editor who’s lived in five countries and visited well over 50. She now splits her time between Colorado and Paris, ensuring she doesn't have to live without skiing or L'As du Fallafel. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines