Location: Solitude Mountain Resort is 25 miles from downtown Salt Lake City and 12 miles from the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon.
Lifts: Seven lifts—one quad, two triple chairs and four double chairs.
Base: 7,988 feet
Peak: 10,035 feet
Skiable area: 1,200 acres with 63 named runs, three bowls and 400 acres of terrain in pristine Honeycomb Canyon. Twenty percent of the runs are beginner, 50 percent intermediate and 30 percent advanced/expert.
Lift passes:
All-day $44
Half-day $37
Children $14
Combination Brighton/Solitude $59
What it's known for: Solitude is known as a popular resort with locals. (What local skier isn't familiar with the Roundhouse?) It was one of the first resorts to introduce skiers to the high-speed four-passenger chairlift. It has a great variety of terrain, award-winning trail planning and an intimate European village at the base that was introduced a few years back. It's a place skiers know they can go and beat the crowds.
Solitude is popular among snowboarders.
Ravell Call, Deseret News |
If you go: Not everyone has heard of the Yurt, but enough people have to make it one of the toughest reservations to secure in Utah. After-ski diners snowshoe or cross country to a Mongolian yurt, where gourmet chefs prepare a five-course meal. This is an experience you'll need to plan well in advance. Solitude also features an electronic ticketing system, called Access Card. The card, placed in a pocket, offers instant access to the lift. The Moonbeam II lift is the most popular lift, but skiers should take the time to explore other lifts, especially Sunrise and Summit. For day skiers, lunch at the Sunshine Grill, on midmountain near the top of the Moonbeam II lift, offers great food, but best of all is a panoramic view of the area.
Best kept secret: Honeycomb Canyon, accessible by both Summit and Powder Horn lifts, is one of many historical mining areas that existed more than a century ago. If it were possible to take an x-ray of this canyon, it would resemble a honeycomb, thus the name. Besides its historical significance, it is the home to some of the best off-trail powder skiing at Solitude, with its open bowls, chutes and tree runs. It's worth mentioning, too, that tied in with the downhill resort is the
Solitude Nordic Center, near the entrance to the Brighton loop at the top of the canyon. Groomed cross country trails meander through the pines and meadows, offering mountain skiing for both beginners and experts alike.
For more information check out Solitude's Web site at www.skisolitude.com.
