Figuring out where to ski or snowboard this winter can be a difficult decision. Whichever resort you choose, you can assure yourself you will be getting some of the greatest snow on earth, as the Utah license plate states. Being a native of Arizona but loving to ski and the outdoors, it has been a dream being able to live in Utah. Skiing is just one of the many Utah activities that need be taken advantage of, as many of us are only here for a short time. Budgets are tight and time is limited, so we must choose wisely where to allocate our $7.25 BYU minimum wage. Each ski resort will be reviewed based on the following criteria: distance from Provo, snow fall, resort size/features and price.

Courtesy of David Johnson

Sundance:

Distance: Sundance is located 13 miles north east of Provo on Mount Timpanogos.
Snowfall:300″ annual average snowfall.
Resort size/features: has 41 runs on 450 acres of ski area. One fun thing they have added this year is night skiing. Sundance has no ski or snowboard park.
Price: College midweek season pass (M-F) is $199 before Oct. 31 and $299 after. College Unlimited season pass (Any day of season) is $375 before Oct. 31 and $475 after. Night skiing only pass is $150. Day passes range from $25 – $55 for the day.
Contact: Sundace (801) 223-4121

Park City:

Distance: Park City is located 45 miles from Provo. Plan on about 1 hour of drive time.
Snowfall:360″ annual average snowfall.
Resort size/features: 107 designated trails and 750 acres of skiing/riding. They have 16 lifts with 4 high-speed lifts making it very fast to get around the mountain. With the biggest superpipe in the country and 4 terrain parks ranked by Transworld Snowboarding magazine in the top ten, this resort is a favorite of experienced ski and snowboarders. They also offer tubing and sledding during the winter.
Price: College season pass is $375 before Oct. 30 and $545 after. Day passes still are not posted.
Contact: Cam (480) 580-8253 for season passes.

The Canyons:

Distance: Located 47.5 miles from Provo. Plan on about 1 hour of drive time.
Snowfall:355″ annual average snowfall.
Resort size/features: 155 designated trails and 3,700 skiable acres. 2 terrain parks and plenty of ski area make it one of the biggest ski resorts in the country. A large resort with different kinds of terrain for every skier or snowboarder.
Price: College season pass is $385 before Nov. 19 and $519 after. Spouses of college students are also eligible for the same price. Day passes TBA.
Contact: Brady (480) 200-1881 for season passes.

Snowbird:

Distance: Located 45 miles from Provo. Plan on about 1 hour of drive time.
Snowfall: 500″ annual average snowfall.
Resort size/features: 89+ runs and 2,500 skiable acres. Snowbird is an excellent resort for accessing amazing terrain. Snowbird has a tram that takes you up about 3,000 feet in 8 minutes which allows you to access lots of terrain in a short time. One of the biggest bonuses to skiing at Snowbird is when most resorts close in May, Snowbird stays open some years until July 4th. Snowbird offers several terrain parks and one terrain pipe.
Price: College chairs only pass $484 and College tram/chairs pass is $614 by Dec. 15. Day passes TBA.
Contact: Nathan (805) 807-6115 for season passes.

Brighton:

Distance: Located 52 miles from Provo. Plan on about 1 hour and 10 minutes of drive time.
Snowfall:500″ annual average snowfall.
Resort size/features: Skiers and snowboarders at Brighton have access to some of the best backcountry in Utah. They also have several terrain parks and a pipe. They also have a large portion of the mountain lit up at night for some great night boarding. Brighton has 1,050 skiable acres with several high speed lifts.
Price: College student/spouse season passes are $599. Day passes range from $12 - $58.
Contact: Brighton resort (801) 532-4731.

Alta:

Distance: Located 45 miles from Provo. Plan on about 1 hour of drive time.
Snowfall: 500″ annual average snowfall.
Resort size/features: Alta is a skier’s paradise with lots of deep powder and amazing terrain. 116 runs on 2,200 skiable acres. Everybody skis for free after 3 p.m. This is a skiers-only resort, no snowboarders allowed. There is no terrain park but plenty of terrain.
Price: College student/spouse is $599 for the season. Day passes range from $29 - $61.
Contact: Alta resort (801) 359-1078

Of course these are not all the ski resorts in Utah but they are probably the most popular among college students. Make sure you get out this season to enjoy the beautiful Utah snow.

Ski resort review awards:

Best price: Sundance

Best snow: Alta

Best terrain park: Park City

Best backcountry: Brighton

Best value: The Canyons