Powder Mountain—Eden, Utah

Powder Mountain—

I’ve been a skier since I was eleven. The first time I attempted skiing, my middle school friends took me up a chairlift on a tiny mountain in Pennsylvania and we all hit the trail. I wasn't afraid; I just did it, maybe because the slope wasn’t particularly steep or probably because I had a crush on a boy in my group and wanted to look cool. I’ve loved the feeling of gliding down runs ever since. I’ve skied mountains in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York State, Vermont, New Hampshire, California, and Park City, Utah. And even though every outing was thrilling, nothing tops skiing out West.

A Family of Skiers

On one family trip to Vermont, my husband and I enrolled our three-year-old twins in ski school instead of the babysitting room. We had similar stories about when we first learned to ski, and neither of us ever took a lesson. We didn’t want our girls to inherit our lousy form. Since we both figured the sport out on our own, we wanted a safer experience for them. In their early twenties, they are better skiers and love skiing as much as we do. Thankfully, they also enjoy hitting the slopes with their parents, even if we don’t look as elegant when we carve our way down.

A Mountain Like No Other

When the opportunity to ski Powder Mountain in Eden, Utah, came up, I jumped at the chance to ski out West with my family again. I love my New York and Vermont haunts, but skiing in Utah is totally different. Each winter, the Wasatch Range receives a ton of snow– over 400 inches of “The Greatest Snow on Earth,” better known as pristine powder. And the mountain is high (8,900 feet), so the runs are longer, allowing more time to enjoy the gorgeous alpine scenery as you swoosh down the slopes.

Powder Mountain Is a Sustainable Resort Powder Mountain is the largest resort in the United States, covering 8,464 acres (including ungroomed trails), and i t ' s sustainable. It's privately owned, with the intention to preserve the skier experience. Management established crowd controls to ensure that everyone gets the best skiing of their lives. Pow Mow limits daily lift tickets to 1,500 skiers with season tickets capped at 3,000 per year. They say it's roughly three acres of snow per skier with that much terrain. They also like to brag that Pow Mow skiers have been social distancing since the 1970s when the mountain first opened.

Eden, Utah

Photos, clockwise from left: Snowboarder Enjoying the powder on Pow Mow; Aerial view of Powder Mountain; Uncrowded chair experience on Paradise Lift; Live music at the Powder Keg; A ramen bowl at The Timberline Lodge; Craft beer at the Powder Keg; Skiing through powder; My family hitting the slopes Pow Mow never makes snow. That means the mountain opens when nature dumps enough flakes to signal opening day. That timeline varies from year to year, but usually, the mountain is open for skiing from the end of December to the end of March. Other resorts “blow” snow, with a specific opening day in mind. But once you pump frozen water out onto the runs, you aren’t skiing on powder. When the snow melts, it usually freezes in the late afternoon. I’ve skied on enough ice out East to know that means dangerous, conditions later in the day. At Pow Mow, the powder swirls, and floats. When I skied through it, it felt like I was in my own personal snow globe. I was giddy making tracks down the trail and had the biggest smile on my lips under my face covering; it was exhilarating.

There are no lift lines to speak of. We waited less than ten minutes for a significant chair lift and, at other times, hopped right on. I’ve experienced thirty or forty-minute lines for a chair back up to the top at different resorts. I was blown away by how Powder Mountain manages the crowds, lifts, and general operations. We spent more time skiing and less waiting, making for a fantastic day.

The Ambiance Is Low Key

The main lodge is rustic and simple. I’ve skied at luxury resorts and family mountains, and I prefer a chill vibe. We are there to ski. I like to enjoy my group and the friendly people I meet along the way. We could care less about anything else. I like their homey lodge and the affordable price of those delicious, Ramen bowls served in an unfussy atmosphere. I don't need more than that. I just want to ski. And, after we're tuckered out, après-ski at the Powder Keg bar, to enjoy live music and local beer.

My Family Skied To Their Hearts Content

We loved discovering Pow Mow. We hopped on and off lifts, explored different runs, and cheered each other on when we learned how to ski powder properly. Afterward, we went to the Powder Keg to “re-live” our favorite trails and toasted a stellar ski day at this hidden gem. I feel grateful that I met such genuine people and had quality family time outdoors in this winter paradise.