Snowbird Magazine | 2017-18 by Snowbird

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M A G A Z I N E

TWO THOUSAND EIGHTEEN

T A B L E O F

C O N T E N T S

The Snowbird Unimog is in there...somewhere.

by Alex Kaufman

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D E C I S I O N

J A N U A RY 2 , 2 0 1 7

Boodeledoop. You know, the sound of a text arriving on your life device. Adam Wheeler (AW): “Yo Kaufman. Let’s go to Crested Butte. It’s going off in the Rockies.” Alex Kaufman (AK): “Dude I have to work. Don’t have time to fly to DIA, drive, acclimate, hope it’s still deep in a few weeks.” AW: “You’re a loser.” Two hours pass. Checks Western U.S. snow stoke portals. Mentions to wife that Adam has proposed we go to Colorado. Wife encourages, setting off a ripple of unexpected results. AK: “So... I seem to have a hall pass. Would you consider SLC instead so we can limit the time wasted in travel?” AW: “I’ll go wherever - just want deep.” We take this budding chat thread to a phone call and start looking at flights and figure out a JetBlue option from Boston to SLC that’s $262 roundtrip three weeks out. We’d have to hope it kept snowing to get the deal. Jan. 20 – 6.0”

It did. A lot. Some might say too much.

Jan. 21 – 4.5” Jan. 22 – 14.0”

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A R R I VA L

J A N U A RY 2 2 , 2 0 1 7

Jan. 23 – 6.5” Jan. 24 – 17.0” Jan. 25 – 7.0” Jan. 26 – 6.5” Jan. 27 - 3.0”

Driving to The Cliff Lodge up Little Cottonwood Canyon after midnight in the midst of Star Wars warp speed headlights level snowfall courtesy of four wheel drive, it was impossible to grasp what we were in for on day one. We learned later that the canyon road had closed a couple hours after our passing due to avalanche control work. Some of you get my analogy about “Star Wars warp speed headlights level snowfall” and if you don’t, ask someone who skis more than you.

25 inches of snow fell in 24 hours and provided face shots for days.

I N T E R L O D G E

J A N U A RY 2 3 , 2 0 1 7

We awoke to whatever the hell “Interlodge” is and started the waiting game with zero knowledge of what to expect. There would be skiing on this day, but it would wait until 1:30 p.m. in order to allow for historic (I’m guessing) amounts of avy control work on the road as well as the ski area. The previous night’s 18 inches had landed weighty on top of a lighter layer at the tail end of a many foot stretch. The locals were chomping. The snow blowers were choking. We were merely amazed with a side dish of helpful acclimating time. After an hour of sweating in our base layers between 8 and 9 a.m., lodge to lodge travel was momentarily permitted so we geared up and trudged from the swanky Cliff Lodge to the Snowbird Center in hopes of deep turns soon or at least deeper intel from the locals. In retrospect, this was ill advised. It meant that instead of lounging in the hot tubs or catching up on sleep, we’d instead be stuck in the Snowbird Center in our ski boots as the sounds of artillery echoed until after lunchtime. Oh well. What we lost in naptime we gained in conversation with a cross-section of amped skiers from around the world. T H E

C O M P A T R I O T S

· Two guys with snowmobiles who were trying to get to Alta but got stuck and recommended we eat breakfast burritos from General Gritts. We never actually did. Regret. · The 20-something sisters from San Diego that have been coming to Snowbird since they were kids. Also their friends from Sweden. · The traveling shred head from Atlanta who grows bamboo for ski poles on the side and clearly gets more turns in than your author from Vermont. · The lifty that made it up the road somehow and was playing poker on his phone while waiting for the green light from ski patrol. · The oil and gas executives from Texas playing A**hole with 24 ounce canned beer inviting others to join. · The middle managers who do their best to answer unanswerable questions with a smile and a version of “once it’s safe.” Just after 1 p.m. the call came down. 90 minutes lapping the waist deep Wilbere Chair was all us East Coasters needed to get our legs underneath us prior to devouring the coming three days of deep. 6

T H E

T A K E A W AY S

· The Peruvian chairlift is a beast. Sorry East Coast, but that’s how you stack vert. · If it’s 2 p.m. on a powder day and your gas tank is low but you can’t quit, head for the mellow private pow that hasn’t been hit yet on Baby Thunder. · If locals know you are not from Utah, and won’t slow them down, they’ll show you the stuff (since you’re not around to pillage it daily). Make friends. Once home after four days of snorkeling, I translated our gobsmacking luck and the lodge characters we met into episode 42 of my side gig podcast Wintry Mix. Subscribe before your next flight to the mountains. And if you’re visiting from out of town, don’t fear getting stuck. Aim for it. It’s temporary. PS: If you were in the Mineral Basin lift line about an hour after it opened on January 25, 2017 and participated in the raucous singing of Happy Birthday to a guy named Anthony that I instigated, it actually wasn’t his birthday at all, and he didn’t know I was going to do that to him. Welcome to the joke. A reformed truck-living ski bum turned ski business executive turned affordable housing asset manager with two kids, author Alex Kaufman freely admits he’s become a pow snob. If you are still curious you can check out @wintrymixcast on twitter or instagram.

LISTEN TO THE FULL PODCAST

Alex Kaufman (right) and Anthony Flores (left) sample the goods of this storm cycle. 7

Snowbird’s high-speed, flying couches are a far cry from your parents’ chairlifts, with technological advances creating quick rides that skiers and snowboarders love. The Baldy, Gad 2, Gadzoom, Little Cloud, Mineral Basin and Peruvian lifts – known as detachable because their chairs separate from the haul cable when passing through stations – cruise at a brisk 10-12 miles per hour. That’s more than double the speed of the original chairs that opened at Snowbird in 1971, known technically as fixed-grip lifts. The key to a detachable system is that chairs slow by 80 percent for seamless loading and unloading in stations. The concept is simple but it takes countless moving parts and people to make these techie chairlifts tick. Next time you ride in a high-speed chair, look up at the spring-loaded mechanism above you, called a grip. When you arrive at the top, steel rails compress the powerful springs, opening a jaw and temporarily freeing your chair from the fast-moving line. With the lift cable (called a haul rope by lift staff) immediately headed back down the hill, a series of tires take over above to drive the grip smoothly through the station. Rubber wheels ride on two rails, making the chairs a lot like trains on a track. For maintenance purposes, there are even railroad-style junctions and sidings. On the far side of the terminal, beyond where you ski down the unload ramp, more tires accelerate the chair.

The grip’s jaws are pressed open once again and closed back on the cable for another lap. With quad chairs spaced just six to 10 seconds apart, this remarkable process repeats some 35,000 times on an average winter day at Snowbird. Because these metal grips are always moving and key to the safe operation of lifts, they are periodically pulled from service and tested for imperfections at microscopic levels. Amazingly, a single detachable lift station includes around 70 tires that are all linked together with belts and gears to stay perfectly in sync, even when the lift slows or stops. Yes, that means on the rare occasion a detachable lift experiences a mechanical delay, it’s sometimes due to a simple flat tire! Dozens of sensors, switches and a central control system constantly monitor everything from grip attachment points to wheel speeds and rope positions. Detachable lifts include a spacing system that can briefly slow down or speed up a chair to maintain proper distances between hundreds of carriers. On a high-speed lift’s towers, switches monitor rope location and key towers feature wind instruments to help staff during storms. On the newest models, lift operators can even track specific chairs on a touchscreen to better assist guests with special needs.

Just like traditional chairlifts and the Tram, electric motors power detachable lifts with one or more diesel engines providing backup. These are highly efficient machines; Gadzoom runs at approximately the same equivalent peak horsepower as a modern electric car but can move 2,600 skiers well over a mile uphill per hour. Snowbird’s most powerful lift, Peruvian, is rated for an impressive 1,200 horsepower and speed of 1,000 feet per minute.

“Gadzoom runs at approximately the same equivalent peak horsepower as a modern electric car but can move 2,600 skiers well over a mile uphill per hour.”

All of Snowbird’s lifts are designed and manufactured by the famous Swiss-Austrian firm Doppelmayr-Garaventa, whose U.S. base is right here in Utah. Doppelmayr built the world’s first high-speed quad chair in 1981 and the technology arrived at Snowbird in 1997. Since then, the Bird has invested tens of millions of dollars building detachable chairlifts that whisk guests throughout the mountain comfortably and efficiently. A dedicated team of mechanics and electricians work year-round to ensure these complex machines operate safely so you can enjoy more of the “Greatest Snow on Earth.” Peter Landsman is a lifelong skier and author of Lift Blog, a website covering chairlift, gondola and tramway technology. You can read more at www.liftblog.com.

L E A R N M O R E O F T H E S T O RY

A PERFECT PACE FOR FAMILY BY NICOLE FELICIANO

It’s a long way from Brooklyn to the 11,000’ summit at Hidden Peak. Getting there took more than just a direct flight from JFK to SLC. It took a leap of faith. Growing up in Maryland, I never really understood the allure of skiing. A few ill-fated high school trips to a crowded and icy Hunter Mountain in NY managed to kill any early romance for the sport. As my college friends spent spring breaks chasing snow, I became a “beach person.” That is until I married a diehard skier. There weren’t many snags in our relationship, but my disdain for snowsports was a deal-breaker. Being open-minded (and head over heels), I gave the sport one last try. Turns out it IS fun to ski...when you go West. As they say in real estate, location is everything. To avoid those horrible ski-related memories of my youth, we’ve done things differently with our girls. We brought them to Utah for their first turns. From age 2, our girls were hooked - on the sport, and Utah. TIMING IS EVERYTHING Every ski resort has a reputation. Some better deserved than others. For us, Snowbird meant taking on longer runs and steeper inclines that required stamina. Both our girls are tweens now and ready for the bigger thrills and challenges of Little Cottonwood Canyon. Trusting our precious vacation time to Snowbird was a great decision. You’ll find fancier resorts, but you’re unlikely to find folks more passionate about skiing. GO BIG OR GO HOME We planned a big first day – starting off with a ride on the Aerial Tram. To prep for the day ahead of us, we started with breakfast at The Aerie. Located on the top of The Cliff Lodge, we tucked into fluffy pancakes and mapped our powder day strategy. Fueled by carbs and bacon (am I alone in thinking there’s something extra delish about mountain bacon?) we headed up to 11,000’ in the Aerial Tram. The 125-person Tram covers 2,900 vertical feet in approximately seven minutes. The girls nabbed a spot by the windows to take in the views. (TIP: If you can’t make it down blacks, don’t worry, you can also download the Tram).

As a rite of passage, this was my younger daughter’s first expert terrain out West. She was more than ready. Watching my girls rip down Regulator Johnson literally took my breath away – this is the stuff ski parents dream of. Most of my photos are of the back of their helmets as they zoomed by me headed towards the next adventure. The snow gods smiled on us during our visit. We got fresh powder each night. As the slowest skier in the family, I relished how the knee-deeppowder mellowed the pace. Let me tell you, falling is a lot more fun in two feet of powder! Our East Coast family was overwhelmed by the serenity and quiet of Utah. We seemed to have miles of mountain all to ourselves. Sure the Tram is awesome, but our happy place was doing loops on Gad 2, ducking off trails into the glades. Accustomed to ice and crowds, our little family tapped into the sheer joy of wide open spaces. OFF-MOUNTAIN FUN A good family ski trip is a blend of off and on-mountain fun. Our family has non-negotiable post-ski rituals, such as the après-ski dip in the heated outdoor pool and a piping hot cocoa loaded with all the fixings. We also love lingering over hearty meals retelling the stories of the day (our motto is “if you aren’t falling, you aren’t trying hard enough”). The kids loved El Chanate, a casual Mexican restaurant at The Cliff Lodge. Skiing Snowbird will provide ample dinnertime conversation and the stuff of sweet dreams. COMING BACK FOR MORE There’s something about the way the folks at Snowbird embrace and revere the outdoors that stands out. They are incredible stewards of the land and of the ski industry. I can sniff out those who are just in it for big bucks and those who are in it for the love of the snow. Snowbird is the spot for purists...even those of us who took a while to get there. Nicole Feliciano is based in Brooklyn, NY and is the CEO of Momtrends Media and Publisher of the Family Ski & Snowboard Guide. Catch up with her on Instagram @skimomsfun.

By Lexi Dowdall

The reasons folks flock to the Bird every year: unrivaled terrain, pristine powder, the friendly atmosphere and clear mountain air. For the 20172018 season, Snowbird renews its commitment to green initiatives and clearing the air for the Reducing Individual Driving for the Environment (R.I.D.E.) program’s second year. By incentivizing guests and employees, Snowbird aims to educate the people who appreciate recreating in the Wasatch about the value and benefits of carpooling. Snowbird was the first ski resort in Utah to implement an innovative system to reward employees, skiers and boarders who are willing to work toward Snowbird’s goals of combating canyon congestion, improving air and water quality, and reducing emissions. Last year, Snowbird eliminated over 224,000 miles of single-occupancy vehicle trips by encouraging employees and guests to carpool, vanpool or take the bus. This is equivalent to saving 15,000 gallons of gas and preventing over 290,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions. Based on the success of the previous year, Snowbird has set its sights on loftier goals for the season ahead with big improvements to the R.I.D.E. program. Evolving R.I.D.E. this season, Snowbird encourages visitors and employees to download the new Snowbird R.I.D.E. app to track bus rides and log carpools with three or more people. The app logs riders’ trips and rewards while increasing the ease of participation. By syncing with the contact list on a user’s phone or by inviting friends through Facebook, the Snowbird R.I.D.E. app can also identify friends interested in coordinating a carpool. Carpoolers with three or more riders enjoy priority parking at Entry 1 and 2 for faster access to the mountain. For every five occasions when users carpool or ride the bus, they earn a pocket-size water bottle that helps reduce plastic waste at Snowbird and supports Protect Our Winters. For every 10 occasions when users carpool or ride the bus, they earn a half-price, transferrable Snowbird day ticket. 14

These R.I.D.E. participants are entered into a monthly drawing for pre-public rides on the Gadzoom chairlift at 8:15 a.m. To ride the lifts before anyone else has a chance to trace lines in the powder is truly a once-in-a-lifetime privilege. Employees of Snowbird can participate in a slightly different program, earning $10 gift cards for every 20 trips logged. Employees are entered into a monthly drawing to receive $100 cash and a free night’s stay at the luxurious Cliff Lodge. Snowbird has worked with the other resorts in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons to promote the R.I.D.E. program, in an effort to amplify environmentally responsible behavior. Snowbird’s Director of Sustainability and Water Resources Hilary Arens states, “It is important to Snowbird to identify tangible and significant ways to help improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion. We think incentivizing people to carpool and take the bus is a move in the right direction. We want people to come to Snowbird, while providing solutions to reducing their carbon footprint.” Snowbird is introducing free electric vehicle charging stations in The Cliff Lodge parking structure on Level 2 this season and has also added zero-emission electric vehicles to their fleet. By creating a fun program and reducing the effort required to jump on the carpooling bandwagon, Snowbird is directly addressing numerous issues and challenges associated with its close proximity to a large metro area. When you take a moment to enjoy the clean air and lofty peaks of Little Cottonwood, thank the R.I.D.E. program and the many employees and guests who are committed to a greener future at the Bird.

Since its founding in 1971, Snowbird has held environmental stewardship as a priority for the resort. As our planet now faces the ever-growing affects of climate change, the ski industry is particularly vulnerable. In order to maintain the Greatest Snow on Earth, we must take significant actions to reduce our resource use, while creating opportunities for others to as well. To address the long-term challenges presented by climate change, Snowbirdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goals are to:

REDUCE CO

emissions and waste from resort operations.

IMPROVE air and water quality. ENGAGE the community through education and advocacy on meaningful actions that positively impact the environment around Snowbird and beyond.

“You can’t get a beer in Utah.” That’s #FAKENEWS! Last April, while skiing top-to-bottom powder, and walk-on Trams all day, I wondered if people actually believed this urban legend and that’s why the slopes were so empty on a powder day. Yeah, we’re in a desert, but other than our powder snow, it isn’t dry in Utah when it comes to adult beverages. I certainly wasn’t complaining about the lack of crowds and having the hill to myself, but we thought maybe it was time to clear up myths surrounding beer in Utah.

OKTOBERFEST Anyone that’s been to the venerable Oktoberfest, which just celebrated it’s 45th anniversary, knows the beer flows like...umm beer. One of Utah’s longest running cultural festivals, and one of the largest American Oktoberfest celebrations, features beer stands around nearly every corner of Snowbird’s pedestrian village. You’ll find several familiar beer choices, as well as traditional German brews, and our favorite, Snowbird Session IPA. (see page 19.) Oktoberfest is as much of a Snowbird tradition as the Tram, as their histories are intertwined. The genesis of Oktoberfest dates back to the Tram construction, where one of the workers would entertain guests riding the Tram with traditional German folks songs. One of the visitors enjoyed it so much he approached Snowbird with the idea of an Oktoberfest, which began building the event to what it is today. While there are plenty of suds at Oktoberfest, this is a family-friendly event, including many activities beyond hoisting a cold one. Last year, Snowbird had Utah’s first Major League Eating Competition, where 12 professional and amateur eaters stuffed as many bratwursts into their mouths as they could in 10 minutes. Yes, it was disgustingly fun to watch! Also, it’s hard to beat the sound of an alpenhorn atop Hidden Peak, along with some traditional German food at The Summit. And just like the Alps, beer is served. It’s worth emphasizing that Oktoberfest is open to all ages and children are free to enjoy all of Snowbird’s summer activities. Parent pro-tip: head to Oktoberfest as a group of families and take turns with one set of parents tending to children’s activities while the other set can grab a pint between Tram rides, mountain coaster adventures and runs on the alpine slide before swapping parent-duty. Oktoberfest runs from mid-August to mid-October, and while lederhosen is not required, you’ll notice plenty of traditional garb. “Take notice of the round tables at the front of the tent by the dance floor,” says Kate Crooker, Oktoberfest event manager. “The folks sitting at those tables, in German attire, are all German. They come to the event every weekend because they want to - they are not paid. In fact, these families were the first cooks for Oktoberfest. They sing and dance and cheer because it’s fun!” They may have also had a few steins, because after all it’s Oktoberfest. In Utah. At Snowbird. 17

SNOWBIRD SESSION IPA Beer is a simple food, errr drink. Water, grain, malt and hops, along with time to ferment, is all it takes. It never ceases to amaze us the variety of brews made from similar ingredients, and yet the good folks at Wasatch Brewery just released your favorite new local beer: Snowbird Session IPA. IPAs are all the craze in hop-head circles: bitter (from the extra dose of hops) and highly drinkable, India Pale Ale’s have taken the craft beer world by storm. Unlike some of the heavier IPAs on the market, the Snowbird Session IPA is refreshingly unique, remarkably balanced and doesn’t suffer from bitterness that turns many off to this style. Coming in at 4% ABV with 35 IBU’s, Snowbird Session IPA was created to pair with all seasons at the resort. It’s a great option at Oktoberfest in summer and fall, as well as after a powder day or sunny day of spring skiing. Snowbird’s Food and Beverage Director Frederic Barbier worked with Keith Riekena at Wasatch Brewery on the recipe to create a true four-season beer. “Keith and I have been working together since I started working at Snowbird, and we had talked for a while to come up with a beer that would be great for Snowbird,” recalls Barbier. “We did do a seasonal one a few years back, Snowbird Dunkelweizen, and last year we started working on a new beer and came up with a great session IPA, that’s super easy drinking and great after a hike or skiing.” Order a can or draft at all Snowbird restaurants, Wasatch Brewery or pick up a sixer at a Salt Lake grocery store near you. Now, would Snowbird have it’s own signature brew in a state with no beer? Myth busted. Cheers to that! Nick Como traded in the skyscrapers of NYC for the peaks of the Wasatch over a decade ago. You can find him ducking his downtown Salt Lake City professional duties on a powder day in Little Cottonwood Canyon. He makes it a point to après-ski even on days he didn’t actually ski.

B I D D L E M E E T

S N OW B I R D ’ S

I S F I R S T

a F E M A L E

B A D A S S S K I

PAT RO L

D I R E C TO R

BY DAWN CARDINALE

Tina Biddle gets rave reviews: exceptional, incredible, tough, smart, badass. People cite her tireless work ethic and say she’s gained universal respect. Humility is also a strong trait of Biddle’s, and nobody likes a windbag. Perhaps this combo of exceeding competence and perspective is why, as her husband Matt says, “Everyone likes Tina.” Patrollers give Biddle appreciative sobriquets like Ma Biddle and the oracular Connector (from Gladwell’s The Tipping Point). Connectors link people to their world with “a special gift for bringing the world together.” They’re also trendsetters, which is appropriate. The first female patroller at Snowbird was Marty Hoey, close to 40 years ago. Since then, the number of women on patrol has never reached double digits. Even so, Mountain Risk Manager Brian Buse says, “There’s a general trend in the industry to think differently.” This applies to both female hires and different ways of doing the job. For example, Biddle recalls her inspiration at Breckenridge, coach Karen Davis, helping her realize, “Women can do many of the same things as men—we just need to have a little more finesse instead of brute strength.” It’s not better or worse; it’s different. Diversity unites different perspectives, an excellent spark for ideas and progress. It’s the perfect place for a Connector. Biddle does yoga, sit-ups and planks before she starts her day, which means a 3,000-vert hike to Hidden Peak before work. Work is a long, physically demanding day in ski boots. Patrollers shoot howitzers, load up unwieldy bamboo and carry 200-lb toboggans—while skiing steep terrain. Veteran patroller Margie Van Komen says, “It’s not a Baywatch or lifeguard lifestyle.” But both women wear irrepressible smiles through the snow and wind. If the Connector sounds faultless and alien (Matt calls her “unfailingly nice”), be assured she’s completely human, with normal interests, odd hobbies and things she sucks at. Biddle bakes “a mean walnut tart,” makes granola and lies on the couch (though it’s so rare, people ask, “Are you OK?”). She does weird things like make her own toothpaste (“So I know what’s going on my teeth”) and obsessively plans her day’s activities.

However, there are limitations: she’s terrible at sleeping in or being sedentary. It’s doubtful she could ever catch up on Game of Thrones. When it came to knitting, she lacked stamina. “I’ll take it up again when I can’t ski or bike,” she says. See? Almost normal. The weirdest thing Biddle has done is work at a bank. An exercise-addicted, planning-obsessed skier who started her ski days skinning to the top (“in all kinds of weather”) long before she joined patrol clearly doesn’t belong in a bank, or anywhere indoors. Biddle isn’t just perfect for the job of patrol director; it seems the job is perfect for her. She’s effusive about all aspects. “It’s fun to throw explosives. It’s scary as hell tiptoeing across avalanche-prone terrain … and it’s so amazing to be there at sunrise and be there at sunset.” When asked about being the Bird’s first female director, Biddle says, “If I can help that process to give women more confidence in their abilities in leadership roles, I’m all for it!” Perhaps she’s unaware she and veteran Kellie Hunsaker are established role models, particularly for patroller Jennifer Gebhardt, who plans to stay at the Bird her entire career. Patroller Eliza Allen adds, “Biddle always speaks up when men misbehave.” Biddle agrees she never hesitates. Voice is a powerful instrument; there are no leaders without it. When women see real-life examples, it’s undeniable proof of what’s possible. It’s the “she can see it, she can be it” idea. Until it’s seen, it’s abstract as a dream. When girls or women see Biddle leading patrol, it’s a concrete answer to the question: Could I do that? It’s affirmative to that and much more. Dawn Cardinale is a writer and playwright from New York who moved to Utah to ski. She loves storm days and her intrepid friends, including pilot Alison Cardinale, operating engineer Julie Collins, cat driver Jen Dodge, snow ranger Polly Bergseng, lead counsel Emily Loeffler, firefighter Amy Anderson and more.

KNOW YOUR ROOTS

By Lexi Dowdall

PAG E 1 8 22

The history of Little Cottonwood Canyon is rich with tales of gritty determination and impossible dreamers. However, I never pondered that while screeching at my little sister, “Watch out for crazy Pete!” when racing around the banked turns of Snowbird’s Mini Miners’ Camp ski run. We usually skied beyond the edge of control—much to the dismay of our Mountain School instructor, Annie. At ages 10 and 8, Mini Miners’ Camp was easily our favorite run at Snowbird. The painted wooden cutouts depicting toothless, grizzled miners, a graveyard and a saloon are a fine ode to the canyon’s mining heyday - a nod to the storied past of Snowbird. Rewind back to 1869, when silver was discovered in Little Cottonwood Canyon, resulting in a massive influx of miners and fortune seekers. Hundreds of mining claims carved a patchwork of scars across the mountainsides. The most profitable claim, the Emma Mine (and namesake for the Big Emma ski run) produced over $3.8 million in silver ore. Before long, the silver lodes went bust and a cataclysmic avalanche devastated the town of Alta in 1885. The canyon remained relatively quiet until 1939, when the Collins Lift at Alta began to spin. In the year 1954, skier Ted Johnson moved to the sleepy town of Alta. For over 10 years, Johnson worked various jobs at the resort but also spent time exploring the untouched slopes directly west of Alta. Johnson and a few intrepid Alta locals enjoyed hiking the exposed ridges to harvest the pristine powder fields of Peruvian Gulch and Gad Valley. “There was no better skiing in the world than that,” he recalled. As Johnson’s appreciation for this landscape grew, so did his dreams for the future of Little Cottonwood. Johnson scratched together about $30,000 of capital to purchase the abandoned Blackjack mining claim. Throughout the 1960’s, with the same grit as the miners of yore, Johnson burrowed deep into decaying piles of claim records to identify the land he’d need to bring his dream to fruition. The landscape was named Snowbird, after a small claim that yielded no silver. Though he was running low on finances, Johnson convinced Warren Miller to come and film a short segment about the miraculous powder skiing in Utah to try and attract an investor. After countless rejections from investors and corporations, Johnson fortuitously met Richard D. Bass at a party in Vail, Colorado. A wealthy Texas oilman and rancher, Bass was immediately captivated by the grand vision of Snowbird. “In 1969 when I saw Ted Johnson’s 13-minute home-grown movie of Snowbird, he hooked a 160-pound Bass. He was the founder and I was the funder and away we went,” joked Bass.

One visit to the site of Snowbird was enough for Bass. He signed on as General Partner, underwriting the substantial construction costs. Bass supported and expanded upon Johnson’s inspiration, stating: “My underlying dream for Snowbird is the creation of a year-round resort, which respects and complements the beauty and inspiration of this natural setting—a place dedicated to increasing human understanding through the enhancement of body, mind and spirit.” The Bird was almost ready to soar. Meanwhile, Bass and Johnson surrounded themselves with good people. The long-time employees are part of what makes the Snowbird experience so unique and special. Snowbird’s Winter Operations Director Peter “Mongo” Schory recalls, “I came to Alta in ‘66 during Christmas break; I knew about the snowfall and terrain and a new ski resort opening up called Snowbird. I knew nothing of avalanches...” Soon enough, Schory would learn of their destructive power. Construction proceeded at a furious pace. Snowbird CEO and President Bob Bonar remembers working 12-16 hour days, seven days a week. “Most of what you see here was built in two summers; we spent every waking moment cutting all the runs, building the lifts, the Tram and the cat roads.” Snowbird opened on Dec. 23, 1971 with the Aerial Tram, three lifts and the Snowbird Center.

“My underlying dream for Snowbird is the creation of a year-round resort, which respects and complements the beauty and inspiration of this natural setting — a place dedicated to increasing human understanding through the enhancement of body, mind and spirit.” Dick Bass - Co-Founder of Snowbird

Of those early days, Bonar recalls: “The challenges were extreme: the amount of snow, the avalanche conditions and the treacherous Little Cottonwood Canyon road. Bass understood that operating Snowbird would require the A-team. That fact hasn’t changed in 46 years.” That first winter, the team had a harrowing and memorable experience when a howitzer shot brought a huge avalanche roaring down the mountain. The avalanche debris thundered all the way to the Snowbird Center. “That for us was a wakeup call,” Bonar recollects. “We had operational challenges Bass and Johnson understood, and this set the tone for our team.” The Bird was off to a rollicking start. In 1974, Johnson sold his share of Snowbird to Bass. The Silver Fox ski run was named after Johnson (because of his wealth of gray hair) and honors his incredible vision to build the Bird. The evolution of Snowbird as a resort committed to providing an unparalleled experience is apparent in how the landscape has been developed. Many things have changed since those early days. What hasn’t changed is the passion guests and employees alike share for this place and its magnificent powder snow. Experiencing one of these powder storms can change you forever. Schory, having watched Snowbird hatch from an idea believes, “You really never leave Snowbird, something draws you back to this canyon. It’s important, Snowbird is always a part of who you are, and it’s not just Snowbird, it’s Alta, it’s the canyon, it’s such an incredible area—it speaks for itself.” Bonar adds, “Snowbird has a bright future as we continue to be a family-owned and operated resort with the Bass-Cumming families. Snowbird has an advantage in that the management team is very solid with a vast amount of experience and institutional knowledge.” These days I spend my time bootpacking Mount Baldy, waiting for rope drops on The Cirque or lapping Gad 2. Though, every now and then, I’ll take a friend and show them the surprises lurking in the trees of Mini Miners’ Camp. I’ve spent my whole life learning to love every inch of Snowbird and I aim for many more Tram laps and powder days. Lexi Dowdall has been skiing the slopes of Snowbird since she was a wee chickadee - born near the base of Little Cottonwood to parents who worked at The Bird, she didn’t have much choice in the matter. When she isn’t busy wrangling freeriders in her work with the International Freeskiers & Snowboarders Association, she dabbles in freelance storytelling and photography and is a Ski Utah team athlete. Follow her rambles @kapowder.

— NO ADVENTU R E IS O FF-LIMI TS — UA CHU G ACH GT X JAC K E T

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“This above all: to thine own self be true...” - William Shakespeare, Hamlet

...And that is just what Snowbird has done. In a time where Mother Nature’s winter playgrounds compete for skiers and snowboarders, how does a mountain standout? Snowcapped peaks and smiling families cruising down corduroy slopes can be found at numerous ski resorts and in their advertisements. There is a competitive landscape of how resorts make everything quite similar and Snowbird was ready to buck the system. Snowbird Marketing Director David Amirault tells us this is why Snowbird wanted a change. “So many resorts are homogenized and play the middle,” Amirault explains. “What we’ve realized is in print advertising, advertising in general, nobody wins the middle. What we wanted to do is be unique to ourselves and make something that will challenge the reader.” With this in mind, Snowbird launched their new One-Star campaign featuring negative reviews from visitors to get people’s attention. Their first ad highlights a negative review from Greg in L.A.

Jeremy Chase, director of client services at Struck, agrees. “We needed to find focus and the point of differentiation,” Chase says. “Snowbird isn’t exclusive, but it’s not for everybody. How do we express that? Juxtaposition is a great way to celebrate who Snowbird is, unapologetically.” The creative team at Struck dove through Snowbird reviews on Trip Advisor, Facebook and comment cards that guests leave at the resort and hand selected the ones that would best work with images juxtaposing them. “By taking quotes from one-star reviews of the resort and using their own words against them, we’ve positioned Snowbird as one of the most unforgiving and rewarding mountains in Utah,” Chase says. Four separate ads will appear in Freeskier, Powder, Ski, Transworld Snowboarding and Ski Utah magazines. There are also digital versions of the ads and content that will be posted to the resort’s social channels. The campaign is so successful and versatile that it has generated its own merchandise. Guests can buy posters, t-shirts and other swag around the resort.

“I’ve heard Snowbird is a tough mountain, but this is ridiculous. It felt like every trail was a steep chute or littered with tree wells. How is anyone supposed to ride in that? Not fun!”

Greg’s complaint took off – FAST! The ad gained traction on the web and within a few hours, it became the top story on the homepage of the popular website, Reddit. With over 30 million followers, Reddit is the fourth most visited website in the U.S. Snowbird won the internet that day (Sept. 20, 2017).

Amirault says the idea to use such reviews came up in partnership with Struck, the resort’s creative agency based out of Salt Lake City. “The idea was to work with people who are local skiers and snowboarders that understand who we are and how to help revamp Snowbird’s message,” Amirault says.

If taking the internet by storm wasn’t enough, the resort’s print campaign proved just as successful. Snowbird was recognized as a “Top Ad of 2017” by Adweek (alongside Burger King, Toyota, McDonalds and L.L. Bean). Adweek is a leading source of news for marketing, media and advertising professionals.

“In our initial campaign concept meeting, we came to the consensus that we needed to embrace the unique aspects of what makes Snowbird special and be true to the product we sell,” Amirault says. “We’re known for our steep terrain, long runs and deep snow. For beginner skiers and snowboarders, they often find this to be a challenge. However, for our core guest, it’s what makes them come back year after year.”

Launching an innovative campaign like this took support from all levels at Snowbird. “It’s amazing that we have the leadership at Snowbird that understands what we are and what we are not,” states Amirault. “To have this creative freedom is rare.” It’s safe to say that Snowbird is sticking to what they know and are known for...even if it is too advanced. Julia Partain, a Salt Lake City native, is a freelance writer and editor for local and regional publications. After she unplugs, Partain enjoys yard work, running with her mutt and skiing in Little Cottonwood Canyon with her family.

“Utah ski resort gets a 1 Star review from a guy in Los Angeles because the mountain was too difficult. They used the one star review to advertise what the mountain is best known for. - Reddit, the 4th most visited website in the U.S.

E X P L O R E M O R E O F T H E S T O RY

W H A T ' S I N Y O U R B A G ? Now thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kind of a personal question. The items that a person totes around are distinct to each individual, much like the reasons that drive you to drop some change on a season pass to ride your favorite mountain. The following selection of Snowbird season passholders share what they carry on the hill and tell us what keeps them coming back to this special place, year after year.

F R E E S K I I N G C A S A N O VA

MARCUS CASTON Professional freeskier Marcus Caston can often be found in the Tram, ripping down Great Scott or waiting in line for a breakfast burrito at General Gritts. You may also recognize him from his spotlights in Warren Miller films, numerous ski magazines and even GQ. This Salt Lake City native has skied Snowbird for 27 years, is a member of the resort’s elite athlete team and aims to shred 202 days per season. After a storm, Caston prefers laps on Wilbere and believes that there are no friends on a powder day (unless you can keep up)! S N O W B I R D AT H L E T E P E R K S :

“Free Snowbird socks and t-shirts, girls chasing you through the Tram line...but mostly Gritts burritos.”

LOCAL GURU

D AV E P O W E R S 42 years ago, Acton, MA resident Dave Powers bought a one-way ticket to Salt Lake and has skied Snowbird ever since. Known to the locals as “Guru Dave,” Powers shares his avid knowledge of Snowbird and it’s daily conditions on his website gurudavepowers. com and in his book Snowbird Secrets (he knows what he’s talking about - he logs over 130 ski days a season). Powers enjoys sampling the goods on Fields of Glory, Silver Dipper and Great Scott. One thing he never misses - his morning meeting in The Forklift. S N OW B I R D PA S S H O L D E R P E R K S :

“You can leave when it’s crappy...but mostly you can ski it every day.”

THE PHENOM

TERJE LAMONT 5-year-old Terje LaMont (AKA Terje Tornado) has spent the past four years shredding Snowbird. This YouTube sensation from Sandy, UT logs over 110 days on the mountain during the winter, thanks to supportive parents, a season pass and Snowbird’s extra-long season. You may see this little grom ripping down Chips, Rat’s Nest or Baldy or just hanging out on the Tram deck listening to live music. He always rides with a smile on his face and a pocket full of high fives. Gummy bears and salami fuel his powerful little engine, along with the occasional PlayDoh ice cream cone from Baked & Brewed Café. S N OW B I R D PA S S H O L D E R P E R K S :

“Endless pow days, riding the Tram and my Snowbird family… but mostly snowboarding every day!” 37

B I G M O U N TA I N M A M A

JENN BERG Jenn Berg wears many hats these days: she is a mom of two boys, professional big mountain skier and Director of Digital Marketing for Overstock.com, just to name a few. She uses the perks of being a season passholder and Snowbird athlete to log all of the ski days that she possibly can during the winter. Berg, a California native and former U.S. National Freeskiing Champion, has skied the Bird for 19 years and considers North Baldy and Silver Fox her favorite runs. If you don’t see her there, look for her in six Warren Miller movies or in most ski industry magazines. S N O W B I R D AT H L E T E P E R K S :

“Calling one of the best resorts in the world, home...but mostly early ups on the Tram.” 38

SLOPE SURGEON

D R . D AV I D N A T H A N Dr. David Nathan knows the trick to work/life balance - become a Seven Summits passholder! When he isn’t operating on brains and spines, this neurosurgeon snowboards over 60 days during the winter (thanks to pre-public Trams and line-cutting privileges). Originally from Philadelphia, PA, Nathan headed out West 11 years ago to pursue his career in medicine and to ride Snowbird. Now he spends his time making turns on The Cirque or Tiger Tail with his riding crew, Powder Mafia. Every spring, these shredheads dress up as Elvis (aka ‘the running of the Elvii’) and make Tram laps to celebrate the end of the season. SNOWBIRD SEVEN SUMMITS PERKS:

“I like not having to wait in line so I can get my turns in and then make it to the office to see patients by noon, twice a week (I operate the other days).” 39

Taking Wine to New Heights at

By Nick Como

A bottle of wine is like a passport through both geography and time. Not that any of us are in a rush to leave Little Cottonwood Canyon, one sip and you can be in a European vineyard or a Napa estate, or perhaps the nose transports you to a childhood memory or memorable meal. Billy Joel may have said it best: “A bottle of white, a bottle of red. Perhaps a bottle of rosé instead...” Yeah, let’s do that!

Wine List Choosing the right wine is a challenge for most of us, and Snowbird’s Food and Beverage Director Frederic Barbier knows this. At 8,000 feet atop The Cliff Lodge, he’s built a collection of over 6,000 bottles deep, with 1,300 different options. Whether you prefer to leaf through 44 drool-worthy pages of wine, or go digital and use The Aerie’s custom app, Barbier and his educated staff are there to help you navigate the extensive list. Using the app is a breeze: you can search via winemaker, region, varietal and tap on any bottle for a description of what the wine will taste like. Swipe right (actually, you “add to cart”) to select a few you are interested in and Barbier’s team can help you make your final selections based on what might best pair with your meal. Hailing from Normandy, France, wine is in Barbier’s blood. In fact, the bottle of 2013, Blanc de Noirs, a Brut sparkling wine, we began our meal with was from his brother-in-law’s vineyard, Domaine Ansen, in the Alsace region of France. This small winery produces only about 600 cases a year, and 60 of them are at Snowbird: the only place you can find them in the U.S. It’s unique selections like this that have earned The Aerie the 2017 Wine Spectator “Best of Award of Excellence,” and are a testament to the wine program Barbier has built that is routinely one of the best in Utah.

Paired Dinners Continuing the passport analogy: the paired dinner that began in Alsace, ventured next to Idaho (not a typo) for a Cinder Viognier and a peach salad. The lamb shank entree called for a trip back to 2006 in the Rhône Valley for a Jean-Luc Colombo Cornas Syrah, reaching its peak drinkability now, and ended with sipping a port zinfandel from Napa for dessert. These selections were not just thrown together. Barbier had a story and relationship with each of these wines. Unique vintages offer the chefs the opportunity to showcase their skills as well, creating dishes to complete a unique pairing. Crab cakes and calamari work with the acidity in sparkling wine the same way the dessert course benefitted from the sweet port wine. Gourmet food and rare wine are always a winning combination, but it’s Barbier’s relationship with winemakers that have elevated Snowbird’s pairing dinner series. Guests can choose from seven pairing dinners at The Aerie, as well as a couple at the Steak Pit and The Lodge Bistro, with winemakers from half a dozen wineries, as well as a scotch dinner featuring Glenfiddich. One caveat we appreciate: winemakers and brand ambassadors invited to attend must be skiers. Barbier explains, “Our passion at Snowbird is skiing and their passion is wine or spirits. We want them to share their passion with us, but also share ours with them.” If you’re like us, have a passion for skiing and fine libations, The Aerie is the place where the two meet, unlike anywhere else in the world. But, don’t take just our word for it. Instead look to the names of winemakers who have presented at The Aerie and you’ll find names like Hahn, Krug and Mondavi.

The Aerie wine collection is 6,000 bottles deep, featuring 1,300 different options.

T H E C L I F F S PA

REIMAGINED BY BETH LOPEZ

“We received about 10 calls a day this summer from people wondering when the spa would re-open,” said Cliff Spa Director Joe Poisson, smiling as he surveyed the renovated rooftop deck. “People were a little impatient!” The good people of Salt Lake could be forgiven for their impatience – The Cliff Spa is as much a tradition among locals as it is among visitors. A top-notch spa treatment and sunset from the rooftop hot tub are the best pairing in the canyon – other than a powder day and a hot toddy, anyway. Last year, Snowbird decided it was time to refresh a space that, while beloved, had seen a couple decades of use. “We seized it as an opportunity to do more than refurbish the rooftop pool,” explains Poisson. “Yes, we needed to redo the deck. But, since we were shutting down, we thought, ‘Why not really reinvent the spa journey here? How can we really make this a retreat for visitors?’” Like the thoughtful experts they are, The Cliff Spa staff took the chance to spend months refreshing every detail of the guest experience. While the highly skilled massage therapists and aestheticians are ultimately what sets the spa apart, they wanted the space to also reflect just how special of a place Snowbird is. Poisson and his staff thought of how to extend the steam room’s famous eucalyptus scent throughout the space with aromatherapy diffusers and found a way to make the solarium waiting room more peaceful by relocating the tea station. They moved the hot tub’s bathrobe hooks to be out of the way of the tub’s jaw-dropping views of the Hellgate Cliffs. In addition, they added a cushioned bench where guests can sit and put their slippers on after coming out of the hot tub. The rooftop deck is vastly improved. The once-concrete surface is now a custom-designed heated ceramic tile system, with tiny openings between each tile for snowmelt to drain away. Tiles stay at a toasty 80 degrees all winter long, meaning that, unlike the icy old concrete, the deck is pleasant to walk across in bare feet or slippers. The 89-degree pool is now beautifully retiled and the toasty hot tub remains as deep as ever, yet it’s been lowered to accommodate better views of the canyon scenery. “We really wanted to think about place and about locality,” says Poisson. “You should be able to see the scenery you came here for, with unobstructed views. The lowered hot tub sits more flush with the deck and the grey and black deck tiles harmonize with the rocky cliffs in the distance.” On top of the improved swimming and soaking arrangements, the deck also features new patio furniture and lounge chairs, plus two gas fire pits with communal seating areas. The Cliff Spa is no longer a place you’d just drop by – rather, it’s a yearround hangout you’d never want to leave. (Yep, we checked: poolside room-service food deliveries remain available, so you can really settle in for the day.) Meanwhile, inside the spa, the yoga and fitness studio is relocated from its previously obscure corner. Now the studio boasts floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the pool deck and mountainside. Here, a variety of fitness classes will complement any ski day or spa day, with no extra fee. “It was very intentional for us to include fitness classes, yoga classes and the gym with spa access,” says Poisson. “We want people to come for a complete journey - a workout, relaxing soak, steam room session and a spa treatment. We’ve even had our experts go through the spa menu and curate selections of treatments that go particularly well together – like an ‘East Meets West’ blend of Swedish massage and Thai foot massage, which is especially great for skiers.” This more holistic approach to the spa menu encourages guests to branch out into new things, perhaps adding a Reiki session or chakra alignment they may not have tried otherwise. Everywhere a local product or piece of art could be incorporated, it now is. Soaps and lotions come from the Salt Lake-based Soffe soap company, which uses salt minerals from the Great Salt Lake. Local art and jewelry are featured in The Cliff Spa Shop, as well as ayurvedic oils and comfy yoga clothing. The Cliff Spa’s goings-on span every season, but in the summer, the Bend at the Bird yoga series is a fun high-point. This series of six weekly yoga classes are free and held on Tuesday evenings. Salt Lake yogis and Snowbird visitors enjoy an hour of breathing, flowing and stretching. The classes wind down just in time to head up for a sunset soak in The Cliff Spa’s hot tub. We can’t think of a better way to unwind, whatever time of year. A Salt Lake native, Beth Lopez bides the time between ski seasons by running on trails and reading on peaks. She writes for a living, worships every inch of the Wasatch and prefers her meals in burrito format.

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