Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort

The combination of super skiing and snowboarding plus super facilities lures both hard-core enthusiasts seeking spectacular powder, and those who enjoy the pampering that accompanies a stay at a full-service resort. Consistently rated among America's top-10 ski resorts, Snowbird, P.O. Box 929000, Snowbird, UT 84092-9000 (tel. 800/232-9542 or 801/742-2222, and 801/933-2100 for snow conditions; www.snowbird.com), is Alta's "younger, slicker sister." The same wonderful snow falls here, but this resort has a wider range of amenities, including Snowbird's extremely popular spa and salon -- worth the trip even if you don't ski. Some, however, find Snowbird's dense, modern village and resort atmosphere cold compared to Alta's historic, European-style lodges and classic, ruggedly Western atmosphere and attitude.

Expert skiers love Snowbird, which has plunging cliff runs like Great Scott, one of the steepest runs in the country. Mogul-meisters will want to take the Peruvian or Gad II lifts to a great variety of fall lines on some steep and sinuous runs.

But beginners and intermediates haven't been forgotten, and their runs are also top-notch. There are even some "family-only" ski zones. Novices might want to head over to explore West Second South, set in a woodsy glade, or the less crowded Baby Thunder area. Intermediates will enjoy the excellent runs coming off the Gad II lift; if you decide to take the tram, wait around a bit at the top while your fellow riders take off so that you'll have these blue runs all to yourself -- the next tramload won't get dumped off for another 5 minutes.

The entire mountain is open to snowboarders, and the resort also provides snowmobile adventures and cat skiing and snowboarding.

Snowbird has 89 runs on 2,500 acres, rated 27% beginner, 38% intermediate, and 35% advanced/expert. The ski season generally runs from mid-November to mid-May, although the record-breaking 600 inches -- that's 50 feet -- of snow that fell in 1994-95 allowed Snowbird to keep the lifts running through the Fourth of July -- the latest lift-served skiing ever in Utah. From a base elevation of 7,760 feet, the vertical rise of 3,240 feet reaches Hidden Peak at 11,000 feet.

An aerial tram transports 125 skiers and boarders at a time up 2,900 vertical feet to Hidden Peak in about 7 minutes. It's quick, but can feel like a crowded New York City subway car. Snowbird also has four high-speed detachable quads, six doubles, and two conveyor lifts, giving it a total uphill capacity of 17,400 skiers per hour. The tram and lifts operate between 9am and 4:30pm daily, except for one that operates until 8:30pm for night skiing Wednesdays and Fridays, and luge on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

Off the Slopes at Snowbird -- Don't miss the popular Cliff Spa and Salon (tel. 801/933-2225), which offers a lap pool and huge whirlpool, aerobic and weight-training rooms, and individual treatment rooms for massages, body wraps, mud baths, and hydrotherapy. The Snowbird Canyon Racquet Club (tel. 801/947-8200), 15 minutes from the slopes, features 23 tennis courts (10 indoor), racquetball, and aerobic and cardiovascular facilities. Snowbird provides a variety of facilities for children, including a state-licensed day-care center and a youth camp; call for details.

Lift Tickets -- Adult lift tickets cost $59 for a full day and $52 for a half-day; for both lifts and tram, the cost is $69 and $59, respectively. Children 12 and under and seniors 65 and over are charged $39, or $56 including tram. Combination lift tickets are available for both Snowbird and Alta.

Lessons & Programs -- The ski and snowboarding school (tel. 801/933-2170) offers an all-day class (which includes lunch); a package for first-timers; and specialized workshops for racers, women, snowboarders, half-pipe riders, and seniors. Half-day workshops start at $80.

Established in 1977, Snowbird's Wasatch Adaptive Sports Program (tel. 801/933-2188; www.wasatchadaptivesports.org) is among the best special-needs sports programs in the country. Using state-of-the-art adaptive ski devices and a team of specially trained instructors, the program is available to both children and adults. Sit-skis, mono-skis, and outriggers are available at no extra cost.

Heli-Skiing -- Between December 15 and April 15, helicopter skiing is available on more than 40,000 acres from Wasatch Powderbird Guides (tel. 800/974-4354 or 801/742-2800; www.powderbird.com). Daily rates (seven runs, a continental breakfast, and lunch) are $910 to $980 per person from mid-January through the third week of March, and $770 to $840 per person at other times.

Where to Stay & Dine -- The approximately 900 rooms at Snowbird range from standard lodge units to luxurious condominiums with kitchens and fireplaces. Snowbird Central Reservations (tel. 800/232-9542) books all lodging for the resort and can also arrange air and ground transportation. Room tax adds about 11.6%; resort fees add another $5 to $15 per night.

The Cliff Lodge & Spa is located in a ski-in, ski-out pedestrian mall. Practically all of the 511 rooms, with mission-style furnishings, have splendid views of the mountain or canyon. Choose a standard or extra-large room, or a one- or two-bedroom suite. You'll find a splendid spa, restaurants, shops, and practically anything else you might want. Rooms are $229 to $389 double, and suites start around $400.

The Lodge at Snowbird, The Inn, and Iron Blosam Lodge are condominium properties, offering rooms, efficiencies, studios, and one-bedroom and one-bedroom-with-loft units. Many have Western decor and Murphy beds and/or sofa beds. Rates range from $159 for a basic room at The Inn to $800 or more for a deluxe room in a lodge.

The Aerie Restaurant (tel. 801/933-2160), on the top floor of the Cliff Lodge, features New American dining with spectacular views, and serves a skier's breakfast buffet in the winter, and dinner year-round. Entree prices range from $20 to $40. Also in Cliff Lodge, El Chanate (tel. 801/933-2025) serves Mexican seafood for lunch and dinner in the summer, dinner-only in winter. Dinner prices range from $8 to $25. On level B of Cliff Lodge is the Atrium (tel. 801/933-2140), with tremendous alpine views. It features a buffet lunch in winter and a light breakfast buffet in summer, with prices from $12 to $22. The Atrium Espresso Bar is open daily.

For steak and seafood, try the Steak Pit (tel. 801/933-2260), in Snowbird Center, open for dinner daily. Prices range from $19 to $45. Also in the Snowbird Center is the Forklift Restaurant (tel. 801/933-2440), serving breakfast and lunch daily. Prices range from $7 to $11.

The Lodge Bistro (tel. 801/933-2145) is on the pool level in the Lodge at Snowbird, offering an eclectic dinner menu in an intimate setting. Italian fare is offered for dinner daily at Iron Blosam's Wildflower (tel. 801/933-2230). Entrees at both range from $10 to $35.

Warm-Weather Fun -- After the skiers go home for the season, Snowbird is still active with hikers and mountain bikers. A lift hauls mountain bikers up the slopes. In July, Snowbird's music program includes live jazz and performances by the Utah Symphony; call for details.