# SLC locals, I need help with skiing & rivers



## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

My daughter just moved to SLC (Sugarhouse area).
She is working for Vail Assoc in Park City and will get a ski pass.
I live in Golden but will be in SLC seeing her and my grandson. 
I get a Loveland Pass which this year comes with 3 days at Powder Mtn. 
Trying to decide if I should get an Epic Pass which also includes Park City.
My question is, are there any deals on Park City Lift Tickets bought in SLC?
I would probably just ski 3-5 days at PC, prefer Powder Mtn.
I also assume she will get some discounted tickets but her husband would use those. 

Second question, is it true that the closest Class 4/5 is in Banks, Idaho???
I am sure I will be passing thru SLC more often on my way to Idaho, 
when does the Weber River run?
Anything else near by for Catboating?

Thanks for any help!


----------



## Roddy (Sep 8, 2011)

If you are looking to maximize your ski time with your daughter, then an epic pass may be a good option, but PC/Canyons is nowhere near the best skiing in UT. Pow mow is fun, fluffy and chill. Snowbasin, BCC and LCC are all better options than PC, so if you want a taste of UT skiing, don't get locked in to the epic pass.

I am also a catboater and I like to hit the Murtaugh, and the Bear rivers when they are running...which is not often enough, I also go to Banks...so yeah, the best boating in northern UT is in Idaho. The Webe (hen-tag) is weak. I am trying to figure out how to get scrambled eggs on the Weber, but the take out is no bueno-you either have to deal with a powerhouse/decapitator damn and then take out above a low-head damn - or take out in a lane of I-84, neither are good options. 

Just my opinion...you know what they say about opinions.

Feel free to pm me, but I may be slow to answer.


Sent from my iPhone using Mountain Buzz


----------



## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

I can't imagine Park City day passes are cheap no matter where you get them, probably can't gas up at Shell and get a 2 or 1 voucher in SLC. I don't know the pricing off the top of my head, but I'd bet the Epic Pass upgrade is still cheaper than one day pass at the window...

As for Powder Mt. you should definitely check it out. Great little area that makes up for the lack of really rad terrain with a nice attitude. That's the only place I've ever had an on-duty ski patroller say "follow me" and drop into a tuck...

Have fun!

-AH


----------



## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

Thanks. Forgot about Murtaugh and the Bear.
Is most of the Weber a road scout?
My daughter need to get on a river nearby.
How predictable are the flows on these three? 
Very light cats, portages and difficult access are often part of the deal.

Have skied almost everything in Northern Utah, except the Canyons.
Prefer the smaller, less crowded area, but this is about skiing with family.
The logical choice is to get an Epic Pass, but Loveland is so close and easy.


How does Utah get some much powder and have so few runnable rivers and creeks?


----------



## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

Rich said:


> How does Utah get some much powder and have so few runnable rivers and creeks?


That's the downside of the world's driest powder!


----------



## mkashzg (Aug 9, 2006)

Andy H. said:


> That's the downside of the world's driest powder!



It's not any dryer than Colorado and we got lots o water!??


----------



## markhusbands (Aug 17, 2015)

The Wasatch is about the size of some of Colorado's subranges.


----------



## wasatchbill (Apr 9, 2007)

Hi Rich, 
Ya the watersheds are not that big in UT; and the creeks near some of the best skiing (LCC/BCC) are too steep and woody for paddling for the most part. American Fork (watershed south of Alta/Snowbird) is slightly more kayakable, but its steep, low volume creeking with tons of wood. 
The Provo, Weber and Ogden can be good, but are dam controlled so it takes a big year for the class 4 runs (Provo: Bridalveil, Weber: Eggs, Ogden: Narrows) to come in. I saw some folks run a shredder down the Ogden Narrows once. I don't recall seeing a full size cat on any of these.
The upper Logan is a very nice undammed 4-; but very narrow, brushy, never seen a cat on it. Roadside scout for the Monolith crux. You know how spring is, everything runs at once; so you often have to choose between Logan, upper Provo, Price, Ogden Narrows (and all of Idaho, WY, etc)..then its all done. 
The Webers class 2/3- Henefer to Taggart, that is the most reliable summer water around here; its just getting shut off right now. Its between an interstate and a railroad, with ridiculous numbers of tubers on summer weekends. I don't remember seeing a cat on it; there are commercial rafts tho. There is a low bridge in Croyden, much discussion if oar rigs fit under it. Weber State will not rent their small rafts for the Weber in the summer; they say they get too beat up (?). Seems to me a little Puma would be perfect. Or an Aire inflatable couch 

The Snake's Alpine Canyon, and Greys, are 4 hours away, Payette area is about 6. Its so worth it to go up there... even last weekend, there are still some cat boaters running the lower 5 every day. Even the "warmup" still has big sections (at 1080cfs!) (as well as some rocky sections). 
If you like big water you would love the Lochsa in the spring...

Black Canyon of the Bear only runs for 4 scheduled release weekends in early spring; its cold; and often a powder day with the lifts running. 
Murtaugh I am not too familiar with; various levels seem to run at random times, dam released; it can be huge in a big spring. 
For easier big runs there is the Green River daily, and Moab Daily... 
Westwater on the Colorado needs a permit, runs all the time; that is right on your way from Golden to SLC.
Cheers, 
Bill


----------



## skibumandy (May 18, 2016)

I can assure you there is no 3rd party seller of discount tickets to any Vail mountain.... You used to be able to get 20% off tickets if you bought them at Ski-n-see or some other shops in the SLC area but Vail Resorts does not allow any 3rd parties to sell tickets, you can only buy directly from them. 

Another option would be the Epic Local pass. You have some blackout dates (usually x-mas to new years, and presidents weekend) but those days are usually unbearable on the mountain anyway. They also have a 5 and 7 day epic option that you can use at any resort.


----------



## basinrafter (May 12, 2009)

Rich said:


> My daughter just moved to SLC (Sugarhouse area).
> 
> I also assume she will get some discounted tickets but her husband would use those.
> 
> ...


Does Vail Resorts not give spouses and kids of employees free season passes anymore? It's been a LOOONNGGG time since I worked for them, but that's how they used to roll.


----------



## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

Thanks everyone for the info. 
I'll need to check if Vail gives family passes. 
Looks like a Epic Local Pass is the ticket for skiing and long drives are needed to boat.
I was hoping I could stop in SLC for a day of boating with my daughter on the way to and from Idaho.
Does the Weber run in late May to mid June?
I had also forgotten about the Greys River and surfing Alpine Canyon.
But spending a little time on Google Earth, I realized the closest Class 4/5 to SLC is NOT in Banks, Idaho, but is Cross Mountain Gorge in Colorado.


----------



## tanderson (Mar 26, 2010)

I've floated the Weber section Henefer to Taggert in September. Be ready for millions of drinking/partying tubers. This fun little section is yet another victim to advertisement and recruitment from companies that rent the tubes. Put in early (9-ish) and you should avoid the onslaught.

tda


----------



## tmacc (Sep 6, 2009)

My wife works FT for Vail and as a spouse, I get a season pass. I think spouses and kids get passes even if they're PT. 20 hr a week or so. She also get (4) free day passes to hand out and 10 or 15 50% off day passes.

BTW, she's looking for 3-4 folks to work in the cash vaults 20 to 30 hr a week. (hopefully, this won't get me trouble with the mods.  )


----------



## RiversRohrer (May 7, 2011)

tmacc said:


> My wife works FT for Vail and as a spouse, I get a season pass. I think spouses and kids get passes even if they're PT. 20 hr a week or so. She also get (4) free day passes to hand out and 10 or 15 50% off day passes.
> 
> BTW, she's looking for 3-4 folks to work in the cash vaults 20 to 30 hr a week. (hopefully, this won't get me trouble with the mods.  )


The pass options (4 free day passes) all depend on the job level. Unless they've changed it again this year, entry level employees all get maybe 8 half priced comp passes.


----------



## tmacc (Sep 6, 2009)

You may be right. Vail does change things around. Employees still get passes for spouse and kids though. I'm not sure what the cut off is hours wise.


----------



## ENDOMADNESS (Jun 21, 2005)

My wife works the minimum...4 hours a week. We all get passes (2 kids and me, $40 each i think)


----------



## jeffabel (Apr 22, 2011)

The Ogden river through the canyon 4-4+, and below the canyon 2-3 usually runs in April and May. It's too narrow for a cat but good for a kayak.


----------



## paulster (May 27, 2011)

The Utah Avalanche Center will be selling a limited number of donated Park City discount lift tickets this year. They are not in and we don't know the price yet, but keep checking utahavalanchecenter.org. Ski and support a good cause at the same time.

Once nice multi-day no-permit run that nobody has mentioned yet is the Jarbidge/Bruneau and associated tribs. Very snowpack dependent, sometimes with a short window and some years doesn't run or barely runs. Cottonwood Creek, S of Price and more or less on your way, is another nice run, but short and also subject to snowpack. Kayak only on Cottonwood, kayak or small raft with high tolerance for tough portages only on the J/B.


----------

