Plan Your Next Winter Getaway To This Underrated Western Ski Destination
When looking for places to strap on your skis and hit the slopes in Utah, many people think of Park City, where events for the 2002 Winter Olympics took place and the US Ski and Snowboarding team trains. However, there is another fantastic Utah ski resort just 40 minutes from Salt Lake City that one Tripadvisor forum user calls "Utah's best kept secret." That's because this mountain doesn't draw in crowds, it has heaps of fresh snow, and Tripadvisor users find it to be much more affordable as a winter destination. The underrated mountain is called Solitude, and we are low-key obsessed.
Located in the Big Cottonwood Canyon, Snow Brains reports that Solitude receives the same amount of snowfall as its larger competitors but without the crowds, living up to its name. It has 77 ski runs and over 1200 acres to traverse, with the mountain peak clocking in at 10,035 feet. While it receives 500 inches of snow annually on average, in 2023, it got a huge 800-inch snow dump, per Powder Magazine — this forced an extension of the ski season, meaning you could've found yourself skiing in July! The Salt Lake Tribune reports that getting to Solitude might be easier and more economical if you leave your car behind — the Utah Transit Authority offers free rides to the mountain for season pass holders.
Solitude Mountain has tons of family-friendly community events
On top of Solitude Mountain being a great place to ski without crowds, there are some incredible community programs that won't break the bank. During the summer months when everyone is sweltering from record-high temperatures, Solitude runs the Moonbeam Adventure Festival. Participants can play golf, tackle the climbing wall, and enjoy the bungee trampoline or a bouncey house for the kids, per Powder Magazine. There are food and prizes to be won, and best of all, it's free.
Another fun community initiative is the Solitude Ambassador program, where those who love skiing or mountain biking can become official ambassadors, sharing their experiences on social media, per Instagram. There's no skill level requirement, and you don't even have to have skied before.
Perhaps our favorite family-friendly event is the annual Chocolate Lover's Festival. Ski Utah reports participants can pick up a free "Chocolate Lover's Passport" upon arrival and then follow a map to find goodies all throughout the mountain, with prizes to be won.