Skiing in Utah

Utah has “The Greatest Snow on Earth”, - an average of 500” of light champagne powder annually. We also have some of the greatest ski resorts on earth, home to 12 world class alpine ski resorts. Utah has 10 resorts within an hour drive of the Salt Lake International Airport, and there are 7 within a 30-45 minute drive. Served by 13 major airlines and 726 daily flights, getting to Utah is convenient from just about anywhere.

No one knows for sure when or where skiing first started in Utah, but what is known is that by the 1870s, miners, snowbound in the canyons of the Wasatch for most of the winter, were strapping skis on to make their way around and between the canyons.

During the early 1900s several organizations began to promote skiing. The Wasatch Mountain Club, still going, formed in 1912. Club members began leading regular ski treks into the Wasatch Mountains.

By the 1930s ski jumping tournaments on famous Utah hills such as Ecker Hill outside Park City and Becker Hill near Ogden were drawing thousands of fans to watch local heroes soar to world record jumps. This decade also saw the opening of Utah’s first alpine ski resorts. In 1936 the Wasatch Mountain Club build a rope tow at Brighton Ski Resort and organized Utah’s first official alpine ski races. In 1938 Alta opened with Utah’s first chairlift (the second chairlift in the US behind only Sun Valley).

The 1940s saw Utah establish itself as the hotbed of ski competition. Alta began the famous Snow Cup tournament in 1940. Snowbasin hosted the US National downhill, slalom and combined ski championships in 1947 and the 1948 US Olympic team included a large contingent of Utah skiers.

The Utah Winter Sports Park (now called Utah Olympic Park) opened in 1993 with world-class jumping, bobsled and luge facilities. Construction also began on state-of-the-art cross-country skiing facilities at Soldier Hollow and ice facilities in Salt Lake City. In 1995 the International Olympic Committee awarded Salt Lake City the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.

Utah began its third millennium of skiing with a splash by hosting the most successful Winter Games in history when the state and its people welcomed the world for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.