Utah Kicks Off 2009-10 Ski Season

Pack up your skis and head to Utah to enjoy our early skiing. Solitude is already open. It offered a free ski preview on Halloween Day, and opened for regular skiing on Nov 6 - one of the earliest openings ever for a US ski resort. Most of our resorts will open during the next couple weeks and will be in full operation by Thanksgiving weekend.

Mother Nature is doing her part, aiming another juicy storm at us as I write this newsletter. Storms have been coming in every couple weeks and the long-term weather forecasters say that trend should continue, giving us another great snow year.

Below you will find the latest projected opening dates for our resorts (weather permitting).

Many resorts offer discounts for early bookings, often combining lift tickets and lodging to offer early season discounts. For example, Snowbird has a stay-and-ski promotion with some packages starting at just $99. Snowbird consistently ranks as one of the best resorts in North America. You'll never find a better deal for such quality.

Our resorts report strong bookings for the Holiday Season. If you want to stay at the resorts between Christmas and New Years, or over Presidents' Day Weekend, you need to book immediately. There are always rooms available in Salt Lake City, only a short drive from the lifts, but the ski-in, ski-out accommodations at the resorts fill up quickly.

The resorts have invested millions of dollars on upgrades and improvements, with expanded terrain parks, improved lifts, new snowcats, more snowmaking equipment and electronic bookings options. For example, The Canyons, already Utah's largest resort, has added a new high-speed quad that provides access to some areas on Iron Mountain. Future expansion there will add over 250 new acres for skiers to explore, featuring intermediate and advanced terrain.

New this year at Snowbird, kids 12 and under will ski free with all lodging packages booked through Snowbird Central Reservations or www.snowbird.com. Snowbird has also renovated its Tram Club, which now features 12 flat screens, 3 projection screens and all major sports packages. Also at Snowbird, the Aerie Sushi Bar has been renovated and is now open year-round. The Aerie Sushi Bar is also no longer a private club so the whole family can enjoy the extensive offerings, including a café menu with kid-friendly items like burgers and fries.

These are just a few of the improvements skiers will see this season. All of our resorts have worked to improve every aspect of the ski experience.

But our snow, that hasn't changed. Our resorts will get some 500+ inches of snow during the next few months - the greatest snow on earth. We continually top national rankings for snow quality and overall visitor experience.

Now's the time to book Utah ski vacations.

- Dave Webb

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