Seasons at Snowbasin

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Snowbasin has grown into a year-round destination spot since the Winter Games

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the second in a seven-day series on the Seven Wonders of the Top of Utah and the Seven Wonders of Utah as voted on by Standard-Examiner readers.

Covering 3,000 acres on the east slope of Mount Ogden and featuring a 3,000-foot vertical playground, Snowbasin offers outdoor adventure and indoor elegance in both winter and summer.

The resort receives about 400 inches of snow annually and operates 12 lifts, including two high-speed, enclosed gondolas, capable of carrying nearly 15,000 skiers an hour up the mountain.

In 2000, Snowbasin began several major upgrade projects, building new lodges and lifts, in preparation for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. The resort hosted six of the game's marquee skiing events -- the men's and women's Downhill, Super G and Combined races.

"The Olympics was the best thing to ever happen to Snowbasin," says Kevin Stauffer, the resort's guest services supervisor.

Resort owners Earl and Carol Holding, who also own the Sun Valley resort in Idaho, spent millions of dollars on the resort before the Olympics, Stauffer says.

The couple purchased the resort in 1984, and also own nearly 15,000 acres of land surrounding the ski slopes.

"They became enamored by the beauty of the mountain," Stauffer says, "and wanted to create a resort that would be in the spirit of Sun Valley."

The Holdings' develop-ments have taken the mountain from a "blank canvas" to one of the finest ski areas in the world, he says.

Snowbasin has been voted in the top 30 ski resorts in North America by both Ski and Skiing magazines, an impressive ranking, observers note, considering it is a day-only resort, with no on-site lodging.

Stauffer says one of the main reasons for the resort's acclaim is its snow.

Snowbasin uses one of the world's largest automatic snowmaking systems, with more than 500 snowmaking guns capable of covering 600 skiable acres. A computer system uses weather stations placed all over the mountain to adjust the machines every 15 seconds, making the snow quality continuous from top to bottom.

"The snow is great, and it is so well-groomed, it's amazing," says Butch Hoffman, a long-time skier from Ogden.

Butch's son, Scott, who learned to ski at Snowbasin when he was 2, and went on to ski professionally and for the US Ski Team, said the mountain and the snow are like a second home to him.

"Snowbasin has been my babysitter for 45 years," Scott Hoffman said while riding the resort's Needles Gondola recently. "The skiing is wonderful."

The resort also features a fully equipped ski shop, as well as ski and snowboard rental. Snowshoers and cross-country skiers also have places to play.

The resort prepares several terrain parks each year, full of jumps, ledges and rails. A three-person staff is dedicated fulltime to constructing and maintaining the parks.

Along with runs ranging from beginner to expert, the resort regularly grooms the runs used for the Olympic downhill races, allowing visitors the chance to experience the same thrills.

Snow sports, however, are not the resort's only attraction. The Needles Lodge, John Paul Lodge and Earl's Lodge all feature gourmet dining, all overseen by internationally known Executive Chef Elio Scanu, who most recently headed a restaurant in Venezuela.

Each lodge offers wood-fired pizzas, an open grill, soups and salads, all presented at individual stations, which allows diners to order their meals and watch their preparation. Needles also offers specialty German food, and John Paul features Italian fare.

Earl's Lodge was awarded best restaurant in Northern Utah by Salt Lake Magazine this year, Stauffer says. Earl's Lodge and the Needles Lodge are open for nonskiers, as well, and feature weekend brunches and dinner buffets.

"Our food is a cut above," Stauffer says. "From the service to the fact that we eat with silverware and china, we encourage visitors to ski a little bit and eat often."

Each lodge's dining room also features floor-to-ceiling windows offering panoramic views of the mountain. The cathedral ceilings expose the massive logs used to build the lodges and large fireplaces radiate heat throughout the buildings.

The Needles Lodge, at the top of one of the gondolas, sits at nearly 9,000 feet and offers sweeping views of Morgan and Weber counties.

While snow is the biggest draw to the resort, Snowbasin offers summer activities as well, including mountain biking, hiking and two disc golf courses.

Bikers can tote their bikes up the Needles gondola and spend hours riding down more than 13 miles of trails criss-crossing the mountain, Stauffer says.

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