Ski and Score: Plan the Ultimate Winter Sports Fan Trip to Utah!
In case you haven’t heard, Utah scored its very own NHL franchise in 2024 with the arrival of the Utah Hockey Club – bolstering the Beehive State’s status as “the State of Sport” with the newest addition to a bustling pro and college sports scene. Whatever you’re looking for on the ice, the court, the field, the pitch and beyond – Utah has it.
Best of all, with one of the longest ski seasons in the country thanks to its plentiful snowfall – you can catch a game (or a match, a meet, you get the picture) that fits in with your ski trip or day on the mountain. Here’s a guide on how to catch some bluebird powder or smooth groomer laps without missing tip-off, or puck drop, or kickoff, or…
Early-Season Groomers and Gridiron
Are you a football fanatic who is as rabid about first downs as you are about catching first chair? Utah may not have its own professional football team yet, but it does have (as of the writing of this article) two top-20 division I football programs, the Utah Utes and BYU Cougars. Based on the projected open dates of local ski resorts, it is possible to catch either or both of them in action as part of an early-season ski trip. The Utes play their final home game on Saturday, November 23 against Iowa State, while the Cougars square off against Houston in Provo on Saturday, November 30.
A quick look at the Ski Utah resort opening date list shows that Park City and Alta plan to spin their lifts for the first time for the 2024–25 season on Friday, November 22. It should be noted that resort open dates are highly dependent on weather and conditions, and can’t be guaranteed – but if you have the flexibility and fanaticism to give it a go, you could be tailgating at the resort on opening day on Friday, and grilling burgers among the Utah or BYU faithful on Saturday before kickoff. How cool is that?
The Utes even announced their 2024 schedule in this video with the Utah ski team!
Power Plays and Powder Days
The state of Utah is buzzing over the addition of its very own NHL team, the Utah Hockey Club, and there’s nothing better for those diehard skiers and skaters out there than to attend a game during their inaugural season as part of an epic ski trip.
UHC’s home opener was on October 8, a 5-2 victory over Chicago in their first-ever game. Their season lines up perfectly with the best skiing months that Utah has to offer. On most game nights, the puck drops at 6 or 7PM. Why not enjoy après-après ski at the Delta Center in downtown Salt Lake City, including some of the best in-arena food prices in the league? Time up your trip for when your team is in town and come from The Greatest Snow on Earth® to watch the action on the ice. While all of us at Ski Utah hope your skiing experience is perfect, we’ll be rooting for the home team! View the inaugural season schedule for the Hockey Club here.
Fast Breaks and Fresh Tracks
The Utah Jazz have played in downtown Salt Lake since 1979, bringing their name from New Orleans. They’ve had many successful runs in their history – most notably as worthy adversaries to Michael Jordan and the 90s Chicago Bulls, and plenty of success in recent years, too. They’re poised for another fun season in 2024–25, featuring NBA All-Star Lauri Markkanen and some of the best concession prices in the league – shared with the Hockey Club at the Delta Center.
We’re biased, but the Jazz uniform is the best in the NBA – showcasing the towering, snow-capped Utah mountains that are home to some of the best skiing in the world, and 10 ski resorts within an hour of the Delta Center. Like the NHL season, the Jazz play through the highest snowfall months of the year in Utah. Where else can you get from the ski hill to the hardwood in as little as 30 minutes? Don’t miss it! Check out the 2024-25 Jazz schedule here.
From the Piste to the Pitch
Since 2005, MLS club Real Salt Lake has called Sandy, Utah home. Last year, the Utah Royals of the NWSL made their return to the Utah sports scene. If you didn’t have snow sports and soccer on your bingo card, you haven’t had a proper sports ski trip yet!
RSL kicks off its season in late March, right when sunny spring skiing starts to reign supreme at Utah ski resorts. You don’t have to understand what offside means to enjoy a day in the mountains and an evening at the match. You’ll want to learn the lyrics to RSL’s rally song Believe before you get to America First Field, and practice them on the chairlift all day long, so that you can sing with the best supporter section in the league!
Last season’s opening day match featured a blizzard. For Real Salt Lake supporters and skiers, I can’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday! The club's 2025 schedule will be released on November 15, 2024 at this link, so any footie fans should be sure to follow along while you're planning your trip!
Moguls to Meets on the Mat
In addition to DI men’s and women’s basketball teams at the University of Utah and BYU who compete throughout the ski season, the Utes have a perennial contender in their gymnastics program. If you’re into throwing big flips on the slopes (or can only dream of it) – you should check out a meet at the John M. Huntsman Center. Split into five different events, the top-ranked Utes have produced many Olympians and regularly compete for national championships.
If you’re a skier with an appreciation for the incredible athleticism, routine, body control and discipline required to be an elite gymnast (and an elite skier!), or you're looking to experience something new during your ski trip – you won’t regret cheering on the squad as they compete with the best of the best. Check out their 2025 season schedule below!
Looking to the Future: The Big Leagues after Skiing the Big Lines?
There’s a consortium of local Utah leaders who are leading a charge to bring Major League Baseball to the Beehive State. Given that MLB’s opening day tends to fall in late April, it’s likely that skiing black diamonds at a number of Utah resorts before heading to the baseball diamond is a distinct possibility.
Guess we’ll have to wait and see on that one.
