How can you book a Utah ski vacation with the best chance of hitting a powder day? While there is no way to guarantee a good snow dump during your stay, you can at least raise your chances by booking at the right time of year.
First of all, let me share an important fact, Utah resorts average 500 inches of snowfall per year. That alone raises your chances compared to resorts in other states, so you can’t go wrong by focusing on Utah.
Now what about the best months to catch some fluff? I have good and bad news, but they are the same point. First, the bad news, I can’t give you a clear answer because snowfall averages over 80 inches per month from December through April. Bam! That’s also the good news! Even more surprising is that March averages the highest at 100 inches.
As I write this, we have already had our first monster dump (12 or more inches of snow within 24 hours) and it’s only October. The truly devoted are on the mountains knocking out first turns in powder. We average 18 of these huge dumps per year. Last season, I had an epic backcountry day on Cinco de Mayo. In Utah, we do snow for a BIG chunk of the year.
So, to answer the question of when to book your ski vacation, I’m pleased to tell you that there is a wide window of dates, basically from December to April. And with 11 resorts positioned less than an hour from Salt Lake City International Airport, you have a lot of choices.
Another option are Utah’s southern resorts such as Brian Head, which is just a 3-hour drive from Las Vegas and 6-8 hours from Southern California, Flagstaff and Phoenix.
My advice is to watch for good airfare and combine that with the resort that best fits your ski style. If you’re based within driving distance, you also have the option of watching the mountain conditions at resorts for a good snow dump and just hop in the car. You can find this on our Snow Report page. You can even sign up for reports via text or email and view live web cams on the mountains. How cool is that?! Don’t forget to watch the Deals page on our website too.
Using these tips, you’ll increase your chances of skiing/boarding on a powder day. If you don’t catch a day of fresh fluff, you’ll still experience the Greatest Snow on Earth. Warning...it will spoil you.
I hope to see you on the lift!
Photo courtesy Snowbird Ski Resort.
