Outdoor Women's Alliance

Needles Express, one of Snowbasin's Gondola

Yesterday, Stephen W. Weiss (of MountainEnthusiast.com) and I headed to Snowbasin Resort to do some testing on Ramp Sports' skis and snowboards. The approach to Snowbasin, as always, caught my breath. I love this rugged mountain tucked away to the east of Ogden. It is absolutely majestic. With the bright bluebird spring sky and the brilliance of the white mountain cutting into it, I was reminded how lucky I am to be so close to such beauty. And ski there... ;)

Love the wide-open spaces of Snowbasin

We met up with Jason Dyer, PR and Marketing Manager for Snowbasin, who took us for a few turns on the mountain. I was introduced to three terrain parks and a perfectly carved half-pipe. I had no idea Snowbasin had such an extensive amount of area for jibbers! The terrain parks come in varying levels of difficulty so skiers can start working on their freestyle skills at a comfortable level and move up to intermediate and advanced parks as they progress. Though I know other resorts have great terrain parks, this level of accommodation sets Snowbasin apart. I would feel much more comfortable improving my rail slides here where I can go at my own pace.

The day was hot- so much so that I wore my spring gloves for the first time this season. There were grills set up in the parking lot, music playing at the base lodges' deck and people milling around with beer and smiles. The mountain itself was at a perfect balance- enough people to feel like it was a spring ski day party, but still plenty of room to open up the skis for wide arcing turns on the slopes. Everyone was friendly- the employees were great at helping with getting skis on the gondolas, offered some conversation as you passed through, and even wrote little entertaining quotes on the message boards (my favorite: Repent! Repent! The end is nigh!- referring, of course, to ski season. Clever.)

Ramp Sports' Beaver Skis- a favorite!

Stephen and I tested out the boards to the max with the different features and terrain available at Snowbasin. I love that there are plenty of steep areas, natural and man-made jib features, and lots of open space to really push the skis and boards we were testing with regards to speed.  We ended up loving the last set of Ramp Sports' boards we tried- the Tumbleweed (snowboard) and Beaver (skis).  They offered a lot of energy for the conditions we were testing them in and were truly responsive to whatever we threw at them. In fact, after just half a run, we were grinning and giving each other the thumbs-up sign.

Other than the skiing, the base lodge is amazing- a must see if visiting the resort. Huge timber beams and oversized fireplaces complement the breathtaking outdoor surroundings which you can easily view with the nearly ceiling-to-floor windows that cover the walls. And if you really want to be impressed, check out the restrooms... the first time I ever visited the area I thought I had walked into a plush hall of offices instead of the restroom area. I actually asked the attendant on duty where the restrooms were and felt a little sheepish when she told me I was standing in them. The lodges at Snowbasin are by far the most luxurious I've seen in Utah - and anywhere else, for that matter.

Snowbasin's Needles Lodge

And the food? Well, with a lodge atmosphere like this, you wouldn't expect anything less than delicious and that's exactly what you'll get. I ordered a ham & brie panini but was allowed to customize it with a few extra toppings for no additional charge. The friendly cashier even allowed me to change out the side accompaniment of chips since I try to avoid processed foods in my diet. I appreciated this type of service; it's what I
would expect from a resort of
this caliber.

Last Run: MountainEnthusiast taking a final gaze at the views

After we wore ourselves out skiing, we headed over to the deck that was accumulating the day's skiers. It's perfectly angled to catch the sunshine, so we grabbed a couple of chairs and enjoyed listening to the buzz of conversation, laughter and music playing on the speakers. It's always a pleasure whenever I get the chance to come up and visit; it's long been one of my favorite ski retreats.




Full review of Ramp Sports to come with our 2011-2012 Women's Ski Review late summer 2011!