Spring Break this year, I was in Snowbird for the epic huge dump. On one particular day, it snowed an absurd amount overnight, and the snow was particularly light. The official density was 3%. The official measurement was somewhere near four feet, but it felt far deeper.
Now, those of you who have been at snowbird on such a day, know that patrol doesn't open most of the mountain at first. You also know the road gets closed and doesn't always open quickly. Furthermore, you may know that the hotels get put on "interlodge" where you're basically locked in.
I found a way out, not knowing I shouldn't. Took my skis, and spent two blissful hours skiing armpit deep powder with about twelve other people who made it out, and two patrollers. Three people had k2 pontoons. Three of them didn't see their skis except when they were on the lift.
It was the best day ever! Those first two hours of the day were great. Even though Wilbere was the only lift running, I didn't cross another track. There are two cat traverses that cross under the lift, and they made beautiful kickers- provided you followed someone elses track onto them. I was getting face shots, even when in someone elses trail. It took about four runs through one track to make it passable without getting a facefull of snow. Very few takeoffs formed, but those that did were epic.
Then the road opened and they got some lifties onto the mountain, and other lifts began to open. The people count went up from 12 to a few hundred, but the open terrain grew exponentially throughout the day. BEST DAY EVER.
Sparknotes: tons of powder in snowbird, less than 30 peeps on mtn (only one lift running) and two hours of armpits deep fluffy-puff choking hazard.
