Best Spring Skiing Ever

I've had the good fortune to ski and snowmobile and snowshoe in Utah's mountains during the past couple weeks and so I speak from experience when I say snow conditions have never been better.

I was at The Canyons Resort on Feb. 5, during one of those magical times when the planets align to produce the perfect experience. The sun was trying to break through the clouds, the air temperature was mild, a couple inches of new powder had fallen earlier and the slopes were fast. Now that's paradise!

There was a "big air" competition underway and for a minute I was almost tempted to participate. I could just see myself arching up into thin air, spinning around and landing gracefully. Yea, right! I can just see myself being pulled down the mountain strapped to a toboggan. I'll keep my skis on the snow, thank you.

But it was fun to watch. Most competitors were locals and they put on quite a show. Such events are one of the grand things about skiing Utah resorts. World Cup and Olympic-style competitions and other events take place regularly and provide entertainment while catching your breath between runs. Some upcoming events are listed below.

Record snowfall in December gave us an incredible base — we're well past the magical 300-inch mark. And with new snow coming every few days, we can guarantee excellent spring skiing. Many resorts will stay open as long as the snow holds. I expect to see diehards skiing in late April this year!

Golf, Parks and Whitewater
February is a transition month in Utah. It's still winter in northern Utah but spring is starting to stir in our southern deserts. By late February the apricot and almond trees will be in blossom in St. George, wild flowers will start to poke through the sand and golfers will pop up everywhere on the greens in Utah's Dixie.

St. George-area golf courses are alluring year-round but are perhaps at their best in late February and early March. When late-season blizzards blast Salt Lake City, I love to hit the links in St. George. The courses in that area are incredibly beautiful, sandwiched between red-rock canyons and black lava rock.

Bryce Canyon National Park is located in southern Utah but is at a high elevation and winter lingers there. Bryce is blanketed by deep snow and offers a great environment for cross-country skiing and other snow sports. Bryce Canyon Winter Festival is held at Ruby's Inn, just outside the park, over President's Day weekend (Feb. 14-16). Winterfest offers a wide variety of events, with activities for all ages and interests.

Utah's other national parks are starting to dry out and warm up. In late February hiking conditions become good at lower-elevation areas in our parks and desert playgrounds. April is perhaps the best month for epic treks into areas like Grand Gulch and Dark Canyon.

Early season whitewater will be incredible this year. With deep snowpack in many drainages, runoff will be high and rafters will find great adventure on all of our major rivers. Late May and early June will be prime time. After that flows will settle down a bit but remain good through the summer. If you've been dreaming of a whitewater adventure, this should be the year.

Dave Webb

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