Words: Leo Epstein & Dillon Flinders.
Photos: Chris Pearson/Ski Utah
Name your favorite US-based pro skier.
Now Google where they live.
I reckon theres about a 60% chance the answer is in or around Salt Lake City.
Nowhere else has so much skiing within an hour of downtown.
Visiting for a week?
Why not try a new resort every day?
Newschoolers tasked me with explaining why Salt Lake is the place to be forfreeskiing.
It didnt seem like a particularly hard job, its almost self-evident from my perspective.
Dillon grew up in Utah on a ranch in Spanish Fork Canyon.
More recently, hes lived in Salt Lake City for the last four years.
After all, its the hidden gem where he grew up skiing.
Its on the backside of Mt.
Timpanogos and is stunning.
Timp boasts one of the only glaciers in Utah that sticks around through the summer.
Sundance still has that small-town feel with a ton of authenticity.
No building was allowed to be higher than the tallest tree.
Last year, it was paradise on earth.
So much skiing to be had, all the pow, and no one to fight you for it.
And in my opinion, its the least resort-y of the ski areas in Utah.
Maybe theyre right…maybe.
What I cant deny is they’ve got the Alta Magic.
Alta has always had a culture of fun.
The resort has a huge variety of terrain, and sidehits galore.
In fact, calling them sidehits does them an injustice because it’s possible for you to go HUGE.
For epic powder lines and some steeper skiing, the High Traverse is a good place to start.
For a more playful style of skiing, the Wildcat chair has a lot to offer.
Snowbird is huge, and it takes a lifetime to learn it all.
After eight years of skiing there, I know around half of it very well.
If youre doing Snowbird right, you should be exhausted after a full day there.
Theres a ton of acreage to ski, just a ridiculous amount.
If you want to ski a different run, every run, its an amazing place to go.
Its a pretty family-friendly resort too, with a huge variety of steep and mellow terrain.
With two base areas, skiers and riders can quickly spread out on the mountain.
My favorite place to ski is Jupiter Bowl or, of course, one of the six terrain parks.
Park City has such a rich history in the park scene, and theres always a good vibe.
Armada made it home for a reason.
In the parks, you get to mix it with some of the best slopestyle skiers on the planet.
Ive always loved the vibe since it pushes me to be a better skier.
Its very inspiring to see so much talent in one spot.
The skiing is up there with the best, and it all comes without breaking the bank.
After all, Snowbasin is where they held the Olympic downhill for a reason.
John Paul is my favorite lift up there, offering dreamy, steep tree skiing terrain.
I might have had the best powder run of my life there.
I was 13 and remember it to this day.
Incredible, bottomless cold smoke from top to bottom.
Its well worth the trip for the Ramen at the Powder Keg alone.
And if you cant make it during the day, night skiing is available for just $19.
Even days after a storm there are pockets of fresh, cold smoke.
Powder, yes, but without the panic.
So, is Salt Lake City The Capital of Freeskiing?
Perhaps it hasnt always been, but it is now.
Alta and Snowbird are producing top-level backcountry freestyle shredders like theres no tomorrow.
Park City and Brighton are two of the premiere park resorts on the planet.
All are within 45 minutes of downtown SLC.
Its home for pros from across thefreeski and freeridespectrum for a reason.
More and more ski brands are making Utah home.
