As snow enthusiasts we seem to take the Ricky Bobby mantra: “If you’re not first, you’re last.” So in Utah, where summer fades quickly and fall brings color to the leaves and snow on the mountains, there are a lot of us willing to work for turns and start riding about the time trick-or-treaters are knocking on doors. Thanks to easy access and devoted locals, you can get a few days under your belt and look like your old self by the time the lifts start turning. But if you want to be first, you have to know where to go. Here are some hints to help you find the goods without destroying your equipment or spending the day hopping over stumps and logs where it’s shallow.
The Bonezone
What started as a secret spot and invite-only club has now joined forces with a resort that is truly rider-centric. Brighton has welcomed the mega stoked (or antsy) and made it easy for everyone to get those early season jitters out of the way by building a sick little terrain park before the lifts open. They stick to the roots, constructing all features from whatever mother nature provides. The Bonezone sits right at the base of the mountain and the only cost is that you pitch in to help build and keep the stoke high.
Guardsman Pass
Guardsman Pass was home to the original Bonezone. Features and jibs have been built here for decades. It has become a year round hot spot. The Pass is packed with mountain bikers when it’s dry. Once it snows, the area fills with backcountry skiers, rail sliders, builders of kickers (and snowmobilers) as they all jockey for freshies.
Alta
Because Alta receives the most snow of any place in Utah, it’s the go-to for early season turns. Known for their strict enforcement of no snowboarders, the resort comes off as super relaxed regarding early season traffic. If you ride one plank instead of two, this is your chance to see what all your skiing buddies rave about. Yes, you have to hike, and yes, there are rocks the size of New Hampshire if you try to go off a designated run early in the year. A note to newbies: this is the sanctuary that gifted Utah the reputation of having ‘the greatest snow on earth.’
Patsy Marley
If you can’t bring yourself to walk up a resort next to a ski lift, Patsy Marley (above) has you covered. Located adjacent to Alta up Little Cottonwood Canyon, it’s home to a beautiful north facing bowl that fills in with snow quickly. It requires a little more effort to get to, but is well worth it. It’s a good way to check your fitness level. Once you’re on top, you get an amazing view of the Wasatch and all the lines you’ll ride later in the winter. Remember, avalanche rules apply during the early season, too, so stay aware and read these reminders.
Photo: Utah Adventure Journal
Tony Grove
For those of you near Logan, Utah Tony Grove (above) should be your go-to as soon as you see white on the mountains. A steep winding road dead ends at a beautiful cirque around the lake. Once there, it’s a one-stop shop. You can ride the beautiful grassy slope that requires very little snow to be ridable and then hit the makeshift jibs in the campground near the lake: pow and park all at the same place.
