Snowbird, Utah

February 19 - 26, 2011

Trip Report

Snowbird's had a pre-trip party at the trip leader’s residence in the Venetian Bay Condominiums on February 5th at 7:00.  Everyone brought an appetizer or dessert and we drank locally brewed beers and a selection of wines. Tripper Jill Kelley’s boyfriend, PJ Tuller served as bartender while the rest of us made introductions, ate, drank and were briefed on the upcoming trip events for the week in Snowbird.

Our trip departed at 7:07AM on the morning of February 19th from the Orlando International Airport.  All 24 trippers were on time, excited, and there were no mishaps.  Delta announced upon take-off that the Space Coast Ski Club was on board to a cheer from the trippers who were mainly seated as a group onboard.

Canyon Transportation was waiting for us a few feet from our baggage carousel when we landed at 10:00, after a non-stop flight at the Salt Lake City Airport.  Two additional trippers from Indiana met us in Salt Lake and we took three small buses to the resort, just 40 minutes from the city.  Arrangements had been made for a grocery stop and liquor store stop on the way, to let everyone stock up with snacks and drinks for the week.  The liquor stores in Utah aren’t allowed, by law, to sell before 11:00AM, so we chose to wait the extra 20 minutes in the buses.  We must have either looked innocuous or really thirsty and desperate, because the owner came out after three minutes and said we could come in early to shop and load up our baskets and carts, but they just couldn’t ring up our purchases until 11:00.  We were loaded and lined up at 11:00.  Carpe Diem!

It began snowing as we left the grocery store.  Arriving at Snowbird is awesome.  The buses drove through a tunnel into the hotel covered entrance and the bell captains unloaded everything and transported it to our rooms.  Some rooms were available immediately and a few trippers got to explore the five bars in our hotel a bit earlier than the rest of us, while previous guests checked out.

The Cliff Lodge is Five Star Hotel in every sense of the word.  An eight story atrium, glass faced, overlooks the mountain valley.  Private lounges, fireplaces, restaurants, bars, concierge, grocery, ski sports shop, equipment rental, heated boot, glove and ski lockers, and of course, the spa are all inside.  Outside are heated swimming pools and Jacuzzis, poolside bar and about a 20-step walk to the first slope to ski down to one of two lifts or the tram.

Day one: Trippers skied in the deepest powder any of us had ever had in our lives.  Those brave enough to venture to the top of the mountain lost equipment and entire bodies at times.  Peggy Webb had to be dug out...and it wasn’t easy!

Day two: Our welcome party was held in the Wildflower Lounge at the Lodge Hotel.  We had arranged drink vouchers, hot wings and pizzas for the group to share stories of their first adventures on the mountain.  The wait staff was superior.

Day Three: We had Martini Monday in the Aerie Lounge at the Cliff Lodge with drink vouchers, sliders and fries.

Days Four and Five: Trippers were on their own to explore the town, relax, ski, board and enjoy the spa.

Day Six: Thirsty Thursday: We met at the El Canate Restaurant, a Mexican themed hide-away in the basement where we had vouchers for marguerites, and tacos.

Day Seven: We had the obligatory last night party in the lounge on the seventh floor of the Cliff Lodge where we all brought our left-over room supplies.  Kenton Anz played the guitar for us while we decided not to call it quits.  Some went out to night ski in another blinding snow storm until 8:30 when the lift closes.  Then we reconvened for live piano music in the 10th floor Aerie Lounge.

Saturday, because of the storm, I decided to corral everyone early for the return trip and ordered the buses to come one hour earlier.  We left the airport at 4:00 for the flight to Orlando.  Many new friends were made.  We were a tight group, often skiing together and finding that the bandanas were quite noticeable on the slopes.  Debbie Wall’s suitcase fell out of the bus on the way to the airport, but all the rest of our bodies and equipment arrived in one piece.

As far as conditions go, the terrain was overall, steep.  The green runs were even called double-green and had moguls.  Cat tracks were hard to control speed on.  We had 41” of snow during our stay.  Everyone wants to travel together again.  Onward...upward...and downward!

Our post-trip party will be held at the Venetian Bay Condominium on March 20th at 7:00 to share pictures, stories, and information about Meet-ups, Spring Fling, and next year’s trips.

TRIP LEADER:

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