Mountain Stats: Snowbird Ski Resort

Accessibility
Snowbird is 29 miles from Salt Lake City International Airport with more than 600 daily non-stop flights from most major U.S. cities and 25 miles from downtown Salt Lake City. Snowbird is a scenic 45-minute drive from the airport, making same-day skiing and flying a reality.

Transportation
Getting to the Bird is easy. Several transportation companies offer non-stop shuttles from Salt Lake International Airport to Snowbird's front door. Once at Snowbird, the only transportation needed is a pair of skis or a snowboard - the Tram and chairs provide the rest.

Lifts
One Aerial Tram, 10 chairlifts including three high-speed detachable quads and seven doubles (most with arm and leg rests) and two rope tows. Most lifts run from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except Chickadee, which is open until 8:30 p.m. for night skiing on Wednesdays and Fridays and luge on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Uphill Capacity
16,800 skiers and snowboarders per hour.

Runs
85

Acreage
2,500 acres.

Terrain
27% beginner, 38% intermediate, 35% advanced/expert.

Snowfall
Snowbird averages approximately 500 inches of low-density, "dry" Utah powder annually. Thanks to ideal geography and a phenomenon called Lake Effect, Little Cottonwood Canyon powder is known worldwide.

TerrainPark
The expanded Snowbird Terrain Park moved to the Blue Bell run last season and now is serviced by the nearby Baby Thunder lift. This year's Terrain Park will explode with more features, hits, quarterpipes, rails and jumps. Snowbird's expert halfpipe is located on the Big Emma run and is accessed by the Mid Gad or Gadzoom lifts. New this season, Snowbird will build features and install rails creating an intermediate park near the Big Emma halfpipe. Look for beginner features on the Chickadee run near the Cliff Lodge.

Location
Snowbird, Utah is in the heart of the Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Little Cottonwood Canyon, one mile down canyon from Alta.

Elevation
Top of resort is 11,000-foot Hidden Peak, lowest point on the mountain is bottom of Baby Thunder chairlift at 7,760 feet. Thanks to a spring computer upgrade, the 125-person Tram covers 2,900 vertical feet in approximately seven minutes.

Longest Run
Chip's Run, 2.5 miles.

Longest Descent
Gad Valley, 3.5 miles.

MountainSchool
Snowbird's Mountain School offers a plethora of instruction from class lessons to women's ski and snowboard camps.

Season
Utah's longest ski and snowboard season, mid-November through mid-May (conditions permitting).

Other Activities
In addition to world-renowned skiing and snowboarding, Snowbird offers ice skating outside the Cliff Lodge, tubing, orienteering and snowshoe tours.

Restaurants
15 serving everything from fine dining to burgers and beers.

Bars
Four