Skiing All Three Ski Resorts in Weber County in One Day with the Visit Ogden Team

On March 17th, our partners at Ski Utah embarked on a scheme to have a team of six skiers and snowboarders hit all 15 of Utah’s ski resorts in a single day.

Despite the journalistic creed of “not becoming a part of the story,” the Salt Lake Tribune’s Julie Jag participated in, and chronicled the adventure…and we’re glad she did. You can read the story here.

The whole thing inspired us at Visit Ogden to hit all three of our area resorts in a single “work” day. On April 6th, our goal would be to celebrate a record-breaking season while highlighting the distinctive vibe of each resort. All in a day’s work. Our team of three grabbed a hit of Daily Rise at Weber State Downtown around 8:15 and headed up Ogden Canyon. Here’s how it went.

We rolled into Nordic Valley around 8:40 AM. Plenty of time to boot up and hit first chair. We mistakenly thought “first chair” was at 9:00. You’d think a team of three from Visit Ogden would know basics like that, but you’d be wrong.

The laid-back vibe of this resort lets you sleep in…maybe enjoy some pancakes. Whatever, man. You’ll make first chair, or something like it. First chair is 10ish. But they’re so laid back that they fired up the chair early for us to help keep us on schedule.

Nordic Valley is an absolute gem and one of the most important elements of the Ogden area’s ski economy. Simply put, it’s the place where local skiers and snowboarders are grown. They may go on to proclaim Snowbasin or Powder Mountain their “local” or “home” mountain, but the vast majority of them hatch at Nordic Valley.

For decades, the hallmarks of Nordic Valley have been its proximity to Ogden, its affordability, its gentle terrain, its grooming, its snowmaking, and its night skiing. From urban families to Boy Scout troops to church youth groups to junior-high-school ski programs, Nordic Valley has made it convenient and affordable for anyone to try sliding down a hill on skis or a snowboard.

They can start on something as simple as the Magic Carpet before learning how to load and unload chairlifts on Crockett. Before you know it, they’re able to tackle the terrain served by the Apollo lift. With the recent addition of the Express high-speed 6-pack and the terrain it services, it’s safe to say that anyone who learns to ski/ride at Nordic Valley can handle the majority of terrain at any resort in Utah…and learn to do it affordably.

Had we been able to spend our entire day at Nordic Valley, we would have gorged on pizza, wings, burgers, fries, etc. inside The Barn, found fresh, afternoon lines in the area’s new terrain, and listened to live music over a beer in The Aid Room.

But we had to carry on.

Powder Mountain isn’t a mountain that you ski or ride. It’s a mountain that you explore. It’s a magical kind of place where you spot a line you want to try, but on the way to that line, you see five or six other lines, so you pick one. You might traverse. You might boot pack. You might ride one of their one-of -a-kind Snowcat, While doing that, you discover an unexpected stash. It’s so good, you think you might just lap it a few times. But in the process of that, you uncover another secret. Then another. You get the picture.

Our visit to Powder Mountain came just 10 days before the end of their season. It was one of our best powder days of the year…in a record-breaking year.

Read that again. That’s how good Powder Mountain is. Fresh lines for days.

Pow Mow, as the locals call it, enjoyed 562 inches of snowfall this season…and that’s what you ski on at Pow Mow. The resort utilizes ZERO snow-making equipment on its nearly 8,500 acres. And in the words of Marvin Gaye, “Ain’t nothin’ like the real thing, baby.”

When you factor in the daily skier cap, Powder Mountain authoritatively owns the claim to most acres per skier anywhere. You feel like you have the whole mountain to yourself…until you walk into The Powder Keg.

We piled into The Powder Keg for lunch. Standing room only, but there was room to stand and enjoy top-notch ramen. Had we been able to stick around for a few more hours, “standing room” would expand to include the table tops with dozens of people dancing to live music in ski boots.

Leaving the powder and the party behind, we moved on.

Moving to Snowbasin, we discovered the most grueling part of Ski Utah’s “15 Resorts in a Day” stunt: ski boots. Two of the six Ski Utah participants kept their boots on throughout their quest. We didn’t. Turns out the most grueling part of skiing three resorts in one day is booting up thrice.

After sliding our achy feet into our boots and buckling up, we were off. The heat of the spring bluebird afternoon made for some slushy snow in the parking lot, but mid mountain and towards the top it was clear what a record-shattering year looks like in the flesh.

Topping over 600 inches of snow this season, the snowy peaks at the top were wind-sculpted and filled to the brim. So much so, some of the terrain at the very top of the resort was closed off due to avalanche danger.

Exploring the mountain and its well-groomed runs, with powder patches and incredible views salt and peppered in, it’s hard to believe it will get more accessible.

With a new lift, the DeMoisy Express, set to open next season, and more in the works, this place will be a playground those wanting to get deep in the snow and explore. And with an extended closing date of April 23 this year, you won’t have to pack up the skis just yet.

Exhausted and sunburnt, we threw ourselves into the luxurious dining room of Cinnabar, and apre’d in style under the burnt red chandelier with a massive plate of brussels sprouts, a cinnamon roll, and some brews. A truly delicious ending to an epic day of skiing.

Well we did it. 3 ski resorts in one day.

As we close out the 2023 winter season the next two weekends, make sure you hit up Nordic Valley, Powder Mountain, and Snowbasin Resort for a few last runs. Put on the cut off shorts and ample amount of sunscreen to ride out in true spring skiing fashion. And hey, while you're at it, make sure you give every ski patroller, server, parking attendant, and every employee you see an extra thank you for this epic season!