From Deseret News archives:
Resorts hit it big this ski season
While the 2004-2005 ski season is not over just yet, its days are numbered. Three resorts have closed, and five more will end seasons on Sunday. One week later, Utah skiing will be down to one resort Snowbird. By then, a dozen resorts will have stopped lifts with runs still covered with tons of snow. More snow, in fact, than most resorts have had in decades.
It's the way skiing goes. After Easter and a few days of good weather, no matter the depth of the snow on the slopes, skiers put away the boards and boots, and reach for the clubs and clippers.
It's time for a change.
Taking a moment to reflect, it's been a pretty incredible season.
The big-snow resorts Alta, Snowbird, Brighton and Solitude have received in the area of 600 inches of total snowfall this season. The long-term average is 500 inches for the big four. Few resorts in the country ever come close to that much snow in a single season.
There are resorts in this country that would have claimed Utah residency if they'd gotten just a little of that mother lode. The word is, some resorts in the Northwest were unable to open this season because of the lack of a white covering, and some closed back in January and February.
The only states getting really huge storms this winter were California and Utah.
You'd never have guessed there was that much snow at the resorts looking at the ground in the valley. Very little snow survived after falling on the valley floor or even along the benches of the Wasatch Front.
Avid golfers found days to golf throughout the winter.
Snow fell in the mountains, rain in the valley, and when neither was falling, the sun was shining, skiers were skiing and golfers were hitting the courses. What a season.
A number of callers and e-mails this winter told of skiing and golfing the same day. They either putted a few in the morning and took turns in the afternoon, or visa-versa. It didn't really matter, because both schedules worked.
What made it great for skiing was that there were days of heavy snow, over 100 inches in the span of a few days, followed by days of warm temperatures and sunshine.
There was so much snow at times, some jokingly complained it was too much.
Comments
- Refinery video to be released 5:02 p.m.
- Guv: No need to rush Snake Valley 4:49 p.m.
- Start mammograms at 50, not 40 3:28 p.m.
- Pitta named semifinalist for award 3:11 p.m.
- Time Warner to spin off AOL 3:08 p.m.
- GMAC CEO steps down 3:07 p.m.
- Man arrested in '03 kidnapping 3:07 p.m.
- Tenn. loses 2 players to crime 2:48 p.m.
- Michigan didn't keep players logs 2:47 p.m.
- Barzee to plead guilty 2:47 p.m.
- MWC expand? Get rid of deadweight
- Relieved Cougs prep for Falcons
- Wounded Utes limp home
- Jazz rookies had to grow up quickly
- Big games keep UHSAA coffers full
- RSL surprised by Chicago's Fire
- Barzee to plead guilty
- Williams returns to team
- Jazz notes: Young bigs ride bench
- Vitamin D deficiency puts U.S. at risk
- TCU creams U.
233 - BYU happy to escape with victory
232 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
220 - Will state consider gay rights law?
157 - RSL heads to MLS title game
133 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
132 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - TCU stays 4th in AP; Y. 19th, U. 23rd
114 - MWC expand? Get rid of deadweight
106 - Celtics crush Jazz
104
Wes Mathews! Yeah!
who cares the real games are this wk not tucked away on somebodies else's...
My husband has been an umpire for years and spends months in the sun. He...
Keep Mathews and Fess and Maynor! Dump the rest of the overpaid bums and...
One thing I now know for sure. The rest of the Mountain West Conference now...
What bishop of Kanab are you talking about? The first one or the last one?...
We are all dumber having read your comment.
Wow, some of you are quite critical of teachers. I have serious criticisms...
If that is the approach, to declare this a medical procedure, he is still...
Thank goodness for the international students who give us variety, help us...

You can be the first to comment on this story.