Mountain Review: Solitude, Utah

[@alexs5394]

I live in salt lake, and had a season pass both pre and post ikon. The change was instant and drastic. Even in 2017, I could show up on a powder day weekend at 10:00 and easily find parking. Midweek powder days were a ghost town. As soon as the first Ikon season started I knew those days were gone forever. The heaviest weekends can see cars parked along the canyon road for a mile leading to the resort, and every powder day is a LCC-style rush to get there. I am honestly happy more people are enjoying the resort, but man I really wish I could go back to pre-Ikon days

[@willleinberger8057]

It really is bittersweet seeing it happen. One thing I will say is that I don’t want to see sunrise and powderhorn upgraded, as those slower lifts keep those areas quiet and peaceful even on the weekend! There’s something uniquely peaceful about riding sunrise slowly through the trees in the quiet.

[@davidday2373]

Ikon Pass guy here, I've been to Solitude 20 times this season. Most of the time I've found parking very easily (up there by around 8 :30). I've skipped Solitude and went to Brighton (huge & free lot) once or twice on super crowded days.

[@davidday2373]

@@willleinberger8057 That's true, but dang... imagine being able to loop those spots on an express lift!!! Two of my favorite runs are off of those lifts

[@ponyboy98]

Came to the comments to say the same thing. Skied Soli for 15 years. It was perfect until the Ikon pass. I’ve since moved to a different resort.

[@danb.709]

I am an optimist and would like to think things aren't changing forever, rather the industry is going through growing pains. Hopefully we'll see existing resorts expand and new ones open, we just need more supply in the supply/demand equation. The catch is I've been alive long enough to know these things often come in trends, skiing is very in demand now, but peoples' lives change and this may not continue forever. It would not be good if a bunch of ski areas opened only to go out of business a few years later. Also who knows what is going to happen with the overall economy in the next few years, anyone that says they know is blowing smoke, I'm pretty sure many experts wouldn't make a bet right now. Regardless it's evolving, but it's not certain if it'll just keep getting worse.... but I sure would like to have Alta pretty much all to myself again someday.

[@jameszeng2666]

Been to Solitude last season, and there are little to no people on a pow day... so if you go there on a weekday (and park at Brighton), it's not that bad ... plus I love honeycomb canyon ...

[@PeakRankings]

The Brighton parking lot is a good hack!

[@jameswang1965]

I live in the Midwest. Solitude is literally the first large resort I've ever been to. Best memories! Also Solitude is serviced by shuttles. The shuttle is free for Ikon pass holders!

[@ellstackeradventures]

Yeww

[@dtrockman]

The shuttles suck now. They have eliminated 50% of the buses and closed some stops. Stay away from this area if you hate lines and traffic jams.

[@thomasmedeiros5722]

Have spent lots of time here over the years. Very accurate assessment. Have not skied there since they started changing for parking even though we get a couple of days with our Alta season pass. If you stay in a condo at the mountain mid week non holiday it great to walk to the lifts especially on a powder day.

[@scottrmckay]

Another really good review - thanks for all the detailed context

[@ellstackeradventures]

Let's goooo

[@MrMasterNorris]

Quality content. These reviews are really helpful in choosing a mountain

[@wnee1]

I’d say your review here is spot on. Last year I lived in the SLC area and had an icon pass, and Solitude was great on the weekdays. No lines whatsoever. In many ways it is a hidden gem, given its relative lack of fame, and yet its terrain is as gnarly as Alta’s or Snowbird’s. However, on weekends, I did tend to go to Brighton for the free parking or Deer Valley, which, even during busy weekends, barely had any crowds (or has the lift capacity to handle them).

[@PeakRankings]

Thanks William! Solitude is a great option for weekday laps with the Ikon Pass, but as you mentioned, other mountains are probably better bets on weekends to avoid the crowds.

[@DropD1123]

Just got back from my first trip to Solitude, and I'd say this review is spot on. I miss your old music jingle though!

[@SolaceEasy]

Great mountain. Compact and big. Good lift arrangements. My Spring day there had lifts halting for Lightning during the snow showers. Great vibe.

[@HhHh-rg2sl]

Best mountian review channel

[@christophercarberry]

Love the guy at 7:00 with his pole stuck in netting

[@keithcallahan3339]

Skied here a few times and I loved this place! I had a ball every time I skied here!

[@VampguyN85]

I Haven't skied Solitude since I was a teen. We skied all 3 mountains like 20 years ago.

[@PeakRankings]

A lot has changed since then!

[@gami3917]

I started learning skiing in Brigthon (Neighbour resort) and when I started skiing in Solitude(I was a beginner still) I thought that their green(moonbeam) was very steep. now that I can skii blue and blacks, when I go to different resorts, I don't feel that their blacks are too hard...lol in many occasions lol..as I got used to skii in Solitude Blacks and blues

[@davidday2373]

Solitude is the least crowded of the 12 resorts I've visited (in CA, CO, UT), besides June Mountain in CA. Worst part really is the 3 Lifts it takes to get back to the summit (from bottom of Honeycomb). Parking tip: There's room for about 50 cars to park on the road, its just a short walk to resort...Also a viable option, take the bus up the canyon (accessible from 4 or 5 park-n-ride lots)

[@bruhkamp]

I love the fixed grips. Longer ride, but fewer people on the slopes.

[@thedukeofuke2641]

more time to drink beer

[@arjunski]

Looks exactly like Utah's version of Kirkwood and I love Kirkwood!

[@Delta-it8ou]

Great review! Thanks

[@sovaboater377]

On a week trip to snowbird, it’s great to take a day or two at solitude. Honeycomb canyon has always left me feeling a sense of solitude.

[@sc100ott]

I just discovered your channel-Great stuff!👍🏼 I spent a few days there in Spring 2021. Personally, I really enjoyed the mountain (lots of challenge). But I would really caution anyone who is looking for long blue cruisers to look elsewhere. The “blue” terrain on the trail map is quite misleading, as you either have to deal with significant flats (Solbright, Dynamite or anything into Main Street), something steeper than you might like (Sunshine bowl), or something ungroomed (as in any alternative to Sunshine Bowl, or runs under the Apex Express). The Summit Access West run is the primary way to get to the Summit Express lift, and it’s busy, kinda steep, too narrow, and skied off, meaning not fun for any intermediate. The green terrain is short. Anything rated black is legit black diamond, even if it’s groomed. My wife and daughter, both solid intermediate skiers, found the most enjoyable runs off the Sunrise chair, but the chair is slow, the runs are fairly short, and there’s just not a lot of variety. If long intermediate cruising terrain is not something you require, Solitude is a great place.

[@Useryofcsdnx]

Very accurate

[@dhowe5180]

I don’t think either solitude or Brighton are offering the solbright pass anymore. You can still ski between them but you either need an ikon pass or purchase a separate lift ticket for the other mountain.

[@aidanlarsen]

in case y'all haven't heard Utah sucks so don't come here. Just go to Colorado

[@adamdorsky5465]

Very true

[@wublade]

Yep worst snow ever. Don't bother. They had to CGI snow into this video...

[@brianoconnor3407]

More sophomoric replies starting with Aidan...; its a tired comment type and not funny. It mostly reveals your lack of originality and sense of humor. "Hey don't go to my favorite place, go to (elsewhere)". Pathetic. Get a life.

[@aidanlarsen]

@@brianoconnor3407 relax dude its not that serious

[@nico63323]

i heard colorado has been terrible.. everyone should go see california

[@will3057]

I love this channel

[@denton1972]

Looks like a great place. We have enjoyed it a couple of times in the past. Do you remember any difficult narrow traverses to get between blues or single blacks? No worries about double blacks. Thank you.

[@mtadams2009]

The Ikon pass is good and bad all at the same time. My home mountain Killington is so much better on Ikon black out dates but how is a person to ski out west without one. I skied a couple weeks last year in Colorado and with passes over 200 dollars a day it makes getting an Ikon pass necessary. I really don’t understand why lift tickets so outpaced inflation. I guess because they can they do.

[@henrycej893]

I’m your biggest fan peak rankings are you going to do a resort review of lake Louise next season?

[@PeakRankings]

The Lake Louise review will be here before next season even arrives!

[@henrycej893]

Really when?

[@henrycej893]

And also I’m the biggest fan of the channel can you give me a shoutout in your next video?

[@CR-xx3ur]

How does the fantasy ridge hike compare to the palmyra peak hike at telluride?

[@PeakRankings]

Palmyra Peak is a much longer, harder hike, although parts of the Fantasy Ridge hike are arguably more high consequence.

[@jonfranchetti9208]

brighton next?

[@PeakRankings]

In the pipeline!

[@charlieharper4975]

I find his rankings are pretty accurate.

[@jaymoneyyuyy]

y’all’s gotta stop disrespecting targhee review it you won’t regret the trip

[@MrDostoeyevsky]

Does this place allow snowboarding?

[@Remember_Baker]

yes.

[@badger012009]

Is that really slow lift- to the left- still in service?

[@PeakRankings]

If you're talking about Sunrise, then yes.

[@dustykimberly8102]

Do Brighton plzzzz

[@PeakRankings]

🏗Forthcoming 🚧

[@mrepix8287]

Seems similar to Kirkwood in California

[@brianoconnor3407]

No comparison. Skied them both over several years. No comparison, except they both have snow and chairlifts.

[@reddottx]

Just got back from there. So awesome… uh…. I mean so awful!… Honeycomb Canyon is the worst… don’t ever go there… Seriously the only issue was parking. We got there at 9:00 on a 4th day with no new snow and it was full. I kind of like it though as it will keep the crowds under control. The only wait I had was the first Moonbeam lift. After that no problem. I tend to ski discreet areas any way so I don’t really care if the place is big so long as it has some challenging terrain. Solitude ticks that box for sure.

[@c-LAW]

They have to monetize parking to makeup for icon pass revenue loss

[@KirbeyAlt]

solitude

[@ellstackeradventures]

Yooo

[@BrianMortenson]

1:09 subcscribe?

[@PeakRankings]

Fixed for future vids, hope to still earn your subcscription ;)

[@leonlind6032]

ok, a few things. Same Mountain Range, not one range over (only one ridge/canyon over). Snow is not as light and dry as it comes, that would be Colorado/New Mexico. Utah has Goldylocks snow density, AKA Intermountain Snowpack, which is halfway between Maritime (California/Oregon snow) and Continental Snowpack (Wyoming/Colorado/New Mexico snow). Utah is known for, "The Greatest Snow on Earth" because of this not to wet, not too dry, snow density and the propensity for Lake Affect snow from the great Salt Lake producing powder days that are just deep enough to be bottomless but not so deep that the treewells become death traps. Great video otherwise, sometimes I just have to comment, for my own entertainment.

[@badger012009]

Sorry- I'll take my kids to Brighton..

[@howski8881]

Effortless turns.....even on powder days. 🤣 Ok.

[@Useryofcsdnx]

Right Powder day, best of luck for beginner intermediate

[@rainmaker3700]

Dust on hardpack.

[@reubenrichards2529]

This guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Solitude is the least crowded resort in Utah and is the best for extreme terrain. If you are a bad skier then go somewhere else but solitude is best for extreme skiers. I am a Utah local.

[@mack.attack]

How can you say solitude is the least crowded when powmow exists

[@Useryofcsdnx]

Shit is scary at solitude. Experts will enjoy

[@shoner5]

Ikon pass sucks and has screwed up skiing here big time

[@alec2243]

Don't forget a waffle