The fight for bragging rights in Ogden Valley is on.
Ski Magazine just handed Snowbasin the No. 1 ranking in its annual Best of the West readers’ poll, which was revealed Wednesday. To get to the top spot, the resort near Huntsville had to elbow out neighboring Powder Mountain, which wore the Best of the West crown in 2023.
Adding insult to injury, though — or perhaps in ski parlance adding rocks to ice — Powder didn’t just get knocked from the top spot, it was left off the Top 30 listing entirely.
Seven of Utah’s 15 public ski areas made the Best of the West cut, the same number as last year. Perhaps most surprising among them was Solitude, which streaked up to No. 8 after being left off last year’s list entirely. Alta Ski Area also made gains, jumping up from No. 7 last year to No. 5 in 2024. Snowbird edged up from No. 13 to No. 12.
Meanwhile Deer Valley Resort, which spent two decades as a top-three resort in the poll before Ski Magazine changed its criteria in 2023, dropped from No. 9 to No. 14. Brighton and Park City Mountain round out the list at No. 25 and No. 29, respectively.
Last year Ski Magazine, at the behest of readers, announced it had changed its criteria to emphasize categories that reflect the ski experience. Extra weight was given to quality of snow, terrain variety and challenge of runs, grooming and lifts, among other factors.
That shift benefitted Powder, which rose to No. 1 after being ranked No. 23 in 2022. The largest ski and snowboard area in the United States by acreage, Powder may also have been riding a wave of optimism. In March 2023, Reed Hastings purchased majority shares in, and promised cash flow to, the resort the Netflix founder deemed “a diamond in the rough.”
In the year since that top ranking, Powder has expanded its terrain, upgraded two lifts and added two lifts while also incorporating several art installations into the mountain. However, it also plunged into a public-private experiment in which it made two previously public lifts and one of the new lifts off-limits to everyone but residents of its Powder Haven enclave and their guests.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Sundown Ski Lift at Powder Mountain Ski Resort, on Friday, December 8, 2023.
Season passholders have mixed feelings about the changes, but they have voiced discontent over increased pass prices, a weekend parking fee and the lifting of the resort’s longtime season pass cap.
Snowbasin didn’t have far to go to lift the crown from its neighbor 20 miles up State Route 158. In last year’s poll, the resort was No. 2.
Ski Magazine readers at that time appreciated the resort’s fast lifts, grooming and variety of terrain. And, of course, praises of the resort cannot be sung without noting its luxe bathrooms. Those qualities all still resonate with guests. Snowbasin finished in the top 10 in 12 of the 15 Best of the West categories, including No. 2 for lifts, parking and access and No. 3 for value, grooming and guest service.
“The resort combines easy access, a fast lift network, and reliable snow coverage with great customer service that’s focused on the quality of the ski experience,” Ski Magazine’s 2024 report on Snowbasin said. “In an age where crowded slopes and long lift lines dominate the conversation every winter, this effort didn’t go unnoticed.”
The writeup suggests Snowbasin isn’t as well-known as some other resorts in the country, or even the state. If winning the top spot doesn’t change that, its designation as the host of ski racing events at the 2034 Olympics likely will.
General manager Davy Ratchford welcomes the notoriety.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Danka Bartekova and Hong Zehang pose for a photo at the top of the mountain, during the International Olympic CommitteeÕs Future Host Commission, along with IOC and U.S. Olympic & Paralympic leaders visit Snowbasin Ski Resort, on Friday, April 12, 2024.
“We constantly strive to create memorable experiences for every guest,” Ratchford said in a news release. “It’s been extremely rewarding to see those efforts reflected in Ski Magazine’s results, and we hope skiers and riders around the world visit Snowbasin to see what all the accolades are about!”
Snowbasin skiers and snowboarders may be less excited about the attention. They’ve already started adopting what has long been the catchphrase of Powder Mountain enthusiasts: Don’t talk about it.
“Big-mountain skiing with a family-owned, local vibe,” one reader told Ski Magazine. “Outstanding terrain, lodges, and lifts.
“(Please don’t tell anyone!).”
Utah’s Best of the West
Rank, resort (2023 rank)
No. 29 Park City (15)
No. 25 Brighton (17)
No. 14 Deer Valley (9)
No. 12 Snowbird (13)
No. 8 Solitude (n/a)
No. 5 Alta (7)
No. 1 Snowbasin (2)
