If you live on the West Coast and have never skied anywhere else (e.g., Utah, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming), imagine being able to ski POWDER. Not the Sierra CEMENT we are accustomed to, but nice DRY, FLUFFY, POWDER that you can actually maneuver your skis in. I can not speak about ski resorts East of Montana, not having been to any of them, but I have heard that Eastern skiers face ICY CONDITIONS quite frequently (at least that's what they tell me), which does not sound anywhere near what it's like at Utah's powder playgrounds. Needless to say, I cannot wait until my family and I get the opportunity to ski Snowbird again.
The resort itself features 2,500 acres of runs, off-piste powder stashes, and bowls to ski in. The 85 runs are broken down as follows: 27% beginner, 38% intermediate, and 35% expert. The trail map shows the 35% expert as EXPERT ONLY--DOUBLE BLACK DIAMONDS, and there are only a few true beginner runs, so if you are a beginner-level skier, you may find this resort a bit challenging. This resort also receives a whopping 500-inch average annual snowfall. This year, it doesn't look like it will reach its average, though. Snowbird's ski season typically ends in late May, while most others are closed by mid-April.
If you are a strong intermediate or advanced skier, you can ski or snowboard from the Tram with a Mountain Guide for about 1 1/4 hours before the mountain opens. This costs an additional $20, but is worth it on powder days. The resort also offers FREE guided tours of the mountain, alpine backcountry tours, ski racing, and an adaptive sports program. Snowbird also offers the opportunity to ski at its neighboring resort, Alta, during the same day with the new combined Snowbird/Alta lift ticket. This costs $64/day for adults. There is also a free ski shuttle between the resorts, which are 2 miles apart.
The resort also features an excellent children's ski program and offers daycare for children starting at six weeks of age.
Aside from great skiing/snowboarding, this resort offers four lodging choices (all ski/in, ski/out); many different dining and apres-ski events (e.g., happy hour, free ski movies, live jazz music, Snowbird's Murder Mystery Dinner Theater, and more); and other activities.
Snowbird is also one of only a few resorts, which allows kids 12 and under to ski free with a paying adult. This pass is good for the chairs only, and costs $15 if you desire a tram ticket. The tram carries 125 passengers to the top of the mountain (a vertical rise of 2,900 feet) in eight minutes. You can get to the top of the mountain without taking the tram, it just means riding a few different lifts to do so.
Overall, Snowbird is a great resort and I would not ski Utah without skiing here.