Ski resort of the week: Powder Mountain
Desert Morning News - February 17, 2005

History: Powder Mountain has one of the longest and most interesting pasts of any Utah resort, dating back to the days when sheep, not skiers, ran the slopes. Frederick James Cobabe herded sheep on the summer ranges around Grand Targhee in Idaho . When Targhee became a national forest, he had to move. He ended up buying large parcels of land around Eden, some of it in the high-mountain slopes. In 1948 Cobabe's son, Alvin, purchased the livestock company, which included animals and 8,000 acres, from his father. In 1956, at age 42, Alvin Cobabe sold the livestock, kept the land and headed off to the University of Utah Medical School. He would eventually open a medical practice in northern Utah . While riding horses in the 1950s, a friend suggested his high-mountain land would make a great ski area. He liked the idea and started to acquire adjacent land. By 1972, when Powder Mountain opened, Alvin Cobabe owned approximately 14,000 acres.

He opened that season with the Sundown lift and, along with lessons, added lights for night skiing. Food that season was prepared on an outdoor barbecue. The following season he built the Main Lodge and Sundown Lodge, and he added the Timberline lift. In 1995 he opened the Hidden Lake lift. In 1981, realizing the opportunities for powder skiing on his land, he opened a shuttle service that allowed skiers to ski open-powder runs, terminate at the road and be picked up there and returned to the main resort area. In 1984 Powder Mountain became the first Utah resort to welcome snowboarders. In 1994 the Sunrise lift opened, and the Paradise lift followed in 1999. Powder Mountain remains in the hands of the Cobabe family, putting it in a small group of resorts that remain under original, private ownership.

What you know: Powder Mountain is another of those ski areas yet to be fully discovered. There's much more to the resort than people realize. For example, when taking into account the areas that are groomed and those left ungroomed and thus open to powder skiing, it is Utah 's largest area at 5,500 acres. The open slopes around the resort are what prompted Cobabe to start the shuttle service for skiers who went looking for powder and found themselves a distance from the lifts. In 1999 Cobabe began to offer cat skiing into the 700 acres on Lightning Ridge, the same area where he was riding horses years earlier when he was handed the idea of a ski resort. The typical trend for skiers coming to Powder Mountain is to head for Hidden Lake lift and the runs nearby. The reason is simple enough: a large amount of terrain and a wide range of runs for beginners, intermediates and experts. Skiers can also access Powder Country from this lift. Come eating time, the Lodge at Hidden Lake is popular because of its accessibility. The cafeteria in the Main Lodge is another popular stop. Among the favorites on the menu are the homemade soups and sourdough scones. And as is the case with most resorts, midday skiing, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., is the most popular time to be on the slopes.

What you need to know: A trail map or a few of the right questions to employees can lead to directions to Cobabe Canyon and some of the best uncrowded skiing at the resort. It's easy to miss the cat track leading into the area, so it pays for skiers to be alert. Those with four-wheel vehicles can beat the crowds after picking up a ticket at Sundown or Main Lodge and then driving to Hidden Lake Lodge. From there they can easily access Cobabe Canyon and ski down to Paradise lift. Or they can head straight into Powder Country and be among the first to make tracks. A cat ride into the Lightning Ridge powder skiing is $7 for a single ride. For those looking for some directions, $22 gets a ride and a guide. Once again, one of the main draws to Powder Mountain is the powder. With such a large area to ski - 5,500 acres - it's not unusual to find some untracked powder fields several days after a fresh storm. To help skiers, the resort has opened lifts 30 minutes earlier this year - at 9 a.m. - and kept them running later. The last lift closes at 5 p.m. Night skiing also begins 30 minutes earlier - 4 p.m. When it comes time for a break, sometimes overlooked is Powder Keg in the Main Lodge, a great place for lunch and to mingle with some of the locals.

Ski school: There are a couple of popular programs for first-timers. Skiers 10 and older who've never skied can take a group lesson, get a lift ticket and rent skis for $45. Snowboarders get a lesson and pass for $40. After this lesson the next step is a super package, which includes a group lesson and either rentals or a Sundown lift ticket for $40. Better skiers can pay $164 for four hours of instruction in a full range of terrain. The ski area also offers a program for women called "SheSki." It runs for three consecutive Tuesdays and costs $200. It includes continental breakfast on the first day, lunch and lift tickets on lesson days, a souvenir and a concluding party. Ski school director Tammy Weese said, "You need to take a look at several types of lessons. First, there's the private. All the focus is on you. . . . The next type you have to consider is a group lesson. . . . The group lesson has an advantage: It is fun to be with others that are learning, and many friendships are started in the group lessons."

Review: Powder Mountain is an area that has not been fully discovered by Utah skiers. After a storm it is a powder skier's paradise. And if your skills aren't quite up to deep powder, a perfect way to learn is to follow an instructor for a powder lesson. Plus, despite what some may think, the resort is not that far away.