Here we are in middle of the heat of summer and I am just now getting around to posting from a week back in February when my youngest brother flew out from Ohio for a ski trip here in Utah.

We had been discussing this trip for a good year and having to cancel it a couple times due to his work schedule. Finally with things lining up we were able to plan for him to come out in February.

I had placed him on my flight benefits on United which was another reason why we had planned for Feb. It’s a good down time when it comes to flying to make one’s way to Utah from the Midwest.

He stayed with me in my tiny little apartment but spent little time there since we would be skiing and he would be snowboarding the whole time. I had planned our meals so that way we wouldn’t have to worry about eating out and spending more money. Though he tended to pass out on me as soon as we made it home. These mountains out here sure kicked his but. Thankfully I made us breakfast that we could eat on the go and on the slopes we were able to get lunch at the resorts.

For our first day I took Cory up to Powder Mountain. My brother is a snowboarder and Powder Mountain has a reputation as being the snowboarder haven here in Utah. It has always been the local hidden place. The mountain is also a lot of fun to explore and play on. Tons of terrain and back country. For us, we would be staying on the blue’s.

I have to say I don’t think I have seen my brother smile so big since we were children. And as his big sister I had hoped him coming out here and getting a taste for the mountains and the snow he’d start making his pilgrimage west. We ended up ending the day a bit earlier than planned do to a storm coming in and covering the moutnain. We headed into the lodge, returned the rentals and grabbed soup and a beer while we waited for the ski bus that would drop us off in Ogden at the train station.

The next morning we woke early, got breakfast ready to go and we took the green then blue line to Draper where we then got on the ski bus to head to Solitude where we met up with one of my friends and her boyfriend. We were able to use their discount passes at Solitude for the day. Which sometimes can be super helpful if you don’t ride all the time and know someone who has those buddy discount passes.

We rode a bit on our own before we met up with Kendall and Charles and then let them show us around the resort as that was their normal ski hill.

At one point Charles was trying to take us up to the top of the summit so we would have great views of the surroundings and then we’d be able to take a blue line all the way down. Once we got to the top of the summit we realized that the blue ski hill was closed and the only way down was the big black diamond hill we’d have to ski and board down. So we followed Kendal and Charles doing our best not tumbling down the hill. I thankfully only fell once up the hill which I will say is better than falling down.

Once the wobbly knees and legs found there place with all of the biggest turns I could manage we managed our way down. I will say my brother was a champ and found his way on his board and have to say had a blast after the first couple of shocks. Our legs a wobbly mess with aches and pains but proud. Charles was a champ for leading three people down that mountain.

Now I can say the view was worth it and it was a good push, also glad the the hill was not a multi black diamond hill and there was enough room the maneuver around it. It’s a good test.

We had lunch in the lodge and drink in the middle of the runs but what a lot of people do is just pack a lunch to not have to pay for the expensive soups and burgers.

For getting to and from each of the resorts we took public transit which is UTA here in Utah. We took the green line to the FrontRunner, FrontRunner to Ogden and then took the Ski Bus from the Ogden Station to Powder.

To get to Solitude we took the Green Line to the Blue Line. Blue line to Midvale Fort Station, transfer on the Ski Bus to Solitude.

Thanks Bud for humoring me while you where out. Look forward to our next ski sesh.

With Love,

Jess