On a cold, blustery morning with snow falling and eight inches of fresh on the ground from the night before, we sat on the Sterling chairlift at Deer Valley. The goal for the day—Snowbird. The Wasatch Interconnect Tour by Ski Utah is no ordinary ski trip. Skiing up to six resorts in one day is one of the most fun and unique experiences you can get in Utah. It's a guided adventure designed for expert and advanced skiers, offering a blend of backcountry and resort skiing in an approachable and safe format. The tour connects Deer Valley Resort, Park City Mountain, Solitude Mountain Resort, Brighton Resort, Alta Ski Area, and Snowbird Ski Resort—some of the best skiing in the Wasatch Mountain Range. And best part about it, you get to experience a wide range of terrain, from quintessential Deer Valley groomers runs to pristine backcountry in the Central Wasatch.  

Our guides check with ski patrol and give us detailed instruction before going out of bounds!

Deer Valley to Park City to . . . Solitude!

Our guide checked in with ski patrol so we could exit the resort without ducking ropes illegally, and then one by one we checked our beacons with our guide and were off. Some nice, pillowy turns led us to the bottom of Pioneer lift at Park City Mountain, where we then headed toward Jupiter Peak. Now we get to the good stuff… From Park City Mountain over to Solitude in Big Cottonwood Canyon, we skied one at a time, while staying in a group, to the scenic Guardsman pass.  

The road to Solitude!

A bout of untouched boot-deep powder had the whole group grinning ear to ear. As we made our way, the sun began to peek through the clouds. Once we made it to Solitude, we had a quick break and then carried on to the infamous Highway to Heaven traverse. There was some shuffling and side-stepping but nothing an advanced skier can’t handle. While you’re shuffling across you can look back toward the Park City ridgeline and start to put the pieces together of where you’ve skied already and where you’re heading. So, take a breath, absorb the beauty of the Wasatch mountains, and then enjoy more fresh turns as you head to Alta down Grizzly Gulch.  

Crossing Big Cottonwood Canyon to Solitude!

And Into Little Cottonwood Canyon

Our group made it to Alta for lunch at the Watson by 1 p.m. Lunch is included, but if you choose to get a beer that’s on you. We mowed down some burrito bowls, you're burning a lot of energy on this tour. But before I knew it—we were back on skis. I noticed my legs were feeling heavy, but we still had one more resort to get to. The snow was great at Alta, as it so often is, which led us to take a few extra laps. We hiked up to Keyhole Chute from the top of the Wildcat chairlift, and after a few jump turns, we were in Snowbird territory. And what’s a trip to Snowbird without taking the tram?  

Guides Chris and Brian set the tone for the Interconnect Tour!
Skiing Grizzly Gulch to Alta!
Picking lines and eyeing up terrain at Snowbird!

Final Laps and Après Ski at Snowbird

The new tram at Snowbird is awesome, especially on a quiet Tuesday afternoon with no lines and fantastic snow. When we got to the top our guides checked in on our energy levels and most of the group was feeling up for another big run, but a couple opted to take the groomer back down to base—it’s great to have options! The rest of us traversed over a rock band in Great Scott’s and enjoyed some soft snow as we made our way down the double-black diamond.  

Once we reconvened at the base area, we collectively decided it’s always better to end on a high note than to call last run and go out for one more lap. By the end of the day our group was cracking jokes, exchanging contact info, and sharing the rest of our winter plans with one another. We cracked a beer, raised our cans, and toasted to a day well spent!  

Finishing up the day with laps on The Cirque!

The final part of our journey was loading our ski gear up in the shuttle provided by Ski Utah and heading back up to Deer Valley. The Ski Utah Interconnect Tour embodies the spirit of adventure and is an open invitation to explore, push boundaries (literally and figuratively), and discover the incredible connections between Utah's legendary ski resorts. 

Our Wasatch Interconnect By the Numbers

  • 5 resorts skied - Deer Valley, Park City Mountain, Solitude, Alta, Snowbird
  • 27.3 miles of skiing
  • 15,161 feet of descending
  • 14.5 miles of downhill skiing
  • 11,220 feet - elevation high point
  • 6 hours & 28 minutes total ski time (including lunch)

PRO TIPS! 

If you can remember to pack a pair of slippers or shoes that easily fit into your backpack, bring them with! You will be so grateful to slip on some comfy shoes for the shuttle ride back to Deer Valley.  

Touring gear is not necessary! You can do this entire ski tour on your alpine setup. However, it's wise to wear light layers and bring extras if needed.

Bring sunscreen, water, and snacks.  

The BEST TIP is one for your guides, and thank them for an awesome experience! 

Thank you to Ski Utah for having us and the opportunity to tell this story!

Finishing the day strong!
Brian wins with all these Gold Passes!