Après Adam here with step 12 of my 12-Step Program for Après-Ski Conditioning. I’m here to help you have the best après-ski season of your life!
We did it! Après-Ski season is finally here! Our Pray For Snow Party delivered the goods and it’s time to reap the rewards of our sacrifices. It’s time the final step of my program
Step 12: Après Like A Champion Today!
The morning of Black Friday, while everyone else was scoring the best deals or waking up from a self-induced turkey coma, Brighton and Brian Head kicked off ski season here in Utah. It was a couple weeks later than we planned for, but it was well worth the wait. And there were a lot of excited people, A LOT!
I managed to shake off a turkey hangover and made my way to Brighton to do a Facebook Live Video showing the excitement of Opening Day in Utah. We skied some powder, hit some jumps, high-fived some strangers, and had an absolute blast. Then we shared my first lift-served après-ski pitchers with at Molly Green's, one of the best après-ski spots in Utah.
Park City and Snowbird joined the party Saturday morning, spinning their lifts for thousands of excited skiers and boarders. Snowbasin and Powder Mountain opened today, with Alta and Solitude opening December 2nd, Deer Valley on the 3rd, Sundance on the 9th, and Beaver and Eagle Point are TBD, but it shouldn’t be long now. Check out the latest on resort openings here.
The entire state of Utah was just hit by the largest storm of the season. Snow totals exceeded 40 inches in Little Cottonwood Canyon, 30-plus inches in Big Cottonwood, up to two feet in Park City, and an astonishing 54” of snow in 48 hours at Eagle Point, outside of Beaver, Utah. Check out the storm totals and upcoming forecast from Wasatch Snow Forecast.
The latest storm should go a long way in getting terrain opened at all of the resorts. With somewhat-limited terrain, a lot of stoked skiers and boarders, myself included, have been getting after it in the backcountry or in resort areas that allow uphill traffic. Just be careful, preseason touring at a resort is no different than backcountry skiing. Make sure to read the daily report from the Utah Avalanche Center. And remember, safety first.
Kevin Learned and I skinned up Alta last week, skied some powder, and celebrated Taco Tuesday. It's since snowed another 4-5 feet at Alta. See you there Friday for Opening Day.
What all of this means, is that ski après-ski season is finally upon us. I hope that you have been following my 12-Step Program for Après-Ski Conditioning. If you have, you should be in the best après-ski shape of your life, I know I am.
The final step involves a little homework, I'm asking you to get out a pen and a bar napkin and start writing down some goals for your upcoming après-ski season. And while it’s great to have another set of actual ski goals (i.e. "learn how to ski moguls" or "do a Cossack on snowblades") don’t let these interfere with your very different set of après-ski goals. Make your own Après-Ski Bucket List and "Carpe Après." I’m not here to tell you what your own goals should be, but I’ll throw out my top-100 favorites:
The Après Adam Utah Après-Ski Bucket List:- Opening day shot ski at Alta - Alta
- $5 Shot and a beer at The Tram Club - Snowbird
- $10 PBR pitcher at The Goldminer's Daughter - Alta
- 8-person Shot Ski at the Alta Peruvian Lodge aka the P Dog - Alta/Snowbird
- Drink a beer at 11,000 feet at the top of Summit of Hidden Peak - Alta
- Spike a Suzy’s with Baileys from Alta Java - Alta
- Beers and fries in the deck of Alf's Restaurant - Alta
- Share a celebratory beer at the top of Main Chute - Alta
- Order a Boomerang at the Sitzmark - Alta
- Celebrate Frank - Alta
- Close out the season at the High Boy Party- Alta
- New Year's Eve Torchlight Parade - Alta
- Pick up a road soda or pocket beer from General Gritts - Snowbird
- Drink a beer in the sun on the Tram Deck - Snowbird
- Grab a margarita from El Chanate - Snowbird
- Stash some beers on a spring day and hit The Wave - Snowbird
- Bring some cocktails and watch a freeskiing comp - Snowbird
- Celebrate the last Closing Day - Snowbird
- Celebrate Memorial Day - Snowbird
- Ski and après in Jean Shorts aka Jorts with a bunch of friends - Snowbird
- Drink a cocktail and soak at the The Cliff Lodge Pool - Snowbird
- Share some beers on Opening Day at Brighton - Brighton
- Drink a beer and grill in the parking lot - Brighton
- Stay warm with a flask and ski powder under the night skiing lights - Brighton
- Night ski and après at Molly Green's - Brighton
- Drink a beer and grill in the parking lot - Solitude
- Shot and a beer at the Thirsty Squirrel - Solitude
- Take a pull off a flask for surviving the Fantasy Ridge hike - Solitude
- Snowshoe, dinner and drinks at the The Yurt at Solitude - Solitude
- Wine and a buffet dinner at St. Bernard's - Solitude
- Pitcher and a Reuben at Silver Fork Lodge - Solitude
- $2 Tuesday Micro Brews at Porcupine - SLC
- Drink a PBR and crush some Hector’s Mexican Food - SLC
- Beer and a Garlic Burger at Cotton Bottom - SLC
- Corona and Fish Tacos at Lone Star Taqueria - SLC
- 20 Wings and a Pitcher on Sundays for $25 at the Wing Coop - SLC
- Live Music and drinks at Hog Wallow - SLC
- “Best Burger in Utah” and a beer at Lucky 13 - SLC
- Beer and BBQ at R&R BBQ - SLC
- Spring ski in the morning and hit up Thirsty Thursday with the Salt Lake Bees - SLC
- Nachos, beer, and sun on the Pig Pen deck - Park City
- $3 PBR’s and a $3 tequila shots at the Corner Store - Park City
- Grab a flask and night ski into town - Park City
- Corona-ritas at Baja Cantina - Park City
- Celebrate Clown Day in costume - Park City
- Celebrate at the Park City Closing Day Party - Park City
- Christmas Day Martini Party - Park City
- Beers on the Mid-Mountain Lodge Deck - Park City
- Host your own wine and fondue party behind Summit House - Park City
- Beers on the Miners Camp Deck - Park City
- Mulled Wine from the Viking Yurt - Park City
- Bourbon Ice Ball and Osso Bucco at Silver Star at Park City - Park City
- Ahi Tuna Nachos and an Irish Coffee at Legends Bar & Grill - Park City
- Mimosas and Huevos Rancheros at Squatters Roadhouse - Park City
- Fondue on the Quiksilver gondola - Park City
- 7-11 tall boys and tailgate in the First Time Parking Lot - Park City
- Fondue and Stiegl at Adolph’s - Park City
- Wine and charcuterie at Old Town Cellars - Park City (Old Town)
- Ski into town and grab a Dead Man’s Boots at High West Distillery and Saloon - Park City (Old Town)
- Pitchers and Brazilian Nachos at The Bridge - Park City (Old Town)
- Pocket beers on Town Lift - Park City (Old Town)
- Après-ski $3 PBR Tall Boys at The Cabin - Park City (Old Town)
- $3 schooners and burgers at O’Shucks - Park City (Old Town)
- Slice of pizza and a beer at Davanza's - Park City (Old Town)
- Order a Cowboy at No Name Saloon in ski boots - Park City (Old Town)
- Celebrate the Christmas Eve Torchlight Parade - Park City (Old Town)
- Sake and Pork Belly Ramen at Yuki Yama Sushi - Park City (Old Town)
- Enjoy a beer on the Red Pine Lodge Deck - Park City (Canyons Base)
- Margaritas at Red Tail Grill- Park City (Canyons Base)
- Wine and charcuterie at The Farm - Park City (Canyons Base)
- Celebrate Pond Skimming at Canyons - Park City (Canyons Base)
- Beer and a burger around the fire pit at the Umbrella Bar - Park City (Canyons Base)
- Drink a beer and take in a Spring Gruv concert - Park City (Canyons Base)
- Dry rub wings and a beer at Drafts - Park City (Canyons Base)
- Wine and fondue at the Lookout Cabin - Park City (Canyons Base)
- Buy some boxed wine from the Westgate Liquor Store and hot tub - Park City (Canyons Base)
- Fondue and Wine at Goldener Hirsch Inn - Park City (Deer Valley)
- Champagne sabering at the J&G Grill St. Regis Deer Valley - Park City (Deer Valley)
- Hot toddies while watching Dual Moguls at night - Park City (Deer Valley)
- Bloody Mary and lunch on the Deer Valley Grocery Deck - Park City (Deer Valley)
- Hot Buttered Rum and Turkey Chili Nachos at Edgar's - Park City (Deer Valley)
- Sip champagne at the Après Lounge Yurt - Park City (Deer Valley)
- Bring your own wine to Fireside Dining - Park City (Deer Valley)
- Try one of 10,000 bottles from the Wine Cellar at Stein's - Park City (Deer Valley)
- Deer Valley Turkey Chili and a cocktail on the ski beach at Royal Street Cafe - Park City (Deer Valley)
- Cocktails at Apex at the Montage Deer Valley - Park City (Deer Valley)
- Have a drink with Robert Redford at the Owl Bar - Sundance Mountain Resort
- Celebrate at the Beaver Mountain Pond Skim - Logan
- Live music and a Lone Tree Fizz at the Cinnabar Lounge - Snowbasin
- Beer on the deck of Needles Lodge - Snowbasin
- Drink a beer at the Powder Keg - Powder Mountain
- Grill and share a cocktail in the parking lot and ski down to the lifts - Powder Mountain
- Ride Lightning Ridge Snowcat and share a beer at the top of James Peak - Powder Mountain
- Star Burger and pitcher of Heidi’s Special at Shooting Star Saloon - Huntsville
- Beers at Brewskis - Ogden
- Rent a ski-in-ski-out cabin, hot tub and après at Eagle Point - Beaver
- Live music and drinks at the Last Chair Saloon - Brian Head
- Plan a yurt trip with friends, bring food and alcohol - Whisper Ridge
- Hike into a hot springs with hot toddies - Spanish Fork
- Saber a champagne bottle with a ski or snow blade - Anywhere
That should give you a couple of ideas what I’m looking for. Feel free to steal any or all of my Après-Ski Bucket List. Or hell, join me and we’ll start checking some off together!
