The end of Snowbird as we knew it?

Snowbird’s claim of fame used to be the “longest ski season in Utah”. Not anymore, as Monday, May 27 was the final ski at the Utah resort, and at the end of that day, it was Solitude thanks to an earlier opening, not Snowbird that could claim the title! 

Since Dick Bass and his family sold a majority interest in Snowbird to the Ian Cumming family in May of 2014, money and profitability began to rear their ugly heads and Snowbird’s closing dates have gradually decreased in recent years, as most of their spring visitors are season pass holders and it probably costs the ski mountain big dollars to stay open into June or early July. 

Along with that, the number of lifts open that weekend were left to a bare minimum in spite of plenty of snow, Mineral Basin was scheduled to run, but mechanical issues have allegedly shut it down (?). 

Snowbird also used the official excuse that snow was melting fast (it always does at this time of the year) and construction projects at the Wilbere terrain pod and Mid-Gad were forcing them to an early shut-down. 

Many locals, all season pass-holders, and hoping to ski through June with so much snow, weren’t happy with the decision and voiced their displeasure on Snowbird’s Instagram page. This days things are changing for the worst at the “Bird”. 

Too many Ikon pass visitors, road access and parking problems that take more than an hour to travel the 6 miles into Little Cottonwood Canyon also explain why many Salt Lakers have given up on their local resort in favor of Park City...