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By Whitney Russler
Utah is notoriously known for their snow resorts that occupy thousands of skiers and snowboarders from all across the nation, and across the world every year. With 13 resorts to choose from, skiers and snowboarders have a wide range of choices in Utah. Readers of Ski Magazine in 2003 rated four of Utah's ski resorts as among the top five spots for snow quality. Utah hosted the Winter Olympic Games in 2002. This helped put Utah's ski resorts on the map. The ski races and jumps were located in Park City. John Evans, a ski instructor for Park City Mountain Resort for three years, said the resorts have been trying to showcase everything after the Olympics. "There has been a drastic change of the amount of clients that are out-of-state and from around the world following the Olympics and more people are definitely drawn to Utah because of the Olympics," John Evans said. But is it just the Olympics that have brought many people from across the nation and around the world to Utah? Evans said one of the major reasons is people can fly into the airport in Salt Lake City, drive a half in hour, and be at a resort. "Opposed to Colorado, Utah ski resorts are easily accessible," he said. Not only are the resorts easily accessible but they also have immense amounts of snow. To an easterner, good snow could be four-day-old powder. Ken Evans, an instructor at Park City Mountain Resort of eight years, said people that come from out east are impressed with the quality of snow and how big the mountains are. "I had clients from out east yesterday that kept talking about the great powder we had, and we haven't had fresh powder in four or five days, but to them it was powder," he said. Utah Ski Resorts average their snow count from around 70-104 inches of snow at their resort. Depending on the time and day, each resort will have at least 65 inches according to Ski Utah Snow Reports. Nick Knighton, a ski patrolman at Beaver Mountain, said the snow in Utah is better than any other place he's been including Targee Ski Resort in Wyoming. "In Utah you can always expect good snow," said Knighton. In this season alone there has been over 400 inches of the greatest snow on earth. Even during a lower rating snow season for people from around the world or across the country this can still mean great skiing and snowboarding. Ken Evans said he's been to Colorado and the snow was comparable to Utah, but the mountains and weather differ due to the moisture that comes from the Great Salt Lake area. He believes this helps with the difference of the snow and the amounts of it that Utah gets every year. "Some of my clients from London, England kept raving about the world class skiing available in Utah and they also go to Colorado skiing every year," he said. Utah's 13 mountain resorts have invested millions of dollars in on-mountain improvements this season alone, according to Utah Mountain Resort Improvements. Many of these improvements include expanding lodges, creating new ski school clinics, and opening new terrain parks. Utah's ski resorts are trying to keep up with the times by adding "parks" also known as a place for snowboarders and skiers to try out half pipes, rale slides, and major jumps. "Park City Mountain Resorts added a huge park not too long ago that is loaded with rale slides and includes one of the half pipes used in the Olympics," said John Evans. The resorts that have these parks include Beaver Mountain, Brighton Ski Resort, Canyons, Park City Mountain Resort, Snowbasin, Snowbird, and Solitude Mountain Resort, according toRide Utah . These ski resorts have some of the best terrain parks in the world. With world-class super pipes and award winning terrain parks, there's a place for skiers and boarders to try out their hottest moves, according to Utah's Terrain Parks, Overall, Utah is the place for skiers and snowboarders to come and enjoy great powder, award winning terrain parks, and world class skiing and snowboarding. So jump in your car or hop on a plane and come enjoy the greatest snow on earth.
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