Well, the first holiday of the year came and went. And you know what didn’t come with it? People. Canyon Blog ventured out onto the slopes of Snowbird and Alta to gauge the holiday crowds and take an unscientific barometric reading of just how many folks were in town or up from downtown on Sunday and Monday.

The great news is Alta’s parking system seems to be working and a bit less traffic is in the canyon. Nice to know, but it doesn’t really affect you because you’ll be luxuriating après ski style in one of our properties. Your correspondent doesn’t have any real data to support this hypothesis, but it seems that urging carpool behavior and implementing parking fees resulted in the reduced numbers seen on the mountain. There are also some Icon pass blackout conditions in play here.

But now for the bad news. You weren’t here were you? As these photos attest, you’re no where in any of them. Of course, hardly anyone else is in them either. But that’s just the point: No lift lines.

Though Canyon Blog did ride Mineral Express with a lovely couple from Down Under who braved international travel and US Customs to be here. They couldn’t believe there weren’t any crowds. Your correspondent explained (lied would perhaps not be inaccurate) that there was a temporary ban on numbers of local skiers on the mountain to encourage foreign guests such as them. Did he feel bad about this fib afterwards? No, because they’re going home with a great story. And this writer loves a good story.

In the end, what is most important is that YOU are afforded the opportunity to entertain an Aussie or two with tales of elitism of your own. So, get onto our reservation link and get onto that plane because the Greatest Snow on Earth is waiting and no Customs officials are standing between you and a 100 inch base.