Yep, IKON ruined Solitude. I remember finding powder 7-10 days after a storm on the edges of the mountain - so much additional IKON traffic has made it a very different place.
My main complaint with Solitude is the layout of the mountain. To lap Honeycomb canyon you need to take like 3 lifts to get back to the top - just frustrating if you are trying to crank out laps.
I love the terrain at Solitude, but I still think it’s fair to put it where you did. Th difficulty to get to a few areas helps protect the snow, and it’s as difficult as anywhere.
I think the terrain is pretty unique but there’s other places where it’s maybe more direct to get to than here. Like if you hike fantasy ridge, it’s one run plus 3 lifts to get back to that hike.
spot on review. definitely more of the family vibe here. don't know if it just seems that way because of the craziness going on next door tho 😉. it went from my least visited to most because of ikon and really took a liking to it. three lifts to lap honeycomb sucks, but it's a playground and worth it. don't get caught trying to take the 972 back to town from here between 3-5 on a pow or weekend, they'll kick you off at brighton on the up, and won't have room on the down. gotta plan accordingly.
Ridden Solitude is definetly very interesting. It has some good runs and some okay runs. I had a powder day there and Utah powder is very different from Colorado powder for sure. I think I like Brighton over Solitude just a little bit. My favorite is still Snowbird.
Great review and newcomer here to the channel; wish you the best of luck maintaining it as I heard youre going all-in this year. As far as solitude, im an intermediate rider but steadily progressing with learning riding mechanics. Do a few black diamonds here and there... anyways, is even honeycomb too gnarly for an intermediate rider? Appreciate you or any viewer getting back to me.
Thanks dude! Thank you for the kind words! I think Honeycomb is definitely ridable as an intermediate if you stick to the middle of it. I posted a top-to-bottom video riding it that’ll give you an idea exactly what it’s like. Hope that helps! czcams.com/video/lriZXfuSKHo/video.htmlsi=YwrC7o1y1c6uFqv7
I hope before you release your review of it, you've been to PowMow this season, talked to the locals, and seen all of the changes that have and are happening since Reed Hastings bought it.
I have. Posted a PM video last month. But you may have noticed that's the only video I've done there so far this season. In previous years I would've had several by now.
@@BoredProgression Yeah, I kind of figured passes aren't coming your way this year the way they have in the past. In your latest PowMow video, you mentioned that Mary's and Village is going private. That's a portion of the whole story. Here's a more full view of what's going on before you release PowMow's, "Honest ski resort review from a local" (EXCELLENT series btw - great job). In addition to Mary's and Village going private, they have announced adding lifts at Raintree and Lighting Ridge. Sounds great right? Here's the thing - Raintree will also be private alongside Mary's and Village. While Mary's and Village is just so-so terrain that is mostly just used to access other parts of the mountain, Raintree has some excellent powder stashes, if you know where to look. The bigger issue to all of this, is that with losing all of this terrain - regardless of how good it is or not - is that having it closed will inevitably funnel more people to a smaller area. Longer lines, everything trekked out sooner. The new lift at Lightning Ridge might sound great. When there was just hiking/cat skiing here, it would stay good for 3-4 days after a storm. Trekked out instantly now. My biggest concern is that a lift here will encourage considerably more people to hike James Peak. This area should be reserved for advanced riders with (at least some) avalanche training and a beacon/probe and shovel. This area has multiple zones that routinely slide and are susceptible to natural avalanche cycles. With everyone funneling up towards Lightning Ridge, hunting for powder, there's going to be people there that probably shouldn't be. Finally, the lift ticket prices: last year, you could visit PowMow for somewhere around $120 on a weekday. A local with a day off from work could go. An Adult Day ticket for this Thursday (2/15/24) is $213. With taxes and fees, thats nearly a 100% increase over last year. I paid $1300 for a season pass for this year. While they haven't released the pricing structure for next year, the historically knowledgable whispers are that they are going to be $3-4k for 24/25. Even a good portion of the jobs there are now being outsourced. I have friends that grew up riding the place for $15 a day. This Sunday, the price for 2 adults and one child would be $613.77 (plus taxes and fees). Reed Hastings got himself a #1 Mountain in the West rating and is systematically pricing all of the locals out. You have a very influential channel and do an excellent job with it. People look to it when they are shopping around to take a Utah ski vacation. I love that you are 99% good vibes and positivity with your content, and I really apologize for the long-winded response, but all I ask is that when you review PowMow you give the truth - it's terrain is not worth $250 a day, and with Reed Hastings at the helm, the vibe is on serious life support. The people that made PowMow what it is are pissed.
You are a brave man to rank resorts lol I think in perfect conditions, I would take Solitude over Brighton. If you can get Honeycomb on a pow day, hard to beat it. Ive had some great days at soli.
Haha. Everyone has an opinion, right? Honeycomb is awesome but the traverse or FR hike aren't my favorite ways to get to the goods. A lot of Honeycomb is flats if you don't work a lot for it. But I still love it haha🤣
Just visited Solitude for the first time and loved it. It's the UT resort most similar what we have in WA. In some ways it felt a lot like Mount Baker. Complex and challenging terrain in a compact area. I was so pleasantly surprised. Did everything except a couple of the climbs (Evergreen and Black Bess) because they were closed for avvy control.
Nice! Just be careful if you go back. EVP & a few other areas you can get cliffed out if you don’t know where you’re going. There was a fatality there 2 years ago from that.
I’ve been skiing solitude since I was a kid and I think you’re spot on about it not really having an identity. Before IKON Solitude lived up to its name but now it’s a mixture of big corporate ski culture because of the crowds and marketing without the benefits of a well run ski resort that manages lift lines and parking well such as Snowbird. It seems they’ve had a lot of trouble adapting to the crowds brought on by IKON and it’s a shame it’s definitely not what this resort used to be but I guess change is inevitable.
Solitude is now called “Multitude” lots of snow and even more people. There is no snowmaking 2 out of the last 3 years and all the good runs have been scraped off at the start of the run and they never blow snow beyond middle of December. Please sell to someone else!
Yep, IKON ruined Solitude. I remember finding powder 7-10 days after a storm on the edges of the mountain - so much additional IKON traffic has made it a very different place.
Time for a new name?
@@BoredProgression It’s now known as Crowd’itude.
My main complaint with Solitude is the layout of the mountain. To lap Honeycomb canyon you need to take like 3 lifts to get back to the top - just frustrating if you are trying to crank out laps.
That’s very true. Although the flip side of that is it probably keeps it from getting tracked out as much as more easily accessible terrain.
Great Review. Looking forward to seeing Snowbird's review.
Thanks! Gonna be a big one!
Good review! This is the type of info I'm looking for
Thanks! That's what I'm hoping for!
I love the terrain at Solitude, but I still think it’s fair to put it where you did. Th difficulty to get to a few areas helps protect the snow, and it’s as difficult as anywhere.
I think the terrain is pretty unique but there’s other places where it’s maybe more direct to get to than here. Like if you hike fantasy ridge, it’s one run plus 3 lifts to get back to that hike.
Can’t wait for the Alta/Deer Valley review! 😉
Oh they’re coming. 🙌😛
spot on review. definitely more of the family vibe here. don't know if it just seems that way because of the craziness going on next door tho 😉. it went from my least visited to most because of ikon and really took a liking to it. three lifts to lap honeycomb sucks, but it's a playground and worth it. don't get caught trying to take the 972 back to town from here between 3-5 on a pow or weekend, they'll kick you off at brighton on the up, and won't have room on the down. gotta plan accordingly.
Good tips on the ski bus! I do love 🍯
Ridden Solitude is definetly very interesting. It has some good runs and some okay runs. I had a powder day there and Utah powder is very different from Colorado powder for sure. I think I like Brighton over Solitude just a little bit. My favorite is still Snowbird.
Definitely different!
Great review and newcomer here to the channel; wish you the best of luck maintaining it as I heard youre going all-in this year. As far as solitude, im an intermediate rider but steadily progressing with learning riding mechanics. Do a few black diamonds here and there... anyways, is even honeycomb too gnarly for an intermediate rider? Appreciate you or any viewer getting back to me.
Thanks dude! Thank you for the kind words! I think Honeycomb is definitely ridable as an intermediate if you stick to the middle of it. I posted a top-to-bottom video riding it that’ll give you an idea exactly what it’s like. Hope that helps! czcams.com/video/lriZXfuSKHo/video.htmlsi=YwrC7o1y1c6uFqv7
@@BoredProgression thank you. Will check it out.
I hope before you release your review of it, you've been to PowMow this season, talked to the locals, and seen all of the changes that have and are happening since Reed Hastings bought it.
I have. Posted a PM video last month. But you may have noticed that's the only video I've done there so far this season. In previous years I would've had several by now.
@@BoredProgression Yeah, I kind of figured passes aren't coming your way this year the way they have in the past. In your latest PowMow video, you mentioned that Mary's and Village is going private. That's a portion of the whole story. Here's a more full view of what's going on before you release PowMow's, "Honest ski resort review from a local" (EXCELLENT series btw - great job). In addition to Mary's and Village going private, they have announced adding lifts at Raintree and Lighting Ridge. Sounds great right? Here's the thing - Raintree will also be private alongside Mary's and Village. While Mary's and Village is just so-so terrain that is mostly just used to access other parts of the mountain, Raintree has some excellent powder stashes, if you know where to look. The bigger issue to all of this, is that with losing all of this terrain - regardless of how good it is or not - is that having it closed will inevitably funnel more people to a smaller area. Longer lines, everything trekked out sooner. The new lift at Lightning Ridge might sound great. When there was just hiking/cat skiing here, it would stay good for 3-4 days after a storm. Trekked out instantly now. My biggest concern is that a lift here will encourage considerably more people to hike James Peak. This area should be reserved for advanced riders with (at least some) avalanche training and a beacon/probe and shovel. This area has multiple zones that routinely slide and are susceptible to natural avalanche cycles. With everyone funneling up towards Lightning Ridge, hunting for powder, there's going to be people there that probably shouldn't be. Finally, the lift ticket prices: last year, you could visit PowMow for somewhere around $120 on a weekday. A local with a day off from work could go. An Adult Day ticket for this Thursday (2/15/24) is $213. With taxes and fees, thats nearly a 100% increase over last year. I paid $1300 for a season pass for this year. While they haven't released the pricing structure for next year, the historically knowledgable whispers are that they are going to be $3-4k for 24/25. Even a good portion of the jobs there are now being outsourced. I have friends that grew up riding the place for $15 a day. This Sunday, the price for 2 adults and one child would be $613.77 (plus taxes and fees). Reed Hastings got himself a #1 Mountain in the West rating and is systematically pricing all of the locals out. You have a very influential channel and do an excellent job with it. People look to it when they are shopping around to take a Utah ski vacation. I love that you are 99% good vibes and positivity with your content, and I really apologize for the long-winded response, but all I ask is that when you review PowMow you give the truth - it's terrain is not worth $250 a day, and with Reed Hastings at the helm, the vibe is on serious life support. The people that made PowMow what it is are pissed.
You are a brave man to rank resorts lol I think in perfect conditions, I would take Solitude over Brighton. If you can get Honeycomb on a pow day, hard to beat it. Ive had some great days at soli.
Haha. Everyone has an opinion, right? Honeycomb is awesome but the traverse or FR hike aren't my favorite ways to get to the goods. A lot of Honeycomb is flats if you don't work a lot for it. But I still love it haha🤣
Yooo
Great review and look forward to seeing more.
Thanks! Stoked to make more!
Just visited Solitude for the first time and loved it. It's the UT resort most similar what we have in WA. In some ways it felt a lot like Mount Baker. Complex and challenging terrain in a compact area. I was so pleasantly surprised. Did everything except a couple of the climbs (Evergreen and Black Bess) because they were closed for avvy control.
Nice! Just be careful if you go back. EVP & a few other areas you can get cliffed out if you don’t know where you’re going. There was a fatality there 2 years ago from that.
Hurry up with those reviews Dan,I have to plan my trip! 🇮🇪☘😉🛫
🤣 💻 😅
I’ve been skiing solitude since I was a kid and I think you’re spot on about it not really having an identity. Before IKON Solitude lived up to its name but now it’s a mixture of big corporate ski culture because of the crowds and marketing without the benefits of a well run ski resort that manages lift lines and parking well such as Snowbird. It seems they’ve had a lot of trouble adapting to the crowds brought on by IKON and it’s a shame it’s definitely not what this resort used to be but I guess change is inevitable.
For sure.
Ikon ruined the Wasatch !
🔥Can't wait to watch this with you
Me too! 😀
Way to honest
Trying to be!
Keep up the resort reviews 🙏
More to come!
Cool dude. Love it.
Thanks my man!
Solitude is now called “Multitude” lots of snow and even more people. There is no snowmaking 2 out of the last 3 years and all the good runs have been scraped off at the start of the run and they never blow snow beyond middle of December. Please sell to someone else!
Lol!
Siiiiiiick!!!!😊
🤘
Didnt even mention or have clips of more than 1/3 of the terrain, more thorough review would be appreciated
Ok
solitude sucks dont go there brighton has all the pros of solitude and a ton of others
Nah, go to Vail
Yeah and wait in 4 hour traffic at 6:00 Am