Solitude Skiing
Few resorts started from less auspices origins than Solitude. The story is that a wealthy Moab uranium miner, Robert Barrett, was denied access to the restrooms at Alta, and got so “pissed off'” he vowed to start his own resort. That resort was Solitude.
The resort sells itself with a family face. It suggests that it is off the beaten trail, uncrowded and all about the “solitude.”
Today, Deer Valley Resort owns Solitude. What Deer Valley lacks in extreme terrain is made up for at Solitude.
Solitude may be the best kept secret for extreme skiing location in the United States. Let me repeat that assertion. Solitude may be the best-kept skiing for inbounds extreme skiing anywhere in the United States. Check it out below.
Solitude Expert Skier Experience
Expert skiing at Solitude is all about hiking the ridges. If you’re lazy, the traversable terrain isn’t so bad either.
Fantasy Ridge
Hiking this beast is terrifying for all but the heartiest of skiers. Depending on conditions, you may be hiking on jagged rocks while grabbing rope supports to keep you from ejecting yourself off a cliff. From the ridge, you have eye-popping options like Fantasy Ridge and Honeycomb Peak. If you chicken out, and that’s really relative up here, you can tap out on Boundary Chute. But you could have traversed here as well. So if you make the hike, mine as well do the biggies. Traversing the ridge gets you to Black Bess, Voltaire, Prince of Wales, Boundary Chutes. Take the traverse under Fantasy Ridge all the way to access gates gets you to No Man’s Land and Crystal Point.
Top of Summit Express
Opposite Fantasy Ridge is Buckeye Junior, and Black Forrest which can be accessed by dropping in under Summit Express. There’s also a relatively short ridge traverse and hike below Summit Express. You can stay skier’s left and reach glades and the Black Forrest (opposite Fantasy Ridge. You can also stay skier’s right, on top of the ridge, and reach Cathedral Cirque, Middle Slope, Parachute, and Milk Run.
Evergreen Peak
There are front sides and back sides of Evergreen. From Summit Chair you can traverse and drop into Headwall Forrest and ski glades or your course and access gates to Evergreen Peak. You can hike to the Peak or traverse and drop into the glades. Backside. You can drop over for some steep chutes or stay along the ridgeline. It all funnels into the return rail Sol/Bright.
Eagle Ridge
This ridge gives you access to Here Be Dragons and Navarone. Open and tight glades depending on the line you choose.
Snow Hunting
I recommend going to Solitude when the snow is great; there are too many nearby choices when it’s not.
Insider Tips
If you’re into extreme terrain ski Fantasy Ridge.
There are public lockers in the SnowSports Academy building where you can store your gear at a reasonable price. There are also areas underneath benches and tables where you can stash your gear.