the winter life

Flylow's Greg Steen sampling the goods at Odgen's Powder Mountain.

You’ve likely heard the stories about Utah: The 3.2 beer and the Mormons and the nightlife that shuts down at 11 P.M. But you’ve also probably heard about the powder—the blower dust that dumps by the barrel along the steep slopes of the Wasatch range. Somehow, the powder makes up for all the crazy liquor laws and creepy churchgoers. That’s why we’re predicting that the next Jackson Hole, Wyoming, (or Crested Butte or Stowe or Truckee, or whatever you consider to be the greatest ski town on earth) will be in the humble state of Utah. Folks, welcome to Ogden, your future ski paradise. Or at least, that’s what Ogden Mayor Matthew Godfrey wants you to think. Over the last couple years, Godfrey has been actively bribing ski industry companies (including the honorable Flylow Gear!) to move to Ogden, in exchange for tax breaks and other incentives. Salomon and Atomic have taken the bait and others are soon to follow. There’s talk of building a tram straight from town to the base of Snowbasin Resort, which would give the town a distinctly European feel. Also, you can’t beat the deep fluff and in-bounds cat-skiing at the local hill Powder Mountain. So, if you’ve been priced out of every other ski town in the U.S., there’s one last place that’ll let you in with open arms.