Powder Mountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Powder Mountain |
|
|---|---|
 Powder Mountain
Location in the United States
Powder Mountain
Location in Utah
|
|
| Location | Cache, Weber counties, Utah, United States |
| Nearest city | Ogden, Utah 19 miles (31 km) southwest |
| Coordinates | 41°22′48″N 111°46′49″W / 41.38000°N 111.78028°W |
| Vertical | 2,205 ft (672 m) lift-served 2,522 ft (769 m) via snowcat |
| Top elevation | 8,900 ft (2,713 m) lift-served 9,422 ft (2,872 m) via snowcat |
| Base elevation | 6,900 ft (2,103 m) |
| Skiable area | 8,464 acres (34.3 km2) 2,800 acres (11.3 km2) lift-served |
| Runs | 154; 25% beginner 40% intermediate 35% advanced |
| Longest run | 3 miles (5 km) |
| Lift system | 6 chairs, 3 surface lifts |
| Lift capacity | 6,350 skiers per hour |
| Terrain parks | 2 |
| Snowfall | 350 in (29 ft; 8.9 m) per year |
| Snowmaking | none |
| Night skiing | 1 chair, 1 surface lift |
| Website | https://www.powdermountain.com |
Powder Mountain is a super big ski resort in Utah, USA. It's located in the Wasatch Range mountains, east of a town called Eden, Utah. This amazing resort stretches across two counties: Weber and Cache.
Powder Mountain is known for being the largest ski resort in the United States. It covers a huge area of about 8,464 acres! That's like having over 6,400 football fields just for skiing and snowboarding. The resort has 154 different trails for all skill levels, nine lifts to take you up the mountain, and two fun terrain parks. It's about 55 miles northeast of the Salt Lake City International Airport.
Contents
History of Powder Mountain
Powder Mountain used to be a place where sheep grazed in the winter. A man named Frederick James Cobabe owned this land. From 1902 to 1948, he bought more land around Eden. He also worked hard to make sure the land was managed well. People even called it "one of the best-managed watersheds" in the Wasatch Mountains.
How the Resort Began
Frederick's son, Alvin Cobabe, bought his father's livestock company in 1948. This included 8,000 acres of land. Alvin then bought even more land nearby. When he finally opened Powder Mountain on February 19, 1972, he owned a massive 14,000 acres!
During the resort's first winter, only one ski lift, called the Sundown lift, was open. You could even ski at night because the area was lit up! There was also a ski school to help people learn, and food was cooked outdoors. The next season, in 1972–73, they added the main lodge, the Sundown lodge, and another lift called Timberline.
Changes in Ownership
Alvin Cobabe sold Powder Mountain in 2006 to a company called Western American Holdings. However, Alvin's daughter, Aleta Cobabe, continued to lead the resort's management team for a while. In 2013, a group called Summit, which hosts events, bought the resort.
In 2023, Reed Hastings, who helped start Netflix, invested a lot of money in Powder Mountain. He put in $100 million and became the main owner of the resort.
Timeline of Key Events
- 1971–72 season: Powder Mountain officially opens with the Sundown Lift. Ski lessons also begin.
- 1972–73: The Main and Sundown lodges open, along with the Timberline Lift.
- 1975–76: The Hidden Lake Lift is added, giving skiers more access to the mountain.
- 1981–82: Shuttle services start for employees and for the "Powder Country" area.
- 1984–85: Powder Mountain becomes the first resort in Utah to allow snowboarding!
- 1986–87: The Hidden Lake Day Lodge opens, offering a place to warm up and relax.
- 1994–95: The Sunrise Lift opens, expanding the skiable area.
- 1999–2000: The Paradise Lift, a quad chairlift, opens up an extra 1,300 acres of terrain. Snowcat skiing moves to Lightning Ridge, adding another 700 acres.
- 2006–07: The old Hidden Lake Lift is replaced with a faster, high-speed lift.
- 2012–13: Summit, an event-hosting group, buys Powder Mountain.
- 2016–17: Two new lifts, the Village Lift and Mary's Lift, are added.
Skiing and Snowboarding at Powder Mountain
Powder Mountain has six chairlifts and three surface tows (like magic carpets or T-bars). Besides the areas you can reach by lift, you can also explore more terrain using a snowcat. Snowcat service is available for areas like Lightning Ridge, which is near James Peak. This allows you to get to fresh, untouched snow!
