BIG COTTONWOOD CANYON, Utah — Solitude Mountain Resort was one of the luckiest resorts with seven inches of snowfall overnight and another five inches during the day on Saturday.
With snow like that, thousands flocked to the resort to get a taste of the fresh powder.
“Oh man, the snow is so dry,” one snowboarder told FOX 13 while talking about his day.
READ: Utah ski season expected to be busy despite pandemic, drought
"Knee- to hip-deep powder. It was pretty nice, definitely 10/10," another said.
Solitude spokeswoman Sarah Huey was just as excited.
"It's so great,” she said about the natural snowfall around her. “I love to see these flakes falling from the sky, and I dream about them piling up so I can take those big powder turns.”
Solitude, like many other resorts, has implemented different restrictions such as walk-up only food areas, mask requirements and socially-distanced lift lines.
.@SolitudeMTN was busy today as skiers and snowboarders flocked to the resort for some fresh snowfall!
(Photos courtesy Bret Hansen) pic.twitter.com/1JbqzVHYYS
— FOX 13 News Utah (@fox13) December 12, 2020
"[They're called] 'ghost lanes,' which is where every other line was kept vacant to make sure people are well-spaced,” Huey said.
While the snow was fantastic, the traffic wasn’t.
"There’s a lot of people that want to get up there and enjoy a nice day of skiing,” Utah Department of Transportation spokesman John Gleason said.
“We need to ask everybody to do their part as well to make sure everyone gets home safely," he added regarding the slick road conditions.
While the ski season is just kicking off, this year will be different because of the pandemic. Huey suggests skiers and riders prepare for a slightly different experience on the mountain.
“I think this season, more than ever, communication and transparency is key,” she said, "so people know what they can expect and be prepared.”
