Zack McTee

My Xmas Vacation - The Salt Lake Loop

herenotthere:

I have from the December 15th until the 4th of January off (tentatively). Barring Xmas and New Years, this is what I’m planning on doing. I still have to figure out what the contingencies are, like how to make use of the time prior to Xmas. The end game is Witchita for Xmas, so it seems that Park City is a good entrance point.

1. Salt Lake — Hotel — Ride Park City
2. Tahoe — Camp at Eldorado Nat’l Park — Ride Heavenly
3. Yosemite National Park — Camp
4. Joshua Tree — Camp — Climb
5. Phoenix — Stay with Grandma
6. Taos, NM — Sleep in car — Ride Taos (if there is snow)
7. Monte Vista, CO — Stay with Uncle — Ride X Resort
8. Wichita, KS — Xmas with other Grandma
9. Jackson Hole, WY — Sleep in car — Ride Jackson
10. Salt Lake City — Hotel — Ride Snowbird

In total, it looks like two full 24 hour periods in the car, 4,000 miles, apprx $600 in gas, $500 to rent a car, probably less than $150 for lodging, probably $300 for the flight.

Worth it?

(note: this is highly ambitious)

If you want to get some real local flavor and hit two stellar mountains while you’re in Utah, I would recommend staying in Ogden which is about 30 minutes north of salt lake city. Powder Mountain has some of the best snow in all of Utah and incredible open back-country and Snowbasin doesn’t get near the credit it deserves compared to the Park City slopes.

It’s cheaper to stay in Ogden too, in fact I could probably get you put at some friends places for free, and they’d show you a good partying time.