Powder Mountain
Encyclopedia
- This article is about the ski resort in Utah. For the mountain in British Columbia, Canada, see Powder Mountain (British Columbia)Powder Mountain (British Columbia)Powder Mountain, , is a volcanic summit in the Powder Mountain Icefield in the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in southwestern British Columbia, Canada....
, and for its associated icefield see Powder Mountain IcefieldPowder Mountain IcefieldThe Powder Mountain Icefield, also called the Powder Mountain Icecap and the Cayley Icefield, is a glacial field in the Pacific Ranges of southwestern British Columbia, Canada, about west of Whistler and about north of Vancouver...
.
Powder Mountain is a ski resort
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
located east of Eden, Utah
Eden, Utah
Eden is a census-designated place in Weber County, Utah, United States. It lies between the North and Middle Fork of the Ogden River, north of Pineview Reservoir. The elevation is . The population was 600 at the 2010 census...
and stretching between Weber
Weber County, Utah
Weber County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah, occupying a stretch of the Wasatch Front, part of the eastern shores of Great Salt Lake, and much of the rugged Wasatch Mountains. As of the 2000 census, the population was 196,533, an increase of 24.1% over its population in 1990. By...
and Cache counties. Powder Mountain is less accessible to out-of-town ski
Ski
A ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
ers than other Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
ski resort
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
s, and is primarily visited by locals.
History
Powder Mountain has been continuously owned and operated by the same family since opening in 1972. Dr. Alvin Cobabe, his daughter Aleta Cobabe, and granddaughter Jamie Lythgoe serve on the management team. At 87, Dr. Cobabe is still active in the resort’s operations.The resort had its beginnings as the winter range for Frederick James Cobabe’s sheep herd. Frederick, who was orphaned at age 15, moved around from family to family until he went to work for Charley Scmaltz. He tended camp for Charley’s herders taking his pay in sheep until he built a herd of his own.
His summer range was in the Grand Targhee area. When Grand Targhee was designated a national forest
United States National Forest
National Forest is a classification of federal lands in the United States.National Forests are largely forest and woodland areas owned by the federal government and managed by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. Land management of these areas...
, grazing was prohibited and Fred sought a new range. Between 1902 and 1948, Fred continually accumulated land around Eden, Utah. Old timers say that his property was severely overgrazed by previous owners and hardly a blade of grass could be found. The watershed was so poor that Wolf Creek dried up each fall. Fred’s soil conservation practices greatly improved the vegetation and Powder Mountain now is known as one of the best watersheds in the Wasatch Mountains.
Fred’s son, Alvin F. Cobabe bought the livestock company with its 8,000 acres (32 km²) in 1948. Just a few months later, Fred was killed in an automobile accident.
When the ranch needed a reservoir, Alvin bought heavy earth moving equipment. He delved into the earth moving business to help pay for the machinery. A career in ranching, livestock and construction, however, did not satisfy Alvin. In 1956 at 42, he sold the livestock and construction companies to enroll in pre-med classes at Weber College. At age 45, he graduated from the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
Medical School and returned to northern Utah to establish a medical practice. At that time, Dr. Alvin Cobabe was the oldest person to graduate from the school.
While horseback riding with friends along Lightning Ridge in the 1950s, someone casually mentioned that the terrain would make a great ski resort. The idea rang true with Dr. Cobabe and he began to amass adjacent property adding to the thousands acquired from his father. When the resort opened on February 19, 1972, he owned 14,000 acres (57 km²).
Only the Sundown lift was open during Powder Mountain’s first season. The area was lit for night skiing and the instructors taught skiing. Food was prepared on an outdoor barbecue. The Main Lodge, the Sundown Lodge and the Timberline lift were added to operations in the 1972/73 season.
The resort today
Powder Mountain terrain within the lift accessible area is what might be seen at many other resorts: many green and blue runs with few blacks. However, under the Paradise lift is an assortment of more technical black runs, and Lighning Ridge is full of great black runs for the powder adventurer.
Powder Mountain is promoted as a family ski area. As such, Powder Mountain has little in the way of entertainment, fine dining, or after hours attractions.There is over 2,500 in bounds vertical feet available, making it a great place to go after it snows. Powder Mountain has also been voted in the top three for best snow in ski magazine.
There is substantial lodging on the mountain, most of it ski-in/ski-out. There is also plentiful lodging in the Eden Valley at the foot of the mountain; a good choice for visitors wanting to experience both Powder Mountain and Snowbasin. Eden has a gas station, grocery store, and coffee hut.
Powder Mountain Road is one of the steepest roads in Utah. All wheel drive and good tires are recommended.
Timeline
1971/72 Season
- Powder Mountain opened with Sundown Lift.
- Ski School began.
1972/73 Season
- Main Lodge opened.
- Sundown Lodge opened.
- Timberline lift opened.
1975/76 Season
- Hidden Lake Lift added.
1981/82 Season
- Shuttle service for employees and for Powder Country started.
1984/85 Season
- Powder was the first Utah resort to allow snowboarding.
1986/87 Season
- Hidden Lake Day Lodge opened.
1994/95 Season
- Sunrise Lift opened.
1999/2000 Season
- Paradise Lift, a quad, opened up an additional 1300 acres (5.3 km²) of lift accessed terrain.
- Cat skiing moved to Lightning Ridge accessing an additional 700 acres (2.8 km²).
- Powder Mountain became the resort with the most skiable terrain in America.
2006/07 Season
- Hidden Lake lift replaced with a high speed lift.