First Time on the Slopes

Last Saturday we drove Will up to Sundance Ski Resort to pick up his first ever season pass! We took his friend, Dallan, too.  Dallan is a lifetime skier, whose dad used to be a member of the ski patrol at Sun Valley.  Dallan also had a season pass to Sundance.  That was one of the deciding factors for us when choosing Sundance for his first season pass.  There were also two other boys Will knows who have Sundance passes.  It was important to us that he not ski alone, but no one else in the family skis.  Other factors that influenced our decision were 1) Sundance is the closest resort to home, making it easier to drive the boys up; 2) the Sundance season pass includes the UTA ski bus pass.  The only other resorts that have bus routes are Snowbird and Alta, and those season passes don't include the bus pass, which has to be purchased separately... and finally, 3) Sundance is the cheapest student season pass.

It was raining pretty heavily in the valley that morning, but by the time we reached the resort, the rain had morphed into a heavy, wet snowfall.  It didn't take very long to get Will's pass processed and before you know it, we were watching Will and Dallan get on the lift for their first time down the slopes.  I wanted to watch him coming down the mountain, but standing in the cold and heavy, wet snow was just no fun at all.  Bill waited for the boys to make it back to the bottom while Helena and I went into the cafe and had some hot cocoa.  Before we finished them, Bill had joined us with the news that the boys had made it down and got right back on the lift, and, no, they didn't want to come see us in the cafe, thanks.

We drove back down the mountain, seeing a police car flashing its lights to mark the spot where a car had slid off the road into the stream.  It was pretty nasty road conditions!  In fact, at the Provo Canyon/Alpine Loop turn off, we saw that now the police were stopping anyone who didn't have four wheel drive and either insisting they put on chains, or they turn around.  I was very glad for our four wheel drive that day!

Now, the plan was to have the boys try out the UTA ski bus for their trip home.  I arranged to meet them at the parking lot of the Harmons in Orem, where the ski bus has a stop.  They planned to catch the 3:36 bus.  They were in line for the bus early and seemed to be in good shape to ride.  When the bus arrived, the driver stepped out and told skiers to attach their skis to the rack on the outside of the bus before entering, but told snowboarders that they could carry their boards directly onto the bus.  Will and Dallan struggled to figure out the straps on the rack, and by the time they had their skis securely stowed and presented themselves at the bus door, the driver told them that the bus was now full and they couldn't ride!

He made them take their skis back off the rack, then he drove away leaving two 14 year old boys stranded on the mountain until the next bus, more than an hour later!

I was very frustrated, to say the least!

I ended up driving up to the resort to pick them up, since there was no guarantee that the boys would be successful in getting a seat on the next bus, either.

I made sure to tell UTA exactly what I thought about our experience of their service.