6 Snowbasin Secrets

Last year, Snowbasin is expanded its massive terrain access with the six-person DeMoisy Express lift. The lift services the Strawberry area of the resort, near the Strawberry Gondola bottom terminal, with its top terminal located above Dan's Run.

Snowbasin’s four iconic lodges each serve up unique food and beverage options. Here’s a rough breakdown:

EARL’S LODGE: Home to The Servery, offering breakfast and lunch. Options include a a noodle station with curries, a carvery with fresh-carved prime rib, a grill serving up hot burgers, dogs, chicken, fries, etc, a pizza station as well as hearty mountain favorites like chili, mac & cheese, soups and more. All made fresh at stations right in front of you. There’s even local beers from the Beehive craft beer station and specialty coffee, tea and cocoa from local favorite, Daily Rise. Sit inside or out and continue to enjoy the incredible mountain views right from your table.

Earl’s Lodge is also home to The Cinnabar, the resort’s après lounge with an elevated gastro-pub menu, signature drinks, and live music. Open for lunch until about an hour after the slopes close for that one last drink or bite. Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are encouraged.

NEEDLES LODGE: Dine inside and observe the expansive valley below, or outside on the large scenic patio with stunning views of DeMoisy Peak.You’ll find a wide array of incredible food including burgers, soups, pizza and salads. Check out some of the local favorites, including the famous nachos from the Southwestern station.

Needles is also home to The Overlook, a 21+ restaurant with a full bar and elevated comfort food alongside great views and a cozy fireplace vibe. Unbuckle the boots, order a signature cocktail and the grilled cheese sandwich with a cup of tomato bisque.

JOHN PAUL LODGE: This lodge serves up stunning views of the entire resort and Mt. Ogden Ridgeline, along with Bavarian schnitzel, beer bratwurst, or what has been called the best Reuben in Utah. There’s also an all-day Belgian waffle bar, with every topping you can dream of.

STRAWBERRY PATIO: Old-school, open-air resort vibes with picnic table seating and cozy fire pits. Grab your favorite canned beer and jump in line at the Cluck Hütte (all things chicken), the Cheesesteak Chalet, or the Dog Haus to fuel a few more runs.

The upside to Snowbasin’s geography is that it’s pretty hard to get lost. Everything eventually flows to the main plaza surrounding Earl’s Lodge. The downside is that on busy days, the line for the Needles Gondola can start to back up. On those days, take advantage of other chairlifts around the mountain that virtually never experience lines, and make endless laps on high-speed six-pack express chairs like Middle Bowl and Wildcat, or slow your roll and enjoy old-school lifts like Porcupine and Becker ahead of their planned replacements in coming seasons.

The Allen Peak Tram accesses the highest point possible at Snowbasin. From the top, you can look north into Idaho, east into Wyoming, below at Utah, and west nearly to Nevada. The terrain is “Expert Only” as it is the start area for the Olympic Winter Games downhill events utilized in 2002 and ahead in 2034. Even if you can’t handle skiing or riding the terrain, the trip to the top is worth it just for the view, and you can ride the tram back down to the John Paul Lodge when you’re done updating your Instagram.

Believe it or not, Snowbasin's bathrooms are award-nominated and internationally acclaimed! No, really!

The resort's bathrooms stand out for their cleanliness and maintenance, especially when compared to other ski resorts. They are designed with style in mind, featuring granite countertops and wood accents, a more refined bathroom experience for each and every visitor.

Take a (bathroom) break and marvel at the floors, stalls, chandeliers, and more. All while in your ski and snowboard boots and mittens!

Dump the drive and don't worry about walking through a snowy parking lot to the base area. The Ski Bus to Snowbasin is cheap, more sustainable than driving, easy to use, and picks-up/drops-off right at the curb. Bus 675 connects Snowbasin Resort with Ogden, running several times a day. Bus 677 links Snowbasin Resort with the Layton FrontRunner Station.

Season pass holders and employees can buy a discounted pass for unlimited rides during the winter season, available from December at the Meadow Yurt. Non-pass holders pay $5 for a one-way trip and $10 for a round trip.

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