Snowbird Ski Guide (2026/27): Opening Day, Lift Tickets, The Cliff Lodge, Dining, Après & Getting There

The back story

Season 2026/27: Opening day tentatively 27 November 2026; season mid-November to May, conditions permitting (snowbird.com) · Ski area: 2,500 acres, 140+ runs; Tram, 10 chairlifts; skiers and snowboarders · Top viewpoint: Hidden Peak, 11,000 ft, by the Aerial Tram · Lift tickets: Adult full day from $195 (2026/27); Ikon Pass resort · Nearest airport: Salt Lake City (SLC), 29 miles, about 40 minutes (snowbird.com)

The back story

Snowbird: the back story

Snowbird·In depth

Old silver claims bought in secret, an Aerial Tram on opening day in 1971, and the ski tunnel and summit lodge that followed.

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Lift passes, ski schools and hire

Adult from $195

Snowbird lift tickets, 2026/27

Snowbird·Lift tickets·€€€

Snowbird lift tickets cover 9 lifts, 2 conveyors and the Aerial Tram; buy online two or more weeks ahead to save up to 15 per cent.

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Hidden Peak, 11,000 ft

The Aerial Tram

Snowbird·Signature lift·€€€

Snowbird’s red Aerial Tram climbs 2,900 vertical feet to Hidden Peak in about seven minutes.

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Lessons, camps and guiding

Snowbird Mountain School

Snowbird·Ski and snowboard school·€€€€

Private and group lessons, children’s and women’s programmes, camps and AIARE avalanche courses with Snowbird Mountain Guides.

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From Snowbird

Powderbird Helicopter Skiing

Snowbird·Heli-skiing·€€€€

Helicopter skiing in the Wasatch, booked through Snowbird; snowcat skiing is offered too.

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$42 Chickadee ticket

Chickadee and Baby Thunder

Snowbird·Beginner areas·€

First turns on the Chickadee lift, then the beginner and intermediate runs of Baby Thunder.

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Snowbird Sports, Cliff Sports, Creekside

Snowbird rentals

Snowbird·Ski and snowboard hire·€€€

Rental and demo equipment at Snowbird Sports, Cliff Sports in The Cliff Lodge and Creekside Sports in Gad Valley.

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2,500 acres, 2,900 ft vertical

Snowbird mountain

Snowbird·Ski area·€€€

2,500 acres across Peruvian Gulch, Gad Valley and Mineral Basin, with 140-plus runs, 68 per cent of them advanced or expert.

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Where to stay, every budget

Who it suits. On a budget: A studio at The Inn, groceries and sandwiches from General Gritts, the UTA ski bus, and the $42 Chickadee ticket for first-timers. Mid-range: A condo at The Lodge at Snowbird, laps under the Tram, lunch at The Nest, and pool and pizza at the Tram Club. Luxury: The Cliff Club or a Cliff Lodge suite, dinner at The Aerie, the rooftop pool at The Cliff Spa and a day of heli-skiing.

Ski-in/ski-out, rooftop spa · In depth

The Cliff Lodge

Snowbird·Resort hotel·€€€€

Snowbird’s ski-in/ski-out hotel, with The Cliff Spa’s rooftop pool and hot tub, steam room and cedar saunas, a family pool, The Aerie and SeventyOne.

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54 ski-in/ski-out residences · In depth

The Cliff Club

Snowbird·Luxury condominiums·€€€€

Fifty-four ski-in/ski-out condominiums in the west wing of The Cliff Lodge, many with private hot tubs, with The Cliff Spa, pools and restaurants on the doorstep.

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Walk to the Tram · In depth

The Lodge at Snowbird

Snowbird·Condominiums·€€€

Snowbird’s original lodge, a short walk from the Tram, with balconied condos, an outdoor pool and hot tub, steam room, dry saunas and The Lodge Bistro.

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Lower Village, value

The Inn at Snowbird

Snowbird·Studios and condominiums·€€

Studios to condos in Snowbird’s Lower Village, with an outdoor pool, hot tub, steam room and fitness room.

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Pool, hot tub and Wildflower

Iron Blosam

Snowbird·Condominiums·€€

Snowbird’s shared-ownership condominiums, with an outdoor pool, indoor hot tub, fitness centre and the Wildflower restaurant.

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Restaurants and mountain huts

Tenth floor, The Cliff Lodge

The Aerie

Snowbird·Fine dining·€€€€

Floor-to-ceiling mountain views, an award-winning wine list and a seasonal, farm-to-table menu.

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A nod to 1971

SeventyOne

Snowbird·Contemporary American·€€€

Comfort food with a ’70s twist and contemporary American dishes, from breakfast to dinner, at The Cliff Lodge.

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Snowbird Center

Steak Pit

Snowbird·Steakhouse·€€€€

A rustic mountainside steakhouse with house-aged prime steaks, fresh seafood and a long wine list.

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Utah’s highest restaurant

The Summit

Snowbird·Summit restaurant·€€€

A hearty meal and huge views at Utah’s highest restaurant, on 11,000-foot Hidden Peak.

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Steps from the Tram

The Forklift

Snowbird·Breakfast and lunch·€€

Sit-down breakfasts, lunches and après beside a roaring fire or on a sunny patio by the Tram.

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The Lodge at Snowbird

The Lodge Bistro

Snowbird·Bistro·€€€

Casual comfort with elevated flavours: seasonal salads, small plates, Wagyu hanger steak and Scottish salmon.

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Iron Blosam, a local ‘secret spot’

Wildflower

Snowbird·Italian·€€

Fresh Italian dishes and pizza for the whole family, with a lively winter après lounge.

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Newly rebuilt

The Nest

Snowbird·Mid-mountain restaurant·€€

The newly rebuilt mid-mountain restaurant, with spectacular views and an expansive patio.

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Après-ski and bars

Beside the Tram bullwheels

The Tram Club

Snowbird·Sports bar (21+)·€€

An iconic 21-and-over bar next to the Tram’s bullwheels: pool, spicy fries and après specials, with live music on Fridays.

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Iron Blosam

Wildflower Lounge

Snowbird·Lounge·€€

The lively winter après lounge above the Wildflower restaurant in Iron Blosam.

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Open until 10 p.m.

SeventyOne Lounge

Snowbird·Hotel lounge·€€€

The lounge at SeventyOne in The Cliff Lodge, open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

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Plaza Deck

Birdfeeder

Snowbird·Walk-up bar·€

A walk-up stop on the Plaza Deck for a quick burger, hot dog or beer.

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Tenth floor

The Aerie Lounge

Snowbird·Lounge·€€€

The Aerie’s lounge on the tenth floor of The Cliff Lodge, with mountain views, Tuesday to Saturday evenings.

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Shops

Plaza Deck

Christy Sports Snowbird

Snowbird·Ski shop·€€€

Ski and snowboard equipment, clothing and footwear, with boot fitting, demos and rentals, on the Plaza Deck.

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Snowbird Center

General Gritts

Snowbird·Grocery, deli and liquor store·€

A deli, grocery and state liquor store in one, famous locally for its made-to-order sandwiches.

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Mammut and Snowbird gear

Pipeline

Snowbird·Outerwear and essentials·€€€

Mammut’s newest outerwear, Snowbird-branded YETI mugs and essentials on the way to the Tram.

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Official Snowbird merchandise

Wings

Snowbird·Logo shop·€€

Official Snowbird shirts, hoodies, hats, posters and stickers.

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The Cliff Lodge

Cliff Sports

Snowbird·Ski shop·€€€

Clothing, accessories, rental and demo equipment, and tuning and repair inside The Cliff Lodge.

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With a U.S. Post Office

Center Sundries

Snowbird·Convenience store and post office·€

Snacks, beer, toiletries, gifts and a U.S. Post Office on Level 2 of the Snowbird Center.

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Spas and wellness

Heated rooftop pool and hot tub

The Cliff Spa

Snowbird·Rooftop spa·€€€

A spa on the top floors of The Cliff Lodge, with a heated rooftop pool and hot tub, cedar saunas and a eucalyptus steam room.

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Lower Village

The Inn steam room and pool

Snowbird·Lodge wellness·€

For guests at The Inn: an outdoor pool and hot tub, a steam room and a fitness room.

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Getting there

29 miles from Salt Lake City airport

Getting to Snowbird

Snowbird·Getting there

Snowbird is 29 miles from Salt Lake City International Airport, about 40 minutes by road, conditions permitting.

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Mostly first come, first served

Parking at Snowbird

Snowbird·Parking

Most parking at Snowbird is first come, first served, with paid reserved lots, carpool spaces for three or more and 15 EV chargers.

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Little Cottonwood Canyon

UTA Ski Bus to Snowbird

Snowbird·Public ski bus

Utah Transit Authority ski buses run from valley park-and-rides up Little Cottonwood Canyon to Snowbird and Alta.

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SLC airport to the canyons

Canyon Transportation to Snowbird

Snowbird·Shuttles and private cars

Shuttles, Sprinter vans and SUVs from Salt Lake City airport to Snowbird and the other Utah resorts.

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Property: the neighbourhoods

By the Tram

Snowbird Village and Center

Snowbird·Neighbourhood

The heart of the resort: the Snowbird Center, the Plaza Deck and the Tram, with The Lodge and The Cliff Lodge close by.

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Ski-in/ski-out

The Cliff and Cliff Club

Snowbird·Neighbourhood

The Cliff Lodge and the 54 residences of The Cliff Club, the resort’s ski-in/ski-out address.

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The Inn and Iron Blosam

Lower Village

Snowbird·Neighbourhood

The lower end of the resort, home to The Inn and Iron Blosam, with pools and Wildflower.

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The western base

Gad Valley and Creekside

Snowbird·Neighbourhood

The Gad Valley base, with Creekside Lodge, Creekside Sports and parking at Entry 1.

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Homes, condos and lots

Little Cottonwood Canyon homes

Snowbird·Neighbourhood

Homes and condominiums along the canyon between Snowbird and Alta.

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